Marketing Research free essay sample

Q: A new graduate hired by the marketing research department of a major telephone company is asked to prepare a questionnaire to determine household preferences for telephone calling cards. The questionnaire is to be administered in mall ­intercept interviews. Using the principles of questionnaire design, critically evaluate this questionnaire. A: Although it was stated that the questionnaire would be administered in mall ­intercept interviews all other aspects of the process were not included. If they are doing personal interviews, they can be more conversational than what is listed and include visual aids and room for clarification. They should also consider filming the interviews or using audio recording because recording comments verbatim is very difficult and often results in error. Question 10 should be moved up behind the other basic identification questions 1 ­4. For questions 1 ­4 it should be explained why the researcher is asking for this information in order to overcome respondents’ inability or unwillingness to answer. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It should also include the education level of the respondent. Question 7 should be moved behind the identification questions to introduce the topic of calling cards for adequate question structure. This will allow the respondent to communicate their beliefs, motives and attitudes without bias. It should not included the brand ATT because the respondent might not be informed about this brand’s calling card. The researcher either needs to inform them about it or just use it as a general question for all calling cards. This question is also likely to gain answers such as, â€Å"I l

TransAtlantic Slave Trade essays

TransAtlantic Slave Trade essays While there was slavery throughout World History, never has it reached such an epic proportion as during the Middle Passage/ transatlantic slave trade. Even today, historians do not know exactly how many Africans died at sea during the Middle Passage experience. Estimates for the total number of Africans lost to the slave trade range from 25 to 50 million. The slave traders acquired their Africans in one of two ways. One technique involved the slave trader lying in wait until an African would come along, and capturing the unsuspecting native. The other method required the slave trader to make an alliance with a tribal chief. The tribal chief would then wage war on a neighboring tribe. Any of the enemy that the chief captured would then be traded for goods, such as tobacco, and liquor, with the slave traders. The means of acquiring the Africans was satisfactory compared to how they were treated once aboard the slave ship. The more Africans the slave traders crammed into the ship, the more profit they would make once they sold their goods in America. Many of the ships were termed 'loose packers' or 'tight packers', describing the maximum capacity of the slave ship. Africans were chained together and made to lie shoulder to shoulder in the dark hull of the ship, where no fresh air ever found its way. So stifling was the air that some Africans actually suffocated during the long voyage. The stench of diseased and decaying bodies and unruly Africans thrown overboard lured sharks to the ships' course. The Middle Passage was a term used to describe the triangular route of trade that brought Africans to the Americas and rum and sugar cane to Europe. It was synonymous with pain and suffering. Smallpox, eye infections, gastro-intestinal disorders, and body sores affected slaves in the Middle Passage. "Fever" and "flux" were the terms used to describe common causes of death. ...

Quotes from Kenneth Grahames The Wind in the Willows

Quotes from Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows After retiring early from his career at the Bank of England, Kenneth Grahame spent his days in the early 1900s on the River Thames expanding on and writing out the bedtime stories he used to tell his daughter about a collection of anthropomorphized woodland critters in the highly-quoted collection of short stories that would come to be known as The Wind in the Willows. This collection mixed moralistic stories with mysticism and adventure tales, beautifully depicting the natural world of the region in imaginative prose that has delighted audiences of all ages in its many adaptations since including a play, musical and even animated film. The central characters include Mr. Toad, Mole, Rat, Mr. Badger, Otter and Portley, The Weasels, Pan, The Gaolers Daughter, The Wayfarer, and rabbits, which are described as a mixed lot. Read on to discover some of the best quotes from this delightful childrens tale, perfect for use in any classroom discussion. Setting the Scene of the Thames The Wind in the Willows opens by setting the scene along the riverfront, full of unique animal characters including the mild-mannered homebody named Mole who starts the story by leaving his home only to find himself overwhelmed by the world around him: The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. Once out in the world, Mole chuckles to himself about a great truth hes discovered in leaving behind his responsibilities of spring cleaning saying, After all, the best part of a holiday is perhaps not so much to be resting yourself, as to see all the other fellows busy working. Interestingly, the early part of the book feels somewhat autobiographical for Grahame, who described his time after retirement as mostly spent messing about in boats. This sentiment is shared by the first other creature Mole meets when he ventures out of his home and down to the river for the first time, a leisurely water vole named Rat who says to Mole, There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Still, theres a hierarchy and a sense of prejudice even in the cute animal world that Grahame constructs, as illustrated in the character of the Mole in that he implicitly does not trust certain creatures:Â   Weasels- and stoats- and foxes- and so on. Theyre all right in a way- Im very good friends with them- pass the time of day when we meet, and all that- but they break out sometimes, theres no denying it, and then- well, you cant really trust them, and thats the fact. Ultimately, Mole decides to pal around with Rat and the two boat down the river together, with Rat teaching Mole the ways of the water, though he warns of going beyond the Wild Wood into the Wide World because thats something that doesnt matter, either to you or me. Ive never been there, and Im never going, nor you either, if youve got any sense at all. Mr. Toad and a Story of Dangerous Obsessions In the next chapter, Mole and Rat dock near the royal Toad Hall to stop in on one of Rats friends, Mr. Toad, who is rich, friendly, happy, but also conceited and easily distracted by the latest fad. His current obsession upon their meeting: driving a horse-drawn carriage: Glorious, stirring sight! The poetry of motion! The real way to travel! The only way to travel! Here today- in next week tomorrow! Villages skipped, towns and cities jumped- always somebody elses horizon! O bliss! O poop-poop! O my! O my! Somehow, Toad manages to convince Rat and Mole to accompany him on a carriage-ride and camping adventure together, against both of their better judgements: Somehow, it soon seemed taken for granted by all three of them that the trip was a settled thing; and the Rat, though still unconvinced in his mind, allowed his good-nature to over-ride his personal objections. Unfortunately, this does not end well as the reckless Toad careens the carriage off the road to avoid a collision with a speeding motorcar driver, breaking the carriage beyond use or repair. Consequently, Toad also loses his obsession with horse-drawn carriages, replaced by the insatiable need to drive a motorcar. Mole and Rat took the opportunity to excuse themselves from Toads company but admitted that it was never a wrong time to call on Toad because early or late, hes always the same fellow; always good-tempered, always glad to see you, always sorry when you go! The Elusive Badger Chapter Three opens in the winter with Mole leaving Rat to set out on his own quest while his friend took a long rest, namely to satiate his long-standing desire to meet the elusive Badger: The Mole had long wanted to make the acquaintance of the Badger. He seemed, by all accounts, to be such an important personage and, though rarely visible, to make his unseen influence felt by everybody about the place. Before he fell asleep, though, Rat had warned Mole that Badger hates Society, and invitations, and dinner, and all that sort of thing, and that Mole would be better off waiting for Badger to visit them instead, but Mole didnt listen and instead set off for the Wild Wood in hopes of finding him home. Unfortunately, while navigating the wilderness, Mole gets lost and begins to panic saying The whole wood seemed running now, running hard, hunting, chasing, closing in round something or- somebody? In panic, he began to run too, aimlessly, he knew not whither. Rat, having woken from his nap to find Mole gone, guesses that his friend had gone to the Wild Wood in search of Badger and sets out to recover his lost companion, and fortunately finds him just before snow begins to fall heavily. The two then stumble through the winter storm wherein they happen upon the Badgers dwelling. Badger, contrary to Rats warning, is incredibly accommodating to his two unexpected guests and opens his spacious, warm home to the pair where they gossip about the goings on in the world and in the Wild Wood: Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished. They didnt bother themselves about the past- they never do; theyre too busy...The Wild Wood is pretty well populated by now; with all the usual lot, good, bad, and indifferent- I name no names. It takes all sorts to make a world. Badger offers another side of Grahames own personality: his concern for the well-being of nature, of the effect mankind has on the natural world. Rats own misconception that the Badger is a mean spirited old codger could be interpreted as Grahames own projection of the criticisms hed received as a slightly cynical employee of the Bank of England who merely realized the temporary nature of human civilization as we know it: I see you dont understand, and I must explain it to you. Well, very long ago, on the spot where the Wild Wood waves now, before ever it had planted itself and grown up to what it now is, there was a city- a city of people, you know. Here, where we are standing, they lived, and walked, and talked, and slept, and carried on their business. Here they stabled their horses and feasted, from here they rode out to fight or drove out to trade. They were a powerful people, and rich, and great builders. They built to last, for they thought their city would last for ever...People come- they stay for a while, they flourish, they build- and they go. It is their way. But we remain. There were badgers here, Ive been told, long before that same city ever came to be. And now there are badgers here again. We are an enduring lot, and we may move out for a time, but we wait, and are patient, and back we come. And so it will ever be. Other Selected Quotes from Chapter 7 The trio also discusses the happenings of Mr. Toad, who has apparently totaled seven cars since the incident with the carriage several months before and was summarily arrested in the middle of the book- for more information, and to learn more about what happens to all the creatures of the Willows, continue reading this selection of quotes from the Chapter 7 of The Wind in the Willows: Perhaps he would never have dared to raise his eyes, but that, though the piping was now hushed, the call and the summons seemed still dominant and imperious. He might not refuse, were Death himself waiting to strike him instantly, once he had looked with mortal eye on things rightly kept hidden. Trembling he obeyed, and raised his humble head; and then, in that utter clearness of the imminent dawn, while Nature, flushed with fullness of incredible colour, seemed to hold her breath for the event, he looked in the very eyes of the Friend and Helper; saw the backward sweep of the curved horns, gleaming in the growing daylight; saw the stern, hooked nose between the kindly eyes that were looking down on them humorously, while the bearded mouth broke into a half-smile at the corners; saw the rippling muscles on the arm that lay across the broad chest, the long supple hand still holding the pan-pipes only just fallen away from the parted lips; saw the splendid curves of the shaggy limbs d isposed in majestic ease on the sward; saw, last of all, nestling between his very hooves, sleeping soundly in entire peace and contentment, the little, round, podgy, childish form of the baby otter. All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered. Sudden and magnificent, the suns broad golden disc showed itself over the horizon facing them; and the first rays, shooting across the level water-meadows, took the animals full in the eyes and dazzled them. When they were able to look once more, the Vision had vanished, and the air was full of the carol of birds that hailed the dawn. As they stared blankly in dumb misery deepening as they slowly realised all they had seen and all they had lost, a capricious little breeze, dancing up from the surface of the water, tossed the aspens, shook the dewy roses and blew lightly and caressingly in their faces; and with its soft touch came instant oblivion. For this is the last best gift that the kindly demi-god is careful to bestow on those to whom he has revealed himself in their helping: the gift of forgetfulness. Lest the awful remembrance should remain and grow, and overshadow mirth and pleasure, and the great haunting memory should spoil all the after-lives of little animals helped out of difficulties, in order that they should be happy and lighthearted as before. Mole stood still a moment, held in thought. As one wakened suddenly from a beautiful dream, who struggles to recall it, and can re-capture nothing but a dim sense of the beauty of it, the beauty! Till that, too, fades away in its turn, and the dreamer bitterly accepts the hard, cold waking and all its penalties; so Mole, after struggling with his memory for a brief space, shook his head sadly and followed the Rat.

Three Main Dimensions of Financial Institutions Essay - 1

Three Main Dimensions of Financial Institutions - Essay Example Even in 2011, we find that the markets continue to struggle with the question of economic reforms, in association with other basic questions, like how to develop sustained and enduring financial growth while also elevating fiscal responsibility. The development of financial systems is affected by various factors, which are, financial institutions risk management policies, ‘indebtedness’ of both individuals and sovereign elements, the banking system, regulatory delinquencies, and exports via the ‘exchange rate policy.’ Some modern researchers claim that the chief cause of the current economic recession is mainly owing to certain socio-economic queries, pertinent to a much broader context, like the enduring presence of income inequality, through the investments made in the line of education and human capital (Rajan, 2010). The World Economic Forum has defined financial development â€Å"as the factors, policies, and institutions that lead to effective financial intermediation and markets, as well as deep and broad access to capital and financial services† (The Financial Development Report 2010, 2010, 4). Financial development is the trajectory through which the states can work towards elevating the efficacies of their economic system (markets and resources), the banking sector, the monitoring of various investment projects, and overall strengthen the position of the financial system. Thus, one can view financial development as a major aspect of affecting a country’s economic growth and welfare (Huang, 2006, 2). Strong factual evidence uphold the notion that finance is at the base of a state’s developmental process.  

BUSINESS STRATEGY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & TOWS MATRIX Essay

BUSINESS STRATEGY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & TOWS MATRIX - Essay Example This study looks at the external factors in addition, seeks  to determine their impact on the  operations  of the organization  through  external  factor  evaluation  matrix. A similar exercise will be undertaken for internal factors through internal factor evaluation matrix. The paper evaluates CIGNA Corporation first by using Porters five forces. These include barriers to entry that were found to be high and increasing, the bargaining power of suppliers that was found to vary because of conglomeration in the industry, and a moderately low customer bargaining power. Additionally, the threat of substitute products was low and rivalry between competing firms was found to be high. In the external evaluation of CIGNA Corporation, the paper seeks to evaluate the Corporation’s opportunities and threats. CIGNA Corporation has several opportunities in its external environment, including market exchange rates, which, by being an International Corporation, it can take advantage of by getting higher earnings from regions with high exchange rates. There is also increased demand for health care, increased disposable income that would benefit CIGNA, ethnical growth from an expanding population, and a growth in retirees who require increased levels of health care. The various threats that face CIGNA include the reduction of premiums due to decreased disposable income after the financial crisis, health care reform regulation that directs them to insure patients through using pre-existing conditions, and the global recession that has seen unemployment levels go up thus plummeting the amount of premiums to be paid. The paper also evaluates internal factors that affect the operations of CIGNA Corporation, i.e. strengths and weaknesses. The strengths that are inherent in CIGNA Corporation include a strong national network that helps build credibility, a comprehensive offering that attracts a large customer base, growing global

Race and Crime Essay Example for Free

Race and Crime Essay Are minorities continually being unfairly arrested, tried and punished as a result of racial discrimination or do minorities just commit more crimes? In order to determine if disparity or discrimination is the cause of current over representation of minorities in the criminal justice system we have to study race, ethnicity and past discriminatory judicial practices. Are the historical discriminatory practices and past laws the cause of the systematic imbalance of power in relation to race, class and discrimination within our society that leads to more crime among minorities today? There are many theories on why, how and even if race discrimination plays a significant role in explaining the current arrest and incarceration rates of minorities in the United States. Social strain theory, because it also involves the most restriction to important social aspects of society is the one I most agree with. In my experience restricted access to social and cultural capital is the cause for higher than expected crime rates among our citizens who lack these two important aspects of crime control. The inability to achieve success based on societies’ definition causes stain and alternative ways of thinking to achieve that level of success, which is sometimes outside the confines of the law. The term race has traditionally referred to the biological differences of mankind. The differences that distinguish us by the color of our skin, hair texture and certain physical features determine what race we are. Some experts contend that race is just a social construct and people are classified and labeled by the culturally dominant group in that society. This type of classification system tends to imply that one race is inferior to another (Walker et al pg 6). The term minority is used for any race that is less in numbers than the race in power. Currently in the United States the â€Å"majority† is considered to be Caucasian and the â€Å"minorities† are African Americans, Hispanics, Arab Americans, etc. There have been many historical examples of minorities being unfairly treated within the confines of our judicial system. â€Å"Race discrimination and social and economical inequality have a direct impact on crime and criminal justice† (Walker et al, pg 78). In the southern states during the 1800’s barriers were created in the laws to separate nonwhite persons from the majority, white persons called the Black Codes. These codes created a legal line of separation stating where blacks could and could not go in public, what land they could own and how they could earn a living. The term, Color Line encompassed everything involving what water fountains and bathrooms â€Å"coloreds† could use and where they could stand or sit in public spaces. The Jim Crow laws of the 1900 were also racist laws and actions that deprived African Americans civil rights, claiming blacks were inferior to the whites and were lower class people. â€Å"The colored sign was the most visible mark of inferiority imposed upon African Americans by the Jim Crow laws† (Davis PhD). The punishment for breaking these laws and codes were mob lynching, serving prison time on chain gangs and debilitating debt imposed by sharecropping attempts to make a living (Davis PhD). Previous laws and codes set the stage for economic inequality of minorities in the United States. Income, wealth, unemployment are the standard measure of economic inequality. â€Å"All of these measures indicate deep and persistent inequality in society generally and with respect to race and ethnicity† (Walker et al pg, 79). In order to determine if race discrimination has the major contributor to minority over representation in the criminal justice system we must rule out the idea of disparity being the cause of overrepresentation. The concept of disparity in the criminal justice system refers to differences in say incarceration rates of a certain race but not because of systematic race discrimination. Disparity is a way to explain the high numbers of minorities as criminal perpetrators with legitimate factors. These factors could include, minorities commit more crimes, not because police officers, judges and juries are racists. Crime arrest and convictions could be solely based on legal factors. These legal factors include the seriousness of offense, mitigating circumstances and previous criminal records. These factors opposed to extralegal factors that include race, class, gender and lifestyle (Walker et al, pg 18). If arrest and conviction rates were based solely on legal factors with no weight given to extralegal factors, a high minority count would be considered disparity not systematic discrimination on part of the criminal justice system. To determine if only legal factors and not extralegal factors are the cause of an overrepresentation of minorities in the criminal justice system much more research needs to be conducted. If the cause of high incarceration rates is because of disparity instead of discrimination there is one theory I feel explains why there is disparity. The Social Strain Theory explains the causes of disparity among minorities that leads to higher rates of arrests and incarceration rates. â€Å"Robert Merton’s social stain theory holds that each society has a dominant set of values and goals along with acceptable means of achieving them† (Walker et al, pg 92). If success in life is measured by your social status, involving what you own, where you live and who you know then that is your personal goals for success. The ways to achieve this success are seen as hard work, education, self-control and as individual achievements (Walker et al, pg 92). If the American dream is not realized by a group of people because of societies inability to provide equal levels of educational and work opportunities to achieve success it results in what Merton’s calls social strain. Merton’s theory of social strain addresses the gap between what society views as success and a persons circumstances are for trying to achieve that success. (Walker et al, pg 92). Social strain helps to explain high rates of criminal activity among minorities because minorities are more likely to be denied legal opportunities to obtain the American dream by legal means. â€Å"The high levels of economic inequality experienced by minorities, together with continuing discrimination based on race and ethnicity, mean that minorities are far less likely to be able to achieve approved social goals through conventional means† (Walker et al, pg 93). In conclusion I believe minorities do commit more crimes today, but that is because of a history of discrimination and blocked opportunities to achieve social and cultural capital. The ruling class, the majority, because of past-institutionalized and systematic discrimination has created what we have today, a disparity among minorities involved in our criminal justice system. Therefore even though we have curbed contextual and individual acts of discrimination we have yet to address past discrimination in a meaningful way while still upholding the law. Bibliography Davis, Ronald L. F. Ph. D. California State University, Northridge. Creating Jim Crow. History of Jim Crow retrieved on June 2, 2011 from http://jimcrowhistory. org/history/creating. htm Lafree, G. Russell, K. K. (1993). The argument for studying race and crime. Journal of Criminal Justice Education. 4, 273-289. Walker, S, Spohn, C, DeLone, M. (2007). The Color of Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Crime in America. Wadsworth Publishing Co.

Critique of Movie The Insider Essay -- Tobacco Nicotine Insider Film E

Critique of Movie The Insider A dramatization of 1995 events in which the tobacco industry allegedly covered up proof that nicotine is addictive and harmful. When Brown and Williamson executive Jeffrey Wigand (Crowe) tries to expose the industry's cover-up, he is threatened into silence. He eventually gets his story to 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (AL Pacino), but CBS decides against airing it due to political and economic pressures, and the threat of lawsuit from Brown and Williamson. Before we start, I think it's important that you know a little thing about me, and where I'm coming from. I do smoke. But I believe that most of the lawsuits filed against the tobacco industry are unfounded, desperate attempts for people to put the blame on anyone but themselves. I think social security is a safety net for the financially irresponsible. I thought The Insider was a great movie from a strictly entertainment perspective (don't get ahead of me on this one!), and I enjoyed it very much. Russell Crowe is Jeffrey Wigand, a Brown and Williamson VP of Research and Development whose conscience compels him to blow the whistle on the industry. He claims that Big Tobacco has been covering up scientific research that proves nicotine is addictive and harmful. The writing puts a lot of energy into making sure that Wigand is a sufficiently complicated character, and one that we sympathize with. To be sure, he's not entirely one-dimensional. Initially, he does what most of...