Process Design Essay

Design Improvement Product/service design Planning and control Nature and purpose of the design activity Products, services and the processes which produce them all have to be designed Decisions taken during the design of a product or service will have an impact on the decisions taken during the design of the process which produces those products or services, and vice versa Design of products / services and design of processes are interrelated and should be treated together Designing the product or service Designing the process Products and services should be designed in such a way that they can be created effectively Product / service design has an impact on the process design and vice versa Processes should be designed so they can create all products and services which the operation is likely to introduce Design of the Product Design of the Process In manufacturing operations overlapping the activities of product and process design is beneficial In most service operations the overlap between service and process design is implicit in the nature of service Process mapping symbols derived from ‘Scientific Management’ Operation (an activity that directly adds value) Inspection (a check of some sort) Transport (a movement of something) Delay (a wait, e. g. for materials) Process mapping symbols derived from Systems Analysis Beginning or end of the process Activity Input or output from the process Direction of flow Storage (deliberate storage, as opposed to a delay) Decision (exercising discretion) Manufacturing process types Process tasks Diverse/ complex Process flow High Intermittent Project Jobbing Variety Batch Mass Continuous Low Volume High Repeated/ divided Continuous Low Specially made, every one ‘customized’ Defined start and finish: time, quality and cost objectives Many different skills have to be coordinated A project process with a small part of the process map that would describe the whole process Jobbing processes Very small quantities: ‘one-offs’, or only a few required Specially made: high variety, low repetition, ‘strangers’, every one ‘customized’ Skill requirements are usually very broad Skilled Jobber, or team, completes whole roduct Batch processes Higher volumes and lower variety than for Jobbing Standard products, repeating demand. But can make specials Specialized, narrower skills Set-ups (changeovers) at each stage of production Mass (line) processes Higher volumes than batch Standard, repeat products (‘runners’) Low and/or narrow skills No set-ups, or almost instantaneous ones A mass process – a packing process Continuous processes Extremely high volumes and low variety: often single product Standard, repeat products (‘runners’) Highly capital-intensive and automated Few hangeovers required Difficult and expensive to start and stop the process A service shop – This health club offers some variety within a standard set of facilities and processes A mass service – This call centre can handle a very high volume of customer enquiries because it standardizes its process Source: Royal Bank of Scotland Group Deviating from the ‘natural’ diagonal on the product-process matrix has consequences for cost and flexibility Manufacturing operations process types S ervice operations process types None More process flexibility than is needed so high cost Project Jobbing Batch Mass Continuous None Less process flexibility than is needed so high cost Professional service Service shop Mass service The ‘natural’ line of fit of process to volume/variety characteristics Flow (layout), technology and Job design are all influenced by process positioning Flow Unorganized Technology Little / general Jobs Varied / high discretion Volume Custom furniture maker Machine tool maker Automobile factory Predictable Specialist Routine / low discretion Petrochemical refinery Investment banking Customer service branch Bank call centre Credit card processing Customized sandwich – old process Raw materials Assembly Stored sandwiches Move to outlets sell Take payment Standard sandwich process Customer request The operation of making and selling customized sandwiches Prepare Sandwich materials and customers Assemble as required Take payment Customers ‘assembled’ to sandwiches Bread and base filling Assemble whole sandwich Use standard ‘base? No Yes Outline process of making and selling customized sandwiches Detailed process of assembling customized sandwiches Customized sandwich – new process Assemble whole sandwich Assembly of ‘sandwich bases’ Use standard ‘base? Take ayment Fillings Bread and base filling Stored ‘bases’ Yes Customer request Assemble from standard ‘base’ No Little’s law (a really quite useful law) Throughput (TH) = Work in process (WIP) x Cycle time (CT) Cycle time = 2 minutes WIP = 10 Throughput time = ? Throughput time = 10 x 2 minutes = 20 minutes time (CT) 500 exam scripts need to be marked in 5 days (working 7 hours a day). It takes 1 hour to mark a script. How many markers are needed? What is designed in a product or service? The understanding of the nature, use and value of the service or product A concept A package The group of ‘component’ products and services that provide those benefits defined in the concept The way in which the component products and services will be created and delivered A process The product and service design activity is a process in itself Transformed resources, . g. Technical information Market information Time information The product / service design process whose performance is measured by its Quality Speed Dependability Flexibility Cost Fully specified products and Outputs services Inputs Transforming resources, e. g. Test and design equipment Design and technical staff The stages of product / service design Concept generation Concept screening Preliminary design Evaluation and improvement Prototyping and final design Ideas from customers formally through marketing activities Listening to customers – n a day-to-day basis Ideas from competitor activity – for example reverse engineering Ideas from staff – especially those who meet customers every day Ideas from research and development Broad categories of evaluation criteria for assessing concepts Feasibility – how difficult is it? What INVESTMENT, both managerial and financial, will be needed? What RETURN, in terms of benefits to the operation, will it give? Overall evaluation of the concept Criteria for screening concepts Acceptability – how worthwhile is it? Vulnerability – what could go wrong? What RISKS do we run if things go wrong? Design involves progressively reducing the number of possibilities until the final design is reached CONCEPT Choice and evaluation ‘screens’ Large number of design options Uncertainty regarding the final design TIME One design FINAL DESIGN SPECIFICATON Certainty regarding the final design Design evaluation and improvement.

Vegetarian Diet: a Good Practice to Lose Weight or Not

Vegetarian Diet: A Good Practice to Lose Weight or Not? Obesity is one of the major problems of modern societies. At this present, Thai people are getting fatter. According to Kasikorn Research Centre, the researches in 2008 indicates that the number of Thai people classed as overweight is expected to increase between 10 – 12 millions, which is almost 1 in 6 people of the country. However, nowadays, people are more concerned about their health and fitness. They want to be good looking and healthy, so people are looking for ways to lose weight. One popular dietetic practice is vegetarianism.In many areas, people are vegetarians because of inadequate income, lack of animal products, and religious belief. Vegetarian diet becomes the most popular diet practice as it has been proved to lose weight effectively. However, vegetarian diet remains a controversial issue among people. Some people claim that vegetarian diet is lack of nutrients, unhealthy and a difficult practice. However, vegetarian diet is a good practice for losing weight as it benefits weight loser in many ways. Firstly, vegetarian diet is an effective practice to lose weight.Many studies indicate that vegetarian dieters can lose weight very fast. The easiest concept of losing weight is people have to eat fewer calories than they expend. Vegetarian diet helps people lose significant weight since vegetarian foods which include vegetables, fruits and grainsarevery low in calories. Moreover, there are other supporting factors. The fact is fruits and vegetables contain a large amount of water and fibers which enable people to feel full quickly. From the scientific study, human body can absorb vegetable nutrients better than meat.Besides, vegetarians can eat unlimited amount of high-fiber foods without feeling hungry. Furthermore, eating vegetables helps increase calories burnedafter meal since the nutrients from vegetables are digestedfaster than from meats. Also, the consumption of whole grains, one of the staples of vegetarian diets, is proved to be associated with a lower body mass index and waist circumference(BMI). From the researches, vegetarian dieters can achieve their weight losing as they can lose weight about a pound per week without additional exercise and calories intake limitation (physician committee for responsible medicine, 2006).Vegetarianism is the only diets for permanent weight loss since it enables people to shed off unnecessary fats. If people decrease their animal products intakes, undoubtedly, they will lessen their fats intake which is the main reason of weight gain. Quoted in physician committee for responsible medicine, Susan E. Berkow, the author of the Nutrition Reviews, wrote in her reviews that both male and female vegetarians weight 3 to 20 percents lower than meat eaters. Therefore, vegetarian diet is proved to be an effective way to lose weight It has been claimed that being vegetarian is not a good practice because it has many side effects.So me people argue that vegetarians are fainted easily and stressed since they have to avoid meats. In fact, vegetarian diet has fewer side effects when compared to Atkins diet and using diet pills. The first one, Atkins diet practice, gives many trans-fats which come from eating an unlimited amount of meat, dairy products. As reported in Akins Nutritional Organization article, trans-fats have no nutritional value and are the major cause of obesity and the contributor to heart disease. Additionally, meats are converted to fats and fats have been added to weight increasing.Nutritionists have found that Atkins weight loss program increases the risk of heart disease while vegetarian diet decreases it. Moreover, according to the American Cancer Society’s studies, meat increases the risk of colon cancer. On the contrary, fruits and vegetables help lower the risk of getting cancer. The second way to lose weight compared to vegetarian diet is taking diet pills. Diet pills restrain appe tite so they make people feel full so that they can lose weight very quickly; however, it causes many side effects on health. The fact is diet pills cause many ailments such as nervousness, fatigue, headaches, and diarrhea.Moreover, diet pills overdose leads to tremors, hallucinations, heart attack and even death. Many pills contain dangerous chemical substances. For example, Phenylpropanolamine can increase heart beat rate and blood pressure. From the report published in 2004 by the New England Journal of Medicine, San Francisco researchers link diet pills to be the cause of 10 deaths and 20 heart attacks and strokes within the past two years after their drug intake. Hence, losing weight by eating plant products poses less harm than Atkins diet and taking diet pills. Also, vegetarian dietbenefits weight losers in terms of the expenses.Some people may argue that vegetarian foods cost much money and cooking vegetarian dishes can be complicated since they have to select specialthe ing redients. In fact, vegetarian diet helps save money because vegetables and fruits, actually, cost less than meats and whole grains are less expensive than protein from meats. Moreover, since vegetarian diet has few side effects, it helps people save the money spent onmedical care and health insurance. On the other point of view, people who disagree with vegetarian diet claim that vegetarian diet is an unhealthy practice for losing weight since it lacks many nutrients.They claim that those who practice vegetarian diet may lack of nutrients from protein, vitamins and fats. Protein for body growth generally comes from meat and dairy products and vitaminB12, for example, which used to help forming red blood cells and functioning nerve systems comes from milk. In addition, energy which is used during all stages of life comes from fats, carbohydrate, and protein. Besides, they argue that water and fibers reduce energy density and increase the volume of foods. Vegetables and fruits, natura lly, contain a lot of water and fiber content, so they might low in calories and give low energy density.Therefore strict vegetarian diet does not providepeople enough energy to use during the daily activities in life. Actually, to people who are not well informed, vegetarian diet is proven to be a good practice to lose weight. The fact is there are four main types of vegetarian diet. It is categorized by the animal meat restriction in the diet. The first type is a total vegetarian or vegan which is the group of people who eat only vegetables. People who are vegans can lose weight very fast. The second type islacto vegetarian.This type of vegetarian allows vegetables and dairy products. Ovo-vegetarian is another type of vegetarian. They consume vegetables and eggs which give them enough protein. The last type of vegetarian is lacto-ovo vegetarian. People who practice lacto-ovo vegetarians eat all vegetables,eggs and dairy products. It is proved that adopting this diet has many healt h benefits, more than a meat-full diet since lacto-ovo vegetarian food provides protein, carbohydrate, fats, minerals and vitamins which are necessary to human body.So, people in this diet type do not need to find other supplements to stay healthy. Another point is that there are other sources of nutrients from plants which function as protein in meats, vitamins and minerals such as whole grains, legumes, vegetable seeds and nuts. Moreover, lacto vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians can gain vitaminB12 by eating dairy products while vegans can obtain vitaminB12 from soy milk and yeast. Besides, milk and dairy products are another source of calcium. Also, kales and green leave vegetables can give calcium which are absorbed better than that from milk.Furthermore, vegetables contain the less amounts of saturated fats than meats, so it can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, vegetarian meals have essential minerals and vitam ins which are good for health. Vegetables are rich in antioxidants and protective Phytonutrients which lower the risk of cancer and chronic syndrome. Besides, losing weight by vegetarian diet is not proven to cause an illness. People who consume a lot of meat have a high risk of heart-disease, cancer and bone loss.The study of more than 500,000 middle-aged and elderly Americans found that those who consumed about four ounces of red meat a day were more than 30 percent likely to die from heart disease and cancer during ten years followed. In conclusion, there are several benefits of vegetarian diet for weight losers. Vegetarian diet is proved to be an effective way to lose weight since it has lesser negative side effects and benefits weight losers in terms of the expenses. There are four types of vegetarians included lacto vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians and vegans which are categorized from the restriction of animal products.Although some people argue that vegeta rian diet is an unhealthy way to lose weight, many studies prove that vegetarian diet is a healthy weight loss practice. Albert Einstein once said â€Å"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution of vegetarian diet. † Nevertheless, there are many people who starting vegetarian diet without nutritional background knowledge about balanced diet. Therefore, vegetarians should be aware of what nutrients lack in the diet and carefully select types that appropriate for each person to become a wise weight loser. ThanchanokSrisawang 520110045

Disney vs. The Future of Men

Thesis: The constructs of masculinity found in most Disney movies create an environment of images that shape and define what young boys view as masculinity. By presenting sexist relationships, physical expectations, and violence and dominance to represent power, young boys are left feeling emotionally unattached and physically inadequate. How many Disney movies did you see as a child? How many of those movies did you watch over and over again? And how many of the songs you so lovingly watched over and over again can you still sing today?The Walt Disney Company has been a powerful force in creating childhood culture all around the world. Disney’s massive success is based on images of innocence, magic and fun. Its animated films in particular are praised as wholesome family entertainment. These movies are endorsed by teachers and parents, and are obviously immensely popular with children. The fun and innocence may have its value, but it is important to understand how these movie s are representing the moral characteristics that the children viewing them will eventually grow up to represent themselves.Most alarmingly is the representation of masculinity throughout many classic Disney movies such as Mulan, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. These movies are presenting masculine complexes to young boys all over the world, giving them distorted images of what it means to be a man, and also how to relate to women. What is most dangerous about the way Disney movies represent masculinity is that the process is not a quick one. The means in which the media influences the way we think is less immediate, and has a much less straight forward impact on the way we think.Disney movies in particular create a certain environment of images that we grow up with and eventually become used to. An example of such a group of images is the constant representation of the male body in Disney movies as buff, and chiseled. After a while these images begin to shape what young bo ys know and what they understand about the world around them. This is not an immediate effect, but instead a slow accumulative effect that is much more subtle than we are aware of.One of the biggest problems with this process is that the Disney conglomerate has spanned over nearly five generations, so no one thinks to challenge the idea that an animated Disney movie is a great way to entertain children while simultaneously sharing with them a piece of traditional culture. One of the most destructive ways in which classic animated Disney movies are providing young boys with false and distorted images of masculinity, are the ways in which men are shown in relationship to women. Most Disney movies revolve around a heterosexual relationship containing a hero and heroine.Feminists have studied what these characters tell girls about themselves, but it is just as important if not more important to understand what these movies are telling boys about how real men interact with and treat wome n. Often the message to boys both explicitly and implicitly is that men should view women as objects of pleasure or as servants to please them. A perfect example of this misrepresentation is in the movie Mulan. In Mulan, and entire song called â€Å"A Girl Worth Fighting For†, explains what a man is looking for in a woman.Some of these traits include cooking, cleaning, and looking beautiful for her husband. This quote from the song shows exactly what type of sexist characteristics are represented in Mulan. â€Å"I want her paler than the moon, with eyes that shine like stars, my girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars. I could care less what she’ll wear or look like, it all depends on what she cooks like† Another highly destructive construct that Disney movies present to young boys is the representation of the male body.Disney movies glorify one particular body type above all others. Chiseled abs, a barrel chest and massive arms are typical of a m ale Disney character. Men with any other body type are generally viewed as outcasts, weak or subservient. One of the most extreme examples can be found in â€Å"Beauty and the Beast†, where the contrast between the powerful male heroine figure, Gaston and his sidekick, LeFou is undeniable. The song entitled simply, â€Å"Gaston† is entirely dedicated to glorifying Gaston’s manly physique and strength.In contrast to this, LeFou is shown as short, chubby, and bucktoothed. In â€Å"Mulan†, when Mulan attempts to join the Japanese army by passing as a man, she is taught very quickly that masculinity is defined by strength and physical ability alone. In the song, â€Å"I’ll Make a Man Out of You† Mulan is taught that in order to achieve true manhood she must overcome strictly physical obstacles and challenges as opposed to any emotional ones. Other movies such as â€Å"Hercules† and â€Å"Tarzan† depict their main characters as buff , muscular men, with almost super human strength and ability.While Tarzan surfs tree branches and swings from vine to vine with ease that can be compared to an Olympic gold medalist, Hercules lifts giant boulders, and sleighs a three-headed mythological beast. Though the aspect of fantasy plays a role in these movies, the take home message is that characters like Tarzan and Hercules are men to be admired, imitated and idealized. Not only do most Disney movies glorify their characters bodies but also the level of violence and dominance they exhibit. Masculinity in relation to violence and dominance is very clear in most Disney films.Not only is the victory of a battle glorified, the unwillingness of a character to fight is often shown as pitiful or weak. An example of such an instance is in the animated movie, Beauty and the Beast. In a scene where Gaston has beaten the beast to the ground he exclaims, â€Å"What’s the matter beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back? † This is prime example of how movies such as these are teaching boys that violence is the answer, and that any challenge to that idea is thought of as weak or emasculating. The climactic scene in most films is a battle between two men.A violent battle to win the love of a woman or maintain pride and status is the most important scene in establishing which of these characters is the â€Å"better† man. There are two major problems with this idea. First, that boys are being taught that dominance and violence is something to strive for and respect. Second, that these types of behaviors are necessary if not mandatory in gaining the acceptance and love of a woman. Never in a Disney animated movie will you see the losing character of a battle win the woman in the end.Because a lot of the most popular animated Disney movies were created in the mid to late 1900’s a lot of the themes shown in them are completely sexist and have no validity in current society. So basically, as lon g as parents continuing showing their sons Disney movies in which a character has to achieve some physical task instead of showing affection, or an emotional connection, men will continue to have no idea what women want. Because we as Americans feel such a deep, loving connection to theDisney movies we grew up with, it is only natural that we sit our children down in front of the television in an attempt to share with them a piece of our own childhoods. However as much as Disney has become embedded in our subconscious as wholesome and magical, today the world is a different place with different people and different ideas. The harmful effects of showing a child a Disney movie, especially a young boy can leave a dangerous mark. From body distortion, to dysfunctional relationship issues, the potential these movies have to alter a child future is certainly enough to switch off the Disney channel and turn on Lifetime.

Drama Wit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drama Wit - Essay Example This play demonstrates every angle of this treatment. "Wit" is excellent demonstration of physical and mental situation of patient, Prof Vivian, going through very aggressive treatment. It last eight months, and during the whole course she comes across hospital staff that approached her with different attitudes. DR. Jason, former student of Prof Vivian and a clinical fellow, was very intelligent and hard working. He respects Vivian most, which is visible from conversation between Jason and Susie, but at the same time very serious about his fellowship and research. When Susie asks for lowering Vivian's dose, he refuses and sticks to full dose, for research purpose. Susie, the nurse, is very soft hearted and caring. She love Vivian and wants to help Vivian in all the way her need. She cares for her and do not like to see her in pain. It is visible from scene when she asks Jason to lessen dose for Vivian because of her physical situation. She is always there when Vivian need somebody to talk. This is understood from the conversation betwee n Susie and Vivian after whole course is over. Dr Kelekian, Vivian's doctor, is a good person. He wishes to cure her, at the same time he consider her a research. He is very strict with profession and do not allow involvement of emotions. Vivian was more a research than a patient for both Kelekian and Jason. They both insist for full dose in spite of Vivian’s bad physical condition. At the end also, although Jason knows about Vivian’s DNR status, he call code because he want her to stay alive for his research. All these conversations and actions show that overall Vivian is treated with respect and caring, but at the same time she is an object for research.... All these conversations and actions show that overall Vivian is treated with respect and caring, but at the same time she is an object for research. Through all course of action, audience is encouraged to react sympathetically towards Vivian. This was about other characters of drama. Now talk about centre charter of play, Vivian. She is a very intelligent and tough lady. She survives through 8 months long strong treatment, which no one expected. She is very strict with her profession as well, and that is why she understands Dr. Kelekian's strictness of treatment. She understands importance of research and supports all the requirements. There are many scenes in drams where her toughness is clearly visible, but at last, after all suffering, she also gives up the hope of living. She decides to become "DNR". Conclusion This play is not just about Vivian, but all the patients going through very painstaking treatments. Many times treatments give positive results, but there are some times when the treatment fails. If treatment success, every thing is fine and patient gets back to the normal life, but when treatment fails, situation of last days is very important. A person always wish to live his last days on earth with great pleasure. There can not be bad thing than spending days in hospital with hope of cure. Hope is good, only when it comes true, but spending days in a hope, when it is impossible to happen, is worse. Situation of Vivian is similar; she is spending her last days in hospital. In her last days, she is undergoing aggressive treatment, taking medicines, injections and giving exams. Is it the thing that we should offer to a person who is about to die Her cancer was at last stage, and was clearly incurable. When doctors knew it,

Major Incident Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Major Incident Management - Essay Example Those who are categorized as serious have a deathly consequence in their circumstances; those categorized as major may suffer from a major permanent loss of function; next comes those who may suffer with a permanent reduction in bodily functions; those categorized as minor require increased level of care; and finally those classified as minimum are patients with no injury or increased level of care (New South Wales Government, 2005). Based on corporate consequence, impact on staff, visitors, services, finances, and the environment shall also be assessed by the first responder. The likelihood of the incident happening again shall also be assessed by the first responder. He shall classify the likelihood from the rating ‘frequent’ (the highest possible rating) to ‘rare’ (the lowest possible rating) (New South Wales Government, 2005). The risk or the magnitude of the incident also needs to be assessed by the first responder. The incident is rated at 1 if the ris k is extreme; 2 if the risk is high; 3, if there is medium risk; and 4 if the risk is low (New South Wales Government, 2005). The initial triage of the first responder is to assess the patients with life threatening conditions. The first responder has to deliver immediate treatment to these patients first by delivering CPR after airway clearance. For those classified as urgent or are unable to walk with RRs at 10 bpm-29 bpm and CRT at 2 seconds or less, urgent treatment has to be delivered by the crew. For those with minor injuries, but are walking, their treatment may be delayed; and for those who are dead, no treatment can be delivered. The crew then has to render appropriate emergency care and then transport the patients to the nearest hospital the soonest time possible, starting with those needing immediate care. In case of possible contagion, the emergency ambulance crew also has the duty of decontaminating the patients and themselves

Origins and influence of Cumbia on the Colombian culture Research Paper

Origins and influence of Cumbia on the Colombian culture - Research Paper Example The Cumbia dance and song is a symbol of Colombian culture around the globe (Dimartio, 1999 p26). This is because Cumbia dance has strong links to the history of the Colombian people and for generations, acted as a melting point for numerous Colombian cultures that defines the national identity of the nation (Wade, 2008 p109). Cumbia can be traced to music and dance that reflected the social lives of the countries of origins of African slaves brought to Colombia by the Spaniards to work on the plantations. The African slaves created Cumbia as the only form of entertainment that they had to ease the unpleasant and harsh nature of work as a slave in the Americas (Rosa & Neciosup, 2008 p59). Up until the 1930s, Cumbia was only known in Colombia (Dimartio, 1999 p26). It was performed by a few professional groups that toured the Colombian countryside and was also performed by gifted musicians who lived in the various villages. These gifted musicians were preserving a tradition that was handed down to them by their ancestors. Aside the African influence, there is clear evidence of Spanish influence in Cumbia. Most Cumbian songs are sang in Spanish and the costumes used by the main, like the hat, pants, shirts and dresses are sewn according to Spanish standards. They reflect the main cultural trends of the dresscode of Spanish America. There is also a strong Amerindian influence in the dance and some of the instruments used in the dance of Cumbia. All these observations were made after watching the Xiomara dance video and the Ballet Esmeraldas group perform. The purpose of the research is to identify the origins and manifestation of Cumbia. It examines the components of Cumbia and how it developed. It goes further to identify why it forms an important part of Colombian culture. The study was motivated by the fact that the Colombian community is New York is large and quite influential. In spite of their dominance as a great part of the New York society, many people with stereotypes view Colombia and Colombi an with a very negative attitude. However, in spite of this, the Colombian people live very respectable lives all over the United States and a vast majority of them work very hard and contribute to the building of the American economy through various decent jobs. Thus in a Hispanic classroom, it is important to dispell some of these false information and visions about the Colombian culture and teach students some of the important aspects of their native cultures and traditions that can inspire heroic and positive attachments to these cultures. So as part of this project, I hope to uncover important elements of the Colombian culture and history that can help in the quest to get the average student to understand and appreciate other important aspect of Colombian culture that are often not discussed. This research therefore attempts to examine some of the distinct elements of the Colombian culture that makes them different from everyone else. It is interesting to note that Cumbia refle cts the complex history of Colombia and brings out the socio-cultural insights of the Colombian people. It debunks modern views of Colombia and has taught me a lot about the Colombian people which I will not have known, aside the stereotypes I grew up learning about the

Elon Musk an entrepreneur of the 21th century Essay

Elon Musk an entrepreneur of the 21th century - Essay Example Joseph Schumpeter associated entrepreneurship with the creation of five ‘new combinations’. These new combination were new product introduction, introduction of a new production method, to capture new supply source and to organize the industry in a novel manner. The four factors of production are labour, land, capital and organisation. The other factors are coordinated by the factor organisation. Entrepreneurship is the driving force behind the organisation. Entrepreneurs should have thorough knowledge of the industry and should be natural leaders. They should have foresight and risk taking ability (Robertson, n.d.). The entrepreneur of the 21st century will achieve success through his reach of the global markets. The entrepreneur of this century does not only bring about innovation in the market but also explores new methods of surviving in the dynamic market. An entrepreneur often has to face several obstacles in his approach towards innovation. The investors in his business may not be able to understand his vision. They may not be in favour of the innovation and may not be willing to take the risk. The 21st century is facing rapid changes in technology and entrepreneurs are taking the benefit of these changes to increase productivity. They are using their resources in innovative ways to increase their profitability. The entrepreneurs of today are all set to compete on a global scale through their mergers and acquisitions. The entrepreneurs of this century are poised to take the global challenges in their stride (Robertson, n.d.). All people do not become entrepreneurs. The main characteristic that makes a person a successful entrepreneur is innovative mindset and leadership skills. He should not be risk averse. He should be able to organise and coordinate. He should be alert to identify the opportunities in the market. They should be ‘gap fillers’ which means that they should be able to identify which products the

Cognative Behavioural Therapy CBT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cognative Behavioural Therapy CBT - Essay Example What is CBT? There are several types of cognitive behavior therapy acclaimed by the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists, such as ‘dialectic behavior therapy, rational living and rational behavior therapy, or rational emotive behavior therapy’ (Dryden 2002, p. 18). The essence of these approaches is to make a patient be aware of triggers of his addiction. It is relevant to help patients to develop new strategies for dealing with stressing situations and coping with addictions, respectfully. During the process of a functional analysis, therapists makes the addict persons define their inner thoughts and ideas that occur inside of them during the process of drugs/alcohol consumption or after it. There is another option for therapists to develop a behavioral model relevant to the addicted individuals. Counselors should be able to identify risky situations when relapse may occur. In this case it is relevant to develop skills that may help a patient to overc ome this risk. With this regard, it is possible to make group sessions and teach clients skill elements by means of â€Å"roleplaying and real life practice exercises that will enable them to apply these skills to meet their own needs† (Marlatt 2007, p. 32). Clients should be ensured in receiving constructive feedback from counselors. A long-lasting behavioral change may occur when self-efficacy expectations are modified. CBT is efficient for clients who are actively involved in treatment process and are willing to be responsible for their future abuse prevention. In this case, during CBT a client obtains healthy behaviours instead of maladaptive habits: â€Å"As the individual undergoes a process of deconditioning, cognitive restructuring, and skills acquisition, he or she can begin to accept greater responsibility for changing the behavior. This is the essence of the self-control or self-management approach: one can learn how to escape from the clutches of the vicious cycl e of addiction, regardless of how the habit pattern was originally acquired† (Rasmussen 2000, p. 116). It is important for counselors to reread required sections of manual before each session and highlight necessary points, which have to be covered during a training session. It is important for a client to hear from counselor a natural speech and not just listening to manual citing. During each session, a counselor should inform the client about the most important issues for his daily life. At this point, client’s information and examples from his life should be used by counselors as illustrative material. Therefore, CBT is effective in case relevant measures are developed by a therapist. In order to develop a relevant treatment strategy, it is necessary to conduct more than 20 documented controlled trial tests, if to refer to data of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (The Official Website of the Institute). Generally speaking, it is also efficient to combine CBT wit h group support sessions and other types of support strategies. It is also important to develop a flexible approach to CBT treatment development. A flexible approach implies an individual development of CBT for every patient. The main advantage for CBT as a treatment for patients with addictions is its short time performance and a personalized treatment. Currently, CBT is widely used for patients with no psychotic disorders, or those who suffer from bipolar disorder. A shift to cognitive

Sars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sars - Essay Example Apart from the prevalent of mode of transmission through droplet suspension, fecal-oral mode of transmission has been shown to occur and thereby contribute to spread of the disease. Fecal-oral transmission is possible since it has been demonstrated that the virus can survive in the stool for 4 days. Due to the nature of profuse watery diarrhoea in SARS patients, SARS virus may be present in faeces thereby propagating fecal-oral transmission and fecal-respiratory transmission. This has been mentioned as one of the characteristics of SARS that enabled the virus spread in an apartment complex in Hong Kong (Peiris et al., 2003). SARS is commonly transmitted via droplets and close personal contact, factors which enhances its faster spread once an incidence has been established (Seto et al., 2003). The stability of the coronavirus for days in the environment such as in the stool also raises the incidences or possibilities of fomite transmission as a significant mode of transmission of SARS . The ability of this coronavirus to cause diarrhoea also aids in the transmission of the disease. It should be noted that normal stool has low pH as compared to stool from patients suffering from diarrhoea as a result of SARS. The high pH (low acidity) ensures the virus is able to survive and contaminate faeces for up to four days. Therefore the ability of the SARS virus to be spread from different routes namely in faeces, respiratory secretions and even in urine renders the coronavirus more advanced in its ability to spread very fast. Severity of the disease is as a result of being able to affect the whole respiratory system from the nose to the lungs. This is followed by high fever exceeding 38Â °C with acute breathlessness, coughing and sneezing. Acute breathlessness is as a result of the accumulation of fluids in the alveoli. The SARS virus rapidly replicates in the alveoli which is now filled with fluid and is further compressed by adjacent swollen tissues causing hypoxia. Th e patient succumbs to death due to lung failure (Puri, 2003). Therefore, the severity of SARS can be attributed to the events occurring in the lungs and specifically the alveoli causing an incomplete shut down of the breathing process. The virulence of the SARS virus ensures it spreads faster principally through deadly sputum droplets which occur through close personal contact. Severity of the disease is also attributed to its relatively short incubation period which can be as short as 2 days to a maximum of 2 weeks. In this review, important characteristics of the virus are highlighted such as the mode of transmission and pathogenesis which influences the severity of the disease. The principal mode of transmission which is airborne droplets consisting of the deadly viruses causes the SARS virus to be a potent killer coupled to its relatively short incubation period. This is further aided by the modern ease of travel ensuring the disease is able to spread from its epicenter for exam ple the case of infection at Hong Kong airport in 2003 to different destination. The stability of the virus outside the human body is another feature of the virus that ensures its successful transmission to susceptible human host. It has been documented in several literature works that it can survive on fomites such as door knobs, phones and other objects for several days therefore ensuring that it spreads very fast. In addition, having been documented that it can survi

Project Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Project Management - Assignment Example The parties involved hereto acting with appropriate authority by their related firms. [Client name]  [agency information  Company name Company name Full name Full name Title Title Signature Signature Date Date Assignment 2 An Invitation for Bid (IFB) is a request made when submitting a bid to provide certain services or goods in order to fulfill a bid that a firm has identified. RFP is converted to an IFB when there is a considering the lowest price in making an award. Moreover, it is usually done when the services and goods are fairly simple and also when the need is standard. In converting RFP to IFB requirements would need to be adjusted then the government and the contractors will submit their offers again. Moreover, the other evaluation factors that were in the RFP would be removed. Assignment 3 contracts and procurement (supply bid for popcorns) Submitted by: Milano Suppliers Ltd. Street City, State, Zip Type of Business: good suppliers Title of Proposal: bid to supply popc orn kernels Proposed Amount: 30cts per pound of kernel Period of Performance: over 5 years Business Point of Contact: Name Telephone No. e-mail address Our clients include: Name Telephone No. e-mail address Name Telephone No. e-mail address Name Telephone No. ... with—the submission of this data, Puffy Pop shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit Puffy Pop's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. Assignment 4 contracts and procurement A fixed price contract will be effective for the order of a pencil manufacturer to produce 20 000 pencils. This is because the product can be explicitly defined as there is enough data to accurately calculate approximately the cost. Moreover, the requirement for the order is well defined and the contractors have vast experience in ensuring the order is met. Therefore, the financial risks are insignificant. Cost plus contracts will be effective in the other three contracts. In the construction of a 300-meter bridge a cost plus contract is suitable due the risks attached to it. The contract is characterized by uncertain labor hours and spec ulative material required in the construction of the bridge. The design of a circuit board and the small factory are both long-term projects, which is likely to put the contractor in unforeseeable exposure to market uncertainties. This protects the Government and contractor in the case of labor or material fluctuations in price. Therefore, a fixed price convention is inappropriate Advantages CPAF contacts are widely used as it results in better communication and enhances motivation to achieve a better contract performance. Evaluation and motivation flexibility is advantageous in instances that require cost-reimbursement contracts. Moreover, it encourages efficient communication between the parties. Hence, the approach is an effective management tool. The disadvantage with this mode of contract

International Business Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business Strategy - Assignment Example International business operators have adopted a new form of business that entails standardization of the product with the intention of offering and bringing together product and service development and processing. In this aspect, multinationals have tried to make one corporation with branches and operations across the world. The thinking, in this case, is influenced by the precise customer needs and the cultural and geographical factors that impact on the purchasing behavior. Therefore, it is possible to have an international company, say a restaurant, offering entirely different types of goods and services in different parts of the world. This depends on the people living in a certain global locality. Nevertheless, the company’s logo and brand name continue to unite its global customers.   Another thinking of the international business that has evolved is the arbitrage thinking. This involves the exploitation of the differences that arise between regional and national marke ts. Business operators are now required to be more vigilant in the location of important parts of the supply chain in different regions. For instance, Europeans, mainly value opening many retail shops while Indians value the initiation of call centers to monitor employees and customers and create a better channel of communication.Another strategic thinking, that has characterized and shaped international business, is the competitive rivalry between different producers and suppliers in the international markets.

Investigative Report on Interviewee Essay Example for Free

Investigative Report on Interviewee Essay The interview is of a former police officer who is now undergoing a course in criminal justice psychology. The interviewee is a 57 year old separated man who has been a professional policeman with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and has also had a second career as a laser technician. The interviewee has a strong experiential exposure to criminals during his career in the CHP. He is a multi dimensional personality pursuing art as well as computer 3D art and painting. Presently he is looking forward for a graduate degree in criminal justice psychology followed possibly by a doctoral degree in psychology. He thus has innate interest in human psychology and is willing to learn. The individual is concerned about the suicide rate for CHP officers and feels that by combining knowledge of psychology with practical experience in policing he would be able to contribute to improvement of quality of life and thus possibly bring down the suicide rate. The interviewee has a strong feminine bondage in the family being a father of four daughters aged 17 to 35 years and is also a grandfather of 5. Thus while he has been separated there is possibility of adequate empathy for women borne out of this innate connectivity. 2. Describe the elements the interviewee possessed. The individual has good knowledge of policing and is interested in psychology. Despite his relatively short tenure in the police due to medical reasons, he is committed to policing and criminology. The biggest asset of the person is his willingness to learn and experiment. Thus after his policing career he has been in a most unusual job as a laser technician and now is pursuing a career in criminal justice psychology. His interests in inter related fields of crime and psychology make him an ideal combination for mentoring and providing psychological assistance to police officers. While he has had a good exposure to policing, he has not had any experience with women officers as during his period of service, women police officers had not been inducted in the force. His knowledge of women police officers is thus limited to anecdotal inputs provided by his colleagues and short social exposure to daughters of police presently working in the force. There is thus a strong element of doubt of capability of women officers in the harsh environment of beat policing in the individual. He has on the other hand a strong sense of values and character, based on his experience in policing and he sees these as prime assets in a police personnel. He also tends to rely on experience and personal knowledge in making judgments. 3. Describe the elements that might lead to advantages or disadvantages for women officers. The interviewee has a strong female empathy factor in the family, being the father of four daughters and one who is open to the girl child take up a policing job; which will certainly work to his advantage. Another issue is his understanding of the criminal policing system and interest in psychology which will provide a strong backdrop to all aspects related to mentoring of police officers. He is willing to learn and is a multi skilled person interested in arts. These elements provide him the motivation as well as the ability to learn new skills and adapt to varied surroundings. The strong sense of values and character that he possesses will surely be an advantage. The interviewee has had no experience of working with women officers earlier which could be a serious disadvantage as he would not be able to correlate to problems, pressures and the difference in environment in which male and female officers in the force have to work. Being a separated person there could be a disadvantage of greater mistrust, though this will depend on intrinsic reasons for separation which are not known at present. The interviewee’s opinions of the competence of female officers is based on dated information when there were limited numbers and their role was also restricted, this may necessitate a longer learning period for him to adjust to an environment required to support women. The interviewee also is not confident of the role that women officers can play in the police force and honestly doubts their capabilities. However this may be due to lack of exposure to women officers during his career. He may be willing to change his opinion once he is exposed, given his family background and learning motivation. 4. Explain why these elements might prove beneficial or problematic when working with women officers. A general empathy for women in general which the individual possesses will prove beneficial along with basic grounding in psychology as well as criminal justice system. Adaptability and willingness to learn may also prove beneficial when working with women officers. His emphasis on values, character and respect will also be useful to motivate women officers as they are more idealistic and moved by demonstrated ethical characteristics. In working with women police officers, it would be essential to understand their special needs and differentiate the manner of their working with that of male officers. The interviewee lacks exposure and appears to be opinionated in this regard which would be problematic. The interviewee is also not very comfortable with the idea of women in policing which may again be due to his lack of experience in this regard and this would be problematic at least in the initial stages. Reference 1. Interview Record. (No Date). Copy of proceedings attached in original.

Augmented Reality Applications. Challenges and Future Trends

Augmented Reality Applications. Challenges and Future Trends Augmented Reality (AR) Abstract Augmented reality presents a mix of real world information and additional computer generated information to a user. Such a mix of information is usually presented by superimposing two distinct sets of images on to a monitor or a head mounted display which enables a viewer to observe a mix of the real world and computer generated text or images. Even though the visual sense is not the only sense which can be used to present and perceive computer altered reality, visual presentations are the most used in augmented reality systems. The additional presentations that are generated by a computer can substantially assist users in a number of ways including provision of textual information about what is being viewed, presentation of hidden information or images associated with a visual scene as well as the results of planned alterations to reality such as the presentation of the results of a construction or a demolition of physical structures. Augmented reality may be considered as being a b ranch of virtual reality research, but unlike virtual reality, in which everything that is presented to a user is generated by a computer, augmented reality only presents an alteration to the reality that is being sensed. There are very many interesting applications of augmented reality which are proving to be useful to human users. From assisting surgeons to perform delicate surgery, helping archaeologists collect excavation data to assisting rescuers after a natural disaster or aiding soldiers in urban combat, augmented reality systems are achieving even greater success as technological advances on a broad front enable even more sophisticated systems to be designed. Miniaturisation and the design of rugged, low power consumption components have resulted in portability. This essay presents a discussion of the potential and the problems of augmented reality systems. Contents (Jump to) 1. Introduction 2. A Description of the Operation of an Augmented Reality System 3. The User Benefits of an Augmented Reality System 4. Portable Augmented Reality Systems in Wearable Computers 5. The Outdoor Use of an Augmented Reality System 6. The Potential Sources of Error in an Augmented Reality System 7. Conclusion References / Bibliography List of Figures The Generation of Visual Augmented Reality using Head Mounted Displays, Cameras and Diverters for the Mixing of Real and Virtual Spaces Managing Multiple Spaces for Generation of Augmented Reality Sources of Error in Augmented Reality Systems 1. Introduction Augmented reality refers to the utilisation of computers to modify reality, usually in order to provide additional assistance when a human user is interacting with the real environment. The real world around humans provides a wealth of information which the human user must absorb and process through their senses. The most useful and informative of all human senses is the sense of vision and a huge amount of information about the ambiance is required to be sensed as well as processed by the human visual system. Computers are useful because they can provide an overlay of information to assist with the human processing of the information which they perceive through their senses, mostly the visual sense. [1] As an example, a human who is walking around an urban area can be provided additional information through a head mounted display which superimposes textual information about identification of buildings and other important landmarks so that the human is provided additional guidance ab out identification of buildings and landmarks or other useful information about what they are viewing. [2] Obviously, the computer too has to sense the environment in order to provide any additional information and this is done through a camera that captures the same view as the human. The camera provides images which are identified by a computer and virtual scenes are created in the virtual world generated by a computer. The computer program then generates additional assistive information that is presented to the human user in order to assist them in their interactions with their environment. Augmented reality software program is required to process information which a computer senses through sensors and the real space is transformed into a virtual space within the computer, with computer software identifying, recognising and transforming the external inputs from the real world in order to transform these inputs into assistive outputs for the user of an augmented reality system. Au gmented reality can, therefore, be considered to be a variation of virtual reality which completely immerses a user inside a synthetic environment. Augmented reality makes it possible for a human user to view the world with virtual objects that are generated by a computer and then superimposed or merged with it. The characteristics of virtual reality systems include a combination of the real and the virtual, interactions in real time and registration in 3 – D. [3] Augmented reality has proven itself to be useful in a wide variety of applications. From assisting surgeons to perform delicate surgery to assisting soldiers in battlefield or helping with education as well as assisting archaeologists gather field data on a site, virtual reality has proven to be of great benefit to humans in a very wide range of applications. [4] However, virtual reality technology is still evolving and with advances in computer science, even greater sophistication is likely to be possible in a large number of applications. Advances in wearable computing, software, miniaturisation, display technologies as well as sensors and radio networking have had a profound impact on the application of augmented reality. [5] Augmented reality systems are now far less bulky, portable and can be worn by a human user who may want to be assisted in a variety of ways in order to perform a task. Systems making use of augmented reality are now often used outdoors in harsh weather condit ions. Despite the possibilities, virtual reality implementations do have some limitations as well as difficulties with implementation. Registration errors or problems associated with sensing or bandwidth of the display devices can cause deterioration in the performance of augmented reality systems. Objects in the real and the virtual world have to be aligned correctly in relation to each other otherwise the illusion which is created as a result of the two worlds coming together will not be comfortable for humans. Sensing devices which provide data inputs for the augmented reality computer have to be able to track the field of vision of a user. Sensing errors, mechanical alignments, incorrect viewing parameters such as field of view or tracker –to- eye position or orientation as well as optical distortion in the display system are some of the problems which can affect the performance of an augmented reality system. [6] In this essay, an attempt has been made to discuss various aspects of augmented reality systems, including perspectives associated with their construction, portability, user benefits for those using augmented reality, outdoor use of augmented reality systems and the problem of errors in such systems. It is hoped that the readers will benefit from such a discussion and gain a broader understanding of the current state of augmented reality. The next few sections of this essay discuss the previously mentioned issues. 2. A Description of the Operation of an Augmented Reality System Augmented reality systems usually add to the information that is received from the real world. In augmented reality vision systems, objects from the virtual world generated by a computer can be added to the scene from the real world. However, augmented reality systems can also remove sensations from the real world and as an example; it is possible to remove a table which a human using the augmented reality system may be viewing as a result of the computer painting it over. Although augmented reality usually refers to a computer modifying the real information that is presented to the human vision system, vision is not the only sense which a computer can interfere with. A system in which multi – sensory input is provided may turn on a heat lamp when a user approaches a spot in the virtual environment that is exposed to the sun or the smell of roses may be directed to a user when they approach a rose garden in mixed environment. A computer can also direct that a fan be switched o n in order to provide a flow of air to a user when they approach a spot in the virtual environment that is exposed to wind. [7] Thus, augmented reality involves modification of reality that is presented to a user by a computer which also senses reality and which has created a virtual model based on what has been sensed. Examples of the application of augmented reality include superimposition of internal information over external surfaces or the augmentation of viewed environment with informational labels. [8] When thinking about augmented reality, it is appropriate to think about the physical space, the virtual space and the measured space. The concept of physical and virtual space should be clear, however the concept of measured space refers to the representation of the physical space inside a computer and the manner in which sensory data is used to present the real space to a user. The generation of augmented and virtual spaces require the joining together or overlapping of the space maps associated with the physical and the virtual spaces, with the interaction being managed by computers and people using their sensory capabilities. Virtual space does not necessarily represent the physical space and this space is a model of the physical space that is created the real world and its views as perceived by sensors. Virtual space contains inputs from the physical space which are incorporated into the electronic space by the computer. The generation of augmented reality involves superimposing electronic generated space on to the real objects and space. The virtual space inside a computer must correspond to the real space which has to be mapped into the computer using some sort of a global reference such as a global positioning system. [9] Relative measurements of objects in physical space are transferred to the computer so that the electronic space may be generated, even though it may not be known where the physical space is with regard to the rest of the universe. Thus, a car’s interior dimensions are relative to each other, although it may not be known where the car is in the universe. A close mapping may exist between the physical and the virtual space if the electronic space is required to be a close representation of the physical space. It may be required to represent different parameters from the real space into a virtual space, such as the variation of light intensity or temperature. Some event in the physical space may also be required to generate a trigger and some how alter the electronic virtual space. Different types of sensors may be used to provide information about the physical space such as the dimensions of the physical space being measured by ultrasound or sonar. Sensor inputs are required to be fed into a computer, processed and then used to present a reflection in the electronic space. Triggers from the physical space are also measured by sensors and as an example; the presence of a human object in an area of the physical space may be registered by a capacitive sensor which will transmit this information into the computer. The computer that is being used may then take some action to process this trigger and generate some outputs or variations in the electronic space. Virtual spaces that are generated inside a computer after some processing of the data related to physical spaces are translated and made available in the real world by projection involving video, audio, tactile or hepatic devices or even by using the sense of smell. The virtual world of the computer is projected at some point or location in the physical world which is known as the point of projection. Device such as a screen, a virtual reality goggle or PDA etc are used for such projections. Projections of the virtual world into the real world through devices present users with an illusion of occupying some part of the physical space such as the space behind a projection screen or in front of a holographic plate. In purely virtual reality environments, the sensing of an object from the physical space may have an impact on the projection of the virtual space into the physical space, however, the object that is being sensed will not be a part of the virtual space. In mixed or augmented spaces, however, the sensed object will be incorporated into the virtual space and hence the link between the object that is being sensed and the projection is important. Location in space is usually measured in terms of some sort of coordinates which could be Euclidean coordinates such as polar, spherical or ordinance grid coordinates or alternatively, the location may be relative to a zone with objects being detected as being in a zone such as a room or a part of a room. Information about position may also be relational with some object being detected as being close to another object. The level of accuracy with which measurements in the physical space need to be made and information in the virtual space need to be displayed will vary for different applications, but the requirements related to accuracy will determine the amount of data that needs to be exchanged between the physical and virtual spaces. [10] As an example, head mounted displays and cameras that are mounted on these displays can be used to present computer modified reality to a user. The cameras sense reality and feed a video signal to a computer which is then modified by the computer according to the programmed algorithms for the generation of virtual space involving identification of objects, addition of data to images, image manipulation or object cancellation etc. The desired additions or modifications to the human view of reality are then projected on to the human eye through head mounted monitors or optical diversion and mixing of the real and virtual space. This is illustrated in the diagrams below. The Generation of Visual Augmented Reality using Head Mounted Displays, Cameras and Diverters for the Mixing of Real and Virtual Spaces [11] [12] Managing Multiple Spaces for Generation of Augmented Reality [13] Apart from optical see – through augmented reality displays, it is also possible to generate augmented reality using monitors and video see-through displays. Optical see-through displays in which the real world images are mixed with the virtual reality images that are generated by a computer using optical mixing are different from video see-through displays which project images that are desired to be seen by a human user on to the eye using a video display without any optical mixing from the real world. [14] The next section of this essay takes a look at the user benefits of an augmented reality system. 3. The User Benefits of an Augmented Reality System Augmented reality systems attempt to present a world which consists of a combination of computer generated imagery or other sensory inputs and real world perceptions that are available to a human user. Thus, augmented reality systems can present an enhanced view of the world to the users and the enhancements provide additional information which can be of benefit to the user in a variety of ways. The additional information which can be superimposed on the perception of a user can take a variety of forms depending on the application or the intended use of the augmented reality application. As an example, an augmented reality system may be designed to superimpose a pipeline system which has been designed for an industrial setting, or the system may assist a surgeon by superimposing internal imagery of a patient’s diseased organs on the image of their exterior anatomy, assisting the surgeon to perform surgery. All augmented reality systems assist humans to perform a task by enabli ng the human user to visualise, readily access additional information or to superimpose objects that are not visible on to real views. Augmented reality systems can enhance human understanding of what they are able to perceive and thus humans are assisted in solving problems which may be difficult if they were not provided any additional pieces of information. However, the applications of augmented reality are very broad and this technology has proven to be useful in very many applications. Thus, augmented reality may be used for entertainment or gaming, providing additional input on views of sporting events as well as assisting humans in more serious endeavours such as the battlefield, archaeology or architecture or urban design etc. Objects that are superimposed on real world views using augmented reality may be required to be presented in correct perspective depth as well as being accurately positioned with respect to other real or virtual objects and this can assist in human use rs being able to perform delicate work due to the additional understanding that they are able to acquire as a result of using augmented reality systems. Miniaturisation of computing elements and advances in wireless as well as general technological advances on a broad front have made it possible for augmented reality systems to be miniaturised and to be made wearable or portable, adding to their general usefulness both indoors and outdoors. Thus, augmented reality systems are able to assist, entertain, inform or aid humans by enhancing their perceptions in a wide variety of applications. [15] [16] [17] [18] The next section of this essay presents a brief discussion on portable augmented reality systems in wearable computers. This topic is important because portable and wearable systems have added considerably to the utility of augmented reality systems. 4. Portable Augmented Reality Systems in Wearable Computers Portability is required if an augmented reality user has to change their position in the world. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality users cannot change their position by changing their location in the computer generated virtual world and have to be able to move around in the physical world. Portability is essential for a wide variety of augmented reality applications because users may be required to roam around in large areas. However, such requirement means that the augmented reality equipment has to be self contained as well as portable and that it should be possible to track users outdoors. The requirements for being able to track a user means that markers or communication relays will have to be utilised, especially if the computational requirements associated with augmented reality cannot be fully catered for on the portable end of the equipment and signals have to be relayed to a desktop, mainframe or networked computer. Because augmented reality does not replace the real world as virtual reality does, therefore, the resolution requirements associated with display devices or sensors are generally less stringent then those for virtual reality applications. Full colour displays are usually required for virtual reality applications, but monochrome displays may be sufficient for augmented reality. Requirements associated with rendering are also not a problem with augmented reality applications because images are only required to add to the real world visual inputs. However, tracking and sensing requirements for augmented reality applications are far more stringent then those for virtual reality applications because objects in the virtual space have to be correctly aligned with objects in the real world. As a result of the requirement to accurately track a user’s head and objects in the surrounding area, a large volume of tracking data is likely to be generated which must be processed in real time. If a portable or wearable computer is incapable of catering to these processing requirements, then reliable communications links must carry the tracking or associated data to remote computers. Thus, trackers or sensors are required to have a longer range, greater input variety and bandwidth as well as better accuracy. [19] [20] [21] Advances in portable augmented reality systems have been made possible as a result of faster, more rugged and better computing devices which consume low power. Wearable computers are required to be comfortable, safe and adjustable for an individual’s personal preferences. The user interfaces for such systems have to be user friendly as well as being capable of operating correctly in a harsh and noisy environment. Gesture and hand motion based interfaces have shown a promise in wearable computing, but such systems are required to be able to interface with a user in a reliable manner. Software for augmented reality substantially increases in complexity with complex applications. Short range wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth have made it possible for sensors to be readily placed on all parts of the human body. Thus, it may be concluded that portable augmented reality systems are required and useful but their widespread use and acceptance will depend on the rel iability, ruggedness, comfort as well as computing power which can be packed into such systems. However, technological advances on a broad front have resulted in many portable augmented reality systems being developed including systems for military, field archaeology or navigational assistance to name a few. [22] [23] The human factors requirements associated with wearable computing demand that aspects related to safety, ergonomics, anthropometry and ease of use or usability be considered in the design of portable or wearable augmented reality systems. Human users should be able to comprehend information that is being presented to them without any perceptual interference. The design of the wearable system should be based on ergonomic studies with good visually coupled display design. The user interface design should promote reliability in interactions with the system and usability for the human user. The augmented reality system is required to minimise the cognitive load on the human user and not add to the problems. It should be possible to indulge in team collaboration through the wearable augmented reality system. [24] The design of usable interfaces for human interactions is of the greatest importance in the design of wearable augmented reality system design. There are many usability guidelines which should be considered for designs and the quality of the design for usability can also be used to evaluate an augmented reality system. The design of a user interface should take into consideration factors including the level of user experience, support for interactions with other users, number and location of users, ease of calibration, support for body centred interactions, reduced relative latency and provide the user with a tracking system that is accurate to a small faction of a degree in orientation and a few millimetres in position. The overall system processing delay should be minimised and there should be a level of consistency in the visual or sensory cues that are presented to the user. It is desirable that the errors which affect the performance of an augmented reality system and which are discussed in section 6 are minimised. The considerations associated with a good design of a wearable augmented reality system are too numerous to be tabulated here, but a detailed discussion about these issues is presented in Gabbard, Joseph. L. â€Å"Researching Usability Design and Evaluation Guidelines for Augmented Reality (AR) Systems†. Virginia Tech. 2001. [25] In the next section of this essay, a discussion is presented about the outdoor use of an augmented reality system. 5. The Outdoor Use of an Augmented Reality System Augmented reality systems are increasingly being used outdoors. Whereas, it is obvious that the use of augmented reality is gaining greater acceptance because there is a need for applications to assist humans with various activities outdoors, it is also important to understand that the outdoor use of augmented reality presents some technical challenges. Examples of the outdoor use of augmented reality include assistance with rescue operations after a natural disaster such as an earthquake or assisting with military operations in urban environment. [26] [27] Both of the previously mentioned applications require the augmented reality equipment to operate in a harsh environment in which any existing communications infrastructure is likely to have been obliterated or in danger of being destroyed. The military application can assist soldiers in identifying buildings, getting a feel for their interior and to be informed about potential threats such as the location of snipers from battlefie ld intelligence network, with such information being conveniently displayed on their field of vision. However, communication links are important because sophisticated computations on data cannot be performed on portable augmented reality units. Disaster relief can be aided by augmented reality as a result of rescuers being provided with on the spot information about buildings, terrain and the likely results of any planned rescue operations such as the likely impact of clearing a path through rubble. Although the additional information that is presented by outdoor augmented reality systems is likely to be of great benefit, it has to be realised that the generation of such information is only possible after extensive digital surveys of the areas for which augmented reality is being used are available. The likely design of such augmented reality systems will also mean that not all computation or data storage is capable of being performed on the portable units which are provided to the field users. The need to establish and maintain communication links as well as sophisticated computer equipment with which portable units are connected through communication links as well as the requirements to collect detailed data such as airborne laser scanning data under conditions of war or immediately after a natural disaster are some of the difficulties associated with the previously outdoor augmented reality applications. The equipment has to be extremely rugged and reliable as well as capable of being worn over long periods. In the military applications, the communication system which consists of fixed transmitters can be vulnerable and there is a requirement to maintain the large bandwidth communication links between the portable units and a central computer so that the augmented reality system can superimpose virtual scenes on real world information with accuracy as well as reliability. It will be undesirable to have augmented reality system malfunctions in situations whi ch require that users concentrate on other critical tasks rather then fixing any idiosyncrasies associated with the augmented reality equipment. Generally speaking, it is difficult for the existing tracking technology to track a user with sufficient accuracy when a portable augmented reality system is being used outdoors. [28] The next section of the essay presents a discussion about errors in augmented reality systems. 6. The Potential Sources of Error in an Augmented Reality System An important problem which has been observed in augmented reality systems is that objects which have been generated by the computer in a virtual environment for superimposition on to the view of the real environment do not remain correctly aligned or locked onto the real world objects. The degree of misalignment can vary as the user changes their field of view and thus, with a changing field of vision due to a user moving their head, objects that are being viewed through the augmented reality displays can appear to swim as a user moves their head. [29] The errors which create problems in augmented reality systems can be broadly classified as static or dynamic errors. Static errors refer to those sources of error which can cause problems with the presentation of augmented reality when the user and the objects within the environment are completely still. Dynamic errors do not have an impact until there is a movement of the viewpoint or the objects. Some of the sources of error which ca n have an impact on the visual performance of augmented reality systems are as follows: [30] Static Errors Optical distortion caused by distortions or imperfections in the camera and lens systems especially in objects which are away from the optical axis. Errors in the tracking and sensing system which result a distorted output from such systems. Mechanical misalignments that exist within the components of the augmented reality system such as combiners, optics or monitors due to factors such as not having a sufficiently rigid mechanical frame. Incorrect viewing parameters due to a lack of calibration that has an impact on how the reported head or camera locations are translated into viewing matrices which are used by scene generators for drawing images that are required to be superimposed on to the real world inputs. Dynamic Errors End –to- end system delays cause problems because each component in the augmented reality system require some time to produce an output for a given input. Any change in the position or orientation of a user will take some time before being processed and registered on the augmented reality picture that is presented to a viewer. Delays associated with the tracking subsystem, communication links and scene generation as well as time delays that are associated with frame buffers will prevent an immediate updating of the augmented reality picture that is presented to the viewer. A certain level of delay or lag is acceptable and these delays will not cause a serious deterioration in the augmented reality presentation. Typi

Marketing Activities To Affect The Potential Buyer Influences Marketing Essay

Marketing Activities To Affect The Potential Buyer Influences Marketing Essay This assignment will be addressing the issues faced by a company operating in the highly competitive sportswear market in the United Kingdom. The issues presented in the assignment will be discussed in relation with the changing nature of consumer behaviour. Firstly, it is vital to analyse the current position of the company as follows. SOLE-RUN Sole-Run is a company operating in sportswear market in the United Kingdom specialising in football boots. It is said that the firm has entered the sportswear market at a quite late stage of the market development which can be assumed to be at a stage where the market was maturing with high competition from the market leaders like Adidas and Nike. However, Sole-Run was able to capture 12% of the market share despite not having either the production capacity or the financial budgets to compete with such market leaders. On the other hand, it is said that fashionable trainers remain as the largest single part of the sports footwear market. While it was found that customers valued comfort and did not want to pay high price research findings also showed that low-to medium priced trainers provided the same levels of comfort as high priced trainers where paying a higher price for trainers did not ensure a higher quality or a higher level of comfort. Sole-Run is currently facing difficulties in increasing its sales despite the high potential market for trainers as consumers are buying trainers as a piece of fashionable clothing as well as for sports especially among the teenagers and older people with high disposable income. SPORTS CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR In order to identify as how Sole-Run can influence the consumer purchase it is essential to understand the consumer behaviour of this particular market. According to Kotler and Armstrong (2010) consumer buying behaviour is the individual purchasing or consuming decision of an individual or household and whoever buys goods and services for personal consumption. Sports consumer behaviour is the process involved when individuals select, purchase, use, and dispose of sport related products and services to satisfy needs and receive benefits (Funk, 2008). This process is created by a desire to seek sports consumption experiences that provides benefits and satisfy needs (Funk, 2008). TASK 1- BUYER INFLUENCE AND PURCHASING PROCESS 1.1 WHAT IS BUYER INFLUENCE? Buyer influences will affect the degree of motivation in consumers to make purchasing decisions. On the other hand the level of involvement in sports will also affect the decision making. It is important for Sole-Rune to understand the consumers buying behaviour when designing a marketing strategy for its sports-fashion wear trainers or any other sports related products. Involvement involves represent a state of motivation with regard to a product, an activity, or an object (Rothschild, 1984). This state of motivation reflects the level of arousal, interest, or drive evoked by a particular sports stimuli or situation that influences consumer behaviour (Mitchelle, 1979). 1.2. INTERNAL INFLUENCES Generally consumer behaviour can be influenced by factors such as motivation, learning and perception which are known as internal factors. Also called as personal factors these gives the ability for the consumer to directly benefit from the product. 1.3. EXTERNAL INFLUENCES Social norms are a prominent external factor influencing consumer buyer behaviour. As pointed out by Kotler and Armstrong (2010) consumer purchases are influenced by forces such as social, cultural, individual and psychological. Cultural characteristics consists of the set of basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviours learned by an individual from being a member of a society. In this context Sole-Run will have to identify the cultural characteristics of the potential British based consumers who tend to be highly fashion conscious. Social characteristics on the other hand consists of social factors such as the targeted consumers relation to small groups, family and social roles. Individual characteristics can be regarded as the consumers age, economic situations and occupation. Psychological factors consist of the motivation, perception and beliefs and attitudes of the targeted potential consumers. Here it is evident that the targeted consumers for the sports-fashion trainers come from social groups which consist of individual characters of fashion conscious teenagers and old consumers who have high disposable income. 1.4. MARKETING ACTIVITIES TO AFFECT THE POTENTIAL BUYER INFLUENCES According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), marketing can be defined as a managerial process whereby you indentify, anticipate and satisfy customer needs and wants for a profit. In order to come up with marketing strategies that will affect potential buyer influences, it is vital that Sole-Run have a better understanding on the consumers decision making as this will not only increase consumer demand but will also help to sustain its demand. While Sole-Run should identify properly its market segments in order to design targeted marketing activities, it is said that the teenagers and older people with high disposable income are the highest consumer purchasers in the sports-fashion trainers market. On the other hand, it is also found through research that consumers do not wish to pay high prices for trainers while seeking for comfort. As it is said that Sole-Run does not possess adequate financial budgets, it is evident that Sole-Run cannot invest on large scale nationwide marketing activities by advertising on mass media such as television and on radio to influence potential buyers. The starting point of Sole-Run can be to influence the potential consumers by providing information about its sports-fashion wear trainers consisting of the marketing mix in other words, the product, price, place of availability and promotions. This information will lead the potential observable buyers to respond to product choice, brand choice, dealer choice, purchasing timing and amount. It is said that sports events play a significant role in a communitys marketing and branding strategy (Higham Hinch, 2003). Hence Sole-Run can target more local or regional sports events which are less costly in terms of marketing budget compared to national events. Sole-Run can have special promotions in its outlets for the first time buyers. Also, by having direct marketing campaigns online which is less costly and highly effective compared to television or radio advertisement, the company can easily target the technology savvy teenagers such as by uploading videos on YouTube, and creating pages on popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter encouraging them to comment and give their opinions on the trainers perhaps with special discount codes online which the potential buyers can redeem when purchasing in-store. On the other hand Sole-Run will be encouraging interactive marketing online where consumers will start conversation online about the Sole-Run trainers creating positive network influence for the company among others targeted consumers. On the other hand, in order to target the older consumers who has high disposable income, Sole-Run can advertise on sports related magazines and financial newspapers which are read by these targeted consumers and sponsor events created by sports clubs where these potential consumers can be found. TASK 2 ROGERS DIFFUSION CURVE AND ADOPTION MODEL 2.1. ROGERS DIFFUSION CURVE- Predicting buyer behaviour becomes particularly important with innovations and is particularly important in decisions concerning new product developments. Rogers (1962) attempted differentiate consumers according to their response to innovative products and identified five types of consumers based on the idea that certain individuals are inevitably more open to adaptation than others. These consumers were categorised as follows; 1. Innovators- brave consumers pulling the change and are very important communication mechanisms 2. Early adopters repectable people, opinion leaders, try out new ideas but in a careful way than innovators. 3. Early majority thoughtful people, careful but accept change more quickly than average people do 4. Late majority- sceptic people who will use new ideas and products only when the majority is using 5. Laggards traditional people who love to stick to the old ways and are critical about new ideas ad will only accept it if the new idea has become mainstream or even tradition. The research focus of diffusion has five elements which are; 1. characteristics of an innovation which may influence its adoption 2.decision making process that occurs when individuals consider to adopt a new idea, product or practice 3. characteristics of individuals that make them likely to adopt and innovation 4. consequences for individuals and society for adopting an innovation and 5. communication channels used in the adoption process (Kotler, 2010) According to this theory, the innovators and early majority comprise an estimated 15% of the population and are regarded as important as opinion leaders in the diffusion curve. Another important implication which this theory provides is that it is of no use of convincing the mass market in one go at the very beginning spending heavily on marketing and advertising. Thus the implication this provides for firms like Sole-Run is to establish the characteristics of the first two types of groups in other words, the innovators and the early adopters and to focus the marketing communication accordingly as according to this process there is always some consumers who would like to take risk and purchase the new products. This model shows the diffusion of new products as a chain reaction on influence between pioneering consumers and the mass market. 2.2. ADOPTION PROCESS MODEL The adoption model which is also called the AIETA model will help Sole-Run to identify the new product adoption process of consumers within the sports-fashion trainer market. This model suggests on how to help consumers move through the stages of purchasing especially new products. Adoption normally in this context applies to the new products. Kotler and Armstrong (2010) defined the adoption process as the mental process though which an individual passes from first learning about an innovation to final adoption. Consumers before purchasing new products will go through a five stage process which if successful will lead to adoption of products where adoption is the decision by an individual consumer to become a regular user of the product. 1. Attention also known as awareness is where the consumer becomes aware of the new product but lacks information about it. 2. Interest in this stage the consumer will seek information about the new product 3. Evaluation with the information the consumer received the consumer will consider whether or not to try the product 4. Trial here the consumer tries the product for the first time to improve the estimate of its value 5. Adoption finally the consumer decides to make full and regular use of the new product According to this model, adoption comes at the end of the process through which an individual consumer may go from initial awareness through to adoption at which point the consumer becomes a regular user of the product. Here, Sole-Run should identify the product characteristics that will affect the readiness of the targeted potential consumers to adopt the product in other words the unique characteristics of its sports-fashions trainers. The product characteristics would include relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, divisibility, and communicability. On the other hand the product characteristics would not include the other aspects of the marketing mix such as price and promotions though these may also affect the rate of consumer adoption. TASK 3- EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION TO INFLUENCE FIRST BUYERS It is essential that Sole-Run pleases the initial buyers of its trainers by providing right information with effective communication that will lead to make a purchase as they will in-turn influence many subsequent customers brand choices. This can be especially true among the targeted market of teenagers due to network externalities. 3.1. THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS Before purchasing a product, consumers generally go through a process called the decision making process which needs to be identified by Sole-Run in order to come up with a better communication strategy especially for the first time buyers as the decision making process can be influenced by the personal, social, cultural and psychological factors as well as by the marketing mix variables and situational factors. 1. Need recognition this is the first stage of the buyer decision process where the consumers recognise a need or identify a problem. This can be triggered by internal or external stimuli. 2. Search for information in this stage the consumer is aroused to search for more information where the consumers will tend to obtain information from various sources such as personal through family and friends, commercial advertisements, mass media, and experiential sources. 3. Evaluation of alternatives here the consumers will use information gathered to evaluate between alternative brands in among the chosen ones. 4. Purchase decision the consumers decisions about which brand to purchase will be made at theis stage. However, two factors can come in-between the purchase intention and the actual purchase decision. The first being the attitude of others such as friends and family, and the other being unexpected situational factors such as sudden economic downturns. 5. Post purchase evaluation the final stage of the buyer decision process in which consumers take further action after purchase based on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. If the product is not up to the expected standards of the consumer than cognitive dissonance may occur. The decision making process shows that the buying process clearly starts long before the actual purchase and continues long after that where Sole-Run will need to focus on the entire buying process rather than focusing on just the purchasing decision when coming up with communication strategies to influence first time buyers. 3.2. THE DECISION MAKING UNIT On the other hand, many decisions consumers make had been either made for example in the case of youngsters or influenced by one or more parties. This is collectively known as the decision making unit which consist of 5 different roles of people consisting of an initiator, influencer, decider, financier, buyer and user. Initiators are those who initiate the idea of making the purchasing decision where influencers are the people who, because of their expertise, set the specification of what is to be bought. On the other hand, deciders are those who make the actual buying decision with financiers making the purchase, and buyers processing the purchase orders and users actually using the product bought. While there can be few people playing different roles in the buyer process as well as none among a particular consumer, it is essential that Sole-Run communicate the right information and provides the expected value to the consumers who are first time buyers. 3.3. INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION As identified above the different kinds of information that are needed to influence the first time buyers as well as the people who will affect the purchasing decision of consumers, Sole-Run can adopt a intergrated marketing communication strategy where through different communication channels the company can effectively target each personnel involved in the decision making unit while providing the information for the decision making process of the targeted consumers. Thus, this marketing communication strategy will allow Sole-Run to have individual personalised and tailor made communication among the targeted consumer groups. TASK 4- CUSTOMER ATTRACTION AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY 4.1. DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH CUSTOMERS DEFECTING FROM ANOTHER BRAND TO THE SOLE-RUN BRAND Sole-Run should take into account the type of buying behaviour of its targeted market as this highly affects the marketing mix decisions. On the other hand the buyer behaviour differs greatly for different types of products and services. The psychological theories of buyer behaviour differentiate consumer behaviour emphasising the environment which is the behavioural approach and the consumer behaviour emphasising mental processes called as cognitive approach. Mainly, there are four types of buying behaviour based on a buyers involvement and the perceived differences among brands. 1. Complex buying is where the level of involvement is high with high degree of perceived difference among brands. While this behaviour is tend to be cognitive in nature the involvement arises from uncertainty of product quality, high price, and personal factors such as self image, value and needs. 2. Dissonance buying which high in involvement and low in perceived brand difference tends to be cognitive and behavioural in nature mainly associated with risky, infrequent and expensive purchasing. 3. Habitual buying has a low consumer involvement with little brand difference and less price sensitive. This tends to be more of behavioural. 4. Variety seeking which is more cognitive has a low involvement purchase but significant difference in brands. In this situation consumers, if curious about a new brand or dissatisfied with the product choice, will engage in switching to another brand easily. The differences of buyer behaviour will largely reflect on the information and communication needs of potential buyers and the best means, in each case, of meeting these needs with respect to communicated messages and media by Sole-Run. According to the types of buyer behaviour, it can be said that purchases with regards to sports-fashion wear tends to be more variety seeking where customer are highly attached to a brands perceived difference. Thus in order to get consumers using brands such as Nike or Adidas to purchase Sole-Run, the company should create a unique selling proposition targeting comfort of the trainers and positioning as a brand which provides the same comfort level as the premium brands but for a much low price. This can be done through means of proper marketing communication strategies which will help consumers differentiate the brand as opposed to competitor brands employing more cognitive approaches to its marketing and advertising. Hence, Sole-Run should also draw strategies to retain these customers by offering better service for the value. 4.2. RETRAINING CUSTOMERS THROUGH CUSTOMER LOYALTY After successfully attracting customers to purchase Sole-Runs sports-fashion trainers, the company should also then put efforts for retraining the customers with differentiated marketing strategies. Sole-Run can develop loyal customers if the company is able to successfully influence the variety seeking consumers in the market to purchase its brand and to become habitual buyers by positioning itself in the consumers mind through means of effective marketing communication as then the customers will addicted to buy trainers from the brand Sole-Run. This can be done through marketing strategies that passively communicates information as they watch television or surf the internet where unconscious advertising repetition will create familiarity, which often translates into a brand purchase when the consumer in deciding which brand to buy (Ali Gomez, 2009). As this is pure behavioural decision making, Sole-Run can focus its advertising on classical conditioning in which the potential buyers can identify the products by a single symbol repeatedly attached to it (Ali Gomez, 2009). Thus, this will not only help Sole-Run to increase sales from its loyal consumers but will also help to g ain market share in the largest market. In order to retrain its loyal customers Sole Run should mainly engage in customer relationship marketing as research has found that it is five times costlier to attract a new customer than maintaining an existing customer and loyal customers mean repeat purchases. Thus loyal customers are a powerful source of marketing the companys brand identity through recommendations and word of mouth especially within the target market of teenagers creating positive impact of the brand Sole-Run. Although relationship marketing does not correspond to a specific set of techniques it does emphasise the need to build a continuous, strong and mutually beneficial relationship between the buyers and Sole-Run which is maintained even in periods that any purchase is not in the process. Further, through loyalty marketing, Sole-Run can also increase customers life time value in the long run as it is said that especially teenagers purchase trainers to match their clothing and outfits and if they become habitual buyers of Sole-Run they will be stick to the brand throughout their life as a partner. CONCLUSION It was identified that although Sole-Run entered the sportswear market at a later stage, there is a high market potential in the sports-fashion trainers with the increase of purchase by teenagers and consumers with high disposable income. Hence it is recommended that in order to increase its market share in the highly competitive industry, Sole-Run should also target the sports-fashion trainers market with a right marketing and communication strategy. Given the research findings that consumers do not wish to pay premium prices for trainers, Sole-Run can position its trainers as providing the same comfort level the consumers expect for a lower price than of the market leaders. This will in-turn help Sole-Run not only to increase its sales in the trainers but also its overall market share in the industry by capturing the largest market in sportswear.