Marketing strategies of Apple Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing strategies of Apple Inc - Essay Example When Apple was established in 1977, a three point marketing philosophy was assembled by founding members, which also became the underlying market strategy for the company (Forbes, 2012). The company still runs on these three marketing and strategic principles, where all planning and implementation processes are based on above strategies. These are;1. Empathy: Understanding exact needs of the consumers and identifying them in a faster and better manner compared to any other organization.2. Focus: Eliminating all issues and problems before utilizing internal and external opportunities.3. Impute: A book is always judged by its outer appearance or cover. Similarly, making a great service or product will not prove beneficial if the offerings are communicated ineffectively. This is where the marketing strategies come into action. The offerings are presented in a professional and creative manner imputing the desired attributes. Apple has been integrating its marketing strategies with the ab ove marketing principles and has successfully achieved sustainable competitive advantage. According to Chimhanzi and Morgan (2005), companies focusing on human resource and marketing alignment are able to attain success faster and in a more convenient manner compared to those, whose focus is directed only at profit making strategies. Hence, findings provide an important input that marketing executives should improve their relationship with the human resource departments through strategies such as, written communication and joint rewards.

A Motivating Influence Essay Example for Free

A Motivating Influence Essay Life is a cycle of learning in which we learn every day by experiences, anecdotes or by someone else. Now, it is hard to find a person who really cares about us or at least someone who wants to help us to succeed in the future. However, we found that there are some special teachers that are a great example of learning how to succeed in life. In the two stories of â€Å"my favorite teacher† by Thomas L. Friedman, and â€Å"Unforgettable Miss Bessie† by Carl T. Rowan, we find two incomparable persons who made a change in their students’ life. They both were a motivating influence for their students. Carl Rowan’s teacher Miss Bessie and Thomas Friedman’s teacher Hattie Steinberg are different in background, but similar in their wisdom, enthusiasm, love and care for their students. First, we find that both teachers, Miss Bessie and Miss Hattie had wisdom. They both introduced their students to knowledge that they otherwise might not been exposed to. In Thomas Friedman’s teacher, Hattie taught Friedman a lesson that lasted throughout his life. Hattie was a journalism teacher who tries to teach her students about the ethical rules for being a journalist. She had high standards of teaching, and it leads a mark in her students. Friedman’s writes: â€Å"Hattie was a woman who believed that the secret of success in life was getting the fundamentals right† (403). This basic lesson about excellence in journalism was important to Friedman’s career, because he becomes a journalist, and he remembered decades after his High School days with Hattie. This shows that Hattie was a wise teacher because it influences Friedman’s life forever. On the other hand, Miss Bessie’s wisdom was impacting for Rowan. She was a writing teacher who loves to read and write. However, even when in those days the racism took place in the country between white and black people, and she was a black teacher, she had the pasion to impact her students’ life. Rowan writes one of Miss Bessie’s lessons: â€Å"If you do not read you cannot write, and if you cannot write, you might as well stop dreaming† (166). This showed Rowan how important her students’ future was for Miss Bessie. She tried to make the reading and writing a commandment for her students. Her wisdom and influence left a mark in her students’ heart that it will be not only for them but for their generations. Second, both teachers, Miss Bessie and Miss Hattie were similar in their enthusiasm at the moment of giving advice to their students. Rowan describes Miss Bessie as tough, no-nonsense woman who could convince her students to do anything. In one occasion Rowan and Miss Bessie were talking about Rowan’s interest on sports and how hard it was for him to read a book. But he wanted to be with his friends and continue to be respect by them. So he writes: â€Å"Boy, she responded, you will play football because you have guts† (164). This impacted Rowan’s life forever. He learned to have the courage to fight for what he wanted in his life, and never give up, even when it seems difficult to reach. Similarly, Friedman’s teacher, Hattie Steinberg pushed her students to achieve high standards and to be responsible in their work, and to be well educated. Friedman writes: â€Å"and, boy, she pounded the fundamentals of journalism into her students –not simply how to write a lead or accurately transcribe a quote, but more important, how to comport yourself in a professional way and to always do quality work† (403). The purpose of Steinberg was to make her students work as if they were already working in a journalism company. She wanted her students to be ethical and professional in whatever they do. She knew it was going to be a great lecture for them. It would make them successful persons in their work and their lives. Third, Rowan and Friedman’s teachers were from different backgrounds. Rowan’s teacher, Miss Bessie, she was from black race, lower class family and she could not afford her education as a teacher. Rowan did not know about her background until she talked about it before she died. He writes: â€Å"What you put in your head, boy, she once said, can never be pulled out by the Ku Klux Klan, the Congress, or anybody† (165). This shows that even though Miss Bessie was from a lower class, she would never like her students to suffer the same problems she faced before. After long time, Rowan admired her because of her courage to succeed in life, and her courage to be someone else with a better quality of life. In contrast, Miss Hattie was from a better economic class, she was white, and her education standards where a big help in her career. Friedman writes: â€Å"I grew up in a small suburb of Minneapolis, and Hattie was the legendary journalism teacher at St. Louis park High School, Room 313† (403). We can say that Hattie took advantages of the opportunity she had to learn, and become one of the best teachers of journalism in the city even though we do not have evidence in the story if she was from a middle class economically. Hattie was admired for her high standards of teaching and it was the most important characteristics Friedman saw on her, that serve him as an example to become an ethical person in the journalism field. In conclusion, these two extraordinary teachers make a difference on their students’ lives with their wisdom, enthusiasm, love, and care. And, as a result of their effort for making professional and ethical persons of their students, both Rowan and Friedman become great professionals with more than an ethical personality, but both being conscientious to recognize that their successful lives are thanks to those teachers who gave them advices during the process of formation as adults in the school. However, this is the time for us as students to think about someone, not necessarily a teacher, but someone who impact our lives during our formation as adults. Even when many people think that they have an unsuccessful life, there is still time to make a change in their lives. Instead of thinking what you have made wrong in life, think of the opportunities you have to repair your mistakes and move forward to become a successful person.

Rip Van Winkle: A Classic Tale of Passive Resistance Essays -- Rip Va

In this classic tale Rip Van Winkle is portrayed as one who is a victim of circumstances beyond his control. A further reading may perhaps reveal a different Rip Van Winkle, one who pursues an avenue of passive resistance in response to a life which he feels is beyond his control. Passive Resistance is usually connected with such famous people as Henry David Thoreau who developed the principal of civil disobedience. For Thoreau, the idea was to choose not to support governmental taxes and policies that he felt were wrong. This theme was later used by Mahatma Gandhi in his fight for Indian independence. In the 1960’s this method was used by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to bring racial injustice to the public’s attention. In all of these cases, the men who followed the ideal of passive resistance were prepared to suffer the consequences of their actions in order to draw attention to their causes. One can find similarities between Rip Van Winkle’s actions and the actions of those who pursue passive resistance. In Rip’s case, the "governing" authority that he was struggling with is represented by the responsibilities in his life. This is very clear when one compares his own farm to those of others at that time. He did not care for his farm as was expected of him. Rather, he pursued a life that one at the time would have considered slothful, discussing current events with his friends, befriending local children and animals and doing various favors for neighbors while his own property suffered. When confronted by his wife, his response was neither to argue nor to change his behavior. A simple silent shrug of the shoulders was all the response he offered. In all of this, Dame Van Winkle has been portrayed as the villain. H... ...urns 20 years later after his wife is dead, he does not take responsibility for his departure. Instead he concocts a story showing how this situation was totally out of his control. Rather than admit that he was not able to fulfill his responsibilities or that his wife was a shrew and he could no longer tolerate it, he makes up a story about being asleep in the woods. He then returns to his previous life. Curiously, the community and even his own daughter do not appear to seriously question his explanation. Whether this is due to their collective superstition or whether they inwardly understood his need to remove himself from a difficult marriage, it is not clear. What is clear, is that Rip Van Winkle failed to support his family and then abandoned them. He chose a path of flawed passive resistance which did not accept the consequences of his actions.

Coffee retail Essay

1. Introduction The report revolves around the Retail Industry. As it is a very generic industry we have taken the Coffee Retail Market as the highlight of scrutiny. Our scope of study is focused taking in consideration only India as the geographic segment. We broadly look at the Porter’s Five Forces of the industry specifically. Also the complementors are observed and how they affect the retail business of coffee houses. The major players identified in the industry are Starbucks, Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Costa Coffee, and Nescafe. Grilling down further the report includes SWOT analysis, External Factor analysis matrix ,Internal Factor analysis matrix and PESTEL analysis. 2. Porter’s Five Forces The porter’s five forces model framework is very helpful in understanding the industry and market closely. It further helps in determining the profitability of the industry as a whole. Also helps the management in taking strategic decisions accordingly. 2. 1 Threat of New Entrants In the present world coffee has become a really popular beverage among Indians. This makes it an attractive market for the potential companies who are looking up for opening their retail coffee houses in India. Entering the industry is not that cumbersome in case a business house admires to open up a small coffee shop. Problem arises in respect to entering the industry when they aspire to set up retail coffee chains or speciality coffee shops. Due to many established names in the industry like Cafe Coffee Day and Costa Coffee, establishing brand name also becomes an issue. Companies already with established brand names like Coca Cola, Starbucks can enter the industry easily without much caution as they already have marketing strategies designed in their favour. As a conclusion, we can state that barriers to entry are Low especially for global brands and they can easily enter the coffee retail industry with established marketing strategy, name, and huge capital and financial stability. Otherwise, hard for new and unknown firms admiring to be in the business. 2. 2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers The suppliers for the coffee retail industry in India generally come from southern India i. e. Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Though these days different types of coffee are becoming popular among the Indians like, Gourmet, Organic, Eco-friendly coffee, and they are being sold for better prices in comparison to the traditional brewed coffee. Still the situation is not really in favour of these suppliers. These coffee growers are poor, competitive and rely on the buyers to a great extent. Therefore, power remains to be limited. This proves to be good for the retail outlets in the business. 2. 3 Bargaining power of Customers. The whole retailing coffee industry depends upon the customers. So it is of vital importance to satisfy the customers in order to give them a reason to visit again. In this case word-of mouth plays an important role. So, if people appreciate about a particular coffee shop or chain, others are likely to try it. Thus, retailers must find new strategies and techniques of luring away the customers. But it is very important for the localities coffee retail shops to understand that they cannot charge prices as high as the industry players like Starbucks, Barista or Cafe Coffee Day. They need to maintain a low price profile in order to attract customers. So in case of these small locality retail shops the bargaining power of customers is very high. Otherwise the other coffee retail chains (industry players) do hold some control over the prices charged but it becomes important to consider the customers purchasing power. Otherwise they would switch over to other brand as there is no switching cost for them. This establishes that the bargaining power of customers is high and really important measure for the conduct of efficient business. Also these coffee retail chains should understand that the customers can also make the coffee at home which justifies their higher bargaining power. 2. 4 Threat of Substitute products There are a lot of substitutes for the coffee retail industry in general. Specially, the soft drinks industry has always given fierce competition. Also, other products like ice cream, candy, and beer are also a part of substitute products. It becomes important for these retail houses to make coffee more popular and drinkable amongst the masses. People should never consider switching from their coffee shops. But with changing preferences of Indian masses in favour of coffee the players within the industry are making maximum efforts in favour of differentiating its products from the substitute products. Also strategic decisions and marketing activities are initiated to shift the customer base from the substitutes resulting in high demand of coffee from the retail sector. So the threat of substitutes is also moderate. 2. 5 Competitive Rivalry within the Industry Considering the entire coffee retail industry as the scope of study, there are number of retail chains serving the industry effectively. To top the list is Starbucks, and than many more such as Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Costa Coffee, Gloria Jeans, Nescafe, Bru Cafe, Dunkin Donuts, Mc Donalds, and small Kiosks and coffee points are also emerging in localities. They all are different in size and serve different segments of the society but are competing with each other in some or the other way. Each retailer follows different marketing strategy to lure away their target segments. Also with moving times the industry is occupying a stable position in the retail sector and is saturated . Therefore, we can say that the competitive rivalry though on the higher side does not affects the profit margins for the industry. 3. Complementors There is a sixth force to the porter’s five forces model, the power and competence that the complementors provide to the business. The complementors are those that help in selling and adding value to the existing products of the industry. When these products are used together they help in satisfying customer demands more effectively. It is also to be believed that these complementors play an important role in drawing in the demand for the industry. This in turn helps in scaling up the profits. Conversely, the poor products being manufactured or supplied by the complementors may harm the profits and demand. So it becomes important on part of managers to analyse all the six forces and then think systematically how their strategic choices would affect the industrial competition. Majorly the complementors can be associated with high-tech industries wherein they literally help in hiking the sales and profits for the industry. In our case, coffee retailing is not an industry that has any such complementors that would help in boosting sales or profits. But certain products are identified by us that in a slight way might affect the coffee retailing business. Like, merchandising, snacks offered for sale in coffee retail chains. Merchandising includes apparels and coffee mugs and other products such as soft toys and key chains available for sale by many coffee retail houses Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Starbucks etc. Snacks are offered mainly by all the coffee houses in the form of cookies, patties, croissants, sandwiches, pasta, oats etc. So these complementors directly help in pushing up the sales of the business. 4. SWOT Analysis 5. External factor Analysis External strategic forces. Weight Rating Weighted score Comments Opportunities 1. India Large market .18 4 .72 Second most populated nation of the world 2. Increase in spending power .15 3 .45 The GDP or the purchasing power is rising adequately 3. Youth population .13 4 .52 Youth are the ones who are more prone and exposed to cafes 4. Favourable labour cost .07 2 .14 Easily available manpower at lower costs 5. Favourable infrastructure cost .07 2 .14 Low and easy access to infrastructure 6. Opportunity to serve the tea drinking segment .05 1 .05 A major portion of population is attracted towards tea drinking. Threats 1. Low per capita income. .07 3 .21 Huge requirement to extend products at competitive prices 2. Increasing health consciousness .04 1 .04 3. Competiton from fast food joints .04 3 .12 Mc Donalds, Pizza Hut, Subway 4. Hiking coffee prices .06 3 .18 5. Tea drinking segment .10 4 .4 This segment consumes tea at least twice a day 6. Rare habit of travelling to cafes .04 1 .04 Total score 1. 00 3. 01 The EFE matrix is made by comparing the coffee industry with the other beverage industry in India and weights and ratings are assumed according to personal knowledge. Considering the external factors effecting the industry EFE matrix is created. A score of more then 2. 5 reflects that the industry has more than average capability in response to external forces particularly the beverage industry in India. 6. Internal Factor Analysis Internal strategic forces Weight Rating Weighted Score Comments Strengths 1. Increasing Coffee demand .18 4 .72 Changing lifestyle leading to coffee adaptation 2. Favourable labour relations .15 3 .45 3. Non-perishable commodity .12 4 .48 Coffee is a non-perishable commodity which has no threat of being spoiled easily. Weakness 1. Low dominance over price .15 2 .3 Due to competitors in the industry. 2. Heavy export of coffee .05 1 .05 Low domestic consumption 3. High operating cost .2.5 1 .25 Total 1 2. 25 In the above tables, Column 1 depicts the strategic factors Column 2 depicts weight assigned to each strategic factor from 0 to 1 i. e. not important to most important Column 3 depicts the rating assigned to each factor wherein a scale of 1-4 is used. It signifies industry’s present response to each factor. In EFE matrix 1-4 is responses from poor to superior and In IFE 1-2 is major and minor weakness and 3-4 is major and minor strength. Column 4 gives in the weighted score. Column 5 represents the comments for the strategic factors Since internal factor analysis is used to judge wether the company is performing inline with the expected strengths and weaknesses or not. Generally an average score of 2. 5 on 10 is expected. After the analysis, we conclude that the internal weigted score of coffee industry in India is almost in line with 2. 5,reflected that the respected industry is running as astrong business internally as well. 7. Value Chain It is a series of activities aimed at delivering maximum value to a customer, through a product or service, at the minimum cost. This model analyses how a firm procures raw materials, adds value to these material through various processes and sells the finished product to the ultimate consumer. All these functions are performed with the objective of maximizing customer value at minimum cost. The value chain of the retail coffee industry consists of the following processes and activities: 7. 1 Primary activities 7. 1. 1 Inbound Logistics: This is primarily concerned with the procurement of raw materials in the form of coffee beans and various types of dairy products, required by all the coffee retail outlets. The aim is to procure high quality materials so that best of the flavours is served to the customers. Cafe Coffee Day does in-house sourcing through coffee estates owned by the company. Starbucks Coffee and Barista Lavazza chains have sourcing agreement with Tata Coffee. Cafe Nescafe, owned by Nestle works through community farming, where it provides high yielding quality, disease resistant seeds to the farmers for improved productivity. The company provides regular and fair remuneration to the farmers. Dairy products are also sourced through community farming. 7. 1. 2 Operations: There are various operations involved in the business of retail coffee outlets. The most important operation to be performed is roasting of the coffee beans, which gives the taste, flavor and smell to the coffee. Tata coffee provides roasting services to Starbucks and Barista through its own roasting facility. The outlets undertake all the operations to run an outlet like preparation of items, serving them to the customers and billing, etc. Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day work on the model wherein order is taken and served to the customers on the table, whereas Barista works as self-service outlet. 7. 1. 3 Outbound Logistics: The customers are serviced through company owned or licensed retail outlets, which may be in the form of lounge, highway cafes or store-in-store. The stores are set up in centralized locations, which are easily accessible to the customers, in order to achieve maximum footfall. According to a business standard report, top 40 cities in India have around 1700 coffee outlets. CCD is the largest coffee chain in India with 1200 outlets, followed by Barista having 154 outlets and Starbucks having 21 outlets. Starbucks also sells some of its products through retail stores and super markets. 7. 1. 4 Marketing and Sales: Companies undertake various promotional activities to attract a large number of customers, which may be in the form of sponsorships and co-marketing initiatives. Customers are also benefited through loyalty card programs, carrying various offers and advantages. Value meal combos attract students who have low purchasing power. Marketing is also done through TV and media sources. All this is done to maximize sales. 7. 1. 5 Services: Coffee retail industry relies on the quality of service to the customers. These chains don’t sell coffee, they sell experience. For this, highly trained staff is recruited to provide high quality customer service. Other services offered are newspapers, magazines and free Wi-Fi to the customers. 7. 2 Support services 7. 2. 1 Firm Infrastructure: In order to have a smooth flow of operations, the companies need to have sound infrastructure for accounting, planning, finance, management, etc. The retail outlets have inviting interiors and comfortable seating space. 7. 2. 2 Human Resource Management: Human Resources are the most valuable assets of any organization, and same also goes with these retail coffee chains. Highly trained people are recruited to provide high quality customer service. Various training and motivation programs are conducted to further enhance the skills of these people, which will add to the customer value. 7. 2. 3 Technology: Companies have started using latest technology to perform their operations. Computerized roasting machines are being used to maintain the consistency in the flavour of coffee beans. Barista has installed control systems like Total Quality Management to ensure the quality of materials distributed. Latest software is being used to achieve maximum operational efficiency. 7. 2. 4 Procurement: In order to achieve maximum customer satisfaction, companies need to procure raw materials that are of best quality available in the market. Companies also need to source furniture, kitchen equipment, utensils, etc. , which act as complements in the operations of coffee retail outlets. All the above-mentioned activities aim to maximize the customer value at the minimum cost. 8. PESTEL Analysis A strategic framework of macro economic , political, economical, socio-cultural, technological, environmental, and legal factors include :- 8. 1 Political factors. Indian coffee board has proved a helping hand to the coffee industry of the same after 1996 de-regulation of coffee marketing. after it it has grown up as a free market leading to a four times growth in its trade. around 70-80% of the country’s production is exported . A coffee produced with set standards named fair trade coffee is one of the major constituents to coffee retailing. the one managing this in the country is fair trade alliance , kerela. Starbucks in India is certified to fair trade coffee provider ,whereas barista lavazza has fair trade coffee compliance abroad buit not in India and same is the case with dunkin donuts. 8. 2 Economical factors Development in lifestyle of people and coffee turning as a delighting factor in the economy ,the consumption of coffee is taking a pace. Increase in consumption by urban young generation is expected to take the industry at a whopping business of around 2250 crores by the year 2017. Though it currently stands at Rs. 1100 with its major players trading like barista, CCd etc. The infrastructure developements, the enhancing demand and smoothing trade procedure leads to incremental trade for the industry. A coffeeproduced with set standards named fair trade coffee is one of the major condstituents to coffee retailing. The one managing this in the country is fair trade alliance,kerela. Starbucks inIindia is certified to fair trade coffee provider , whereas barista lavazza has fair trade coffee compliance abroad but not in India and same is the case with dunkin donuts 8. 3 Socio- Cultural factors Catering to the ever increasing population of the country, it is the responsibility of the businesses to look for to the socio economic factors in place . For instance, the development in lifestyle of people is leading to increase in the coffee consumption in the country. Keeping these factors into mind businesses like cafe coffee day claims of training 400-500mpeople every month to enhance employment and as a part of responsibility to the society, MC Donalds along with CCD keep staff to clean right under your feet. Similar to those dunkin donuts provides 21 day training program to the staff to help customers better. As a part of social responsibility 50% Costa coffee employees in Delhi and NCR are deaf people. 8. 4 Technological factors With the changing lifestyle and gezmo addicted generation, one cannot afford to have a internet free cafe . The presence of bluetooths and wifi within the outlets of coffee companies is the basic requirement to get on the customer to the shop. The comfort of checking the emails, organising commercial meetings in the coffee shops an sitting there for hours requires the business to have a wifi enabled cafe. For eg -starbucks (India) uses help AT&T(India) to provide a click, no password facility for easy internet accessSalong with there mobile apps and various online facilties. Moreover whotspot also helps in proving in these facilities. Barista lavazza uses strategy ‘ internet with mugs’ named strategy to lure customers in contract with spectranet. Along with this value addition it also provide facilities like hot deals with customers downloading deal on their tablets or smartphones and avail the services on the spot. 8. 5 Environmental factors The weather conditions play a major role in production of coffee. Environmental factors in case of coffee is the seasonal dependecy of the amount of coffee produced across different seasons. For instance:- with on time monsoon this year in the country,the coffee production in southern area of country raised upto 8-10%. in india other factors on which the coffee production depends are the pest infestation and limitation of mechanisation. conserving water, recycling,energy and plastic management etc are also few termenologies which companies takecare off. 8. 6 Legal factors Legal establishments popping up prooved as aiding cushions to the domestic market of the industry as well along with the outside trade. with liberalisation of industries in 1991 this particular industry was also benefited. One of the drastic help was with the FDI in retail industry i. e around 51% which turned trade more smoother then before. Tarrif charges in india are 40-605 on raw material and 60-100% on semi finished goods. Mc Donalds bring its coffee reatailing from its brand mccafe originated in melbourne,australlia. Starbucks got the way to enter in Indian markets after FDI was allowed by government but still restriction to get 30% of sourcing from SME’s of India. Indian institute of plantation management, Banglore (IIPM)usually takes up the responsibility of coffee retailing in the country along with its entrepreneurship and development. 9. Conclusion The coffee retail industry in India is on the expansion path and has doubled over the last decade. The present size of the market is estimated at Rs. 1520 crore, which is expected to reach Rs. 3775 core by the year 2018, a CAGR of around 20%. Earlier there was no such demand for moving out of the houses for coffee consumption but the emerging coffee retail chains have changed the scenario triggering consumption need amongst the young adults. Serving the evolutionary phase exceptionally well, these coffee retail chains are overwhelmed with the response in the Indian market are planning further expansion of their networks in the country. The above analysis of porter’s five forces highlights that the profitability of the industry is expanding with westernised culture being adapted by Indians. (Porters 5 force analysis). The snack and merchandise industry are complementing the coffee retail industry very effectively thereby leading to inflated sales and profits for these retail houses. (complementors). Reflected by the study of strategy of coffee industry hereby conclude that the Indian coffee industry is a strong respondent to the external factors (EFA matrix) as well as internally also industry is doing well(IFA matrix). To increase the figures of sales and profitability, a number of varieties of coffee and eatables are offered, targeted at different price-points of the market. The companies are using innovative strategies and marketing tactics. A large young population, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyle, coupled with not-so-difficult entry into the market have attracted a large number of domestic and foreign players in the country. Global brands like Starbucks are keen in investing in the Indian market due to the huge potential it displays. This is evident from the sizeable revenues that these brands have generated over the years. (PESTEL and Value chain). Only home grown coffee is served in the Indian market as coffee import attracts a duty of 120%. Coffee beans are sourced from company owned estates or through the means of community farming. Companies with established brand names are able to run their business successfully, whereas small business houses are in a way struggling to compete in the market. 10. Bibliography Unknown. 2013. [online] Available at: http://pure. au. dk/portal-asb-student/files/3785/khrystyna_diaz_final_theses. pdf [Accessed: 12 Oct 2013]. Unknown. 2013. 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[online] Available at: http://articles. economictimes. indiatimes. com/2012-01-17/news/30635685_1_domestic-coffee-consumption-indian-coffee-coffee-beans [Accessed: 13 Oct 2013]. Unknown. 2013. [online] Available at: http://www. indiacoffee. org/userfiles/PCP%20in%20Coffee%20Entrepreneurship-IIPM. pdf [Accessed: 13 Oct 2013]. Profit. ndtv. com. 2013. FDI in single-brand.

Balanced Scorecards at BIOCO Essay

An Analysis of, â€Å"Case Study 7-2: Balanced Scorecards at BIOCO† BIOCO has realized from its use of balanced scorecards that the company has been able to open communication channels, where common goals are established throughout the whole company. Employees are able to view the company’s value drivers, such as financial performance. The Chief Intelligence Officer (CIO) believed that that balanced scorecards helped employees to not only look at their own departments operations, but the overall operations within the company. The Vice President believed that the scorecards helped all employees understand the overall goals of the company within their own departments. Balanced scorecards also helped the IT department interpret the other business areas within the company. The scorecards helped create an internal perspective that outlined the goals and the measures of the company. Balanced Scorecards allowed every employee at BIOCO to know what the company was excelling at, and where the company demanded resources be integrated in order to excel. The BIOCO way was effective in aiding the IT department to coordinate its goals with that of the company, because every employee through balanced scorecards were able to see the operations and key driver goals of the IT department. Employees could see whether the IT projects were effective and on track. Also, the IT department could see the operations and goals of other business areas within the company. If IT was working on a project to implement information systems (IS) in a certain business area/department, they could review the balanced scorecards to see the kind of goals and operations utilized within that department. IT can then align the IS with the business strategy of a certain department by viewing these scorecards. The BIOCO approach could be successfully integrated into large organizations, and considered a useful communication tool. This tool would be utilized by management to integrate the business strategy with the organizational structure. Creating goals based on customer perspective, internal business perspective, innovating and learning perspective, and financial perspective would be the first step (Pearlson & Saunders, 2013). The next step will include making adjustments to gauge  performance goals accurately. For example, a large firm may gauge how customers perspective by monitoring their reputation within the market, or they will review the impact of projects on its’ users (Pearlson & Saunders, 2013). After a large organization finds a way to measure goals, they will have to create a corporate strategy map. The map will have balanced scorecards that descend throughout the whole company. The map will have to include company, division, region, district, store, and department balanced scorecards. The only way the BIONCO approach will be useful with a new CEO is if that CEO does not see any change needed within the organization or very little change is needed. If changes should occur goal perspectives will have to be adjusted, and how they are measured will have to be adjusted as well. In order to implement new values, they must change the whole BIONCO way approach to mirror those values. If the values differ immensely from the past CEO, a new approach may be needed all together. The new CEO may want to change the whole business strategy all together to emphasize the IS system. In this case the new CEO may utilize an IT dashboard instead. The BIONCO way will have to be altered to some length in order to be successful, because the CEO will most likely want to change some perspectives of the business. References Pearlson, Keri and Saunders, Carol. Managing & Using Information Systems. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Print.

scarlet letter essay1 essays

scarlet letter essay1 essays Through out Nathaniel Hawthones The Scarlet Letter, the main characters suffer psychological damage as a result of different forms of alienation. The character traits they posses make them more susceptible to certain types of alienation. Since Dimmesdale cannot reveal his secret to anyone, he can not share his pain. All the pent up guilt he has stored with in eats away at him, slowly deteriorating his body and soul. Dimmesdales masochistic and pious attributes greatly contribute to the extent of his alienation. For the reverend it was essential to his peace to feel the pressure of a faith about him. This need for punishment coupled with religious devotion gives reason for Dimmesdales secrecy. Hiding his intimate self from other people bestows Dimmesdale the punishment he so desperately seeks. His mental breakdown stemming from his social alienation is most clearly shown in the chapter the The Ministers Vigil. His self-torture leads him to walk under the influence of a species of somnambulism, thinking irrationally in a way not like himself. His pent up agony causes Dimmesdale to act out in ways like this that could reveal his secret. Dimmesdales psychological agony partly stems from a form of spiritual alienation. As a minister, he has a close relationship with God and has a strong sense of spirituality. Due to his sin, his relationship with God suffers in the way that his sin separates him from the teachings of Jesus. Without the virtue and purity he once held, Dimmesdale views himself unworthy in the eyes of God. While lying on the forest floor, Dimmesdale utters The judgment of God is on me, he is too mighty for me to struggle with! To close this gap of isolation between God and himself, Dimmesdale commits acts of penance to relieve his sin. His acceptance of Chillingworths torture and his use of the ...

The Smartest Job Search Strategies for Any Job Search

The Smartest Job Search Strategies for Any Job Search You may think the best way to get a job is to search online, update your resume, and blitz it out in response to as many postings as you can find. But you’d be wrong. As it turns out, about 80% of jobs are not posted online. So no matter how many applications you send out, you’re still only working with about 20% of what’s out there. There are also a number of common myths and misconceptions that can derail even the most tenacious of job seekers. Debunking these can do a world of difference. Here’s two things to remember:You don’t need a great deal of experience (or sometimes even any) to get your dream job.You don’t have to settle until you get that job.So where does that leave you and your job search?You must always be prepared with a pitchThe best thing for job seekers to do- and this won’t come as much of a surprise- is network. Network, network, network. That means first and foremost, coming up with a convincing and charming eleva tor pitch. An answer to the ubiquitous question: â€Å"So tell me about you.† You’ll need to craft this perfectly to show your goals, experience, selling points, and just how perfect you are to match a potential employer’s needs. Then you’ll need to rehearse it until it comes out of your mouth as naturally as an exhale.Be sure to include a goal statement at the end. â€Å"I’m †¦. and interested in †¦. and currently hoping to transition into †¦ ideally in the X industry.† Stating your job search need as a goal ensures that you’re never outright asking anyone for favors; you’re simply stating who you are and what you’re looking for, which won’t annoy or offend any potential contacts.The shorter and simpler, the better–just be smartWhen you’re working on your resume, be sure to err on the side of brevity. DO include bullet points to maximize easy reading, but don’t include too many - and make sure the ones you do include are each doing something for you. Make them as results-driven as possible, rather than heavy on the job description. Lead with your best bullet.Once you get an interview, be sure to be as well prepared as you were for networking. Though, there, the big question is â€Å"Tell us a little about your biggest weakness.† You may have been told that the best strategy here is to claim that you’re an incurable perfectionist. The internet, more often than not, will counsel you in this direction. But the Internet is wrong. You’ll just sound insincere. The better strategy is to choose something you’ve actually been working to improve. Explain how it was a challenge to you in the past, and what you’ve been doing, actively, to turn it into a strength instead. Give an example of your progress just to prove you’re not full of baloney.It’s okay to make demandsOnce you get an offer, be sure not to roll over and accept the salary without question. It is okay and expected to negotiate. A few tips:Don’t be the first person to suggest a number. The person who speaks first in this arena alwaysIf they ask you to give a number first, deflect. Say that you’re negotiable, but you’d like to hear their range to see whether it fits for you.Do research before going into negotiations. Figure out what is standard at that company and in that position within the industry. And don’t ask for a number extremely outside of that range.Tell them instead that you’re being considered in the range of the top third of that bracket, but ensure that you’re negotiable.If you let go of some of the most common misapprehensions and job search myths, you should have a much better, clear-eyed approach that will likely start to get you the results you need.

Humbug Definition

Humbug Definition Humbug was a word used the 19th century to mean a trick played upon unsuspecting people. The word lives on in the English language today thanks largely to two notable figures, Charles Dickens and Phineas T. Barnum. Dickens famously made â€Å"Bah, humbug!† the trademark phrase of an unforgettable character, Ebenezer Scrooge. And the great showman Barnum took delight in being known as the â€Å"Prince of Humbugs.† Barnum’s fondness for the word indicates an important characteristic of humbug. It isn’t just that a humbug is something false or deceptive, it is also, in its purest form, highly entertaining. The numerous hoaxes and exaggerations which Barnum exhibited during his long career were termed humbugs but calling them that indicated a sense of playfulness. Origin of Humbug as a Word The word humbug seems to have been coined sometime in the 1700s. Its roots are obscure, but it caught on as slang among students. The word began appearing in dictionaries, such as in the 1798 edition of A Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue edited by Francis Grose: To Hum, or Humbug. To deceive, to impose on one by some story or device. A humbug; a jocular imposition, or deception. When Noah Webster published his landmark dictionary in 1828, humbug was again defined as an imposition. Humbug as Used by Barnum The popular use of the word in America was largely due to Phineas T. Barnum. Early in his career, when he exhibited obvious frauds such as Joice Heth, a woman said to be 161 years old, he was denounced for perpetrating humbugs. Barnum essentially adopted the term and defiantly chose to consider it a term of affection. He began to call some of his own attractions humbugs, and the public took it as good-natured kidding. It should be noted that Barnum despised people like con men or snake oil salesmen who actively cheated the public. He eventually wrote a book titled The Humbugs of the World which criticized them. But in his own usage of the term, a humbug was a playful hoax that was highly entertaining. And the public seemed to agree, returning time and again to view whatever humbug Barnum might be exhibiting. Humbug as Used by Dickens In the classic novella, ​A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the miserly character Ebenezer Scrooge uttered â€Å"Bah, humbug!† when reminded of Christmas. To Scrooge, the word meant a folly, something too silly for him to spend time on. In the course of the story, however, Scrooge receives visits from the ghosts of Christmas, learns the true meaning of the holiday, and ceases to regard celebrations of Christmas as humbug.

Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Exercise - Essay Example The trimming of standard bookcases being 0.2 hours per unit is multiplied by 150 hours per month to get 75 which is expected value. This is deducted from 150 multiplied by one hundred and divided by the actual which is 150 to get 50%. Trimmer has also production of sixty percent bookcases and forty percent production of wide bookcases. Shaper has the production of forty percent production standard bookcases, then fifty percent production of narrow bookcases and fifty percent production of wide bookcases. Assembling machine has sixty three percent productions of all bookcases of the current sizes. Their optimal allocation is supposed to match by their production speed so trimmer wider machine is supposed to be aligned with shaper standard producer. Trimmer standard producer is supposed to be allocated with the shaper narrow producer because their speed matches. Shaper wider machine may be allocated followed by trimmer narrow machine, because their speed does not differ much. In conclusion, corporation production machines are supposed to be aligned by their average percentage speed. Chang Hyun Kim and Yushin Hong (1999). An optimal production run length in deteriorating production processes. Retrieved on January 15, 1999 from

Principles of PR and its role in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principles of PR and its role in Society - Essay Example The PR works to establish a link between the public or the prospective customers and the business. Media relations is by far the most common and most convenient PR tool used to provide an effective reach out to the customers of businesses and the general public. This form of PR makes it easy for the public to receive relevant information from across the society and beyond thereby bringing about exposure and awareness. My choice of the PR closely attributes to the controversies that surround the media system in the contemporary world. The aggressive entry of social media into the PR system has complicated issues and has brought more sophistication than success owing to abuse and misuse. The article, â€Å"Challenges of The Information Society and Public Relations,† by Palevska has provided an imperative insight. It explores into the dire constraints that come along with continued innovations in the information society and how it influences the public relations. By reading the article, I have established an understanding of the intrinsic link between information society and public relations. The scenario is applicable in all parts of the world, and other journalists and public relation officers can replicate in other parts of the world. Concerning my specific focus of the concept of media relations and its scope, the article has added into my knowledge, another dimension of the link between information systematics and likely influence on public relations (Palevska, 2012). In my opinion, the article has attempted to offer an insight into some of the conflicting scenarios likely to exist between public relations and the information society. The information society rapidly evolves with the changing dimensions in technological advancement. As such, information delivery and reach up tend to depend on the level of innovativeness a company has relative to its competitors. PR is fast evolving from a primitive and less focus on technology use to a more

Scuba Diving with Jellyfish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Scuba Diving with Jellyfish - Essay Example When we arrived at the island the captain stopped and anchored the boat. I immediately jumped in the water and started snorkeling while all the other drivers were still on the boat putting on their scuba equipment. After being in the water for about two minutes wearing only my swim trunks, I started feeling this stinging sensation all over my body. After about another minute or so the stinging got so bad that I had to get out of the water and back on the boat. I mean the stinging felt like I was being burned or something the pain was excruciating. When I got on the boat, I found that I had welts on every inch of my body that wasn't covered by my swim trunks. I had been stung numerous times by a Jellyfish. I was blessed to still be alive said the captain of the boat, Poseidon. He was a Mexican man who claimed he was king of the ocean. Personally, I thought the guy was a little wacky. However, he poured this liquid substance all over my body and immediately made all the stinging go away. I immediately asked what the liquid was, soon after he implied, it was a secret liquid he made back home. I thought it was vinegar from the way it smelt, nonetheless, I was just happy for the stinging to be gone. Poseidon said the jellyfish had to have been one of the smaller species of Jellyfishes because if not I would have been dead. I immediately knew then that if I got back in the water I would have to wear a wetsuit and all the protective gear I could find. A little while later, after I recovered from the jellyfish stings, I put on my wetsuit, weight vest, regulator, tank, fins, and mask, all the equipment essential for scuba diving. I was pretty nervous about going down, so the instructor, a man named Michael Walters went over all the steps, equalizing, breathing, and reassured me everything was going to be okay and to just relax. Â  

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Reflection paper - Essay Example Being a convenience store, we are very passionate about our commitment to customer service. When an employee is new in the organization, he is introduced to the vision and mission statement of the company. This makes all our employees aware of the things that the company values; thus, he is able to work within these values and eventually it is instilled in him. It is in our company’s culture to make the employee feel fulfilled. The company believes that the employees should be provided with never-ending opportunities for growth. Our organization believes that the job of every employee should always be a learning experience for them. Furthermore, management emphasizes team achievement rather than personal gains of the employees. There are several factors which I like in our organizational culture. I appreciate very much the sense of belongingness that I feel in the organization. We as managers are always consulted in various aspects which affects our work. Management is always ready to hear our opinions and accept our suggestions. Team building and employee empowerment is a positive attribute of our organization. One of the things that I do not like about our culture is that sometimes I feel that the customers’ satisfaction is over emphasized. There are times when it is difficult for us to deal with some of the customers’ request but we still have to go out of our way to please them. I understand however, that it is necessary because our industry is very competitive. If we displease a customer, we might drive them away from our store. Another thing that I do not like about our organizational culture is that there are times when an individual’s effort is not given much importance. This is because team effort is always emphasized. As a manager, I think one way that I can positively impact our organizational culture is by mentoring my staff to be more conscious of the needs of the customers. Since our culture

Forms of Business Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Forms of Business Organisations - Essay Example Thus, â€Å"every partner in a firm other than an incorporated limited partnership is liable jointly with the partner’s co-partners, and also severally, for everything for which the firm becomes liable under section 10 or 11.†Ã‚  Ã‚   Joint and several liability means, within the partnership context, that the claimant may bring a claim against all of the partners or choose to recover the entire amount of damages from only one or some of the partners, leaving the partner/s whom the claimant has/have successfully recovered from to go after other partners for the latter’s proportionate contribution to the claim. Applying the above principles, it can be concluded that Stacey can go after both Bertha and Sam or either Bertha and Sam for the recovery of damages caused to his spine due to the wrongful practices of the firm, regardless of whether only one of the partners is at fault or both. In a joint and several liability, the partners will be left to determine for the mselves their exact liability and recover from each other the amount of the other’s liability. Therefore, Besa Constructions should seriously consider accepting liability for the injury of Stacey after validating the reports of the insurers. Since the firm is not a separate entity from its owners, this means that Bertha or Sam or both should pay the claim, in accordance to the extent of their individual participation in the wrongful company practices. Moreover, they should initiate a change in its existing working practices to prevent the same problem from occurring again in the future.  

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Reflection paper - Essay Example Being a convenience store, we are very passionate about our commitment to customer service. When an employee is new in the organization, he is introduced to the vision and mission statement of the company. This makes all our employees aware of the things that the company values; thus, he is able to work within these values and eventually it is instilled in him. It is in our company’s culture to make the employee feel fulfilled. The company believes that the employees should be provided with never-ending opportunities for growth. Our organization believes that the job of every employee should always be a learning experience for them. Furthermore, management emphasizes team achievement rather than personal gains of the employees. There are several factors which I like in our organizational culture. I appreciate very much the sense of belongingness that I feel in the organization. We as managers are always consulted in various aspects which affects our work. Management is always ready to hear our opinions and accept our suggestions. Team building and employee empowerment is a positive attribute of our organization. One of the things that I do not like about our culture is that sometimes I feel that the customers’ satisfaction is over emphasized. There are times when it is difficult for us to deal with some of the customers’ request but we still have to go out of our way to please them. I understand however, that it is necessary because our industry is very competitive. If we displease a customer, we might drive them away from our store. Another thing that I do not like about our organizational culture is that there are times when an individual’s effort is not given much importance. This is because team effort is always emphasized. As a manager, I think one way that I can positively impact our organizational culture is by mentoring my staff to be more conscious of the needs of the customers. Since our culture

Stepping out Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stepping out - Essay Example n expressing their desires.  It should not be surprising then that quite a majority of females have once had these desires without the public knowledge, which makes them either lesbians or bisexuals. Recent studies have also indicated that the contemporary society is getting more comfortable with the concept of lesbianism and homosexuality, (Schroeder 5-6) as opposed to several years ago. Lesbians have a right to pursue their feeling just as anybody else, and their sexual orientation is purely informed by the fact that females are emotional beings. Many lesbians have developed their sexual orientations because of both physical and mental reasons (Walker et al 391). Traditionally, women have felt a need to have much more satisfying relationships that are based on trust, love and understanding. However, this  has not been gotten in heterosexual relationships as many women consider them unsatisfactory; females understand each other’s needs more than men do. Because of this disconnect, females tend to turn to fellow females for emotional and sexual gratification. Given that sexual orientation is discovered rather than decided at birth, it must be understood if a female’s sexual orientation is towards fellow females than towards males as is the norm, accepting one’s sexuality is more helpful than denial as it may lead to multiple psychological problems. For instance, the stigmatization of lesbianism may cause psychological trauma to lesbians, which has far reached repercussions in their later lives (Hilton and Szymanski 292-293). In this regard, lesbians must be given the love and support of family, friends and society without discrimination; moreover, it should also be acknowledged that lesbianism does not destabilize the norm of heterosexual relationships in any way as opposed to the fears of those who reject it. Lesbianism in any case should be looked at as an alternative form of relationship to females, rather than being ostracized in society. Lesbians have

Real Time Pcr Essay Example for Free

Real Time Pcr Essay PROBE-BASED DETECTION SYSTEMS14 Hybridization probes (also called FRET probes)16 MELTING CURVE ANALYSIS16 Multiplex real-time PCR18 APPLICATIONS OF REAL TIME PCR18 GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSIS18 SNP GENOTYPING19 HIV DETECTION19 CYSTIC FIBROSIS (CF) DETECTION:20 THE ADVANTAGES OF REAL-TIME PCR20 THE DISADVANTAGES21 REFRENCES21 REAL TIME PCR TRADITIONAL PCR The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of the most powerful technologies in molecular biology. Using PCR, specific sequences within a DNA or cDNA template can be copied, or â€Å"amplified†, many thousand- to a millionfold. In traditional (endpoint) PCR, detection and quantitation of the amplified sequence are performed at the end of the reaction after the last PCR cycle, and involve post-PCR analysis such as gel electrophoresis and image analysis. REAL-TIME QUANTITATIVE PCR (qPCR) In real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), the amount of PCR product is measured at each cycle. This ability to monitor the reaction during its exponential phase enables users to determine the initial amount of target with great precision. WHAT’S WRONG WITH AGAROSE GELS? * Poor precision. * Low sensitivity. Short dynamic range lt; 2 logs. * Low resolution. * Non-automated. * Size-based discrimination only * Ethidium bromide staining is not very quantitative REAL TIME PCR VS PCR . BASIC PRINCIPLE Quantitative PCR  is carried out in a  thermal cycler  with the capacity to illuminate each sample with a beam of light of a specified wavelength and detect the fluorescence emitted by the excited  fluorochrome. The thermal cycler is also able to rapidly heat and chill samples thereby taking advantage of the physicochemical properties of the  nucleic acids  and  DNA polymerase. The PCR process generally consists of a series of temperature changes that are repeated 25 – 40 times, these cycles normally consist of three stages: the first, at around 95  Ã‚ °C, allows the separation of the nucleic acid’s double chain; the second, at a temperature of around 50-60  Ã‚ °C, allows the alignment of the primers with the DNA template;  the third at between 68 72  Ã‚ °C, facilitates the  polymerization  carried out by the DNA polymerase In real-time PCR, * the amount of DNA is measured after each cycle by the use of fluorescent markers that are incorporated into the PCR product. The increase in fluorescent signal is directly proportional to the number of PCR product molecules (amplicons) generated in the exponential phase of the reaction. * Fluorescent reporters used include double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)- binding dyes, or dye molecules attached to PCR primers or probes that are incorporated into the product during amplification. * The change in fluorescence over the course of the reaction is measured by an instrument that combines thermal cycling with scanning capability. By plotting fluorescence against the cycle number, the real-time PCR instrument generates an amplification plot that represents the accumulation of product over the duration of the entire PCR reaction (Figure 1). Figure 1—Amplification plots are created when the fluorescent signal from each sample is plotted against cycle number; therefore, amplification plots represent the accumulation of product over the duration of the real-time PCR experiment. The samples being amplified in this example are a dilution series of the template. TYPES OF PCR Quantitative PCR| Qualitative qPCR| A specific or non-specific detection chemistry allows the quantification ofthe amplified product. | In qualitative qPCR, the goal is to detect the presence or absence of a certain sequence. | The amount detected at a certain point of the run is directly related to theinitial amount of target in the sample| For virus sub-typing and bacterial species identification. Can also be used for allelic discrimination between wild type and mutant, between different SNPs or between different splicing forms. | common pplications of quantitative PCR are gene expression analysis, pathogen detection/quantification and microRNA quantification| Different fluorophores can be used for the two alleles, and the ratio of the fluorophores signals correlates to the related amount of one form compared to the other one. | Quantitative PCR software uses the exponential phase of PCR for quantification. | Specific detection methods such as Double-Dye probe systems are more ofte n used for theseApplications| Overview of real-time PCR Real-time PCR is a variation of the standard PCR technique used to quantify DNA or RNA in a sample. Using sequence-specific primers, the relative number of copies of a particular DNA or RNA sequence can be determined.. Quantification of amplified product is obtained using fluorescent probes or fluorescent DNA binding dyes and real time PCR instruments that measure fluorescence while performing temperature changes needed for the PCR cycles. qPCR STEPS There are three major steps that make up a qPCR reaction. Reactions are generally run for 40 cycles. 1. Denaturation—The temperature should be appropriate to the polymerase chosen (usually 95 °C). The denaturation time can be increased if template GC content is high. 2. Annealing—Use appropriate temperatures based on the calculated melting temperature (Tm) of the primers (5 °C below the Tm of the primer). 3. Extension—At 70–72 °C, the activity of the DNA polymerase is optimal, and primer extension occurs at rates of up to 100 bases per second. When an amplicon in qPCR is small, this step is often combined with the annealing step using 60 °C as the temperature. BASICS OF REAL TIME PCR Baseline – The baseline phase contains all the amplification that is below the level of detection of the real time instrument. Threshold – where the threshold and the amplification plot intersect defines CT. Can be set manually/automatically CT – (cycle threshold) the cycle number where the fluorescence passes the threshold Rn – (Rn-baseline) NTC – no template control Rn is plotted against cycle numbers to produce the amplification curves and gives the CT value. ONE-STEP OR TWO-STEP REACTION qRT-PCR can be one step or two step. 1. Two-step qRT-PCR Two-step qRT-PCR starts with the reverse transcription of either total RNA or poly(A)+ RNA into cDNA using a reverse transcriptase (RT). This first-strand cDNA synthesis reaction can be primed using random hexamers, oligo(dT), or gene-specific primers (GSPs). To give an equal representation of all targets in real-time PCR applications and to avoid the 3? bias of oligo(dT), it is usually recommended that random hexamers or a mixture of oligo(dT) and random hexamers are used. The temperature used for cDNA synthesis depends on the RT enzyme chosen. Following the first-strand synthesis reaction, the cDNA is transferred to a separate tube for the qPCR reaction. In general, only 10% of the first strand reaction is used for each qPCR. . One-step qRT-PCR One-step qRT-PCR combines the first-strand cDNA synthesis reaction and qPCR reaction in the same tube, simplifying reaction setup and reducing the possibility of contamination. Gene-specifi c primers (GSP) are required. This is because using oligo(dT) or random primers will generate nonspecific products in the one-step procedure and reduce the amount of product of interest. O verview of qPCR and qRT-PCR components This section provides an overview of the major reaction components and parameters involved in real-time PCR experiments. * DNA polymerase One of the main factors affecting PCR specificity is the fact that Taq DNA polymerase has residual activity at low temperatures. Primers can anneal nonspecifically to DNA, allowing the polymerase to synthesize nonspecific product. The problem of nonspecific products resulting from mispriming can be minimized by using a â€Å"hot-start† enzyme. Using a hot-start enzyme ensures that no active Taq is present during reaction setup and the initial DNA denaturation step. * Template Anywhere from 10 to 1,000 copies of template nucleic acid should be used for each real-time PCR reaction. This is equivalent to approximately 100 pg to 1 ? of genomic DNA, or cDNA, generated from 1 pg to 100 ng of total RNA. Excess template may increase the amount of contaminants and reduce efficiency. If the template is RNA, care should be taken to reduce the chance of genomic DNA contamination. One option is to treat the template with DNaseI. Ultrapure, intact RNA is essential for full-length, high-quality cDNA synthesis and accurate mRNA quantification. RNA should be devoid of any RNase contamination, and aseptic conditions should be maintained. * Reverse transcriptase The reverse transcriptase (RT) is as critical to the success of qRT-PCR as the DNA polymerase. It is important to choose an RT that not only provides high yields of full-length cDNA but also has good activity at high temperatures. High-temperature performance is also very important for tackling RNA with secondary structure or when working with gene-specific primers (GSPs). * dNTPs It is recommended that both the dNTPs and the Taq DNA polymerase be purchased from the same vendor, as it is not uncommon to see shifts of one full threshold cycle (Ct) in experiments that employ these items from separate vendors. * Magnesium concentration In qPCR, magnesium chloride or magnesium sulfate is typically used at a fi nal concentration of 3 mM. This concentration works well for most targets; however, the optimal magnesium concentration may vary between 3 and 6 mM. * UNG The Uracil-N-Glycosylase is an enzyme that hydrolyses all single-stranded and double-stranded DNA containing dUTPs. Consequently, if all PCR amplifications are performed in the presence of a dNTPs/dUTPs blend, by carrying a UNG step before every run it is possible to get rid of any previous PCR product. * ROX Some thermocyclers require MasterMix containing ROX dye for normalization. This is the case for the ABI and Eppendorf machines, and optional on the Stratagene machines. If you work with such machines, it is easier to work with the ROX dye already incorporated in the MasterMix rather than adding it manually. It guarantees a higher level of reproducibility and homogeneity of your assays. * Fluorescein For iCycler iQ, My iQ and iQ5 machines (BioRad thermocyclers), the normalization method for SYBR Green assay uses Fluorescein to create a â€Å"virtual background†. As in the case for the ROX, it is better and easier to use a MasterMix that contains pre-diluted Fluorescein, guaranteeing higher reproducibility and homogeneity of your assays. REAL TIME PCR SYSTEM: System Features: †¢ Four interchangeable block formats †¢ Optional Automation Accessory amp; Barcode Scanner †¢ Argon ion laser/CCD camera †¢ Easy to Use Software, Multiple Applications †¢ Set up Wizards †¢ QC Filtering/Flag System †¢ Flexible data reports amp; exporting SOFTWARES FOR DATA ANALYSIS AND PRIMER DESIGNING 1 ) Light Cycler ® Relative Quantification Software The first commercially available software was the Light Cycler ® Relative Quantification Software (2001). 2 ) REST In 2002, the relative expression software tool (REST ) was established as a new tool. 3 ) Q-Gene Recently a second software tool, Q-Gene, was developed, which is able to perform a statistical test of the real-time data. Q-Gene manages and expedites the planning, performance and evaluation of quantitative real-time PCR experiments. 4) OligoPerfect A primer design software program such as OligoPerfectâ„ ¢, available on the Web at www. invitrogen. com/oligoperfect, can automatically evaluate a target sequence and design primers for it based on the criteria STEPS OF REAL TIME PCR Real-time reaction mix (final concentrations): 1x 2 x AmpliTaq Gold 0. 5 ? M 5’ primer 0. 5 ? M 3’ primer 0. 2 ? M probe 0. 4 ? Rox reference dye 20 ? l Final Volume (including sample and dH20) STANDARD REAL-TIME PCR PROTOCOL ASSAY DESIGN: This section describes the stages of real-time PCR assay design and implementation. We will identify sources of variability, the role they play in data accuracy, and guidelines for optimization in the following areas: 1Target amplicon and primer design 2. Nucleic acid purification 3. Reverse transcription 4. Controls and normalization 5. Standard curve evaluation of efficiency, sensitivity, and reproducibility Good primer (pair) properties One way to minimize efficiency bias is to amplify relatively short targets. Amplifying a 100 bp region is more likely to result in complete synthesis in a given cycle than, say, amplifying a 1,200 bp target. For this reason, real-time PCR target lengths are generally in the range of 60 bp to 200 bp. In addition, shorter amplicons act as a buff er against variations in template integrity. Primers designed to amplify larger regions are less likely to anneal with the same fragment in a slightly degraded nucleic acid sample. PURIFICATION Phenol-based organic extraction is a very effective method for purifying RNA from a wide variety of cell and tissue types. During sample lysis, phenol and guanidine isothiocyanate disrupt cells and dissolve cell components. while maintaining the integrity of the nucleic acids by protecting them from RNases. Chloroform is added and the mixture is separated by centrifugation, which separates the solution into an aqueous phase and an organic phase. RNA remains exclusively in the aqueous phase in the presence of guanidine isothiocyanate, while DNA and protein are driven into the organic phase and interphase. The RNA is then recovered from the aqueous phase by precipitation with isopropyl alcohol. REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION CONSIDERATIONS Most reverse transcriptases employed in qRT-PCR are derived from avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) or Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MLV). An ideal reverse transcriptase will exhibit the following attributes: * Thermostability— thermostable RTs function at the higher end of (or above) this range and allow for successful reverse transcription of GC-rich regions. * RNase H activity— RNase H activity can drastically reduce the yield and ratio of full-length cDNA, which translates to poor sensitivity. Several RTs, most notably SuperScript II and III, have been engineered for reduced RNase H activity. NORMALIZATION AND QUANTIFICATION: When analyzing and comparing results of Real-Time qPCR assays many researchers are confronted with several uncontrolled variables, which can lead to misinterpretation of the results. Those uncontrolled variables can be the amount of starting material, enzymatic efficiencies, and differences between tissues, individuals or experimental conditions. In order to make a good comparison, normalization can be used as a correction method, for these variables. The most commonly known and used ways of normalization are : * normalization to the original number of cells, * normalization to the total RNA mass, normalization to one or more housekeeping genes, * normalization to an internal or external calibrator. Normalization to number of cells can actually only be done for cell culture and blood samples. The two majors methods of normalization are the absolute quantification and the relative quantification . Absolute quantification Absolute quantification requires a standard curve of known copy numbers. The amplicon being studied can be cloned, or a synthetic oligonucleotide (RNA or DNA) can be used. The standard must be amplified using the same primers as the gene of interest and must amplify with the same efficiency. The standards must also be quantified accurately. This can be carried out by reading the absorbance at A260, although this does not distinguish between DNA and RNA, or by using a fluorescent ribonucleic acid stain such as RiboGreen. Relative quantification Relative quantification is the most widely used technique. Gene expression levels are calculated by the ratio between the amount of target gene and an endogenous reference gene, which is present in all samples. The reference gene has to be chosen so that its expression does not change under the experimental conditions or between different tissue. There are simple and more complex methods for relative quantification, depending on the PCR efficiency, and the number of reference genes used. STANDARD CURVE TO ASSESS EFFICIENCY, SENSITIVITY, AND REPRODUCIBILITY The final stage before assay employment is validating that all the experimental design parameters result in a highly efficient, sensitive, and reproducible experiment. * Reaction efficiency One hundred percent efficiency corresponds to a perfect doubling of template at every cycle, but the acceptable range is 90–110% for assay validation. This efficiency range corresponds to standard curve slopes of –3. 6 to –3. 1. The graph in Figure shows the measurement bias resulting solely from differences in reaction efficiency.. A standard curve is generated by plotting a dilution series of template against the Ct for each dilution. To some, sensitivity is measured by how early a target Ct appears in the amplification plot. However, the true gauge of sensitivity of an assay is whether a given low amount of template fits to the standard curve while maintaining a desirable efficiency. The most dilute sample that fits determines reaction sensitivity. The standard curve also includes an R2 value, which is a measure of replicate reproducibility. Standard curves may be repeated over time to assess whether the consistency, and therefore the data accuracy for the samples. Real-Time PCR Fluorescence Detection Systems Several different fluorescence detection technologies can be used for realtime PCR, and each has specific assay design requirements. All are based on the generation of a fluorescent signal that is proportional to the amount of PCR product formed. The three main fluorescence detection systems are: * DNA-binding agents (e. g. SYBR Green and SYBR GreenER technologies * Fluorescent primers (e. g. , LUX Fluorogenic Primers and Amplifluor qPCR primers) * Fluorescent probes (e. g. , TaqMan probes, Scorpions, Molecular Beacons) The detection method plays a critical role in the success of real-time PCR. DNA-Binding Dyes The most common system for detection of amplified DNA is the use of intercalating dyes that fluoresce when bound to dsDNA. SYBR Green I and SYBR GreenER technologies use this type of detection method. The fluorescence of DNA-binding dyes significantly increases when bound to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). The intensity of the fluorescent signal depends on the amount of dsDNA that is present. As dsDNA accumulates, the dye generates a signal that is proportional to the DNA concentration and can be detected using real-time PCR instruments. SYBR Green I advantages †¢ Low cost assay †¢ Easy design and set up SYBR Green I disadvantages †¢ Non specific system †¢ Not adapted to multiplex †¢ Non suitable for qualitative qPCR Primer-Based Detection Systems Primer-based fluorescence detection technologies can provide highly sensitive and specific detection of DNA and RNA. In these systems, the fluorophores is attached to a target-specific PCR primer that increases in fluorescence when incorporated into the PCR product during amplification. * Amplifluor Real-Time PCR Primers Amplifluor real-time PCR primers are designed with both a fluorophore and quencher on the same primer. The primer adopts a hairpin configuration that brings the fluorophore in close proximity to the quencher. The fluorescent signal increases when the primer is unfolded and the fluorophore and quencher are de-coupled during incorporation into an amplification product. Figure: Ampliflour primer PROBE-BASED DETECTION SYSTEMS Probe-based systems provide highly sensitive and specifi c detection of DNA and RNA. However, dual-labeling and complex design specifi cations make them expensive and more diffi cult to use than primer-based systems or DNAbinding dyes. TaqMan probes = Double-Dye probes TaqMan probes, also called Double-Dye Oligonucleotides, Double-Dye Probes, or Dual Labelled probes, are the most widely used type of probes. A fluorophore is attached to the 5’ end of the probe and a quencher to the 3’ end. The fluorophores is excited by the machine and passes its energy, via FRET (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer) to the quencher. TaqMan probes can be used for both quantification and mutation detection, and most designs appear to work well. TaqMan ASSAY DENATURATION ANNEALING OF PRIMERS AND PROBE POLYMERIZATION AND PROBE CLEAVAGE Molecular Beacons In addition to two sequence-specific primers, molecular beacon assays employ a sequence-specific, fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide probe called a molecular beacon, which is a dye-labeled oligonucleotide (25–40 nt) that forms a hairpin structure with a stem and a loop . A fluorescent reporter is attached to the 5 end of the molecular beacon and a quencher is attached to the 3 end. The loop is designed to hybridize specifically to a 15–30 nucleotide section of the target sequence Figure: Moleculer Beacon They are highly specific, can be used for multiplexing, and if the target sequence does not match the beacon sequence exactly, hybridization and fluorescence will not occur a desirable quality for allelic discrimination experiments. Hybridization probes (also called FRET probes) Roche has developed hybridization probes for use with their LightCycler. Two probes are designed to bind adjacent to one another on the amplicon. One has a 3’ label of FAM, whilst the other has a 5’ LC dye, LC red 640 or 705. When the probes are not bound to the target sequence, the fluorescent signal from the reporter dye is not detected. However, when the probes hybridize to the target sequence during the PCR annealing step, the close proximity of the two fluorophores allows energy transfer from the donor to the acceptor dye, resulting in a fluorescent signal that is detected. FRET probe principle and light cycler MELTING CURVE ANALYSIS Melting curve analysis can only be performed with real-time PCR detection technologies in which the fluorophore remains associated with the amplicon. Amplifications that have used SYBR Green I or SYBR GreenER dye primers can be subjected to melting curve analysis. Dual-labeled probe detection systems such as TaqMan probes are not compatible because they produce an irreversible change in signal by cleaving and releasing the fluorophore into solution during the PCR; however, the increased specificity of this method makes this less of a concern. The level of fluorescence of both SYBR Green I and SYBR GreenER dyes significantly increases upon binding to dsDNA. By monitoring the dsDNA as it melts, a decrease in fluorescence will be seen as soon as the DNA becomes single-stranded and the dye dissociates from the DNA. Figure: Melting curve analysis can detect the presence of nonspecifc products, as shown by the additional peaks to the left of the peak for the amplified product in the melt curve. How to perform melting curve analysis To perform melting curve analysis, the real-time PCR instrument can be programmed to include a melting profile immediately following the thermocycling protocol. After amplification is complete, the instrument will reheat your amplified products to give complete melting curve data. Most real-time PCR instrument platforms now incorporate this feature into their analysis packages. In general, the program steps will be: 1. Rapid heating of the amplified sample to 94 °C to denature the DNA. 2. Cooling the sample to 60 °C. 3. Slowly heating (by increasing the temperature 0. 2 °C/second) the sample while plotting fluorescence signal vs. temperature. (As the temperature increases and the dsDNA strands melt, the fluorescence signal will decrease. ) Figure: Example of a melting curve thermal profile setup on an Applied Biosystems instrument (rapid heating to 94 °C to denature the DNA, followed by cooling to 60 °C. ) Multiplex real-time PCR In multiplex real-time PCR, more than one set of gene-specific primers is used to amplify separate genes from the template DNA or RNA in a single tube. Typically, multiplex reactions are used to amplify a gene of interest and a â€Å"housekeeping† gene (e. g. , #-actin or GAPDH), which is used as a normalize for the reaction. Because more than one PCR product will be quantified in the same tube, different fluorescent reporter dyes are used to label the separate primers or probes for each gene. More Samples Analyzed per Plate. Target and normalizer in same reaction and Less sample consumed. APPLICATIONS OF REAL TIME PCR GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSIS A sample gene expression analysis using a multiplex TaqMan assay is presented in the following sections. In this example, we’re interested in the relative expression of three genes in the polyamine biosynthesis pathway, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), ODC antizyme (OAZ), and antizyme inhibitor (AZI), in two different samples, sample A and sample B. 1. RNA was isolated from sample A and sample B. 2. RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA. 3. The amount of the target genes (ODC, OAZ, and AZI) and the reference gene (b-actin) was determined in each of the cDNA samples using a multiplex qPCR assay. 4. Data were analyzed and the relative expression of each of the target genes in the two samples was calculated. EXAMPLE BRCA1 is a gene involved in tumor suppression. BRCA1 controls the expression of other genes. In order to monitor level of expression of BRCA1, real-time PCR is used. SNP GENOTYPING In order to perform SNP genotyping, two specific probes labeled with different dyes are used, the first for the wild type allele and the second for the mutant allele. If the assay results in the generation of only the first fluorescent color, then the individual is homozygous wild type at that locus. If the assay results in the generation of only the second fluorescent color, then the individual is homozygous mutant. And finally, if both fluorescent colors are produced, then the individual is heterozygous. At the end of the reaction, hydrolysis probes are digested. The quality of a hydrolysis probe is given by the hybridization efficiency, the quenching of the intact probe and the cleavage activity of Taq polymerase. HIV DETECTION Nowadays HIV is strikingly spreading out whole the world. so in order to diminish its distribution , it is necessary to detect it as soon as possible amp; for this purpose, Real time PCR is recommended by scientist. In this method ,’ pol’’ gen of the virus, is amplified in thermocycler. 6 patient have been studied. infection in these patients was confirmed by ELISA amp; western blot. * Sampling amp; RNA extracting from patients. * Cloning of target segment by using Xba I amp; Hind III. And 180 bp primers. * Standard virus mRNA was extracted. * Quantitative analysis of HIV virus by SYBR-green Real Time RT-PCR. CYSTIC FIBROSIS (CF) DETECTION: Cystic f ibrosis (CF) is the most common inherited disease among Caucasian populations with an incidence of ~1 in 2500 births. A3 base pair (bp) deletion, designated DF508, accounts for nearly 70% of CF cases and causes severe manifestations of the disease. It results in the absence of phenylalanine at position 508 of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein and this error prevents normal processing and translocation of the polypeptide chain to apical membranes of epithelial cells. This deletion can be detected by molecular beacons in real time PCR. Figure:Examples of specific molecular beacon fluorescence increase during real-time PCR in samples containing single lymphoblasts homozygous normal for CF (green), heterozygous DF508 (blue), or homozygous DF508 (red). A) Fluorescent signal from the molecular beacon detecting the normal allele. (B) Fluorescent signal from the molecular beacon detecting the DF508 allele. Dashed lines indicate the threshold of 200 units (~10 SD above baseline readings) used for determining CT values. THE ADVANTAGES OF REAL-TIME PCR * The ability to monitor the progress of the PCR reaction as it occurs in real time * The ability to precisely measure the amount of amplicon at each cy cle * An increased dynamic range of detection * The combination of amplification and detection in a single tube, which eliminates post-PCR manipulations. Rapid cycling times (1 hour) * High sample throughput (~200 samples/day) * Low contamination risk (sealed reactions) * Very sensitive (3pg or 1 genome eq of DNA) * Broad dynamic range (10 1010 copies) * Reproducible (CV lt; 2. 0 %) * Allows for quantitation of results * Software driven operation * No more expensive than â€Å"in house† PCR ($15/test) THE DISADVANTAGES * Current technology has limited capacity for multiplexing. Simultaneous detection of 2 targets is the limit. * Development of protocols needs high level of technical skill and/or support. Requires Ramp;D capacity and capital) * High capital equipment costs ($ 50,000 -160,000). REFRENCES * http://www. icmb. utexas. edu/core/DNA/qPCR/QiagenRT-PCR. pdf www. icmb. utexas. edu * http://books. google. com. pk/books? id=-v-U-mXWg-gCamp;printsec=frontcoveramp;dq=real+time+pcramp;hl=enamp;sa=Xamp;ei=Bph1UezKIceDhQeUh4CwCAamp;ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageamp;q=real%20time%20pcramp;f=false books. google. com. pk * PCR/Real-Ti me PCR Protocols www. protocol-online. org Real-Time Pcr: An Essential Guide Google Books books. google. com * * http://www. gene-quantification. e/bio-rad-CFX96-bulletin-5589. pdf www. gene-quantification. de * https://www. google. com. pk/#output=searchamp;sclient=psy-abamp;q=fret+rt-qpcramp;oq=fret+in+rtamp;gs_l=serp. 1. 1. 0i22i30l2. 1583. 4622. 1. 10196. 6. 6. 0. 0. 0. 0. 551. 2584. 3-3j1j2. 6. 0 0. 0 1c. 1. 9. serp. 97Wjtm9UCU4amp;psj=1amp;bav=on. 2,or. r_cp. r_qf. amp;fp=f6d28cf5fd703914amp;biw=1366amp;bih=600 www. google. com. pk * BioTechniques Real-time PCR for mRNA quantitation www. biotechniques. com * http://env1. gist. ac. kr/joint_unugist/file/g_class11_real_time_pcr_vt. pdf env1. gist. ac. kr

‘Reasonably Foreseeable’ Victim Evidence

‘Reasonably Foreseeable’ Victim Evidence 1.  Davina Davina must prove that her depression is medically-recognised (McLoughlin v. O’Brian (1983)) caused by the accident and that she was a ‘reasonably foreseeable’ victim. She must also show that her injury would be foreseeable in a person of reasonable fortitude (Page v. Smith (1996)). Davina is a secondary victim (Alcock v. Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police (1992)) so must establish a close relationship between herself and Bertram, proximity to the accident and that her injury came through sight or hearing of it. Bertram is Davina’s brother; Davina heard the accident and attended immediately afterwards thus her claim should succeed, Whitchester District Council The pothole may constitute a breach of the Council’s duty under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain ‘highways maintainable at public expense’. However, section 58 provides a defence if the Council took reasonable care to ‘secure that the part of the highway†¦ was not dangerous to traffic’. Therefore, if the Council carries out regular inspection and makes timely repairs it will have fulfilled its duty. Ethelred Ethelred may be vicariously liable for Conrad’s negligence, since Conrad is an employee (Ready Mixed Concrete (South East) Ltd v. Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1968)) acting in the course of employment; although Conrad had finished his deliveries, he was going back to the depot and thus not ‘on a frolic of his own’ (Joel v. Morrison (1834)). Conrad Conrad owed Bertram the recognised duty between road users (Caparo v. Dickman (1990)) and must reach the standard of a reasonably competent driver (Nettleship v. Weston (1971)). Conrad was ‘hurrying’ back to the depot suggesting he was speeding or driving carelessly particularly since he was unable to stop in time. In a case involving multiple causes of injury, Bertram only needs to show that a breach materially contributed to the damage (Bonnington Castings Ltd v. Wardlaw (1956)). Running Bertram over with his lorry would cause a reasonably foreseeable (The Wagon Mound (No 1) (1961)) material contribution to his injuries which would not have occurred ‘but for’ Conrad’s negligence (Barnett v. Chelsea and Kensington Hospital Management (1969)). Alphonse Alphonse owed Bertram the recognised legal duty of care between road users (Caparo) and must show the same standard of care as a reasonably competent and experienced driver (Nettleship v. Weston). There is nothing to suggest that Alphonse was driving carelessly before hitting the pothole. It is unlikely that he will be liable to Bertram. It is likely that his broken wrist would be too remote for liability to arise (Wagon Mound). Alphonse should have been aware of the difficulties walking whilst wearing a neck collar and taken extra care on stairs. Bertram By stepping into the road without looking, Bertram could be considered to be contributorily negligent. The existence of a duty of care is irrelevant (Jones v. Livox (1952). If Bertram is found to be contributorily negligent any damages will be reduced to the extent that his carelessness caused his injuries, considering the relative blameworthiness of the parties. (500 words) 2. Private nuisance Private nuisance can be defined as unlawful interference with use or enjoyment of land. The claimant must be the landowner (Hunter v. Canary Wharf Ltd (1997)) and the interference must be an unreasonable state of affairs causing damage or personal discomfort as a result. Lordly is the landowner. Frequent bonfires will constitute a state of affairs. In considering whether this is unreasonable, the character of the neighbourhood will be considered (St Helens Smelting Co v. Tipping (1865)) in relation to the degree and type of interference that could be expected in that locality. It is likely that frequent burning of tyres on village outskirts would be unreasonable. Lordly has been unable to enjoy his garden because of the smell; smell is recognised as a recognised category of nuisance (Wheeler v. JJ Saunders Ltd (1996)). Sumpoil would be liable as the creator of the nuisance. Chip will not be able to bring a claim for disruption to his mobile phone as he is not the landowner. Public nuisance Public nuisance can be defined as nuisance which materially affects the reasonable comfort and convenience of a class of Her Majesty’s subjects (A-G v. PYA Quarries Ltd (1957)). Road users have been held to constitute a class (Castle v. St Augustine’s Links (1922)). Moreover, the claimant must have suffered special (particular) damage, which must be different in nature or extent from that suffered by the rest of the class. The smoke has adversely affected visibility for drivers and thus affects their convenience Lordly has suffered further damage and could therefore bring a claim in public nuisance against Sumpoil. Harassment Section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 creates a statutory tort of harassment, satisfied if the defendant pursues a course of conduct (on at least two occasions (section 7(3)) that causes another to experience harassment. Such conduct can include words (section 7(4)). Therefore, Chip’s frequent swearing at Sumpoil may give rise to liability for harassment if it caused Sumpoil to feel harassed, alarmed or distressed. Assault and battery Battery is defined as the intentional direct application of force to another person. An assault is an act which causes the reasonable apprehension of infliction of a battery. Sumpoil walked up to Chip carrying a large wrench.. If Chip reasonably apprehended that Sumpoil was going to hit him, then Sumpoil would be liable for assault. Chip punching Sumpoil on the nose would constitute a battery, and, if Sumpoil apprehended the punch, would also give rise to an assault. Interference with business Lordly interfered with the supply of goods to Sumpoil’s business and may be liable for the tort of interfering with business if he knew of the existence of the contract and intend to interfere with its performance (Merkur Island Shipping Corp v. Laughten(1983)) without sufficient justification, leading to an actual breach of contract, causing damage. However, it is not clear whether the delays in delivery constituted a breach of contract or whether Sumpoil suffered resulting loss. (500 words) List of cases A-G v. PYA Quarries Ltd [1957] 1 All ER 894 Alcock v. Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [1992] 1 AC 310 Barnett v. Chelsea and Kensington Hospital Management [1969] 1 QB 428 Bonnington Castings Ltd v. Wardlaw [1956] AC 613 Caparo v. Dickman [1990] 1 All ER 568 Castle v. St Augustine’s Links (1922) 38 TLR 615 Hunter v. Canary Wharf Ltd [1997] AC 655 Joel v. Morrison (1834) 6 C P 501 Jones v. Livox Quarries [1952] 2 QB 608 McLoughlin v. O’Brian [1983] AC 410 Merkur Island Shipping Corp v. Laughten[1983] 2 AC 570 Nettleship v. Weston [1971] 2 QB 691 Page v. Smith [1996] 1 AC 155 Ready Mixed Concrete (South East) Ltd v. Minister of Pensions and National Insurance [1968] 1 All ER 433 St Helens Smelting Co v. Tipping (1865) 11 HLC 642 The Wagon Mound (No 1) [1961] 1 All ER 404 Wheeler v. JJ Saunders Ltd [1996] Ch 19 Bibliography Howarth, DR and O’Sullivan, JA (2003) Heppel Howarth Matthews Tort Cases Materials (5th edition), LexisNexis Butterworths, London Mullis A and Oliphant K (2003) Torts (3rd edition), Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke Rogers WVH (2002) Winfield Jolowicz on Tort (16th edition), Sweet and Maxwell, London

Huck Matures in Huckleberry Finn Essays -- Adventures of Huckleberry F

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a young adolescent's journeys and struggles are portrayed and questioned with Huck's maturation. Throughout the book, Mark Twain examines societal standards and the influence of adults that one experiences during childhood. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn have been condemned since its publication, usually focusing, especially in modern times, on its use of the word "nigger." While this could be a valid argument had the author portrayed Jim negatively, I find another reason to argue against the novel because it subverts the ideals that many parents wish to instill in their youth. Reading this book for the first time since high school and my departure from my parents this year, watching Huck live without parental controls made me realize how impressionable one is to the values instilled by his or her constant role models. Without being forced to conform to societal standards, Huck is supposed to use his own logic to realize what is good and bad, rather than blindly following his elders' "wisdom." †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨At the beginning of the novel, Huck shows his skepticism of the values that society imposes when the Widow Douglas attempts to â€Å"civilize† him, running away to his freedom until his friends threaten to kick him out of the gang. Given the option of loneliness or independence, Huck chooses to return. When his father returns and takes custody of him again, Huck is deprived of his friends against his own will. Locked alone in the cabin, Huck is given plenty of time to consider his options. If he remains in the cabin, he will continue to be power less to the will of his father. If he escapes and returns to town, he will only be returned to his drunken father, who will certainly beat him. He r... ...ny of the lessons that Twain previously informed us in the books' Notice are not in the book. Huck is completely freed of the fear of his father, as Jim realizes that it is time that he learns the truth about his death. Jim is now a free man, showing that Miss Watson realized the error of her ways right before death. Most importantly, Huck realizes how his life has changed throughout this experience and chooses that the society that he was born into is in many ways corrupted by the people within it. Fortunately, because of the money and lack of legal control, he has the ability to retire from it, as he plans to "light out for the Territory ahead of the rest" (Twain, 1256) before mainstream society has the ability to come and ruin it with the misguided traditions and beliefs. Works Cited Twain, Mark The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Norton Anthropology 2008