Essay on The Rise Of Frederick Douglass - 917 Words

Frederick Douglass was a man born into slavery. Separated from his mother and unaware of his fathers identity, he was left to bear the burden of slavery all on his own. Early on Douglass realized that an education was his ticket to freedom. Throughout his life Douglas met many obstacles on his way to freedom, and more often than not these obstacles were created at the hands of one of his many masters. In his letters, Douglass speaks of no less than five masters under which he was forced to serve, his original master, the Auld brothers, Mr. Covey, and William Freeland. While all of these men were bad, some actually meant well and were simply victims of their time. However some of these men were cruel and†¦show more content†¦However, Mr. Ault put a stop to this, If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ellÂ… Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. (p.946) It is while listening to this oration that a young Douglass sees just how important it is that he does in fact learn to read, These words sank deep into my heartÂ…From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedomÂ…I set out with high hopeÂ…at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read. (p.946) Frederick stayed with this family for most of his young life, taking every opportunity he could to gain knowledge. After spending seven years under Master Hugh he was sent to live with Thomas Ault. Thomas Ault was definitely a bad man to have a master. He was a religious man who used his religious beliefs as an excuse for his barbarism. Master Thomas would definitely be considered one of the bad apples. But, perhaps, his biggest influence on Douglass happened when he sent Frederick off to be broken by Mr. Covey. Mr. Covey was as mean as they come, rotten to the core to say the least. However, it was while Douglass was under the control of Mr. Covey, that he became a man. He stood up to the slave driver Covey, letting him know that he would be his whipping boy no longer, Â…but at this moment Ââ€" from whence came the spirit I dont know Ââ€" I resolved to fight... (p.960), after this incident, the regular beatings stopped. Douglass wonderedShow MoreRelatedFrederick Douglass: The Rise of a Slave Essay example1906 Words   |  8 Pageshe Rise of a Slave Frederick Douglass is a former slave who made great effort in order to obtain freedom. He is born into slavery in the state of Maryland and he barely knows his parents. Douglass is unique compare to other slaves because he learns how to read and write. He found a way to escape from his master and settles in Massachusetts. Frederick Douglass writes his text to abolish slavery and to change it as well; he plays an important role in securing the equal rights of African-AmericansRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1351 Words   |  6 PagesBrown 8th period English 1/4/16 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Research Paper Frederick Douglass positively influenced the United States politically and peacefully, as reflected in the literature of the Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. His work described slavery and provided key information to show the world how slavery really was. Frederick Douglass showed America how terrible the life as a slave was. Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Talbot County, Maryland. He was unsureRead MoreAn Analysis Of Frederick Douglass s The Light Of Anti Abolitionism 941 Words   |  4 PagesFourth of July† was brilliantly written by Frederick Douglass in the heat of anti-abolitionism. The speech was well written and executed by using imagery and language, using emotional tones to garner sympathy and understanding, and the overarching idea that slavery was wrong. The tone all through the speech shows the passion and fervor Mister Douglass was feeling that day and really goes to show why this speech is fantastic. To start, Frederick Douglass uses heavy and raw imagery to paint a surrealRead MoreFrederick Douglass, An American Slave1114 Words   |  5 Pages Frederick Douglass is well known for many of his literary achievements. He is best known, now, as a writer. As a writer, Frederick Douglass shined. As a speaker, he was the best. There was no abolitionist, black or white, that was more for his speaking skills. (McFeely, 206) So impressive were Frederick Douglass’s oratorical and intellectual abilities that opponents refused to believe that he had been a slave and alleged that he was a impostor brought up on the public byRead MoreEssay Frederick Douglass and Slavery1448 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Douglass and Slavery Frederick Douglass the most successful abolitionist who changed America’s views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick Douglass had many achievements throughout his life. His Life as a slave had a great impact on his writings. His great oratory skills left the largest impact on Civil War time period literature. All in all he was the best black speaker and writer ever. Douglass was born a slave in 1817, in Maryland. He educatedRead MoreFrederick Douglass Research Paper1165 Words   |  5 PagesUnit VII: Frederick Douglass Relevance in the 21st Century Born into a life of slavery, Frederick Douglass overcame a boatload of obstacles in his very accomplished life. While a slave he was able to learn how to read and write, which was the most significant accomplishment in his life. This was significant, not only because it was forbidden for a slave to read due to the slaveholders wanting to keep them ignorant to preserve slavery, but because it was the starting point for Frederick to think moreRead MoreEliot s Influences On Literature1013 Words   |  5 PagesFrederick Douglass and T.S. Eliot’s Influences On Literature The nineteenth and twentieth century were pivotal times in the world of literature. Many new elements of writing and style were evolving and authors all over the world were finding ways to present what they felt most passionate about. Some writers opened their readers up to newer ideas by the means of, as Ezra Pound once stated, â€Å"making it new.† Two writers in particular who did a fantastic job of this were Frederick Douglass and T.S.Read MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1243 Words   |  5 Pages Frederick Douglass slave owner was his dad. This book is Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. The author is Frederick Douglass of his narrative. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery he was working on the farm by age 7. His dad ( Fred’s slave owner ) whipped him as well as Fred’s mom. He was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. â€Å"I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containingRead MoreFrederick Douglass And Slavery.1438 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Douglass and Slavery Frederick Douglass the most successful abolitionist who changed America’s views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick Douglass had many achievements throughout his life. His Life as a slave had a great impact on his writings. His great oratory skills left the largest impact on Civil War time period literature. All in all he was the best black speaker and writer ever. Douglass was born a slave in 1817, in Maryland. He educatedRead MoreAnalysis Of Frederick Douglass s World Literature 1144 Words   |  5 PagesJenifer E. Forrest Leslie Lovenstein World Literature from 1650 to the Present - Online 26 November 2014 Frederick Douglass: From Chains to Podium When a man grows up as an untaught slave in the southern eighteenth-century, he has no other ambitions than to be free. But for Frederick Douglass, freedom was merely step one. Douglass began his life on a plantation owed from the moment he arrived. He was not destined to stay put there. Born in (what he can come close to) 1818, he began life out as a

Religion and Psychology Essay example - 729 Words

Religious faith is important to most Americans, with approximately 95% of Americans reporting belief in God and about 50% being active in church organizations (Gallup Castelli, 1989). Despite the widespread prevalence of religious beliefs in society, some researchers have maintained that religion and religious beliefs are often neglected in psychological research (Jones, 1994; Plante, 1996). This neglect stems from a couple of different factors. First, it is difficult for psychologists to overcome the fact that believers in many religions claim to have unique access to the truth. Secondly, truly theological questions such as the existence of God or the nature of an afterlife are often ignored by scientists. This may be in part a†¦show more content†¦For example, William James studied religious experience and suggested that the spiritual process works to curtail peoples negative behaviors (James, 1936). For James, spirituality helps individuals recognize their own eart hly suffering as either a consequence of individual pathology or addictive behavior, or both. When people begin to criticize or consciously reject problematic individual behaviors as a permanent way of being, then they become open to the possibility of rising to a higher awareness. This higher awareness of his or her own behavior is then integrated as a part of the persons psychology. James was already considering the role religion plays in a persons consciousness early in the twentieth century. Alfred Adler, another pioneer of psychology, believed that our ideas about God are important indicators of how we view the world (Ansbacher H., Ansbacher R., 1956). According to Adler these ideas have changed over time as our vision of the world and our place in it has changed. Adler suggested religion was of importance because our view of God embodies our goals and directs our social interactions. Compared to science, Adler believed that religion was more advanced because it motivates people moreShow MoreRelatedPsychology, Religion, And Religion1397 Words   |  6 PagesPsychology and religion are two fields of inquiry that are intimately related despite not initially seeming so. Humans have been engaging in religious thought for as long as we know, and possibly since we were first capable of thought. Likewise, psychology is a deceptively old field; although psychology as so named is a recent invention, philosophers have been asking the same questions the modern field does for centuries. Furthermore, both psychology and religion seek to address similar questionsRead MoreThe Psychology of Religion1187 Words   |  5 PagesIn terms of the psychology of religion, many thinkers have commented about the origins of religious belief. Some of these support these religious beliefs, some don’t. However it is first appropriate to establish whether or not they are actually making a valid comment on the subject of religion or not. Georg Hegel (1770–1831) was the initial scholar to step foot into this field. He redefined God by creating a character he often named ‘Spirit’. He attempted to make God sound theistic by giving GodRead MorePsychology and Religion1229 Words   |  5 Pagesthe practices involving psychology and religion in order to uphold the ethics code. There is a sensitivity level that must be exhibited by psychology professionals that practice traditional psychology in order to make clients feel comfortable and secure in the treatment setting. In addition, this essay explains the use of religion in non-traditional psychology and the professional manner according to the ethics code in which using non-traditional approaches involving religion should be used. Read MorePsychology of Religion1837 Words   |  8 PagesI believe that religion and spirituality play a major role in the understanding of human behavior. Religion and spirituality have been apart of human experience throughout the course of history, tapping into almost every aspect of life from cultural beliefs to the arts. Religion and spirituality encompass a world that goes beyond our general understanding of how and why by attaching a higher overall purpose and meaning that extends outside of our lives here on earth. I do not believe that an adequateRead MoreReligion vs. Psychology1800 Words   |  8 PagesSpirituality and psychology are two complex subjects to discuss and they become even more complicated when you try to relate one to the other. Psychology deals with the processes of sense perception, thinking, learning, cognition, emotions and motivations, and personality, focusing on the behavior of individuals. Spirituality, on the other hand, is all inclusive. Spiritua lity is living ones life from the realization that the body/mind/ego personality we have been taught to identify with is justRead MoreClass Of Religion And Psychology Essay2317 Words   |  10 Pages Linda Chacko Class of Religion and Psychology Professor Heaney-Hunter Final Research Paper: Religion can be defined as a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. It contains a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices that allow its followers to live their life a certain way. The world consists of 19 major religions, which are further subdivided into 270 larger groups. According to David Barrett et al, editor of the â€Å"World Christian EncyclopediaRead MorePsychology And Religion : West And East957 Words   |  4 PagesWhile preforming a psychoanalysis of religion and human development, Sigmund Freud questioned whether or not a person could be religious and mature at the same time. In Future of an Illusion, Freud came to a conclusion that one cannot be religious and mature at the same time. Religion stunts a person’s transition of becoming a mature adult. Whereas in Carl Jung’s Psychology and Religion: West and East, he believed that a person can be religious and mature at the simultaneously. Opposing, to Freud’sRea d MoreEssay on religion vs. psychology1766 Words   |  8 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Spirituality and psychology are two complex subjects to discuss and they become even more complicated when you try to relate one to the other. Psychology deals with the processes of sense perception, thinking, learning, cognition, emotions and motivations, and personality, focusing on the behavior of individuals. Spirituality, on the other hand, is all inclusive. â€Å"Spirituality is living ones life from the realization that the body/mind/ego personality we have beenRead MorePsychology Of Religion : The Mad, Holy And Demonic2878 Words   |  12 Pages VPR - 2209 Psychology of Religion: The Mad, Holy and Demonic Assessment 1: Essay (3,000 words) Question 4: What is the unconscious and what is its relevance in understanding religious belief or religious experience? Answer with reference to either Jung or Freud, or to both Jung and Freud. It is widely assumed that in the field of psychoanalytic theory there are only two major influential characters when discussing the effect and importance of religion on the unconscious, these characters beingRead MoreHamlet : Jungian Perspectives On Psychology And Religion1558 Words   |  7 Pagesunconscious contains thoughts, memories, and desires that are well below the surface of awareness but that nevertheless have a great influence on behavior. The influence of Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist Carl Gustav Jung’s work in analytical psychology has never been more prominent in texts than it is today. â€Å"Introversion and â€Å"extroversion† have become standard words. Most people are aware of the connection between the â€Å"individual psyche† and the â€Å"collective unconscious.† Many of us have secretly

Coca Cola Unethical free essay sample

Coca Cola: Unethical BY kattel 234567 In 2006, Coca-Cola made headlines in the United Kingdom for being banned from students union over unethical practices. The students at Sussex University have decided that they can make a difference in exposing Coca-Cola for their unethical practices, unhealthy product, and the depletion of much needed ground water in rural Indian towns. They are not alone in believing that Coca-Cola contributes to the obesity of children; universities in the United States have also banned Coca-Cola, and a quarter of states in India have outlawed products following concerns that they ontain 27 times the permitted levels of pesticides. However, the harmful side effects of Coca-Cola were not the main objection of the product on the university campuses; the allegations of the anti-union practices in Columbia and the environmental damage they have caused in India were central oppositions. Dan Glass, the president of Sussex Universitys students union explained, Our ultimate goal is to make Coca-Cola accountable for the crimes it has committed, but by banning all its products from the campus, we can hit them where it hurts most in the wallet. As Glass is leading the charge, other universities, including Middlesex, Leeds, Portsmouth and the University of East Anglia, are planning to remove Coca- Cola products from their campuses. Although this is a small fraction of the profit that Coca-Cola makes, it is still effective in raising awareness of Coca-Colas true nature. Coca-Cola operates fifty-two water-intensive bottling plants in India, which contribute to the already persistent drought problem in the region. This is a concern as in the majority of the towns that Coca-Cola operates, the primary industry is farming. Obviously, in farming, water is necessary to the vitality of the crops and in having a successful harvest. After several large protests, the local government revoked Coca-Colas license to operate last year and ordered the company to shut down its $25 million plant. In other regions, several thousand people took part in a ten day march in 2004 between two Coca-Cola bottling plants thought to be depleting groundwater. The leader of the India Resource Center and organizer of the protests, Nandlal Master, believes that drinking Coke is like drinking a farmers blood in India, nd that Coca-Cola is creating thirst in India, and is directly responsible for the loss of livelihood and even hunger for thousands of people across India. Residents of the region are subjected to live in unhealthy and deadly conditions manufactured by Coca-Cola and the negative effects that they have on the environment. However, groundwater isnt the only issue that people of India are forced to deal with; Coca- Cola was also creating sludge which was found to be contaminated with several cancerous chemical elements. The sludge that was created by the manufacturing and bottling of Coca-Cola was ound to be extremely toxic and hazardous. Instead of Coca-Cola disposing of the sludge as toxic material, they distributed it as fertilizer to the surrounding farmers, telling them that it would help to increase their crops. However, in 2003, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India assessed the sludge at eight Coca-Cola bottling plants and found them all to contain excessive levels of lead, cadmium, and/ or chromium. As a result, the CPCB ordered the Coca-Cola Company in India to treat ts waste as industrial hazardous waste and deal wit n it accordingly. In addition to he investigation by the CPCB, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also sent in an investigatory team directly to a bottling plant in Plachimada in Kerala where it was known that they were distributing the toxic sludge to farmers as fertilizer. As a result of their findings, government authorities ordered Coca-Cola to immediately stop this practice. In the reports issued by the BBC, they found that the toxic sludge had not only ruined the crops of the farmers, but had also contaminated the groundwater. After the findings and reports that were issued in 2003, Coca-Cola has continued to how blatant disregard for the environmental rules and regulations and continue to operate with impunity. The plant did not disclose the amount of hazardous waste being used and generated, as required by the Supreme Court of India for all industrial units in India that deal with hazardous waste. As a result of all of these findings, Coca-Colas operations are being challenged by various communities across India that are being directly affected, as well as the international community. Amit Srivastava of the India Resource Center best describes the actions the company as he xplained, The Coca-Cola Company is announcing to the world that it is an environmentally responsible company, and it has partnered with UN agencies and NGOs to paint a pretty green picture of itself but] it is littered with toxic waste and a complete disregard and destruction of the way of life as many people in rural India know it. Because of the long history of violation of environmental laws and regulations, the Coca-Cola plants should be shut down in India until they improve their plants to meet the federal codes and regulations that have been issued by the Indian government. Until then, the Central Pollution Control Board and other agencies dealing with water and land have been asked to investigate the pollution at the Sinhachawar bottling plant immediately. The villagers have also taken matters into their own hands by showing strong opposition through protests across India. Over a thousand villagers protested at Coca-Colas north India headquarters demanding that the company take immediate actions to clean up its act in India. Nandlal Master, leader of the campaign against Coca-Cola believes that access to water is a fundamental human right and the Coca-Cola company is denying this right o thousands of people across India, and vows that he and his supporters will continue to campaign until people across India can live free of the abuses being perpetrated by these companies. The operations of Coca-Cola in India are truly a violation of environmental laws, human rights, and show deliberate disregard for any sort of ethical practice. This type of behavior must be stopped; through actions by the local villagers, along with the support that they have generated in the international community, it is now only a matter of time before Coca-Cola is brought to Justice. In addition to the findings of this research team and the violations found in India, an independent magazine called Ethical Consumer Magazine ranked Coca-Cola at the bottom of their ethos-core table that rates soft drinks on ethical principles, with a score of three out of twenty. They were found to be in direct violation of all twelve categories, which include: Environmental Reporting, Pollution and Toxics, Habitats Resources, Other Animal Rights, Human Rights, Workers Rights, Supply Chain Policy, Irresponsible Marketing, Genetic Engineering, Boycott Call, Political Activities, and Anti-Social Finance. These ethos-core categories are designed to help users quickly and easily identify the best ethical products to support and the worst companies to avoid. Coca-Cola is in fact one of the companies that people should avoid for their unethical practices. Despite their efforts to appear as a company who cares and actively seeks to improve the environment, they continually seem to lack in evidence that they actually execute their own environmental policies. Ata shareholders meeting in 2006, Coca-Cola claimed that their rainwater harvesting programs have aused lush green agricultural conditions in areas and that they have provided employment in areas of high unemployment. Because of this reason, they call themselves the savior of water, but when questioned about the true benefits of their programs, they sat in silence. The reason for their silence is because the rainwater harvesting program falls short compared to their negative effects. When looking at the facts of a single bottling plant in MehdiganJ, a major protested site in India, Coca- Cola withdraws over 180 million liters of water annually and their rainwater arvesting program recharges only 10 million liters a year; these are numbers that are presented by Coke. Their responses to these allegations were that water cannot be created nor destroyed and that there was no water shortage in the area. However, at the time, the local government in MehdiganJ and other blocks in the neighborhood had already announced water levels to be critical and banned withdrawal of water from larger bore wells. The attempt of Coke to spin their deliberate environmental rights violations is evidence enough that they were participating in unethical practices. Their extreme disregard for the environment is only one facet of Cokes unethical practices the other is maj or human rights violations across the globe. Coca-Cola attempted to disprove these findings by hiring two different independent inquiries who without surprise found that there was no evidence to support the allegations. Nevertheless, the findings of these two independent groups were not enough to convince corporate accountability International (CA) who held a press conference later that same year highlighting the unethical behavior of Coca-Cola. They found Coca-Cola to be in violation of draining he water tables in communities that were already dealing with problems in accessing clean water and violence towards protesters of the corporation. A representative from the Minnesota chapter of Association for India Development said that he had been at the site of the first protests in MehdiganJ where security personnel from Coca-Cola had attacked women who were part of a non-violent rally, resulting in serious injuries and broken heads. But the violence towards the protesters was not the only serious violation that Coca-Cola was committing, the Coca-Cola plant in MehdiganJ was built illegally on land owned by the village. The causes for the protests were because the villagers wanted equal rights as well as their land back from Coca-Cola. The citizens of the small communities and villages in the surrounding areas of the bottling plants of Coca-Cola have continually been oppressed and refused their basic human rights. The conduct of Coca-Cola must be stopped. Coca-Cola has continued to violate environmental and human rights t throughout India as well as in Columbia and shows no signs of attempting to reform their operations in either country in order to abide by federal regulations. The only way to

Key functions and roles of the top management, middle and first

Infoscape Technologies Infoscape Technologies is a novel technology firm focusing on the hospitality industry in the UAE region. It focuses on providing software solutions to the hospitality industry. Mainly, it provided solutions in Guest Incident Management, HR administration, concierge management system, and Hotel Service Optimization System. Vinod Philip, who is currently the CEO, started the company in 2008. The company has several middle level managers, director of sales, project manager, HR and financial officer.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Key functions and roles of the top management, middle and first-line management of Infoscape Technologies and Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The CEO is the overall manager in charge of the operations of the company. The CEO is responsible for strategic leadership in the company. The CEO, in collaboration with other senio r level managers, has the task of devising policies for implementation within the company. Since its inception in 2009, the company has grown in many dimensions; this includes an increase in the customer base and an increase in program outputs. The CEO offers guidance in what products the company distributes from other companies and sets targets for the percentage of products the company will market under its own brand. The number of high-level collaborations has increased as well as the output of Infoscape branded products. The CEO maintains discretionary authority on decisions concerning which products the company markets from outside. The CEO also represents the company in industry conventions, within and outside UAE. The CEO receives reports on the progress of the company form the different departments and charts new course for the company. He also provides decisions on expansions; for example the decisions to expand to India. The other mid-level manager is the project manager. The project manager is in charge of all projects undertaken by the company. The company deals with installation and maintenances of software solutions in the hospitality industry; consequently, all the functions of installation and maintenances fall under the office of the project manager. The projects manager oversees the implementation of projects related to varied technology products. This includes presales, execution, training, project management, and support. All the activities pertaining to customer satisfaction fall under this office. The project manager has duties comprising of designing, instituting, and evaluating the progress of projects. She is in charge of monitoring the productivity and motivation of her workers. She also handles customer complains concerning the company products or products marketed by the company. The director of sales deals with all marketing activities in the firm, which includes both the company brands and external brands. The manager has the char ge of overseeing effective collaboration between his company and other company in marketing partnerships. He furnishes the CEO with information regarding the market requirements and recommend solution products. He has to keep the sales personnel motivated and productive. The other managers assume the roles designed for their departments in the same manner.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More First-line managers include the assistant technical consultant, Robson Correa, and the personnel manager. The assistant technical consultant answers to the project director and is responsible for the providing consultation to company staff working in various projects. The personnel manager oversees the welfare of company personnel. This includes workstation transportations, complaints, leave, and general employee issues. STC STC is a Saudi-based organization dealing in telecommunication s. It was established in 1998. It operates through five operations units dealing in voice calls, data, internet, business, and mobile services. It has 21,190 employees and a market capitalization of SAR 79.8 billion (Zawya, 2012). In 2011, the STC publicized its new organizational structure. The structure comprised of divisions descriptive of KSA Operations, Strategic Operations, and Technical Operations. The Group CEO, Group VP for Shared Services, CEO for Strategic Operations, Group CEO for Technical Operations, and CEO of Saudi Operations provide headship to the company. The next level of management comprises of VPs in charge of Wholesale, Finance Saudi Arabia, Informational Technology, Home Services, Network, Strategic Affairs, Enterprise Services, Human Capital, Regulatory Affairs, and Personal Services. The third level of managers includes the project managers in all the divisions represented by the vice presidents (Zawya, 2012). The top-level management consists of four perso ns proving oversight to all sectors of the company. They provide guidance to the multinational operations on the company. Their functions include setting standards for the company on the three key sectors of the company and making top-level management decisions. They also evaluate the structure of the organization to ensure that is consistent with company orientation. The second level of management, consisting of the VPs for various subsectors, is responsible for the actual operation decisions in the organization. They cooperatively design strategies for the progress of the company in line with the goals established by the top management and the board of governors. They have the task of running their subsectors to ensure optimum productivity. The middle level directors consult with project managers to address the issue of motivation, qualifications, and job satisfaction. They interpret the goals of the company in terms of their sectors and communicate them to the first-line managers .Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Key functions and roles of the top management, middle and first-line management of Infoscape Technologies and Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They receive and evaluate reports on the progress of their divisions and make appropriate recommendations. Finally, they report to the top management on the progress in their sub sectors. The product managers have the task of disseminating company policies and goals to non-managerial staff. They translate these policies into actual tasks that the personnel under them will accomplish. They report to their immediate supervisors. They monitor the productivity of the works and make appropriate decisions. Advantages and disadvantages of their organization structures Infoscape follows a line-discipline organizational structure. This means that divisions arise from the different roles carried by the mi ddle level managers. Command flows, in most cases, from the top. However, the middle level managers aid in the decision-making by furnishing the CEO with the relevant information. Policies developed from the top management eventually reach the last rank among the employees. This arrangement has several advantages. It is the simplest method of administration, since the centers of command are easily identifiable and recognizable. Superior-subordinate relationships persist, and the organization follows a top-bottom chain of command, which results in harmony of command. There are fewer chances of miscommunication and conflicts. Since the command flows from only one direction, then all the personnel will be following similar directions, thus, reducing chances of confusion and conflict. This organizational structure also presents the advantage of instituting better discipline throughout the organization (Murphy Willmott, 2010).. The lines of authority are clearly identifiable, since auth ority lies in the hands of several individuals. Therefore, confusions in terms of the leadership guidance do not exist, leading to improved discipline. This is possible through unified control. Another advantage is fixed responsibility. Each of the line executives bears set authority, power and duties. Duties are properly separable, and there is no confusion or overlapping of roles. This breeds better relationships among managers in the same level, since there are few chances of conflict. Improved relationships may translate to increased productivity. This organizational structure also results in flexibility. The coordination between top and bottom authority bears an advantage. Since the line executives have clear tasks and responsibilities, they are free to make decisions on things within their dockets. This is especially helpful in the technology industry where new developments occur often, and flexibility is essential. Apart from enabling the organization to capitalize on the fle xibility, it also increases the satisfaction of lower level managers. When they are able to engage in independent decisions, they are more likely to be proud of their work. Additionally, the fact that responsibility is fixed enables the making of apt decisions. During critical times, the absence of the need for elaborate consultations makes decisions making prompt.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the model poses a variety of challenges. For example, it provides for the organization over reliance on certain individuals discretion on all issues. Since authority runs from top to bottom, the same line officials are the one s that provides decisions (Murphy Willmott, 2010). This may pose a danger to the company and may result to redundancy. If the top management is misinformed, the whole organization takes a wrong direction, which may ruin the company. Another problem presented by the model is the lack of utilization of specialized knowledge. The possible contributions from numerous personnel with expertise in a field do not benefit the company. Inputs by others apart from line managers are not utilized. This may lead to lack of fresh ideas and discontent among employees. The structure also endangers communication. Policies and decisions pass from the top to the bottom, which leaves no channel for communication from the bottom up. This has serious and detrimental effect s to the organization. When the officials take inappropriate decisions, the lack of coordination makes the chances of correcting the decisions minimal. The feedback on the decisions may not reach the top management, denying them the chance to improve them or correct mistakes in the future. This also results in disgruntled employees. Additionally, it is possible for executives to misuse their authority designated to them. STC utilizes a matrix structure within the organization. The model reflects environmental intricacies in the organization. It values the importance of customer groups, products, geography, and functions. In this structure, operational decisions do not lie with the functional managers, but with the project managers. This is consistent with a decentralized management style, relegating management decisions to professional unit leaders (Murphy Willmott, 2010). These units have professional tasks requiring the timely responses in times of environmental demands. It also works well with product market variations, technological variations, elevations in regulative and competitive pressures. This form has numerous rewards. The structure attains coordination imperative in meeting demand from the customers, environment, and varied regions. Because the model recognizes the importance the preceding aspects in the success of the company, the model allows management to tailor products addressing all the above factors. The model emphasizes the collaboration within the organization. This makes sharing of human resources across varied products possible. The structure is appropriate for a company in telecommunications where changes are frequent, and the environment is unstable (Murphy Willmott, 2010).. In such situations, decisions are bound to be complex. It is especially helpful in nurturing the company’s orientation towards a Lead Strategy. The fact that operational decisions lie within professional units, it provides opportunities for those personne l to increase functional skills and develop their careers. This results to happy employees, thus, increasing productivity. The model also has its limitations. This includes misunderstanding and frustration resulting from duo authority. This arises if the top managers have not precisely separated the duties. The success of this structure depends on effective communication skills between different players within the organization. This requires extensive training for the collaborating personnel. Additionally, due to the level of collaboration involved, the model necessitates frequent meetings and conflict resolution sessions. This might be time consuming and pricey (Murphy Willmott, 2010). It requires the first line managers adapting collegial relations instead of vertical relations. These relations may be hard to attain, though its success is dependent on them. The chains of command, span of control and organizational culture of the organizations Infoscape Technologies utilizes a con siderably centralized management structure. In Infoscape technologies, there are relatively fewer executives compared to the other company. Consequently, the roles of the managers are numerous and concentrated. All the mid-level managers report to the CEO. This includes the director of sales, the project manager, and the HR manager. The middle level managers meet the CEO once a week to deliver reports on the progress at various fronts. The CEO is largely inaccessible to the other personnel. The first line managers report to the managers in charge of their departments. For example, the technical consultant reports to the project director. If, for example, the technical consultant has issues requiring redress, the only channel accessible to him is through the immediate supervisor, the project manager. Therefore, decision-making power is intense at the top level, with the CEO. The middle level managers have all the operating authority, while the lower rank managers receive directions a nd act, mostly, following orders from the manager above them. The middle level managers exercise substantial independence in duties allocated to them. Their roles span wide across numerous issues. Within the company, there is deep reverence for authority. Authority is unquestionable, but opinions are raised following protocol. There is minimal emphasis on the nature of relationships between staff. The company does not sponsor and provide activities designed to increase cohesion among employees. Of importance, is to report to one’s duty station and complete assigned tasks. The STC structure is comprised of divisions descriptive of KSA Operations, Strategic Operations, and Technical Operations. Therefore, the Group CEO, Group Vice President for Shared Services, Group CEO for Strategic Operations, Group CEO for Technical Operations, and CEO of Saudi Operations are the company leaders. The group CEO and the three sector executives provide overall guidance to the company. They con trol the operations of the entire organization; nevertheless, they only formulate guiding principles and policies, and not actual operational guidelines. They coordinate the activities of the functional managers. The next level of management comprises of VPs in charge of Wholesale, Finance Saudi Arabia, Informational Technology, Home Services, Network, Strategic Affairs, Enterprise Services, Human Capital, Regulatory Affairs, and Personal Services. The third level of managers includes the deputies in all the divisions represented by the VPs. These managers report to the four top-level managers. They also get directions from them, but also provide feedback concerning policies. These functional level managers coordinate among themselves satisfying the purposes of the company. Each of the functional managers has other product managers under him/her. These product managers are the one indirect contact with project staff. They receive their directions for the functional managers, and the y also give feedback on the policies and directions handed down to them. The product managers design actual activities and make decisions regarding the projects under their jurisdiction. The organization emphasizes collaboration amid diverse sectors to ensure the championing of company interests. Therefore, meetings and numerous and common and casual relationships are encouraged, especially, among the functional managers. Communication between managers and the people under them does not follow the manager-subordinate manner. Instead, communication is encouraged to facilitate feedback. Sincerity and integrity is encouraged, especially in reporting. Proper communication means are at the core of the practices within the organization. Variation in nature and emphasis of the key roles of the top managers in the organizations The emphasis and nature of managerial roles differ significantly between the two companies. For example, the role of the CEOs in the two companies differs significan tly. The CEO of Infoscape provides executive authority for the entire organization. His decisions are largely unquestionable and are not necessarily dependent on the opinions of the other managers. Both CEOs have the functions of providing guidance to their organization, evaluating standards, supervising and guiding staff, but the way these functions are done differ significantly. The CEO at Infoscape relies more on his intuition and expertise compared to the CEO of STC. The CEO of STC is firsts surrounded by three sector leaders in charge of the three main sectors of the company. The CEO, therefore, has no direct control on any of the sectors. His duty is to ensure coordination at the senior level. Therefore, he relies more on the information and counsel provided by other managers at the top level than the Infoscape CEO does. At infoscape, managerial positions emanate from the expertise required by the various operations of the company. Furthermore, the roles of managers are divisi ble along succinct lines. The managers have the duties of making executive decisions offering directions to those directly below them. Managers are supposed to be in control of all decisions going on in their departments. The emphasis is for managers to be in control of their departments, and achieve the targets and goals set for them by the top management. Cooperation among managers at the same level is not a serious concern as long as each manager does his/her duty. The roles of managers in the organization are to analyze the progress of their departments, comparing with the set targets, and chart the course while incorporating executive directions. Participation of lower level employees receives insignificant emphasis. At STC, the next level of senior managers includes the VPs for different divisions. These managers are functional managers. They roles are to assign personnel to various projects rather that making decisions concerning the projects. They nature of their work revolv es around coordinating among themselves. Their main duties are not to make decisions directly affecting projects, but to provide advisory expertise as required. A great deal of their work revolves around holding collaborative meeting. The results of these meetings are communicated in both directions. They are communicated to the top management and to the project managers. This differs with the roles of managers at Infoscape where managers make decisions concerning their projects and communication is mainly only one way, to the subordinate staff. At Infoscape, there is less coordination among managers, and usually, managers make decisions within their departments with little regard to those of the other managers, as long as they are in line with company policy. Another difference arises in the role of lower level employees. At STC, these employees receive significant autonomy in their work. They have a greater leeway in making decisions regarding their work. This is different from th e Infoscape scenario. At Infoscape, the main role of low-level employees is to follow protocol and obey orders delivered by the managers. Therefore, significant variances arise in the roles of managers within the two organizations. These variations arise in nature and emphasis of the roles of managers. At SCT managers collaborate more and exercise more oversight roles while, at Infoscape, the role of managers is to make decisions, mostly independently, concerning their projects. References Murphy, D. J., Willmott, H. (2010). Organization theory and design. Hampshire, UK: Cengage Learning. Zawya. (2012). Company profiles. Retrieved from https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/stock/1000038/saudi-telecom-company/7010.SE/ This assessment on Key functions and roles of the top management, middle and first-line management of Infoscape Technologies and Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) was written and submitted by user Emmanuel H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Micromax Market Mix Essays

Micromax Market Mix Essays Micromax Market Mix Essay Micromax Market Mix Essay The mobile phone market in India is worth 130 million handsets annually. While the big boys like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola and Sony Ericsson make up for 70% share, the market has of late seen a slew of domestic firms such as Micromax, Karbonn and Intex making large inroads and new established brands like Videocon and Onida entering the field. Among the domestic firms, one of the most promising brand is Micromax. Micromax is known to be one of the leading Indian Telecom companies that have 23 domestic offices located all over the county along with International offices. With a futuristic vision and an exhaustive RD at its helm, Micromax has successfully generated innovative technologies that have revolutionized the telecom consumer space. Though the company made its humble beginning by introducing Micromax Mobiles in the year 1991 but at present it is giving a tough competition to all its competitors in the field. The company is known to be a leading provider in the country for wireless technology solutions. Latest technological advancements are used by the company to bring landmark solutions for the users in the mobile world and to create a niche for itself. There are many â€Å"first† to the credit list of Micromax. The company’s vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and efficient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. A Brief History of the Company Few years ago, when Vikas Jain’s firm was delivering computer printers and monitors across India, he saw first-hand how pervasive Nokia had become and also observed that When Nokia or Samsung roll out a new model they do so from its global portfolio rather than launching something specifically for India and Despite Nokia’s dominance, the Indian mobile-phone market was far from being saturated. Jain saw his chance, who set up the company in 1990s along with three friends from engineering collegeRahul Sharma, Rajesh Agarwal and Sumeet Kumar, all of whom are in their mid-30s to early 40s. Micromax, started operations in 1991 as an embedded software design firm, but was incorporated as a company in 1998, when it branched out as a distributor of computer peripherals such as printers, monitors, scanners from manufacturers such as LG, Sony Inc. , Dell Corp. Though Micromax made its debut in 1991 but it presence has been felt majorly in few previous years. Serious developments and rise was seen in the year of 2008 when the company entered Indian Cell phone handsets market. Company entered market in March 2008 in which it had a market share of meager 0. 59% average. Though the company made its humble beginning by introducing Micromax Mobiles in the year 1991 but at present it is giving a tough competition to all its competitors in the field. Company overview Micromax is a telecommunications company based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets. Micromax has 23 domestic offices across the country and international offices in Hong Kong, USA, Dubai and now in Nepal. Micromax is the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller in India as at March 31, 2010 after Nokia and Samsung. Micromax, as they claim on the company’s website, is on a mission to successfully overcome the technological barriers and constantly engender â€Å"life enhancing solutions†. The company’s vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and efficient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the country, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year With young enthusiasts as its anchor, Micromax Informatics Limited has created a niche for itself in the telecommunication industry. Micromax ventured into the telecommunication industry with an end-to-end solution of Fixed Wireless Devices and Wireless Data Cards. In the year 2008, after delivering upon the technology of fixed wireless-powering desired products, the company forayed into one of the most predominant genres of telecommunication Mobile handsets. Since then Micromax has received commendable response for its unique and interesting handsets. Today Micromax has become a brand which people relate and look up to for realizing their individual device preferences and other out-of- the-box solutions. The Marketing Mix for the company Marketing is one of the most important part in any company’s growth. The growth of Micromax is due to the strong marketing strategy of the company. Micromax Inc. has seen some serious rise in market share in few years. Micromax is the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller in India as at March 31, 2010. On March 31, 2010 the company registered the market share of 6. 24% for that quarter, which grew from 0. 59% in September, 2008. Micromax became the fastest growing mobile brand in India for the fiscal year 2009-10. Handset sales have grown by 123. 48% from 1. 5 million units in the quarter ended June 30, 2009 to 2. 57 million units in the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Micromax also sells data cards to service providers in India which includes Indias leading operators like AirTel and BSNL. Recently Micromax has launched their first Android mobile Micromax Andro A60 in India for a cheaper price tag than the competing models. The major m arketing management decisions can be classified in one of the following four categories: Product, Price, Place (distribution), Promotion. These variables are known as the marketing mix or the 4 Ps of marketing. They are the variables that marketing managers can control in order to best satisfy customers in the target market and the firm attempted to generate a positive response in the target market by blending these four marketing mix variables in an optimal manner Product The product is the physical product or service offered to the consumer. In the case of physical products, it also refers to any services or conveniences that are part of the offering. Product decisions include aspects such as function, appearance, packaging, service, warranty, etc. Unlike many challenger brands, Micromax was careful in its product strategy. Although all Micromax products were towards the lower end of the pricing spectrum, the brand was focusing on adding more features at a reasonable price. Micromax has currently around 75 mobile sets in the market. The focus was more on value than price, that value orientation with a clear differentiation was a significant factor that aided the significant growth of this brand in Indian market. The company in their website claims to have invested heavily in the product development. The brand boasts of launching many firsts in the market like Handsets with 30 days battery backup Handsets with Dual SIM / Dual Standby Handsets Switching Networks (GSM CDMA) using gravity sensors Aspiration Qwerty Keypad Handsets Operator Branded 3G Handsets OMH CDMA Handsets, etc. Micromax recently ventured into the telecommunication industry with an end-to-end solution of Fixed Wireless Devices and Wireless Data Cards. In the year 2008, after delivering upon the technology of fixed wireless-powering desired products, the company forayed into one of the most predominant genres of telecommunication – Mobile handsets. Since then Micromax has received commendable response for its unique and interesting handsets. Innovation, Cost-Effective, Credible and an Insightful RD are given high emphasis at Micromax in the telecom vertical. Price The product and price go hand in hand for any company, that mean if there is a product there must be price and vice versa. Pricing decisions should take into account profit margins and the probable pricing response of competitors. Pricing includes not only the list price, but also discounts, financing, and other options such as leasing. All Micromax products were towards the lower end of the pricing spectrum . These mobile phones generally good features in an affordable price that mean value for price. Some of the mobile sets are noted below. The new Micromax X414 is a large 2. 8-inch Touch Screen mobile phone 2. 0 MP Camera FM Radio/Recorder/Scheduler Multi Format Audio and video Player Expandable Memory (upto 4GB) Bluetooth with A2DP Theft Tracker GPRS/WAP/MMS Price: The new Micromax X414 touch screen mobile phone price in India us Rs. 5, 500 Micromax X117 key features: Dual SIM GSM (GSM+GSM) FM Radio Up to 15 hours talk-time Up to 30 days standby time expandable memory up to 8GB Color TFT display screen The new Micromax X117 mobile phone is available in India at price of Rs. ,490 Price of Micromax Q1 mobile is Rs. 2550/- Price of Micromax C112 mobile is Rs. 1,600/- Micromax H360 The price in India of the new Micromax H360 3G mobile phone is Rs. 5, 500 . It will only be available with the MTNL connection. Micromax x800. 2. 8-inch Touch-Screen 8MP Camera(Auto Focus) Xenon Flash Smile Detect 262K Colors GPRS/WAP/MMS MP3 Player Theft Tracker Bluetooth with A2DP Expan dable Memory Pict-Bridge PHB Import/Export TV Out Price and availability: The new Micromax X800 mobile phone is available in India at price of around Rs. 3,000. From the above data it is clear that Micromax is clearly providing value for money. All its products are having high feature in a comparatively low and affordable price. How did Micromax, which started off barely three years ago, grow to be the third-largest handset maker? Analysts say Indian firms have benefited from the price sensitivity of the market. Most Micromax models cost less than Rs 5,000. â€Å"Lower price points with similar features as that of a Nokia or a Samsung are driving Micromax’s growth,† says Anubhuti Belgaonkar, telecom managing analyst at Ovum India. Place (distribution) Place (or placement) decisions are those associated with channels of distribution that serve as the means for getting the product to the target customers. The distribution system performs transactional, logistical, and facilitating functions. Distribution decisions include market coverage, channel member selection, logistics, and levels of service. It was in 2008 that Micromax ventured into the mobile handset market. The brand wanted to create a base before taking on the large players. Hence as a go-to- market strategy, Micromax concentrated on the rural market first. It was a different move altogether since most of the marketers tend to concentrate on the urban markets then move to the rural markets. One of the major aspects that contribute towards the substantial monthly growth of Micromax is its 80% sales in the rural areas. Micromax launched its first phone in the rural market with a very unique USP- 30 days battery standby time. The brand was launched from a consumer insight that most of the rural households do not get enough electricity to recharge phones on a daily basis. Hence a phone with a 30 day battery standby would be a worthwhile differentiation. The first product was a big success. The first product Micromax X1i priced at Rs 2150 was lapped up by rural market. The success of X1i encouraged the company to go aggressively into the market. But tapping the rural market is not an easy task. There is severe logistics pressure in servicing these markets. One of the first things that Micromax did was to establish the distribution network. According to a report in Forbes India (March 5, 2010), Micromax created a distribution network comprising of 34 super distributors, 450 distributors and around 55,000 retailers. The brand could also take advantage of the inroads made by other brands into advantage. One of the highlight of their distribution strategy was that Micromax managed to make these dealers pay in advance by offering them more margins. Marketers will vouch that the most difficult part in managing distribution is the payment collection part. According to the news report, Micromax managed this hurdle through this strategy of more margins for advance payment. It is not a new strategy to offer such kind of discounts for advance payments (cash discounts), but to make a retailer accept such an offer is indeed a remarkable feat. One of The distribution strategies for long-term dominance adopted by the company is expansion into international markets. In fact, Micromax has already set up shops in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and is looking forward to launch operations in the Middle-East in August 2010. As company officials say, Africa and Latin America will then follow. Many are aware that Micromax entered the handset market only two years back, but many dont know that it had already ventured into the distribution business six years before it even thought of betting big on handsets. They already had a B2B business in place, which gave them an automatic exposure to market truths and psychology of the consumers. This helped them understand what the market would desire in their handset. Developing an edge on the distribution front is also what the top honchos at Micromax worked on to succeed in India. The prime reason for this was to reach out to the non-connected rural and smaller locations, which were still untouched by rivals. The company also paid great attention to keep their channel partners pleased, up and running. With the system in place, it was not long when the company entered in the urban market through phones like the Q2, which marked Micromaxs entry into the QWERTY category. With an attractive price tag of just Rs. 4,000, it became a runaway hit (as at that time Nokia’s QWERTY range started at a price point of Rs. 12,000). By changing the rules of the game, Micromax has indeed developed a short term sustainable competitive advantage. In January, TA Associates, a mid-market private equity firm, invested $45 million (Rs 208 crore) to buy a minority stake in the firm. â€Å"As a fast-growing, profitable company in a growth industry, Micromax fits TA’s investment profile,† says Naveen Wadhera, director at TA Associates. Jain and Sharma plan to use this fund as a war chest to beat off competition as Micromax grows. The company is already present in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and it plans to have footprints in Nigeria by the end of April, and in Brazil by the second week of May. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the country, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year and the company also plans to open around 100 exclusive stores in coming years. Promotion Promotion decisions are those related to communicating and selling to potential consumers. Since these costs can be large in proportion to the product price, a break- even analysis should be performed when making promotion decisions. It is useful to know the value of a customer in order to determine whether additional customers are worth the cost of acquiring them. Promotion decisions involve advertising, public relations, media types, etc Advertising is the one of the biggest tool to development of integrated marketing communication. So the Micromax uses IMC tools to promote the product and build the strong image of the brand in the consumers mind. Integrated Marketing Communication ( IMC) is the practice of unifying all marketing communication tools so the send a consist, persuasive massage promoting company goals. The following tools of IMC are being used by Micromax: Events and experiences For marketing of its products the company is riding on two enduring Indian obsessions–sports and films–to build its brand. Following up on its association with the popular Twenty20 cricket Indian Premier League (IPL), Micromax, a brand that is less than three years old, has become the title sponsor of almost all tournaments and series of which India is a p art, including the recently concluded Asia Cup. The objective behind the cricket â€Å"roadblock†, as such behavior is termed in advertising, is to drive brand awareness and recall. The company believes that while cricket may boost a brand instantly, viewers may still not remember the brand after the match or the tournament. Even if consumers remember a series, they may not remember the advertisers. That’s when they thought of a roadblock and decided to sponsor all cricketing properties post IPL. It was one of the principal sponsors of the South Africa VS India ODI series in 2010. According to a survey the company has shown a makeable growth in its business after sponsoring the recent India and southafrica match (refer the fig) Bollywood is also a major platform for the brand, which is targeting consumers between 18 and 27 years. Bollywood’s most bankable star Akshay Kumar was signed on as the brand ambassador six months ago. More recently, his wife Twinkle Khanna was engaged to promote Micromax’s bling phone that comes with Swarovski crystals and a vanity mirror. To push its association with films, the firm also sponsored the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards held in Sri Lanka, where Micromax recently launched its phones. The brand is now ready to enter Bangladesh and West Asia. Advertising Broadcast media Micromax use television to broadcast their advertisements. Apart from using cricket, films, celebrity Micromax also advertise through news papers. They also utilize hoarding and bill boards to advertise their products. Prime site recently kicked off a month-long campaign for Micromax mobile phones in Delhi, executed mostly through hoardings. Going further, this promotion will be extended to the other regions of northern India as well. The city of launch was Delhi to start with, and post which they did the launch in Patna and Jaipur. Indore is next in line. There are more cities where the campaign will be launched in the near future for which we would be briefed accordingly. All the Medias used by Micromax are very carefully selected as to reach its target audience and through each medium the innovative aspect of the product is portrayed. Besides the focus on product development, Micromax has invested heavily in brand building. The following table shows the companies spending in media for FY. 09-10 Handset Companies: Media Spends (Apr 09- Mar’10) | |Handset marquees | |Spends Rs Cr | | | | | |TV | |Radio | |Print | |Total | | | |  Ã‚  Nokia Corporation | |266 |10 | |126 | |401 | | | |  Ã‚  Samsung India Electronics Ltd | |162 | |0 | |50 | |212 | | | |  Ã‚  LG Electronics India Ltd | |74 | |4 | |28 | |106 | | | |  Ã‚  Spice Mobiles Ltd | |63 | |1 | |37 | |101 | | | |  Ã‚  Micromax Informatics Ltd | |35 | |1 | |12 | |48 | | |   Ã‚  Karbonn Mobiles | |16 | |0 | |25 | |40 | | | |  Ã‚  Videocon Industries Ltd | |21 | |0 | |14 | |34 | | | |  Ã‚  Sony Ericsson (India) | |13 | |2 | |15 | |30 | | | |  Ã‚  Lava International Ltd | |20 | |1 | |7 | |28 | | | |  Ã‚  Maxx Mobile Communications | |13 | |0 | |14 | |27 | | | |Total handsets category | |766 | |22 | |402 | |1190 | | | | | Source draftfcbulkacomstrat. com/about_comstrat2010. html Most of the brand promotion for Micromax is centered on products. The ads are for individual products highlighting the product features and USPs. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Micromax is currently the third-largest GSM vendor in the Indian market, with a share of 8. 1%, perhaps just a few notches behind Samsung who at the second position has 10. 4% control, as per market reports. [Nokia with 52. 7% share is the number 1 vendor]. Micromax has been selling anywhere around a million handsets every month, for the past year, and as company officials state, it has earned about Rs. 15 billion in revenues during the past year. So here’s something to digest – going by the numbers, the Indian handset market is estimated to have sold about 130 million handsets units in the last calendar year alone, which implies, that if we were to consider just the sales during the past 12 months, Micromax has a market share of 9. 3%, much closer (as compared to the previously stated 8. 1%) to the 10. 4% share of Samsung! And there is a lot more to be had from a handset market that currently, only has a tele-density of 49. 5% and has supposedly clocked a turnover of over Rs. 200 billion over last year. Little wonder, that many global bigwigs like Nokia, Samsung, LG Sony Ericsson have time and again referred to India as one of their key markets. But with great opportunities, come greater challenges, and the same is true for the Once, Micromax was a challenger; today it is also being challenged by many entrants like Karbonn, Lava, Maxx, Intex, Lemon, Gee Pee, Videocon, Usha Lexus, Orpat, Airfone and many more. Consumers’ feedback analysis As per the study conducted in the market taking a random sample of around 40 people the following points are found regarding the acceptance of Micromax mobile in the market. More than 70% people are interested to buy Micromax due to its cheap price. While 65-70 % are happy with the value for price of the mobile, 25-30 % still need some more additional feature like torch, additional ear phone etc. Around 25% are still unaware of the brand. And 20-30% still believes the brand is not good as compare to Nokia or Samsung may be due to no advertisement by the company regarding brand. More than 40% people are not happy with the information provided with the mobile at the time of purchase. Many people complain about the reach ability (coverage) of the mobile, as per them they have to move around 30 to 40 Km in order to get a mobile of Micromax. But the most and very important accept of the survey that almost all the customers are not happy with the post sales service provided by the company. And many of the people are quite confused with the meaning of the tag line of the company i. e. Nothing like anything. Distributors’ feedback analysis From another survey that had been conducted over 10 dealers/retailers regarding the acceptance of the mobile in the market as pre the selling point of view, the following points were being founded. All most all dealers/retailers are happy to sell Micromax mobile due to its increasing demand Many dealers/retailers are happy with the margin rate in the product. While many of the dealers/retailers are ok with the offers and promotion of the product almost all complain about the unavailability of the product to meet the demand in time. Some of the dealers/retailers want to have some extra commotion or margin to be applied by the company who used to sell some more no of unit as compare to other. Though they agree that it is steel behind from companies like nokia and Samsung in terms of brand name and post sales service still they appreciate the way the company is growing and trying to solve the issues SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis of the company is as follow: Strengths The following are the strengths of the company ? Latest technological advancements ? Innovative technologies. ? Mobiles having 30 day battery life ? Affordable QWERTY phones ? Affordable Double Sims phones ? Has 23 domestic offices ? More than 40,000 stores of Micromax all over the country ? a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy ? High penetration into rural market ? Mobiles specially designed according to Indian market Weaknesses’ No corporate brand building campaign. ? Confusing tagline. ? Low brand image as compare to nokia. ? Poor after sales service with just 450 service centers in the country. ? Fewer products targeting high end customers. Opportunities There is a huge opportunity there in the market for the company as the Indian mobile market is quit price sensitive and growing in a grate pace. The company with its new and innovative ideas and with value for price strategy can really do well in this market having heavy potential Threats Though there is a huge potential in the Indian market for mobile phone the competition is also getting tougher day by day new player entering the market. Earlier there were fewer companies like Nokia, Samsung, and LG etc but now there are around 72 companies which provide mobiles in the countries among them some are also have good brand image like Onida, Spice, i-ball etc Beside this low priced chinies sets are also a main threat for the company and big boys’ like Nokia and Samsung are also coming with low end phones with good features and there brand name can help them to get benefit from this also. Finding and suggestions From the above study the finding can be pointed as mentioned below: ? The company is the 3rd largest in the company after nokia and Samsung ? The company is first to invent some new features. ? The company has a high presence in the rural market. The company strategy is to give value for money with its cheap mobiles with compare to its competitors. ? The company’s distribution marketing is impressive. ? The company has already made its presence in abroad. ? The company has currently 23 domestic offic es, 40000 retailers and around 450 service stations across India. ? The company is going to increase its business with some tie up with international telecom companies as well wants to increase its market share to become second largest company in the country. Suggestions ? The company needs to increase its no of service centers in the country. ? Need to provide good after sales service to customers ? Need to be more informative regarding the product features. Need to maintain the current growth rate. ? Need to promote the brand to create brand awareness among the people ? Need to more innovative with new players coming to the market. Conclusion Till very recently, Micromax was seen as a second grade brand with hardly any brand value. But with the recent reports listing the figures in the company’s favor as well as the huge branding done by the company itself along with the interesting product portfolio has taken the brand to a respect position. And the position is still is ve ry promising for the future. For a company which still has not been listed on any exchange, a turnover of about 1500 Cr. can be termed as huge. Certainly the company has the potential to be a threat to the foreign giant as it has been successful in studying the Indian mindset better. But still there is log way to go for the company due heavy change in demand and due to the innovation of new technologies day by day. References Books and journals ? Marketing research project â€Å"Content analysis Brand recall of Ad’s in IPL-3 by Group-J (09-11)†. ? Marketing fundamentals by Kottler. ? Nielsen Info. From the official website of The Nielsen Company. ? Economic Times ? Business Economics ? Business world (9th Dec 2010) Web sites like ? www. micromaxinfo. com ? www. google. com ? www. yahooanswers. com ? www. draftfcbulkacomstrat. com ? http://en. wikipedia. org ? www. 2dix. com

Makayla Holden English 10R Essay

Makayla Holden English 10R Essay Makayla Holden English 10R Essay Makayla Holden English 10R 10/3/14 Final form â€Å"Inside the building, the sun lights up segments of the rotting wooden floor through the many holes in the roof. As I look for her, I register things: the soggy floorboards. The smell of almonds, like her. An old claw-footed bathtub in a corner. So many holes everywhere that this place is simultaneously inside and outside.† (Page 280) John Green uses imagery, diction, and sentence structure in this passage to describe each piece of the room, which creates a desolate mood. The way John green uses imagery makes you feel like you are right there in the building with the characters. John Green also uses it to really show u the desolate mood; the building seems empty and abandoned. It seems like no one has been there in years, if there even was someone there at one point. When green says â€Å"So many holes everywhere that this place is simultaneou sly inside and outside.† You can really picture the gaping holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling and how all of the rain and snow must get in everywhere. Green uses the soggy, rotting floorboards to show you that the rain must have gotten in through the holes. This imagery really brings out the desolate mood. In addition to this, Green also uses diction throughout this passage. There are many situations where he could have excluded the describing words, but with those adjectives there it really makes you feel like you are there. Instead of using rotting wooden floor, green could have said the holes in the floor. In this passage Green uses holes a lot to convey how open and eroded this building is. Also, Green talks about how this building is almost outside and inside at the same time and that helps you really picture this building breaking down with each gust of wind,

Mise en scene in Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007) Essay

Mise en scene in Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007) - Essay Example this girl Juno finds a way to get out of this sticky situation not by resorting to abortion but by instead going through with the pregnancy and finding good adoptive parents and securing a better future for her child. The film is, first of all, divided into the 4 seasons starting with autumn and so on. Somehow, this division of the film by season assisted in the transition of the whole story from Juno realizing her problem up to the time she gives birth and after. The movie starts with a long shot of Juno looking at a living room lounging chair, with a gallon of orange juice on her right hand, a closer shot of the same scene and then Juno’s face in close-up showing the actress’ face as reminiscent, sad and worried all at the same time. Juno narrates the cause of her mood then a flashback is shown and the viewers begin to understand the importance of the chair to the story – it was where Juno had sex with her boyfriend and the reason she got pregnant. The scenes are set in the local village where Juno resides, her home, her school, the local store, etc. Some scenes are shown of the house where the adoptive parents of Juno’s baby lived which left a good impression on Juno and her plans to give her baby to a good couple who love each other and who are capable of raising an equally good family. Narratives by the lead actress are used all throughout the film to shorten parts of the story which would otherwise draw attention from the main character to the other sub-plots. Although the main topic of the film is sex and teenage pregnancy, the presentation of the shots was tastefully done and only suggestive scenes were shown especially in the part when Juno and her boyfriend did the act. Scenes significant to the pregnancy like the ultrasound and the actual delivery of the child were also included which rendered more credence to the film since it seemed like the actress really got pregnant and gave birth. The costumes were also r ealistic with the lead

Anything Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Anything - Essay Example As Hands notes, life has become difficult for millions of families. The median gross full-time weekly earnings have fallen, in inflation-adjusted terms, by 9% since 2008. Living standards for many households have been flat, at best, for much longer. During that same period, the value-added tax, which hits low-income workers hardest, has been raised to 20% (21). It is imperative to come up with means and ways to lift the incomes of those who are poorest paid. If the minimum wages are increased, this should correspond to changes in the tax code. If this were not put in consideration one-third of every pound in wage increase would be taken by the Treasury. What politicians who proclaim an increase in the minimum wage are less keen to share is that only 68% of every extra pound in increased wages actually reaches the pockets of low-wage earners. The rest is taken by the Treasury through a 20% income tax that applies to every pound of earnings above  £10,000 per year equivalent to aroun d 39 working weeks at 40 hours per week on the minimum wage and a 12% national insurance deduction on earnings above  £8,000. For the many who will also see their in-work benefits reduced, the effective marginal tax rate is more than 32% (Hands 21). This is why the claim of raising the minimum wage is a traditional method that is used by politicians. If the wages are increased the government gets credit but, on the other hand the tax revenues increased and worsen the situation. This shows that a better way to help the low-income earners is by a complete tax reform. The national insurance paid is nothing more other than tax by another name. While there has been considerable progress in raising the threshold for income tax, politicians are conspicuously quiet about doing the same for national insurance. The result is that someone working 40 hours at the minimum wage

School Discipline Essay Example for Free

School Discipline Essay Recently, in elementary and lower secondary schools, much effort has been made in Japan to accomplish the aims of moral education, by requiring separate scheduled hours for moral education. The purposes of moral education are shown in the following summary of general principles established in the Course of Study issued by the Ministry of Education. Moral education aims to develop a Japanese citizen who will never lose the consistent spirit of respect for his fellow man; who will realize this spirit at home, at school and in other actural life situations in the society of which he is a member; who strives for the creation of a culture rich in individuality and for the development of a democratic nation and society; and who is able to make a voluntary contribution to the peaceful international society. In order to attain this aim, the following contents is sought in moral instruction in elementary schools. 1) Contents mainly related to the fundamental patterns of behavior in daily life: to maintain safety and secure good health; to develop self-reliance; to observe good manners; to keep oneself neat; to improve the environment; to use things and money effectively; to recognize the value of time. 2) Contents mainly related to moral sentiment and moral judgement: to respect others personality; to control oneself and act according to ones beliefs; to act freely according to ones own judgement or wishes and on ones own responsibility; to be honest and sincere; to love justice and be courageous; to over come difficulties in order to accomplish right aims; to reflect on oneself, listen to the advice of others, and to act with deeper consideration; to act moderately, without selfishness; to behave always with alertness, courtesy and alacrity; to take good care of animals and plants; to have a pure mind. 3) Contents mainly concerned with the development of personality and a creative attitude toward life: to recognize ones own special ability, and try to strengthen it; to strive for the achievement of worthy purposes, and to set for oneself a high goal; to act rationally; to tr3r to improve life with original ideas; always to maintain a studious attitude, and try to pursue truth; to apply positively new ideas. 4) Contents mainly related to the concept that good manners and practical will are indispensable for the member of a nation or a society: to be kind to everybody and to care for the weak or unfortunate; to respect those who devote themselves to the service of others and to appreciate their work; to trust each other and to be friendly; to be fair and impartial to everybody; to be generous; to observe rules and promises; to differentiate between rights and duties; to appreciate labor; to protect public property and public morality; to love ones family; to love ones school; to love the nation with a pride as a Japanese; to understand correctly the people of all the world and cooperate in a friendly manner with them. The contents of moral education for lower secondary schools are almost the same as those for the elementary schools. However, in considering the stages of pupils development, the following objectives are added: To build an attitude of constructive criticism; to develop mutual under-standing and respect between the sexes; to promote open and pure friendship between the sexes; to promote love of truth; to lead pupils to consider what true happiness is and to seek it; to help pupils to enrich their own sentiments; to aid in understanding the inherited culture and to contribute to cultural improvement; to teach pupils to hold humanity in mind always; to train pupils to challenge evil with courage; and not have a narrow fellow-mindedness, but to act with consciousness of being a member of the large community. In upper secondary schools, ethics-civics created as a new subject in the social studies, is intended to develop students who know the human relations in the present society, understands humanity and pursues the ideal in the life of the world. Moral education is to be conducted from the broad point of view through all the activities of the school. Consequently, moral instruction is provided by combining properly various teaching methods, such as discussion, stories to1d by teachers, reading Of b00ks, audio-visual aids, dramatizing and non-classroom activities. In 1963, in order to aid in effectuating the new program of moral instruction, the Ministry of Education published Teachers Manual for Moral instruction and distributed it through the country to guide classroom teachers at each level in the preparation of their moral education hour. CHAPTER IMPROVEMENT OF CONTENT OF- EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTOF ABILITY (2) Moral Education in Other Countries In most foreign countries, religion makes a valuable contribution to the moral spirit. In those countries studied, moral education is generally given to pupils through religious instruction in assigned religion classes. In several countries including the U. S. A. and France, religious instruction in public schools is prohibited. Whether the religious instruction in public school is conducted or not, moral and ethical education is given in many cases as a part of other subject, usually civics. In communist countries including the U. S. S. R., it is regarded as a purpose of education to build a citizen who can contribute to the maintenance of a socialist state. For this purpose, moral and ethical trainings given through all educational activities in the schools. Table 30 shows the extent of ofFerings in religious education in ele-mentary and secondary schools in the U. S. A. , the U. K. , and an extensivegroup of European countries. In 13 of the 17 countries listed in Table 30, religion is offered as a separate subject in almost all grades in public elementary and secondary schools. In 11 of the 17 countries, civics is taught in elementary school or secondary school or both. In France, civics at primary level is included in the subject known as education civique et morale. In the U. S. A. civics is usually taught in the 8th grade and upper grades of secondary schools. There is no instruction in separate moral education classes. It is taught through all subjects. Also, in the U. S. S. R. , moral education is not treated separately, but moral training of pupils is given through the whole curriculum. It is a characteristic feature of school education in the U. S. S. R. to provide child labor training at all levels. This labor training aims to give pupils moral training. Moreover, Rules for Pupils, which pupils elementary and secondary schools must obey, are specified by the Department of Education of the R. S. F. S. R. In Rules for Pupils, objectives of moral education are prescribed along with the school principles which pupils must observe. Civics teaching in each country aims to elevate moral sentiments, and to give pupils knowledge and understanding of government, economics and social problems necessary for citizenship. Moral education and civics in the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, France and Belgium are as follows: Federal Republic of Germany Basic principles of civic education in schools and universities were decided by the Conference of Lander Ministers of Education of 15 June 1950as follows: Civic education should awaken in pupils both a moral response and a determination to act as a responsible member of society. Italy The primary school syllabus published by the Ministry of Education in 1955 states that civics teaching is designed to give the child a general moral, religious and social training. It also emphasizes that religious instruction must enable the child to acquire basic habits of morality, civic and social behavior and hygiene at home, at school and in society; and to give the child a sense of personal responsibility and membership of a group. Regarding civic education courses in upper classes it is stated: love of ones country must be a natural extension of love of ones family, and the awareness of national values should be related to the ideal of international understanding. France. The syllabus in primary education published by the Ministry of Education in 1923 states that moral education must enable the child to grow up as a man with a balanced development of sentiment, intelligence, and conscience. It is also stated that moral instruction is to be designed not only to give the child moral spirit, but also to lead him to realize this spirit in daily life. In primary schools in France, the subject known as education civique et morale is taught as outlined below: 1st grade: Listening to stories (Fontaines fables, Hans Christian Andersons tales, etc. ) and to biographies of great men told by teachers. 2nd and 3rd grades: To accustom the child to acquire good habits through reading of book-lets followed by discussion, and discussion on school events. At third grade the same themes as those of second grade are dealt with more intensively 4th and 5th grades: To listen to narratives or discuss deeds of the individuta1 and social morality concerned with moderation, sincerity, simplicity, kindness, courage, and generosity. To give the child an understanding of the value of labor, a spirit of cooperation with others, observance of promises, understanding of other persons and appreciation of duties to ones family and ones nation. At fifth grade, the same themes as those of forth grade are dealt with more intensively. 6th8th grades: To provide the child consciousness and respect for man, character formation, main duties in life of the individual, at home and in society, and inculcate patriotism, justice and mutual assistance, respect for labor, organization of government and its activities, elementary knowledge of contracts and labor laws in daily life, elementary knowledge of the legislative, administrative and judicial systems, citizens rights and duties and international understanding. Belgium In the middle school of Belgium (3rd and 4th secondary years, age 14 to15), citizenship and patriotism are taught under the following themes: l) Citizens rights: advantages of the democratic and parliamentary system. The chief freedoms guaranteed by the Belgian Constitution. 2) The citizens duties: the ballot; obedience to the Law, military service; paying taxes; giving evidence in court. 3) Patriotism: the countrys prestige and its heritage; the dangers of misguided patriotism. 4) International understanding and a sense of the brotherhood of man. Aids for Civics Teaching in European Countries In a number of countries, separate textbooks are used. Audio-visual aids such as slides, films, radio broadcasts, television, etc. are also used. Table 30. Comparative Table Showing Extent of Offering Of Separate Classes in Religion and Civics Table 31. Teaching Aids for Civics Education in European Countries.

Miss Julie and Its Preface: The Foundation of a Critical Conflict Essay

  Ã‚     From its first publication and performance, August Strindberg's play "Miss Julie" has been the source of critical controversy and debate. Written in the span of little more than one month in the summer of 1888, the play was banned or censored throughout Europe in the late Nineteenth Century. Because it dealt with situations and attitudes deemed morally or socially offensive (the daughter of an aristocrat seduces her father's valet, and he, in turn, coerces her to commit suicide) the initial negative reaction to the play was rooted in generalized, fanatical, self righteous outrage and did not seek to deal with or engage the text in any specific manner. Instead, "Miss Julie" was a convenient target, symptomatic of all that was corrupting and dangerous in an increasingly progressive world. By the early Twentieth Century, however, more focused moral and artistic critiques were leveled at Strindberg's self proclaimed naturalistic tragedy, a discussion that continues to thrive even today. Though some of the moral and social issues may have lost their radical edge in later decades, there is still an ongoing, lively, and deeply divided debate.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is not to suggest that these modern critical concerns have forged superior or even different links with the past or to this piece of literature. On the contrary, I would submit that Strindberg himself, as a literary critic of his own work, established (consciously or unconsciously) the fundamental guidelines and ground rules for the interpretive controversies that have followed.   By creating a dynamic tension between his theoretical, essentially pragmatic intentions in his "Preface to Miss Julie" and his creative achievements in " Miss Julie" itself, Strindberg's e... ...wledge our inquiry provides centers around the critical orientation of each voice sounded in the debate.    Works Cited Henderson Archibald. European Dramatists. Cincinnati: Stewart and Kidd Co., 1913. Heller, Otto. Prophets of Dissent. Port Washington, NY: Kennikat Press, 1918. Sprinchorn, Evert. Strindberg as Dramatist. New Haven: Yale UP, 1982. Strindberg, August. "Preface to Miss Julie". Michael Meyer trans., 1888. Rpt. in Strindberg Plays: One. Michael Meyer trans. Reading, UK: Cox and Wyman Ltd., 1993. ---. "Miss Julie". Michael Meyer trans., 1888. Rpt. in Strindberg Plays: One. Michael Meyer trans. Reading, UK: Cox and Wyman Ltd., 1993. Tornqvist, Egil and Jacobs, Barry. Strindberg's Miss Julie: A Play and Its Transpositions. Norwich: Norvik, 1988. Williams, Raymond. Drama: From Ibsen to Brecht. New York: Oxford UP, 1968.

Chapter 18 Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking. â€Å"You're both mental.† â€Å"Ridiculous!† said Hermione faintly. â€Å"Peter Pettigrew's dead!† said Harry. â€Å"He killed him twelve years ago!† He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively. â€Å"I meant to,† he growled, his yellow teeth bared, â€Å"but little Peter got the better of me†¦not this time, though!† And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg. â€Å"Sirius, NO!† Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, â€Å"WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain –â€Å" â€Å"We can explain afterwards!† snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. â€Å"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!† Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. â€Å"Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry — you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!† Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands. â€Å"All right, then,† Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. â€Å"Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're nutters, both of you,† said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. â€Å"I've had enough of this. I'm off.† He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers. â€Å"You're going to hear me out, Ron,† he said quietly. â€Å"Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen.† â€Å"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!† Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin. â€Å"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die,† he said. â€Å"A whole street full of them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"They didn't see what they thought they saw!† said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands. â€Å"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter,† said Lupin, nodding. â€Å"I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies†¦Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry.† Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Black and Lupin were both out of their minds. Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black after all — but why was Lupin playing along with him? Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. â€Å"But Professor Lupin†¦Scabbers can't be Pettigrew†¦it just can't be true, you know it can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Why can't it be true?† Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows. â€Å"Because†¦ because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things†¦and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list.† Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh. â€Å"Right again, Hermione!† he said. â€Å"But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.† â€Å"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus,† said Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. â€Å"I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer.† â€Å"All right†¦but you'll need to help me, Sirius,† said Lupin, â€Å"I only know how it began†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing. â€Å"No one there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"This place is haunted!† said Ron. â€Å"It's not,' said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. â€Å"The Shrieking Shack was never haunted†¦The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me.† He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, â€Å"That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf, None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitter†¦and if I hadn't been so foolhardy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, â€Å"Shh!† She was watching Lupin very intently. â€Å"I as a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform†¦I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again. â€Å"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. â€Å"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school†¦.† Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. â€Å"I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house† — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — â€Å"the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous.† Harry couldn't see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers's frightened squeaking. â€Å"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor†¦Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it†¦.† â€Å"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black†¦Peter Pettigrew†¦and, of course, your father, Harry — James Potter.† â€Å"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her†¦I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth†¦.† â€Å"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.† â€Å"My dad too?† said Harry, astounded. â€Å"Yes, indeed,† said Lupin. â€Å"It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will.† â€Å"But how did that help you?† said Hermione, sounding puzzled. â€Å"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals,† said Lupin. â€Å"A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed†¦Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.† â€Å"Hurry up, Remus,† snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face. â€Å"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there†¦well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did†¦ And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs.† â€Å"What sort of animal –?† Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. â€Å"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?† â€Å"A thought that still haunts me,† said Lupin heavily. â€Å"And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.† â€Å"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course†¦he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. â€Å"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me†¦and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it†¦so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along.† â€Å"Snape?† said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. â€Å"What's Snape got to do with it?† â€Å"He's here, Sirius,† said Lupin heavily. â€Å"He's teaching here as well.† He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons†¦you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me –â€Å" Black made a derisive noise. â€Å"It served him right,† he sneered. â€Å"Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to†¦hoping he could get us expelled†¦.† â€Å"Severus was very interested in where I went every month.† Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field†¦anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life†¦Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was†¦.† â€Å"So that's why Snape doesn't like you,† said Harry slowly, â€Å"because he thought you were in on the joke?† â€Å"That's right,† sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.