Paganism and Christianity in Beowulf Essay

Like a man outlawed for wickedness, he must await the mighty judgement of God in majesty. † (Beowulf, Heaney, p. 65) Finally, as Beowulf is dying after being mortally wounded by the Dragon, he ultimately thanks and praises God for the future prosperity of his kingdom, passing off the fame and glory to God instead of claiming it solely himself: â€Å"To the everlasting Lord of All, to the King of Glory, I give thanks that I behold this treasure here in front of me, that I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die. (Beowulf, Heaney, p. 189) The attempt at bridging Pagan tradition with Christianity is clear and powerful. Fate and personal fame and glory are important doctrine in Paganism, and the author of Beowulf is able to mend these characteristics with the Will of God and the ultimate power and glory of God, all major aspects of Christianity. 2-B2 The Gospel of Matthew was and still remains a critical text to Christians, both cradle Christians and converts from Judaism. It depicts the life of Jesus, as did the other two synoptic gospels – Mark and Luke. It includes depictions of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, his temptation, his baptism by John the Baptist, his teachings, his crucifixion, and his resurrection and Great Commission to his disciples. ?The Great Commission is arguably the most significant excerpt from the Gospel of Matthew as is believed to be Jesus’ instructions dictated to his disciples to go out and spread the teachings of Jesus. It is found in Chapter 28, verses 16-20: â€Å"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, â€Å"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. † This excerpt has been interpreted by Christians as divine instruction to evangelize nations, baptize non-Christians, as well as to perform missionary work. It is central to the theology of most Christian religions. Also of note, the Gospel of Matthew served as a bridge from Judaism to Christianity. In it, Matthew attempts to demonstrate how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament and that Jesus is, indeed, the Messiah foretold in the old texts.

Paying Division One Athletes

ENG 100P April 12, 2013 Pay to Play: Should Division One College Athletes be Paid? Every year division one college athletes put everything they have on the line during practice everyday and make hundreds of millions of dollars for their schools and the NCAA every year. These athletes aren’t just playing for the love of the game anymore once they reach the division one level, it turns into more of a job than an activity. The players spend hours every single day dedicating almost all of their time to the sport they play.These athletes work just as long and much harder than your average person working a nine to five job, so why don’t the athletes get paid for their commitments to their teams? Last year the NCAA made 871. 6 million dollars from division one sports. The average division one men’s football team brings in 15. 8 million dollars to their school each year. The amount of money that these sports make for their school is so high; the players should get some k ind of reward for all they do for their schools.The old rules that say college athletes cant be paid in any way needs to change, division one college athletes deserve to be paid for all they do for the NCAA and their schools. Growing up every athlete’s dreams of playing in that national championship game for their dream school and scoring the winning touchdown or overtime goal. As a child you don’t realize that commitment it takes to be part of a division one athletic team. Coming from a big lacrosse and football town, my friends and I have gone through the division one recruiting process and know how hard it is to play a division one sport.Many of my former teammates play division one lacrosse and after talking to them I realized really how tough it is to play a division one sport. When asked about how lacrosse at Sacred Heart University was going, Freshman Spencer Hackett said; â€Å" I’ve grown up with lacrosse and I love the sport very much, but division on e is so much more then I thought it would be. Everyday I have two practices that last at least two hour, then after that I have mandatory lift and film sessions. Spencer dedicates at least six hours every day for his team, and they’re one of the lowest ranked teams in division one, I can only imagine the commitment it takes to play on a high ranked team. In my personal experience of going through the division one recruiting process, I saw how much blood; sweat and tears go into being a division one athlete. On my overnight visit at University of Massachusetts, which is a top 20 team, most of my day was watching the team practice, or lift, or watch film.It seemed like everything they did was revolved around lacrosse and to me that’s not what college is about. These division one athletes have such little time to socialize and make friends outside of their sports; everything they do is revolved around their sports. The fact that athletes willingly dedicate so much time to their sports is a huge reason why they should be paid. Division one athletics, especially sports such as football and basketball, are extremely profitable for the NCAA and for their schools. According to NCAA. org, the NCAA’s revenue for the 2011-2012 athletic seasons was 871. million dollars. The NCAA makes an extremely large amount of money from division athletics, with most of the money coming from television contracts and championships such as March Madness. Schools such as Texas make hundreds of millions of dollars because of their excellence in many sports, last year their football team profited $68,830,484. A lot of the money schools make, such as Texas, is from selling merchandise. Big name schools sell tons of merchandise to the public; selling products such as jerseys should be illegal if they players don’t get paid.Why could they sell jerseys with players number on them but that player doesn’t get compensated for using their number on the jersey? Rob ert and Amy McCormick of Michigan State University have added a new dimension to the long debate over paying athletes by arguing they are â€Å"employees† under federal labor laws and entitled to form unions and negotiate wages, hours and working conditions. † Robert McCormick was the former attorney for the Nation Labor Relations Board and if he is saying that these players are employees, it’s about time that the NCAA recognizes them as employees also.A common argument against paying college athletes is that they won’t compete as hard because it won’t be the same as when they weren’t getting paid, but that argument has absolutely nothing to do with paying players. If anything, paying the players would make them work harder so that they could make more money! I believe that the best way to go about paying these players would be contracts, just like the professional athletes and like any other employee in the United States.These contracts woul d go on to say that the players would be paid an amount depending on their contribution to the team and that students would need to finish their schooling so that they have a backup plan. That is why you’re supposed to go to college in the first place, isn’t it? So that you can get a good education! To do this the NCAA would need the support from the professional sport teams and not draft players who haven’t graduated college yet. Another argument why players shouldn’t be paid to play is because they students-athletes and that there is a reason student becomes before athletes.Realistically, these young men and women aren’t student-athletes at all. Many of the players on division one team would never have gotten into college if it weren’t for sports. Also, if they are student-athletes then where do they find the time to do their schoolwork when they have practice, film, lifting, running etc. all day? The only reason many athletes go to colleg e is so that they can get looks from the pros. If they are student-athletes then why do many of them leave college after a year or two to play professional sport?It’s because college is just a stepping-stone to them, they don’t care about the school aspect. When it comes to division one athletes, they are athletes first and students second. The players know it, the coaches know it, the fans know it, the only people who don’t know it are the people who make up the NCAA. In conclusion, times have changed and it’s time to pay division one athletes for their commitment and for the money they bring in for the schools and the NCAA. With college athletics competition being so tough now and so competitive, players have to dedicate so much more time to their sports then in the past.College athletics are not longer a sport that players do for fun, college athletics are now a job for the players that consists of hours of practice everyday and throwing your social li fe out for your sports college athletics make hundreds of millions of dollars for the NCAA and tens of millions of dollars for the schools, so why is it that these players don’t get compensated for their commitment and contribution to the schools and the NCAA? I personally believe that it is ridiculous that players don’t get paid anymore.One of my best friends Dylan Baumgardner, a lacrosse player at Quinnipiac University said it perfectly when asked if he still loved playing lacrosse, â€Å" I don’t play lacrosse anymore, I go to class, then I go to work all day, then I go to sleep. † Joe Nocera of the New York Times, came up with a plan for college athletics that would make college athletics work like professional sports with signing bonuses, salary caps, insurance, player unions and it would even offer additional scholarships to players who want to further their education. This plan will go into consideration in 2014.

Police Officer Essay

* Police officers work in partnership with the communities they serve to maintain law and order, protect members of the public and their property, prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and improve the quality of life for all citizens. They use a wide range of technology to protect individuals, identify the perpetrators of crime and ensure successful prosecutions against those who break the law. Police officers work closely with members of the criminal justice system, social workers, schools, local businesses, health trusts, housing authorities, town planners and community groups to provide advice, education and assistance to those who wish to reduce crime or have been affected by crime. I chose to research this job because I like to help people and the best way I can imagine doing this is becoming a cop. * Many police departments require that applicants be high school graduates; an increasing number expect some college education. Applicants usually must be at least twenty-one years of age and U.S. citizens. In many communities, applicants must meet minimum requirements for height, weight, eyesight, and hearing. Because most police departments fall under civil service regulations, applicants must pass written tests that measure their analytical skills. Rigorous physical examinations and background checks are also required. New recruits often participate in formal classroom training in police academies. After graduating they continue to train on the job with experienced officers for three to twelve months. In small communities there may be no formal training program. Officers are usually encouraged to continue their education by taking college courses in criminal justice. Police Officers usually wear a uniform while on duty. Police work can be dangerous and stressful. Officers often deal with violent criminals and may be injured or killed. They must make quick decisions while on duty, yet be tactful and patient with people who are in trouble or have been victims of terrible crimes and abuse. Police protection is provided twenty-four hours a day, so officers may work outdoors in all kinds of weather. Work shifts are usually rotated; however, officers are on call at all times for emergencies. Overtime may be required. Earnings vary, depending on location. In 2004 the median salary for police officers was $45,210 per year. As officers advanced through the ranks, wages increased. The average minimum salary for police sergeants was $49,895 per year, while the average minimum for lieutenants was $56,115 per year. The following are some of the benefits provided to police officers: Family/Domestic partner health and dental plans for active employees and their eligible dependents. Sick leave disability benefits – Sworn employees receive twelve days of 100 percent paid sick leave, five days at 75 percent, and five days at 50 percent, upon hiring. Employees may accumulate up to 100 days at 100 percent, 75 percent, and 50 percent paid sick leave. Employees are eligible for a service-connected disability retirement from the date of graduation from basic training.

Effects of Using Onion and Garlic as House Rat Pesticides Essay

Effects of Using Onion and Garlic as House Rat Pesticides - Essay Example The lachrymatory factor together with its color also contributes to its flavor. On the contrary, Onions do not provide only flavor but it promotes health through the nutrients that we can get from it - the phytochemical. Aside from that, it contains acrid which stimulates our tear glands and our mucous membranes causing us to produce tears or makes us cry. Other compounds that we can get from onions are sulfur and quercetin. These two compounds are considered as an anti-oxidants. Recent studies shown that these two compounds help to neutralize all free radicals in our body and protect our cell membranes from any damage. There are some studies conducted in Japan wherein they used onion as feeds for some rats. Rats shown delay in aging process. So it is therefore considered that onion is an effective anti-oxidant for our cells. The compound quercetin helps to eliminate free radicals in our body, it also helps to protect and regenerate our damaged cell membranes. Apart from onions, apples and tea are good source of quercetin. This compound is said to have anti-oxidants that is twice of what we can get from tea and even in apples but we can get little contents from white onions compare with yellow and red onions. As previously discussed, the pungent smell of onion is due to thiollyl or alliins co

American Goverment (2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American Goverment (2) - Essay Example This helps in ensuring nationals from whichever corner of the globe help the state as well as the city governments with empowerment of social objectives and financial projects. We also get to learn that all the elected members of the American government together with the media do have a direct influence on the choices of public policies in the country. The approaches used in the public are blueprints being used by administrations. Despite being dependent on the law, they are being set by more than one individual. The setting and motivation that is vested in political gatherings, different government extensions, and political parties have a role in shaping the dynamicity of the American government. Plans are always not static; they are under constant reshape when a new president takes in charge of the office or whenever a party takes the largest congressional share (Goodnow, 27). An approach is received when the congress passes a law. This can occur when there is a signature on an official request from the president or the ruling on an important case by the supreme case. This procedure regarded as genuine fluctuate in most times. The United States seems to be supporting strategies incremental results, setting and motivation. This creates a great instrumentalism that helps in providing a degree of dependability that is extraordinary in the process of developing strategies thus providing quick and vital changes in the social order and economy of the United

Coming to Live in a Foreign Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coming to Live in a Foreign Country - Essay Example I was very excited when I got admission in a United States College. Though I had hoped for it, however, for it to come true so easily was very exhilarating. I was glad that I had been granted this opportunity, both by the college’s board of admissions and by my family who supported my decision to go abroad for higher studies. The delight at felt at being able to be on my own, and that too in a foreign land was indescribable. I constantly made plans regarding how I would go about settling in once I reached the United States. I was essentially entering a new phase in my life and was very keen and enthusiastic about starting this chapter of my life. However, once I reached the United States, in fact as soon as I landed at the airport, I felt a strange sense of trepidation. Everything I saw and heard was new to me. All of a sudden I was surrounded by sights and sounds that were very unfamiliar. There were lots of people at the airport, in fact, it would be right to say that there was a throng of people at the airport, yet I felt completely and utterly alone. Out of all of these people around me, I knew nobody. What is more, nobody knew me. I felt like an outsider as if I somehow did not belong in this multitude of people. I was scared that this feeling of loneliness might get too much for me to bear, causing me to be unable to enjoy anything, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that that was not the case. All of a sudden, the feeling of anxiety was replaced by a sense of excitement. If I were essentially an outsider, then everything I was seeing was a new sight for me. I looked at everything I passed by closely. From the airport till I reached the college campus, I tried to absorb as much as I could. Everything seemed novel to me, even the simple and mundane things like air vents in buildings and how people had a different voice cadence in the United States than in Nigeria seemed to excite me. There was a sense of newness to everything. I noticed even dull and routine details around me and became excited over them. Though at first I only noticed the newness with an excited mindset, yet soon enough that excitement changed to trepidation. I simply had not taken to account the fact that there will be quite a lot of cultural gaps and cultural differences that I will have to cross. It is a given that all countries have their own set of norms and the adage of â€Å"when in Rome, do as the Romans do† entails that one follows local customs. I did not want to offend anyone for my lack of knowledge regarding local customs. Soon enough, though, I discovered that there were quite a bit of similarities between the two cultures of Nigeria and United States. I was still, however, afraid of offending others for my lack of understanding or knowledge regarding local culture. It was soon clear to me, though, that United States has a more relaxed approach towards following cultural norms and one can fit in without having to change or adapt much. Although that is true, nonetheless, I still looked forward to learning new things about the culture of the foreign land I found myself in. Perhaps it seems like my feelings were that of a child who is brought to a toy shop and told to go on an

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Essay Example The seven wastes include motion; transportation; waiting time; overproduction; inventory; processing time; and defects. Other common wastes are energy; untapped human resources; and by-products. Motion and transport are related to layout; organisation; and engineering. Waste arises as motion and transport does not always result in useful work. In the current case study, motion and transportation includes rearrangement of storage areas that are temporary before and after manufacture or product components; and movement associated with searching fixtures, jigs, tools, equipment, materials, etc. Movement allows an opportunity for product damage during handling and movement; poor space utilisation – large distances between stages or large gangways or storage areas; higher labour cost from low productivity; large batches waiting for transport – large inventories, long leadtimes, low responsiveness. Waiting time, overproduction and inventory are related to scheduling; setups; communication; quality; skills; reward systems; breakdowns; and layout. Waiting time could be caused by material; machine; or labour. Lack of material could be caused by scrap; breakdown; poor schedule; or poor supplier. Machine unavailability could be caused by breakdown; setups; large batches; or unavailability of tools, jigs, fixtures, etc. Skills shortage, absenteeism, or operating or supervising more than one machine could cause skill shortage. Overproduction could be a case of too much or too early. Too much is when there is more production than needed. This could be caused by setups that are long, improper scheduling for EOQ, or inadequate design of processes. Too early includes production earlier than required. This could be caused by lack of machine capability, subcontracting of operations, long in-process delays, or long leadtimes. Overproduction could also be caused by unbalanced material flow; cushion storage; safety storage; and lot delays.

The employment effects of the minimum wage Term Paper

The employment effects of the minimum wage - Term Paper Example Beneath the antagonistic claims on both sides bordering on sound political and philosophical principles are assumptions loosely hinged on individual interpretations of the time series of increasing inequalities. Indeed, there are no doubts that the magnitude of the inequality gap widened further over the past decade alone. Nonetheless, questions abound as to whether the statutory minimum wage settings do have any profound effect on the same. This short paper endeavors to highlight the controversy of the current debate and subsequently ascertain with facts the effects of the Minimum Wage on employment. Supportive Evidence: Decent Pay and the Job Loses The employment effect of the minimum wage is by far one of the topics in economics mostly researched and deliberated upon with an effectual outcome of scholarly arguments and counterarguments that boarder more on the authenticity of data used. A statutory minimum wage, by definition, refers to a legal binding remuneration threshold at wh ich employers may buy labor services from prospective workers or workers may sell their labor services to prospective employers (O'Sullivan and Sheffin 130). Although such laws are effective in many jurisdictions, scholars offer varied opinions on the theoretical models that have stood the tests of time, though challenged by a myriad of data collections that continues to this day. Legally sanctioned statutory minimum wage at predetermined levels bears a strong social appeal in manipulating market labor prices to ameliorate the social income iniquity for the vulnerable members of the workforce, particularly the unskilled workers. For many, a fair distribution of the national cake can only be achieved by some political manipulation of the wage structure; a policy argument judged against the sticky poverty statistics (Eatwell, Milgate and Newman 476). Indeed, given that proliferation of industrial working environments where employers pay little attention to workers’ wellbeing, t he establishment of minimum wage legislation is well in order. Entrepreneurial ventures such as the multinational corporations operating in the developing countries have long been blamed for unfair bargaining power over their workers. Clearly, the institutionalization of minimum wage laws in such countries goes a long way in ensuring that workers get at least some decent pay commensurate to the labor services they offer. Even though the above objective is widely popular with the public as a morally justifiable political course, for economists, statutory minimum wage legislations represent a challenge of price distortion within the labor markets, yet with questionable attainment of the intent stated above. From inception, minimum wage laws have received less support from economists than from the enthusiastic public poor/lower cadre workers/unskilled workers who gullibly feel they stand to benefit over their employers. Despite decades of economic research augmented by scientific princ iples, the employment effect of minimum wage legislation remains a contentious policy. A classic exposition of the minimum wage's inability to substantially reduce the income inequality gap by

Leaders As Architects Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leaders As Architects - Assignment Example The frames thus need designing. They need to be designed with a leadership eye toward preferred ends, the nature of organizational culture, the talents of the available workforce, and the available resources within the leader’s reach. The leaders then using appropriate management skills provide a durable sense of direction or purpose, rooted deeply in organizational values and the human spirit that builds the culture. Wright created an architectural framework that stood the test of time through clear planning. This is more similar to the works of modern day leaders who are charged with architecturally crafting their organizations (Bennis, 2003). Just like Wright leaders should ensure that by effective planning. Leaders direct their organizations into making sustainable culture that stand the test of time. These cultures should last to provide for profitable glory years after they have gone. Wright also believed in designing structures through the philosophy of organic architecture. These were structures that were in harmony with humanity and even environment. In contemporary world organizations, they exist because efficient leaders build them. They are needs to conduct this role through thorough involvement of all stakeholders in planning strategies. Furthermore, leadership development today includes a useful metacurriculum on framing and cognitive elasticity as Wright believed in his work (McCar ter, 2006). Top leaders thus charged with modeling multi-frame organizational strategizing and the benefits of cross-frame cultural discourse. As a result, organizations enhance their capacities in totality for multi-framed analysis or action while building new levels of organizational learning and awareness. Walden University mission is the provision of a diverse community of career professionals. These individuals are empowered with transformative minds to effect positive social change. On the other, the missions echoing the learning community where

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Market Research - Essay Example One of the weaknesses of Macdonald which is experienced in the industry is the increasing concern on ethics. Offering mobile catering would capture the market potential for the increasing change in the socio-economic structure of the society in which some people may require services in funerals and weddings. This kind of data constitute oral interview as an aspect of primary data. It is evident that various events nowadays require caterers who offer mobile services within the event venue and this is the unexploited demand gap that has not been filled in this industry (Wiid & Diggines, 2009) . The target market in this case is the working class who is involved in employment and has little time to organize and provide local manpower to offer catering services in weddings and funerals. Critical evaluation of the three questions below can boost the progress of market research. It is important to underscore the aspect of competition in any market and catering industry is not exceptional. Survival in such a market would therefore require strategic planning in which mobile catering will have to contend with lest they are pushed out by the other firms in the . Mobile catering falls in catering and accommodation industry and has several competitors. Direct Sales Model is therefore critical as far as the success of the firm is concerned. Mobile catering requires face to face interaction with customers which is equally healthy in terms of determining the demand gap in the market (Wiid & Diggines,2009). This business model has been preferred in the industry as it promotes long term relationship between the firm and the clients. It is critical to note the significance of a sound Mission/ Vision Statement and Value Proposition in enhancing the chances of better performance of the

PostQuick Computing project Essay Example for Free

PostQuick Computing project Essay I designed my project on visual basics 6. 0, and the benefit I found in Visual Basics as compared to other software was that Visual Basics is user friendly. Anyone can use it by clicking certain buttons, and on the other hand other software packages such as Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel require a bit of knowledge before using them. To make my own project using visual basics, I first designed my form on the paper, which gave me a rough idea about how my project form would look like. This is also attached with my documentation. I designed my project by prototyping, and made my form using these things   A set of screen that shows the user what might be possible   A system with limited functionality An existing system that might be modified For my human-computer interface (HCI), I used graphical user Interface (GUI) which is used in Microsoft windows . My form had certain buttons which could be used by clicking the mouse and some text boxes in which data was entered using keyboard. I think that the advantage of this type of interface is this that It is easy to use   In my form no one needs special instruction The disadvantage of GUI is   It uses a lot of processing power   It requires good graphical display   It uses a lot of processing power   It uses a lot of memory and disk space 3. Method of Data Entry, including Validation As said before that my form had certain buttons and these buttons could be used by clicking the mouse and some text boxes in which data was entered using keyboard. I declared each data type with certain specific data type, and checked that if I entered wrong data type then it would not work. The method of data entry is also shown in implementation. The program contains three forms. The main form, which is named input form, is the start-up form. This is the data entry form for all the data, which is entered for a particular assignment. The method of entering data is as follows. Consignment No: These are self-generated. Numbers, its enabled property is false. User has no control on entering its data. Customer Name destination and client address will be entered in respective columns. Afterwards the information of the first parcel of the consignment will be filled (i. e. the whole form will be filled). If there are more then one parcel required to be entered for the same consignment then add new parcel button is pressed for the parcel, and after each parcel entry of the consignment data entry complete button will be pressed For a separate consignmentnew consignment button is required to be pressed. It was part of validation of the project that, the minimum weight of the parcel should not be less then 1 kg. If it does then the message box would appear saying that too less weight in the parcel. Second validation was that the weight of the parcels should not exceed 30 kg, if it does then the message box would appear saying, too much weight of the parcel The third Validation was that the maximum dimension of the parcel i. e. (length + breadth + height) must not exceed 3 m, if it does then the message box would appear saying too big Parcel to send. The fourth validation was that the maximum weight of consignment must not exceed 200 kg, if it does then the message box would appear saying too much weight of the consignment 4. Record structure, file organisation and processing:- The file for the database of the consignments for the Parcel Company is saved as a record structure and saved only for the consignments for one day. It includes the data and information required for the parcels in consignments. It is a record file so it cannot be changed, but the database is changed everyday because each day different consignments are sent to the Parcel Company. The database is linked with Visual basics form, and the file of database is stored as a Microsoft access file. For the backup the file is saved in the floppy so if the actual program in the processor is altered, we can bring back the old one. There are four files that I used for my project one was the form file, named as input parcel, and two forms were for the price list, the Access file linked to database, named as, payslip database which has two databases linked to each other. The actual processing carried out by the program is arithmetic operation, in other words calculation is being carried out, but the bigger companies can use CLOCK SYSTEM, which would be more economical for them. 5. Security and integration of Data Security is the most important thing, because if your data is not secured properly from unauthorised hands then anyone could change your data and could change your project; I therefore kept the project under a password So no one could change or alter my project. If someone did change my database then I could use my backup to restore it from the floppy in which Ive kept the backup file so if the actual program in the processor is altered, we can bring back the old one. I also protected my data, by using the menu button in the visual basics. If you go to the text box, u click on it and then click text box protect enable force and in this way I can protect my text. I also made sure that when data is entered it is entered accurately and I checked that when I was entering data, no one enters anything. 6. System design:- For documenting my project I used System flow charts-It describes the flow of data around the system. This method uses rectangle to denote some process that takes place, as descriptive symbols to describe the storage or input/output of data. An arrow describes the direction of flow of the data.   Structure diagrams-These are a mean of showing the design of a program or a systemic consists of charts showing the system or programs broken down into number of levels. * Hierarchy charts-these can be used to show menu hierarchy or a directory hierarchy Data model:- A data model represents the relationship between different parts of a database. It consists of entities (data items) and relationship. The entities are shown as rectangles and the relationship are drawn as lines that connect entities. System Flow Chart (describing the flow of data around the system) Parcelquick Company Aqsa Bano Raja 12 s Postquick Structure Diagram The hierarchy Hierarchy diagram 7. Implementation The project that I have made for PostQuick Company can be implemented either as a whole or in parts. The problem maybe that an organisation cannot change instantly to a new method of working as existing records will have to be entered into computer and this may take some time. There are two main approaches to this   Implement the system department by department   Dual run the new system alongside the old system The two databases below are linked to Visual basics6. 0 forms 8. Testing Length,width,height,weight Test Results Right/wrong.

Contributors of the Periodic Table of Elements Essay Example for Free

Contributors of the Periodic Table of Elements Essay The First International Congress of Chemists took place in September 1860 in Karlsruhe, Germany to review scientific matters that there was little agreement to. Following this congress led to the development of the periodic table of elements. Top contributors to the periodic table included Staislao Cannizzaro, Dmitri Mendeleev, Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley, John William Strutt, William Ramsay, Friedrich Ernst Dorn, and Glenn Seaborg. Stanislao Cannizzaro, born in 1826 and died in 1910, was an Italian chemist. He presented a method to measure atomic masses and to interpret the results of the measurements. Cannizzaro’s method aided scientists into agreeing standard values for atomic masses. The scientists then searched for relationships among atomic masses and other properties of the elements. Dmitri Mendeleev, born in 1834, was a Russian chemist, and is sometimes considered as the ‘father of the Periodic Table’. Mendeleev was in the process of writing a chemistry textbook and he wanted to organize the elements according to their properties. Mendeleev created a table where elements with similar properties were grouped together. Mendeleev’s table left several empty spaces because there were elements that had not been discovered yet. Then in 1871, Mendeleev predicted the existence and properties of three elements. His predictions were a success and it led to scientists accepting his periodic table. Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley, born in 1887, was an English scientist that discovered that atomic number, not atomic mass, was the basis for the organization of the Periodic Table. Moseley and Rutherford performed multiple experiments on 38 metals and Moseley discovered a pattern in which the positive charge of the nucleus increased by one unit from one element to the next when the elements are arranged as they are in the Periodic Table. His studies also led to the modern definition of atomic number and it provided justification for Mendeleev’s ordering of the Periodic Table by properties rather than just by atomic mass. Mendeleev’s Periodic Table did not include noble gases because at that time it was not discovered then. The English physicists John William Strutt and William Ramsay discovered four of he noble gases. Argon and helium were discovered by the two scientists in 1894. To fit argon and helium into the table, they proposed a new group that was placed between Group 17 and Group 1. Then, krypton and xenon were discovered by Ramsay in 1898. Radon, the final noble gas, was discovered in 1900 by a German scientist named Friedrich Ernst Dorn. Glenn Seaborg was an American scientist and he discovered all the transuranic elements from 94 to 102. With this discovery, he was the last person to majorly change the Periodic Table by placing the actinide series below the lanthanide series.

Impacts of Changes to Child Care Services in the UK

Impacts of Changes to Child Care Services in the UK Discuss how the changes to children’s services currently being promoted by the government are likely to impact on the lives of children in need, their families and social workers undertaking their statutory duties. An Essay This essay is effectively in two parts. In the first part we shall discuss and delineate the measures that the government are currently promoting and then, having done that we shall critically assess how they impact on the various subsections outlined in the title. The Measures: There are many measures that have been introduced in the recent past and therefore are currently being promoted by the government. Perhaps one of the most important is the National Service Framework for children, young people and maternity services (NSF 2004). This was published in Sept 2004 after a long period of consultation. It was arguably triggered by a number of events which highlighted the need for some form of central policy document to help to guide the various professional agencies in their efforts to provide a seamless service for the child in need. (Zeigler et al 2005) (Meadow 1995) Perhaps the defining trigger to the evolution of this document was the tragic death of Victoria Climbie, whose case in 2000 highlighted the deficiencies in the ability of the various agencies involved to effectively communicate and share vital information which might have averted the tragedy that subsequently overtook the 8 yr. old girl. (Saraswat 2005) This coincided with the publication of the NHS plan in July 2000 The subsequent Laming enquiry identified 108 separate areas where improvements could be made. This was followed up by the announcement by the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, announcing the inception of the National Service Framework. This was expedited further by the problems that arose as a result of the Bristol Royal Infirmary’s Heart Surgery policies. The Kennedy report (2002) again made a number of recommendations which became encapsulated in the National Service Framework – hospital care for children. In 2002, the government announced that it was commissioning a major review of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service which it anticipated being completed by the end of 2006, which clearly may well have items of major importance to the welfare of the child in need. (Benger et al 2002) The Green Paper â€Å"Children at Risk† was announced by the Minister of State for Children, Margaret Hodge, in 2003. It was intended to be a discussion document which encompassed the areas of childcare provision, children’s services generally and the identification and procedures pertaining to â€Å"children at risk†. The major policy shift that accompanied this move was the transfer of responsibility for children’s Social Services from the Department of Health to the Department for Education and Skills. This also coincided with another Green Paper entitled â€Å"Every Child Matters†. Its main theme was the provision of reform measures for children’s care and protection. At about the same time the Specific Performance Service Targets were issued (2004). These covered primarily health issues and many were targeted specifically at children. Very shortly after this, the National Standards, Local Action : Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework 2005/6-2007/8 was published in July of the same year (2004) which was an umbrella publication covering both the NHS and all the Social Service Agencies. It covered guidance on policy, finance and targets to be met. The Children’s Bill went before Parliament in March 2004 which brought together the major features of the preceding Green Papers. At about the same time the Child Poverty Review (Aug 2004) was also published which contained some major recommendations for action to minimise the effects of Child poverty in the UK. Its professed goal was, after reviewing the changes in policy and welfare that were required, to halve the level of child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020. In the specific context of this essay, one of its major targets was to put in place welfare support to encourage those parents who could work, to get back to work and to provide a degree of financial stability where that was not possible. The effects One of the major goals in the government’s policy (Treasury Child Poverty Review 2004) is to bring about social reform by improving a child’s life chances. It aims to do this by two major strategies. Firstly to improve the general standard of health of children and secondly to improve their financial stability ( by tackling material deprivation). Clearly the NHS reforms are primarily aimed at the various health issues and the National Standards are aimed more at the social problems. It is a key feature of these measures that co-operation and multidisciplinary teamworking are the preferred mechanisms that will achieve the stated goals. (Little et al 2005) This is the nub of the major changes that will impact on the workers in the various caring disciplines. If the government is successful in implementing all of the strategies that are covered by all the above programmes it could produce a major shift in the emphasis that is currently placed on child care and child safety and protection issues. (Pheby 2000) As far as the Children’s Bill is concerned, it gives all children potential access to the Social Services and those children who have specific identified needs should find it easier to get targeted help for those needs. As far as the actual Social Workers and, for that matter healthcare professionals in general, are concerned, the theory is that the children’s services are now envisaged as an almost completely integrated service, where planning, facilitation and implementation is done on a multidisciplinary basis. It is hoped that this will cut down on duplication and thereby improve efficiency. Accountability is also an essential feature of many of these measures. As far as the most socially vulnerable children as concerned, the key responsibility for their welfare still rests with the Social Services, as their responsibility, as defined by the Children Act (1989) is essentially unchanged. The major difference with the current legislation is that the Social Services will head a multidisciplinary team approach to try to close the gap between the outcomes in this group and the outcome for the average child. Another major change will be the setting up of a database that will be shared across all relevant agencies that have a legitimate interest in a child’s welfare. This should allow all interested parties to share â€Å"intelligence† and information that may be helpful in framing a response to a particular child with a particular problem. Most of what we have refered to thus far is theory and expectation. Perhaps this should be contrasted with the reality of the situation. Brandon (et al 2005) produced a review document covering an assessment of the last 20 serious case reviews in Wales, they highlighted a number of process failures in the methods of service delivery. It was a useful document in so far as it was able to pin-point the areas where the service is â€Å"less than seamless†. Specifically it found deficiencies in aspects of training and also the actions and role activity of the lead professional in many cases. The authors produced a very pertinent statement as part of their conclusion which is worth quoting verbatim: Consultation could often be used prior to, or in place of referral. The barrier to the collation and analysis of relevant information often appeared to be a failure to recognise and understand expertise rather than a lack of communication as often postulated in review reports. Skilled use of expertise and consultation in a co-ordinated manner could result in more rigorous assessments and promote greater professional trust, confidence and challenge. In that short paragraph is encapsulated the practical difference between the government’s rhetoric and good intention and the actual reality as the grass root workers try to adjust to the processes of reform. Mercifully, we should observe that the majority of the legislation that we have presented here is actually empowering and enabling rather than prescriptive or mandatory. Perhaps we should therefore expect something of a learning curve from all parties as it slowly works its way into common practice. References Benger and Pearce 2002 Quality improvement report: Simple intervention to improve detection of child abuse in emergency departments BMJ, Mar 2002; 324: 780 782. Brandon, Dodsworth, Rumball 2005 Serious case reviews: learning to use expertise Child Abuse Review May 2005, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 160-176(17) Child Poverty Review 2004 HM. Treasury HMSO: August 2004 Children Act 1989. A Government Bill 1989 Children at Risk 2003 Green Paper HMSO 2003 Children’s Bill 2004 Hansard: March 2004 Every Child Matters 2003 Green Paper HMSO: Oct 2003 Kennedy report into Heart Surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary 2002 â€Å"Learning from Bristol† HMSO: January 2002. Laming enquiry 2003 Death of Victoria Climbie: HMSO: 28 January 2003 Little M, Kohm A, Thompson R. 2005 The impact of residential placement on child development: research and policy implications Int J Soc Welfare 2005: 14: 200–209 Meadow 1995 Parental Perspectives in Cases of Suspected Child Abuse BMJ, Sep 1995; 311: 697. National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services 2004 HMSO: 15th September 2004, National Standards, 2004 Local Action: Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework 2005/06–2007/08 HMSO: July 2004 NHS Plan HMSO: July 2000 NHS Specific Performance Service Targets 2004 NHS National Publication HMSO: June 2004 Pheby, Carl Henshall, Deborah Henshall, Brian Morgan, and Simon Wessely 2000 Diagnose and be damned BMJ, Apr 2000; 320: 1004. Saraswat 2005 Child abuse and trichotillomania BMJ, Jan 2005; 330: 83 84. Ziegler. Sammut. Piper 2005 Assessment and follow-up of suspected child abuse in pre-school children Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, May 2005, vol. 41, no. 5-6, pp. 251-255(5) *********************************************************************************************** PDG Word count 1,829

Graduation Speech: Act on What is Righteous :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

The world we live in is growing more distant and uncaring every day. Technology lures us in with promises of convenience and proceeds to separate us from personal attention, and the personal attention that we do get is often cold and indifferent. ATMs, Internet shopping and electronic checkout at the supermarket, all designed so that we can go through an entire day without having to face anyone. Even school research projects can be done entirely in front of a computer screen. While downloading music, checking your e-mail and instant-messaging your friends, you can find all that latest information on poverty, starvation and worldwide- epidemics. Every time we come together as a class we defy this new trend, and we have flourished in our adversity of it. A wealth of humanity, we share our ideas, our stories, our hopes and our dreams. We make lasting friendships and we clash in heated disagreements. We learn to listen to one another, building on our understanding of literature and history through others' observations and reactions. Why is it that we always start talking when the teacher turns their back? Why is it that we stay out in the hall chatting with one another until the second that - or a few minutes after - the bell rang? Why do we all know the story line to Dawson's Creek, even though only a few of us watched it? Why is it that Ms. Callaghan congratulated our class on keeping up lively discussion and a high energy up to the very last days of the school year? We crave contact, we crave each other's company, because more and more it is being taken away by what is convenient. All of us have helped each other evolve by taking part in human experience, sharing our differences. We have state-bound athletes and we have state-bound mathletes. We have Nate- squared, el Presidente and a human Swan. Our class has individuals who have already devoted themselves to a profession: kindergarten teachers, doctors, veterinarians, and in our Salutatorian's case: a door-to-door salesman. Because we are so diverse and because we love sharing this diversity, we have become strong. Soon many of us will be taking part in the formation of new classes. Despite what your parents may have said, the most important thing you will do at college will not be hitting the books or acing a test. It will be strengthening your personality - your individuality - through new friendships, new disagreements, new environments and new experiences.

Claudio Monteverdi Essay -- Biography

Claudio Monteverdi was a late Renaissance composer who was born in Cremona on May 15th 1567 and died in Venice on November 29th 1643. His emergent writing style had significant influence on the musical transitions from the Renaissance to the Baroque era. He was an employed musician most of his life who spent much of his work challenging the popular artists of his time to venture out into new variations of the traditional styles. Alongside many of his contemporaries such as Giaches de Wert and Prince Gesualdo di Venosa, he was a part of subtle change throughout the culture he lived in which made a large impact for the future. In his early years Monteverdi was taught to play the piano and also taught about musical composition by Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, who was the Cathedral choir director in his town. It was not long before Monteverdi began to catch on to what was being taught. In fact, his first piece was written at the young age of 15, foreshadowing his passion that would be a life lived in dedication and enjoyment of writing music. Although he was not recorded to have been involved in the public worship choir, Monteverdi was surrounded by musical performance and worship on a regular basis. His lessons, taught by Ingegneri, were stepping-stones to what he would be learning throughout his time. In Cremona, he was taught to be controlled and traditional, as was noted by George J. Beulow in Chapter three of his book, A History of Baroque Music. He said, â€Å"Monteverdi’s art was nurtured in a musical environment that was more conservative than experimental.†(P.57) While Monteverdi was learning the basic principles of composition and music theory, one such concept was particularly important and that was counterpoint. Throughout the ... ...stic portrayal of the characters, and warmer melodies than had previously been heard. It requires a smaller orchestra, and has a less prominent role for the choir. Monteverdi’s work will be remembered as revolutionary as well as somewhat radical for his time. He continued to stay true to many of the previous methods such as counterpoint, but changed many things and searched for ways to express the lyrical content better than before. His attraction to the Madrigal is a good example of his ability to do this, displayed in his nine books. Word phrases and expressive moods were also shown in his Operas where he told longer stories of love and ancient tales. In every style that Monteverdi wrote it, he will be remembered as a composer who was true to foundational principles of the old styles, but took daring steps to form new sounds that would influence future artwork.

The Death Penalty Is Morally Unjustified Essay -- anti capital punishm

The earliest historical record of the death penalty otherwise known as capital punishment goes back as far as the eighteenth century B.C., when the code of King Hammurabi of Babylon listed 25 crimes which were punishable by death. Since then, the uses of the death penalty have prevailed throughout the ages in laws and justice systems of different civilizations. For instance, the Draconian Code of Athens punishes all crimes with the death penalty. During those times, the death penalty involved suffering a gruesome death such as being burnt alive, impaling, crucifixion and stoning (Death Penalty Information Center, 2011). In America, capital punishment was first implemented with the arrival of early European settlers as a form of punishment for various serious crimes. Although the scope of crime punishable by death penalty differs among the states, many states used to follow the British codes of conduct which declares 13 crimes to be punishable by the death penalty (Information Plus, 1995, â€Å"Capital punishment: cruel and unusual?†). Currently, death penalty has been abolished in many countries except for roughly 25 countries which carried out execution in year 2009 (antideathpealty.org, 2011). In America as of year 2011, the death penalty has been abolished in 4 states, leaving 34 other states still practicing it. However, the number of executions and death sentence has decreased tremendously over the years. (Dieter, 2011) With the European Union and the Human Right Watch pressing for the abolishment of death penalty, there is much disparity and debate among the citizens of the United States of America on whether the death penalty should be continued or abolished. For the advocates of the death penalty, they champion death ... ...://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/StruckByLightning.pdf> Information Plus, (1995), ‘Capital Punishment: Cruel And Unusual?’, in Braid, R.M. and Rosenbaum, S.E., Punishment And The Death Penalty, 1st edition, Prometheus Books, New York, pg.103-110. Morgan, E. (2011), ‘The Death Penalty Does Not Deliver Justice’, in Friedman, L.S., The Death Penalty, Thomson Gale, Farmington Hills, pg.52-63 Reiman, J.F. (1995), ‘Reiman: Answering Van Den Haag’, in Baird, R.M. and Rosenbaum, S.E., Punishment And The Death Penalty: The Current Debate, Prometheus Books, New York, pg. 175-205 Sheffer, S. (2006), ‘The Death Penalty is Unjust’ in Friedman, L.S., The Death Penalty, Thomson Gale, Farmington Hills, pg. 25-31. Trumbach, T. (2011), ‘The Death Penalty Does Not Violate Human Rights’ in Friedman, L.S., The Death Penalty, Thomson Gale, Farmington Hills, pg.79-83

Emotionless Irrationality Essay

As attested by Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin, the women who murder their children are always ‘narcissistic’ and dramatic (Schurman-Kauflin, 2009). Casey Anthony had an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ outlook following the disappearance of her child Caylee; Casey had always made it clear that she considered taking care of her child a burdensome task. This narcissism and aloofness has caused a wide majority of people in the court of public opinion who are decidedly in favor of a guilty verdict for Anthony. The ‘out-of-sight, out-of-mind’ mentality was clear in the on-going socializing events and parties which continued to occur after her child was gone. Additionally, Casey has shown no outward signs of depression or remorse since her child disappeared. Her promiscuity and partying habits were not deterred by the disappearance of Caylee. In fact, Schurman-Kauflin   suggests the disappearance created a sense of liberation in Casey Anthony, due to the fact that having children is likened to ‘being grounded’ to a narcissistic personality (Schurman-Kauflin, 2009). Her silence in the face of interrogation is parallel to what Dr. Schurman-Kauflin said she saw when she interviewed female serial killers. Female killers tend to believe that if they remain silent, people will believe nothing wrong happened (Ibid). Casey Anthony will likely receive a verdict of guilty, following the overwhelming belief harbored by a majority of news followers who believe she is guilty. The general public has ried out for vengeance for so long, concerning Caylee, that there is little likelihood Casey will be given a ‘not guilty’ verdict. References: â€Å"Mom or Murderer?†. (2010). Investigation Discovery. Retrieved on July 29, 2010 from Investigation.Discovery.com:   http://investigation.discovery.com/blogs/criminal-report/casey_anthony_full_coverage/caylee_anthony.html Schurman-Kauflin, Deborah. â€Å"Casey Anthony†¦ A Criminal Mind?†. (2009). Retrieved on July 29, 2010 from MomLogic.com: http://www.momlogic.com/2008/11/casey_anthonya_criminal_mind.php Sheaffer, Bill. â€Å"No Cake for Casey†. (2010). Retrieved on July 29 2010 from Billsheafer.WordPress.com:

Accounting Theory

Accounting Theory Construction The function to study accounting theories is to classify them according to the assumptions they rely on, how they were formulated, and their approaches to explaining and predicting actual events. There are some classification which are pragmatic, syntactic, semantic, normative, positive, and naturalistic approaches. Pragmatic approaches are based on observing the behavior of accountants or those who use the information generated by accountant. Syntactic approaches rely on logical argument, based on a set of premises. Semantic approaches concern how theories correspond to real-world events.Normative theories rely on both semantic and syntactic approaches. Positive approaches test hypotheses against actual event . Positive approaches test hypotheses against actual and the last is Naturalistic approaches consider individual cases and do not try to generalise. PRAGMATIC THEORIES Descriptive Pragmatic Approach Descriptive pragmatic approach based on continua l observation of the behavior of accountants, a theory can be developed from observations of how accountants act in certain situations. The theory can be tested by observing whether accountant do act in the way the theory suggest.This approach is probably the oldest and most universally used method of accounting theory construction. Criticisms of descriptive pragmatic approach: * does not consider the quality of an accountant’s action * does not provide for accounting practices to be challenged * focuses on accountants’ behaviour not on measuring the attributes of the firm Psychological Pragmatic Approach Differetnt with Descriptive pragmatic approach, this approach require theorist to observe users responses to the accountants output ( ex:financial report).There are also some problem with this psychological approach that are : * some users may react in an illogical manner * some users might have a preconditioned response * some users may not react when they should SYN TATIC AND SEMANTIC THEORIES Semantic inputs of the system are the transactions and exchanges recorded in the vouchers, journals, and ledgers of the business. These are then manipulated on basis of the premises and assumptions of historical cost accounting. Some accounting theorists are critical, they argue that the theory has semantic content only on the basis of its inputs.There is no independent empirical operation to verify the calculated outputs for examples, ‘profit’ or ‘total asset’. Historical cost accounting has also been criticised on the basis of its syntactic element, for example with respect to the practice of summing several different money amounts assigned to specific assets In defence of the historical cost system, accountants argue that there is no requirement that accounting outputs should have any semantic content or be subject to falsification rules.NORMATIVE THEORIES The 1950s and 1960s saw what has been described as the ‘golden ag e’ of normative accounting research. Accounting researches become more concerned with policy recommendation and with what should be done, rather than with analysing and explaining the currently accepted practice. Normative theories concentrated either on deriving the ‘true income’ for an accounting period. True income : true income theorists concentrated on deriving a single measure for assets and a unique profit figure.Decision usefulness ; the decision usefulness approach assumes that the basic objective of accounting is to aid the decision making process of certain ‘users’ of accounting reports by providing useful, or relevant, accounting data. The normative theories of the 1950s and 1960s began with a statement of the domain (scope) and objectives of accounting, the assumptions underlying the system and definitions of all the key concepts. POSITIVE THEORIES During the 1970s, accounting theory saw a move back to empirical methodology, which is oft en referred to as positive methodology.Positivism or empiricism means testing or relating accounting hypotheses or theories back to experiences or facts of the real world. The main different between normative and positive theories is that normative theories are prescriptive, whereas positive theories are descriptive, explanatory or predictive. DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES Focused on what may be considered to be a highly structured approach to theory formulation – the scientific approach. This approach has an inherent assumption that the world to be researched is an objectives reality capable of examination in terms of large scale or average statistics.This type of research is carried out by incremental hypotheses which are then combined to provide greater understanding, or better predictions of accounting. The implied assumption is that a good theory holds under circumstances that are constant across firms, industries and time. The criticism of the scientific method are the large-s cale statistical research tends to lump everything together and it is conducted in environments that are often remote from the world of or the concerns of accountants. SCIENTIFIC APPROACH APPLIED TO ACCOUNTINGA great deal of misunderstanding exists about the attempt to apply a scientific approach to accounting. The attempt is to make scientists out of accounting practitioners. Accountants who believe in a scientific approach want empirical evidence and logical explanation to support accounting practices so that practitioners can recommend the most appropriate methods for given situation based on this evidence. Another common misunderstanding about the application of the scientific view in accounting is that ‘absolute truth’ is desired, which of course is not possible.ISSUES FOR AUDITING THEORY CONSTRUCTION Auditing is a verification process that is applied to the accounting inputs and processes. Auditor provide an opinion on whether the financial statements are in accor dance with the applicable reporting framework, and also provide on whether the statements present fairly, in all material respects, or give a true and fair view. The normative era of accounting theory and research also coincided with a normative approach to auditing theory. The positive ere of accounting has led to a positive approach to auditing theory Accounting Theory Accounting Theory Construction The function to study accounting theories is to classify them according to the assumptions they rely on, how they were formulated, and their approaches to explaining and predicting actual events. There are some classification which are pragmatic, syntactic, semantic, normative, positive, and naturalistic approaches. Pragmatic approaches are based on observing the behavior of accountants or those who use the information generated by accountant. Syntactic approaches rely on logical argument, based on a set of premises. Semantic approaches concern how theories correspond to real-world events.Normative theories rely on both semantic and syntactic approaches. Positive approaches test hypotheses against actual event . Positive approaches test hypotheses against actual and the last is Naturalistic approaches consider individual cases and do not try to generalise. PRAGMATIC THEORIES Descriptive Pragmatic Approach Descriptive pragmatic approach based on continua l observation of the behavior of accountants, a theory can be developed from observations of how accountants act in certain situations. The theory can be tested by observing whether accountant do act in the way the theory suggest.This approach is probably the oldest and most universally used method of accounting theory construction. Criticisms of descriptive pragmatic approach: * does not consider the quality of an accountant’s action * does not provide for accounting practices to be challenged * focuses on accountants’ behaviour not on measuring the attributes of the firm Psychological Pragmatic Approach Differetnt with Descriptive pragmatic approach, this approach require theorist to observe users responses to the accountants output ( ex:financial report).There are also some problem with this psychological approach that are : * some users may react in an illogical manner * some users might have a preconditioned response * some users may not react when they should SYN TATIC AND SEMANTIC THEORIES Semantic inputs of the system are the transactions and exchanges recorded in the vouchers, journals, and ledgers of the business. These are then manipulated on basis of the premises and assumptions of historical cost accounting. Some accounting theorists are critical, they argue that the theory has semantic content only on the basis of its inputs.There is no independent empirical operation to verify the calculated outputs for examples, ‘profit’ or ‘total asset’. Historical cost accounting has also been criticised on the basis of its syntactic element, for example with respect to the practice of summing several different money amounts assigned to specific assets In defence of the historical cost system, accountants argue that there is no requirement that accounting outputs should have any semantic content or be subject to falsification rules.NORMATIVE THEORIES The 1950s and 1960s saw what has been described as the ‘golden ag e’ of normative accounting research. Accounting researches become more concerned with policy recommendation and with what should be done, rather than with analysing and explaining the currently accepted practice. Normative theories concentrated either on deriving the ‘true income’ for an accounting period. True income : true income theorists concentrated on deriving a single measure for assets and a unique profit figure.Decision usefulness ; the decision usefulness approach assumes that the basic objective of accounting is to aid the decision making process of certain ‘users’ of accounting reports by providing useful, or relevant, accounting data. The normative theories of the 1950s and 1960s began with a statement of the domain (scope) and objectives of accounting, the assumptions underlying the system and definitions of all the key concepts. POSITIVE THEORIES During the 1970s, accounting theory saw a move back to empirical methodology, which is oft en referred to as positive methodology.Positivism or empiricism means testing or relating accounting hypotheses or theories back to experiences or facts of the real world. The main different between normative and positive theories is that normative theories are prescriptive, whereas positive theories are descriptive, explanatory or predictive. DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES Focused on what may be considered to be a highly structured approach to theory formulation – the scientific approach. This approach has an inherent assumption that the world to be researched is an objectives reality capable of examination in terms of large scale or average statistics.This type of research is carried out by incremental hypotheses which are then combined to provide greater understanding, or better predictions of accounting. The implied assumption is that a good theory holds under circumstances that are constant across firms, industries and time. The criticism of the scientific method are the large-s cale statistical research tends to lump everything together and it is conducted in environments that are often remote from the world of or the concerns of accountants. SCIENTIFIC APPROACH APPLIED TO ACCOUNTINGA great deal of misunderstanding exists about the attempt to apply a scientific approach to accounting. The attempt is to make scientists out of accounting practitioners. Accountants who believe in a scientific approach want empirical evidence and logical explanation to support accounting practices so that practitioners can recommend the most appropriate methods for given situation based on this evidence. Another common misunderstanding about the application of the scientific view in accounting is that ‘absolute truth’ is desired, which of course is not possible.ISSUES FOR AUDITING THEORY CONSTRUCTION Auditing is a verification process that is applied to the accounting inputs and processes. Auditor provide an opinion on whether the financial statements are in accor dance with the applicable reporting framework, and also provide on whether the statements present fairly, in all material respects, or give a true and fair view. The normative era of accounting theory and research also coincided with a normative approach to auditing theory. The positive ere of accounting has led to a positive approach to auditing theory

Climate Changes Impact On Coral Reefs Environmental Sciences Essay

This undertaking is given by our instructor and we were supposed to compose about the clime alterations. I decided to compose about the subject â€Å" coral reef † . I want to cognize more about coral reefs, non merely the general facts about how they look like or what sort of coloring material they have, but more about the interesting facts. Why are they of import today, how we as human ruin them and what we can to halt this procedure? As it says on International Coral Reef Initiative â€Å" For the first clip since 1998, mass coral bleaching is impacting coral reefs across a broad country of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Bleaching has been reported in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Maldives, and parts of E Africa. I know it exists menaces against coral reefs, and I want to larn more about them and what are the effects of e.g. coral bleaching. In the quotation mark above it says that coral bleaching is increasing. Why? What are coral reefs?Coral reefs, indicated by ruddy points, are found preponderantly in tropical Waterss 30 grades north and South of the equatorCoral reefs are among the oldest ecosystems in the universe. They are located 30 grades north or South of the equator, chiefly in the Indonesia and Pacific Ocean. In the Bahamas at 32 grades at that place exists an exclusion. The coral reefs can populate at that place because of the warm H2O from the Gulf of Mexico. Today the coral reefs are the largest life construction on Earth and the Great Barrier Reef is the largest individual construction in the universe Coral are single animate beings and a individual coral is called polyp. Largely the polyp live in groups of 100s to 1000s indistinguishable animate beings, and organize a â€Å" settlement † . The procedure which formed the settlement is called budding and literally the original polyp transcripts itself and the settlement grows. There exist two ways for the coral to turn either add to their limestone or reproducing. When a coral attention deficit disorder to their limestone is means that they secrete more calcium carbonate around and under their cup. The coral will so turn both upwards and outwards. The 2nd method is by reproducing either asexually or sexually. In the nonsexual manner the coral produced indistinguishable ringers or in a sexual manner by directing out sperm or eggs. Corals are divided into three different types depending on where signifier. The first one and most common is fringing reefs. They are close to the seashore and they form a boundary line to project themselves. Barrier reefs are another type and are similar to fringing reef. These besides environment land multitudes, but form a boundary line at a distance. The 3rd group of reef are called atolls and are either egg-shaped or round. They are lying off the seashore. ( See beginning 4 + 6 )Why are corals of import?Today coral reefs are of import and necessary in the universe. Great Barrier Reef, which is the universe largest reef, stretches along the nor'-east cost of Australia. The reef consist of over 3A 000 single reef and has a length of 30A 000 kilometers. It is really possible to see it from the outer infinite. A satellite exposure of the Great Barrier Reef The reef includes 400 coral species, 2A 000 fish species and six of seven species of sea polo-necks. There are many different types of coral which have assorted colorss. ( See beginning 3 )Why are the corals deceasing?There are many menaces to coral reefs. Some menaces are natural happening such as marauders and hurricanes. These are made of course, but because of planetary warming the menaces harmonizing to the coral reefs addition. Others menaces are made by human among them overfishing and pollutions. Consequence of coral bleaching Marauders and hurricanes are natural happening and it is difficult to make something about these happening because they happen of course, still increasing of rainfall over a long period lessening coral growing. The coral reefs need sunlight, clear H2O, seawater with a specific salt and warm H2O ( 23 – 29 grades Celsius ) to populate. However, addition in the temperature degree and altered salt affects the coral reefs severely. Merely one grade rise in temperature influences the coral. The harm is called coral bleaching and involves that the coral expels the algae which gives the coral its coloring material. Alternatively of being colorful the coral takes on a blunt white visual aspect. The algae do n't return if the emphasis is prolonged and as a consequence the coral dies. â€Å" The bleaching is really strong throughout Southeast Asia and the cardinal Indian Ocean. The studies are that it is the worst since 1997/1998. This is a truly immense event and we are traveling to se e a batch of corals deceasing † says Dr Mark Eakin Overfishing is a menace made by human. Today many people are dependent on fish as an income and nutrient, still overfishing is a job. It affects the coral by â€Å" taking cardinal species from the marine nutrient concatenation † . Furthermore the methods used to catch fish can besides be harmful to the coral. For case 15 states use nitrile fishing which involves dumping toxicant onto reefs to stupefy fish for easier assemblage. The toxicant does n't merely impact the fish, but besides the reefs. Another sensational method is called blast fishing, utilizing explosives to stupefy fish, and the method is used by more than 40 states. As a consequence of the detonation the coral are ripped apart and destroyed. On the other manus, addition of the H2O degree increases the thriving for harmful algae and other rivals. More rivals and harmful algae mean less infinite for the coral to growing. Likewise out of use sunlight lessening the growing for a coral and the coral can decease. ( Se e beginning 5 )Decisionâ€Å" Seventy per centum of coral reefs may be gone in less than 40 old ages if the present rate of devastation continues † . This destructing procedure has to be stopped, and it needs to be shortly. Coral reefs are place to over 1 million different species and protect the coastal metropoliss. In add-on to this, coral reefs create 1000000s of occupation and unafraid income for many people in more than 100 states in the universe. However coral reefs are a nutrient beginning for the people who live near the reefs, particularly the people on little islands. Another interesting fact is that without the being of coral reefs, parts of Florida would be under H2O. ( See beginning 7 )Beginningshypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral ( 06.12.2010 ) reef.htmHYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral ( 06.12.2010 ) reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ † & amp ; HYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral ( 06.12.2010 ) reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ † url=http: //www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral-reef.htmHYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral-reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/explore/facts.html † & amp ; HYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral-reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/explore/facts.html † url=http: //www.nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/explore/facts.html ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/coral-reef1.htm ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/coral-reef2.htm ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.icriforum.org/about-coral-reefs/what-are-corals ( 06.12.10 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.icriforum.org/about-coral-reefs/benefits-coral-reefs ( 06.12.2010 )

Compare the ways the poets write about love or the absence of love Essay

Love is an emotional force to be reckoned with, and a pure source of inspiration for poets. Modern and ancient, love is a common theme of poetry; it enables poets to discuss there most inner feelings behind clever literary techniques and paradoxical phrases. Such techniques can be found in Shakespeare’s sonnet 130. In this sonnet he destroys the conventional view we have of such sonnets of the time. He takes the standard love sonnet and turns it on its head: â€Å"black wires grow on her head,† this, in any woman’s eyes is far from a compliment. Contradictorily, Ben Johnson’s on my first sonne’ is clear and obvious: â€Å"Farewell, thou child of my right hand,† this statement clearly delivers a sense of lament from Johnson, not only this but he compares his son to Jesus, â€Å"of my right hand† this was the place that God gave his son. Even the title gives a clear indication as to what he is writing about, â€Å"On My First Sonne† the word â€Å"sonne† gives a sense of incompleteness as if we add a -t to the end of the word it makes sonnet, furthermore the poem is written in sonnet form however it is only twelve lines and not the standard fourteen lines. All of this conveys further to the reader Johnson’s incompleteness through the loss of his son and his loss of love for life through this. â€Å"What he loves may never like too much,† this is the final nail in the coffin for Ben Jonson’s remaining hope in the world as he vows to never love something as much as he id his son for fear of loosing it like he lost his son. Such intense love for his son can be seen when he states â€Å"Ben. Jonson his best piece of poetry,† in this fleeting moment he denounces all his work in honour and in love for his dead son. Such a sensitive tone cannot be seen in Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 until the end: â€Å"And yet by heaven I think as rare,† here we can see that William is declaring that despite his mistresses â€Å"reek† and her â€Å"wires† for hair he still thinks she is â€Å"belied with false compare,† this proves to the reader that love does not always take the form of beauty and glamour or ever good smelling breath, but can also be achieved through an honest personality and good nature, This proves to the reader that love is not based upon looks, and perhaps a true love is that which sees your partners flaws, admits that maybe other people are more beautiful, more special, more wonderful, yet that he loves her flaws and imperfections, making his love the most true. A very different perception of love is described in Duffy’s Anne Hathaway; she talks in this poem about the sexual encounters Anne Hathaway has with her husband Shakespeare. The poem is written in sonnet for so as to mimic Shakespeare’s famous form of poetry. It also ends with a rhyming couplet which was also a technique commonly used by Shakespeare. â€Å"Romance.† This single word is highlighted by a caesura; this tells the audience that love in this case is romance and story endings. Duffy uses fairytale iconography to emphasise this point â€Å"torchlight, cliff tops†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this fairytale imagery shows us that Anne Hathaway desired a fairytale happy ending, and it tells us that on that second bed Shakespeare took her there. In Armitage’s Home Coming he addresses a love based on trust â€Å"arms spread wide and free fall† this shows us that he believes that for his â€Å"two things on their own and both at once† there has to be trust involved, this description of â€Å"two things on their own and both at once,† is clearly describing the love he feels for his wife who he is writing about. â€Å"Im waiting by the phone† this shows the audience that he wants to call his wife because he understands the situation she is in however he cannot be a shoulder to lean on in such a situation as this because he is not with her in the phone box. The image of the phone box shows the desperation she feels and how she needs contact, not necessarily with someone she loves, but just a shoulder to lean on. In all four poems I have looked at very different views and perspectives of love. Each of the poets produces a slightly varied definition of love; for Jonson it is cause for lament, for Shakespeare it is cause to learn, for Armitage it is about trust and guidance, and for Duffy it is about romance. This proves that love has a different meaning for each and every person it touches.

Buying Behavior, Perception in Indian Dth Industry

RESEARCH ON BUYING BEHAVIOR AND PERCEPTION IN INDIAN DIRECT TO HOME (DTH) INDUSTRY ____________________________________________________________ _ TABLE OF CONTENT Page No. Chapter 1 . Executive Summary 2-5 Chapter 2 . Overview of Indian DTH industry 6-24 Chapter3 . Top Players of the industry 25-27 Chapter 4 Introduction to the topic 28-61 Chapter5 ,Findings and Discussions 62-67 Chapter6 .Conclusions and suggestions 68-71 REFERENCES ANNEXURE List of Tables and Figures 4. 1 Pie chart of Number of respondents in different age groups 4. 2 Pie chart of number of males and females respondents 4. Pie chart of number of middle and lower level respondents 4. 4 Pie chart for the number of company’s engagement in csr activities 4. 5 Pie chart of percentage showing are these reports published 4. 6 Pie chart for response to statement formation of safe and healthy work environment 4. 7 Pie chart for response to statement contribution to regional lifestyle 4. 8 Pie chart for response to statement equality of opportunities . 9 Pie chart for response to statement continuity and creation of Regional culture 4. 10 Table and Pie chart for response to statement balance between Work and Personal life 11. Table and Pie chart for response to statement Sustainable corporate culture 4. 12 Table and Pie chart for response to statement resource cycling and Waste Reduction 13. Table and Pie chart for response updated technology 14. Table and Pie chart for response to statement reduction of environmental burden 15. Table and Pie chart for response to statement reduction of green house gases that lead to global warming. 16. Table and Pie chart for response to statement preservation of water resources and water quality 17. Table and Pie chart for response to statement reduction of environmental burden-product and services 18. Table and Pie chart for response to statement compliance 19. Table and Pie chart for response to statement corporate governance 20. Table and Pie chart for response to statement risk management. 21. Table and Pie chart for response to statement education to the society 22. Table and Pie chart for response Competitive Compensation 23. Table and Pie chart for response satisfied working hours 24. Table and Pie chart for response good quality of products 25. Table and Pie chart for response good quality of after sale services 26. Table and Pie chart for response timely delivery of products 27. Table and Pie chart for response compliance with the prescribed security measures 28. Table and Pie chart for response transparency and fairness in purchasing 29. Table and Pie chart for response hearing the opinion of the suppliers 30. Table and Pie chart for response reward for the voluntary improvement of the suppliers 31. Table and Pie chart for response survey on customer satisfaction 32. Table and Pie chart for response recognition of the negative impact of the product on the society 33. Table and Pie chart for response protection of customers information EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Report is on the topic â€Å"RESEARCH ON BUYING BEHAVIOR AND PERCEPTION IN INDIAN DTH INDUSTRY†. The objective of the research is to find the consumer’s behavior and perception in buying the DTH services in the Indian market. This will be done with help of a Questionnaire Survey based on the Consumer’s ‘Black Box’ through the entire decision making process of the consumer, which are as follows: †¢ Problem Recognition †¢ Information Search †¢ Evaluation of Alternatives Purchase Decision †¢ Post – Purchase behavior And also with the help of certain important factors that contributes heavily towards the consumer’s decision of buying a DTH service, in India, like the following: †¢ Celebrity Endorsements †¢ Other’s Influence †¢ Purchase Timing †¢ Purchase Amount †¢ Dealer Choice In short the research is carried -out to know what goes in the consumer’s mind before he finally buys the DTH services in the Indian market and also to know, when , where and how the consumer buys the services of DTH, in the Indian DTH market. Now, before starting with achieving the objective of the research, I have started with firstly explaining the buying behavior of the consumer in general with the help of its definition and then the entire report is based upon the buying behavior of consumers in the DTH industry. Although the report is an industry specific report but still I have briefed a little bit about all the major players in the Indian DTH industry. The following are the players about which a little brief has been done in the report: †¢ TataSky Satellite Television Dish TV †¢ Airtel DTH †¢ Sun Direct †¢ Reliance big TV †¢ Videocon D2H This is followed by the Literature Review on the buying behavior of consumer’s in DTH industry which contain’s the Overview of the Indian DTH industry, Technical aspects of DTH service, Factors that contribute towards the success of DTH services in India, what does the industry people, media, and customers said about this industry. The researc h methodology that has been used is the descriptive type and the data is collected through both the primary and the secondary source. For the primary source a Questionnaire was prepared for the survey to know the consumer’s behavior in buying the DTH services. The survey was conducted on people who are already enjoying the services of the DTH irrespective of age, income, lifestyle, gender etc. The questionnaire revolved around the consumer buying behavior and was designed to know the complete steps of buying behavior of consumers for the DTH industry in India. For the secondary source journals and articles in the magazine, news paper and internet have been used in achieving the objective of the research. The sample size was 150 users of DTH services in Delhi and NCR. All the questions from the questionnaire have been analyzed and findings have been inferred from it with the help of the graphs and the tables, making all the information very easy to read, analyze and infer the key findings from them. This is followed by the complete accumulated findings in bullet points from the research and then the suggestions for the DTH industry as a whole and for the DTH players in industry based on the Objectives of the research and the Findings of the survey & research which could increase the performance and sales for the companies. References that has been used in the entire preparation is also provided along with the questionnaire at the end of the project report. CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR DEFINED Consumer buying behaviour is the study of when, why, how, and where people do or do not buy products It blends elements from psychology, sociology, social anthropology and economics. It attempts to understand the buyer decision making process, both individually and in groups. It studies characteristics of individual consumers such as demographics and behavioural variables in an attempt to understand people's wants. It also tries to assess influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups, and society in general. Customer behaviour study is based on consumer buying behavior, with the customer playing the three distinct roles of user, payer and buyer. Relationship marketing is an influential asset for customer behavior analysis as it has a keen interest in the re-discovery of the true meaning of marketing through the re-affirmation of the importance of the customer or buyer. A greater importance is also placed on consumer retention, customer relationship management, personalization, customization and one-to-one marketing. Social functions can be categorized into social choice and welfare functions. Each method for vote counting is assumed as a social function but if Arrow’s possibility theorem is used for a social function, social welfare function is achieved. Some specifications of the social functions are decisiveness, neutrality, anonymity, monotonocity, unanimity, homogeneity and weak and strong Pareto optimality. No social choice function meets these requirements in an ordinal scale simultaneously. The most important characteristic of a social function is identification of the interactive effect of alternatives and creating a logical relation with the ranks. Marketing provides services in order to satisfy customers. With that in mind, the productive system is considered from its beginning at the production level, to the end of the cycle, the consumer. Belch and Belch define consumer behaviour as ‘the process and activities people engage in when searching for, selecting, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services so as to satisfy their needs and desires'. MAJOR DTH PLAYERS IN INDIA 1. TATA SKY – SATELLITE TELEVISION Incorporated in 2004, Tata Sky is a JV between the TATA Group and STAR. Tata Sky DTH endeavors to offer Indian viewers a world-class television viewing experience through its satellite television service. The TATA Group is one of India's largest and most respected business conglomerates. It comprises 93 operating companies in s even business sectors: information systems and communications, engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products and chemicals. The TATA Group has operations in more than 40 countries across six continents and its companies export products and services to 140 nations. The Group and its enterprises have been steadfast and distinctive in their adherence to business ethics and their commitment to corporate social responsibility. This is a legacy that has earned the Group the trust of many millions of stakeholders in a measure few business houses anywhere in the world can match. The SKY brand, owned by the UK-based British Sky Broadcasting Group, brings to Tata Sky the reputation of more than 20 years experience of satellite broadcasting. SKY is well known for the innovative products and services launched by BSkyB, such as DTH broadcasting in 1989, digital satellite broadcasting in 1998, interactive television services in 1999 and the SKY+ personal video recorder in 2001. Tata Sky joins an international group of DTH businesses that includes platforms as far apart as the UK and Italy in Europe, and Mexico and Brazil in Latin America. Tata Sky has established an extensive customer service network across the country. It has engaged a field force of approximately 3000 service engineers who are complemented by high-end 24Ãâ€"7 call centres, manned by multi-lingual customer service associates, trained to solve all customer problems. Tata Sky takes direct responsibility for installing and servicing the hardware at every subscriber's home, thereby ensuring the highest levels of customer service. 2. DISH TV DISH TV is a division of Zee Network Enterprise (Essel Group Venture). EGV has national and global presence with business interests in media programming, broadcasting & distribution, speciality packaging and entertainment. Zee Network incorporated dishtv to modernize TV viewing. dishtv is India’s first direct to home (DTH) entertainment service. By digitalizing Indian entertainment, this enterprise brought best television viewing technology to the living room. It not only transmits high quality programmes through satellite; but also gives a complete control of selecting channels and paying for them. To experience the new life breathing in television technology, dishtv extends high quality broadcast and thorough entertainment. It imparts DVD quality picture and stereophonic sound effects to the customers. It promises to change the experience of TV viewing with its uninterrupted transmission service. The endeavour enters next level of entertainment with futuristic features, such as EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), parental lock, games, 400 channels, interactive TV and movie on demand. dishtv also brings exclusive national and international channels for the first time in India. dishtv uses NSS-6 to broadcast its programmes. NSS-6 was launched on 17th December, 2002 by European-based satellite provider, NewSkies (one of the only four fixed satellite communications companies with truly global satellite coverage) ishtv – India's first KU-band DTH entertainment service, hopped on to NSS-6 from an INSAT satellite in July 2004. The change in the satellite was to increase the channel offering as NSS 6 offered more transponder capacity. 3. AIRTEL DTH Direct to Home (DTH) service comes to you from Bharti Telemedia Limited, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel Limited. Bharti Airtel Limited is t he flagship company of Bharti Enterprises and is India’s largest integrated and the first private telecom services provider with a footprint in all the 23 telecom circles. As India's leading telecommunications company, the Airtel brand has played the role of a major catalyst in India's reforms, contributing to its economic resurgence. Airtel since its inception has been at the forefront of technology and has steered the course of the telecom sector in the country with its world class products and services. With DVD quality picture and sound, your TV viewing experience will change forever with Airtel digital TV. Now witness the magic of television with best and widest variety of channels and programmes ranging from Sports, Music and General entertainment to best on-demand content on Airtel Live. What's more, you can choose from the best movies of Bollywood and the world, listen to radio, play games, along with a host of other interactive features and change the way you watch television. 4. SUN DIRECT Sun Direct – India's youngest and most exciting state Of the art DTH Company. Sun Direct uses the latest MPEG-4 based technology to increase broadcast capacity. Sun Direct confirms to provide next-generation services in fast-growing and emerging markets quickly and efficiently. Sun Direct will be supported by Irdeto's conditional access solution to manage content and revenues in the satellite broadcasting venture. Sun Direct selected Oracle based on its convergent multi-service capabilities and proven real-time scalability allowing it to consolidate billing operations, enables powerful new service offerings and improves visibility into customer information across services. Sun Direct Pvt Ltd, the leading direct-to-home (DTH) service provider is all set to redefine the television viewing in the country. Sun Direct today created history by launching the first ever High Definition (HD) broadcast on DTH platform in India. Sun Direct: Sun Direct is a 80:20 joint venture between the Maran family and the Astro Group of Malaysia. Sun Direct offers all customer premises equipments like the dish and Set Top box free of cost to the customer, which is a practice followed by DTH platforms across the world. Sun Direct is the first one to adopt the advanced MPEG4 technology offering better compression and signal quality and is the first to offer HD TV (High definition) content. Sun Direct offers all customer premises equipments like the dish and Set Top box free of cost to the customer offering more than 200 channels, with 7 basic packs and 41 add on packs. 5. RELIANCE BIG TV Imagine a satellite TV service that suits you and your family’s interests, passions and busy schedules. Picture all of your favourite channels, shows, and movies at your fingertips —it’s time to step into the BIG world of entertainment. Reliance is excited to present the next landmark of TV entertainment in India. With Reliance BIG TV Digital Service, you can experience spectacular entertainment, blockbuster movies, up-to-the-minute news, and your favourite programs at the click of a button. Transform your home with Reliance BIG TV Digital Service, powered by MPEG – 4 technology for the first time in India. Reliance BIG TV has fantastic features like pure digital viewing experience, more channel choice, many exclusive movie channels, easy programming guide, interactive services, parental control, 24Ãâ€"7 Customer Service and lots more — Ensure a never before viewing experience with unlimited hours of fun and entertainment for your entire family. 6. VIDEOCON d2h It is world’s 1st satellite television, via state of art satellites, which means you no longer have to tolerate all the hassles associated with Cable TV. No more frustrating disconnections right in the middle of an intense game. And whether you’re watching a Hollywood thriller or a Desi blockbuster, Videocon d2h results in a â€Å"The End† to all the unnecessary interruptions. We invite you to experience a world of awesome digital entertainment, crystal clear pictures, ultra sharp sound and state of art technology which uses the revolutionary MPEG -4 with DVB S2. This means you’ll be able to notice the minutest of details on your favorite celebrity. And hear every scream, every sound. Even if it were a faint sigh. We will provide you unique active services, multi lingual user interface, more movie on demand channels, radio channels, cross genre tickers and many more value added services. Our interactive Direct to Home (DTH) Services will be available through Satellite LCD, Satellite TV, Satellite DVD as well as a Satellite Box (STB). We bring you cutting edge technology through our services, which will make your home the most exciting place on earth. The Products i. e. Satellite LCD, Satellite TV, Satellite DVD are owned and marketed by UDCL. The DTH services and Satellite Box are marketed by BBCL subject to terms and conditions of Customer Agreement. OVERVIEW OF THE DTH INDUSTRY Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite television is becoming a buzzword in the satellite broadcast industry due to the fact that DTH offers immense opportunities to both broadcasters and viewers. Thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, DTH broadcast operators worldwide have been able to introduce a large number of new interactive applications in the television market besides a large number of entertainment programmes over a single delivery platform. In addition, since digital technology permits a highly efficient exploitation of the frequency spectrum, the number of TV channels that can be broadcast using digital technology is significantly higher than with analogue technology. The increased number of television channels allows the operator to satisfy the demand of a number of niche markets with dedicated transmissions. In general, DTH service is the one in which a large number of channels are digitally compressed, encrypted and beamed from very high power satellites. The programmes can be directly received at homes. This mode of reception facilitates the use of small receive dish antennas of 60 to 90 cm diameter installed at convenient location in individual buildings without needing elaborate foundation /space etc. Also, DTH transmission eliminates local cable operator completely, since an individual user is directly connected to the service providers. However, a digital receiver is needed to receive the multiplexed signals and view them on a TV. DTH, in sharp contrast to Cable TV, lends itself to easy monitoring,and,control. Transmission in Ku band is most appropriate and widely used for the purpose. As mentioned above, all the encoded transmission signals are digital – thus providing higher resolution picture quality and better audio than traditional analog signals. All the advantages of the digital transmission, as applicable to the terrestrial transmission are relevant in the satellite transmission also. Over the last three years, the direct-to-home (DTH) satellite industry has come on strongly worldwide. It has grown from a niche delivery mechanism into a mainstream business. The spread of subscription-based DTH satellite TV promises to enhance choices for many households in developing countries. With the Government throwing open the DTH sector in the country,a handful of players have come up with grandiose plans to enter the market. Given the stiff level of competition this premium services will face from the existing multi-channel cable network, possible entrants need to clearly grasp a few of the winning rules of the game. A DTH OFFER COMPRISES SIX ELEMENTS : [pic] Content: The movies,news channels,sporting events,and/or general entertainment features that constitute an offer to consumers. Space: Ownership or access to sufficient transponders in the right orbital slot to broadcast an offer to a specific area. Ground: The ability to distribute, install and service dishes and set-top boxes(otherwise known as customer premises equipment, or CPE), combined with access to relevant technology and manufacturing capabilities. Subscriber management: Ability to acquire and deactivate subscribers,bill and collect from them, activate pay-per-view movies and perform customer service. Financing: The provision of credit to customer seeking to buy or lease CPE. Government relation: Ability to navigate government procedures and regulations to obtain permits and so on. So diverse are these requirements,that no existing player in any market will be able to fulfill all of them on its own. This, the industry will be populated by consortia and it is unlikely that more than one or two DTH consortia will be able to achieve break-even. STRATEGIC AND SUCCESS FACTORS : Exploit Bottlenecks: In this market,content and transponder capacity are scarce and controlled by a few players. With content, access to unique local language material is critical. In a market like India,all a DTH player may need to do is repackage existing channels that are not universally available. In sports, some players have won an advantage through long-term rights purchases. Broadcasting rights to cricket in India, for example,belongs to ESPN for the next five years. It also controls the right to football for West Bengal(the most popular league) for ten years. The second obvious bottleneck is in transponder capacity. A modest DTH offering is likely to require a minimum of 10 to 15 transponders-almost a dedicated satellite. The number of satellite that can broadcast to a particular region is limited by physics. Move First: In the DTH industry, a credible and well managed first-mover service has a tremendous advantage over others. In India, a first mover may effectively shut out competition. Exploit Market Niche: In some markets, the segment of consumers who desire highly specific content may be large enough to form the core subscribership of a DTH service. An example of this could be again cricket in our country. Any DTH consortium must decide how it will deal with a number of strategic choices that will determine its success: Build an appropriate content offer: This is the single most crucial choice a DTH company will make. In a remote town with no access to television, for example,even a DTH bouquet of just two channels might seem attractive. Transponder costs are also a factor in an appropriate content offer. It is the bouquet size that determine how many transponders are needed,creating a tradeoff between the cost of transponders and the richness of the offering. Leverage killer content: A subscription service could use its rights more effectively. It might secure the exclusive right to broadcast a sporting event live, even if it is shown on free TV later. Offer superior services: Cable companies are frequently criticized for installation delays, billing errors and surly staff and the nature of cable plant makes signals prone to disruption. Staff and customer service issues relating to CPE installation and maintenance may yield a fine of differentiation above and beyond picture quality. PLACE BETS ON Another strategic choice consortia must make is which markets to make bets in. A few rules of the thumb are: Number of TV households: the number of TV households and its rate of growth determines how easy it will be to break even and how quickly, if at all, a developing market will become attractive. TV advertising and its growth: Ad revenue are also available to a DTH service provider, so the existence of a robust or growing ad market is important. Technical barriers to access TV: Even if DTH offers are likely to be thin on the ground,it is possible for a company to own a piece of the chain that links a service to subscribers. Until recently, Sky had a monopoly on the UK encryption standard, Videocrypt and could effectively dictate the terms of DTH competition, This was because it had a large installed base of set-top boxes using this standard. Ownership of key content: The availability of sports and film rights is a crucial determinant of market attractiveness. In India, such rights are divided among many separate players. In such a case, no rights owner is likely to be strong enough to play kingmaker. Position in a market: The most important asset is arguably an ability to play a unique role in the DTH value chain. This advantage may reside in business that have little or no obvious connection with DTH. A company that has pioneered a business offering credit for consumer durables in a developing country, for instance, might be well placed to supply finance to purchasers of CPE. INDUSTRY SAYS MEDIA AND CUSTOMER SAYS: Despite the global financial meltdown, the future of DTH industry in India has numerous opportunities. A 20 per cent annual growth is being witnessed in the DTH sector and there is still scope for more. Int he current context of the global financial meltdown, the Direct to Home (DTH) industry in India is in the throes of multifarious challenges and opportunities. The ‘big game’ is all about shaping up grandiose plans to master the winning rules to garner as much portion of the Indian DTH pie as possible by a handful of players. Since the DTH space denotes ‘big value’, akin to the space occupied by television [pic] and telephony, inter-firm rivalries have thrown up price wars, discount schemes, procurement of transponders, ambitious targets for improving the subscription base, popular bouquet of channels, set top boxes with superior quality of videos, improving content, etc as a desperate means to entice the Indian viewer. A neat 20 per cent annual growth is being witnessed in the DTH sector in India with over 8. million households having digital pay tv According to Harsh Bijoor, a brand consultant, â€Å"Since Dish TV, the biggest market player on the Indian soil, has not scraped even five per cent of the pie, there is plenty left for other players to eat. † In the early 2008, five major players, Zee’s Dish TV, Tata Sky, Reliance ADAG, Sun Direct and Bharti Telemedia formed an umbrella body – DTH Operators Association of India (DOAI). The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting As sociation of India in its ‘2008 Pay TV Piracy Survey’ have predicted that the Grey TV market of around USD 1. billion will gradually be taken over by the legal DTH industry. Marcel Fenez, chairman CASBAA, said, â€Å"Despite the global sinking of economies, the Asia Pacific market is healthy and the decline in growth will not derail the industry. With 1. 7 million digital cable subscriptions, the digital pay-TV market is finally taking off and this degree of penetration represents a tipping point for our industry in Asia. † Starting with a million strong subscriber base in August 2006, Tata Sky, a DTH joint-venture Company between Star (owned by Rupert Murdoch) and the Tata Group, now has more than 2. million connections and the forecast for 2012 is that it will further increase to eight million. The Indian DTH growth scenario bodes well for the advertising industry as well with over Rs 30-40 crores being earmarked by these companies annually for advertising reve nues. While Tata Sky has roped in Amir Khan and Gul Panag for its promotion, endorses for the Dish TV. MD and CEO of Tata Sky, Vikram Kaushik, recently confirmed in an interview that the company estimates were standing at Rs 40 billion for its final funding requirement as ‘competitive entries’, ‘explosive growth in volume’ and customer acquisition have jacked up the costs. Tata Sky recently launched the NDS-developed XTV personal video recorder (PVR) that enables the customers to watch a particular TV show while recording another. It is being hailed a ‘major introduction’ in the Indian DTH market. Within a few days of its launch 2, 500 PVRs, priced at Rs 8, 999, were sold as claimed by the Tata Sky MD, Kaushik. This places Tata Sky among the top 19 ‘pay-TV operators’ around the world with NDS solutions being a unique introduction to facilitate flexibility of PVR to their subscribers. A deal along similar lines was announced by Bharti Airtel, in the provision of DTH services, dependent on NDS for its conditional access. N Arjun, executive director Bharti Telemedia, expressed enthusiasm about the company’s expansion plans by disclosing that his company looked forward to providing the best of home entertainment services via Airtel digital TV in terms of latest technology and exciting content. â€Å"Since DTH is the future of home entertainment, with the support of our technology partner NDS, we will render superior, state-of-the-art services to our DTH service customers†, he said. Sun Direct, which entered the DTH sector as a discounted brand in opposition to Tata Sky, notched at a 30 per cent premium and supposedly mopped up over a million subscribers within a short time span. Tata Sky, though placed at a launch-premium of Rs 1,000, is open to segmentations. A demand of a tax holiday of five years from the government has been mooted by the DOAI that should incentivise the DTH industry as its market has reportedly surpassed the Japanese one in the last five years. The Indian DTH industry players look forward to a seven times multiplication of its market, about 40 million subscribers by 2015, from a total of 165 million pay TV households. Analysis Since 1959, when Indian television was first launched and the state owned Doordarshan aired just two channels in black and white as recently as 1991; the world of entertainment has made rapid and unusual strides. The turning points were the 1982 Asian Games when colour television was introduced and the 1991 liberalisation and deregulation that ushered in the era of foreign investments and foreign channels that egged the domestic players to jump into the foray. From large metros, satellite TV moved to smaller towns that spurred the sale of TV sets and brought about an upgradation from black and white television viewing to the colour one. With time, more and more changes took place and finally the DTH services arrived. DTH operations in India could be enhanced if the dearth of satellite capacity is removed by increasing the number of available Ku-band transponders that at present is 12 on Insat 4A, which in turn would mean more channels for viewing. Tax burdens on DTH are another area of complaint for operators. Around 40 per cent of revenues are siphoned off to pay taxes and license fee and another 12 per cent for services imposed by the Central government. Apart from this, there are entertainment taxes that differ from state to state. Cable TV operators also give a stiff level of competition to the DTH sector by suppressing their prices artificially by way of under-declarations. This has pressurised the DTH operators to cut their profits to the extent of making them unviable. At present, there are 80 million TV households in India, of which over seven million are DTH ones. Since the penetration is just under nine per cent, there is much room for a massive growth rate†, according to the Bharti Airtel’s head of brand and media, Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. â€Å"This is what the company is focusing on, to enhance its subscription base to 20 per cent,† he added. Industry analyst Siva Sundaram said that India w ill be the leading power in Asia by 2010 in the field of cable market and by 2015; it will be the most profitable in the area of pay TV market. Interestingly, the rural rich were the first to positively respond to the advent of DTH industry and those in the remote areas with no or unreliable access to the cable services will be tapped in by the DTH players. The ‘Indian Readership Survey 2008 R2’ findings have shown that the Dish TV is the largest player with over 3. 1 million subscribers, followed by DD Direct, Tata Sky and Sun Direct, which has a predominance in the southern zone. The zone wise analysis puts the western zone with 2. 24 million topping he subscriber base charts and the North, South and East following the lead. While the ‘big game’ hots up between the DTH service providers, the regular big Indian couch potatoes may keep surfing the channels and choosing from the burgeoning options. CONCLUSION : A few things are assured in the DTH industry even in the face of paradigm shifts. First, the value of transponders is likely to fall as compression allows more and more content to go through t he same satellite, and as more satellite are launched. Second, as bandwidth explodes, so will demand for content. Obscure sports and the like will become more valuable;conversely, much of the content that is currently valuable will face downward pricing pressure. Niche content providers will emerge. The industry is likely to be characterized first by a period of fragmentation and then by an increasing concentration of global consortia as unprofitable participants fold. What is clearer than ever is that satellite TV is here to stay and will play role in bringing television to mass around the world. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The objective of the research is to find the consumer’s behavior and perception in buying the DTH services in the Indian market. This will be done with help of a Questionnaire Survey based on the Consumer’s ‘Black Box’ through the entire decision making process of the consumer, which are as follows: †¢ Problem Recognition †¢ Information Search †¢ Evaluation of Alternatives †¢ Purchase Decision †¢ Post – Purchase behavior And also with the help of certain important factors that contributes heavily towards the consumer’s decision of buying a DTH service, in India, like the following: †¢ Celebrity Endorsements †¢ Other’s Influence †¢ Purchase Timing †¢ Purchase Amount †¢ Dealer Choice In short the research is carried -out to know what goes in the consumer’s mind before he finally buys the DTH services in the Indian market and also to know, when , where and how the consumer buys the services of DTH, in the Indian DTH market. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY DEFINED Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. In this we study the various steps that are generally adopted by researcher in studying this problem along with the logic behind them. RESEARCH DESIGN The research design selected is of descriptive type. Data is collected through Primary and Secondary sources. PRIMARY SOURCE: A Questionnaire was prepared for the survey to know the consumer’s behavior in buying the DTH services. The survey was conducted on people who are already enjoying the services of the DTH irrespective of age, income, lifestyle, gender etc. SECONDARY SOURCE: Journals and articles in the magazine, news paper and internet have been used in achieving the objective of the research. SAMPLE SIZE: A Sample size of 150 existing users of DTH services was included in the survey through questionnaires (25 each from North Delhi, South Delhi, West Delhi, East Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida). The Sample was selected irrespective of age, gender, lifestyle, income. †¢ TABLE 5. 1 WHAT SERVICES DID YOU USE BEFORE DTH SERVICES ? |Local Channels |142 | |Doordarshan Channels |8 | GRAPH 5. 1 ANALYSIS : From the above pie-chart we can analyze that 95% of people surveyed were using local cable as against 5% who were using Doordarshan channels. INFERENCES: We can infer from the pie-chart that majority of people surveyed were using the services of local cable operators and thus it also reflects that very small segment of people use only Doordarshan channels as a source of entertainment in Delhi & NCR. †¢ TABLE 5. 2 WHAT WERE YOUR PERCEPTIONS OF DTH SERVICES BEFORE YOU USED IT ? |High Initial Cost |42 | |High Monthly Rentals |66 | |Poor Customer Service |22 | |Poor signal |30 | GRAPH 5. 2 [pic] ANALYSIS: From the above given bar diagram we can analyze that 28% of people perceived DTH as it absorbs High initial cost,44% as High monthly cost,15% as Poor customer service & 13% as Poor Signal. INFERENCE: We can now infer that most of the people before using DTH services thought it to have Heavy Monthly Rentals and also as something that had High Initial Cost attached to it . Poor Signal was also an issue that people had thought DTH to be associated with and few people had perceived its Customer Service as poor. TABLE 5. 3 WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO SWITCH TO DTH FROM THE EARLIER SERVICES USED BY YOU ? BECAUSE DTH PROVIDES : |Better Service |45 | |Economical |5 | |Beeter Picture Quality |60 | |Interactive services |40 | GRAPH 5. 3 [pic] ANALYSIS: According to customers, reason for switching to DTH, because DTH provides: 30% believe it as better service, 3% as economical, 40% as better picture quality & 27% coz of interactive services by DTH. INFERENCE: We can infer from above that most of the LCO’s customers left them and switched to DTH because of their problems with poor picture quality and people also ditched LOC’s because of poor services from them and also lack of interactive services which was there in DTH. A very small percentage of people left LOC’s because of prices charged by LOC’s †¢ TABLE 5. 4 WHERE DID YOU SEARCH FOR INFORMATION ON DTH BEFORE BUYING ONE ? |Internet |55 | |Dealers |55 | |Friends |30 | |Newspapers |10 | GRAPH 5. 4 [pic] ANALYSIS: We can analyze from the above given graph that 37% each of people surveyed searched information on DTH from Internet & Dealers. 20% consulted Friends and 6% from Newspapers. INFERENCE: An interesting comes from the fact that when it comes to searching information about the DTH services when deciding to buy them, most of the people prefer to search it on Internet & an equal no. of people visit Dealers to gather information. People also prefer to consult their Friends more than using Newspapers as a source of Information search. TABLE 5. 5 ON WHAT PARAMETERS DID YOU EVALUATE ALL THE AVAILABLE DTH SERVICES BEFORE DECIDING TO BUY BRAND OF DTH SERVICE ? |Good Reputation |40 | |Price |10 | |Interactive Services |40 | |Picture Quality |60 | GRAPH 5. 5 ANALYSIS: We can analyze that in terms of evaluation, 39% people rated Picture Quality,27% each as Good Reputation and Interactive Services and 7% as Price as the major alternative evaluation factor. INFERENCE: We can infer that the most important point of evaluating the available DTH options was the Picture, which was of paramount importance for prospective customers followed by Good Reputation and Interactive Services followed by the Price which only a meager population voted for. †¢ TABLE5. 6 DO CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS YOUR DECISION IN BUYING DTH SERVICES ? |Yes |35 | |No |115 | GRAPH 5. 6 [pic] ANALYSIS: We can analyze that 77% of people surveyed said that Celebrity endorsements do not have any impact on their decision in deciding which brand to by or not to by and only 23% people agreed that id does contribute towards their decision. INFERENCE: It is an interesting inference from the above given graph and data that inspite of almost all DTH companies going for Big Celebrities to endorse their brands, customers gave a thumbs down to celebrity endorsements with 77% people saying that they are not at all influenced by it and only 23% saying yes to this idea. TABLE 5. 7 WHO WAS THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR FINAL PURCHASE DECISION ? |Dealer |35 | |Family |20 | |Existing Users |80 | |Only Me |15 | GRAPH 5. 7 [pic] ANALYSIS: We can analyze that Existing users are the biggest influence on the final purchase decision with around 54% people going for it followed by 23% for dealers, 13% for family and 10% deciding themselves. INFERENCE: We can easily infer from the above given graph and data that as expected nd as in all other industries that existing users are always the biggest influence on the final decision and it’s the same in the DTH industry, Dealers are also big influence on the final decision followed by family and ourselves. †¢ TABLE 5. 8 ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR DTH SERVICE ? |Yes |129 | |No |21 | GRAPH 5. 8 [pic] ANALYSIS: We can analyze that 86% of people using DTH services are satisfied with the services and only 14% people are dissatisfied. INFERENCE: We can easily infer from the above given data and graph that most of the people, as expected are pretty much satisfied with the DTH services, which provides so many added features with crystal clear picture quality. One more important thing that can be inferred is there are 14% people who are not satisfied with the DTH services, which should bother all the DTH players in the industry. †¢ TABLE 5. 9 IF DISSATISFIED,THEN WHAT IS THE REASON FOR DISSATISFACTION ? Poor Customer Service |8 | |Poor Picture Quality |2 | |Poor Signal Strength |3 | |Costlier than Expected |8 | GRAPH 5. 9 ANALYSIS: Now, we can analyze that out of 14% dissatisfied customers,38% people’s reason of dissatisfaction is Poor Customer Service and an eaqual no. people think that it costlier than expected followed by 15% with Poor Signal Strength and 9% with Poor Picture quality. INFERENCE: We can easily infer that first of all there are very little dissatisfied customers and the major reason for dissatisfied customer’s are either Poor Customer Service or the Monthly rentals are higher than perceived or expected. Very small amount of people blames it on Poor Signal Strength followed by Poor Picture Quality. FINDINGS FOLLOWING ARE THE FINDINGS OF THE REPORT 1. Most of the users of DTH services today have migrated from the local cable operators in comparison with the viewers of Doordarshan network. So therefore this can viewed step of Doordarshan network viewers to local cable operators. . Initially before using the DTH service the perception of it was that of something that High monthly rentals and that comes with High initial cost. Many people also thought that as it is a satellite network, therefore there would be a lot of signal problems, with few of them having doubtful perceptions about its Customer service. 3. The major reason that led to people switching fr om their previous services to DTH was Poor picture quality, Poor service and lack of interactive services (in the same order), which had an obvious solution in the DTH services. . It was found out that the prospective customers searched for information on DTH mainly from the internet and the dealers with equal no. of respondents going for them, wherein friends are also a good source of information. Newspapers no more are hot in information search in the DTH industry. 5. The most important parameter that the customers used to evaluate all the available DTH options was that it should have the best picture quality and then came the good Reputation and interactive services with the brand. Price was not of that importance as the industry itself is gripped in price-war. 6. This was an interesting but an unexpected finding. Although almost all the DTH players have roped in big celebrities to endorse their brand, still people gave this idea a thumbs down and said it did not affect their decision. 7. The biggest influence on the final purchase decision was found out to be the existing users of the service with more than half of the respondents going for it followed by the dealers, then family members and then the respondents themselves. 8. Talking about the post purchase behavior, a major chunk of population that was surveyed was pretty satisfied with the DTH service (86% of them) and will very much carry on with the DTH, wherein 14% of them showed dissatisfaction. 9. Now, the major reason of the dissatisfaction of the 14% dissatisfied customers were poor customer service and the fact that overall rent (different packages and different channels) was costlier than the expected. SUGGESTIONS FOLLOWING ARE THE SUGGESTIONS BASED ON THE REASEARCH OBJECTIVES AND FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY : †¢ Although the companies are targeting the complete set of television iewers across the country, but they should make extra efforts in specifically targeting the rurals whose only source of entertainment is Doordarshan channels only by customizing channel packages that suits their taste and their pockets as well. Catch them before they take the local cable operator’s route to reach DTH. †¢ Erase the prospective customerâ€⠄¢s perception of DTH services requiring High Initial & High monthle costs and also that as it is a satellite network then it will always have signal problems. Reach the prospects and tell them that these are wrong perceptions and tell the advantages. The Companies should keep on striving for better picture quality, better customer service, and more and more of interactive services because these are the reasons and problems why the customers have migrated from local cable operators (LCO). †¢ Now it was found out that the Dealers and the internet were the hottest zones for information search on DTH by the prospective customers. So, therefore the company’s should, for internet push in all the information regarding their product and service and also tell the prospects about the advantage of their services over the competitors. Evaluation of alternatives by the customers are one of the most important stage for the company and the findings point out that in choosing a DTH ser vice, the customer focuses mainly on the Picture Quality and the Interactive services provided by the company so these things should be provided best by the company to the customers. One more important point is although the DTH industry is gripped by price-war, the customers are willing to pay a little more if they get a better picture quality, more interactive services and better customer service. This was an interesting but an unexpected finding that although all the major DTH players in the country have roped in big celebrities to endorse their brand, but almost 78% of the respondents have rejected this idea and said that celebrity endorsements have no impact on their decision. So, therefore the companies should concentrate on ideas to effectively communicate their message to the final consumer rather than celebrities to convey the message, which in turn would save lots of money given to celebrities as brand ambassador. Now just before buying a product or service the customer nee ds to b pushed in his or her decision and the results have found out that the biggest influence as far as DTH services are concerned are The existing users and the Dealers. So, therefore in order to take care of the influence of existing customers the company has to provide the best of services to them in order to win the Word Of Mouth and to take care of Dealer’s influence the company should have trained sales personnel at the dealer counters. Although, the major TV viewing population are pretty satisfied with DTH services, there are few which are not satisfied and the major reason for their dissatisfaction are poor customer service and costlier monthly charges than expected. To take of the first reason the companies should understand the importance of customer service as a tool to increase sales and take care of the customer service and to take care of the second reason the companies should make the packages simpler and also a little economical. Above mentioned are some of the suggestions for the DTH industry as a whole and for the DTH players in industry based on the Objectives of the research and the Findings of the survey & research which could increase the performance and sales for the companies. The above suggestions have come after an extensive study of the â€Å"CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR† in the Indian DTH industry. CONCLUSION After extensively working on the buying behavior and the perception of the consumers in the Indian DTH industry, I came to know how important it is to understand and understand it to perfection, the buying behavior of the consumers as to how he behaves right from the point he recognizes a problem in his/her previous product or service, like in this case it was mainly the local cable operates. The companies here has to follow the customer from there on to the last step of post-purchase behavior which helps companies to retain the existing customers and win the new customers. The questionnaire that I prepared was a journey through the entire process of consumer’s perception and their buying behavior for DTH services. As it was directed at the current users, it was very fulfilling to understand what the current users of this service felt at each stage of the process and as a result of this survey’s analysis and inference from the table and graph, there were some interesting and important findings which in turn gave way to some of very important suggestions that can be of great help to current DTH players in the Indian industry to improve their sales and efficiency. To conclude, it was an experience that taught me a lot of things from understanding the in and outs of the Indian DTH industry, understanding the buying behavior of consumers, insights of market research, ways to efficiently and effectively interact with the respondents, to analyze and infer important information from the table and the graph. ———————– [pic]