Bowlbys Theory of Attachment Essay Online For Free - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1156 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Psychology Essay Type Argumentative essay Tags: Childhood Essay Did you like this example? In the light of changes to the family since 1950 are Bowlbys ideas about care for young children still relevant today? In this paper, Bowlbys theory of attachment and child care will be outlined along with additions from other theorists such as Rutter and Ainsworth. From this we will see how the evolution of the family unit since the 1950s has been affected by such theories along with welfare policy and social theorists which have influenced family life and childcare practices in the UK. Bowlby described attachment as the bond that develops between a baby and its primary caregiver. It is characterised by the interaction patterns which develop in order to fulfil the infants needs and emotional development. Bowlby noted the apparent distress in children separated from their mothers in unusual circumstances e.g. hospitalisation. In studying the more abnormal and distressing situations he attempted to shed light on an understanding of normal emotional attachment development, and how a disruption could prove damaging to the child emotionally and through to adult maturation. Bowlby suggested t hat the presence of the mother was just as crucial to the baby as being supplied basic needs such as food. His conclusions led him to postulate that the distress at separation from the mother was universal in babies. Bowlby characterised this distress as following the pattern of infant protest, followed by despair and ending in eventual detachment. The term separation anxiety was brought about echoing ethological survival techniques in which patterns of actions enable survival of young animals. Such ideas influenced Bowlby in postulating a significant period attachment of one to five years which was imperative historically to biological survival, and if they were not in place then emotional and intellectual problems would occur in adulthood. This can be seen as a rigid attitude and has played a large part in influencing childcare decisions through the establishment of a connection between maternal absence, child care (including institutional and foster care) and later devel opmental problems. Studies from Rutter and Ainsworth have agreed with an attachment principle but have developed it to include situational variables such as previous home life, relationships, depth of bonding and care and reasons and reactions of the caregiver in dealing with an absence and return situation that can have an effect on the child above any basic separation. The length of absence, quality of care giving within that absence and inherent flexibility and adaptability of infants as well as their capability to make multiple attachments all need to be taken into account within this area. During the 1940s Bowlby made a connection between the attachment of an infant and mother and the shaping of an infants personality. From this an association was placed on the mother caring for the child instead of working. At this time welfare policies were focussed on a post war development of the family, and working freedoms afforded to women during the war were heavily curtailed a s was war time nursery care. Popular policies suggested women should now be investing in their families as a duty. Thus if female workers were not being encouraged politically as an economic asset then child care policy provision was also diminished. Here Bowlbys ideas fuelled policy through popularising images of home based child care and family values by experts. Rutter later influenced changes through his findings of multiple attachment making in children although stressed that continuity of attachment was important. He was in support of child day care as long as it was continuous and high quality, although a preference of parental care was suggested by Rutter. There is a difficulty in isolating variables which result in positive and negative attachments. Indeed some feminists argue that stay at home mothers are often at risk of harming their children through an inability to cope and lack of support from immediate or extended family. Associated with this argument is that of the risk from domestic violence which increases isolation and effects the development of the child even if the primary caregiver is ever present. From the 1950s an increased development of the nuclear family has been argued to provide a duel function. In this the family is seen to provide close personal relationships and act as an economic strategy for development and to maintain stability and control. Such evolution of the family has been characterised by transience and isolation of family units from the extended family and community itself. A close knit extended family can provide more options for child care and support whereas otherwise external methods of care are needed. If maternal proximity with the under-fives is crucial then entire communities would be maladjusted by design and this clearly cannot be held across the board. Again the issue of consistency and quality over quantity of child care can be bought to view. Popular media along with welfare policie s have in recent years sought to not only improve childcare and rearing practices, provide support, normalise differing household situations such as lone parent, and expansion and regulation of child day care provision. Feminist theory has been at the forefront of womens re- entry to work force as well as a normalisation of divorce and single parent or co-habiting (step) households. On the other hand the feminist push for womens employment rights has resulted in inevitable contradictions as women are pulled in both directions, and indeed even the act of having children at all is currently considered heavily in an economic light due to the increased cost of living and childcare fees. Nowadays we can see increased governmental intervention in support of the family in the form of lengthening maternity and paternity and parenting care rights, childrens rights, tax credits, flexible working, child care and pre-school provisions and subsidies, and the importance of family environ ment and child security building in issues of fostering and child protection. Thus the family by whatever shape of form it may take in the UK is heavily affected by the economic requirements and government policy provision. It is now the norm for women to work as well as be responsible for child care and household upkeep. Subsequently it is the norm for mothers to be separated from babies before their first birthday due to monetary need and often this has to be longer than desirable due to a cycle of economic need and high child care fees. Overall, I can conclude that Bowlbys ideas although outdated have persisted through the decades and still influence child rearing and day care decisions. It can be seen as persisting in governmental policy to this day for example, in maternity leave being extended to cover twelve months leave Bowlby would surely support this move. In all Bowlbys ideas of attachment and primary parental care giving remain pervasive and are ingrained with in the family unit in the UK, although an acknowledgement of multiple attachments and quality of child care are now highlighted over simply the primary care givers proximity. Don’t waste time! 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Swot Analyss Free Essays

string(144) " the business to compensate for financial losses that would arise from the death or extended incapacity of an important member of the business\." Strengths Comar chemicals is regarded as a leader in the tyre and paint industry. This phenomenon is ascribed to the following strengths: †¢Contracts in place with Goodyear, Continental, Plascon, Bridgestone, Dunlop, and Michelin. †¢Product quality of the highest standard. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analyss or any similar topic only for you Order Now Automated plant control systems in place, constant in-production quality control tests controlled by chemical director, Vernon Redding. Compliant raw materials with specifications are being utilised. †¢Succession planning in place since the appointment of Stefan as operational manager. This person is ear marked to substitute Vernon Redding, in the event of his departure. Buy and sell agreement entered into by directors, Udo Eric Eichrodt and Dieter Roland. †¢Management team is experienced and highly qualified. †¢Udo Eric Eichrodt: 30 years – BComm Marketing Management †¢Dieter Roland: 29 years – Bcomm Investment Management †¢Vernon Redding: 45 years – PhD Chemistry †¢Stefan: 12 years – BScHons Chemistry †¢May Rossouw: 24 years – BCommHons (Management Accounting) †¢Nicki de Villiers: 15 years – MComm (Transport Economics) †¢Low staff turnover. The company invests in staff morale as it understands it to be its biggest asset. †¢BEE Status 20% black owned, Vernon Redding, Indian. Promotes business in South Africa and abroad. †¢ISO 9001:2008 Certified (International Organization for Standardization. ) Little trouble has been encountered in the past to comply with minimum standards required by this certification. †¢Unqualified annual audited financial statements. This is testament to good governance practiced. Low gearing, although non-current assets are shown at R4m. Market value of plant and property exceeds R20m. Company is liquid, considering current assets to current liabilities ratio of 4:1. †¢Comar chemicals operates from totally owned premises. European Safety Reliability Association (ESRA) certified. Toxic waste is dealt with in a responsible and reliable manner. Contamination of ground is highly unlikely as the company places a high premium on â€Å"going green. † †¢Flexibility and research development ensures ongoing sustainability. †¢Product reliability. Order tracking procedure and commitment of staff ensures a good reputation of the company. †¢Absolute advantage, ability to produce specific product more efficiently than any other nation. Factors of production are relatively cheaper than any other country. †¢Zero tolerance for human error. The company has strict rules and procedures that need to be followed to ensure the mainstay of the business. Disciplinary actions are taken against culprits, which could lead to dismissal. Weaknesses The following weaknesses have been identified: †¢Comar Chemicals is faced with multiple taxes due to the fact that it is a multinational enterprise that runs in various different contries. Operating in various different countries leads to multiple tax jurisdictions. Multiple tax jurisdictions may lead to the overlapping of taxes and the company may end up with a double taxation. (1) †¢The economic model introduces some weaknesses to the company. There are various factors that affect the economic activity of Comar Chemicals. These include the resource limitations placed on the company’s ability to obtain certain chemicals or the availability of chemicals needed in the factors of production. Environmental or geographical constraints can increase their expenses due to extra transportation costs for raw materials and finished goods. The factory could be situated in an area which is prone to seasonal bad weather (Cape Town). This could slow down the process of moving materials and Comar Chemicals will bear the economic impact of a loss of potential revenue and increased costs. Theirs will also be certain institutional and legal requirements that Comar Chemicals will have to follow and they will vary in the three different countries that they operate in, South Africa, Switzerland and Germany. Comar Chemicals may have to adhere to different legal levels of Co2 production that they create during their production process and will have to regulate these levels in compliance with the legal levels set by the government. †¢Comar Chemicals has no buy and sell agreement supported by life insurance. A buy and sell agreement is a binding legal document that governs the conditions if a co-owner dies or is otherwise forced to leave the business. The fact that there is no buy and sell agreement supported by life cover means that if owner of the company passes way or is forced to leave the business then all the debt or liabilities incurred by the business will be left to the closest relative of the owner. This could lead to a liquidation of the business if there is no insurance cover. Therefore the business is not completely safe in the case of a personal crisis within the business. 2) †¢Promotion for staff is limited due the low staff turnover that Comar Chemicals has. Comar Chemicals has a total of 38 employees that includes two scientists, one accountant and one logistics manager. This can also be seen as a strength however the fact that there are so few employees, there are few promotions to employees. This can cause employees to become less motivated towards their job and c ompany and in turn this could decrease the total production and the total efficiency of production. †¢Employee empowerment is the act of giving more responsibility to workers in the work place. 3) The empowerment of staff can lead to a weakness within Comar Chemicals due to the fact that firstly, the business has a relatively small number of employees. This can lead to an increase in conflict between the employees as to why one employee has been empowered more than another. This can cause bad interpersonal relationships between employees. Empowerment can also be a weakness if the wrong employee has been empowered to take on a certain task or manage a project that he or she has not been specifically trained for. This could create problems within the managerial and operational sectors of Comar Chemicals. If empowerment of employees is going to be an on-going activity at Comar Chemicals then it has to be carried out in a way that makes sure that the right employees are being empowered for the right reasons. †¢Comar Chemicals has no key man insurance. This is very similar to the absence of a buy and sells agreement, supported by life cover that was previously mentioned. Key man insurance is an insurance policy that is takes out by the business to compensate for financial losses that would arise from the death or extended incapacity of an important member of the business. You read "Swot Analyss" in category "Essay examples" Key man insurance can cover many insurable losses that include, losses related to the period when the key person was unable to work and insurance to protect profits, insurance to protect shareholders and partnership agreements. Without key man insurance, Comar Chemicals is vulnerable to the chance that something happens to the owner and there is no protection or financial security for the business in the future. (4) Opportunities There are many opportunities for Comar Chemicals to utilise to maximise their business productivity and profitability. There are two types of opportunities, external and internal. External opportunities affect the organisation due to independent factors. Internal opportunities exist within the firm. Opportunities, when realised, can have enormous rewards for the business if the opportunities are exploited correctly. An opportunity is indication of positive potential that can help a business increase its success. Possible sources of business opportunities in most industries and markets include: Potential Business Opportunities Technological innovation New demand Market growth Demographic change Social or lifestyle change Government spending programmesHigher economic growth Trade liberalisation EU enlargement Diversification opportunity Deregulation of the market The opportunities that Comar can use to their advantage are: import quotas, developing markets, revising job descriptions/digressions, improving competitive levels, forward exchange cover, Solar power, life policies, association with universities and joint development with customers. An Import Quota is like a form of protection. It fixes the amount of products a foreign producing firm is allowed to bring into a country over a specific time period, which is usually a year. The objective of an import quota is to limit imports into a country therefore encouraging the use of domestic products and services, as the amount of the good being imported is limited the price of the specific good increases therefore domestic firms benefit. Comar, being situated in South Africa, Switzerland and Germany, can use this as an opportunity by increasing domestic employment. There will be a larger demand for Comar Chemicals because import quotas will make it more expensive to import these goods from international competitors. This will encourage Comar to employ more citizens that are qualified for the job because of the expanding demand of their product and the need for increased labour and skills in the organisation. Comar is a small business, with 38 employees including two scientists, an accountant and a logistics specialist. Comar is 14 years old, which is relatively young compared to it competitors therefore it can be considered an â€Å"infant industry† which is still developing and is not big enough to compete fairly. Import quotas allow Comar to mature onto a same competitive level as international organisations. South Africa is a developing country and the market for metal carboxylates is expanding with the increase of paint and coatings, printing inks and chemical industry, polyester industry, grease and gear oils industry and PolyButadiene, Isoperene Butadine and Copolymers industry. With the increase of construction and manufacturing in South Africa, these industries are in higher demand than ever before. Comar can improve their competing levels through product quality. Quality relates to ‘appropriate use’: how well a product does what it is intended to do. This can include a compliance of raw materials with specifications, detailed manufacturing and quality control test procedures, in-production tests of final products, introduction of automated plant control systems. These quality control methods leave little room for error, positioning the product on a high level of quality which will lead to a smart modern working environment and a reflection of the quality of the business as a whole. Comar’s leading product is COMCAT, which inclueds a rare earth catalyst which is used in the synthetic rubber industry to manufacture advanced rubber tyres – making tyres softer but more durable which in turn lowers the level of CO2 emissions from vehicles. This gives Comar a competitive advantage as their products are also helping the environment and decreasing the level of harm through innovative products, which will draw the attraction of buyers. There can often be discrepancies about the actual responsibilities, tasks and duties of a certain position within the organization; this can be managed by revising job descriptions. There must be an accurate reflection of the true functions and responsibilities for a job description to be effective. A comprehensive job description can be used in management to measure employee performance and employees can use the job description as a guideline to comprehend the expectations of the position. This can lead to improved productivity and ohesiveness within the organization to help realize the organizations objectives and goals. Comar can use the opportunity to become involved with universities to further their research and provide university departments with their expertise of the product to evolve students into potential employees of their firm or for that specific industry. For example, Comar could give bursaries to deserved students to pay for their studies in a BSC, specializing in CO MCAT (PolyButadiene, Isoperene Butadine and Copolymers industry). They could provide all the necessary tools (research, expertise, information) in order to establish awareness of this specific product and market the need for this specific scientist in this field. Joint development with customers involves a good relationship between the manufacturer and the customer. The manufacturer must be enthusiastic and prepared to open up its daily practices and activities to its customers, this will give the customer the opportunity to carefully scrutinize and evaluate the ways in which the manufacturer operates, during the production process, and the quality of the finished products. An important issue when dealing with joint development with customers is communication. When there is a healthy line of communication between the manufacturer and the customer, there can be am exchange of ideas between parties leading to effective production and customer satisfaction. Threats Threats are conditions in the business environment that are uncontrollable and have the potential to harm business profitability. One of the most common threats is competitors. There are a number of threats that Comar may face, including: future trends in the specific field, social issues, the economy, funding, demographics and the physical environment. When observing the potential threats that Comar may face, the following needs to be determined: the obstacles Comar may face, competitor’s activity, quality standards and changing technology. Threats can be divided into two categories namely, industry threats, an increase in competition or a decrease in the market size, and macro threats, threats that affect all industries in Comar’s area. Possible sources of business threats include Potential Business Threats New market entrants Change in customer tastes or needs Demographic change Consolidation among buyers New regulationsEconomic downturn Rise of low cost production abroad Higher input prices New substitute products Competitive price pressure A potential threat Comar may face is the diversity. Diversity is often defined as a positive term for a business, but it also comes with threats that have the potential to ruin productivity. Comar has a diverse workforce, co-workers each have different experiences and perceptions as they have all come from different backgrounds. This could cause cultural clashes which can decrease productivity and cohesiveness of the business as a whole. Comar could also experience divisions in staff members due to the formation of cliques and other groups, this can create competition between employees rather than teamwork, a lack of respect amongst one another and this could lead to costly diversity training to resolve diversity issues within the organisation. Comar has a diverse client base as their company is also situated in Switzerland and Germany. It is therefore crucial for Comar have a bi-lingual customer service, if they do not they will lose a massive amount of clientele as there needs to be effective communication between the two parties in order for the business to be successful. Social issues in the business environment may be a threat to Comar. A social system is a pooling of ideas, attitudes and behaviour which are involved in human relations and interactions. Comar is influenced by its customers attitudes and behaviour, if they are negative relationships within the organisation this could dampen productivity and decrease business profitability and if there are social issues external to the organisation, such as political unrest, could affect consumer behaviour negatively and affect the success of the business. The political; and legal system can also pose as a threat to Comar, as business have to follow the specific regulations as set out for them by the government, it creates a set of rules and guidelines that business are expected to adhere by, if a business does not there could be serious consequences that could lead to decreased profitability and even as far as a business being banned. The monetary system facilitates business exchange. Monetary activity has distinct basic functions, namely saving, borrowing, spending and earning, which are all linked to business profitability. Comar has to pay careful attention to all these activities because each of these factors can easily turn into a threat for the business. There are many different parties involved when dealing with money, they are financial institutions, debtors, creditors, customers and suppliers. The interest rate is very important when Comar is dealing with its monetary activities, when an interest rate is high, it increases Comar’s costs and will limit the amount of spending that Comar can participate in. Exchange rates are the value of one nation’s currency in comparison to another. It is very important when determining a business’s effectiveness and whether it will serve as an opportunity or a threat. Comar is a company that does business in South Africa and globally, therefore exchange rates will have an enormous effect on the profitability. When Comar exchanges its products over national borders causing another currency to become involve, fluctuations in exchange rates can lead to profits or losses for Comar. Comar is at an advantage when the rand is relatively strong compared to the currency that the organisation is trading with. When the rand is weak compared to the business it is doing the exchange with, Comar is at a disadvantage as it will be more costly to exchange products across borders. A massive threat that Comar faces is import duty, which is a tax on goods imported into a country. This causes prices to be higher because of the tax cost involved. This cost is passed onto consumers at higher prices, which in turn can lead to consumer dissatisfaction and a loss in clients. Trade restrictions were introduced to restrict importing for many reasons, mainly to protect domestic industries. There are two types of restrictions, tariffs and non-tariffs. Non-tariffs include, methods such as embargo, import quota – which is a limitation on the amount of goods a business is allowed to import, foreign exchange control and currency devaluation. These trade restrictions pose a massive threat to Comar because the organisation is continuously trading over borders and having to deal with trade restrictions, which will inevitably hinder profitability. How to cite Swot Analyss, Essay examples

Market Structures and Pricing Strategies

Abstract A market structure is a tool used to determine the pricing power of certain products in diverse firms. Research has shown that there are numerous market structures with unique pricing strategies in place. The price of goods and services in a firm depend on the levels of demand, cost conditions and competition.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Market Structures and Pricing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides, price fixation is one of the key managerial functions. It is frequently reviewed to ensure that a firm makes a reasonable profit margin. The market conditions determine the type of market structure and pricing criteria to be used in a particular firm. Moreover, businesses cannot operate in isolation. In other words, a firm requires a robust marketing platform for it to operate effectively. Hence, it is important to select an appropriate market structure for a business to make significant returns. Economists have identified four major market structures that are unique in terms of both operation and effectiveness in meeting the demands of customer. The market structures have been discussed in this paper in relation to pricing strategies. Introduction A market structure can be defined as a core characteristic that makes up a platform for buying and selling goods and services (Samuelson Marks, 2006). It is common knowledge that a market exists when there are buyers, sellers, products, competition, product differentiation as well as the ease of entry or exit. From this definition, Rubin and Dnes (2010) highlight that market structures are individual aspects that influence the behavior of buyers and sellers. Ellickson, Misra and Nair (2012) also define a market structure as the number of firms in a market that are able to produce similar goods or services. The nature of a market structure greatly influences the behavior of producers. Therefore, it affects the market price of a particular commodity or service (Rubin Dnes, 2010). In addition, a market environment affects the supply of commodities and equally creates barriers for entry. This paper discusses some of the notable market structure by analyzing their pricing strategies alongside relevant examples. Perfect Competition Description This describes a situation whereby a firm does not have a particular independent pricing policy. Therefore, firms that embrace this market structure have to comply with the prevailing market prices (Samuelson Marks, 2006). At this point, a firm is at liberty to market its goods and services.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lack of control over a market often creates an open platform for buyers to choose less costly products. If a firm sets very high prices in a marketplace, it might end up making few or no sale at all.†¨It is imp ortant to note that in this type of a market structure, there is no specified price for certain quality or quantity of goods (Rubin Dnes, 2010). Therefore, it is upon the seller to decide which quantity to offer and at what price. Typical firms have no influence over demand and supply because new sellers enter the market as they wish. Ellickson et al (2012) assert that typical competitors in such a market end up earning no profit at all. Rubin and Dnes (2010) point out that there are no barriers to enter or exit such a market structure since there are unlimited number of both sellers and buyers. From an economic perspective, this market structure exists when firms produce similar and standardized products. It implies that different firms only compete for prices. Moreover, buyers are aware that price competition exists. Therefore, all the available products must be sold at a common or poplar market price (Rubin Dnes, 2010). Both consumers and firms also tend to countercheck the pri ce even though they have no direct influence on the market. In order for a firm to maintain its customers, it is compelled to sell either at the prevailing market price or at a lower price altogether (Samuelson Marks, 2006). Therefore, firms end up selling a small proportion of their total output. Pricing Strategies Prices are determined by the forces of supply and demand. It is worth to note that there is perfect substitution where all firms produce homogenous, standardized and undifferentiated products. At this point, the demand curve in each firm is perfectly elastic and horizontal to the price line (Rubin Dnes, 2010). This implies that a firm can only sell some of its output without altering the price. Any slight increase in price results into lack of sales since buyers tend to resort to a substitute from other competitors. In this type of a market structure, the â€Å"law of one price† does not change and all market transactions are done at the same price (Samuelson M arks, 2006). Monopolistic competition Description In this type of a market structure, a firm ignores a market price and sets it own pricing without considering the causal effects of other firms with different prices. In this case, a group of producers offer a common product that is not identical. Therefore, it triggers competition.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Market Structures and Pricing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Firms deliberately differentiate their products and set prices that are competitive in nature (Samuelson Marks, 2006). It is important to note that there are no market barriers. Monopolistic competition resembles a perfect competition model except that the products of the former are different. Pricing Strategies Firms set their own prices that are different from those of competitors since products sold are also differentiated in terms of quality and quantity. In this cas e, firms aim to create brand names by reinforcing product differences (Rubin Dnes, 2010). Product differentiation is one of the strategies that enable producers to set high prices without necessarily losing market dominance to competitors. It is worth to note that the demand is elastic hence; firms can increase their prices whenever they wish to do so (Samuelson Marks, 2006). Oligopoly Description In this case, about three sellers occupy a larger share in a particular market. The firms may experience price wars as they compete against each other for maximum gains. Increasing prices affects the volume of sales of other firms (Ellickson et al., 2012). For instance, when one of the competing firms increases its market prices, consumers will obviously buy from the competitors. Therefore, producers must assess the impacts of their decisions in order to decrease or increase prices. It is worth to note that few sellers in the market may be rivals. This may eventually lead to conflict (Sa muelson Marks, 2006). However, there is great ease of entry into the market unlike the case with a monopolistic structure. Pricing Strategies Sellers first understand the behavior of consumers before setting prices. The pricing policy of an individual producer affects others. Therefore, there is an element of price rigidity that compels producers to opt for non-price competition (Samuelson Marks, 2006). At this point, prices are no longer depicted by demand and supply. Prices are set after critical, interactive and strategic thinking (Samuelson Marks, 2006). The fate of oligopoly pricing strategy is interdependent even though it is determined by economic factors such as consumers’ tastes and preferences.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Monopoly Description This refers to a market structure whereby there is only one seller of a particular product. In other words, a single firm in the market offers goods or services to consumers. Nonetheless, pure monopolies are rare. From the statistical review of literature, it is evident that a monopolistic market generates approximately 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the developed economies such as the US and UK (Samuelson Marks, 2006). Hence, monopoly exists when 90% of the market is dominated by a single firm. Rubin and Dnes (2010) elucidate that barriers to market entry are common in this type of market structure. This is a precondition that is deliberately set to prevent other firms from venturing into the market (Rubin Dnes, 2010). Furthermore, there are no perfect substitutes. Consumers have no choices to make since they have to buy products available in the market. Pricing Strategies Prices of goods and services are determined by single players in this type o f a market structure. Most monopolists use trial and error method when pricing their products. Ellickson et al (2012) argue that monopolists also determine prices by balances profits and losses. When a firm reaches an equilibrium point where marginal costs are in the same level with marginal returns, monopolists decide their best market price (Samuelson Marks, 2006). Usually, monopolists set higher prices that generate maximum gains. However, a firm may differentiate prices for various buyers in diverse regions. The price differentiation approach depends on the elasticity of demand. Dumping is also a pricing strategy used by monopolists (Rubin Dnes, 2010). In this regard, products fetch higher prices at the domestic market than in the international platform. However, monopolists do not just escalate prices. In other words, the optimal price is influenced by demand (Ellickson et al., 2012). Case Study with examples In the last few years, intense competition has been witnessed among telecommunication companies that supply cables, satellites and other communication services. Broadcasting networks have also exercised perfect competition for several decades. Internet service providers and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google plus have thrived in perfect competition (Samuelson Marks, 2006). This has greatly encouraged other service providers to venture into the market.  Besides, firms that produce and sell foodstuffs such as fast food restaurants and supermarket outlets exercise monopolistic competition. These sellers produce diverse brands that appeal to the larger market niche (Samuelson Marks, 2006). The deregulation of products’ varieties and discounts gives clients the freedom to purchase goods or services that they can afford.  In the United States, there are limited number of organizations that offer similar services and products. For instance, the Airbus and Boeing companies are renowned aircraft companies tha t compete against each other (Samuelson Marks, 2006). There are also hybrid automobiles that compete with traditional gasoline-powered automobiles. World-renowned soft drink companies such as Coca Cola and Pespi compete through pricing strategies thereby making the market to be oligopolistic in nature (Samuelson Marks, 2006). Some countries such as the US and India give firms and business people exclusive rights to sell their inventions for a specified period. Therefore, some firms have patents that grant them authority to sell their products for a period of 10 years (Samuelson Marks, 2006). This prevents other people from copying, processing or applying such ideas. A good example is the Microsoft Company that deals with computer software. It spearheads monopoly by preventing the entry of other compute software companies into the market (Samuelson Marks, 2006). Governments have been known to allow lawful monopolies for a given length of time. Conclusion From the above discussion , it is explicit that a market environment influences pricing strategies. There are four major market structures. These market structures have diverse attributes such as the degree of barrier to market access, the extent to which a firm controls the price, and the number of sellers. In monopolistic and perfect competition, there are numerous sellers hence there is no entry barrier into the market. Therefore, producers set prices that are influenced by elasticity of demand. In oligopoly, there are a few sellers competing against each other and prices are determined by other economic factors apart from demand and supply. There are significant but less prohibitive market barriers and price rigidity in oligopolistic markets. Contrastingly, a monopoly has a single firm supplying and determining the price of products in a market. There are numerous barriers that prevent other potential sellers from entering a monopolistic market. References Ellickson, P. B., Misra, S., Nair, H. S. (2012) . Repositioning Dynamics and Pricing Strategy. Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 49(6), 750-772. Rubin, P. H., Dnes, A. W. (2010). Managerial economics: a forward looking assessment. Managerial Decision Economics, 31(8), 497-501. Samuelson, W., Marks, S. G. (2006). Managerial economics. Boston: John Wiley Sons, Inc. 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Example Sentences With the Verb Meet

Example Sentences With the Verb 'Meet' Youre probably familiar with the irregular verb  to  meet from learning about introductions, but might not know the proper form for each tense. This page provides example sentences of the verb to meet in all tenses in English. Test out your new knowledge with the quiz at the end. Examples of Meet for Every Tense Base Form meet / Past Simple met / Past Participle met / Gerund meeting Present Simple We usually meet on Friday afternoons.Where do you usually meet your friends for lunch?They dont usually meet many new people when they travel. Present Continuous We are meeting with a new client this morning.Are they meeting with anyone at the moment?She isnt meeting with the director. Shes meeting with Tom. Present Perfect My friends have met me for lunch every day this week.Have you met Cheryl yet?Jeanne hasnt met Peter yet. Present Perfect Continuous We have been meeting new people for more than two hours.Where have they been meeting each other?She hasnt been meeting with the board for long. Past Simple My wife and met at an English school.When did you meet your best friend?They didnt meet each other until last year. Past Continuous We were meeting with Tom when he interrupted with the news.Were you meeting with clients at three oclock yesterday?She wasnt meeting with anybody when he arrived. Past Perfect Janet had already met Jack when I introduced them.When had they met to discuss the issue?Jeff hadnt met her before they attended the conference last week. Past Perfect Continuous We had been meeting for two hours when he finally arrived.How long had you been meeting when she called?They hadnt been meeting for long when he interrupted the meeting. Future (Will) She will meet Jack at the airport next week.When will we meet your new boyfriend?She wont meet me for lunch tomorrow. Future (Going to) Nancy is going to meet Fred in Pairs next week.When are you going to meet my friend Alice?She isnt going to meet anyone new at that party. Future Continuous We will be meeting the new clients this time tomorrow.Where will he be meeting you for lunch at one oclock?They wont be meeting me at the hotel tomorrow afternoon. Future Perfect Our friends will have met many challenges by the time they finish the project.How many people will you have met over the next few days?They wont have met any of their obligations before the deadline. Note on the Passive Voice Each of the examples sentences demonstrates sentences in the active voice. The active voice is by far the most common voice in English. In the active voice, the subject does something. In contrast, the passive voice demonstrates what was done to the subject. Heres a quick example of the difference: Active voice - Ive met a famous actor before. Passive voice - Cars are manufactured in Detroit. As you can see, the passive voice doesnt focus on who does something. The passive voice focuses on what was done to something. The passive voice is formed by conjugating the verb to be. In sentences with to meet, conjugate the verb to be followed by the appropriate form of to meet. Guests will be met at seven oclock.Peter will be met at the airport by a car service.   Quiz: Conjugate With Meet Use the verb to meet to conjugate the following sentences. Quiz answers are below. In some cases, more than one answer may be correct. They _____ at the airport by company representatives.Fred _____ with Alyssa  when Peter burst into the room with the news._____ Cheryl  _____ any of your friends yet?We usually _____ on Friday afternoons.We _____ for two hours when he finally arrived.Management usually _____ with new employees on Monday mornings.My wife and _____ at an English school.Our friends _____ many challenges by the time they finish the project.If she _____ me at the airport, she would have given me a ride home.Nancy _____ Fred in Pairs next week. Quiz Answers were metwas meetingHas Cheryl metmeethad been meetingmeetsmewill have methad metis going to meet

How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in the Past Tense

How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in the Past Tense Pronouns, while they can be tricky when learning Italian, are such an essential part of sounding fluid and natural in conversation. Who wants to say â€Å"glasses† a hundred times in a situation like, â€Å"Where are the glasses? Oh, I found the glasses. Let’s put the glasses on the table†. You start to sound like a robot, which, let’s be honest, makes it a bit more difficult to make friends. To avoid this, you can use direct object pronouns, which you may know are mi, ti, lo, la, ci, vi, li, and le. Me (m) - Me Ci - Us Ti (t) - You (informal) Vi - You (all) Lo (l) - Him, it Li - Them (masculine) La (l) - Her, it Le - Them (feminine) La (L) - Him/her (formal) Li, Le - You (formal) (masculine feminine) Using Direct Object Pronouns in the Present In the present tense, using direct object pronouns is easier. For example, â€Å"I see it†, when â€Å"it† refers to a â€Å"un libro - book†, would be, â€Å"Lo vedo†. But what about when you want to express something in the past tense, like â€Å"I saw it†, with â€Å"it† still being â€Å"un libro - a book†? It would be, â€Å"L’ho visto†. So what is going on, and how can you use direct object pronouns in the past tense? How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in the Past Tense There are four moving parts to using direct object pronouns in the past tense. Is the noun you’re talking about masculine or feminine?Is the noun you’re talking about singular or plural?What conjugation must you use from the verb â€Å"avere† or essere?What is the past participle of the main verb? Once you’ve answered these questions, which trust me, will happen automatically after enough practice, you’ll be able to put together past tense sentences with direct object pronouns with ease. Let’s take a look at some examples and break down what’s happening. Abbiamo visto Teresa. - We saw Theresa. We want to say, We saw her. Is â€Å"Teresa† masculine or feminine? FEMININE.Is â€Å"Teresa† singular or plural? SINGULAR.What conjugation must I use from the verb â€Å"avere†? ABBIAMOWhat is the past participle of the main verb â€Å"vedere†? VISTO/VEDUTO So, â€Å"We saw her† would be, â€Å"Labbiamo vista.†    Why does â€Å"visto† end in an -a? That’s because the ending of the past participle, in this case â€Å"visto†, must agree in gender and number with the noun, which is â€Å"Teresa†. Notice how the pronoun â€Å"la† is shortened and combined with the verb â€Å"abbiamo†. This is because â€Å"abbiamo† begins with a vowel. Ho comprato i pantaloni. - I bought the pants.   We want to say, I bought them. Is the noun â€Å"i pantaloni† masculine or feminine? MASCULINE.Is the noun â€Å"i pantaloni† singular or plural? PLURAL.What conjugation must you use from the verb â€Å"avere†? HOWhat is the past participle of the main verb â€Å"comprare†? COMPRATO So the sentence, â€Å"I bought them† would be, â€Å"Li ho comprati†. Notice here how the last letter of the past participle â€Å"comprato† changes from an -o to an -i. This is because the ending of the past participle MUST agree in gender and number with the noun. Here’s another example. Ha ricevuto le lettere. - He received the letters. We want to say instead, â€Å"He received them†. Is the noun â€Å"le lettere† masculine or feminine? FEMININE.Is the noun â€Å"le lettere† singular or plural? PLURAL.What conjugation must you use from the verb â€Å"avere†? HAWhat is the past participle of the main verb â€Å"ricevere†? RICEVUTO So, the sentence would become, â€Å"Le ha ricevute.  - He received them†. TIP: When you have a singular pronoun, like â€Å"lo† or â€Å"la†, it will almost always combine with the verb, like â€Å"L’ho letto. - I read it.† Let’s do one more. Sono andati a trovare il nonno. - They visited their grandfather. We want to say, They visited him. Is the noun â€Å"nonno† masculine or feminine? MASCULINE.Is the noun â€Å"nonno† singular or plural? SINGULAR.What conjugation must you use from the verb â€Å"essere†? SONOWhat is the past participle of the main verb â€Å"andare†? ANDATI So if we wanted to change the sentence to â€Å"they visited him†, it would be: Sono andati a trovarlo. - They visited him. Notice that the pronoun â€Å"lo† is not at the beginning of the sentence like in the past three examples. You’re able to attach it to the end of the full verb, â€Å"trovare†, by just removing the -e. This is possible when there are two verbs (like â€Å"andare† and â€Å"trovare†) in the phrase. Also, when the auxiliary verb is essere, the verb must agree with the subject.

Mareting and design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mareting and design - Essay Example des the customer with a quality product which satisfies his needs, making it as one of the key reasons that brands still enjoy the popularity amongst its customers and at the same time, attract fresh clientele. The paper would be discussing the ways The Body Shop uses its brand to gain leverage against it competitors in the market and create a niche market position. The Body Shop was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick, a social activist and environmentalist, who believed that using the natural ingredients are the best way to take care of the body and remain beautiful. It makes a huge range of body care products from natural ingredients from across the world and caters to people of all strata. There are around 700 products under different categories such as: facial skin care; make-up; bath and body; hair; fragrance; gifts and accessories (BodyShop). The products can further be categorized as per the natural ingredients like aloe Aloe Vera cream, musk oil etc. The company was taken over by L’Oreal in 2006 but has retained it brand name. The company prides in using natural products from all corners of the world and contributes to sustainable business practices by ensuring that the ingredients used in the products are from sustainable source where deforestation is not involved or cruelty to animals has not been part of business process. It subscribe to humane cosmetic standard and works towards the welfare of animals and community. Brand can broadly be defined in terms of name, symbol or design that identifies product and services of particular company which can be clearly differentiated from other products in the same category. Brand delivers value and provides the companies with competitive advantage to gain a niche market position. Kotler asserts that in the contemporary environment of highly competitive business, ‘brand building is needed because products are the same’ (Kotler, 2005). Brands ensure that they meet the changing requirements of the people.

Mathematics in the Preschool Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Mathematics in the Preschool - Dissertation Example That is why early childhood programs are increasingly expected to implement mathematics instruction in classrooms because of young children’s early mathematical knowledge. Development of early math skills provides the foundation for later learning (Clements & Sarama, 2008; NAEYC & NCTM, 2008; Lee & Ginsburg, 2008). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) emphasizes the need to provide high quality early childhood mathematics programs in preschools because a solid mathematical foundation in early childhood is essential. At this age, young children are building their own perceptions of what math is – what it means to know and do math and even about themselves as math learners. â€Å"These beliefs influence their thinking about, performance in, and attitudes toward mathematics and decisions related to studying mathematics in later years† (p. 98) According to the NCTM, the quality of mathematical education in early childhood plays an important pa rt in the child’s understanding of possibly difficult math concepts (Loop, 2009). Although there have been many studies pertaining to patterns of mathematical teaching in preschool, there is a lack of research on how teachers of mathematics perceive how young children learn math concepts and even what to teach in accordance to the developmental level of young children. That is why enhancing early childhood education teachers’ confidence and competence in teaching math is considered a route to improvement of mathematics instruction in preschool. Sarama & DiBiase suggests that early childhood teacher training focus both on mathematics content and teachers’ dispositions towards math, reflecting the need for highly qualified professionals (2004). The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethics states: â€Å"In decisions concerning children’s programs, we shall draw upon the education, experience, and expertise of staff mem bers† (Decker, Decker, Freeman, & Knorpf, 2009, p.359). This principle pertains to the ideal of professional training and development of early childhood educators, â€Å"To further the professional development of the field of early childhood care and education and to strengthen its commitment to realizing its core values† (Decker et al, 2009, p.361). Early childhood educators need training for all the tasks expected of them when they begin teach young children. Being an effective teacher encompasses a wide spectrum of responsibilities – from designing an environment conducive to learning, to planning appropriate lessons for young children and implementing them with effective educational strategies, to being able to manage the class well and instilling discipline in the children, to involving parents and coordinating with others regarding the provision of quality education for the children. It takes effort to be able to manage all these skills at the same time, he nce professional training with experience is required. The current study has taken inspiration and ideas from the work of Platas (2008) entitled â€Å"Measuring Teachers’ Knowledge of Early Mathematical Development and their Beliefs about Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Preschool Classroom†. Platas was able to measure the knowledge of early mathematical development and beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning in the preschool classroom of preschool teachers through the use of developed and validated survey instruments and statistical analysis (2008). The study found a significant