Parallels Between The Truman Show and Platos Allegory of...

Parallels Between The Truman Show and Platos Allegory of the Cave The movie, The Truman Show is about a reality television show that has been created to document the life of a man who, adopted at birth by a television network, is tricked into believing that his life, his reality, is normal and the environment that he lives is real. It is set in a town called Seahaven, which is essentially a simulation of the real world similar enough to the outside world that the viewing audience can relate to it. The town is a television studio inside an enormous dome in which the weather, the sun, the sky, and all the actions of the citizens are directed by a team of special effects people. The entire show is directed and produced by the creator of†¦show more content†¦However, because of some of the situations he encounters and sees, and with his curiosity and logic, Truman is able to work out something isn?t right about the world and manages to escape. Because it is a gradual realization, Truman doesn?t go mad as his make believe world unravels around him. As might be the case with Plato?s cave dwellers, as they are stepping into the light of the real world. I think that a majority of people, as do I, would agree that there is something wrong with what was done to Truman. We would all tend to believe that it would be a sad existence for any person to be so fooled by his environment and be so oblivious to the truth for his whole life. However, Truman?s situation is a metaphor for the current media climate that we live in today. The world has become something of a dome in which reality seems to be whatever we see and hear in the media. In an interview with the Christof character regarding the continued success of the show he said, ?We accept the reality of the world with which we?re presented. It?s as simple as that.? The world has become an audience waiting for reality to be presented in an hour long television program, or a two hour movie. The fake landscape Truman lives in is our own media landscape in which news, politics, and advertising are increasingly made up of theatrical illusions. The Truman Show addressed our fear of how far reality television could go, but also our fears about

Consumer Behavior and Purchase Decision Making Process Free Essays

Consumer behavior and purchase decision making process Every day we need to make a decissions – buy or not to buy anything. There are many things which helps us to make decissions like location, mood, advertisments and other. Consumer behavior is the mental and emotional processes and physical activities people engage in when they select, purchase, use, and dispose of products or services to satisfy particular needs and desires. We will write a custom essay sample on Consumer Behavior and Purchase Decision Making Process or any similar topic only for you Order Now A consumer goes through several stages before purchasing a product or service: 1. need; 2. information gathering/search; 3. evaluation of alternatives; . purchase of product/service; 5. post purchase evaluation. In my opinion, in this process there are two main steps – information gathering and evaluation of alternatives. These steps help to understand how much you need the product and how good it is. The buying process starts with comming needs. A need can be activated through internal or external stimuli. A need can also be aroused by an external stimulus such as sight of a new thing in a shop while purchasing other things. Need is the most important factor which leads to buying of products and services. Need infact is the catalyst which triggers the buying decision of individuals. After need arousal, the consumer tries to solve it and gathers the sources and information about the product. Depending upon the intensity of need, it produces two states of individual. The first state is called heightened attention when the consumer becomes more receptive to the information regarding the item he needs. If a consumer needs to purchase a refrigerator, he will pay mere attention to fridge ads and the remarks made by friends and associates about fridges. If need is more intense, the individual enters a state of active information search and he tries to collect more information about the product, its key attributes, qualities of various brands and about the outlets where they are available. There are a lot of consumer information sources like family, friends, advertisements, mass media, salesman. In my opinion, it is hard to arrange in the order wich one is the best source where get information about product. All these sources have pluses and minuses. If I prefer get information from family there is possibility that I do not get info about technical stuff. Or if I choose only salesman advice he can aggrandize about product advantages. That is why I recommend to take information as much as possible from every source. Having collected the information, the consumer clarify and evaluate the alternatives. There is, unfortunately no simple and single evaluation process used by all consumers or even by one consumer in all buying situations. Consumers can make choices based on their emotions and feelings. They elicit from memory their overall evaluations of products and choos the alternative for which they have the most positive feelings. One of the most current process of evaluation is to judge the product largely on a conscious and rational basis. Various considerations form the part of judgment such as product attributes, importance, weights, brand image, utility function for each attribute, and attitude and other. After evaluation of various alternatives, he takes the decision to buy or not to buy. Ofcourse, people can make choice on the spur of the moment, often without prior problem recognition. But I recommend going through all theese five steps focusing on information gathering and evaluation of alternatives. And always remember that the best impression about product you can get only after you try it. Izmantota literatura: http://www. managementstudyguide. com/consumer-decision-making-process. htm http://uwmktg301. blogspot. com/2010/01/evaluation-of-alternatives. html http://www. slideshare. net/Annie05/consumer-buying-behavior-and-decision-making-presentation How to cite Consumer Behavior and Purchase Decision Making Process, Essay examples

Konsortium Transnational Berhad free essay sample

Since the birth of KTB in June 15, 2007 when it made its debut on Bursa Malaysia, it has maintained high service standard. The stage and express bus operations provide the most extensive coverage throughout Peninsular Malaysia, covering almost all major cities and towns as well as Singapore. The nationwide network is serviced by a fleet of more than 1,500 buses that covers more than 250 routes, generating more than 1,000 trips daily and this translates to around 60 million passengers a year. To date, KTB commands the largest market share, with ‘Transnasional’ being the leader in the express bus industry in Peninsular Malaysia. Besides ‘Transnasional’, KTB also operates (other business units) ‘Plusliner’ economy express buses ‘Cityliner’ stage buses, and luxury bus services under the ‘Nice’ brand that operates the express division. Other than Transnasional Express Sdn. Bhd, its other subsidiaries include Syarikat Kenderaan Melayu Kelantan Berhad, Syarikat Tanjung Keramat Temerloh Omnibus Berhad, Kenderaan Langkasuka Sdn. Bhd. , Kenderaan Klang Banting Berhad, Kenderaan Labu Sendayan Sdn. Bhd. , Starise Sdn. Bhd. , and Syarikat Rembau Tampin Sdn. Bhd. hich are engaged in public transportation services; Park May Berhad, which is engaged in investment holdings; PT Indonadi, which is engaged in trading of vehicles, and The Kuala Lumpur, Klang and Port Sweettenham Omnibus Company Bhd. , which is engaged in public transportation services and investment holdings. Other Services In addition, KTB offers bus charter services (Plusliner Travel Tours) which offers sa fe short local charters to all-day to multi-destinations and trips, Trans Courier (Trans-Express Courier Sdn Bhd) which handle customers hipping needs and is a cost effective alternative to other ground or air options for same day delivery within Malaysia, Mobile Advertising Services for Transport Operations (MASTRO) which offers advertisers boundless opportunity to communicate their messages effectively and in full view of their target audience. Companies Mission The company strive to become a conglomerate that is Progressive, Innovative, Profitable, Customer Oriented and Committed to National Aspirations Major competitors †¢Super Nice Bus Express Malayia †¢AeroLine Express Bus Penang †¢First Coach Starwira Shuttle †¢Airebus †¢Maraliner †¢Kuala Lumpur City Tour Bus †¢Biaramas Bus Express †¢Transtar travel malaysia express bus †¢Rapid KL SWOT Analysis We shall first begin by identifying and examining the Internal Environmental factors of the firm (Strength and Weaknesses) then followed by the external factors (Opportunities and Threats), all of which are instrumental in matching the firms resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates there by facilitating efficient and effective strategic planning of the organizational. Strength. i. Efficient and timely services ii. Possession of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology iii. Totally brand new and enjoyable traveling experience- First in the country with adjustable head rests iv. Safe and affordable public transportation v. Well qualifies employees personnel vi. Possession of high capacity double decker buses vii. Good reputation- Its known as the leader in the express bus industry viii. Excellent customer service- Dedicated officers- Always ready to assist and answer any customer questions regards it services. ix. Convenience. Tickets can be purchased 60 days ahead of departure time from 170 agents nationwide whose 42 of them are Petronas fuel station operators. Weakness i. Luck of undifferentiated services in relation to your competitors. ii. Damaged reputation caused by an unsatisfied customer. iii. Unfeasible infrastructure to cater for the handicapped Opportunities i. An unfulfilled customers needs from other bus operators ii. New technology that improves the companies service offering. iii. Increase in passengers using public means of transport due to high fuel prices iv. oosening of regulations by government agencies which originally limited the number of bus operators Threats i. Substitution of bus services for private vehicles ii. The growing concern of global warming and the need for alternative cleaner fuel sources which will only result in high company costs iii. Heavy competition in the industry with more than 200 stage bus operators and from other alternative means of transport such as cab ser vices, trains, air transportation, etc. iv. Tougher government regulations on privately own public bus service providers, example safety standards v. Fluctuating fuel prices i. The rising costs of operations due to hikes in fuel, vehicle insurance premiums, bus terminal rentals, vehicle tires as well as parts and maintenance costs which have. vii. Unhealthy industry especially when it comes to the price structure in Malaysia. Countries like Indonesia raise fares every six months and there are also regular fare hikes in Singapore. TOWS Matrix This analysis assists the company identifies SWOT analysis factors it should best pursue so as to compete better in the industry, whether its the competitive advantage strengths, more lucrative opportunities or and upcoming opportunities. OpportunitiesThreats Strength. SO Strategies i. KTB’s excellent customer service should be able to attract unsatisfied customers from rival companies ii. New technology will be able to enhance customers travel experience iii. KTB’s differentiated services will help attract new customer over their competitors iv. ST Strategies i. KTB’s effective and timely services won’t deter off commuters. ii. Possession of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology which is less toxic to the environment. iii. KTB’s differentiation strategy will come in handy in creating a competitive advantage iv. KTB has set the bench mark in travel safety through maintenance v. High capacity double decker buses which have helped minimize costs WeaknessWO Strategies Overcome weaknesses by taking advantage of opportunities WT Strategies Minimize weaknesses and reduce threats Analyze Your Findings. KTB’s strategy appears to be well-matched to its industry and competitive conditions. KTB’ Transnasional is the industries leader in the express bus division. The company’s strategy appears to be based on a mixture of differentiating features, cost leadership and service strengths and competitive capabilities. A key element of its strategy is an emphasis on providing exceptional customer service. Since commuters were dissatisfied with the services offered by other public bus operators. Business Level Strategy In Malaysia, KTB’s transnasional is positioned as the number one brand in the express bus services. Currently KTB is made up of four independent business units and these include: Transnasional, Nice, Plusliner and Cityliner. Each of these business units is competing in different market segments of the transportation industry in order to tailor the entire KTB services to best suit each customers’ needs and all four business units have separate accountability for their financial statements. KBT as the parent company offers all strategic leadership, a mix of two different business strategies to best suits their target market and the survival of the company in the industry. In general, KTB applies both the cost leadership and differentiation strategy within there business units. Transnasional, which applies a cost leadership strategy is Malaysia’s leading bus operator in the express industry. To use a cost leadership strategy, operations have to maximize economy of scale, reduce costs, or use volume to maintain profit. The application of the cost leadership strategy by KTB is evident with the recent launch of the Transnasional Skyview Scania double decker buses. The new buses, with the capacity of 69 sitting passengers, the highest for any interstate bus service as opposed to the 44 passenger capacity. Having a high passenger capacity bus will assist the company minimize total operating costs. The engines of these new buses have been designed to take on as less stress as possible thereby enabling them to be more reliable and consume less fuel. Also, as part of the cost reduction endeavor, KTB with Transnasional opted for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology that allows the buses to run on an Natural Gas. This kind of fuel is not only cost efficient but is also less toxic to the environment. The differentiation strategy which features a superior product/service type of competitive advantage keyed to higher quality, better performance, wider selection, value-added services is witnessed by the extra value added in KTB services to there customers. For example, Nice was one of the firsts in the country to introduce executives coaches with full onboard services hosted by steward/stewardess throughout the journey. A more luxurious sub-brand Nice++ was further launched in June 2005, the first executive coach in the country with individual LCD screen for its passengers to watch a selection of pre-programmed movie of their choice. Nice executive coaches are also the first and only kind in the country with its service pantry located at the front of the coach to give its passengers an airline feel, at the same time isolate its passengers from the undesirable frontal traffic noises and view. In KL Main Terminal and Copthorne Orchid Hotel in Singapore, â€Å"Nice† passengers c an relax and enjoy free snacks/drinks and also surf the net at the fully air-conditioned ‘executive lounges’ specially prepared for them. Marketing Strategy This part of the analysis will analyze the marketing aspect of the company. It will identify which customers it targets, how it reaches and win them over, as well as retention of existing customers. Market Segmentation KTB considers market segment based on 2 distinct groups or segments, which include Express buses and Sage buses. These segments are then further divided into geographic location, Income groups, and Demographic Segmentation This segment focuses on the income cleavage of it’s market and is divided into two groups i. e. 1)Deluxe Bus Traveler This segment caters to customer who want first class transportation services. The Nice Brand is included in this category †¢Nice Brand Nice† is still the largest operator in the country providing luxury/ executive coach services and is supported by more than 20,000 members that were registered as â€Å"Nice† loyalty card members. A journey with Nice executive coach is said to be a journey to remember. From the executive lounge to when the bus departs, the bus offers its passengers with on board entertainment and refreshment till their final destination. With Nice, you get to travel in style. Currently, â€Å"Nice† operates a total 35 executive coaches from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Penang, Kuantan and Ipoh. )Economy Bus Travelers This segment cater to customers who seek low or relatively low cost transportation means. Brands in this category include; Plusliner, Transnasional, and Cityliner Usage Situation Segmentation This segment focuses on the way the market/customer use the KTB services. The segment is divided into two groups that are further geographically broken down based on the four compa ny brands (Nice, Transnasional, Cityliner and the Plusliner brand). i. Express Buses This group serves long haul bus travelers, that is to say, from one state to another. Brands operating under this segment include, the Transnasional, Plusliner, and Nice brand †¢Nice Brand Currently, â€Å"Nice† operates a total 35 executive coaches from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Penang, Kuantan and Ipoh. †¢Transnasional This brand is further segmented based on geographical location or the routs it operated. These include Transnasional Express – Western Region This region monitors and manages all express routes within this region that stretches from Kuala Lumpur in the south, all the way to Kangar up north. This region operates 22 routes with a holding capacity of 215 buses. Transnasional Express – Eastern Region This region monitors and manages all express routes within this region plus all routes into Western Region and into the eastern part of Southern Region. The originating points in Eastern Region are mainly from Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu and Kuantan. This region operates 28 routes with a holding capacity of 210 buses/permits. Transnasional Express – Southern Region Similar to Eastern Region, this region monitors and manages all express routes within this region, all routes into Western Region and all routes between the western part of Southern Region and Eastern Region. The originating points in Southern Region are mainly from Johor Bahru, Melaka and Seremban. This region operates 28 routes with a holding capacity of 165 buses/permits. †¢Plusliner Plusliner economy coach is designed specifically for highway commuters. The most frequent highway express is also dubbed as King of the Highway, as a reflection of its efficient and timely services to the loyal passengers. Plusliner operates from Kuala Lumpur to main cities like Ipoh, Kuantan, Penang and from Seremban to Johor Bahru. Plusliner also serves other destinations like Kulim, Alor Setar, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Padang Besar, Lumut (Pangkor), Batu Gajah/Seri Iskandar and following a formal approval from the authority in mid May 2008, Plusliner now extends its express service from Ipoh via new Guthrie expressway to Shah Alam and to KLIA/LCCT. ii. Stage Buses This segment cater to short distance bus commuters, usually within metropolitan or city areas including housing areas. Brands operating under this segment include, the Cityliner brand †¢Cityliner Cityliner operate in several states/areas namely Kelantan, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Seberang Prai. Since the birth of KTB in June 2007, the Cityliner operations are headed by a Division Head and are divided into five regions/territories as follows: Cityliner – Kelantan Operations Cityliner – Kelantan Operations is an entity by itself, only focusing on stage bus operations. The outfit has a capacity of running approximately 270 permits/buses. Cityliner – Northern Operations Led by a Regional Manager and focusing purely on the profitability of the stage bus operations in the northern part of Semenanjung. The outfit has a capacity of running approximately 185 permits/buses. Cityliner – Selangor Operations This outfit is now under one management team and led by a Regional Manager, has a capacity of running approximately 225 permits/buses. Cityliner – Negeri Sembilan Operations Besides running ordinary routes in housing areas and on main roads of Negeri Sembilan, the Cityliner buses here also serve the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) from Seremban, Nilai and Banting. Cityliner – Pahang Operations Focuses on stage bus operations in Central Pahang covering Temerloh and Jerantut. Targeted Customer Public bus commuters -Low and medium income groups with incomes between RM300-5000 -Tourists traveling within Malaysia and those heading to Singapore. Market Mix With the help and application of the 4ps, we can determine the right strategy and tactics for targeting customer segments. †¢Product/Services KTB has endeavored to offer quality services to their loyal customers and has developed four brands to cater to the needs of it customers in the different segments and these include the Transnasional, Cityline, Plusliner and the Nice brand. i. Nice Brand This brand targets customers who would like a first class travel experience. Customers using the Nice brand get to travel in style, with on board entertainment, refreshment and everything being looked after, customers are hassle and worries free. ii. Transnational Transnasional has been a household brand for more than 3 decades, serving millions of satisfied passengers every year. The largest leading transport operator in Malaysia is also renowned as the icon and the leader of express bus industry. It provide public bus transportation for those traveling from one state to another or in between. ii. Cityliner Cityliner operate in several states/areas namely Kelantan, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Seberang Prai. Since the birth of KTB in June 2007, the Cityliner operations are headed by a Division Head and are divided into five regions/territories as follows: †¢Position / Place KTB’s Transnasional has been positioned as the best express public bus operator in Malaysi a. Transnasional has been a household brand for more than 3 decades, serving millions of satisfied passengers every year. †¢Price Having opted for a mix of both a cost leadership and differentiation trategy, KTB ensure that it offers competitive prices for it’s less luxurious brands while at the same time demand a high premium for extra value added. Service pricing is greatly affected by the cost of fuel in addition to other costs of production such as employees salary and spare parts. Government policy is also another factor that determines the prices in the public transportation sector so as to take into count the low income groups that may not be able to afford the services as opposed to letting the fare be dictated by demand and supply †¢Promotion KTB as been effective in promoting it’s products by distinguishing its services from its competitors through their value added services with websites where customers can go to find out more about the company and the services it offers while making it easier to purchase tickets KTB has also offers great package deals that are designed to attract new customers as well as retain the exiting ones for example, the holiday packages offered to Nice brand members. Those registered as â€Å"Nice† loyalty card members can also accumulate points that can be exchanged with free tickets, merchandizes and holiday packages. Organizational change: †¢Safety As away to improve service quality and excellence especially in the safety arena, KTB introduced the new Transnasional Skyview Scania double decker buses from Scania, one of the leading manufactures of high end intercity buses. The buses are amongst the safest buses on Malaysian roads today, and feature top-of-the-line safety features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Traction Control and Scania Retarder, which offers effective braking through the use of a hydraulic retarder within the gearbox that offers safe and efficient braking. Also, in terms of safety, all new â€Å"Transnasional† buses met the European ECE R66 safety regulations on roof crash standards and equipped with front row seat belts since 2005. Transnasional is collaborating with Automotive Center of Excellence (ACE) in providing professional refresher training for all of its coach captains. Courses are conducted by certified ACE Instructors which require all coach captains to undergo both theoretical and practical classes. Those who have completed the efresher courses then are required to sit for an evaluation test to ensure the driving skills and knowledge are well applied before Certificate of Competency is issued to the participants. †¢Alternative Source of Fuel With the rising environmental concerns and increasing fuel prices, KTB with transnasional and Cityliner opted for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology that allows the buses to run on an alternative source of fuel (Natural Gas). This kind of fuel is not only cost efficien t but is also less toxic to the environment. †¢Energy Saving The new buses with the capacity of 69 sitting passengers, the highest for any interstate bus service previously served by regular single deck buses with capacity of up to 44 passengers is Transnasional’s newest interstate service and follows a trend of having a high passenger capacity double-decker bus to reduce total energy consumption. †¢Value The company has added more value to its customers by offering quality services to meet the customers’ expectations, improved the convenience at which bus tickets can be purchased whether online or from various agents. Transnasional tickets can be purchased 60 days ahead of departure time from 170 agents nationwide whose 42 of them are Petronas fuel station operators. This, in turn has increased customer satisfaction. †¢Innovation In terms of product innovation, the new 2007 version of e-ticketing for â€Å"Transnasional† is able to place a passenger who prefers to sit beside his/her own gender. â€Å"Transnasional† is still the first and only bus operator to introduce adjustable headrest for its newly launched economy express 41-seater single-deck â€Å"Club Class† coach. Again â€Å"Transnasional† is the first in the country to introduce a high capacity economy express with its 69-seater double-deck â€Å"Skyview†. Not only it can carry more passengers, its â€Å"twin-configuration† seats can be separated to create more shoulder room for each and every passenger on board. The 24-tonne tri-axle coach with its unique design has taken into consideration all safety aspects for example, an emergency door on the upper deck that is in-line with the hidden ladder placed at the bottom deck, two escape hatches on the roof, a tapered roof design for greater stability, rear entry staircase, and seat belts for certain rows. Due to the fact that CNG cost is still cheaper than diesel, 74 CNG buses designed specifically for express type operations are planned to be on the road. These buses will be deployed mostly in the Transnasional southern Region in view of the potential availability of CNG’s refueling infrastructure. For Western Region, by relocating their main depot from Kuala Lumpur to Kajang in July 2007. Level of Hierarchy KTB’s organizational structure is one with a wide span of control that adopts a traditional approach. The organizational structure is based on or divided according to the company’s various business subsidiaries and there particular operations in terms of territory. These subsidiaries are headed by a Division Head or Regional General Managers. Employee Rewards One of the rewards for working with KTB are the free training programs they offer especially to their coach captains. Transnasional is collaborating with Automotive Center of Excellence (ACE) in providing professional refresher training for all of its coach captains. Courses are conducted by certified ACE Instructors which require all coach captains to undergo both theoretical and practical classes. Conflicts and Issues †¢Unfair pay. This is believed to be one of the most ongoing problems at KTB where most of the drivers were not ok with the payments they were receiving as salary for the work being done daily. Due to the many cases where at times you would find the bus station empty that’s was believed to be the problem but the resolved it and now the buses are working well with their drivers ready on time and happy with the salary increase. Long queues. This was another problem that was faced with the bus services where you had some people complaining that some people where not paying for the services others claiming that the drivers cheat them. So the introduction of e-ticketing was introduced as another way to legitimize the work so everyone feels comfortable and free in the bus so as a safe journey to passengers going on long distances. †¢Theft. This was another problem faced with the KTB buses. specially at the stations themselves where some people would come in disguise as passengers waiting for the bus and in the end they would end up stealing property from others like phones, bags, shoes, money which resulted to the stationing of police officers in most of the boarding zones, bus stations in a way to stop the theft so to ensure safety for the bus en the people travelling which is why it is one of the most reasons as to why it is recognized in Malaysia because it takes care of its passengers. Time. This is another problem that was not implemented upon till of recent when it was fixed where most passengers never knew when most of the buses where coming in. that led to some people cursing because they were never inf ormed but now as I speak buses come by six o’clock, till midnight and they take 30 minutes each to report to the station. Recommendations Some of the recommendations I would make to include; †¢One Price. Fare increases could be determined by taking into account the turnover of bus operators and the cost analysis trend with that of the revenue as practiced in Europe. The turnover must be higher than the interest rate (loan) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to enable bus companies to make profit. †¢On Energy efficiency. With the rising environmental concerns and increasing fuel prices, KTB should opted for the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology which allows the buses to run on Natural Gas in not just some of it’s buses by all of it’s fleet and is also a means to reduce costs Reference http://www. ktb. com. my/knowingUs_aboutUs. htm http://www. scania. com. my/About_Scania/Events/TransnasionalSkyview. asp http://web6. bernama. com/client/kpdnhep/news. php? id=349852lang=encat= http://www. travelportal. info/asia/malaysia/transport-in-malaysia Konsortium Transnational Berhad free essay sample Since the birth of KTB in June 15, 2007 when it made its debut on Bursa Malaysia, it has maintained high service standard. The stage and express bus operations provide the most extensive coverage throughout Peninsular Malaysia, covering almost all major cities and towns as well as Singapore. The nationwide network is serviced by a fleet of more than 1,500 buses that covers more than 250 routes, generating more than 1,000 trips daily and this translates to around 60 million passengers a year. To date, KTB commands the largest market share, with ‘Transnasional’ being the leader in the express bus industry in Peninsular Malaysia. Efficient and timely services ii. Possession of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology iii. Totally brand new and enjoyable traveling experience- First in the country with adjustable head rests iv. Safe and affordable public transportation v. Well qualifies employees personnel vi. Possession of high capacity double decker buses vii. Good reputation- Its known as the leader in the express bus industry viii. Excellent customer service- Dedicated officers- Always ready to assist and answer any customer questions regards it services. ix. Convenience. Tickets can be purchased 60 days ahead of departure time from 170 agents nationwide whose 42 of them are Petronas fuel station operators. Weakness i. Luck of undifferentiated services in relation to your competitors. ii. Damaged reputation caused by an unsatisfied customer. iii. Unfeasible infrastructure to cater for the handicapped Opportunities i. An unfulfilled customers needs from other bus operators ii. New technology that improves the companies service offering. iii. Increase in passengers using public means of transport due to high fuel prices iv. oosening of regulations by government agencies which originally limited the number of bus operators Threats i. Substitution of bus services for private vehicles ii. The growing concern of global warming and the need for alternative cleaner fuel sources which will only result in high company costs iii. Heavy competition in the industry with more than 200 stage bus operators and from other alternative means of transport such as cab services, trains, air transportation, etc. iv. Tougher government regulations on privately own public bus service providers, example safety standards v. Fluctuating fuel prices i. The rising costs of operations due to hikes in fuel, vehicle insurance premiums, bus terminal rentals, vehicle tires as well as parts and maintenance costs which have. vii. Unhealthy industry especially when it comes to the price structure in Malaysia. Countries like Indonesia raise fares every six months and there are also regular fare hikes in Singapore. TOWS Matrix This analysis assists the company identifies SWOT analysis factors it should best pursue so as to compete better in the industry, whether its the competitive advantage strengths, more lucrative opportunities or and upcoming opportunities. OpportunitiesThreats Strength. SO Strategies i. KTB’s excellent customer service should be able to attract unsatisfied customers from rival companies ii. New technology will be able to enhance customers travel experience iii. KTB’s differentiated services will help attract new customer over their competitors iv. ST Strategies i. KTB’s effective and timely services won’t deter off commuters. ii. Possession of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology which is less toxic to the environment. iii. KTB’s differentiation strategy will come in handy in creating a competitive advantage iv. KTB has set the bench mark in travel safety through maintenance v. High capacity double decker buses which have helped minimize costs WeaknessWO Strategies Overcome weaknesses by taking advantage of opportunities WT Strategies Minimize weaknesses and reduce threats Analyze Your Findings. KTB’s strategy appears to be well-matched to its industry and competitive conditions. KTB’ Transnasional is the industries leader in the express bus division. The company’s strategy appears to be based on a mixture of differentiating features, cost leadership and service strengths and competitive capabilities. A key element of its strategy is an emphasis on providing exceptional customer service. Since commuters were dissatisfied with the services offered by other public bus operators. Business Level Strategy In Malaysia, KTB’s transnasional is positioned as the number one brand in the express bus services. Currently KTB is made up of four independent business units and these include: Transnasional, Nice, Plusliner and Cityliner. Each of these business units is competing in different market segments of the transportation industry in order to tailor the entire KTB services to best suit each customers’ needs and all four business units have separate accountability for their financial statements. KBT as the parent company offers all strategic leadership, a mix of two different business strategies to best suits their target market and the survival of the company in the industry. In general, KTB applies both the cost leadership and differentiation strategy within there business units. Transnasional, which applies a cost leadership strategy is Malaysia’s leading bus operator in the express industry. To use a cost leadership strategy, operations have to maximize economy of scale, reduce costs, or use volume to maintain profit. The application of the cost leadership strategy by KTB is evident with the recent launch of the Transnasional Skyview Scania double decker buses. The new buses, with the capacity of 69 sitting passengers, the highest for any interstate bus service as opposed to the 44 passenger capacity. Having a high passenger capacity bus will assist the company minimize total operating costs. The engines of these new buses have been designed to take on as less stress as possible thereby enabling them to be more reliable and consume less fuel. Also, as part of the cost reduction endeavor, KTB with Transnasional opted for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology that allows the buses to run on an Natural Gas. This kind of fuel is not only cost efficient but is also less toxic to the environment. The differentiation strategy which features a superior product/service type of competitive advantage keyed to higher quality, better performance, wider selection, value-added services is witnessed by the extra value added in KTB services to there customers. For example, Nice was one of the firsts in the country to introduce executives coaches with full onboard services hosted by steward/stewardess throughout the journey. A more luxurious sub-brand Nice++ was further launched in June 2005, the first executive coach in the country with individual LCD screen for its passengers to watch a selection of pre-programmed movie of their choice. Nice executive coaches are also the first and only kind in the country with its service pantry located at the front of the coach to give its passengers an airline feel, at the same time isolate its passengers from the undesirable frontal traffic noises and view. In KL Main Terminal and Copthorne Orchid Hotel in Singapore, â€Å"Nice† passengers c an relax and enjoy free snacks/drinks and also surf the net at the fully air-conditioned ‘executive lounges’ specially prepared for them. Marketing Strategy This part of the analysis will analyze the marketing aspect of the company. It will identify which customers it targets, how it reaches and win them over, as well as retention of existing customers. Market Segmentation KTB considers market segment based on 2 distinct groups or segments, which include Express buses and Sage buses. These segments are then further divided into geographic location, Income groups, and Demographic Segmentation This segment focuses on the income cleavage of it’s market and is divided into two groups i. e. 1)Deluxe Bus Traveler This segment caters to customer who want first class transportation services. The Nice Brand is included in this category †¢Nice Brand Nice† is still the largest operator in the country providing luxury/ executive coach services and is supported by more than 20,000 members that were registered as â€Å"Nice† loyalty card members. A journey with Nice executive coach is said to be a journey to remember. From the executive lounge to when the bus departs, the bus offers its passengers with on board entertainment and refreshment till their final destination. With Nice, you get to travel in style. Currently, â€Å"Nice† operates a total 35 executive coaches from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Penang, Kuantan and Ipoh. )Economy Bus Travelers This segment cater to customers who seek low or relatively low cost transportation means. Brands in this category include; Plusliner, Transnasional, and Cityliner Usage Situation Segmentation This segment focuses on the way the market/customer use the KTB services. The segment is divided into two groups that are further geographically broken down based on the four compa ny brands (Nice, Transnasional, Cityliner and the Plusliner brand). i. Express Buses This group serves long haul bus travelers, that is to say, from one state to another. Brands operating under this segment include, the Transnasional, Plusliner, and Nice brand †¢Nice Brand Currently, â€Å"Nice† operates a total 35 executive coaches from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Penang, Kuantan and Ipoh. †¢Transnasional This brand is further segmented based on geographical location or the routs it operated. These include Transnasional Express – Western Region This region monitors and manages all express routes within this region that stretches from Kuala Lumpur in the south, all the way to Kangar up north. This region operates 22 routes with a holding capacity of 215 buses. Transnasional Express – Eastern Region This region monitors and manages all express routes within this region plus all routes into Western Region and into the eastern part of Southern Region. The originating points in Eastern Region are mainly from Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu and Kuantan. This region operates 28 routes with a holding capacity of 210 buses/permits. Transnasional Express – Southern Region Similar to Eastern Region, this region monitors and manages all express routes within this region, all routes into Western Region and all routes between the western part of Southern Region and Eastern Region. The originating points in Southern Region are mainly from Johor Bahru, Melaka and Seremban. This region operates 28 routes with a holding capacity of 165 buses/permits. †¢Plusliner Plusliner economy coach is designed specifically for highway commuters. The most frequent highway express is also dubbed as King of the Highway, as a reflection of its efficient and timely services to the loyal passengers. Plusliner operates from Kuala Lumpur to main cities like Ipoh, Kuantan, Penang and from Seremban to Johor Bahru. Plusliner also serves other destinations like Kulim, Alor Setar, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Padang Besar, Lumut (Pangkor), Batu Gajah/Seri Iskandar and following a formal approval from the authority in mid May 2008, Plusliner now extends its express service from Ipoh via new Guthrie expressway to Shah Alam and to KLIA/LCCT. ii. Stage Buses This segment cater to short distance bus commuters, usually within metropolitan or city areas including housing areas. Brands operating under this segment include, the Cityliner brand †¢Cityliner Cityliner operate in several states/areas namely Kelantan, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Seberang Prai. Since the birth of KTB in June 2007, the Cityliner operations are headed by a Division Head and are divided into five regions/territories as follows: Cityliner – Kelantan Operations Cityliner – Kelantan Operations is an entity by itself, only focusing on stage bus operations. The outfit has a capacity of running approximately 270 permits/buses. Cityliner – Northern Operations Led by a Regional Manager and focusing purely on the profitability of the stage bus operations in the northern part of Semenanjung. The outfit has a capacity of running approximately 185 permits/buses. Cityliner – Selangor Operations This outfit is now under one management team and led by a Regional Manager, has a capacity of running approximately 225 permits/buses. Cityliner – Negeri Sembilan Operations Besides running ordinary routes in housing areas and on main roads of Negeri Sembilan, the Cityliner buses here also serve the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) from Seremban, Nilai and Banting. Cityliner – Pahang Operations Focuses on stage bus operations in Central Pahang covering Temerloh and Jerantut. Targeted Customer Public bus commuters -Low and medium income groups with incomes between RM300-5000 -Tourists traveling within Malaysia and those heading to Singapore. Market Mix With the help and application of the 4ps, we can determine the right strategy and tactics for targeting customer segments. †¢Product/Services KTB has endeavored to offer quality services to their loyal customers and has developed four brands to cater to the needs of it customers in the different segments and these include the Transnasional, Cityline, Plusliner and the Nice brand. i. Nice Brand This brand targets customers who would like a first class travel experience. Customers using the Nice brand get to travel in style, with on board entertainment, refreshment and everything being looked after, customers are hassle and worries free. ii. Transnational Transnasional has been a household brand for more than 3 decades, serving millions of satisfied passengers every year. The largest leading transport operator in Malaysia is also renowned as the icon and the leader of express bus industry. It provide public bus transportation for those traveling from one state to another or in between. ii. Cityliner Cityliner operate in several states/areas namely Kelantan, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Seberang Prai. Since the birth of KTB in June 2007, the Cityliner operations are headed by a Division Head and are divided into five regions/territories as follows: †¢Position / Place KTB’s Transnasional has been positioned as the best express public bus operator in Malaysia. Transnasional has been a household brand for more than 3 decades, serving millions of satisfied passengers every year. †¢Price Having opted for a mix of both a cost leadership and differentiation trategy, KTB ensure that it offers competitive prices for it’s less luxurious brands while at the same time demand a high premium for extra value added. Service pricing is greatly affected by the cost of fuel in addition to other costs of production such as employees salary and spare parts. Government policy is also another factor that determines the prices in the public transportation sector so as to take into count the low income groups that may not be able to afford the services as opposed to letting the fare be dictated by demand and supply †¢Promotion KTB as been effective in promoting it’s products by distinguishing its services from its competitors through their value added services with websites where customers can go to find out more about the company and the services it offers while making it easier to purchase tickets KTB has also offers great package deals that are designed to attract new customers as well as retain the exiting ones for example, the holiday packages offered to Nice brand members. Those registered as â€Å"Nice† loyalty card members can also accumulate points that can be exchanged with free tickets, merchandizes and holiday packages. Organizational change: †¢Safety As away to improve service quality and excellence especially in the safety arena, KTB introduced the new Transnasional Skyview Scania double decker buses from Scania, one of the leading manufactures of high end intercity buses. The buses are amongst the safest buses on Malaysian roads today, and feature top-of-the-line safety features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Traction Control and Scania Retarder, which offers effective braking through the use of a hydraulic retarder within the gearbox that offers safe and efficient braking. Also, in terms of safety, all new â€Å"Transnasional† buses met the European ECE R66 safety regulations on roof crash standards and equipped with front row seat belts since 2005. Transnasional is collaborating with Automotive Center of Excellence (ACE) in providing professional refresher training for all of its coach captains. Courses are conducted by certified ACE Instructors which require all coach captains to undergo both theoretical and practical classes. Those who have completed the efresher courses then are required to sit for an evaluation test to ensure the driving skills and knowledge are well applied before Certificate of Competency is issued to the participants. †¢Alternative Source of Fuel With the rising environmental concerns and increasing fuel prices, KTB with transnasional and Cityliner opted for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology that allows the buses to run on an alternative source of fuel (Natural Gas). This kind of fuel is not only cost efficien t but is also less toxic to the environment. †¢Energy Saving The new buses with the capacity of 69 sitting passengers, the highest for any interstate bus service previously served by regular single deck buses with capacity of up to 44 passengers is Transnasional’s newest interstate service and follows a trend of having a high passenger capacity double-decker bus to reduce total energy consumption. †¢Value The company has added more value to its customers by offering quality services to meet the customers’ expectations, improved the convenience at which bus tickets can be purchased whether online or from various agents. Transnasional tickets can be purchased 60 days ahead of departure time from 170 agents nationwide whose 42 of them are Petronas fuel station operators. This, in turn has increased customer satisfaction. †¢Innovation In terms of product innovation, the new 2007 version of e-ticketing for â€Å"Transnasional† is able to place a passenger who prefers to sit beside his/her own gender. â€Å"Transnasional† is still the first and only bus operator to introduce adjustable headrest for its newly launched economy express 41-seater single-deck â€Å"Club Class† coach. Again â€Å"Transnasional† is the first in the country to introduce a high capacity economy express with its 69-seater double-deck â€Å"Skyview†. Not only it can carry more passengers, its â€Å"twin-configuration† seats can be separated to create more shoulder room for each and every passenger on board. The 24-tonne tri-axle coach with its unique design has taken into consideration all safety aspects for example, an emergency door on the upper deck that is in-line with the hidden ladder placed at the bottom deck, two escape hatches on the roof, a tapered roof design for greater stability, rear entry staircase, and seat belts for certain rows. Due to the fact that CNG cost is still cheaper than diesel, 74 CNG buses designed specifically for express type operations are planned to be on the road. These buses will be deployed mostly in the Transnasional southern Region in view of the potential availability of CNG’s refueling infrastructure. For Western Region, by relocating their main depot from Kuala Lumpur to Kajang in July 2007. Level of Hierarchy KTB’s organizational structure is one with a wide span of control that adopts a traditional approach. The organizational structure is based on or divided according to the company’s various business subsidiaries and there particular operations in terms of territory. These subsidiaries are headed by a Division Head or Regional General Managers. Employee Rewards One of the rewards for working with KTB are the free training programs they offer especially to their coach captains. Transnasional is collaborating with Automotive Center of Excellence (ACE) in providing professional refresher training for all of its coach captains. Courses are conducted by certified ACE Instructors which require all coach captains to undergo both theoretical and practical classes. Conflicts and Issues †¢Unfair pay. This is believed to be one of the most ongoing problems at KTB where most of the drivers were not ok with the payments they were receiving as salary for the work being done daily. Due to the many cases where at times you would find the bus station empty that’s was believed to be the problem but the resolved it and now the buses are working well with their drivers ready on time and happy with the salary increase. Long queues. This was another problem that was faced with the bus services where you had some people complaining that some people where not paying for the services others claiming that the drivers cheat them. So the introduction of e-ticketing was introduced as another way to legitimize the work so everyone feels comfortable and free in the bus so as a safe journey to passengers going on long dist ances. †¢Theft. This was another problem faced with the KTB buses. specially at the stations themselves where some people would come in disguise as passengers waiting for the bus and in the end they would end up stealing property from others like phones, bags, shoes, money which resulted to the stationing of police officers in most of the boarding zones, bus stations in a way to stop the theft so to ensure safety for the bus en the people travelling which is why it is one of the most reasons as to why it is recognized in Malaysia because it takes care of its passengers. Time. This is another problem that was not implemented upon till of recent when it was fixed where most passengers never knew when most of the buses where coming in. that led to some people cursing because they were never informed but now as I speak buses come by six o’clock, till midnight and they take 30 minutes each to report to the station. Recommendations Some of the recommendations I would make to include; †¢One Price. Fare increases could be determined by taking into account the turnover of bus operators and the cost analysis trend with that of the revenue as practiced in Europe. The turnover must be higher than the interest rate (loan) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to enable bus companies to make profit.

Study Review Micro Ch. 1 Essay Example

Study Review Micro Ch. 1 Essay Is the discipline of economics concerned with individual units such as a person, household, firm, or industry True Communism exhibits all the characteristics of a command system Which of the following describe a command system? Government ownwershiop of most or all property resources A government appointed central planning board Economics is a social Science concerned with the allocation of scarce Resources to meet the unlimited wants Of the members of a given society. Marginal analysis involves the comparison or evaluation of: * The incremental cost versus the incremental benefit of a decision * An good economic system must address the following questions: * What gods are to be produced? * How they are to be produced? Who gets what is produced? * * An equitable outcome is one where each individual affected is treated faily * * The economic question of what to produce is about decisions related to the mix of goods and services to make available in a given economy * * Which of the fol lowing results from scarcity with respect to economic resources? * The production of limited goods and services * The economic question of how to produce is about decisions related to the mix factor input land, labor, capital used to produce gods and services. * * True: In a command system, the government decides how a country’s resources will best be utilized * * A statement about economic behavior or the economy that enables prediction of the probable effects of certain actions is known as an: economic theory, and economic principle * * Due to scarce resources, every individual, whether rich or poor, is faced with an implicit cost when choosing to produce or consume more of one good over another. * False: Economcis, as a social science, is concerned with how to make money? * * Macroeconomics is the discipline that examines either the economy as a whole or in the aggregate. * * When comparing the additional or incremental cost verses additional or incremental benefits of a decision, one is engaging in: marginal analysis * * Which of the following describe the role of government in the United States form of capitalism? * Modifies the distribution of income, provides certain goods and services that would otherwise be underproduced or not produced at all. Promotes economic stability and growth * Pure capitablism is also known as laissez-faire capitalism. * * False: the three main decision that msut be addressed by an economic system include what gods are to be produced, who will produce them, and where they will be pr oduced. * * An economic system is a particular sset of institution arrangements and a coordinating mechansism that respons to the allocation of scarece resources to meet unlimited wants and needs. * * Natural resources, labor, human capital, physical capital and entrepreneurshop are all scarce resources priatley or collectibely owned by members of society. We will write a custom essay sample on Study Review Micro Ch. 1 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Study Review Micro Ch. 1 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Study Review Micro Ch. 1 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Where these scarce resources are used to produce goods or services, there is a cost borne by society in utilizing these resources to produce any good or service and no free lunch * * Private property rights, coupled with the freedom to negotiate binding legal documents enables individuals and businesses to obtain, use, and dispose of property resources as they see fit. * * False: Governemtn owns most of the property resouces usch as land and capital in a market system. * * Consumers derive personal satisfaction from goods and services by: acting in a their own self interest. Allocating their time, energy, money and other resources so as to maximize their satisfaction from consuming these goods * * The term â€Å"laissez-faire refers to keeping government form interfering in the economy. * * A central planning board sets the division of output between capital and consumer goods in a command system? * * Positive economic analysis concernes what is, whereas normative economic analysis represent subjective statement about what ought to be. * * Which of the following gare all possible because of private property rights in a market system? * Economic growth, investment, maintenance of property, innovation, exchange

10 Jobs for People Who Want to See Ghosts

10 Jobs for People Who Want to See Ghosts if you’re a fan of horror movies, you’re probably very excited for this year’s box office hits, but what if two hours of jump scares is not enough to satisfy your craving for the supernatural? you’re in luck, we’ve scoured the internet and based on movie logic, these jobs are perfect for people who want to see ghosts. are you ready to experience the supernatural?1. paranormal investigatorthis one is a given. if you’re serious about working with the supernatural, what better way than to have a job that directly explores supernatural cases?2. professorhow many famous characters have gotten their start in academia before moving on to investigating the supernatural? hmm.3. lawyerif you’re a lawyer, you’re probably going to come across clients who have experienced horrific events. that’s a recipe encountering the supernatural.4. police officersimilar to a lawyer, you’re probably going to come across some things you wish you hadn’t and that’s a recipe for encountering our ghostly friends.5. painterwant to discover a medieval painting from a haunted house? you know what to do.6. reporter  if movie logic tells us   anything, reporters follow clues that eventually lead them to paranormal activity.7. librarian  libraries are very quiet. perfect atmosphere for the dead.8. nursepeople die in hospitals every day. there is no more likely place to be haunted than a hospital. fact.9. hotel clerkit’s scientifically known that most hotels are haunted.  this is also a fact.10. accountant  the dead need to do their taxes, too!

The Role of Geography in Land-Use Planning

The Role of Geography in Land-Use Planning Within urban and rural communities, geography plays a critical role in the development of the built environment. Urban planners must rely on knowledge of geographic space when deciding how best to manage growth. As the cities of the world grow and more rural land is developed, ensuring smart growth and practical environmental management are necessary goals. Steps Before Planning and Development Can Occur Before any kind of planning and development can happen, funds must be collected from the public and a set of rules is needed to clarify the process. These prerequisites are the two active factors in planning for land use. By collecting taxes, fees and even ideas from the public, decision-makers are able to effectively provide plans for development and revitalization. Zoning regulations provide a legal framework for development. Regulations of Use of Private Land Municipalities regulate the use of private land for a variety of reasons. Designations for the use of land are provided in a municipality’s master plan, which is usually intended to ensure the following. Transportation FlowEconomic DevelopmentHistoric PreservationRecreational Space/ParksEnvironmental/Wildlife Protection Businesses, manufacturers and residential communities all require specific geographic locations. Accessibility is the key. Businesses are more suitable downtown while manufacturing centers are most accessible for shipping at an interstate or a port. When designing residential developments, planners generally focus on developing close to or directly above commercial areas. Components of Planning Urban Areas The desire for urban areas is the flow of transportation. Before any development can happen, there must first be an infrastructure suitable to the needs of future growth. Infrastructure includes sewer, water, electricity, roads and floodwater management. The master plan of any urban region has the potential for guiding growth in a way that will generate a fluid movement of people and commerce, especially in emergency situations. Public investment through taxes and fees is the cornerstone for developing infrastructure. Most major urban centers have been around for a long time. Preserving the history and aesthetic of earlier developments within a city creates a more livable space and can boost tourism in the area. Tourism and livability are also boosted by growing the city around major parks and recreation areas. Water, mountains and open parks offer citizens an escape from the city’s hub of activity. Central Park in New York City is a perfect example. National parks and wildlife sanctuaries are perfect examples of preservation and conservation. One of the essential parts of any plan is the ability to provide citizens with an equal opportunity. Communities cut off from urban centers by railroads, interstates or natural boundaries have difficulty in accessing employment. When planning for development and the use of land, special attention must be given to lower-income housing projects. Mixing housing for various income levels provides increased educational and opportunities for lower-income families. To facilitate the implementation of a master plan, zoning ordinances and special regulations are imposed on real-estate developers. Zoning Ordinances There are two essential parts to a zoning ordinance: Detailed maps showing land area, boundaries and the zone under which the land is categorized.Text describing in full detail each zones regulations. Zoning is used to permit some types of construction and prohibit others. In some areas, residential construction may be limited to a specific type of structure. Downtown areas may be a mixed-use of residential and commercial activity. Manufacturing centers will be zoned for construction close to the interstate. Some areas may be prohibited for development as a means of conserving green space or access to water. There may also be districts where only the historical aesthetic is allowed. Challenges are faced in the zoning process, as cities desire to eliminate blighted areas of zero growth while maintaining a diversity of interests in a geographic area. The importance of mixed-use zoning is becoming increasingly apparent in major urban areas. By allowing developers to build residential units above businesses, land use is maximized by creating a round-the-clock hub of activity. Another challenge faced by planners is the issue of socio-economic segregation. Some subdivisions strive to maintain a certain financial status by regulating the scope of housing developments. Doing this ensures that home values in the subdivision will remain above a certain level, alienating the poorer members of the community. Adam Sowder is a fourth-year senior at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is studying Urban Geography with a focus on Planning.

Haiti Earthquake Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Haiti Earthquake - Research Paper Example Except, this latest earthquake has brought to surface the fragility of the Haitian government and institutions because of their inability to provide survivors basic care and necessary safety nets (Amnesty International, 2011). There has been a considerable amount of evidence and proof that shows the poor functioning of the government in bringing the life back to normal in the earthquake hit zones. Haitian citizens are left homeless, displaced, living in makeshift tents, and now are fighting daily against Cholera which has been introduced into environment by United Nations. In this paper, let us analyze the outcome of the quake which has paved way for the development of internal conflicts and the steps that needs to be taken to prevent the internal conflict. Haiti will have to learn from other such earthquake prone zones as to how to face the consequences. Variable Natural Disaster Internal Conflict (Direct Variable) (Independent Variable) Owing to the imbalance and proper organizatio n of powers there tend to be a lot of problem in a country in case of a natural disaster like that of an earthquake. There are several conflicts that will arise out of a situation like earthquake that will drain out human resource, economy and also life balance in a region. Many political, economic, and social conflicts bound to happen. Hypothesis There is definite relationship between the 2010 Haitian earthquake and internal conflict. Theory The 2010 Haitian earthquake will stimulate internal conflict if the vulnerabilities of the people aren’t handled quickly and efficiently. Currently, earthquake survivors are going hungry, dying from the lack of sanitation, and women are being sexually abuse. These are some of the many vulnerabilities being exacerbated by the earthquake. Haitians were poor and lacked resources before the earthquake but the atrocities left behind have intensified those vulnerabilities. The country will be on the brink of an internal conflict you must defin e/operationalize internal conflict! if proper precautions aren’t taken now. There are various studies that demonstrate that an earthquake and a natural disaster can bring a population closer. Just as there many studies showing that sudden disasters, change on the environment can bring pressure to states with the inability to properly handle a natural disaster. This paper deals with the natural disaster and the potential consequences that may arise out of such tough situation. The output will be compared with that of the Haitian situation in order to get the derivative. Yes, there is obvious unrest, lack of housing, and scarcity of other resources. However, in this research paper I would like to examine how natural disasters that occur in underdeveloped countries can lead to internal conflict by looking at other underdeveloped countries which has experienced natural disasters. Literature Review Natural disasters occur suddenly and thus the reason that these create the most ana rchy within a region. The people are the worst sufferers because their homes have been dismantled and the property that remained within their fore is affected nonetheless (Topkaya, 2011). The United Nations defines natural disaster as â€Å"the consequences of events triggered by natural hazards that overwhelm local response capacity and seriously affect the social and economic development of a region.†

Persuasive Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive Speech - Essay Example For every one of us, our childhood was the precious gift by the lord above. But wait, if it was a precious gift for us what about those unprivileged children who are badly struck with the fears of poverty, fear of getting beaten up at work, more precisely, the child labor, fear of being the victim of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. For all those children, childhood means nothing but a nightmare filled with abuses, injuries, pains and lots more. Today I will speak on Child Abuse. Can we spare a minute from our busy lives to think and act against all sorts of abuses to protect our children to save our future generation and our future leaders from all the evils dwelling in our society? Say no to child abuse. Help a child to restore his self-esteem and his confidence but most importantly, his childhood. I was surprised to know when I read that a number of children die of abuse and extreme neglect than of natural calamities. With the passage of time, the percentage of child abuse is soaring day by day and unfortunately. I have never observed any serious efforts or actions taken by the developed societies on this serious problem. How oblivious we are? Today, here with all my heart I condemn child abuse; be it physical, emotional, mental or sexual. Every child has a right to live a life of freedom. They deserve the same share of happiness and joy as we deserved in our times and like many of the privileged children around the world. It is important to understand the term â€Å"Child abuse† before I continue further. Child abuse is a serious injury inflicted purposefully upon a child by anyone who is in the role of his caregiver. Child abuse can be physical, mental, emotional or sexual. Child abuse is a global issue which needs serious efforts by all of us. It has been affecting children from all age groups to 18 years of age. The percentage of reported child abuse cases are increasing day by day. However, it has been observed that a large number of child abuses

Examine Shakespeares presentation Essay Example for Free

Examine Shakespeares presentation Essay When Hamlet was first performed in 1601, England had been successfully ruled for forty-three years by Elizabeth I, a strong and influential monarch who reigned without a male counterpart, establishing England as one of the most powerful and prominent countries in the world. This is proof that women can be as successful as men; however women were still seen as second class citizens, and property of their husbands, during the Elizabethan period. Polonius says of Ophelia I have a daughter have while she is mine. (2.2, line 106). This is reflected in Shakespeares portrayal of women in Hamlet, which shows Gertrude in a very different light to Elizabeth Tudor. For many years in the past, many women played a small role socially, economically and politically. As a result of this, many works of literature of this time, including Hamlet, were reflective of this diminutive role of women. Shakespeare suggests the danger of womens involvement in politics at the sovereign level, and reflects the publics desire for a return to a state of stability through a change to a patriarchal system. We can examine Shakespeares presentation of women in Hamlet through the way the two women in the play, Gertrude and Ophelia, are treated by the men in their lives, and by analyzing the context in which they are referred. The first time Claudius refers to Gertrude he says: Our sometime sister, now our Queen, Th imperial jointress of this warlike state, (1. 2, lines 8-9) which shows how he took advantage of his dead brothers wife whilst she was still mourning her husbands death to settle his place on the throne. She married. O most wicked speed, to post, with such dexterity to incestuous sheets. (1.2, lines 156-157) Here Hamlet is accusing his mother of corruption because of her improper sexual activity and marriage. Even though a marital bond existed between Claudius and Gertrude, the rushed and incestuous aspects of the marriage enrage Hamlet. The couple were married less than three months after the death of Hamlets father, and in Hamlets eyes, Gertrudes actions have defiled her character. Royal sexual activity created concerns about both power and purity in the Elizabethan world. As women had no opportunity to fight on the battle field, chastity was the principle measure of their honour and virtue. Therefore Hamlets opinion of his mother has a negative reflection of a womans virtues. Sir Walter Mildway, 1510, said: Choose thy wife for virtue only. Elizabeths sexual conduct drew public attention, and she publicly vowed her purity, even adopting the title Virgin Queen. When King Hamlets ghost appears he refers to Gertrude as his most seeming-virtuous Queen. (1. 5, lines 4-6) He is expressing his belief that Gertrude had always seemed faithful, but now she has married much less of a man she has dishonoured him, and lost all his respect and trust. Even though Hamlet and his father are seeking revenge on Claudius, they continue to speak of Gertrude. In his second soliloquy we expect Hamlet to be expressing his hatred towards Claudius, however he is focusing all of his energy on this most pernicious woman, (1. 5, line 105) who is his mother. This dis-belief at his mothers behaviour is understandable, however, as it is so soon after his fathers death, and you would expect Gertrude to still be mourning the death of her husband that she apparently loved dearly. One of the most famous quotes regarding women in Hamlet is Frailty thy name is woman. (1. 2, lines 146-147) This quote sums up the attitudes of the male characters in the play, that women are by far the weaker sex and gives us a clue as to why the men treat Gertrude and Ophelia with so little respect. In 1558, writer, John Knox described women as weak, frail, impatient, feeble and foolish. Emphasizing the way that women were viewed at the time Hamlet was written. Both the women are greatly controlled by the men of the play, particularly Ophelia who is often told what to do and who has been treated as if she does not have a mind of her own all her life. When asked a question Ophelia often replies with I think nothing, (3. 2, line 118) and when she does express an opinion it is dismissed. Polonius says Affection? Pooh, you speak like a green girl unsifted, (1. 3, line 101) which is extremely patronizing, saying she speaks like an inexperienced and untried girl who does not know what she is talking about. Ophelia could have an out-going personality; however, she is so oppressed that we never get to see a true reflection of her character, due to the constraints of the society she is living in. We even hear Gertrude, the Queen of Denmark, saying to her husband: I shall obey you. By obeying the men and giving in to a passive existence Gertrude and Ophelia are living up to the label that women are the weaker sex. The men give good advice to both women, telling them what to do and when, Polonius tells Ophelia not to give her virginity away too easily when he uses the metaphor set you entreatments at a higher rate then a command to parley, (1. 3, lines 122-123) where her virginity is compared to a castle under siege. Even though Polonius is Ophelias father, he seems to have no respect for her, or her privacy, and rarely thinks of how she may be feeling. He reads Hamlets love letters out-loud to the King and uses Ophelia as bait to improve his image in front of Claudius, which is extremely self-centred and obsequious. Another quote that really stands out in Hamlet that shows how little respect the men have for Gertrude and Ophelia is Get thee to a nunnery. (3. 1, line 121) This is Hamlet telling Ophelia that because he can not have her, no one can, so she has to go to a nunnery, away from all other male contact. He does not ask her how she feels, and is willing to make the rest of her life miserable simply because he can not be with her. It never even occurs to Hamlet that she might be willing to move on and find someone other than him to spend the rest of her life with. After the nunnery scene, Ophelia speaks to Polonius and we hear her opinion for the first and only time. She presents herself entirely as the victim of Hamlets rough treatment. She says: I of ladies most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his musiked vows, (3.1, lines 158-159) showing how Ophelia had believed in what Hamlet told her and how she feels dejected about the fact that he claims to have never loved her. God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another, (3. 1, lines 145-146) is Hamlet saying that women wear too much make-up and in doing so are deceiving men into thinking that they are something that they are not. He accuses Ophelia of being a typical woman and is therefore not treating her as an individual. He says: For the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is bawd, (3.1, lines 111-112) explaining his opinion that beautiful women are untrustworthy and insincere. Even though Hamlet accuses women of this, he is saying it in the heat of an argument so he may be exaggerating and may not be giving his true opinion. Ophelia hardly says a think back to him though, again reflecting the idea that women are frail and passive. Throughout the play Hamlet makes reference to prostitutes, and seems to make a connection between women, sex and corruption. When Hamlet and Polonius are speaking he says: For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion. (2. 2, lines 184-185) He uses this metaphor of a dead dog, and a pun on the word sun, to make the point that if the son (Hamlet) kisses the daughter (Ophelia) then she may breed, like the maggots in the dead animal. The characters of the play often refer to sex in a negative manner, and it is never described as a loving act between a couple. In Hamlets second soliloquy he is blaming himself, and compares himself to a slatternly woman saying that he must like a whore, unpack my heart with words, and fall a-cursing like a very drab, a stallion. (2.2, lines 592-594) His references to women are always negative, and he presents them as objects that men can use for sexual pleasure whenever they want. The final point to make about the way Shakespeare presents women is the fact that Ophelia is the only character driven to suicide, and that she is one of only two women in the play. This is possible another way for Shakespeare to make his point that women are by far the weaker sex. Audiences today would find the way that the women in Hamlet are treated extremely surprising as today women are so much more independent. Instead of being a husbands possession, a wife is seen as an equal. Women today have the freedom to be more open-minded, and are allowed to voice opinions other than their husbands. Women today have almost total sexual freedom as well, so the connection between women, sex and corruption would probably cause mixed reactions. This, however, also brings me to the point that even though Shakespeares presentation of women is negative, so is his presentation of men. He shows the men being insensitive, selfish, oppressive and shows them treating women with very little respect. Frailty thy name is woman, no longer applies to the women of the 21st Century as there are more or less equal opportunities for men and women now, and everyone has the same education and job opportunities no matter what sex you may be. I think that this quote sums up Shakespeares overall presentation of women and the treatment of Gertrude and Ophelia shows us how women were oppressed, and often seen as objects rather than human beings.

Adoptees Must Have Access to Their Original Birth Certificates Essay

Have you ever been to a new doctor and filled out the required paperwork on family medical history? After moving recently, I went to a new doctor. I had to have all those papers filled out. It was easy because I know all of the information or can get it. Most people know who their biological family is and therefore also know about medical history. However, in the 1940s many birth certificates of adoptees were sealed. This continued to occur for four decades. Now depending upon the state the adopted person lives in and how the laws have evolved, they may not be able to easily access their original birth certificate just like everyone else. Adoptees should have total access to their birth certificate and family medical history because this information will help them to understand where they came from, as well as know of the likelihood of contracting various genetic diseases. Children need to know where they came from so they can avoid embarrassing and awkward situations later in life like Luke and Leia Skywalker from Star Wars. It will also give them a sense of belonging in the world. Full access to an original birth certificate is something many people take for granted. For those people who have been adopted a changed birth certificate is given with the adoptive parents names instead. As an adopted child grows older, most will become curious. For Jeffrey Hannasch his curiosity started when his daughter was born (Ensslin). He started out on a journey to find his parents. After finding some papers in his adoptive father’s possessions, he was able to find out his mother’s name. Some internet searching and letter writing later he was able to find out that she did not actually know who his father was. She also was shocked that he was... ...elease of the information (Access). Works Cited Bahrampour, Tara. "Invisible Ties to Faraway Lands." Washington Post 2012 Jan 22: A.1. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2012). Access to Adoption Records. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. Ensslin, John C. "Landmark Adoption Ruling a Bittersweet Victory for Falcon Man." Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO) 2009 Aug 02: N.p. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Hamilton, James M. "Adult Adoptees Should Have Unconditional Access to Their Original..." MinnPost.com [Minneapolis] 14 Mar. 2013: N.p. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. O'Connor, John. "Unsealed Birth Records Give Adoptees Peek at Past." Daily Register 2013 Jul 28: N.p. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Reyes, Emily Alpert. "Internet Lifts Shroud of Secrecy on Adoption." Los Angeles Times 2013 Dec 12: A.15. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.

Bill Of Life Essay

What is your life worth? Imagine a future in which those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice have fought a second civil war over the sanctity of life. They end the war by compromising on a â€Å"Bill of Life† that states all pregnancies must come to term; however, parents and guardians have the right when their child is between the ages of thirteen and eighteen to abort them. The child does not die though. Each and every part of the child is kept alive; thus they are technically still alive, just in separate pieces. This process is known as â€Å"unwinding.† Once the unwind order is signed, no changes can be made; even if the parent changes their mind, it is irreversible. Connor discovers his own unwinding order after investigating tickets he finds, tickets to the Bahamas for everyone in his family, except for him. Connor is a good teen, but like many teens, his emotions can get the better of him and his parents have a hard time controlling him. Risa is a ward of the state of Ohio and the orphanage is overcrowded. She tries to convince the headmaster of her worth, but bungles her chance when she makes five mistakes at her piano recital. Lev rejoices in his destiny at a party solely dedicated to celebrating him and his life. Lev’s family is extremely devoted to their religion; Lev, as the tenth child in his family, is destined to be a human tithe, a human sacrifice. Lev enjoys the attention this brings and is happy to fulfill his destiny. These three teenagers meet when Connor decides to go AWOL and escape his unwinding order. The book develops through their, and others, alternating viewpoints of what happens to a teenager once the order is signed. Connor, Risa, and Lev’s journey to their future follows their growing recognition of what their life means to them. Shusterman teases the reader with just enough information to keep going, but continues to build this disturbing view of the future as the storyline develops. Mysterious references to clappers and storked babies are explained more fully later in the book and these people round out the unsettling forces at work in this troubled society. This very thought-provoking book would not leave my mind for days, or truthfully weeks, after reading it. This book has made the rounds of the youth services division and one of my co-workers still gives me grief over the books weeks after reading it. Not for the faint-hearted, especially as the reader learns more about the unwinding process, this disturbing novel will pluck at your mind and have you wondering what your life is worth.

Environmental Distractions to Study Habits Essay

Every student is required to study the lessons given by the teacher. By means of proper time management, a student becomes successful in his entire intellectual endeavor. But what if there are environmental distractions in his study habits? What will happen to his learning activities? Environmental distractions in study habits make a student at a disadvantaged position if it cannot be fully determined and avoided. Therefore, environmental distractions are a hindrance to the intellectual development of a student. Environmental Distractions In order to avoid environmental distractions, it is required that a student must identify the things that gives problems to his studies. After all, how could he be successful in avoiding environmental distractions if he may not be able to identify them? Hence, correct identification of environmental distractions that might hinder the student from studying should be done. The environmental distractions to study habits may include emotional, physical and external distractions. Learning Support Center Paradise Valley Community mentioned that physical environment of the study area of a student relates to external distractions (â€Å"Improving Your Memory†). In other words, if the environment is noisy and unorganized, study habits of a student may be hampered. Since we are aware that studying includes memorization, a student cannot effectively study when there television is opened or used within his environment, when there are any people chatting around him and when sound effects around him is very disturbing. Therefore, the best way for a student to avoid external distractions is to find a place conducive for learning like a noise-free room. Learning Support Center Paradise Valley Community also mentioned that the study area of a student must have quite surroundings or those places that really intended for studying (â€Å"Improving Your Memory†). Moreover, Glendale Community College stated that a good study environment must be free from distractions that might hinder memorizing and understanding reading materials (â€Å"Study Skills†). There should also be rules to follow like having a desk intended totally for studying; not using television, radio and telephone while studying; closing the door of the study room so that people passing by it cannot distract a students attention; the study area should not be cluttered and unorganized and that the study environment should be clean and spacious (â€Å"Study Skills†). If all these can be followed, there is no doubt that a student can study properly. Lastly, a student must not dwell long to problems of the family and friends and even personal situations that can surely affect study habits. The environment should be free from emotional distractions so that the mind of a student will remain fresh and able to absorb new ideas being studied daily. Conclusion   A student needs a study area that is free from environmental distractions. This paper mentioned that environmental distractions involved emotional and physical distractions as well as external ones. Emotional distractions include family problems while physical and external distractions include television, radio, noisy environment and unorganized study area. Finally, the best way to attain an environment that is free from distraction is to identify the things that can distract a student and avoid them all. References Glendale Community College. (2008). Study Skills. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from   http://www.glendale.edu/new/services/counseling/study.htm. Learning Support Center Paradise Valley Community. (2008). Improving Your Memory. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/lsc/services/tips _improving_memory.htm.

Kn- Words in English

Kn- Words in English Kn- Words in English Kn- Words in English By Maeve Maddox A teaching site offers this rule for dealing with â€Å"silent k†: â€Å"k is often silent before n.† An easier way to retain this information is to forget about â€Å"silent k† altogether. In a word like knot, k is not â€Å"a silent letter† at all, but part of the distinct phonogram kn. The symbol kn is just another way to spell the sound /n/. The spelling kn in a word like knave evolved from the Old English spelling cn, in which the â€Å"c† represented a guttural sound similar to the sound /k/. For example, the OE words from which our words knight, knot, and knave have evolved were spelled cniht, cnotta, and cnafa and pronounced with a hard first sound. The guttural sound eventually dropped out, leaving only the /n/ sound, but the old spelling has survived in kn. Here are some familiar kn words. knapsack knave knead knee kneel knell know knickknack knife knight knit knob knock knoll knotgrass knothole knowledge knuckle Here are some more kn words that may not be as familiar: knacker (noun): One whose trade it is to buy worn out, diseased, or useless horses, and slaughter them for their hides and hoofs, and for making dogs-meat. Ex. â€Å"Jones will sell you to the knacker, who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds.†Ã‚  (Animal Farm, George Orwell) knackered (adjective): exhausted. â€Å"After shopping with Mum, we were knackered.† knickerbockers (noun): loose-fitting breeches, gathered in at the knee, and worn by boys, sportsmen, and others who require a freer use of their limbs. Ex. â€Å"The childwas dressed in knickerbockers, with red stockings.† (Daisy Miller, Henry James) knickers (noun): underpants worn by women and children. The word is a back-formation of knickerbockers. It’s commonly heard in the idiom, â€Å"to get one’s knickers in a twist† (i.e., â€Å"become upset†). knackwurst (noun): a type of German sausage. Also spelled knockwurst. knout (noun): a kind of whip or scourge, very severe and often fatal in its effects. Ex. â€Å"The  knout  along with  the gulag  are Russias enduring shrines of torment.† knurl (noun): a small protuberance, excrescence, or knob. knurled (adjective): having knurls wrought on the edge or surface. Knurling  is a process of impressing a diamond-shaped or straight-line pattern into the surface of a work piece by using specially shaped hardened metal wheels. Ex. â€Å"Walnut Knurled Guitar Knob.† â€Å"Solid  walnut knurled  legs on table and chairs.† Two foreign borrowings, Knesset and knish, do not belong to the category of words spelled with the phonogram kn. They are spelled with the phonogram k; the sound /k/ is pronounced at the beginning of these words. Knesset (noun): The parliament of the State of Israel. The word derives from a Hebrew word meaning â€Å"a gathering.† Ex. â€Å"On July 11, 1995 this problem was raised for discussion in the Knesset finance committee.† knish (noun): A dumpling of flaky dough filled with chopped liver, potato, or cheese, and baked or fried. The word comes from a Yiddish word derived from a Russian word meaning â€Å"a kind of cake.† Ex. â€Å"Gabila’s Knishes: Home of the Coney Island Square Knish.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Incorrect Pronunciations That You Should AvoidThe Possessive ApostropheRite, Write, Right, Wright

ACT Tutoring

How To Save Money on SAT/ACT Tutoring SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As you may have seen in some of my other articles on tutoring, if there's one thing you need to know about tutoring, it's this: tutoring is expensive, particularly high quality tutoring. In fact, I've even written an entire article devoted to the topic of how much you should pay for SAT/ACT tutoring. So how can you save money on SAT/ACT tutoring? Let me give you a few tips, tailored around the case studies of 3 hypothetical students. feature image credit: Money – Savings by 401(K) 2012, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. Case 1: Anthony - Comprehensive Tutoring Anthony and his parents have decided he needs a tutor to help him with his ACT test prep and bring his composite score up. He took a timed practice test and scored 23 on Reading, 30 on English, 30 on Math, and 20 on Science, giving him a composite score of 26. His scores seem all over the place, and he isn’t exactly sure where to start with his studying. Anthony's family can’t afford a lot of tutoring. Originally, they thought they could save money by hiring a cheap tutor – maybe some high school student who aced the ACT and is charging $30/hour. After all, a $30/hr tutor could make Anthony's budget stretch to many more hours of tutoring than a more expensive tutor, and more hours are always better, right? Probably not. Getting a low quality tutor, even if she's only charging $30/hr, is a waste of time and money for many students. Why? A high school student who's only charging you $30/hr may be able to help with explaining the answers to practice tests, but it is unlikely that she will have the skills and experience necessary to help with comprehensive test prep.For someone like Anthony, who doesn't know what he needs to study, or how he should plan his studying, or where his weaknesses lie, someone who just helps with practice test answers would not be helpful. Cost-Saving Recommendation for Comprehensive Tutoring: Instead, we'd recommend Anthony hire a higher quality tutor, but for fewer hours. How come? Higher quality tutors are able to help you set the stage for your studying outside of tutoring sessions. This means that you are able to stretch what you can get - if you end up spending 9 hours using what the tutor taught you in one $60/hour test prep session, you're effectively paying $6/hour for tutoring. Not too shabby! Anthony goes with a $60/hr tutor for two sessions over the course of 4 weeks, and learns how to better plan his studying and what he needs to focus on. His tutor finds that Anthony is overwhelmed by the large amount of information presented in the Reading and Science questions, and so focuses Anthony's study around becoming more comfortable with the Reading and Science sections and drilling these questions. Anthony creates a study plan with his tutor for 6 hours of study a week, scheduling in practice tests and time to review his mistakes. Even after Anthony's 2 sessions with the tutor are over, he's able to use the study schedule his tutor devised to guide his test prep, right up until testing day. When he takes the ACT for real, he gets a 32 on Reading, 31 on English, 30 on Math, and 30 on Science – huge leaps in achievement for a minor investment in tutoring time. Case 2: Carmela -Partial Tutoring Carmela took the SAT in December and got a 740 on CR, 640 on Writing, and 660 on Math. She’s applying to college as a humanities major, so she really needs to get her score up on the Writing section. What are Carmela's issues with SAT Writing? Well, she keeps messing up the hardest writing questions, and she doesn't really know how to improve her SAT essay. After all, she's good at writing essays in school - shouldn't that just carry over? Why should she bother studying something she's good at in school? Carmela doesn't know how to plan her essay prep and in any case is unmotivated to do so. Cost-Saving Recommendation for PartialTutoring: How does Carmela overcome these obstacles? She gets tutoring only for the hardest problems and for high-level study planning and motivation. Carmela hires a tutor for $50/hr for 4 sessions over 8 weeks. The tutor figures out that Carmela is getting the hardest Writing questions wrong when the answer choices are technically correct but worded in a way they would never appear in real life. She also discovers that Carmela is using mostly abstract reasoning in her practice essays, rather than concrete examples. Carmela's tutor sets out a study schedule for Carmela: half an hour of practice on the hardest writing questions every other day. On the off days, the tutor tells Carmela to start coming up with some historical, literary, or pop culture events that she can mine for examples on the SAT essay, like World War II or The Hunger Games; if she knows a few historical events or pieces of literature really well, she will be able to take examples from them for nearly any SAT essay topic. In addition to giving Carmela specific tutoring tips, the tutor helps Carmela figure out that her target Writing score is a 720, and so she needs to improve by 80 points. With concrete information on how much she needs to improve and how to do so, Carmela is motivated to study for the SAT outside of tutoring as well as during tutoring sessions. After 2 months of tutoring, Carmela takes the SAT again and gets 730 on CR, 730 on Writing, and 690 on Math – a much better score report for a prospective humanities student. Another alternative: If Carmela had only had issues with hardest Writing problems, she could have tried tutoring combined with another test prep strategy, like tutoring and a self-guided online prep program, or tutoring and focused self-study. In this particular case, since Carmela was struggling with motivation to improve her essay as well as with the hardest Writing problems, it made more sense for her to get tutoring that would help her with both. Case 3: Marie -A Limited Budget for Tutoring Marie took the SAT in October of her junior year and got a 660 on CR, 600 on Writing, and 570 on Math. After focused math self-studying, she retook the SAT in March and got a 640 on CR, 620 on Writing, and 740 on Math, which brings her composite superscore up from 1830 to 2020. Marie has a very limited budget ($120), but really wants to solidify her chances of getting into Smith College. The middle 50% of first years who enter Smith have composite SAT scores ranging from 1870-2190, so to increase her chances of getting in, Marie really needs to get her total SAT score to at or above 2190...which is a 170 point increase. How does Marie decide if she should get tutoring? Marie considers her overall budget and her current test prep progress. Can she achieve her results within her current system, or does she need a tutor? Cost-Saving Recommendation for Limited Tutoring Budget: Marie concludes that because she was able to improve her Math score with self-study, she can probably apply the same methods to studying for the Critical Reading and Writing sections. What were these methods? She took timed practice tests, marking every question she wasn't sure about, and thoroughly reviewed the questions she got wrong and the questions she guessed on but got right. During her prep for the SAT Math section, Marie discovered that she had a tendency to rush through reading the question because she was so nervous that she would run out of time, which led to her often answering the wrong question. She spent hours drilling herself on actual SAT Math questions in her weakest areas, elementary algebra and plane geometry, slowly but surely increasing the speed at which she could answer the questions, which in turn helped her slow down when reading the questions. Marie decides that since Smith superscores the SAT (combines the highest scores for each section across all testing dates), and she clearly has an effective test-prep method, she will take the SAT 2 more times (a cost of $105), once after having focused on Writing and once after having focused on Critical Reading. She does and scores 750 on Writing and 790 on Critical Reading, bringing her overall score up to 2280 - well above the composite she needs to get into Smith. So how does this apply to you? Let’s take a look at the tips I mention above, distilled down into a series of hypotheticals. How Can I Save Money on SAT/ACT Tutoring? Do you want the best test prep, bar none? Then get high quality, expensive tutoring. Want good prep but have a limited budget, like Anthony? Spend your money on a higher quality tutor for a shorter amount of time. Only need focused prep, like Carmela? Get a high quality tutor who can focus on that section so you don't buy hours for the other sections. Have a strict budget that limits tutoring? Then use another prep program, and add tutoring sparingly for high level stuff. Is your current method effective? Keep careful watch on how you do on practice and actual tests, note where you need to improve (by section and within a section), and then take more official tests. If your score plateaus, you should consider other options. If you hit your target scores, like Marie did, then you're all set! Use these tips to help you save on tutoring when studying for the SAT/ACT. Dollars by 401(K) 2012, used under CC BY-SA 2.0. What’s Next The best way to save money on tutoring is to make sure you’re getting the best tutor for you. How do you do this? Read more about it here. What should you be looking for in a tutor, anyway? Check out my article on what makes an effective tutor. Want to find out more about PrepScholar Tutoring Program? PrepScholar co-founder Fred Zhang has the article for you. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: