4 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

4 questions - Essay Example Leadership has been in existence since the traditional times where people elected chiefs and warrior who represented smaller groups of people and has been developed to the kind of leadership today where people elect presidents and governors who represent larger groups. It is the study of knowledge application on action of people, individual actions, and group actions in an organisation. Organizational behavior therefore tends to interpret organizational relationships basing facts on an individual person, a group of individuals, or the whole social system. The purpose of organizational behavior is to improve the relationship among people in an organization by achieving all the objectives (human, organizational and social) at a go. An example of its application is a situation whereby the human resource manager carries out a research to understand the employees so that their personal objectives are achieved while at the same time the objectives of the organization are achieved. Most organizations operate according to the four models of organizational behavior which are autocratic, custodial supportive and collegialization. Politics dates back in the 17th century when leadership was introduced and the competition for the leadership position influenced the rise of politics. Politics can be defined as the influencing other people on a civil level or it can also refer to the process of controlling the community or state in an organized manner. Politics involve things such as influencing people to ones political views, making laws, exercising equality among the people and negotiation with other political subjects. The level of politics depends upon the number of people that the politician is leading and the power that the group has. An example of a political situation is the government of USA where Obama is the president and this is the highest rank of

Cytopathic Effects as a Result of Infection of E-coli

Cytopathic Effects as a Result of Infection of E-coli Analysis of cytopathic effects as a result of infection of Escherichia coli by T4 bacteriophage using spectrophotometry and plaque assay Abstract T4 bacteriophage is a double stranded DNA virus that infects Escherichia coli and is an important tool in research and study of genetics. It contains about 168,800 base pairs of DNA. It has an icosahedral capsid as its head that contains its nucleic acid and has a tail structure formed of tail fibres, sheath, base plates and coat. These different structures of T4-phage play important roles when invading the host cell (in this case E.coli). T4-bacteriophage infects the host cell by lytic pathway where the host cells are used to produce virus components and it results in the lysis of host cell releasing the virus components to the external membrane. This experiment plans to examine the cytopathic effects of the T4-phage on E.coli using a spectrophotometer. Also, plaque assay is carried out in order to determine the original concentration of phage in the solution. The spectrophotometer reading increased for both control and T4-infected cultures as the time of post infection increased. T he highest reading was 0.192 for control at 120 min pi. Introduction Viruses are small infectious agents and are about 10-30nm in size. Strelkauskas, et al (2010) describes viruses as â€Å"obligate intracellular parasites† which means they need a host cell in order to survive and replicate. The viruses are classified depending on their morphology, chemical composition and mode of replication. They are divided into two groups based on the nucleic acid they contain: DNA or RNA. They are sub-divided into further groups according to their symmetry of capsid where the genetic material is enclosed within an envelope or without an envelope (naked). Also, the configuration of the nucleic acid (single-stranded or double stranded and linear or circular) play a role in the classification of viruses (Gelderblom, 1996). A fully assembled infectious virus is known as a virion and its structure is based on two important things; the ability to survive in harsh conditions until it can infect the host cell and to be able to shed the protective barrier in order to enter a host cell. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacterial cells and were first observed in 1915 and 1917 by Twort and d’Herelle. T4 bacteriophage is a member of T-even phages and infects Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria. It is considered as one of the complex viruses because of its genome which consist of 274 open reading frames and 40 of these reading frames encodes for structural proteins (Leiman, et al, 2003). T4- bacteriophage has been extensively studied since 1940s and plays a major role in advancement of modern genetics and molecular biology. Some of the early essential ideas of genetics including the basis of genetics code, mRNA, ribosome and the codon have came from studies using T4-bacteriophages (Miller et al, 2003). T4- bacteriophage contains double stranded DNA as its nucleic acid which is enclosed within a protective coat known as capsid. Its capsid is icosahedral in shape (shown in figure 1). It also has tail part which is made up of coat, sheath, tail fibres and base plates. The tail part is useful when recognising a host cell followed by penetration to the host cell thus causing infection. Bacteriophages have two types of replication strategies: lytic cycle and lysogenic cycle (Baker, et al, 2011). Lysogenic infection in E.coli is exemplified by bacteriophage lambda where the viral DNA replication takes place without destroying the bacterial cell. Here, the virion infects the host cell and instead of triggering more virus reproduction, it recombines with the host genome causing no damage to the cell which is known as prophage. These viruses can remain dormant within the bacterial cell for years and only cause infection under certain circumstances. T4-bacteriophage is a virulent virus that causes lytic infection to E.coli. The first step in this cycle is adsorption where the virus recognises the cell receptors on the surface of the host cell and attaches itself to the host using its tail fibres. Once attached to the host cell, the virus must penetrate through the cell membrane of E.coli. The base plate of the virus comes in contact with the cell wall of the host cell ca using conformational change in structure of the virus. This allows the sheath to contract and the core is pushed through the wall into the cell membrane where the viral DNA is injected into the host cell (Todar, 2008). DNA viruses have the same genome configuration as the host cell; hence the replication process used in host cell can be used for viral replication. T4- bacteriophage transcribes nucleases that break down the bacterial DNA which is used to produce more viral genome. The newly made viral nucleic acid and structural proteins are assembled together to form virulent viruses. The lysozymes produced by the bacteriophages as a late viral protein lyses the cell wall of the E.coli causing it to burst open hence releasing virulent virus which have to potential to infect other cells. The lifecycle of a T4-bacteriophage takes about 25-35 minutes to finish (Mayer, 2010). Figure 1: The left picture shows the electron microscopic image of T4- bacteriophage and the right shows the model of the T4-bacteriophage. The head of the virus contains a capsid formed by icosahedral structure that holds the phage’s double stranded DNA. The collar connects the head and the tail structures. The tail consists of core, sheath, base plate and tail fibres which are involved in recognising host cells and then attaching phage to specific receptors on the host surfaces (Todar, 2008). The virus-infected bacterial cell generally shows some changes in their phenotype such as altered shape, detachment from the substrate, cell lysis, membrane fusion, membrane permeability, inclusion bodies and apoptosis. These changes are known as the cytopathic effects of a virus (Cann, 2005). In this experiment, the lysis of E.coli is examined using a spectrophotometer which determines the absorbance of the cultures to indicate the growth of the bacterial cell within the flasks. Also, it is important for clinical and research virologists to know the number of infectious virus particles in a sample which is known as the titre. The plaque assay gives the most accurate results when determining the titre of the phage. T4- bacteriophages can be grown on bacterial lawn. Infected E.coli cells are lysed so, they will form visible plaques on the agar plate which are counted to calculate the titre of the virus. The experiment aims to firstly infect the bacterial cells with T4-bacteriophage in order to indirectly observe the cytopathic effects of virus infection by monitoring changes in bacterial cell growth, compared to an uninfected (control) culture. An absorbance reading is taken using a spectrophotometry as the cells in the culture grow and divide making the culture opaque and thus increasing the absorbance of the culture. Also, the experiment plans to assess the progress of T4-phage production during the infection of E.coli by taking samples of extracellular virus at regular time intervals post infection. Furthermore, the virus from each samples were quantified using plaque assays to demonstrate the progress of virus amplification that occurred during the process of infection in the bacterial cells. Materials and methods E.coli was used as the host cell of T4-bacteriophages in the following experiments. Measuring the changing cell density of cultures using a spectrophotometer: Two cultures were made; the control culture (C) consists of mixture of LB broth and E.coli whereas the T4- infected culture (T) was made by mixing LB broth, E.coli and 100ÃŽ ¼l of bacteriophage. The immediate absorbance readings at 0 seconds were measured in the spectrophotometer at wavelength 600nm and LB broth solution was used as a blank. The flasks containing the two cultures were placed in the orbital shaker covered with foil lids throughout the readings of absorbance. During the 1 hour incubation, 10  µl of the T4-infected sample was placed in a C-chip Haemocytometer and the bacterial cells were counted under the microscope which was used to calculate the multiplicity of infection (MOI). After 1 hour incubation, the absorbance readings were taken at 15 minutes interval until the cultures had been monitored for at least 2 hours. Harvesting virus sample: At 40 min post infection, 1 ml of each of the cultures were taken out and placed into sterile microfuge tube. The tubes were centrifuged at 6,500 rpm for 5 min and 750  µl of supernatant was removed from the T4-infected tube. It was then incubated over night and another sample was collected after 23.30 hours post infection. Preparation for plaque assay: A serial dilution of 10-7, 10-8 and 10-9 were made from the overnight T4-infected sample and dilution of 10-4, 10-5 and 10-6 were made from the 40 min p.i. T4-infected sample by using sterile M9 medium. 1 ml of E.coli culture was transferred to each of the two bottles containing 0.1 ml of the each diluted sample. The bottles were placed in water bath at 37 °C for 15 minutes for bacterial infections to begin. One small bottle of molten soft agar was taken from 42 °C bath and poured into labelled agar plates and evenly mixed with the bottle containing E.coli and diluted sample. This process was followed for all 6 agar plates. Then, the plates were incubated at 37 °C overnight after they were set completely. Plaque counts: After the incubation period, the agar plates were examined and the number of plaques formed on each plate were counted and recorded. Results The absorbance readings taken from the spectrophotometer at 600 nm of both the control and the T4-infected cultures is shown in table 1. At 0 min pi, both the cultures had similar readings (0.05 and 0.054 for C and T respectively) as they were just made. After one hour incubation period (60 min pi), there was increase in the absorbance for both of the cultures. However control had higher absorbance reading than T4-infected (0.106 and 0.064 respectively). Overall, the absorbance readings of both the cultures increases with the time except for 90 min pi in T4-infected where there is a decrease in absorbance reading by 0.028. The readings recorded for control is higher than T4-infected at each time period and the highest reading is at 120 min pi in the control culture (0.192). Table 1: absorbance reading of the cell cultures at 600nm Figure 2: Absorbance reading of control and T4-infected cultures against time Calculating the Multiplicity of infection (MOI)- the number of virions (pfu) per cell T4-titre = 2.74 x 1010 pfu/ml Cell count in T4-infected using C-chip Haemocytometer = 2808 cells per grid. Number of cells per mL = 2808 x 10,000 = 2.808107 cells/mL Number of cells per flask = 2.808107 x 23.1 (total volume) = 6.48 x 108 cells/flask MOI = (0.1x titre)/cells per flask = 2.74109/ 6.48108 = 4.22 pfu/cell. Table 2: class data of the plaque counts of T4-infected E.coli The growth curve of the T4-infected E.coli is shown in figure 3. A growth curve of a virus normally shows the eclipse period, latent period, rise period and the burst size. At 0 min pi, there is high number of extracellular cells (2.66 x 109 pfu/ml) as the virus has not been taken up by the E.coli cells. As the time increase to 20 min pi, the curve levels fell down due to penetration of viruses into the cell (as shown in figure 3). This phase is known as eclipse phase where the input virus begins to uncoat so, no infectious virus is detected. Latent period covers the period from the time of disappearance of infecting virus (eclipse phase) to re-appearance of it in E.coli. The rise phase is when there is a gradual increase in T4-phage titre as viral replication occurs and new cells are formed. Then the virus T4-tire levels off towards the end as cell lysis take place releasing the newly formed virus particles. However, the rise phase (shown is figure 3) doesn’t not rise gradual ly. The T4-titre rises until 60 min pi (2.845x 109) and instead of levelling off, there is a huge drop in the virus titre (8.05 x 107) at 80 min pi. In addition, the T4-virus sampled after overnight incubation (23.30 hours post infection), the dilution factors 10-7, 10-8 and 10-9 resulted in plaque counts of 12, 50 and 59 respectively. However, the plaques were only observed in one plate of each dilution and in the other plates no plaque were observed (Table 3 in appendix). Discussion Albrecht, et al (1996) states Infection caused by cytocidal viruses is normally associated with alterations in cell morphology, cell physiology and sequential biosynthetic events. The changes in cell morphology can sometimes be detectable which is known as cytopathic effects and they can be rounding of infected cells, formation of syncytia, and appearance of nuclear/cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. T4- bacteriophage usually causes death of host cell after replication causing cytopathic effects. A spectrophotometer is used to detect these cytopathic effects of T4-phage in E.coli. The spectrophotometer can only detect opacity due to the presence of bacterial cell and cannot detect virus as they are very small. So, as there is growth in cells in the culture, they become more opaque increasing the absorbance reading of the culture. The T4-infected culture didn’t have as much growth as the control as its absorbance readings are lower in all of the time period (as shown in figure 2). T4-phages can only replicate within the host cell therefore it must be grown in a bacterial cell. As shown in figure 3, at time 0 min pi, the amount of virus titre is the highest (2.66 x 109 pfu/ml). This is because the process has just begun as the T4-phage injects its ds DNA into the host cell after cell contact which is known as adsorption. Then, the virus titre drops down to 2.45 x108 pfu/ml at 20 min pi as it is attached to the host cell by receptor binding in order to penetrate into the host cell. At 40 min pi, the virus titre level begins to rise as the virus start to replicate within the host cell. The virus titre is suppose to increase till a certain time period and will gradually level off as the virus cell replication increases and after the host cell is filled with viral components, cell lysis occur releasing the newly formed virus phages to infect the surrounding bacteria. However, as shown in figure 3 this does not happen. The virus titre rises till post infection 60 mi n but there is a huge drop in virus titre after (8.05 x 107pfu/ml). There are errors in some of the results of the experiment like the decrease in absorbance reading of T4-infected at 90 min pi and the huge drop in virus titre at 60 min pi. Also, an overnight sample was taken from T4-infected culture at 23.30 hours post infection and plaque assay was carried out with dilution factors of 10-7, 10-8 and 10-9. There is no plaque formation in one of the two plates in each dilution (shown in table 3 in appendix). These errors in results can be due to various factors such as contamination in the samples due to poor sterilise technique, insufficient mixing and pipetting errors when making serial dilutions. Also, in plaque assay, the morphology of plaque depends on various environmental factors like the phage, the host and the growth conditions (Maloy, 2002). The size of the plaque is proportional to the efficiency of adsorption, the length of latent phase and the burst size. Also, the phages are affected by various physical and chemical factors like temperature, acidity, ions, etc. The other error can be made when counting the plaques in plaque assay. The counting is subjective to the counter as different counter would get different results for the same plate. The colonies were concentrated so it would be hard to differentiate between single colonies as they grow very close together. For more accurate counting of the plaque, the plates with 10-200 plaques would be chosen as there were three dilution factors of plates to choose from and anything with >200 plaque counts were not counted. Also, the experiments could be repeated more than once and for longer period of time when monitoring T4-infected E.coli so, average could be taken out which would give more accurate and reliable results. In conclusion, T4-bacteriophages are virulent infecting E.coli cells by lytic pathway and this can be measured by examining the cytopathic effects using spectrophotometer. Also, plaque assay of T4-infected E.coli helps to determine the virus titre – concentration of virus in a sample. T4- bacteriophages are a model organism to study and are involved in advancement of modern genetics and molecular biology. Also, they could be used to treat bacterial diseases as the theory states that phages can selectively kill the host cell without damaging the human cells. Some potential applications that are being considered include adding phage suspension to grafts in order to control skin infections and intravenous fluids for blood infections (Talaro, et al, 2007). Word count: 2,763 References Albrecht, T., Fons, M., Boldogh, I., et al. Effects on Cells. In: Baron S, editor. Medical Microbiology. 4th edition. Galveston (TX): University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996. Chapter 44.Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7979/ Baker, S., Griffiths, C. and Nicklin, J. (2011). BIOS Instant Notes in Microbiology. 4th edn. New York: Taylor Francis Ltd. Cann, A.J. (2005).Principles of Molecular Virology. 4th ed. United States: Elsevier Academic Press. 210-211. Gelderblom HR. Structure and Classification of Viruses. In: Baron S, editor. Medical Microbiology. 4th edition. Galveston (TX): University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996. Chapter 41.Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8174/ Leimana, P.G., Kanamarua, S., Mesyanzhinovb, V.V., Arisakac, F., Rossmanna, M.G. (2003). Structure and morphogenesis of bacteriophage T4.Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 60 (1), 2356–2370. Maloy, S. (2002).Phage plaques.Available: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/~smaloy/MicrobialGenetics/topics/phage/plaques.html. Last accessed 30 March 2014. Miller, E S., Kutter, E., Mosig, G., Arisaka, F., Kunisawa, T., Rà ¼ger6, W. (2003). Bacteriophage T4 Genome.Microbiology and molecular Biology Review. 67 (1), 86-156. Strelkauskas, A., Strelkauskas, J. and Moszyk-Strelkauskas, D., 2010. Microbiology, a clinical approach. New York: Garland Science. Talaro, K.P. (2007).Foundations in Microbiology: Basic Principles. 7th ed. Phillipines: McGraw-Hill. 160-181. Todar, K., 2012. Bacteriophage. [Online]. Available at: http://textbookofbacteriology.net/phage.html..> (Accessed 30 March 2014). Appendix   Ã‚   Table 3: T4 virus sampled after overnight incubation (23.30 hours pi)

The Volkswagen Beetle :: essays research papers

The people's car – generically, Volkswagen in German – is almost as old as the automobile, and the type was familiar in Germany long before the advent of the Volkswagen. Usually these 'popular'; cars were minimal cars, though size and simplicity did not necessarily bring them within the reach of the ordinary man in the street.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Henry Ford did build a successful universal car, to sell at a low price, but his Model T with its 2.9-litre engine was by no means a small car, nor was the Model A that followed it. When it was in production in the late 1920s, small 'proper'; cars in Germany ranged from the 700-cc DKW to the 1-litre Opel, with small Adlers, the BMW Dixi (a license-built Austin Seven) and the NSU-Fiats to come. These stimulated desire rather than a year's wage for an average worker. This prompted motorcycle manufacturer Zundapp to commission a low-cost car design from Dr. Ferdinand Porsche's new design studio. The project did not get far, but a Porsche-designed NSU that reached that prototype stage in 1933 accurately foreshadowed the Volkswagen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The idea of a people's car appealed to Porsche, and it fascinated Adolf Hitler. When the Nazi Party came to power in 1933, one of his pet notions was the concept of motoring for the masses, and a meeting with Porsche was to be a meeting of minds. Once again Porsche was commissioned to design a popular car, and when the first ludicrously tight financial limits were relaxed he accepted the technical challenge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is possible that Porsche received too much credit for the design of the Volkswagen, for most of the technical elements had been seen before in the work of such men as Ledwinka, Rumpler, Rabe and Nibel. The Volkswagen reflected the Porsche Buro's earlier designs, but it was to reach production and eventually succeed beyond the wildest limits of the Thirties dream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1931, the Porsche independent front suspension was patented. It interested many manufactures, and was to be important to the Volkswagen. It was devised around torsion bars, not new as such, but in this arrangement the two transverse bars were housed in tubular cross members, with a lower trailing link at each end, and an upper link pivoted to the frame and combined with a friction shock absorber. This was lighter than the then-common transverse leaf spring arrangement, but it meant that the wheels rolled with the body.

Majestica Hotel In Shanghai Essay

Majestica, a luxury hotel management service business began in 1970 in Western Europe. Majestica gradually expand to United Kingdom, United States, North America, Asia and so on. After a gradual expansion in Asia, Majestica become the world’s largest operators of luxury hotel and resort. Majestica earn by hotel ownership operation and hotel management but last five years they are concerning to managing hotel. All over the world, owner and developer of luxury hotels are attracted by Majestica because of their excellent quality. Their key success factor is management pointed to a service culture that they had fostered for decade. Moreover, their service culture is personal service oriented. Majestica’s try best to delight their customer by response to unusual request of the guest. This unique service culture leads Majestica to icon in hotel management business in the world. They had two strategies to expand their business those are cautious to increase number of hotel and resort in their portfolio and operating philosophy. In Asia pacific region Majestica didn’t take first moving advantage because of high cost to established new industry and they didn’t convince about political situation stability and existence of service culture. Majestica follow other major international luxury hotel chain and enter in Asian market. In 1990, Majestica changed its strategy to enter Asian market because it was the alarming time for them. China becoming the most competitive hotel industry and china’s economic develop and open door policy leads to china the second largest foreign direct investment recipient in the world. Finally, Majestica took the right decision to change strategy and enter in Asia’s largest competitive hotel business market. China was sixth most popular destination for business and tourist and would be first positioned by 2020. In 2004, there were 423 hotels with 68000 rooms which expected to increase 11 percent by 2005. Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission also forecast that tourist visiting will increase by 5 percent. Mid 1998 international luxury hotel chains took the advantage of changed government policy soon they took place in Shanghai. Shangri-la, Hyatt international etc established and imbued thoroughly Shanghai luxury hotel market. On that time Shanghai was the best location for Majestica because of market demand, future benefit, resource, competition as well as government policy. While CPS was publicly listed in Hong Kong gave Majestica more confidence about business transparency and independence from government influence. Majestica’s excellent performance and reputation attracted CPS and property owner to invest in Shanghai. As a result Majestica and CPS signed an intent and start negotiation. The challenging issue was the length of the contract and the control over the management of the hotel. First of all, Majestica wants the agreement for 55 years while it was 10 years normal hotel management term in china. So both CPS and Majestica had to change their policy and agreed to 30 years operation period with a option to extend operation period. Secondly, Majestica expect to design and construct by their senior people while CPS interfere to take decision. Than Majestica convince CPS that it is important to take senior people to keep chain of consistency of a world class luxury hotel construction. Selecting the name of the hotel, Majestica don’t want to compromise. Then, Majestica want experienced person as general manager who will accountable for over all operation. CPS wants a Chinese person to be a general manager though there was not any enough experience Chinese person. Then about expatriates, CPS wishes Majestica to train the local employees and eventually use them to replace the expatriates. Then CPS requested to Majestica to take a Deputy General Manager. In negotiation, CPS suggested to Majestica for purchasing all necessity from the local market. Majestica disagreed to CPS for allowing access to hotel rooms because of confusion. Finally, Majestica want to appoint a third party to resolve any condition but CPS didn’t agree to interfere of a third from outside China. For foreign investment law of China Majestica had to take 25 percent equity by the Majestica had to change the upper limit minority investment policy. To increase the market share Majestica should relax its operating philosophy and take the opportunity to grave the leadership position in hotel industry  in the world. If Majestica could change their philosophy and business practice than not only china but it could lead whole world and become global. To take this position Majestica need to change their management policy, market segmentation, human resource policy and aggressive expansion of hotel operating business.

Liberty in America from 1865 to 1941

Liberty is not just a wonderful thing. It is a rare thing. As much as we would like to wish otherwise there is far more tyranny in the world as opposed to liberty. Throughout history, there have been tyrannical monarchies and totalitarian regimes that impose their will on the populace. Actually, one does not even have to look into the historical past for examples as there are many nations this very day where tyranny rules. Those who live in the United States, however, can at least lay claim to living in one of the freest nations on earth. This is because the United States has built itself upon the concept of liberty, democracy and freedom. While there have been dark patches in American history, many of those dark periods have been overcome. One of the more interesting periods in the nation's history in terms of exploring liberty progression and regression would be during the time period from the end of the Civil War to just prior to American involvement in World War Two. During the Reconstruction Era, a tremendous amount of liberty was provided to African-Americans as freedom from slavery had arrived. Sadly, there was not much in the way of racial equality brought forth during this time period and many point to the apartheid like environment southern blacks had to endure. However, there was also the period of the Great Migration where many African-Americans moved north during World War One to take advantage of ob opportunities and a better living environment. No one impeded the migration as the liberty of being able to seek a better life was afforded. In addition, the liberties of the United States were afforded to people who lived outside the United States. This is evidenced in the significant immigration waves to the USA from Europe. These waves occurred throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century and all those who arrived were provided all the freedoms of the United States as well as being afforded the opportunity to take part in the democratic process. In addition to voting in the United States, many of these immigrants would go one to become major political figures. In fact, within a short number of decades many immigrants and African-Americans would become mayors of major cities. While liberty was not expanded quickly, it did expand and crossed all racial, gender and ethnic lines. Of course, at various times in American history there have been a number of challenges to liberty. Under President Woodrow Wilson, there were a number of famous assaults on the concept of liberty. This was most notable in Wilson's Sedition Act which essentially imposed the totalitarian concept of the â€Å"enemy of the state† on people who opposed Wilson's war policies. However, the way in which these procedures were enacted were so severe there is no way one could argue that these were sane policies. These laws arbitrarily targeted large numbers of the population and were quite random in their enforcement.. Thankfully, with the end of Wilson's tenure such practices would cease to occur with the exception of the Japanese internment during World War Two. The reason this aberration is pointed out is because it is an aberration. Such extreme methods are not the general practice of the United States as it remains a reliable beacon of liberty where such liberties are provided for all. Yes, there are stumbling blocks to liberties now and then but ultimately the United States remains the freest nation of earth and one that cherishes its freedoms.            

Australias Declining Birth Rate essays

Australia's Declining Birth Rate essays One great, recent and long-lasting concern for the nation of Australia is the precipitous decline in the Australian birth rate. The Australian birth rate is one of the lowest birth rates in the civilized world. Statistics have also shown that a growing number of Australian women are postponing childbirth later and later. This is not only true of teenage mothers but also young women in their twenties, whom are traditionally at their most fertile biological peak' as well as more economically and personally stable than teenagers. The most frequently cited reasons for the low Australian birth rate, an object of frequent debate in the nation, include the lack of available affordable childcare as well as the fact that more and more women are pursuing careers, eschewing motherhood until later in life, only then finding out that hey have problems with their fertility. Also, the proportion of the population aged 65, past childbearing age, has grown steadily in Australia since 1975. (Australian Health Trends, 2001) Since 1976, the Australian birth rate has been sinking below replacement levels for the nation. This recent fall since the 1970's is even greater than the fall that occurred with the introduction of the birth control pill to the nation in the 1960's. Unlike the single factor of the introduction of the birth control pill, the 1970's anti-teenage mother campaign waged by the government, cutbacks in the health system regarding prenatal and day care, and social trends that de-emphasized motherhood have all created a trend towards later childbirth and smaller families since 1976. The burgeoning wealth of the population, the lack of social status accorded to motherhood in general as well as early motherhood, and even the increased rate of travel amongst young Australians have all been blamed for this growing trend. Also, the higher rate of congenital abnormalities...

Key Facts About Edmonton, the Capital of Alberta

Key Facts About Edmonton, the Capital of Alberta Edmonton is the capital city of the province of Alberta, Canada. Sometimes called Canadas Gateway to the North, Edmonton is the farthest north of Canadas large cities and has important road, rail and air transportation links. About Edmonton, Alberta From its beginnings as a Hudsons Bay Company fur trading fort, Edmonton has evolved into a city with a wide range of cultural, sporting and tourist attractions, and is the host of more than two dozen festivals each year. Most of Edmontons population works in the service and trade industries, as well as in the municipal, provincial and federal governments. Location of Edmonton Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River, near the center of the province of Alberta. You can see  more about the city in these maps of  Edmonton. It is the northernmost large city in Canada and, therefore, the northernmost city in North America. Area Edmonton is 685.25 sq. km (264.58 sq. miles), according to Statistics Canada. Population As of the 2016 Census, Edmontons population was 932,546 people, making it the second-largest city in Alberta, after Calgary. It is the fifth-largest city in Canada. More Edmonton City Facts Edmonton was incorporated as a town in 1892 and as a city in 1904. Edmonton became the capital city of Alberta in 1905. Government of City of Edmonton Edmonton municipal elections are held every three years on the third Monday in October. The last Edmonton municipal election was held on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, when Don Iveson was re-elected as mayor. The city council of Edmonton, Alberta is made up of 13 elected representatives: one mayor and 12 city councilors. Edmonton Economy Edmonton is a hub for the oil and gas industry (hence the name of its National Hockey League team, the Oilers). It is also well-regarded for its research and technology industries. Edmonton Attractions Major attractions in Edmonton include West Edmonton Mall (the largest mall in North America), Fort Edmonton Park, the Alberta Legislature, the Royal Alberta Museum, Devonian Botanic Garden and the Trans Canada Trail. There are also several sports arenas, including Commonwealth Stadium, Clarke Stadium and Rogers Place. Edmonton Weather Edmonton has a fairly dry climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Summers in Edmonton are hot and sunny. Although July is the month with the most rain, showers and thunderstorms are usually short. July and August have the warmest temperatures, with highs around 75 F (24 C). Summer days in June and July in Edmonton bring 17 hours of daylight. Winters in Edmonton are less severe than in many other Canadian cities, with low humidity and less snow. Although the winter temperature can dip to -40 C/F, the cold spells last only a few days and usually come with sunshine. January is the coldest month in Edmonton, and the wind chill can make it feel much colder.

The Martha Stewart Case

The Martha Stewart Case In March 2004, a jury found domestic diva Martha Stewart guilty of conspiracy, making false statements and obstruction of agency proceedings stemming from a sale of stock in biotech company ImClone Systems Inc. in December 2001. Stewart, however, was never charged with insider trading, all her charges were related to covering up information concerning the stock trade and obstructing the investigation. Latest Developments Martha Stewart Sends Thanksgiving Greetings Previous Developments Martha Stewart Begins Prison Term Government Withheld Evidence, Martha Stewart ClaimsOct 7, 2004Martha Stewarts appeals lawyers have accused federal prosecutors of withholding evidence that could have led to an acquittal in her trial on charges of lying to investigators about a stock sale. Martha Stewart to Serve Time at Camp CupcakeSept. 29, 2004Martha Stewart will begin serving her five-month prison sentence for lying about a stock sale at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia, a minimum-security dubbed by locals as Camp Cupcake. Martha Stewart Headed to Prison Oct. 8Sept. 21. 2004A federal judge lifted the stay of Martha Stewarts five-month sentence to allow her to begin serving her five months in federal prison October 8 as she requested. Martha Stewart Asks to Begin Prison SentenceSept. 15, 2005Martha Stewart has asked to begin her five-month prison sentence as soon as possible instead of waiting for the appeals process in order to put this nightmare behind me. Martha Stewart Gets Five Months, Plans AppealJuly 16, 2004Martha Stewart was sentenced by a federal judge to serve five months in prison, but the domestic diva will not have to attempt living graciously behind bars anytime soon.

Philip Zambardo Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philip Zambardo - Research Paper Example He has written many useful psychology books and text books for students. The Lucifer Effect and The Time Paradox are his famous books. He is currently heading a movement for everyday heroism and working as the director of The Heroic Imagination Project. In his book, The Lucifer Effect, Zimbardo explains how good people lead to engage in evil actions. He has formulated his theories after 30 years of research and his theories and arguments about how good people become bad people were hotly debated topics in America at present. There are many incidents in which people with good backgrounds turned to criminals. Zimbardo’s theories give us insights about the reasons for such transformations. He has conducted a prison study (Stanford prison study), in which he tried to study the behavior of innocent people when they face jail terms. This study has relevance now, especially because of the events such as the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses in Iraq. I decided to research about Philip George Zimbardo mainly because of that. This paper analyses the life and contributions of Philip George Zimbardo. Philip George Zimbardo was born on March 23, 1933 in New York City in a family of Sicilian immigrants. He has completed his BA from Brooklyn College in 1954, with psychology, sociology, and anthropology as the major subjects. He has completed his M.S. degree in 1955 and achieved a PhD in psychology from Yale University in 1959. Initially he worked in various universities as a professor. New York University, Columbia University, Stanford University and Yale are some of the institutions in which he worked as a professor in psychology. While he was working in Stanford University, he has conducted prison study in 1971 which is famous as Stanford prison study now. He has selected some college students and assigned them roles of "prisoners" or "guards" in a mock prison located in the basement of the psychology building at Stanford. He was forced to stop his studies after six days ev en though he planned the study for two weeks because of the emotional problems faced by the students. Even though the student volunteers knew that they were being used in a study and all the actions performed in this study are only mock actions, it was difficult for them to keep their emotions intact because of the terrible settings created by Zimbardo. On arrival, the â€Å"prisoners† or the student volunteers were stripped, searched, shaved and deloused which caused a great deal of humiliation in the designed Stanford prison. Zimbardo succeeded in creating a real jail like environment and it was too difficult for the participants to adjust with it for longer period. â€Å"The test got so out of hand that it was broken off after only 6 days. Since then, Zimbardo has never spoken about the experiment, until the arrival of his book entitled ’The Lucifer Effect’† (Zimbardo breaks his silence). The â€Å"Lucifer Effect† describes the point in time whe n an ordinary, normal person first crosses the boundary between good and evil to engage in an evil action. It represents a transformation of human character that is significant in its consequences. Such transformations are more likely to occur in novel settings, in â€Å"total situations,† where social situational forces are sufficiently powerful to overwhelm, or set aside temporally, personal attributes of morality, compassion, or sense of justice and fair play

MIH 514 - Cross Cultural Health Perspectives (Mod 4 SLP) Essay

MIH 514 - Cross Cultural Health Perspectives (Mod 4 SLP) - Essay Example He then lights a candle and places it on the floor in the center of the room, and shook his sacred rattle, commanding . The grating sound of the rattle draws all attention and he recites a ritual sometimes to the audience and sometimes whispered in the ear of the deceased. Soon he straddles the corpse and orders the gros-bon-ange to come out. When the gros-bon-ange comes out the priestess cuts tufts of hair from the head of the deceased which are sealed in a clay jar and later placed next to his body and buried with him. The spirit gros-bon-ange then roams among the family members and enters one of their bodies. This family member goes into a trance and tells everyone good bye one by one. The family member is then released from his trance and the gros-bon-ange then moves away to enter heaven (OGorman, 2008). They believe the body is then just an empty tomb that no longer holds any essence of the person who was there before. The final ritual at the end of the sequence of events is the breaking of a large clay jar. The jar is beaten into pieces and then buried. The clay jar represents the body because they believe that they body is made of clay and water and it is beaten to represent the cruelty of taking someone away from their life with their community. Finally it is buried and every single fragment is assured to be in the same place for burial. The Haitian people are encouraged not to have sorrow over the loss of this family member or friend as they believe this soul is soon born into the body of a new baby. Therefore there is reason to celebrate and not morn. However, it is of course difficult to do this and many times they will go to the celebration whaling at one minute and laughing and dancing at another. Catholicism and vodum are a necessary part of Haitian existence. God and the Saints of the Church and loas the ancestral spirits of Africa on the other. For Haitians, the

Protein Synthesis Details Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Protein Synthesis Details - Assignment Example The ribosomes fix to mRNA at the first codon known only to the tRNA initiating. The ribosomes then move to the elongating phase of protein production. At this step, complexes containing an amino acid connected to tRNA binds to the right codon by a formation of complementary pairs with tRNA anticodon. There is a movement of the ribosome from one codon to the other along mRNA. Acids are added one after the other translating into polypeptidic patterns defined by DNA and signified by mRNA. Finally, a release factor fixes to stop codon, stopping translation and discharging a whole polypeptide from a ribosome.The DNA double helix unwinds. Afterward, the enzyme case opens the DNA by breaking hydrogen bonds. The polymerase of the enzyme DNA pairs every tow components with the right nitrogenous bases. The strand at the top is known as the leading strand and the one at the bottom is known as the lagging strand. The enzyme ligase then attaches the DNA lagging strand fragments. Lastly, there are two DNA replications that are exact each having 46 chromosomes known as daughter cells.Besides, the reduced chromosome numbers, meiosis is different from mitosis in that it creates a new genetic combination in every daughter cell. The new combinations are as a result of DNA exchange between chromosomes that are paired. This means that gametes produced by this process have an amazing genetic variation. Lastly, in meiosis, the nuclear division occurs in two rounds, unlike mitosis.Prokaryotic reproduction involves no nucleus and employs binary fusion for its asexual division. For instance, in bacteria where they copy themselves through binary fusion.

UN Convention on Genocide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

UN Convention on Genocide - Essay Example The contribution of Raphael Lemkin is hailed as he was the leading force behind this convention and through extensive lobbying in which he made the word "genocide" an official word. The word genocide was rooted from the words "genos" which means family, tribe, or race, while "cide" stood for killing. Lemkin was of Jewish descent, and was greatly affected by the Jewish Holocaust. It is important to note that the Armenian genocide was the first annihilation that truly ignited his passion to raise awareness on genocide. Article 2 in the Resolution 260 (III) of document defines the acts of genocide as, killing any groups of people due to their nationality, ethnicity, race or religious group. Before the document there was no way to legally define what was considered genocide, and there was also no way to punish any person or groups of people for committing it, especially during wartime (Wilt 238). The document is important because it protects the citizens of every country involved with the convention from genocide. For example, Article 3 punishes any person who commits genocide, "whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals". Another important point is Hitlers infamous genocide which contributed in shedding more lights on the acts of genocide that is why there was plenty of support from the United Nations for The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

The overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the Essay

The overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the construction of the tunnel link between England and France - Essay Example The main purpose of the research is to present that the twentieth century witnessed developments on many fronts at the same time including construction. A number of hallmark projects were commissioned in the twentieth century such as New York’s Empire State Building and others that served to boost mankind’s confidence in taking on large projects. A large number of mega projects spanned progress in the twentieth century but taking on and executing these projects represented large challenges. The early parts of the twentieth century saw randomised approaches to project management in order to deal with large projects. However, as time proceeded and human experience increased in dealing with large projects, the approach to such projects became more and more structured. A large amount of advancement has occurred on the fronts of project management although there is still much ground to be covered. Initially project management was largely restricted to dealing with the techni cal aspects of projects especially the larger projects. In time it was found that project management needed to deal with other aspects of projects such as financing, scheduling, quality initiatives and others. Development on these fronts has been steady and has resulted from learning from various mega projects. The unique nature of mega projects means that the same ideas are not equally applicable to different projects even though they may hold similar grounds. One project that sparked the imaginations of mankind was the Channel Tunnel project that was initiated to build a fixed link between England and France. Historically the English Channel has represented a major obstacle to crossing over into United Kingdom. In order to deal with this challenge some kind of a system was required that could facilitate the movement of goods and people between both nations. This project was all the more critical for England because it did not have a direct link to mainland Europe. Such a link was necessary to ensure trade and commerce between England and mainland Europe. Prior to the tunnel’s opening, the only modes of transport available included ferries and airplanes. Both modes of transport were not only expensive but were at times dictated by weather over the English Channel making crossing or flying difficult. Early ideas to deal with this challenge included large iron bridges with spans of many kilometres. However, the technical challenges facing the creation of such spans and bridges were large and rather insurmountable. Constant tries on the British and French sides finally saw the emergence of a tunnel system beneath the English Channel that could finally connect both countries with ease. The movement from mere ideas to a practical working system represented one of the largest challenges undertaken by mankind. The creation of the Channel Tunnel was confronted by myriad challenges such as costing, planning, execution, finance, teamwork, quality, safety and sch eduling amongst others. When the project was finally completed, it was found that the project was delayed as well as overpriced when compared to original estimates. This paper analyses the overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the construction of the tunnel link between England and France. 3. Problems 3.1. Pre-Planning The creation of such a gargantuan tunnel system to accommodate trains and shuttle services required taking over challenges on many fronts. The primary challenge to initiate the Channel Tunnel project was garnering the right kind of political will to create this project. The political will garnered to initiate the C

Impact of Global Recession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Impact of Global Recession - Essay Example This all highlights the significance of this fossil fuel. The world market of oil is such that it is highly controlled by OPEC. In fact, OPEC has been thought to behave like a cartel. It especially behaved like a cartel during the 1970s when an embargo was placed on the Western economies, which plunged their economies into deep recessions (Bouchentouf, 2007). In addition, much of the oil supply is located in highly unstable markets, therefore the market of oil is highly volatile (Behr, 2009). The United States is the third largest producer of oil after Russia and Saudi Arabia (Bouchentouf, 2007). However, it consumes the production of oil drastically to support its huge industrial based economy. The United States also imports much of the oil in the world and Japan and Germany are one of the largest importers of oil. The United States and China are currently the largest consumers of oil (Bouchentouf, 2007).Literature ReviewThe sudden decrease in the price of oil as shown in the figure above was because as the recession hit countries all around the world, demand gradually decreased. Because of the drastic decrease in demand, the OPEC to curb the decreasing prices cut down outputs. World oil demand continuously fell across the period from 2008 to 2009. In 2008, world demand had fallen by 0.2 percent, and in 2009, it had fallen by 0.4 percent. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) had predicted at the beginning of the crash, that the ensuing years would see a decrease in the demand.... It has large importance for the world economy. The demand of oil is such that it is inelastic, that means even if the price rises, people would continue to buy it. Oil is indispensable and is a raw material for various other products. However, oil has an inelastic supply as well, that means since it is a non-renewable resource, it will eventually run out. This all highlights the significance of this fossil fuel. The world market of oil is such that it is highly controlled by OPEC. In fact, OPEC has been thought to behave like a cartel. It especially behaved like a cartel during the 1970s when an embargo was placed on the Western economies, which plunged their economies into deep recessions (Bouchentouf, 2007). In addition, much of the oil supply is located in highly unstable markets, therefore the market of oil is highly volatile (Behr, 2009). The United States is the third largest producer of oil after Russia and Saudi Arabia (Bouchentouf, 2007). However, it consumes the production of oil drastically to support its huge industrial based economy. The United States also imports much of the oil in the world and Japan and Germany are one of the largest importers of oil. The United States and China are currently the largest consumers of oil (Bouchentouf, 2007). Literature Review The sudden decrease in the price of oil as shown in the figure above was because as the recession hit countries all around the world, demand gradually decreased. Because of the drastic decrease in demand, the OPEC to curb the decreasing prices cut down outputs. World oil demand continuously fell across the period from 2008 to 2009. In 2008, world demand had fallen by 0.2 percent, and in 2009, it had fallen by 0.4 percent. The

The overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the Essay

The overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the construction of the tunnel link between England and France - Essay Example The main purpose of the research is to present that the twentieth century witnessed developments on many fronts at the same time including construction. A number of hallmark projects were commissioned in the twentieth century such as New York’s Empire State Building and others that served to boost mankind’s confidence in taking on large projects. A large number of mega projects spanned progress in the twentieth century but taking on and executing these projects represented large challenges. The early parts of the twentieth century saw randomised approaches to project management in order to deal with large projects. However, as time proceeded and human experience increased in dealing with large projects, the approach to such projects became more and more structured. A large amount of advancement has occurred on the fronts of project management although there is still much ground to be covered. Initially project management was largely restricted to dealing with the techni cal aspects of projects especially the larger projects. In time it was found that project management needed to deal with other aspects of projects such as financing, scheduling, quality initiatives and others. Development on these fronts has been steady and has resulted from learning from various mega projects. The unique nature of mega projects means that the same ideas are not equally applicable to different projects even though they may hold similar grounds. One project that sparked the imaginations of mankind was the Channel Tunnel project that was initiated to build a fixed link between England and France. Historically the English Channel has represented a major obstacle to crossing over into United Kingdom. In order to deal with this challenge some kind of a system was required that could facilitate the movement of goods and people between both nations. This project was all the more critical for England because it did not have a direct link to mainland Europe. Such a link was necessary to ensure trade and commerce between England and mainland Europe. Prior to the tunnel’s opening, the only modes of transport available included ferries and airplanes. Both modes of transport were not only expensive but were at times dictated by weather over the English Channel making crossing or flying difficult. Early ideas to deal with this challenge included large iron bridges with spans of many kilometres. However, the technical challenges facing the creation of such spans and bridges were large and rather insurmountable. Constant tries on the British and French sides finally saw the emergence of a tunnel system beneath the English Channel that could finally connect both countries with ease. The movement from mere ideas to a practical working system represented one of the largest challenges undertaken by mankind. The creation of the Channel Tunnel was confronted by myriad challenges such as costing, planning, execution, finance, teamwork, quality, safety and sch eduling amongst others. When the project was finally completed, it was found that the project was delayed as well as overpriced when compared to original estimates. This paper analyses the overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the construction of the tunnel link between England and France. 3. Problems 3.1. Pre-Planning The creation of such a gargantuan tunnel system to accommodate trains and shuttle services required taking over challenges on many fronts. The primary challenge to initiate the Channel Tunnel project was garnering the right kind of political will to create this project. The political will garnered to initiate the C

John Van Hamersveld Art style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Van Hamersveld Art style - Essay Example In the late 60s, John boosted his portfolio after he assumed the role as an art director at the Capitol Records. This position, gave him an edge in designing more posters for famed musicians (Surfing Heritage & Culture Centre Web). John has designed more than 300 album covers and the most popular ones according to Surfing Heritage & Culture Centre were, â€Å"The Beatles’  Magical Mystery Tour  and  The Rolling Stones’  Exile on Main St† (Web). In the present, embodied legacy of John Van Hamersveld is located in the Coolhouse Studio. John Van Hamersveld has exemplary art works that are likeable. The digital print on the canvas ‘Waiting on the Storm’, of 2009, ‘Johnny Girl’ of 1972, and ‘Pipeline’ on digital print on Vinyl 2009 are the remarkable drawing that the essay will describe. John Van Hemersveld drawing "Waiting for the storm" digital print on canvas 2009 was a classical drawing that I saw. Though the drawing is simple, a person can derive some information from the design. The design emphasizes the ideas that the drawing brings forth in the mind of the viewer. John Van Hemersveld drawing was insightfully done to differentiate the background from the foreground. The foreground print of the drawing has numerous clouds that were blue at the base and white at the top. The blue color in the drawing generally creates a calm and peaceful environment in my mind. The clouds with the blue base was capturing to my eyes. The drawing indicated to me that the storm is not necessarily detrimental as most people think. Hence, the drawing depicts that when I prepare for the storm, the calm moment is likely to be experienced. †Waiting for the storm† by John Van Hemersveld illustrates that a storm can yield time for meditation and a quiet moment of peace. According to the drawing, I learn that my preparation for challenges in life determines the peace I can experience throughout the moment. Typ ically, blue is a color for calmness signifying that in my life I really need to prepare for the storm all round to always have a calm state. Another drawing that also captured my attention was â€Å"Johnny Girl† which was John Van Hemersveld digital print of canvas 1972. The drawing was of John who was all smiles and very happy. Johnny Girl drawing showed a boy who had typically gotten a girlfriend for the first time. Therefore, the drawing depicted Johnny’s achievement, which to him the achievement was something out of the ordinary in his life. Although the drawing may have brought out the feelings a person encounters when in a relationship for the first time, I did not like it at all. The drawing reminded me of my first relationship in High School which did not last for long. The amazing moments I had and the thought of a beautiful future were the ideas going through my mind. Despite the insightfully designed canvas, my past memories were the reason of my dislike fo r the photo. The 2009 Vinyl print of â€Å"Pipeline† drawing was generally amazing. A person who is keen to understand the drawing could only appreciate the remarkable design. I also became a victim of bypassing the drawing because the drawing was not as striking as the drawing of â€Å"Waiting in the Storm.† The â€Å"Pipeline† drawing was showing a sharp wave with high amplitude and a narrow front. The wave looked dangerous than

Concepts and Strategies of Brand Management

Concepts and Strategies of Brand Management ABSTRACT Branded products can be seen everywhere around us at all time, and is a way of communication for the buyer of the product. Brand management will play a more significant role in future marketing competition, so research on the brand management is likely to become more meaningful and interesting. Brand management can really create value like increasing more adaptability, uniqueness, recognition etc. All in all, brand management is significant and can add value to firms. The project discusses all about deciding and evaluating brand name. the logo and colour of the brand play an important role in attracting the consumers. Moreover after deciding the brand name, it is mandatory to register the name at trademark registration office. All this process is followed by launching or re-launching the new product or the recalled product respectively. Moreover companies have realised that the role of the company does not got over by mere launching the brand but they have to do continuous marketing to sustain in the competitive market. Over period of time, the value of product decline due to many factors and companies have to work on the revitalizing the brand image and thus leads to success of the product. The brand name is thus one of the most powerful sources of identity CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION TO BRAND A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well. is a well said verse by Jeffrey Preston Bezos, the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of Amazon.com BRAND A brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being dscribed as cultural accessories and personal philosophies. According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition. Technically speaking, whenever a marketer creates a new name, logo, or symbol for a new product or service, he or she has created a brand. Now the question still is not clear about what all brand is about so we can say that brand is a promise, brand is and associated image and everyone and everything is brand. A BRAND IS A PROMISE First and foremost, a brand is a promise. It says you know the name, you can trust the promise. As all promises, it is trusted only as far as those promises are met. Trust is a critical first step and brands aim to accelerate that step by leveraging the implied promise of the brand. A BRAND IS AN ASSOCIATED IMAGE Most brands have a logo which acts as a short-cut to remind us of the brand promise. The logo uses color, shape, letters and images to create a distinctive image that is designed both to catch our eye and to guide our thoughts in the right direction. The brand may also be associated with tunes, celebrities, catchphrases and so on. All parts of the brand image works as a psychological trigger or stimulus that causes an association to all other thoughts we have about the brand. EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE IS A BRAND If you get down to the detail, everything is a brand, because we build our understanding of the world by creating associations about everything. A tree has an implied promise of beauty and shade. Even words are brands. When I say speed, you will conjure up images of fast cars, etc. People are brands, too. When people see you, or even hear your name, they will recall the image they have of you, (which is something you can actively manage or let happen). In a company where people are visible to customers, such as a service business, the people are very much a part the brand. The brand name is thus one of the most powerful sources of identity. When a brand questions its identity, the best answer is therefore to thoroughly examine its name and so try to understand the reasoning behind its creation. In doing so, we can discover the brands intentions and programme. Many brands make every effort to acquit qualities which their brand name fails to reflect or simply excludes altogether. A name-like an identity-has to be managed. Certain names may have a double meaning. The purpose of communication then is to select one and drop the other. IMPORTANCE OF BRAND Branding is a very powerful component in buisness. The brand must have a logo to make branding easier and more possible. The consumers decide if they will buy a product or use a service based on how they view the brand. The brand itself tells us or let us imagine how good ir bad the product is even we never tasted it before. All that brand promotion and advertising really do tell us how great a brand can be (like Nike). Once the customer likes your brand he/she will definitely come back for the repeated services or pproducts. The qualities of the product or services are ensured through the mind of customers from the image of the brand. Therefore, Brand is not only convinient for buisness for repeated customer purchase but also easier for customers to filter out the countless generic items. Brand gives consumer the reason to buy it and wastes less time for customer to choose a particular product or service. TYPES OF BRAND There are two main types of brand – manufacturer brands and own-label brands. MANUFACTURER BRANDS Manufacturer brands are created by producers and bear their chosen brand name. The producer is responsible for marketing the brand. The brand is owned by the producer. By building their brand names, manufacturers can gain widespread distribution (for example by retailers who want to sell the brand) and build customer loyalty (think about the manufacturer brands that you feel loyal to). OWN LABEL BRANDS Own-label brands are created and owned by businesses that operate in the distribution channel – often referred to as distributors. Often these distributors are retailers, but not exclusively. Sometimes the retailers entire product range will be own-label. However, more often, the distributor will mix own-label and manufacturers brands. Own-label branding – if well carried out – can often offer the consumer excellent value for money and provide the distributor with additional bargaining power when it comes to negotiating prices and terms with manufacturer brands BRAND EQUITY Brand equity refers to the value of a brand. Brand equity is based on the extent to which the brand has high brand loyalty, name awareness, perceived quality and strong product associations. Brand equity also includes other intangible assets such as patents, trademarks and channel relationships. The list below shows the worlds top 10 brands in 2002 (as measured by value): {Rank Brand Value ($ billions)} Coca-Cola..($69.6) Microsoft.($64.1) IBM($51.2) GE..($41.3) Intel.($30.9) Nokia.($30.0) Disney($29.3) McDonalds..($26.4) Marlboro..($24.2) Mercedes.($21.0) Source: Interbrand; JP Morgan Chase, 2002 CHAPTER 2 THE BRAND : SOURCE OF VALUE FOR THE CONSUMER The brand is a focal point for all the positive and negative impression created by buyer over time as he comes in contact with the brands product, distribution channel, personnel and communication. A brand continues to be, at least in the short term, a good example for quality even after the patent has expired. The life of patent is extented, thanks to brans, thus explaining the importance of branding in the pharmaceutical or the chemical industry. The brand performs an economic function in consumers mind and thus has a lasting and memorable effect on the companys activities. Legally a brand is simply a symbol which distinguishes a companys product and certifies its origin and thus obtains its value through registration and conformity. The value of brand comes from its ability to gain an exclusive, positive and prominent meaning in the minds of a large number of consumers. The tangible and intangible benefits which are derived from the consumption of a product of a brand are encapsulated in the strong brand. When a brand is created at first it is worth nothing. Over the time the logo acquires significance by means of advertising. Advertising are forgotten quickly whereas a brand stays in memory along with the implications which are attached to it by public. The brand is thus stocked in the mind of potential consumers. Hence, brand can be considered as an asset of the company. ADVANTAGES OF STRONG BRAND Greater perception of product or service performance. Greater marketing communication effectiveness Greater customer retention and loyalty More appreciative consumer response on price increase or decrease Has very high awareness Receives a lot of free publicity/buzz Is admired and has high purchase intent Enables the owner to charge a price premium Results in increased market share, especially for the target customers Provides increased bargaining power with business partners Provides a platform for growth beyond the current products and product categories Helps attract and retain talented employees Helps the management team align employees in support of the brands promise Often provides clarity for budgeting and capital investment decision Increases an organizations sales, profit margins, stock price and market valuation Larger margin Less vulnerability to competitive marketing action and marketing crisis Greater trade cooperation and support Possible licensing and franchising opportunities Greater brand extension opportunities ROLE OF BRAND IN PRODUCT CHARACTERIZATION The product can be characterized into three types : The qualities which are noticed by contact, before buying. Eg. Decision to buy a pair of socks. The choice is made according to the visible characteristics i.e the pattern, the style, the material, the feel, the elasticity and the price. The qualities which are noticed uniquely by experience, thus after buying. Eg. Automobile market. The performance, consumption and style can be assessed before buying the car but road-holding, the pleasure of driving, reliability and quality cannot be entirely appreciated through test drive. Credence qualities which cannot be verified even after consumption and which you have to take on trust. Eg. In the market for upmarket car, the feeling that we have made it, that certain feeling of fulfillment and personal success through buying and owing a BMW are typically the results of pure faith. Hence the role of brand is made clearer by this classification of sought-after qualities. The brand is a sign whose function is to disclose the hidden qualities of the product which are inaccessible to contact (sight, touch, hearing, smell) and possibly those which are accessible through experience but where the consumer does not want to take the risk of trying the product. As we can see, a brand provides not only a source of information but performs certain other functions which justify its attractiveness and its monetary return when it is valued by buyers. FUNCTIONS OF BRAND FOR CONSUMER The eight function of brand are presented in the table given below. The first two are mechanical and concern the essence of the brand i.e to function as a recognized symbol in order to facilitate choice and to gain time. The following three functions reduce the perceived risk. The last three have a more pleasurable side to them ethics show that the buyers are expecting, more and more, responsible behavior from their brands. FUNCTION CONSUMER BENEFIT Identification To be clearly seen, to make sense of the offer, to quickly identify the sought-after products. Practicality To allow saving of time and energy through identical repurchasing and loyalty. Guarantee To be sure of finding the same quality no matter where or when you buy the product or service. Optimization To be sure of buying the best product in its category, the best performer for the particular purpose. Characterization To have confirmation of your self-image or the image that you present to others. Continuity Satisfaction brought about through familiarity and intimacy with the brand that you have been consuming for years. Hedonistic Satisfaction linked to the attractiveness of the brand, to its logo, to its communication. Ethical Satisfaction linked to the responsible behavior of the brand in its relationship with society. Table : The function of the brand for the consumer. Hence we can say that brand plays an important role in the company. The brand of a company is created by the company and its customers together. The company has to make clear through its brand the promise it makes to its customers, based on the strategies and vision for the future of its business and products. It is vital that the company fully comprehends exactly what the customers expect from the brand, and that it continually lives up to this expectations. The aim of brand management is to create a brand that will build this long-term relationship an unshakeable bond between the company and its customers. Brand management involves the design and implementation of marketing programs and activities to build, measure, and manage brand equity.1 These concepts and techniques are to improve the long-term profitability of the brand strategies. CHAPTER – 3 BRAND MANAGEMENT Brand management is the application of marketing techniques to a specific product, product line, or brand. It seeks to increase the products perceived value to the customer and thereby increase brand franchise and brand equity. Brand management is a dynamic and a continuous process that needs consistent investment of time and money. The boardroom must ensure that brand management is allocated a specific budget as it is much more than mere marketing communications. Due to the intangible nature of branding, the results may not accrue in a short period of time a it takes time and reinforcement to build customer loyalty. Brand management is all about the total approach says about defining the brand and control its management by the leaders of the company. Once the approach is finalised than create the promise by describing all about the product followed by making the promise by doing marketing of the product and inject the information about the product into the mind of consumer. Lastly it is important to keep the promise, what you have made during the marketing of the product. TOTAL APPROACH Brand management starts with understanding what brand really means. This starts with the leaders of the company who define the brand and control its management. It also reaches all the way down the company and especially to the people who interface with customers or who create the products which customers use. Brand management performed to its full extent means starting and ending the management of the whole company through the brand. It is simply far too important to leave to the marketing department. CREATING THE PROMISE Creating the promise means defining the brand. A good brand promise is memorable and desirable. It cannot be effective if nobody remembers it, and is no good either if nobody wants it. A good brand promise evokes feelings, because feelings drive actions. The promise must be unique and identified with you alone. The right promise comes through a deep understanding of the marketplace and the customers who are going to use the product. It also comes from a deep understanding of the capabilities and motivations of the people in the company. MAKING THE PROMISE Once the promise is created, the next step is to somehow inject it into the minds of the customers, the staff and everyone who receives anything from you or has any impact on what you deliver. This is where marketing people come into their own. Although it is still not their sole preserve, a large part of marketing, which includes advertising and PR, is about positioning the company and its products in the minds of customers and against your competitors. KEEPING THE PROMISE Creating and making the right promise is one thing, but then you have to keep it. If you do not, you brand will still exist, but now the promise will be of slipshod products and inconsistent delivery. Keeping promises means managing capability. It means consistent processes that are capable of delivering what is required. It means technology and systems which are reliable and usable. It means motivated people who are willing and able to deliver the goods. Marketers see a brand as an implied promise that the level of quality people have come to expect from a brand will continue with future purchases of the same product. This may increase sales by making a comparison with competing products favourable. It may also enable the manufacturer to charge more for the product. The value of the brand is determined by the amount of profit it generates for the manufacturer. Brand management includes the trademark registration of the brand, brand selection and evaluation, launching a brand sustaining a brand, brand extension. The trademark registration in India follows the trademark registration procedures and specific laws. CHAPTER – 4 BRAND SELECTION AND EVALUATION In the next five years, we will see a rapidly changing landscape across the globe, where the opportunities for businesses to benefit from corporate and product branding efforts will be larger than ever before. The growing emphasis on branding will move up the boardroom agenda and it is strongly believed that branding will become one of the most prominent drivers of value across the globe in the next two decades. Businesses with a sustainable business model and with a visionary and passionate CEO with branding talent will benefit from the rising opportunities for competing in the modern marketplace and potentially taking on the global scene. It needs to be no less than the CEO who embodies the branding efforts and serves as the companys and thereby the brands primary advocate and nurturer. The approach is particularly well suited to companies whose top executives have a passion and talent for brand strategy, but in tomorrows tough environment all top-executives must be able to represent and lead the brand. The top executives of world class companies are directly involved in leading the branding vision, strategy and implementation, and spend a significant amount of their work hours to drive their brands forward and to achieve even better results. Tomorrows CEO must be a brand champion who leads corporate and product branding strategies, all strategic brand-portfolio decisions and constantly monitors the implementation of the brand locally, regionally and globally. A strong CEO has credibility and respect not only because of business talent and organizational power but also because of the depth of experience, knowledge, and insight. A suggestion from a visionary CEO with branding talent and managerial experience in branding and marketing is the key driver of the branding efforts and results in any successful organization internally and externally. The selection and evaluation of a product or service name is one of the brand name components. We know that : It ensures legal protection of certain product or service characteristics, which prevents competition from copying them It allows producers and salesmen to obtain a loyal and profitable consumer group It allows easier adjustment to segmented markets as the companies are able to function on the principle of one brand name one segment It allows the company image to be established It allows a connection with the desired product or service position It makes the product attractive for the consumer It creates various advantages and exclusiveness for the product or service METHODS USED TO CHOOSE A PRODUCT NAME Just as parents carefully choose names for their children, companies have the same difficult and extremely responsible task for naming products. They conduct qualitative research by which we can evaluate the relation to the product, its use, the product image and its comparison to competition. They organize brainstorming meetings from which we get an enormous amount of suggestions for the new names. They offer a chain associates with associations which relates to the product or individual names.they form a base for name suggestions. They apply eureka method helping with various literature, computer scattering of letters and creating new names. They test the name suggestion in target groups. PROCESS OF SELECTING AND EVALUATING BRAND NAMES The process of selecting and evaluating brand names runs according to the following steps : Identification of goals and criteria for brand name. Creating bank names Selection of suggestion Evaluating the consumer Evaluating legal protection Final name decision IDENTIFICATION OF GOALS AND CRITERIA FOR BRAND NAME The basis for a targeted search of a suitable name is determining the starting points, which means criteria that are expressed by a suitable name. Apart from general ones such as easy to remember, popularity, easy pronunciation etc. it is essential to determine specific ones that derive from the desired brand name position which will carry such a name. CREATING BANK NAMES In creating bank names it is important to rely on many sources. In this way we are able to rely on many sources. In this way we are able to avoid fixations on only one idea which narrows the creative process. The purpose of this phase is to obtain various suggestions according to the pre determined starting points. SELECTION OF SUGGESTION The next level in finding a suitable name is the selection of suggestion which have been made. A qualified team of experts that consists of many different people does the selection. The selection is finished when 8-12 suggestions that the most correspond to the expert teams opinion have been chosen. EVALUATING THE CONSUMER When a qualified team of experts make its suggestion, the most suitable bank name in their opinion, it is important to evaluate them in target groups. This must be done, because the name of the brand will be given to a product or service which will fulfil the needs of certain groups of people. The chosen name must be likeable and suitable for this group of people. EVALUATING LEGAL PROTECTION Before the final decision of the most suitable suggestion it is essential to check whether the client can register the name of the brand. In most cases the client or the holder of the brands name can do this before the testing of consumer suggestions. FINAL NAME DECISION The final decision on the chosen name depends on the client, who must consider not only the outcome of the evaluation by target consumer groups but also the position he wishes the product to have. After selecting the brand name the important things on which we should focus is its character, its visual symbol and logotypes, its colour, geographical and historical roots. BRAND CHARACTER One of the most important assets of an enterprise is the brand. The character of the brand is a critical success factor for the enterprise (and for the value of the brand). Character can be seen in terms of the attention, affection and trust awarded to the brand by the market. For a brand to have character, it needs to have positive public awareness. It also needs to have clarity, and a consistent brand proposition. This means that customers know what to expect from the brand in terms of product quality, customer service and so on. It also means that people supporting the brand (whether your own staff or third parties) know how to deliver the brand proposition. VISUAL SYMBOLS AND LOGOTYPES Everybody knows Nikes dash, Adidas three stripes, Nestlà ©s nest, Amuls girl. These symbols help us to understand the brands culture and personality. They are actually chosen as such, the corporate specifications handed over to graphic identity and design agencies mainly pertain to the brands personality traits and values. Logo should be: simple distinctive intuitive COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY AND BRAND Colour is one of the most important components in creating brand identity. The purpose of a brand identity system is to encode a brand in peoples memory and retrieve it from their memory. In a visual system, the two most powerful components are the consistent recognizable shapes and colours. It is best if these shapes and colours are distinctive. Colour can have a significant affect on peoples perception of a product or brand. For instance, burgundy and forest green are perceived to be upscale while an orange label or package indicates an inexpensive item. Third, colours can actually have an affect on a persons state of mind and cognitive ability as demonstrated by numerous research studies. For instance, pink has been shown to increase a persons appetite and calm prison inmates. Be aware that colors can have different symbolic meanings in different countries and cultures. BRAND NAME The importance of an image has become an emotional part of everyone. A brand name represents the image, character and personality of a brand. A brand name should be clear, lucid, easy to remember, distinct from the competition and should not be generic to the category. It should become customers Top of the mind brand (TOMB). Most successful brand names would satisfy these criterions to quite an extent. Brand names that are linked to associations of their origins or product will create first impressions to the user. BRAND IMAGE The vast flow of names today makes it harder to differentiate them unless they come out with their own uniqueness. This way, they could come to their special position in everyday life. The image following a particular name is also determined by the role of communication it undergoes; of which the followings are included: its manner, personality, behavior, ethics, values, etc. The importance of brands depends on the true ambitions of the company. It is important to take into account several factors and market circumstances before finalizing the brand name and its image. Company should take into account several factors and market circumstances like company goals, consumer wishes and expectations, trade groups and several other groups. A company builds its brand image through trade communication with its consumers. That is how a company informs the consumer of what the brand represents, what its values are, what the company is offering or guaranteeing the consumer, what its advantages are, its qualities etc. The consumers interpret all obtained information and form a subjective perception of the brand or its image. CHAPTER – 5 TRADEMARK REGISTRATION LEGISLATION (INDIA TRADEMARK LAW) The Indian law of trademarks is enshrined the new Trade Marks Act, 1999 came into force with effect from September 15, 2003. The old Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 was repealed at the same time. The new Trademarks Act of 1999 is in line with the World Trade Organisation recommendations and is in conformity with the TRIPS Agreement to which India is a signatory. MAIN FEATURES OF NEW LEGISLATION IN INDIA Under the new Trademarks Act of 1999 Registration of Service Marks allowed in addition to Trademarks for goods. No separate application necessary for each category/class of goods or services; a single application would do, however filing fee will be charged separately for each class of goods/services. The term of registration of trademark is ten years, subject to renewal thereafter The system of maintaining registration of trademark in Part A and Part B with different legal rights, dispensed away. Registration of trademarks which are imitations of well known trademarks not permitted. Registration of Collective Marks owned by associations allowed. Offences relating to trademark made cognizable. Filing Fees enhanced by more than 8 times. Extension of application of convention countries. WHAT IS A TRADEMARK ? A Mark` may consist of a word or invented word, signature, device, letter, numeral, brand, heading, label, name written in a particular style, the shape of goods other than those for which a mark is proposed to be used, or any combination thereof or a combination of colors and so forth. Subject to certain conditions, a trademark may also be symbolized by the name of a person, living or dead. For the purpose of registration, a mark chosen should be capable of distinguishing goods or services of one person from those of the others. Further it should not be deceptively similar to an existing mark of another person and not the one expressly prohibited under the Act. The marks devoid of any distinctive character, or which are only indicative of the kind, quality, quantity, purpose, value or geographical origin of the goods, or which are marks already in vogue in the trade due to their customary use may not be registered. But these disqualifications do not apply to marks, which have already acquired distinction due to their popularity and consistent use. Internationally acclaimed brand names are freely available for use in Indi Concepts and Strategies of Brand Management Concepts and Strategies of Brand Management ABSTRACT Branded products can be seen everywhere around us at all time, and is a way of communication for the buyer of the product. Brand management will play a more significant role in future marketing competition, so research on the brand management is likely to become more meaningful and interesting. Brand management can really create value like increasing more adaptability, uniqueness, recognition etc. All in all, brand management is significant and can add value to firms. The project discusses all about deciding and evaluating brand name. the logo and colour of the brand play an important role in attracting the consumers. Moreover after deciding the brand name, it is mandatory to register the name at trademark registration office. All this process is followed by launching or re-launching the new product or the recalled product respectively. Moreover companies have realised that the role of the company does not got over by mere launching the brand but they have to do continuous marketing to sustain in the competitive market. Over period of time, the value of product decline due to many factors and companies have to work on the revitalizing the brand image and thus leads to success of the product. The brand name is thus one of the most powerful sources of identity CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION TO BRAND A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well. is a well said verse by Jeffrey Preston Bezos, the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of Amazon.com BRAND A brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being dscribed as cultural accessories and personal philosophies. According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition. Technically speaking, whenever a marketer creates a new name, logo, or symbol for a new product or service, he or she has created a brand. Now the question still is not clear about what all brand is about so we can say that brand is a promise, brand is and associated image and everyone and everything is brand. A BRAND IS A PROMISE First and foremost, a brand is a promise. It says you know the name, you can trust the promise. As all promises, it is trusted only as far as those promises are met. Trust is a critical first step and brands aim to accelerate that step by leveraging the implied promise of the brand. A BRAND IS AN ASSOCIATED IMAGE Most brands have a logo which acts as a short-cut to remind us of the brand promise. The logo uses color, shape, letters and images to create a distinctive image that is designed both to catch our eye and to guide our thoughts in the right direction. The brand may also be associated with tunes, celebrities, catchphrases and so on. All parts of the brand image works as a psychological trigger or stimulus that causes an association to all other thoughts we have about the brand. EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE IS A BRAND If you get down to the detail, everything is a brand, because we build our understanding of the world by creating associations about everything. A tree has an implied promise of beauty and shade. Even words are brands. When I say speed, you will conjure up images of fast cars, etc. People are brands, too. When people see you, or even hear your name, they will recall the image they have of you, (which is something you can actively manage or let happen). In a company where people are visible to customers, such as a service business, the people are very much a part the brand. The brand name is thus one of the most powerful sources of identity. When a brand questions its identity, the best answer is therefore to thoroughly examine its name and so try to understand the reasoning behind its creation. In doing so, we can discover the brands intentions and programme. Many brands make every effort to acquit qualities which their brand name fails to reflect or simply excludes altogether. A name-like an identity-has to be managed. Certain names may have a double meaning. The purpose of communication then is to select one and drop the other. IMPORTANCE OF BRAND Branding is a very powerful component in buisness. The brand must have a logo to make branding easier and more possible. The consumers decide if they will buy a product or use a service based on how they view the brand. The brand itself tells us or let us imagine how good ir bad the product is even we never tasted it before. All that brand promotion and advertising really do tell us how great a brand can be (like Nike). Once the customer likes your brand he/she will definitely come back for the repeated services or pproducts. The qualities of the product or services are ensured through the mind of customers from the image of the brand. Therefore, Brand is not only convinient for buisness for repeated customer purchase but also easier for customers to filter out the countless generic items. Brand gives consumer the reason to buy it and wastes less time for customer to choose a particular product or service. TYPES OF BRAND There are two main types of brand – manufacturer brands and own-label brands. MANUFACTURER BRANDS Manufacturer brands are created by producers and bear their chosen brand name. The producer is responsible for marketing the brand. The brand is owned by the producer. By building their brand names, manufacturers can gain widespread distribution (for example by retailers who want to sell the brand) and build customer loyalty (think about the manufacturer brands that you feel loyal to). OWN LABEL BRANDS Own-label brands are created and owned by businesses that operate in the distribution channel – often referred to as distributors. Often these distributors are retailers, but not exclusively. Sometimes the retailers entire product range will be own-label. However, more often, the distributor will mix own-label and manufacturers brands. Own-label branding – if well carried out – can often offer the consumer excellent value for money and provide the distributor with additional bargaining power when it comes to negotiating prices and terms with manufacturer brands BRAND EQUITY Brand equity refers to the value of a brand. Brand equity is based on the extent to which the brand has high brand loyalty, name awareness, perceived quality and strong product associations. Brand equity also includes other intangible assets such as patents, trademarks and channel relationships. The list below shows the worlds top 10 brands in 2002 (as measured by value): {Rank Brand Value ($ billions)} Coca-Cola..($69.6) Microsoft.($64.1) IBM($51.2) GE..($41.3) Intel.($30.9) Nokia.($30.0) Disney($29.3) McDonalds..($26.4) Marlboro..($24.2) Mercedes.($21.0) Source: Interbrand; JP Morgan Chase, 2002 CHAPTER 2 THE BRAND : SOURCE OF VALUE FOR THE CONSUMER The brand is a focal point for all the positive and negative impression created by buyer over time as he comes in contact with the brands product, distribution channel, personnel and communication. A brand continues to be, at least in the short term, a good example for quality even after the patent has expired. The life of patent is extented, thanks to brans, thus explaining the importance of branding in the pharmaceutical or the chemical industry. The brand performs an economic function in consumers mind and thus has a lasting and memorable effect on the companys activities. Legally a brand is simply a symbol which distinguishes a companys product and certifies its origin and thus obtains its value through registration and conformity. The value of brand comes from its ability to gain an exclusive, positive and prominent meaning in the minds of a large number of consumers. The tangible and intangible benefits which are derived from the consumption of a product of a brand are encapsulated in the strong brand. When a brand is created at first it is worth nothing. Over the time the logo acquires significance by means of advertising. Advertising are forgotten quickly whereas a brand stays in memory along with the implications which are attached to it by public. The brand is thus stocked in the mind of potential consumers. Hence, brand can be considered as an asset of the company. ADVANTAGES OF STRONG BRAND Greater perception of product or service performance. Greater marketing communication effectiveness Greater customer retention and loyalty More appreciative consumer response on price increase or decrease Has very high awareness Receives a lot of free publicity/buzz Is admired and has high purchase intent Enables the owner to charge a price premium Results in increased market share, especially for the target customers Provides increased bargaining power with business partners Provides a platform for growth beyond the current products and product categories Helps attract and retain talented employees Helps the management team align employees in support of the brands promise Often provides clarity for budgeting and capital investment decision Increases an organizations sales, profit margins, stock price and market valuation Larger margin Less vulnerability to competitive marketing action and marketing crisis Greater trade cooperation and support Possible licensing and franchising opportunities Greater brand extension opportunities ROLE OF BRAND IN PRODUCT CHARACTERIZATION The product can be characterized into three types : The qualities which are noticed by contact, before buying. Eg. Decision to buy a pair of socks. The choice is made according to the visible characteristics i.e the pattern, the style, the material, the feel, the elasticity and the price. The qualities which are noticed uniquely by experience, thus after buying. Eg. Automobile market. The performance, consumption and style can be assessed before buying the car but road-holding, the pleasure of driving, reliability and quality cannot be entirely appreciated through test drive. Credence qualities which cannot be verified even after consumption and which you have to take on trust. Eg. In the market for upmarket car, the feeling that we have made it, that certain feeling of fulfillment and personal success through buying and owing a BMW are typically the results of pure faith. Hence the role of brand is made clearer by this classification of sought-after qualities. The brand is a sign whose function is to disclose the hidden qualities of the product which are inaccessible to contact (sight, touch, hearing, smell) and possibly those which are accessible through experience but where the consumer does not want to take the risk of trying the product. As we can see, a brand provides not only a source of information but performs certain other functions which justify its attractiveness and its monetary return when it is valued by buyers. FUNCTIONS OF BRAND FOR CONSUMER The eight function of brand are presented in the table given below. The first two are mechanical and concern the essence of the brand i.e to function as a recognized symbol in order to facilitate choice and to gain time. The following three functions reduce the perceived risk. The last three have a more pleasurable side to them ethics show that the buyers are expecting, more and more, responsible behavior from their brands. FUNCTION CONSUMER BENEFIT Identification To be clearly seen, to make sense of the offer, to quickly identify the sought-after products. Practicality To allow saving of time and energy through identical repurchasing and loyalty. Guarantee To be sure of finding the same quality no matter where or when you buy the product or service. Optimization To be sure of buying the best product in its category, the best performer for the particular purpose. Characterization To have confirmation of your self-image or the image that you present to others. Continuity Satisfaction brought about through familiarity and intimacy with the brand that you have been consuming for years. Hedonistic Satisfaction linked to the attractiveness of the brand, to its logo, to its communication. Ethical Satisfaction linked to the responsible behavior of the brand in its relationship with society. Table : The function of the brand for the consumer. Hence we can say that brand plays an important role in the company. The brand of a company is created by the company and its customers together. The company has to make clear through its brand the promise it makes to its customers, based on the strategies and vision for the future of its business and products. It is vital that the company fully comprehends exactly what the customers expect from the brand, and that it continually lives up to this expectations. The aim of brand management is to create a brand that will build this long-term relationship an unshakeable bond between the company and its customers. Brand management involves the design and implementation of marketing programs and activities to build, measure, and manage brand equity.1 These concepts and techniques are to improve the long-term profitability of the brand strategies. CHAPTER – 3 BRAND MANAGEMENT Brand management is the application of marketing techniques to a specific product, product line, or brand. It seeks to increase the products perceived value to the customer and thereby increase brand franchise and brand equity. Brand management is a dynamic and a continuous process that needs consistent investment of time and money. The boardroom must ensure that brand management is allocated a specific budget as it is much more than mere marketing communications. Due to the intangible nature of branding, the results may not accrue in a short period of time a it takes time and reinforcement to build customer loyalty. Brand management is all about the total approach says about defining the brand and control its management by the leaders of the company. Once the approach is finalised than create the promise by describing all about the product followed by making the promise by doing marketing of the product and inject the information about the product into the mind of consumer. Lastly it is important to keep the promise, what you have made during the marketing of the product. TOTAL APPROACH Brand management starts with understanding what brand really means. This starts with the leaders of the company who define the brand and control its management. It also reaches all the way down the company and especially to the people who interface with customers or who create the products which customers use. Brand management performed to its full extent means starting and ending the management of the whole company through the brand. It is simply far too important to leave to the marketing department. CREATING THE PROMISE Creating the promise means defining the brand. A good brand promise is memorable and desirable. It cannot be effective if nobody remembers it, and is no good either if nobody wants it. A good brand promise evokes feelings, because feelings drive actions. The promise must be unique and identified with you alone. The right promise comes through a deep understanding of the marketplace and the customers who are going to use the product. It also comes from a deep understanding of the capabilities and motivations of the people in the company. MAKING THE PROMISE Once the promise is created, the next step is to somehow inject it into the minds of the customers, the staff and everyone who receives anything from you or has any impact on what you deliver. This is where marketing people come into their own. Although it is still not their sole preserve, a large part of marketing, which includes advertising and PR, is about positioning the company and its products in the minds of customers and against your competitors. KEEPING THE PROMISE Creating and making the right promise is one thing, but then you have to keep it. If you do not, you brand will still exist, but now the promise will be of slipshod products and inconsistent delivery. Keeping promises means managing capability. It means consistent processes that are capable of delivering what is required. It means technology and systems which are reliable and usable. It means motivated people who are willing and able to deliver the goods. Marketers see a brand as an implied promise that the level of quality people have come to expect from a brand will continue with future purchases of the same product. This may increase sales by making a comparison with competing products favourable. It may also enable the manufacturer to charge more for the product. The value of the brand is determined by the amount of profit it generates for the manufacturer. Brand management includes the trademark registration of the brand, brand selection and evaluation, launching a brand sustaining a brand, brand extension. The trademark registration in India follows the trademark registration procedures and specific laws. CHAPTER – 4 BRAND SELECTION AND EVALUATION In the next five years, we will see a rapidly changing landscape across the globe, where the opportunities for businesses to benefit from corporate and product branding efforts will be larger than ever before. The growing emphasis on branding will move up the boardroom agenda and it is strongly believed that branding will become one of the most prominent drivers of value across the globe in the next two decades. Businesses with a sustainable business model and with a visionary and passionate CEO with branding talent will benefit from the rising opportunities for competing in the modern marketplace and potentially taking on the global scene. It needs to be no less than the CEO who embodies the branding efforts and serves as the companys and thereby the brands primary advocate and nurturer. The approach is particularly well suited to companies whose top executives have a passion and talent for brand strategy, but in tomorrows tough environment all top-executives must be able to represent and lead the brand. The top executives of world class companies are directly involved in leading the branding vision, strategy and implementation, and spend a significant amount of their work hours to drive their brands forward and to achieve even better results. Tomorrows CEO must be a brand champion who leads corporate and product branding strategies, all strategic brand-portfolio decisions and constantly monitors the implementation of the brand locally, regionally and globally. A strong CEO has credibility and respect not only because of business talent and organizational power but also because of the depth of experience, knowledge, and insight. A suggestion from a visionary CEO with branding talent and managerial experience in branding and marketing is the key driver of the branding efforts and results in any successful organization internally and externally. The selection and evaluation of a product or service name is one of the brand name components. We know that : It ensures legal protection of certain product or service characteristics, which prevents competition from copying them It allows producers and salesmen to obtain a loyal and profitable consumer group It allows easier adjustment to segmented markets as the companies are able to function on the principle of one brand name one segment It allows the company image to be established It allows a connection with the desired product or service position It makes the product attractive for the consumer It creates various advantages and exclusiveness for the product or service METHODS USED TO CHOOSE A PRODUCT NAME Just as parents carefully choose names for their children, companies have the same difficult and extremely responsible task for naming products. They conduct qualitative research by which we can evaluate the relation to the product, its use, the product image and its comparison to competition. They organize brainstorming meetings from which we get an enormous amount of suggestions for the new names. They offer a chain associates with associations which relates to the product or individual names.they form a base for name suggestions. They apply eureka method helping with various literature, computer scattering of letters and creating new names. They test the name suggestion in target groups. PROCESS OF SELECTING AND EVALUATING BRAND NAMES The process of selecting and evaluating brand names runs according to the following steps : Identification of goals and criteria for brand name. Creating bank names Selection of suggestion Evaluating the consumer Evaluating legal protection Final name decision IDENTIFICATION OF GOALS AND CRITERIA FOR BRAND NAME The basis for a targeted search of a suitable name is determining the starting points, which means criteria that are expressed by a suitable name. Apart from general ones such as easy to remember, popularity, easy pronunciation etc. it is essential to determine specific ones that derive from the desired brand name position which will carry such a name. CREATING BANK NAMES In creating bank names it is important to rely on many sources. In this way we are able to rely on many sources. In this way we are able to avoid fixations on only one idea which narrows the creative process. The purpose of this phase is to obtain various suggestions according to the pre determined starting points. SELECTION OF SUGGESTION The next level in finding a suitable name is the selection of suggestion which have been made. A qualified team of experts that consists of many different people does the selection. The selection is finished when 8-12 suggestions that the most correspond to the expert teams opinion have been chosen. EVALUATING THE CONSUMER When a qualified team of experts make its suggestion, the most suitable bank name in their opinion, it is important to evaluate them in target groups. This must be done, because the name of the brand will be given to a product or service which will fulfil the needs of certain groups of people. The chosen name must be likeable and suitable for this group of people. EVALUATING LEGAL PROTECTION Before the final decision of the most suitable suggestion it is essential to check whether the client can register the name of the brand. In most cases the client or the holder of the brands name can do this before the testing of consumer suggestions. FINAL NAME DECISION The final decision on the chosen name depends on the client, who must consider not only the outcome of the evaluation by target consumer groups but also the position he wishes the product to have. After selecting the brand name the important things on which we should focus is its character, its visual symbol and logotypes, its colour, geographical and historical roots. BRAND CHARACTER One of the most important assets of an enterprise is the brand. The character of the brand is a critical success factor for the enterprise (and for the value of the brand). Character can be seen in terms of the attention, affection and trust awarded to the brand by the market. For a brand to have character, it needs to have positive public awareness. It also needs to have clarity, and a consistent brand proposition. This means that customers know what to expect from the brand in terms of product quality, customer service and so on. It also means that people supporting the brand (whether your own staff or third parties) know how to deliver the brand proposition. VISUAL SYMBOLS AND LOGOTYPES Everybody knows Nikes dash, Adidas three stripes, Nestlà ©s nest, Amuls girl. These symbols help us to understand the brands culture and personality. They are actually chosen as such, the corporate specifications handed over to graphic identity and design agencies mainly pertain to the brands personality traits and values. Logo should be: simple distinctive intuitive COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY AND BRAND Colour is one of the most important components in creating brand identity. The purpose of a brand identity system is to encode a brand in peoples memory and retrieve it from their memory. In a visual system, the two most powerful components are the consistent recognizable shapes and colours. It is best if these shapes and colours are distinctive. Colour can have a significant affect on peoples perception of a product or brand. For instance, burgundy and forest green are perceived to be upscale while an orange label or package indicates an inexpensive item. Third, colours can actually have an affect on a persons state of mind and cognitive ability as demonstrated by numerous research studies. For instance, pink has been shown to increase a persons appetite and calm prison inmates. Be aware that colors can have different symbolic meanings in different countries and cultures. BRAND NAME The importance of an image has become an emotional part of everyone. A brand name represents the image, character and personality of a brand. A brand name should be clear, lucid, easy to remember, distinct from the competition and should not be generic to the category. It should become customers Top of the mind brand (TOMB). Most successful brand names would satisfy these criterions to quite an extent. Brand names that are linked to associations of their origins or product will create first impressions to the user. BRAND IMAGE The vast flow of names today makes it harder to differentiate them unless they come out with their own uniqueness. This way, they could come to their special position in everyday life. The image following a particular name is also determined by the role of communication it undergoes; of which the followings are included: its manner, personality, behavior, ethics, values, etc. The importance of brands depends on the true ambitions of the company. It is important to take into account several factors and market circumstances before finalizing the brand name and its image. Company should take into account several factors and market circumstances like company goals, consumer wishes and expectations, trade groups and several other groups. A company builds its brand image through trade communication with its consumers. That is how a company informs the consumer of what the brand represents, what its values are, what the company is offering or guaranteeing the consumer, what its advantages are, its qualities etc. The consumers interpret all obtained information and form a subjective perception of the brand or its image. CHAPTER – 5 TRADEMARK REGISTRATION LEGISLATION (INDIA TRADEMARK LAW) The Indian law of trademarks is enshrined the new Trade Marks Act, 1999 came into force with effect from September 15, 2003. The old Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 was repealed at the same time. The new Trademarks Act of 1999 is in line with the World Trade Organisation recommendations and is in conformity with the TRIPS Agreement to which India is a signatory. MAIN FEATURES OF NEW LEGISLATION IN INDIA Under the new Trademarks Act of 1999 Registration of Service Marks allowed in addition to Trademarks for goods. No separate application necessary for each category/class of goods or services; a single application would do, however filing fee will be charged separately for each class of goods/services. The term of registration of trademark is ten years, subject to renewal thereafter The system of maintaining registration of trademark in Part A and Part B with different legal rights, dispensed away. Registration of trademarks which are imitations of well known trademarks not permitted. Registration of Collective Marks owned by associations allowed. Offences relating to trademark made cognizable. Filing Fees enhanced by more than 8 times. Extension of application of convention countries. WHAT IS A TRADEMARK ? A Mark` may consist of a word or invented word, signature, device, letter, numeral, brand, heading, label, name written in a particular style, the shape of goods other than those for which a mark is proposed to be used, or any combination thereof or a combination of colors and so forth. Subject to certain conditions, a trademark may also be symbolized by the name of a person, living or dead. For the purpose of registration, a mark chosen should be capable of distinguishing goods or services of one person from those of the others. Further it should not be deceptively similar to an existing mark of another person and not the one expressly prohibited under the Act. The marks devoid of any distinctive character, or which are only indicative of the kind, quality, quantity, purpose, value or geographical origin of the goods, or which are marks already in vogue in the trade due to their customary use may not be registered. But these disqualifications do not apply to marks, which have already acquired distinction due to their popularity and consistent use. Internationally acclaimed brand names are freely available for use in Indi