Mind And Machine Essays - Artificial Intelligence,

Mind And Machine Mind and Machine: The Essay Technology has traditionally evolved as the result of human needs. Invention, when prized and rewarded, will invariably rise-up to meet the free market demands of society. It is in this realm that Artificial Intelligence research and the resultant expert systems have been forged. Much of the material that relates to the field of Artificial Intelligence deals with human psychology and the nature of consciousness. Exhaustive debate on consciousness and the possibilities of consciousnessness in machines has adequately, in my opinion, revealed that it is most unlikely that we will ever converse or interract with a machine of artificial consciousness. In John Searle's collection of lectures, Minds, Brains and Science, arguments centering around the mind-body problem alone is sufficient to convince a reasonable person that there is no way science will ever unravel the mysteries of consciousness. Key to Searle's analysis of consciousness in the context of Artificial Intelligence machines are refutations of strong and weak AI theses. Strong AI Theorists (SATs) believe that in the future, mankind will forge machines that will think as well as, if not better than humans. To them, pesent technology constrains this achievement. The Weak AI Theorists (WATs), almost converse to the SATs, believe that if a machine performs functions that resemble a human's, then there must be a correlation between it and consciousness. To them, there is no technological impediment to thinking machines, because our most advanced machines already think. It is important to review Searle's refutations of these respective theorists' proposition to establish a foundation (for the purpose of this essay) for discussing the applications of Artificial Intelligence, both now and in the future. Strong AI Thesis Strong AI Thesis, according to Searle, can be described in four basic propositions. Proposition one categorizes human thought as the result of computational processes. Given enough computational power, memory, inputs, etc., machines will be able to think, if you believe this proposition. Proposition two, in essence, relegates the human mind to the software bin. Proponents of this proposition believe that humans just happen to have biological computers that run wetware as opposed to software. Proposition three, the Turing proposition, holds that if a conscious being can be convinced that, through context-input manipulation, a machine is intelligent, then it is. Proposition four is where the ends will meet the means. It purports that when we are able to finally understand the brain, we will be able to duplicate its functions. Thus, if we replicate the computational power of the mind, we will then understand it. Through argument and experimentation, Searle is able to refute or severely diminish these propositions. Searle argues that machines may well be able to understand syntax, but not the semantics, or meaning communicated thereby. Esentially, he makes his point by citing the famous Chinese Room Thought Experiment. It is here he demonstrates that a computer (a non-chinese speaker, a book of rules and the chinese symbols) can fool a native speaker, but have no idea what he is saying. By proving that entities don't have to understand what they are processing to appear as understanding refutes proposition one. Proposition two is refuted by the simple fact that there are no artificial minds or mind-like devices. Proposition two is thus a matter of science fiction rather than a plausible theory A good chess program, like my (as yet undefeated) Chessmaster 4000 Trubo refutes proposition three by passing a Turing test. It appears to be intelligent, but I know it beats me through number crunching and symbol manipulation. The Chessmaster 4000 example is also an adequate refutation of Professor Simon's fourth proposition: you can understand a process if you can reproduce it. Because the Software Toolworks company created a program for my computer that simulates the behavior of a grandmaster in the game, doesn't mean that the computer is indeed intelligent. Weak AI Thesis There are five basic propositions that fall in the Weak AI Thesis (WAT) camp. The first of these states that the brain, due to its complexity of operation, must function something like a computer, the most sophisticated of human invention. The second WAT proposition states that if a machine's output, if it were compared to

Selma Reflection Essays

Selma Reflection Essays Selma Reflection Paper Selma Reflection Paper This film impacted everyone in the audience. It made everyone fell angry, frustrated, hurt, sad, and inspired. Was hooked in this movie from the very beginning. The seen with the black woman tying to register to vote only to be met with a racist man behind the counter denying her of her rights and her disappointment as she has once again been denied was heartbreaking to watch and made me upset and annoyed all at the same time. The movie ally went deep into what life really was like for black people before the Voting Rights Act and the struggles that they had to endure in order to achieve the rights already bestowed upon them. This movie isnt just about DRP. Martin Luther King, but also about the evolution of change through political manipulation. The audience and had no trouble relating with DRP. Martin Luther King. We clearly saw how he was a man no different from any of us and if he can advocate and endorse change through non-violence, then e can as well. Then we have no reason, no excuse, and no justification not to promote change. This epic movie empowers and motivates us to make a difference in the world, to do something that will help make this country a better place for everyone. Overall, this movie simply amazed me. To think that so much can be done through non-violent acts such as protesting and marching. I began to wonder why so many other political figures chose violence over everything else in order to get what they wanted instead of hosing to do what DRP. Martin Luther King did. We see the conflict between choosing violent methods over non-violent methods in the movie during the scene with DRP. Kings wife, Correct, and Malcolm X. In this scene, the two mention how Malcolm X chose violent methods, which was the complete opposite of what DRP. King was doing and how Correct did not want him to ruin what DRP. Martin Luther had already established. I loved this movie and think that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy it as well.

Managing Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing Diversity - Essay Example personality and even income and marital status all differ from person to person (Ironson, et al., 1989) This paper would like to focus on managing diversity in these organizations, and how the members belonging to such organizations manage to deal with their differences, along with the differences of others. Through this paper, the writer would like to investigate how organizations are structured in such a way that its members are all respected and valued. Furthermore, the writer would also like to study the positive and negative effects of diversity issues, and the controversies that surround it. Â   The concept of managing diversity in an organization basically focuses on strategies that can be taken in order to create a positive work environment for a diverse group of people. Differences between individuals tend to create problems in an organization because it is a given fact that two people cannot possibly be alike in all aspects (Child, 1973) Therefore, this could result in poor production of work and could possibly hinder or slow down progress within an organization. In the workplace, diversity could mean issues regarding discrimination against individuals, which naturally, could lead to problems within the organization, as a result of conflicts that could occur. In the United States, the 1970’s saw a need for a federal enforcement of equal employment opportunity, or EEO and affirmative action, or AA law that was intended to abolish discrimination in the workplace. Affirmative action would refer to policies that provide equal opportunities to individuals regardless of their race, gender and ethnicity. These policies are not limited to the workplace but also extend towards educational institutions and as well as health care programs and facilities. The aim of such programs were to show the Americans the importance of social equality among its people and the others who have chosen to consider America as their home. Furthermore, the programs were aimed to

Compare and contrast the competing perspectives of structuralists and Essay

Compare and contrast the competing perspectives of structuralists and antistructuralists on the structure-conduct-performance paradigm. What are the implication - Essay Example An example of Game Theory would be if Company X makes product X, and Company Y makes product Y. A third company, Company XY, buys product X and Y to produce product XY. Company X, Company Y, and Company XY would be named as players under the Game Theory. If Company X raises the cost of their product, Company XY is affected. The rise in product X’s cost could even affect Company Y, if Company XY’s chooses to increase the price of their product with the result of lower sales of product XY. Game Theory has a few elements that are important to mention. As mentioned before players are one element, the other elements include payoffs, actions, and rules (Jaquier 2003). Players are the actual firms. Payoffs are the rewards or punishment of the players in the game. In the scenario above, Company X could have been punishing Company XY or rewarding Company Y, depending on the circumstances. Actions are the decisions made by the players. The rules define the players, actions and pa yoffs. This makes up the basics of Game Theory. An oligopoly is a couple of large suppliers controlling a particular market. The market concentration is normally high. Companies encompassing an oligopoly produce brand quality products. Barriers exist for firms on the outside an oligopoly, due to the necessity of brand quality products the firms on the inside of the oligopoly produce. The interdependence between companies in an oligopoly is vital. Each company in an oligopoly must anticipate what the other companies/players will decide concerning investments, prices, or any other important business decisions. Economists seek to predict these decisions by using Game Theory (Oligopoly 2005). Game Theory helps players logically figure out the decisions other players will make. Game Theory not only helps predict players decisions, but has an impact on politics, other businesses, pricing of products and services, locations for industrial plants, and even enviormental issues

Diplomatic history of the us since 1914 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Diplomatic history of the us since 1914 - Essay Example Many ammunition manufacturing corporations sprung up in the United States to meet this demand. The only way such a large industrial base could survive is by creating more demands for ammunition, combat vehicles, etc. The military industry in America is so big that they can sway and influence the decisions taken in the executive branch of government. In effect, since the conclusion of the Second World War, the United States had seen a virtual â€Å"war economy†. Such an economic system can only thrive in an atmosphere of international tension and hostility, which is a bad result for humanity at large. Eisenhower was a shrewd statesman and an admirable leader (in the capacities of a General and a President). He understood this nexus between the weapons manufacturers and its employers in the American military. Eisenhower understood the vicious nature of this symbiotic relationship between a government agency and a commercial enterprise and warned his citizens to be wary of its consequences. In other words, he cautioned his fellow countrymen to mobilize themselves in curbing this negative development in post war America. Looking back at the recent history of American military intervention across the globe, one cannot stop wondering if those were the manifestations of Eisenhower’s nightmares. Furthermore, the general d issent and disapproval that the United States attracts in the third world countries is another indication of the military-industrial complex’s existence. What’s ironic about this message from Eisenhower is the fact that he himself was part and parcel of this military-industrial nexus. During the early months of 1962, hordes of demonstrators took to the streets in protest against the social and economic policies of the Guatemalan government headed by General Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes. The protesters were also disappointed with the level of corruption and election malpractices under the leadership of General Fuentes.

Hindustan Motors Limited Analysis

Hindustan Motors Limited Analysis Hindustan Motors Limited is ancestor to all automobile manufacturing companies of India. It was established in 1942 before Indias independence. It was a flagship company of C.K. Birla group. Initially company had a small assembling plant at Port Okha, Gujarat. Main purpose was to reduce transportation cost because all parts were imported from foreign companies. Later it was shifted to Uttarpara, West Bengal due to cheaper raw materials and cheap labor cost. This later resulted in one of the most successful motor car of India the ambassador. Apart from the ambassador Hindustan Motors Limited has been active in production of various types of passenger cars, trucks and multi utility vehicle. Hindustan motors collaborated with Mitsubishi motors, Japan and introduce mid size premium segment cars such as Mitsubishi Lancer, Lancer select and Lancer Cedia. The company brought first sports utility vehicle to India which was Mitsubishi Pajero. Besides passenger cars (Ambassador, Grand, and Avigo), Multi Utility Vehicles (Trekker, Porter, and Pushpak) and the RTV, Hindustan Motors also manufactures passenger cars in the mid size premium segment (Mitsubishi Lancer, Lancer Select, and Lancer Cedia) and has brought in Sports Utility Vehicle (Mitsubishi Pajero) into the Indian market in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors, Japan. Company made collaboration with General Motors and their joint venture produced Bedford trucks and Vauxhall motors during eighties and nineties. The partnership became 50-50 when General Motors bought Hindustan Motors plant at Halol, Gujarat in 1999. After almost seven decades Hindustan Motors is still actively contributing in countrys automobile market. Its manufacturing facilities are established in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Hindustan Motors motto is quality, safety with environmental care. It has been providing total solutions for customer care. Executive Summary: C. K. Birla: He is the chairman of the Board of Hindustan Motors LTD. He has a vast experience of business as he has been a successful industrialist since decades. Along with the chairmans post he serves as an independent non executive director of Hindustan Motors LTD. Manoj Jha:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He is recently promoted as a Managing Director at Hindustan Motors LTD. He is an executive vice president of engineering division and member of the management board. He studied hi engineering from Ranchi University. Yogesh Goenka: He is a chief financial officer, compliance officer and company secretary. He did Bachelor of commerce as well as AICWA, ACS, MBM. OBJECTIVE OF THE COMPANY: Main objective of the company is to provide an automobile with comfort and safety. The company has collaboration with international companies such as general motors, Vauxhall motors and Mitsubishi motor suggests that company has always been thriving for technology. Still the company is looking for development and technological enhancement to overcome recent declining in its sell. According to the chairman of Hindustan Motors the company main objective is to increase the selling of their models by improving its managerial structure. The company is looking for new and affordable product which can boost up their selling. Main purpose of this project paper is to study about declining of their once most successful model the ambassador. The Product-à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   The ambassador The ambassador model was based on Morris Oxford model which was manufactured in Cowley by Morris motors. Initially Hindustan motors started the production of Land master in 1954 near Uttarpara plant Kolkata. This led to production of ambassador in 1957. Thus 1957 can be counted as e year when ambassador first came into existence. The ambassador was considered to be best suited to harsh Indian terrain thats why it became very popular. AT that time it was said if you want to have comfort have an ambassador. Till 1980s there were only two Indian cars available in Indian market: ambassador and padmini. Due to its comfort and ability to sustain heavy blows on harsh terrain ambassador captured almost 70% of the Indian automobile market. It is to be noted that ambassador was once called the limousine of India because all politicians, famous businessmen prefer to have ambassador. It was a status symbol because of its proud appearance. It is strange that till 2001 the ambassador remain popular in taxi segment because it was said that the ambassador has ability to sustain shock during motor accident better than any other car available at that time. The credit goes to the manufacturing department of ambassador because the chassis of ambassador was such rigid that it can bear heavy blow from front as well as from side and rear. Till 90s India was sellers market means customer had to wait for a long time to get the product. Take an example of BAJAJ scooter, during 80s the condition was if son wants a scooter than father should apply for that so that after a long time son can be able to drive it. Well it is an exaggeration but the conditions for automobile market were very bad especially for a new company to jump in because government had laid very harsh rules on foreign companys entry and imported material became very costly. This give ambassador a dominant position for a few decades with some extraordinary features as discussed above and the ambassador succeeded to maintain it for a long period. Decline-à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   The product is in decline during last decade and the sales are decreasing it is surprising for such once successful model. To find out the products recent condition PORTER model analysis and SWOT analysis have been carried out as shown below. PORTER model analysis:- Against new entrants such as Maruti Suzuki, Honda, Ford, Hyundai etc the company failed to compete and continued with their existing strategy. It has found that after the year of 2000 the product has been in decline the table below gives its detail. As shown in the table despite of increasing number of automobiles in India the selling of ambassador is continuously decreasing. The company failed to cop up with ongoing circumstances such as in case of suppliers it failed to judge the pace of the industry and it remained slow in comparison of others. The company remained stick to only one brand means they didnt have varieties of products. The ambassador was available with nearly the same features throughout its existence. While Maruti Suzuki which has become the largest car manufacturer of India implemented various products having various features which made the company growing in terms of profit and selling. Companys market share has been decreased due to internal rivalry among union and management. SWOT analysis: Strength: Ambassador was the first car produce by an Indian company. It became a huge success story as well. There was a time when ambassador was exported to the countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri lanka and Myanmar. It was exported to Middle East countries as well. Due to its long reign in India Company has a broad network of service centers. It consists of 115 strong dealers, 50 parts dealers and 60 additional exclusive parts dealers. In 2006 the company has invested huge amount to establish production capacity for its product part. As stated earlier the image of ambassador as a car is still strong in Indian customers mind as trustworthy vehicle in all terms. Weaknesses The model hasnt been changed much since its first appearance. A customer needs change with improvement in outer look as well as its performance. As far as performance is concerned the ambassador is OK if compared with the modern cars. In case of look, its not at all attractive or impressive for younger generation. The company came to manufacturing when government rules were tough for any outsiders. As stated earlier Indian market at that time was sellers market. Low volume high price is all that Hindustan motors gave to its customers. When the laws were made liberal and new companies jumped into Indian market the company didnt make considerable changes for manufacturing process which couldnt cop up with new demand. Ambassador is the most dominant among all products of Hindustan motors. However new customers want safety with fuel efficiency. Ambassador promises safety but it was not fuel efficient when compared to modern cars. The employees were not efficient due to union problems which were a result of improper human resource management. Though the company had made several tie ups but later on when required to obtain new technology it lacks global export markets. Opportunities The ambassador is still recognized as the most comfortable car. Old age people prefer to have ambassador than any other car due to its impressive record against accidents. The company can modify the same car and it can make it more fuel efficient to attract middle class. There are examples of such long reigning cars. Take an example of Volkswagen beetle which was introduce in early 40s and its production continued till the beginning of 21st century. Volkswagen has achieved this by continuously changing the design and internal features. Same is needed to be done in case of ambassador as well. Threats Employees are not motivated enough to their job faithfully. More and more new companies are coming to India as it is becoming a giant market for automobile industry. Every companys aim is to provide the most fuel efficient and trustworthy car. According to company ambassador has been designed and manufactured over the years in such a way that it is almost difficult to change its features. It is most important to see how company has implemented the marketing mix strategy to its product so that it is declining. 4 PS OF MARKETING: Product: Ambassador the first Indian car manufactured in India. The most successful car of Indian automobile history. Figure : Ambassador The ambassador has a powerful 5420 cc engine, heavy axles, hydraulic brakes and bigger suspensions. Before considering the ambassador first of all it is required to know what company should be looking for when they introduce their product. For whom it is manufacturing its product? How much benefit they are expecting? Which position going to be the best for their product? What is their product offering that others is not? When the ambassador was launched the company was fully aware that only rich people would be buying their product therefore they provided all facilities that were present at that time. Also ambassadors have been used by ministers as well so for them there were special models having security implements such as bullet proof glass. The company was fully aware of what it going to achieve because at that time there was no competition and the market was open to it. Price: Pricing is another important element of marketing mix. Pricing brings money back to the company and companys profit depends on it. Other three Ps depends on price; it is easy to understand that remaining P require cost. Product needs cost from early design to manufacture. Placing means distribution also needs cost. Promotion also requires cost. These costs are variable cost to the company. Pricing to be perfect must show supply and demand relationship. Pricing a product too high or too low cause loss to the company therefore it should lie in between. There are different factors which should be considered as shown below. Fixed and variable costs Competition Company objectives Proposed positioning strategies Target group and willingness to pay In case of ambassador Hindustan Motors has used Product Line Pricing i.e. For the same product the company has set different prices for different features. Place: Place strategies Place strategies include the ways of distribution by the manufacturer. The manufacturer should have a clear idea about the market. The manufacturer should be aware of the demand and accordingly it should provide the supply. These demand and supply should be balanced properly because in a condition where supply is less than demand, the customer dissatisfaction in acquiring the product results into loss for the company. In most conditions the customers starts favor other companies product though they are not as better. Therefore just because of improper supply the company lost its good will. There are mainly two kinds of placing strategies. The manufacture may go through any one of them depending upon which suits it the most. As shown in figure in one strategy there isnt direct contact between manufacturer and the customer in this case the company doesnt need to carry out surveys for demands all it needs to do is maintaining proper supply to the whole seller. However in this case the company may not come to know about what the customer wants and this leads to misinterpretation of customer need due to indirect contact having so many extra elements in between. This problem can be removed by maintaining direct contact of the company with its customer as shown in figure. In this case the manufacturer directly supplies its products to the customer. But this needs a wide distribution network by the company which is costly depending upon the size of the company. First channel of distribution is called indirect distribution and second channel of distribution is called direct distribution. indirect distributiondirect distribution Figure : Above indirect distribution (left) and direct distribution (right).   The ambassador has been distributed by indirect distribution method thats the reason why in later years the company fails to recognize the customers need. Depending on the type of product being distributed there are three common distribution strategies available: Distribution: According to the nature of the product there are few distribution strategies as shown below. Intensive distribution: As the name suggests this distribution is high in numbers and widely spread. It generally doesnt need the survey as the products are common and general. Example: chocolate, soft drinks, biscuit Exclusive distribution: Some products are there which need proper demonstration and guidance so that customer can be made fully aware of what he is paying for. These products are highly prices. Example: Cars, bikes etc. Selective distribution: This kind of distribution consists of wide space where customer has a freedom to have a look and select a product from wide varieties. Example: TV, computers etc. Hindustan motors have used exclusive distribution method over the year which is common for any car manufacturer. Promotion Promotion means advertising the product. A product without promotion is a complete failure as through the promotion the customer comes to know about the product. There are different promotion strategies as shown below. Advertisement: Advertisement can be said as a non personal promotion activity through media. Public relations: Good relations with the customers as well as media persons make the promotion easier as in this case company doesnt need to do anything. Sales promotion: Company can give vouchers or coupons to attract the customer. Discount scheme, free scheme are examples of sales promotion. Personal selling: Door to door selling or personal to personal selling comes under this category. Promotion of ambassador comes under the public relations as due to its image as a successful car the media and people has been promoting it over the years. The company has never or barely used advertisement or sales promotion. RECENT CONDITION: Company Sales during 2010 (million Rs.) Hindustan motors 5802.7 Maruti suzuki 296230.10 Swaraj Mazda 7167.60 Mahindra and Mahindra 186021.10 Table : Comparison of sales with other companies (Source: http://bseindia.com/bseplus/StockReach/AdvanceStockReach.aspx?scripcode=500500) It can be seen from the figures that at present the company is far behind from market leaders like Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra and Mahindra. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Critical analysis of this particular project requires thorough understanding of marketing mix strategy. To give personal views about anything first of all one should make himself familiar with the subject. Thats exactly what I did. Before starting the project I went through on line papers and explanation about the marketing mix strategy. I found that though everywhere the concept to be used was marketing mix but its implementation was different. Like All roads lead to Rome all of them were leading to the success of their company by successful implementation of marketing mix strategy. During the lectures I heard the tutors saying about getting into marketing mix by doing a practical experiment. It is obvious that they were not saying about establishing a new company of implementing a marketing mix strategy actually. Its about taking any company and than putting my own ideas about marketing mix strategy into motion. The same thing has been done by me during this assignment. I have sele cted a company the product of which is in decline since three or four years. I carried out analysis based on what was taught to me. Now I am going to give my personal opinion about marketing mix strategy and its implementation. In the beginning it is important about the value offered by the company to its customers. I have selected the oldest Indian automobile company named Hindustan motors. The product which I considered was ambassador car. The product has been successful until last two decades than it started declining due to the factors which I have discussed earlier. So what is value? In general the value can be defined as the ratio of function to the cost. Any company can increase the value of its product by increasing its function and decreasing its cost. Functions may vary accordingly such as it may be visual appearance, comfort, promising performance etc. It seems simple to increasing value by increasing function or by decreasing cost but actually it is the most important and complex feature for any manufacturing company to be succeeded. A customer always judge the product by the value offered from it. Sometimes it may be more functions sometimes it may be less costs. The company should be therefore aware of what customer wants from its product. If company knows the value expected from the customer it tries to make some changes into the product in terms of functions or cost. This is not an easy task because the company has to make some changes in its manufacturing process and sometimes within the organization. One wrong step can lead to complete contradict out come and leads company to the loss. According to Devst the value creation process is more effective in manufacturing company than other sectors (Deyst, 2000). Other sectors include service sectors such as an airline company, insurance company where the company provides service instead of the product. It appears that these service sectors change their goal and direction more rapidly than the manufacturing sectors. Therefore value creation process is not as important for them as it is for manufacturing companies. For manufacturing companies final value of the product depends on value of the product during its manufacturing process. In other words according to Lean development of product and final value of the product are strongly related with each other (Lean, 1998). Thus the value should be defined after each phase of the product development process. However creation of value at each stage requires severe value addition to move ahead of the competitor. There are few who think that value creation process cant lead company towards its goal. According to Lloyd value creation doesnt indicate the vision of the company. Value is nothing rather than a conceptual idea. I dont agree with that because I have found during the research for this particular company that defining value is the most important factor to attain marketing lead. Hindustan Motors failed to attain value in terms of appearance and fuel efficiency of ambassador when other companies were launching new products into the market. This leads to decreasing sales of ambassador. The company didnt make proper market research and they continued to do the same over the past years. The outlook of the ambassador is the same as it was 40 years ago. The ration of function to cost became unstable due to decreasing functions of the car. In terms of price also the car was costly as company was making limited production and failed to grasp new concept of high volume production for low price and high profit. From my research of old papers and publications I found one thing in common. Most of the authors consider marketing as an art of selling. However now day marketing is becoming more than an art. It has become a necessity. Without marketing selling the product is impossible. Now days lots of companies are spending more and more money on marketing their product. The marketing value of the product is sometimes higher than the manufacturing and raw material value. It is strange that Hindustan Motors took the marketing strategy very lightly. According to me the main reason is when they came into existence they didnt have any competitors all they need to do is manufacturing and selling of the car. As I have stated earlier before 80s Indian automobile market was sellers market which means manufacturing companies have the command on the market not the customers. Having customers command on the market is essential otherwise the development stops. The same thing happened, ambassador remains the same car as it was when it was first introduced. Hindustan Motors didnt promote the car because as a single Indian car it was already famous. Distribution was not that much difficult because car owners were few. The price of the ambassador was relatively high because those who needed the car didnt have another option. Also the government rules on importing the components were harsh and company was paying high prices for them. It seems obvious what the company did during those years. But when the scenario changed during 90s the market became open to all the government rules became soft and lots of other car manufacturers jumped into the Indian automobile market. This was the time when the ambassador should have changed its strategies. However they didnt make considerable changes on the other side new companies like Maruti Suzuki got the nerve of an Indian customer and introduced cheapest car in the market. Due to this drastic change once giant Hindustan Motors has become a company in loss with one of its most successful car an ambassador in decline. FANTASTIC FOUR The four Ps of marketing which should be studied and understood in a proper way to attain success. During the project I came to know that balancing these four is not an easy task as it seems. Any cannot pick the product randomly, it cannot sell it in the price it wants, it cannot distribute the product whenever and wherever it decides and it has to promote its products such a way that customer attracts to buy it. I have considered all four Ps including my understanding about them, Product Pricing Placing Promotion Product: An initial P for any company to think about. It seems strange to consider which product to be made for marketing. As per my previous understanding marketing comes into picture after selection of product. This was true in old times. But now a days company should be keen towards the product it is going to manufacture. The market condition , market surveys future of the product, availability of the raw materials, environment effect of the raw materials are some of the important factors to be considered before the start of manufacturing the product. I think right product at right time removes half of the troubles for marketing. Take an example of ambassador; it arrives in the market when there were no competitors. As a result it dominated the market for decades. Due to proper timing and place Hindustan motors saved their expenses for promotion. They didnt promote it ever i.e. since my childhood I have never seen an advertisement of ambassador or huge posters promoting the car. A mbassador got promoted by its customers which is ideal for any product. Sometimes good product becomes a loss for the company when it launched at improper timing. There are so many examples of excellent movies which didnt succeed on the box office due to adverse conditions. Pricing: Pricing of the product is non variable factor for the company. The company decides the price of any product after considering other Ps. The expenses during the product stage i.e. manufacturing and raw material expenses. Expenses due to distribution and promotion also considered. The company adds its expected profit as well. Pricing is the most deciding factor because as I think many manufactures are not aware of the ideal price and the customers always think that they have paid more. This dissatisfaction leads to decreasing sales and loss of the company. I think that before pricing the product the company should make a proper survey and it should make the customers fully aware of what they are buying and how much they will get after paying the price. I have seen three kinds of customers, Those who care about price only Those who care about quality only Those who care about balancing the price and quality These customers are generally from three different classes, those who are looking for price are generally relatively poor, those who are looking for quality are rich and those who select the product after looking at price and quality are middle class people. Depending upon the nature of the product the company can make changes in its product. In case of ambassador the companys initial target was rich people because the middle class of India was not in a condition to buy a car. The company provides good quality with comparatively higher cost but it got the customers from India who was looking for the quality. When the era changed and middle class customers increased who now were in a condition to afford a car changed the situation of the market completely. Failing to see this upcoming Hindustan motors fell behind the Maruti Suzuki because of higher price. Placing: Placing according to me is a strong decider for the products success. A product should be distributed such that it gets perfect conditions for it. Ideal customers, ideal geography can be considered as conditions which the company should be looking for. I think that company should be clear and perfect about the product distribution. It involves lot of investment to carry the product from the manufacturing plant to the market. It is economically critical to change the place by distributing the product from one place to another. Thats why I think that for placing also the company needs proper survey in order to distribute the product at right place on right time. Promotion: Advertisement is becoming utmost necessity for selling of the product. Modern market is complex with so many products and companies. It is required therefore for any company to promote the product in a way that customers know about the features of the product. Promotion should be maximum and precise, or I can say it should be concentrated heavily on its target. The company should be aware of the targeted customers and market and should therefore emphasize heavily on them. If it is improper than company will be investing heavily in useless activities. Without promoting or improper promoting the product leads to heavy losses as can be seen in case of ambassador. When it was launched it didnt have any need of being promoted. As a first Indian automobile it was already famous so the company didnt have any need to promote it and company did the same as well. But when as I have discussed later the market changed there was immediate need of promoting to show the new customers wha t the car is and why it was so successful. The company failed to do so and product sell decreased. CONCLUSION: After making a project report on the declining ambassador car I can say that with changing time the company should focus on the ongoing conditions as well as it should be prepared of future. Same strategy wont work for all time in all kind of situations. Customers, environment and competitors change accordingly and company should be looking for continuous improvement rather than remain satisfied from the present. Ambassador is an excellent example of how once market leader can go into loss due to improper marketing strategy by the company.

Movie Essay - Irony and Insanity in Francis Ford Coppola’s Film, Apocal

Irony and Insanity in Apocalypse Now      Ã‚  Ã‚   This is end of sanity. As Francis Ford Coppola suggests in Apocalypse Now, sanity is not the manner that would have settled the Vietnam conflict. Rather, through the character of Walt Kurtz, Coppola illustrates the means by which the U.S. Army could have decided the end of the war. Walter Kurtz is a psychopath. Walter Kurtz achieves success in Vietnam. Here lies the irony that Coppola brilliantly conveys. Thousands of troops arrived weekly in Vietnam without the proper arsenal of faculties that one needs to execute the actions essential to success in Vietnam. The boys are not insane enough to win. However, Kurtz, through his psychopathic tendencies, achieve success repeatedly in jungle combat. He was "winning the war his own way."    In order to diagnose an individual with psychopathic deviance, or psychopathy, the individual must display behaviors that reveal four personality characteristics. Psychopaths are impulsive, manipulative, anti-social and pathagnomic (Hare and Shalling 5). The anti-social trait does not signify introversion. Rather, it refers to anti-social behaviors. Pathagnomy indicates the lack of a conscience. An individual who has no conscience can not discern between right and wrong.    Psychopaths display antisocial behavior and impulsiveness (Hare and Schalling 17). Antisocial behavior is determined as activities "not appropriate to the accepted functioning of one's social relationships with one's surroundings" (Hare and Schalling 37). Kurtz performs antisocial behaviors impulsively. Those evaluating Kurtz's behavior due to their social appropriateness are his superiors. General Corman determines that his actions are not acceptable in the circumst... ...uding antisocial behavior, manipulativeness, lack of conscience and impulsiveness, provide the most efficient manner in which to dominate and eliminate any opposition. Such initiative offers soldiers a means to survive and the U.S. government victory. The process, as Coppola explicates, is futile. Young boys become confused, frenzied, mad. Young boys are reinforced in a depraved manner. They receive rewards for their psychopathic deviancy with successful campaigns against the opposition. Kurtz understands this process and attempts to use it to his advantage in achieving success.       Works Cited Hare, R. and Schalling, D. Psychopathic Behaviour: Approaches to Research. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 1978. The editors of the Boston Publishing Company. The Vietnam Experience: War in the Shadows. Boston: Boston Publishing Company. 1988.      

Kenneth lay guilty?

Kenneth Lay was an American entrepreneur who was widely notorious for his part in a corruption outrage that led to the breakdown of Enron Corporation. Kenneth Lay swore that he is innocent on all the things that were charged against him. He further illustrated that the one who should be blamed for the downfall of Enron is no other than Andrew Fastow as well as the Wall Street Journal. Lay claimed that he was nothing but an innocent one who got hoodwinked in the process.Lay stated that all his problems occurred when he treaded into the position after Skilling left. He further argued that he has got nothing to do with all of the predicaments they faced. A report from NPR stated that all of the allegations in the case which were charged on Lay mirror the deeds he took after he took the position after Skilling’s departure. However, this report is a little hypocritical because there are also other cases which were presented in court wherein the allegations concern troubles from bef ore Lay took up the position.Anyone who had been watching the story could fathom that Lay was really guilty of all the charges against him on the deceit that Enron has committed on the American community. His tales which shows Enron as a fancy company save for the pranks of Fastow and the dire admonitions Wall street Journal is a nothing but bunch of nonsense. As CFO, Fastow definitely did not construct the said frauds that had the Enron dealers merrily chatting about tearing off Grandma Millie. Those kinds of corruption was definitely structured and supported by people from the top.Lay may go on announcing until the end of his life that he is not guilty of the dealings of his underlings, but still he was accountable for those people he puts in custody and it was definitely his task to examine the allegations of corruption once it was brought under his nose. As could be seen Lay is guilty with all the charges against him, he did society wrong by stealing so much from the American pu blic and he has the nerve to deny and to blame his underlings for all the things he did. With that, I make firm with my stand that Lay is guilty with all the charges against him.References:BARRIONUEVO, A. (2006). The Guidelines Now Tougher, Skilling to Face Sentence Today. The New York Times.Kays, K. (2004). Conspiracy With Merrill Lynch Charged in Enron Trial. Washington PostLozano, J. A. (2006). Burden of Enron’s collapse now lies on Skilling. The Topeka Capital-Journal.Associative Press. (2006). Enron founder Ken Lay dies of heart disease.Richardson, B. (2006). Kenneth Lay: A fallen hero: BBC News.Sperry, P. (2002). Clinton ‘sweetheart’ deal speed up Enron’s collapse. WorldNetDaily.Steffy, L. (2006). Good ‘ol Grandma Millie may yet get the last laugh. Houston Chronicle.

Civil War (Ken Burns Review) Essay

Episode V ,†The Universe of Battle†, of The Civil War series directed by Ken Burns reflects on how the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a major turning point in the Civil War. He details how the Union defeat at Gettysburg, the work of women, and the entry of black men into the Union army enabled the North to significantly weaken the Confederacy. The Union and Confederacy both suffered thousands of casualties in the bloody battles that took place. However, by the end of 1863, the North was led to a â€Å"new birth of freedom† while the South had to come to the realization that the â€Å"bottom rail was on top†, now. Burns begins the episode with the first of three battles that took place in the rural town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1863. The Union was led by Commander Meade who served under General Grant and the Confederacy by General Lee. Due to Lee’s commanders not delivering tactical support on the first day of battle, the North was able to hold their high ground, but did this not compare to what was going to happen in the following two days. The second day of battle the number of soldiers present in Gettysburg grew substantially, on both sides. A significant part of this battle is when the Union stopped the Confederacy form gaining position of Little Round Top. This was long day of battle, whole regiments in the Confederacy were lost this day. By third day of battle Lee was acting as if he was invincible and this was detrimental for his men. Union soldiers slaughtered the Confederacy and they never entered that far into Union territory again. Lee had failed his men and he knew it. This must have been very hard on Lee. It was shocking to hear that he tried to resign after he lost this battle. I thought it was very interesting that the Confederacy’s need for shoes is was what led them in to Gettysburg. I bet they never thought that the result of this stop would end up in 150,000 men fighting 51,000 men dying in the greatest battle ever fought in the northern hemisphere. The actual pictures, paintings, and simulated video used while describing these battles were really good and the helped me to gain a sense of what it was like to be there. I also enjoyed the irony in the fact that the North entered Gettysburg from the south and the South entered from the north. It was also interesting that the troops fighting over the Little Round Top were both from equal distances from Gettysburg in the opposite directions. Next, the importance of women supporting the war was examined. Women not only held down the farms and houses when the men were off at war, but many women also left their homes to care for the soldiers. In the north women started the Sanitary Commission and demanded better treatment and better food for the soldiers. This commission was made up of hundreds and thousands of women. In the south Sally Tompkins and a staff of six, nursed 1,333 wounded men. Unlike the North, the South did not have a Sanitary Commission and most men were treated in houses. In the north, Mary Ann Bickerdyke was a important female figure in the war. She traveled with the Union army for four years and sixteen battles. General Sherman stated, â€Å"She ranks me†. This statement by Sherman was extraordinary, especially for this era. It makes me happy that she received the credit that was due to her. Many women served as nurses, food gathers, and cooks, but I am exceptionally impressed with Mary Ann Bickerdyke’s story. I imagine she gave up a lot and the fact that she stayed strong during all of the gruesome battles she saw really says a lot about her character. Following the role of women in the Civil War, Burns details the forty-eight day siege of Vicksburg. During this battle the residents of Vicksburg were cut off from the world and were in desperate need of supplies. When Union had control over the well being of the Vicksburg residents, 31,000 Confederate soldiers under the command of General John C. Pemberton withdrew due to the concern of the health of the Vicksburg residents. The Union victory of this battle was significant because the Confederacy was now cut in two. I was surprised that Pemberton was a northern man fighting for the Confederacy. I would expect that soldiers would support their states. I also found it very interesting that after this siege, the fourth of July would not be celebrated in Vicksburg for eighty-one years. That is just crazy to me! Burns goes on to examine the first black regiment and the first federal draft call. In New York, a mostly Irish mob held an uprising over the draft. They were opposed to abolition because they feared blacks taking their jobs. It also made them angry that the draft favored the rich in that they could easily hire substitutes to take their place. Meanwhile, the uprising in New York was ended and the enlistment of the first blacks into the Union army had begun, this was a huge blow to the Confederacy. However, the blacks did not receive fair treatment, but they were key to the war. I am not surprised that black soldiers would fight without pay, but it was surprising that they declined it because it was not equal to the pay of the white soldiers. I like the pictures of the black soldiers. You could see by their facial expressions that their pride was different from that of the white men. In some of their pictures some of them were actually smiling unlike the pictures of white soldiers I have seen. I think it because they were truly happy to be fighting for their cause. Frederick Douglass put it best when he stated that blacks were, â€Å"the pivot upon which the whole rebellion turns, this war, disguise it as they may, is virtually nothing more or less then perpetual slavery against universal freedom and to this end the free states will have to come.† The 650 men of the all black 54th Massachusetts regiment proved to the Union that blacks were useful soldiers during the battle at Battery Wagner in South Carolina. Even though the Confederates were ahead in this battle, the battle ultimately ended in a protracted siege that was enabled by the 54th. It was because of their battle other black regiments were deemed worthy to fight. Finally, the episode ends with Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. On November 19, 1863 Lincoln delivered one of the most memorable speeches in American history. Lincoln declared the love he had for his people and his unwavering pursuit for equality in just 269 words. I never realized that this speech was just a â€Å"side speech† at a dedication ceremony. It is almost unbelievable that Lincoln thought that this was a failed speech considering that even today most Americans know at least the first line of the Gettysburg Address. It is a shame that the photographer was not able to capture him delivering his speech, it would have been a great image to reflect upon today.

Free Essays on Why Are All The Desk Empty

â€Å"Why Are All the Desk Empty?: The Advantages of Keeping Your Child at Home â€Å" All over the world, education is seen as the key to a brighter future. Everyday children are forced to leave their home and conform to the behavior and learning experiences that the government feels is appropriate for them to become better political and social leaders. The children are forced to behave in a manner that is culturally expected in the American society. They are taught beliefs, values, and skills that are built on bettering the society instead of the individual. Parents are becoming more aware of the type of biased education that their children are receiving from public schools. Although a lot of pressure is being put on these parents, more than two million of them have opted to keep their children at home and are home-schooling (Bajunid para 7). Receiving an education from home gives these kids an opportunity to break away from the American conformity that is present in public schools, and bases their education upon their interests, special talents, learning styl es and pace, all while strengthening family ties. When children are placed in a public school setting, they are forced to conform to the way of learning that the government has forced upon them. The strict curriculum which the teacher follows, seldom offers each child with the amount of stimulation that they need to develop individually. Subjects are taught with little correlation between each other, leaving the child with a feeling of incompleteness. It is not often that the same topics are carried on from day to day or until they are completely discussed because the teachers have such a fixed schedule of the material that they have to cover. In the home-school setting, parents can not only teach subjects that are of the interest to the child, but they are able to spend more time on the lesson. This gives the child more time to fully understand the issue (Gatto 153... Free Essays on Why Are All The Desk Empty Free Essays on Why Are All The Desk Empty â€Å"Why Are All the Desk Empty?: The Advantages of Keeping Your Child at Home â€Å" All over the world, education is seen as the key to a brighter future. Everyday children are forced to leave their home and conform to the behavior and learning experiences that the government feels is appropriate for them to become better political and social leaders. The children are forced to behave in a manner that is culturally expected in the American society. They are taught beliefs, values, and skills that are built on bettering the society instead of the individual. Parents are becoming more aware of the type of biased education that their children are receiving from public schools. Although a lot of pressure is being put on these parents, more than two million of them have opted to keep their children at home and are home-schooling (Bajunid para 7). Receiving an education from home gives these kids an opportunity to break away from the American conformity that is present in public schools, and bases their education upon their interests, special talents, learning styl es and pace, all while strengthening family ties. When children are placed in a public school setting, they are forced to conform to the way of learning that the government has forced upon them. The strict curriculum which the teacher follows, seldom offers each child with the amount of stimulation that they need to develop individually. Subjects are taught with little correlation between each other, leaving the child with a feeling of incompleteness. It is not often that the same topics are carried on from day to day or until they are completely discussed because the teachers have such a fixed schedule of the material that they have to cover. In the home-school setting, parents can not only teach subjects that are of the interest to the child, but they are able to spend more time on the lesson. This gives the child more time to fully understand the issue (Gatto 153...

Reseach paper on the tectonic plate and hot spots in Yellow Stone Research

Reseach on the tectonic plate and hot spots in Yellow Stone National Park, Wyoming - Research Paper Example The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) is home to an enormous biodiversity of insects, birds and mammals, all of which are coming under increasing pressure from a growing human population. Human Population and Economics The population of Wyoming alone is estimated to be around 522,830 (Local Census) and the GYR has one of the fastest population growth rates in the U.S. (Hansen et al.). Population growth in the GYR is driven by ecological and social, rather than economic factors, with ‘quality of life’ being the predominant reason stated for relocation reasons. The most common businesses are tourism related or are service industry businesses such as insurance and real estate firms (Rasker and Hansen 30). A large percentage of the population is also retired (Ibid 31). The state GDP as of 2005 was $27.4 billion (Local Census) Historical population levels were far fewer and centered on extraction industries such as mining, logging, grazing and agriculture. These industries now only represent 5% of the region’s economic output (Rasker and Hansen 30). Developments are being built on the 3million acres of privately owned land that was previously used for agricultural purposes. These lands fringe the federally owned parklands of the GYR (Rasker and Hansen 30). ... he GYE Animal populations of the GYE include large and varied populations of herbivorous, insectivorous, and predatory bird species, insects, reptiles, fish and herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous mammals. Many of these species are registered as endangered. The grizzly bear is common to the region, as are large herds of grazing ungulates, including some of the last bison and Elk herds in North America. The wolf has also been successfully re-introduced to the region (Yellowstone National Park). Most bird species reside in lowlands where primary productivity is at its highest and the climate most agreeable. This places them directly in competition with human populations for productive lands (Hansen et al.). Geology, Volcanism and Seismicity of the GYE YNP is located in a volcanic caldera or ‘super volcano’ that was formed about 600,000 years ago (kya). The Yellowstone caldera (YC) lies above a ridge centred, mid-continental hotspot/magma plume that continues to be volc anically active (Foulger and Natland 922). The ridge forms the north-easternmost part of one of two volcanic chains in western America that are linked in origin to the Juan de Fuca Plate subducting beneath the North American Plate (Suppe, Powell and Berry 400). The YC is situated at the convergence of the Western U.S. Plate and the North American Plate. The Western Plate’s eastern boundary is fastened to the Yellowstone hotspot and it is slowly drifting eastwards, creating the Great Basin (Suppe, Powell and Berry 400). A volcanic eruption has not occurred since 70kya when lava flows covered much of the region (Brantley et al. 1). The YC continues to be volcanically active, as evidenced by YNP’s famous geothermal features and the high frequency of earthquakes that occur in the region. Thousands

Industries Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industries - Assignment Example There are several of substitutes to air travel, particularly over short distances. These include taking other forms of transport. Similarly, there is strong rivalry among different airlines within the industry. For instance, in the pre-deregulation era when prices charged was mandated by worldwide aviation board, airlines competed majorly on aspects such as service, in-flight movies, and meals, etc. However in the post-de-regulation era, this competition has taken on the form the form of pricing where individual airline company are counter checking daily prices they offer ( Schmid, 2011). These facts have attributed to more customer power in the industry. Most notably, the airline industry requires huge capital investment. Basing on these facts, entry and existing become very costly. When you enter, there are a lot of regulations, and the initial capital is also very high. On the other hand, when airlines have to exit the sector, they require writing down and absorb several losses. A ll these features make the airline industry cede authority to the consumers and thus, the power of buyers is moderate to high. Despite all, there is power of the supplier as there are only two major manufacturers of large commercial aircraft. In the case of a major accident, the structures of within the industry always tend to change. The airline industry is likely to undergo a technological revolution that will make air travel even safer. Normally, key aspects of the change may witness heavy investments from various industry players (Cento, 2009). Leadership within the industry also changes to help reform the industry. The assumption always is that leadership had failed prior to the accident and as such, change in leadership may help bring normalcy. Coupled with technological advancements, undoubtedly this makes air travel a pleasurable experience and a risk-free— both for the crew and