Chemistry Laboratory Report Essay

Title: Factors affecting reaction ratesProcedure A: Effect of ConcentrationAim: To investigate how the concentration of a reactant affects the rate of reaction. Hypothesis: The more concentrated the reactant, the faster the rate of reaction. Materials: 2M hydrochloric acid solution, magnesium wire, distilled water, 4 test-tubes, measuringcylinder. Procedure:1)10mL 2M hydrochloric acid solution is poured into a test-tube using a measuring cylinder. 2)A 3cm length of magnesium wire is added to the acid, and the stopwatch is started simultaneously. The time it takes for the magnesium to disappear into solution is recorded. This time is recorded in the results table. 3)The test-tube is rinsed thoroughly and step 2 is repeated using 8mL acid mixed with 2mL water. 4)This is repeated for each acid-water mixture, as shown in Table 1. Sources of error in this experiment: †¢The dilution process of the hydrochloric acid is very crude. This means that the reaction rate will be affected, but not by a lot. †¢The size of the magnesium wire is not equal. This will also affect the  consistency of the results, but again, not by a lot. †¢The recording of the time may not be absolutely accurate. The experiment could be improved by reducing the sources of error i.e. handling the equipment as accurately as possible. Conclusion: The higher the concentration of the reactant, the higher the rate of reaction.

An Evaluation on Factors That Influence the Choice of a Mobile Telecommunications Service Provider

TITLE:AN EVALUATION ON FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CHOICE OF A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary3 2. Background4 2. 1Purpose of study5 2. 2Significance of study5 2. 3Research Objectives5 2. 4Research Questions6 3. Methodology7 3. 1Method of Research7 3. 2Types of Research7 3. 3Population7 3. 4Sampling7 4. Sources of data collection8 4. 1Secondary Data8 4. 2Primary Data8 5. Data collection tools8 5. 1Questionnaire8 5. 2Validity and Reliability9 6. Data Analysis10 7. Recommendations15 8. Limitations and Delimitations of the study16 9. Conclusion17 0. References18 11. Appendices19 1. 0Executive Summary The Zimbabwean telecommunication sector has grown rapidly over the past years. This exponential market growth attracted new players to this sector, which in turn resulted in increased competition. The aim of this study was to establish critical factors in the selection of mobile telecommunications service providers. A research instrument was e mployed to collect data from consumers of the three mobile phone operators in Zimbabwe. Convenience sampling, a form of non-probability sampling was used to collect data from 40 participants.This research used descriptive statistics for data analysis and discussions. The results of the study revealed that customers’ selection of which mobile telecommunications service providers to use is influenced by overall service quality, free calls and free SMSs, network capability, reliability of service, network innovativeness, low rate charges, accessibility, promotions with discount, geographic network coverage, family and friends, and customer care. In addition to this, the study found that customers prefer subscribing to the same service provider as their family members and friends.However, visually appealing physical facilities and high profile customers, were found to be the least influential factors in selecting mobile telecommunication service provider. Marketing mix elements a re relevant towards evaluating factors that determine the selection of mobile service provider in Zimbabwe. However, this study incorporated and investigated further by including factors influencing consumer buying behaviour, which makes it more comprehensive for application in telecommunication services.Thus, the focus on consumer behaviour was helpful in situating and understanding customers' buying behaviour in mobile telecommunication services. The study recommended specific marketing strategies to enhance the success of mobile service providers in this competitive market and ensure quality service delivery to satisfy customers. This study had limitations in its research design, strategy and sampling method; hence, areas for future studies addressing these shortcomings have been identified and recommended. 2. 0Background and objectivesThe mobile telecommunication industry has grown over the past few decades and has seen the industry undergoing intense competition to attract and retain customers. The mobile industry has become an important factor in global interactions as computer-based technologies and communication networks are being implemented daily. In the last twenty years, the mobile revolution has truly changed the socio-economic landscape of Zimbabwe and has seen the industry grow rapidly, that is keeping pace with global advancements in the mobile telecommunication market.The year 1997 marked a new era in the Zimbabwe telecommunication sector as it marked the beginning of deregulation of the telecommunications sector, which was previously a monopoly. The Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) which was wholly owned by the Government; did not have any competition and thus it flourished as the sole fixed line provider. According to Melody (1999) technological change and new service opportunities are factors bearing on the telecom reform process everywhere. In 1996, technological advancement saw the birth of NetOne, the first cellular network operator in Zimbabwe, a subsidiary under the PTC.However, in 1998 things started to change dramatically when the first major new player, Econet Wireless entered the telecommunications market. The deregulation of the telecommunications sector opened the market from a monopolistic market to a competitive multiple service providers. Currently, there are three mobile service providers in Zimbabwe, which are Econet Wireless, Telecel and NetOne, and the competitive pressure is high. The three MSPs compete with each other to grab customers by proving a wide range of both basic services and value added services.The customers enjoy the option of choices among the service operators and thus the competitive environment causes brand consciousness among the subscribers and potential buyers (Melody, 2003). In order to survive the competitive environment, the service providers must ensure network quality, customer acquisition and retention. Table 1 shows the detail of the mobile subscribers in Zi mbabwe, that depicts the market share of the MSPs. 2. 1Purpose of study The purpose of the study was to evaluate factors that determine the selection of mobile service providers.Also to evaluate and understand the consumers buying behaviour in selecting service providers and to help service providers to design more appealing marketing programs which deliver better customer value and thus providing the required returns. 2. 2Significance of study The robust competition between the three mobile network operators in Zimbabwe has intensified. Therefore, identifying and understanding the factors which considerably influence the customer buying behaviour is of greatest importance to the marketers.Thus, the key success factors in mobile telecommunication battles are effectiveness of marketing strategies and understanding of consumer behaviour. The determinant factors for customers choice of the MSP in Zimbabwe is not clear as there is insufficient documentation on the issue. Therefore, ther e is a need to empirically evaluate and analyze the phenomenon for managerial implications. The outcome of the study would provide insights to service providers to take profound actions towards enriching customers’ service experience.Moreover, the study also builds on existing consumer behaviour literature by exploring the factors influencing consumer buying behaviour that ultimately influence the selection of mobile service providers. In addition, the findings of the study will also assist telecommunication companies to invest their resources more efficiently, or to make changes to crucial quality attributes that bring out consumers’ satisfaction levels. 2. 3Research Objectives The overall objective is to ascertain the logic behind customers’ selection of a particular mobile service operator.Sub-objectives †¢To determine the social factors which lead the customer towards selecting a particular mobile service provider. †¢To determine the service qualit y dimensions influencing the customers’ selection of a particular mobile service provider. †¢To establish the influence of marketing mix elements on purchasing behaviour of mobile service operators. 2. 4Research Questions †¢Which social factors influence the selection of a mobile service provider? †¢Which service quality dimensions influence the customers’ selection of a particular mobile service provider? Which marketing mix elements have an influence in purchasing behaviour of mobile service operators? Keywords: Consumer behaviour , Service quality, Price, Promotion, Service availability/place 3. 0METHODOLOGY 3. 1Method of Research This is a quantitative study which mainly will depend on numeric data to classify features and count them. According to Burns & Grove 2005:23, quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information. This research method is used to examine relationships among va riables and to determine the cause-and-effect interactions between variables.This study is concerned with the assessment of factors that influence consumer buying behaviour. 3. 2Types of Research A descriptive research was used for the study to describe factors that influence the customers buying behaviour as well as describing the marketing mix elements that play a role in determining the customers’ selection for mobile service provider. Polit and Hungler 1999 state that the descriptive research mainly describes what exists and may help to uncover new facts and meaning.The purpose of descriptive research is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs. They further state that the descriptive research involves the collection of data that will provide an account or description of individuals, groups or situations. The research instruments that were used for this study were questionnaires with closed questions. 3. 3Population Population select ed for this study were all Bulawayo residents who are customers of any of the three mobile service providers available in Zimbabwe which is unknown. 3. Sampling Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003) state that it is not easy to assess the entire population, therefore, it is necessary to assess a sample of the population as an alternative in order to generalize about the entire population. The researcher will target the Bulawayo residents who visit the National University of Science and Technology Campus along Gwanda Road and Cecil Avenue. The sample size used for the research was 100 respondents and a non-probability sampling technique was used. The convenience sampling method was used to select the targeted sample.According to convenience sapling is a statistical method of drawing representative data by selecting people because of the ease of their volunteering or selecting units because of their availability or easy access. The researcher used this method to get easy access to info rmation from walk in customers at the Main Administration Building (NUST Campus). Time and cost constraints also justified the convenience sampling technique. 3. 5Sources of data collection 3. 5. 1Secondary data Secondary data is the data which is collected for some other purposes or the data which is gathered by previous researchers.The research was involved in a desk research were information about the background of the telecommunications industry was acquired. The researcher also used articles, books and the internet to gather more information about the factors that influence the purchasing behaviour of mobile service provider. The data acquired aided the researcher in the analysis of data as a toll for deriving in reliable and relevant conclusions. 3. 5. 2Primary data In this research primary data was obtained by collecting data from uestionnaires which were administered at the Main Administration Building at the NUST Campus to the target sample size. The researcher issued the r espondents the questionnaire and gave the at most fifteen minutes to fill in the questionnaire. 3. 6Data collection tools There are many tools available for gathering empirical data but it depends upon research question and purpose of study that which tool is used for study. For this study, the researcher used the questionnaire because it is less time consuming, and provides good quality data easily. 3. 6. 1QuestionnaireThe questionnaire is the medium of communication between researcher and respondent. The researcher used close ended questions because of the quantitative nature of the study. The researcher chose the questionnaire because it is considered to be inexpensive, less time consuming and provide good quality data easily (Babbie, 2010). The questionnaire was drafted with the aim of answering the research question and research objectives. The questionnaire consisted of closed-ended questions as they were quicker and easier to answer and readily accessible to coding and quanti tative analysis.The questionnaires consisted of five categories and items on different constructs are organised in each category namely; service quality, price, promotions, availability and social factors. The questionnaires were personally handed to the respondents as they were entering the Main Administration Building. 3. 7Validity and Reliability Gravetter and Forzano (2009) state that the validity of a research study is the degree to which the study accurately answers the question it was intended to answer.According to Babbie (2010), the reliability of a research instrument is the degree of consistency with which the instrument measures the attributes it is supposed to be measuring. Validity and reliability were not measured for this report. 4. DATA ANALYSIS A five-point Likert scale was used to measure the output of each item answered by the respondents. The outputs, frequency tables were generated using the SPSS package and from these the data was presented in bar graphs. More over, the number of respondents who selected each of the response options is reported as percentages of the total number of responses.The total number of questionnaires issued was 40 but there were three spoilt questionnaires, so for the data analysis 37 questionnaires were analysed. Service Providers The findings in Fig 1 reveal that a total of 57% of the respondents were Econet Wireless subscribers, whilst 23% were NetOne and 20% being Telecel subscribers. The findings illustrate that most of the respondents were Econet Wireless subscribers. Frequency Responses from Social Factors Fig 2: Frequencies for Social FactorsThe findings in Figure 2 reveal that a total of 7% of the respondents disagreed, 36% were unsure and 57% agreed that it is important to subscribe to the same service provider with family members and friends. Additionally, 30% of the respondents disagreed, 10% were unsure while 60% agreed to value friends, colleagues and family members’ opinions before buying an y product from the service provider. On the other hand, 95% of the participants disagreed, 1% were unsure and 4% agreed that high profile customers of a particular service provider influence them to choose a mobile service provider.Frequency Responses for Service Quality Dimensions Fig. 3: Frequencies for Service Quality Dimensions Figure 3 reveal that 8% of the participants disagreed, 10% were unsure, 82% agreed that reliability of service influence their choice of the mobile service provider. Moreover, the figure show that 2% of the respondents disagreed, 0% were unsure and 98% agreed that network capabilities of a service provider influence their subscription to a mobile service operator.It is evident that customer’s choice of mobile service provider is significantly influenced by network coverage. It also reflects that 5% of the respondents disagreed, 7% were unsure and 88% agreed that network innovativeness is an important factor that they consider when subscribing to a mobile service provider. Likewise, the results reveal that 18% of the respondents disagreed, 3% were unsure, and 79% agreed that customer care at the service provider outlets influence them to choose a mobile service provider.Frequency Responses for Price Fig 4: Frequencies for Price Findings in Figure 4 illustrate that 15% of the participants disagreed, 2% were unsure, 83% agreed that low rate charges influence them to subscribe to a mobile service provider. Frequency responses to Promotional Mix Fig 5: Frequencies to promotional mix The findings in Figure 5 reveal that the results shows that 63% of the respondents disagreed, 3% were unsure, and 34% agreed that advertisement influences them to subscribe to a mobile service provider.These finding revealed that, the majority of the customers indicated that advertisement does not influence their choice of mobile service provider, thus advertisement was insignificant. Additionally, the findings shows that 17% of the respondents disagre ed, 11% were unsure and 72% agreed that offers such as SIM card offered with initial balance influences their selection of a service provider. Similarly, Figure 5 reveal that 13% of the participants disagreed, 2% were unsure and 85% agreed that free calls and free SMS encourage them to subscribe to a mobile service provider.The findings show that free calls and free SMS significantly determine customers’ choice of mobile network. Frequency Responses from Service Availability Aspects Fig 6: Frequencies from Service Availability Aspects The data in Figure 6 reveals that 37% of the respondent’s disagreed, 30% were unsure, 32% agreed to value visually appealing physical facilities than customer care. Likewise, it illustrates that 11% of the participants disagreed, 10% were unsure and 79% agreed that accessibility of services influence their preference for mobile service provider.That means ease access to telecommunication services influence consumers’ choice. On the other hand, the findings reveal that 51% of the respondents disagreed, 24% were unsure, 25% agreed that international roaming plays an important role when choosing a mobile network. 5. 0RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings of this research, the mobile service providers are recommended to: †¢Provide service quality through network quality, network extension and upgrade. †¢Offer quality service at lower rates. †¢Provide more offers for family and friends. †¢Enrich customer’s service experience and loyalty.Value the importance of day-to-day interactions, such as response quality in call centers, skills of staffs in retail outlets, speed of technical repair and other measures. †¢Pay attention to staff skill possession, knowledge, attention to customers and their needs, offering of fast and efficient services and general attitude to customer services. †¢Consistently monitor what customers want and what they get through the feedbacks, then identify t he gap in between through research and bridge the gap through continuous innovation. 6. 0LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDYA discussion of the study limitations demonstrates that the researcher understands that no research project is perfectly designed; consequently, the researcher will make no overweening claims about generalizability or conclusiveness about what has been learned (Marshall and Rossman, 2011). This study was limited to evaluate the factors that determine the selection of mobile service provider. In fact, considering resources and time constraints, the research was limited to one town in Zimbabwe. Therefore, it cannot be representative of the whole of Zimbabwe population’s behaviour. Some of the limitations originated from the tool that was used.The use of the closed ended questionnaire meant that it was not possible to ask follow-up questions and thus finding out the reasons for selecting a particular service provider over the other. The other concern is that this study was measuring factors affecting consumers’ perception in the telecommunication sectors were measured, but there is a lack of related literature. The delimitations of a study are those characteristics that limit the scope of the inquiry and define boundaries for the study (Ledez, 2008). Furthermore, the delimitations of this study were also related to the use of a singular research design as opposed to triangulation.The research instrument and the number of test items were also limited. 7. 0CONCLUSION This study aimed to evaluate the factors that determine the selection of mobile service providers in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s mobile telecommunication market has grown over the past decade and it is highly competitive. In any competitive environment, firms are likely to compete in order to attract and retain customers. However, it is extremely important that a company recognizes the needs, wants, tastes, criteria and the perceptions of its customers.The stu dy employed data representing factors that influence customers’ selection of mobile network to identify and meet customers’ needs and wants as well as to establish the perceived and preferred service quality, activities that would entice customers, the prices that customers are willing and able to pay, and the possible best ways of utilizing available resources to supply the needed/desired services. The Zimbabwean mobile networks must maintain a combination of all these variables in order to succeed in a competitive telecommunication market as well as to enjoy the uch-needed profit to invest in network infrastructure, innovations and human resources. Providing superior service quality, particularly, in the dimensions of network quality and performance, reliability, responsiveness, and convenience, is of utmost importance that requires mobile service provider managerial attention in order to attract and retain customers. The study suggested that regulators in the Zimbab we’s telecommunication sector should take appropriate measures to include these dimensions in undertaking objective assessment of quality of service of mobile telephone operators in safeguarding customers’ interest.In this study, the focus on marketing mix elements and consumer behaviour was helpful in situating and understanding customers' preferences and buying behaviour in mobile telecommunication services. Besides, it is evident that customers’ choice is largely influenced by marketing mix elements. The current study established that customers look at the call rates; promotional mix offers such as free calls/minutes and free SMSs, and promotions with discount and free sample play a vital role in customers’ choice of mobile service provider . REFERENCES 1. Babbie, E. R. (2010), The Practice of Social Research. 2th edition. USA: Wadsworth. 2. Burns and Grove aker, M. J. (2003), The Marketing Book. 5th edition. USA: Butterworth-Heinemann. 3. Gravetter, F . J. and Forzano, L. B. (2009). Research Methods for the Behavioural Sciences. 3rd edition. USA:Wadsworth. 4. Hanif, M. , Hafeez, S. , and Riaz, A. (2010). Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics [online], 60 (2010), p. 44-52. Available from: http://www. eurojournals. com/irjfe_60_04. pdf [Accessed 22 February 2013]. 5. Kapoor, R. , Paul, J. and Halder, B. (2011). Services marketing: Concepts and Practices.New Delhi: McGraw-Hill. 6. Marshall, C. and Rossman, G. (2011). Designing Qualitative Research. 5th edition. California: Sage Publications, Inc. 7. Melody, W. H. (1999). Telecom Reform: Progress and Prospects. Telecommunications Policy, 23 (1999), p. 7 – 34. 8. Melody, W. H. , (2003). Preparing the Information Infrastructure for the Network Economy. World Telecommunications Markets: International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Vol. III, p. 1-27. 9. Paulrajan, R. and Rajkumar, H. (2011). Service Quality and Customers Preference of Cellular Mobile Service Providers.Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 6(1), p. 38-45. 10. Thornhill, N. (2003). Your research Project. 2nd edition. London: Sage. 11. Wilson, R. M. S. and Gilligan, C. (2005). Strategic Marketing Management: Planning, Implementation and Control, 3rd edition. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Appendix 1 Table 1: Subscriber base in Zimbabwe Service ProviderNumber of Subscribers Econet Wireless10. 2 million NetOne2. 6 million Telecel1. 8 million Appendix 2 A QUESTIONNAIRE ON EVALUATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CHOICE OF A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER Good day, my name is Thembelihle Moyo.I am a student at the National University of Science and Technology doing Master of Science Degree in Marketing. I am carrying out a evaluation on factors that influence the selection of a particular mobile service provider. The information solicited herein is purely for academic purposes and will be treated in the stric test confidence. 1. Which service provider’s connection do you have? Econet Telecel NetOne 2. Social Factors Using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being â€Å"strongly agree† and 1 being â€Å"strongly disagree†. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree Family and friends should be the sole reason of choosing a mobile network I value the opinions of my friends when making purchasing decisions High profile customers inspire me in making purchase decisions 3. Service Quality Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree The mobile service provider I use is reliable The mobile service provider has a wide network coverage The mobile service provider has high quality in network innovativeness The have high standards of customer care 4. Price Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly AgreeThe low rate charges attract customers to this service provider 5. Promotion al Mix Elements Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree The advertisements of this mobile service provider attracted me to be their subscriber The sim card with initial balance attracted me to this mobile service provider The free calls and free sms attracted me to be a subscriber 6. Service Availability Aspects Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree The offices are visually appealing The service is easily accessible International roaming is one aspect that is essential in a mobile line THANK YOU An Evaluation on Factors That Influence the Choice of a Mobile Telecommunications Service Provider TITLE:AN EVALUATION ON FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CHOICE OF A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary3 2. Background4 2. 1Purpose of study5 2. 2Significance of study5 2. 3Research Objectives5 2. 4Research Questions6 3. Methodology7 3. 1Method of Research7 3. 2Types of Research7 3. 3Population7 3. 4Sampling7 4. Sources of data collection8 4. 1Secondary Data8 4. 2Primary Data8 5. Data collection tools8 5. 1Questionnaire8 5. 2Validity and Reliability9 6. Data Analysis10 7. Recommendations15 8. Limitations and Delimitations of the study16 9. Conclusion17 0. References18 11. Appendices19 1. 0Executive Summary The Zimbabwean telecommunication sector has grown rapidly over the past years. This exponential market growth attracted new players to this sector, which in turn resulted in increased competition. The aim of this study was to establish critical factors in the selection of mobile telecommunications service providers. A research instrument was e mployed to collect data from consumers of the three mobile phone operators in Zimbabwe. Convenience sampling, a form of non-probability sampling was used to collect data from 40 participants.This research used descriptive statistics for data analysis and discussions. The results of the study revealed that customers’ selection of which mobile telecommunications service providers to use is influenced by overall service quality, free calls and free SMSs, network capability, reliability of service, network innovativeness, low rate charges, accessibility, promotions with discount, geographic network coverage, family and friends, and customer care. In addition to this, the study found that customers prefer subscribing to the same service provider as their family members and friends.However, visually appealing physical facilities and high profile customers, were found to be the least influential factors in selecting mobile telecommunication service provider. Marketing mix elements a re relevant towards evaluating factors that determine the selection of mobile service provider in Zimbabwe. However, this study incorporated and investigated further by including factors influencing consumer buying behaviour, which makes it more comprehensive for application in telecommunication services.Thus, the focus on consumer behaviour was helpful in situating and understanding customers' buying behaviour in mobile telecommunication services. The study recommended specific marketing strategies to enhance the success of mobile service providers in this competitive market and ensure quality service delivery to satisfy customers. This study had limitations in its research design, strategy and sampling method; hence, areas for future studies addressing these shortcomings have been identified and recommended. 2. 0Background and objectivesThe mobile telecommunication industry has grown over the past few decades and has seen the industry undergoing intense competition to attract and retain customers. The mobile industry has become an important factor in global interactions as computer-based technologies and communication networks are being implemented daily. In the last twenty years, the mobile revolution has truly changed the socio-economic landscape of Zimbabwe and has seen the industry grow rapidly, that is keeping pace with global advancements in the mobile telecommunication market.The year 1997 marked a new era in the Zimbabwe telecommunication sector as it marked the beginning of deregulation of the telecommunications sector, which was previously a monopoly. The Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) which was wholly owned by the Government; did not have any competition and thus it flourished as the sole fixed line provider. According to Melody (1999) technological change and new service opportunities are factors bearing on the telecom reform process everywhere. In 1996, technological advancement saw the birth of NetOne, the first cellular network operator in Zimbabwe, a subsidiary under the PTC.However, in 1998 things started to change dramatically when the first major new player, Econet Wireless entered the telecommunications market. The deregulation of the telecommunications sector opened the market from a monopolistic market to a competitive multiple service providers. Currently, there are three mobile service providers in Zimbabwe, which are Econet Wireless, Telecel and NetOne, and the competitive pressure is high. The three MSPs compete with each other to grab customers by proving a wide range of both basic services and value added services.The customers enjoy the option of choices among the service operators and thus the competitive environment causes brand consciousness among the subscribers and potential buyers (Melody, 2003). In order to survive the competitive environment, the service providers must ensure network quality, customer acquisition and retention. Table 1 shows the detail of the mobile subscribers in Zi mbabwe, that depicts the market share of the MSPs. 2. 1Purpose of study The purpose of the study was to evaluate factors that determine the selection of mobile service providers.Also to evaluate and understand the consumers buying behaviour in selecting service providers and to help service providers to design more appealing marketing programs which deliver better customer value and thus providing the required returns. 2. 2Significance of study The robust competition between the three mobile network operators in Zimbabwe has intensified. Therefore, identifying and understanding the factors which considerably influence the customer buying behaviour is of greatest importance to the marketers.Thus, the key success factors in mobile telecommunication battles are effectiveness of marketing strategies and understanding of consumer behaviour. The determinant factors for customers choice of the MSP in Zimbabwe is not clear as there is insufficient documentation on the issue. Therefore, ther e is a need to empirically evaluate and analyze the phenomenon for managerial implications. The outcome of the study would provide insights to service providers to take profound actions towards enriching customers’ service experience.Moreover, the study also builds on existing consumer behaviour literature by exploring the factors influencing consumer buying behaviour that ultimately influence the selection of mobile service providers. In addition, the findings of the study will also assist telecommunication companies to invest their resources more efficiently, or to make changes to crucial quality attributes that bring out consumers’ satisfaction levels. 2. 3Research Objectives The overall objective is to ascertain the logic behind customers’ selection of a particular mobile service operator.Sub-objectives †¢To determine the social factors which lead the customer towards selecting a particular mobile service provider. †¢To determine the service qualit y dimensions influencing the customers’ selection of a particular mobile service provider. †¢To establish the influence of marketing mix elements on purchasing behaviour of mobile service operators. 2. 4Research Questions †¢Which social factors influence the selection of a mobile service provider? †¢Which service quality dimensions influence the customers’ selection of a particular mobile service provider? Which marketing mix elements have an influence in purchasing behaviour of mobile service operators? Keywords: Consumer behaviour , Service quality, Price, Promotion, Service availability/place 3. 0METHODOLOGY 3. 1Method of Research This is a quantitative study which mainly will depend on numeric data to classify features and count them. According to Burns & Grove 2005:23, quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information. This research method is used to examine relationships among va riables and to determine the cause-and-effect interactions between variables.This study is concerned with the assessment of factors that influence consumer buying behaviour. 3. 2Types of Research A descriptive research was used for the study to describe factors that influence the customers buying behaviour as well as describing the marketing mix elements that play a role in determining the customers’ selection for mobile service provider. Polit and Hungler 1999 state that the descriptive research mainly describes what exists and may help to uncover new facts and meaning.The purpose of descriptive research is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs. They further state that the descriptive research involves the collection of data that will provide an account or description of individuals, groups or situations. The research instruments that were used for this study were questionnaires with closed questions. 3. 3Population Population select ed for this study were all Bulawayo residents who are customers of any of the three mobile service providers available in Zimbabwe which is unknown. 3. Sampling Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003) state that it is not easy to assess the entire population, therefore, it is necessary to assess a sample of the population as an alternative in order to generalize about the entire population. The researcher will target the Bulawayo residents who visit the National University of Science and Technology Campus along Gwanda Road and Cecil Avenue. The sample size used for the research was 100 respondents and a non-probability sampling technique was used. The convenience sampling method was used to select the targeted sample.According to convenience sapling is a statistical method of drawing representative data by selecting people because of the ease of their volunteering or selecting units because of their availability or easy access. The researcher used this method to get easy access to info rmation from walk in customers at the Main Administration Building (NUST Campus). Time and cost constraints also justified the convenience sampling technique. 3. 5Sources of data collection 3. 5. 1Secondary data Secondary data is the data which is collected for some other purposes or the data which is gathered by previous researchers.The research was involved in a desk research were information about the background of the telecommunications industry was acquired. The researcher also used articles, books and the internet to gather more information about the factors that influence the purchasing behaviour of mobile service provider. The data acquired aided the researcher in the analysis of data as a toll for deriving in reliable and relevant conclusions. 3. 5. 2Primary data In this research primary data was obtained by collecting data from uestionnaires which were administered at the Main Administration Building at the NUST Campus to the target sample size. The researcher issued the r espondents the questionnaire and gave the at most fifteen minutes to fill in the questionnaire. 3. 6Data collection tools There are many tools available for gathering empirical data but it depends upon research question and purpose of study that which tool is used for study. For this study, the researcher used the questionnaire because it is less time consuming, and provides good quality data easily. 3. 6. 1QuestionnaireThe questionnaire is the medium of communication between researcher and respondent. The researcher used close ended questions because of the quantitative nature of the study. The researcher chose the questionnaire because it is considered to be inexpensive, less time consuming and provide good quality data easily (Babbie, 2010). The questionnaire was drafted with the aim of answering the research question and research objectives. The questionnaire consisted of closed-ended questions as they were quicker and easier to answer and readily accessible to coding and quanti tative analysis.The questionnaires consisted of five categories and items on different constructs are organised in each category namely; service quality, price, promotions, availability and social factors. The questionnaires were personally handed to the respondents as they were entering the Main Administration Building. 3. 7Validity and Reliability Gravetter and Forzano (2009) state that the validity of a research study is the degree to which the study accurately answers the question it was intended to answer.According to Babbie (2010), the reliability of a research instrument is the degree of consistency with which the instrument measures the attributes it is supposed to be measuring. Validity and reliability were not measured for this report. 4. DATA ANALYSIS A five-point Likert scale was used to measure the output of each item answered by the respondents. The outputs, frequency tables were generated using the SPSS package and from these the data was presented in bar graphs. More over, the number of respondents who selected each of the response options is reported as percentages of the total number of responses.The total number of questionnaires issued was 40 but there were three spoilt questionnaires, so for the data analysis 37 questionnaires were analysed. Service Providers The findings in Fig 1 reveal that a total of 57% of the respondents were Econet Wireless subscribers, whilst 23% were NetOne and 20% being Telecel subscribers. The findings illustrate that most of the respondents were Econet Wireless subscribers. Frequency Responses from Social Factors Fig 2: Frequencies for Social FactorsThe findings in Figure 2 reveal that a total of 7% of the respondents disagreed, 36% were unsure and 57% agreed that it is important to subscribe to the same service provider with family members and friends. Additionally, 30% of the respondents disagreed, 10% were unsure while 60% agreed to value friends, colleagues and family members’ opinions before buying an y product from the service provider. On the other hand, 95% of the participants disagreed, 1% were unsure and 4% agreed that high profile customers of a particular service provider influence them to choose a mobile service provider.Frequency Responses for Service Quality Dimensions Fig. 3: Frequencies for Service Quality Dimensions Figure 3 reveal that 8% of the participants disagreed, 10% were unsure, 82% agreed that reliability of service influence their choice of the mobile service provider. Moreover, the figure show that 2% of the respondents disagreed, 0% were unsure and 98% agreed that network capabilities of a service provider influence their subscription to a mobile service operator.It is evident that customer’s choice of mobile service provider is significantly influenced by network coverage. It also reflects that 5% of the respondents disagreed, 7% were unsure and 88% agreed that network innovativeness is an important factor that they consider when subscribing to a mobile service provider. Likewise, the results reveal that 18% of the respondents disagreed, 3% were unsure, and 79% agreed that customer care at the service provider outlets influence them to choose a mobile service provider.Frequency Responses for Price Fig 4: Frequencies for Price Findings in Figure 4 illustrate that 15% of the participants disagreed, 2% were unsure, 83% agreed that low rate charges influence them to subscribe to a mobile service provider. Frequency responses to Promotional Mix Fig 5: Frequencies to promotional mix The findings in Figure 5 reveal that the results shows that 63% of the respondents disagreed, 3% were unsure, and 34% agreed that advertisement influences them to subscribe to a mobile service provider.These finding revealed that, the majority of the customers indicated that advertisement does not influence their choice of mobile service provider, thus advertisement was insignificant. Additionally, the findings shows that 17% of the respondents disagre ed, 11% were unsure and 72% agreed that offers such as SIM card offered with initial balance influences their selection of a service provider. Similarly, Figure 5 reveal that 13% of the participants disagreed, 2% were unsure and 85% agreed that free calls and free SMS encourage them to subscribe to a mobile service provider.The findings show that free calls and free SMS significantly determine customers’ choice of mobile network. Frequency Responses from Service Availability Aspects Fig 6: Frequencies from Service Availability Aspects The data in Figure 6 reveals that 37% of the respondent’s disagreed, 30% were unsure, 32% agreed to value visually appealing physical facilities than customer care. Likewise, it illustrates that 11% of the participants disagreed, 10% were unsure and 79% agreed that accessibility of services influence their preference for mobile service provider.That means ease access to telecommunication services influence consumers’ choice. On the other hand, the findings reveal that 51% of the respondents disagreed, 24% were unsure, 25% agreed that international roaming plays an important role when choosing a mobile network. 5. 0RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings of this research, the mobile service providers are recommended to: †¢Provide service quality through network quality, network extension and upgrade. †¢Offer quality service at lower rates. †¢Provide more offers for family and friends. †¢Enrich customer’s service experience and loyalty.Value the importance of day-to-day interactions, such as response quality in call centers, skills of staffs in retail outlets, speed of technical repair and other measures. †¢Pay attention to staff skill possession, knowledge, attention to customers and their needs, offering of fast and efficient services and general attitude to customer services. †¢Consistently monitor what customers want and what they get through the feedbacks, then identify t he gap in between through research and bridge the gap through continuous innovation. 6. 0LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDYA discussion of the study limitations demonstrates that the researcher understands that no research project is perfectly designed; consequently, the researcher will make no overweening claims about generalizability or conclusiveness about what has been learned (Marshall and Rossman, 2011). This study was limited to evaluate the factors that determine the selection of mobile service provider. In fact, considering resources and time constraints, the research was limited to one town in Zimbabwe. Therefore, it cannot be representative of the whole of Zimbabwe population’s behaviour. Some of the limitations originated from the tool that was used.The use of the closed ended questionnaire meant that it was not possible to ask follow-up questions and thus finding out the reasons for selecting a particular service provider over the other. The other concern is that this study was measuring factors affecting consumers’ perception in the telecommunication sectors were measured, but there is a lack of related literature. The delimitations of a study are those characteristics that limit the scope of the inquiry and define boundaries for the study (Ledez, 2008). Furthermore, the delimitations of this study were also related to the use of a singular research design as opposed to triangulation.The research instrument and the number of test items were also limited. 7. 0CONCLUSION This study aimed to evaluate the factors that determine the selection of mobile service providers in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s mobile telecommunication market has grown over the past decade and it is highly competitive. In any competitive environment, firms are likely to compete in order to attract and retain customers. However, it is extremely important that a company recognizes the needs, wants, tastes, criteria and the perceptions of its customers.The stu dy employed data representing factors that influence customers’ selection of mobile network to identify and meet customers’ needs and wants as well as to establish the perceived and preferred service quality, activities that would entice customers, the prices that customers are willing and able to pay, and the possible best ways of utilizing available resources to supply the needed/desired services. The Zimbabwean mobile networks must maintain a combination of all these variables in order to succeed in a competitive telecommunication market as well as to enjoy the uch-needed profit to invest in network infrastructure, innovations and human resources. Providing superior service quality, particularly, in the dimensions of network quality and performance, reliability, responsiveness, and convenience, is of utmost importance that requires mobile service provider managerial attention in order to attract and retain customers. The study suggested that regulators in the Zimbab we’s telecommunication sector should take appropriate measures to include these dimensions in undertaking objective assessment of quality of service of mobile telephone operators in safeguarding customers’ interest.In this study, the focus on marketing mix elements and consumer behaviour was helpful in situating and understanding customers' preferences and buying behaviour in mobile telecommunication services. Besides, it is evident that customers’ choice is largely influenced by marketing mix elements. The current study established that customers look at the call rates; promotional mix offers such as free calls/minutes and free SMSs, and promotions with discount and free sample play a vital role in customers’ choice of mobile service provider . REFERENCES 1. Babbie, E. R. (2010), The Practice of Social Research. 2th edition. USA: Wadsworth. 2. Burns and Grove aker, M. J. (2003), The Marketing Book. 5th edition. USA: Butterworth-Heinemann. 3. Gravetter, F . J. and Forzano, L. B. (2009). Research Methods for the Behavioural Sciences. 3rd edition. USA:Wadsworth. 4. Hanif, M. , Hafeez, S. , and Riaz, A. (2010). Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics [online], 60 (2010), p. 44-52. Available from: http://www. eurojournals. com/irjfe_60_04. pdf [Accessed 22 February 2013]. 5. Kapoor, R. , Paul, J. and Halder, B. (2011). Services marketing: Concepts and Practices.New Delhi: McGraw-Hill. 6. Marshall, C. and Rossman, G. (2011). Designing Qualitative Research. 5th edition. California: Sage Publications, Inc. 7. Melody, W. H. (1999). Telecom Reform: Progress and Prospects. Telecommunications Policy, 23 (1999), p. 7 – 34. 8. Melody, W. H. , (2003). Preparing the Information Infrastructure for the Network Economy. World Telecommunications Markets: International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Vol. III, p. 1-27. 9. Paulrajan, R. and Rajkumar, H. (2011). Service Quality and Customers Preference of Cellular Mobile Service Providers.Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 6(1), p. 38-45. 10. Thornhill, N. (2003). Your research Project. 2nd edition. London: Sage. 11. Wilson, R. M. S. and Gilligan, C. (2005). Strategic Marketing Management: Planning, Implementation and Control, 3rd edition. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Appendix 1 Table 1: Subscriber base in Zimbabwe Service ProviderNumber of Subscribers Econet Wireless10. 2 million NetOne2. 6 million Telecel1. 8 million Appendix 2 A QUESTIONNAIRE ON EVALUATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CHOICE OF A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER Good day, my name is Thembelihle Moyo.I am a student at the National University of Science and Technology doing Master of Science Degree in Marketing. I am carrying out a evaluation on factors that influence the selection of a particular mobile service provider. The information solicited herein is purely for academic purposes and will be treated in the stric test confidence. 1. Which service provider’s connection do you have? Econet Telecel NetOne 2. Social Factors Using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being â€Å"strongly agree† and 1 being â€Å"strongly disagree†. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree Family and friends should be the sole reason of choosing a mobile network I value the opinions of my friends when making purchasing decisions High profile customers inspire me in making purchase decisions 3. Service Quality Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree The mobile service provider I use is reliable The mobile service provider has a wide network coverage The mobile service provider has high quality in network innovativeness The have high standards of customer care 4. Price Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly AgreeThe low rate charges attract customers to this service provider 5. Promotion al Mix Elements Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree The advertisements of this mobile service provider attracted me to be their subscriber The sim card with initial balance attracted me to this mobile service provider The free calls and free sms attracted me to be a subscriber 6. Service Availability Aspects Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot SureAgreeStrongly Agree The offices are visually appealing The service is easily accessible International roaming is one aspect that is essential in a mobile line THANK YOU

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Profitable Brand for Hostess Brands Inc - Assignment Example The Hostess brand Inc. plunging into bankruptcy is due to the expensive business model that they use to operate. The company owns a large network of buildings, trucks; employees, Teamsters and the bakers union. After identifying the weakness of the Hostess Brands, Inc. Pepperidge farm Bread Company would restructure the business model and the brand would be profitable to the company. The shortcomings of Hostess Company are due to the expensive business model that it adopted. The model that Pepperidge farm Bread Company has will be able to sustain the brand. Buying the brand will not be a waste of resources but vale to the company. Pepperidge farm Bread Company business model does not allow the company to own all the assets that in the bread making the industry, but only the crucial part is handled with the company. The company, however, monitors all the proceedings that involve the sale of its products. The company has the right to terminate the contract that it might have entered in to with a distributor or any business party. The company would not distribute the brand once acquired, but use independent distributors to do the work. This would ensure that even if the workers paralyze the normal distribution, the distribution would still go on as usual. The company has set some guidelines for the awarding of contracts to distributors to protect its interests. The company uses the strategy of the distributor paying for the bread and earning from his sells. This ensures that the distributors work hard and sell the product. These will ensure that the distributors look for more customers to get more sells and earn more. These also reduce the company’s losses compared to when it is the company’s workers distributing the bread. The company has also reduced the cost of operation. The distributors are required to buy their own truck. This reduces the maintenance costs of the trucks. The strategy also ensures that only financially able distributors get the c ontracts to distribute the bread brand. Since the brand is popular within the population. The production would be in mass to satisfy the market. However, the number of bakeries required to achieve this will depend on factors as the route that the distributors are able to cover efficiently. The new establishment will only be set up in places that have a high market and the supply is insufficient to certify the market. Research is conducted before setting up new bakeries. In the meantime, Pepperidge farm Bread Company will use the bakeries accrued with the brand as it continues to study the market. The Pepperidge farm Bread Company will maintain the sole right to the formulae of making the bread and packaging. The company will also maintain the proprietorship rights but release as the distribution rights of the bread. The routes that the Pepperidge farm Bread Company own will go for bids. These routes will be sold to the highest able birder. The bidder will have to demonstrate that he can handle the route. The selling of the routes will help avoid unnecessary competition in the routes amongst the distributors. The act will also ensure that each distributor works hard in his designated route to achieve more sells.

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Cultural Effects on the Leadership Styles - America and India - Research Paper Example Examples of eminent leaders from UAS and India have been cited to explain the nature of the leadership style better. Lastly the universal leadership traits or qualities have been listed and explained in order to evaluate the global culture that works when it comes to selection of a leader. Table of Contents Overview of National Culture - USA and India 4 Effect of National Culture on Leadership Style 5 Effect of National Culture on Followership 6 Leadership Styles in USA and India 7 Universal Aspects of Leadership 8 Conclusion 9 References 10 Overview of National Culture - USA and India The study aims at throwing light on the cross-cultural effects of USA and India on their leadership styles. It is evident that culture affects the human resource practices and even followership and leadership styles of the leaders or managers in organization. The organizations sometime do have a glimpse of their national culture, which also includes the employees and the leaders. So the study would beg in with an overview of the national cultures of USA and India. Both of these countries have a very different cultural background, so a striking contrast could be seen during the comparison. Further, the effect of these cultures on the leadership style and fellowship would be evaluated and a comparison would be drawn. The various leadership styles prevalent in both these countries would be discussed and a few universal aspects in culture and leadership would also be stated to highlight the similarities too. This would be concluded by a short summary of the learning in the study. USA has a western culture, which is influenced from the native culture of America. English is the major language spoken in the country, including other languages such as Spanish, etc. Americans are mostly Christians and visit churches regularly, but they have the freedom to follow any religion of their choice. In terms of education, the Asians are the maximum who visit US for higher studies. The USA had seen the world’s greatest writers such as Mark Twain. The country celebrates the traditional American holidays. The majority of people in America fall under the middle class and the societies here are fragmented based on income, occupation, status, age, etc. The families are mainly nuclear or very small; joint families do not exist. Being one of most developed countries, it is technologically well-equipped (Luedtke, 1992, p. 145-147). India is a land of culture, religion, beliefs, traditions, arts, ceremonies, food, music, dance, etc. It is a place was diverse cultures meet and stay together in harmony. Spirituality and religious beliefs are very important in India. Hinduism is the major religion followed in the country, including many others. In India joint families play a significant role, though small and nuclear families are also there. The tradition of the country is to welcome guests with folded hands. The country celebrates various festivals based on their cultural norms, a s there are many different cultural norms even among Hindus. The country has 28-29 states, the language and culture is different in all these states.

American Indian Smithsonian Museum Essay Example for Free

American Indian Smithsonian Museum Essay The second floor of National Museum of the American Indian contains many interesting exhibits that tell stories of American Indians, such as the livelihood of Native Americans in the present time and the culture of American Indians. There are many items that are related to American Indians’ lives in those exhibits. However, the author of this essay is interested in The American Indian which is the name of an oil painting that has been depicted in one of those exhibits, Our Live. This oil painting was painted on linen in 1970 by Fritz Scholder who was the renowned Native American artist of the 20th century. The painting depicts an American Indian man who beautifies his long black hair with a feather and holds a pipe tomahawk in front of the yellow and brown background. Additionally, the man covers the American flag over his body. The Our Live exhibit represents contemporary life and identities of American Indians. According to the website of National Museum of the American Indian, â€Å"The main section of Our Lives centers on various layers of identity. For Native people, identitywho you are, how you dress, what you think, where you fit in, and how you see yourself in the worldhas been shaped by language, place, community membership, social and political consciousness, and customs and beliefs. But Native identity has also been influenced by a legacy of legal policies that have sought to determine who is Indian and who is not. The issue of Native identity continues to resonate today, as Native people across the Americas seek to claim the future on their own terms. In other words, a significant number of Native Americans attempt to remain their identities; their languages, tradition, culture and custom although the English language, new culture and modern life style of modern Americans influence over their lives. As a result, all of the items that are shown in this exhibit express the view of American Indians about protecting or continuing their lives and identities though their society is affected by white people. For example, the oil painting, The American Indian, is not just the painting that is hanging in order to decorate a wall, but there is the hidden meaning behind the picture. The artist’s inspiration came from the relationship between native nations and modern nations which were full of complexities and ironies, confrontation and negotiations. Also, the artist painted the pipe tomahawk in the man’s hand in order to represent the notion that American Indian were not willing to give their land to white people, and they did not want to abandon their identities, so they had to fight for maintaining their land and their culture. The information board beside this painting states â€Å"The pipe tomahawk reminds us that our survivance was not freely given, we have had to defend it. † Moreover, although American Indians attempt to fight for their identities following their culture, they have to behave in modern American ways in order to survive in present society; using English instead of their traditional languages, changing their religions to Christianity, and changing their culture to modern Americans’ culture. Therefore, the artist expresses this feeling in the picture by draping the American flag over the Native American man’s figure. Because of the profound meaning of this oil painting that is able to tell the story and feeling of Native Americans, it is one of the important items that is shown in this museum. This oil painting is related to the story, â€Å"Decolonising the Mind†, in the book One World, Many Cultures. According to the story, the narrator whose name was Ngugi Wa Thiong’o was born in 1938 in Kenya, Africa. He started his story by introducing his language, Gikuyu and a traditional story that was told to teach Kenyan children by using an animal as the main character of a story. However, everything was changed when he went to a school that was a colonial school. In the school, he must use only English though he talked to Kenyan friends who have Gikuya as their own language. If any student disobeyed this rule, they would be given corporal punishment or fined money that they were not able to afford. Also, English literature was taught to all Kenyan students, whereas the oral literature of Kenya was discontinued to educate Kenyan children. Moreover, the narrator stated that if students had distinctions in all subject except English, they were not able to attend any universities and have high-paying job. 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After reading the story, â€Å"Decolonising the mind†, and visiting the Our Live exhibit, the narrator of this essay thinks that culture and tradition are used to identify the difference of each country around the world, and also, people in each country are proud of their own culture, tradition and languages. As a result, people do not want others to come to their lands and command them to eliminate their culture and tradition in order to follow the new culture and tradition. This feeling is contained in both the story and the oil painting that the writer describes in this essay. Finally, the author of the essay believes that although colonialism is able to force people to behave in its ways, it cannot completely change people’s minds.

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Collaboration Between Architects And Artists Cultural Studies Essay

Collaboration Between Architects And Artists Cultural Studies Essay Architects and artists speak two different languages and think in different ways so what happens when they work together? Can an architect create a space that enhances and reveals the artwork designed within it? Can architects and artists collaborate together in one mission and produce an-art-piece-building? Can a building be artistically designed and at the same time able to function? The answer to the previous questions will definitely be yes. And numerous numbers of buildings and architectural projects prove that to be right. Art has become an approach that changed the practice of architecture forever. It has widened its possibilities and made it more open and able to communicate with humanity and the environment. This collaboration of the two different minds; architects mind and artists mind, can result with a product neither one could have achieved alone. Its a very common and big mistake to separate architecture from art, especially since that the history of architecture itself actually relates back to art school. Many people have forgotten that Michael Angelo, the Italian renaissance painter and sculptor, was the one who designed the Campidoglio in Rome back in the 16th century. Raphael Sanzio designed the Chigi Chapel of Villa Farnesina in the 16th century as well. And Villa Farnesina itself was designed by the Italian painter Baldassare Peruzzi. The history of architecture makes it clear to us that artists have long worked with architects to produce art for their buildings. It is like what once Dan Rice said There are three forms of visual art: Painting is art to look at, Sculpture is art you can walk around, and architecture is art you can walk through. Ever since the 19th century, during the Arts and Crafts movement when the modern age of architecture began, works of architecture started to possess some values of art in them. Architecture became institutionalized in the same schools that taught painting, sculpture and music. And in the early 20th century when the Bauhaus and De Stijl were the dominant styles of architecture the dialogue between architecture and art highly increased and it shifted towards a truly collaborative and integrated process. It is also important to mention that the Bauhaus movement was the beginning and the first start of the new modern approach we are living now. Therefore art carries a lot of influence in our architecture today whether you are aware of it or not. Some people find the matter puzzling. They start asking why we need this collaboration between architects and artists if architecture itself is a form of art. As a matter of fact architecture today is less of a form of art and more of a form of engineering. The past does categorize architecture under art but the present sadly does not. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It was not until the radically atomized academics of the late twentieth century that the confounding notion that art and architecture are categorically different professions was established. explained Kent Bloomer in his book The Nature of Ornament. Architecture and art share a lot of similarities. Architects create something out of nothing and so do artists. They both share the ability of transferring whats on their minds into existence. They both deal with the same lines, shapes and forms. And also they both deal with the same elements of nature; color, light, space and time. Besides that architecture and art have a very associated history. During baroque, rococo and renaissance works of art were highly influenced in architecture. Its almost impossible to find one church in those ages where its ceiling wasnt extravagantly painted or its windows very exceedingly sculptured. Works by Gerrit Reitvelds in the 20th century can be a very good example to show the similarities between architecture and art. His Schroder House is highly influenced by the artist Piet Mondrian from the same era. The composition of lines, the arrangement of forms and the abstraction in colors make the Schroder house look more like a huge sculpture rather t han a house or a building. All these similarities that architecture and art both share work as a strong communication system between them both and they strengthen their relationship. This collaboration is nothing but a relationship between these two disciplines. And by knowing all the similarities they have it is very likely for this relationship to be a successful one. Recently the collaborative work between architects and artist has grown successfully. This growth is very significant and it shows that architecture is developing itself. Today, architects are more able to accept the idea of integrating art with architecture than seventy years ago during the post modernism era. Respectable number of organizations has been established in the aim of having a truly integrated relation between architecture and art. In 1991 an organization called Art for Architecture was established and it was the first attempt to dismantle the wall that divides architects and artists. Art for Architecture became very successful and a lot of their projects became award-winners. In 2003, the Laban dance centre in Deptford, London, designed by architects Herzog de Meuron and artist Michael Craig Martin, won the Stirling Prize. Former artist Edi Rama was voted World Mayor in 2004 for transforming Tiranas buildings into art pieces that decorate the entire streets of the city. After all the trouble the Albanian capital was having, Rama decided to re-paint the citys buildings in a riotous array of pattern and color. That act did not only change the entire architecture of the city, but it also brought social transformation. The architecture of Tirana now has become public art that attracts a lot of artists and inspires them such as Olafur Eliasson, Liam Gillick and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster whose work has become integrated in residential blocks and buildings and turned them into unique works of art. Working with artists acts as an eye-opener to the architects. It helps them to sharpen their thoughts and make them consider their position. Artists do not collaborate with architecture by simply designing a sculpture that can be placed at the entrance of a building or by a painting for the living room. Their involvement can be too fundamental and essential and be a part of the design of the building itself. Bruce McLean, the forerunner of a new generation of artists, with architect John Lyall designed the concourse and underground station at Tottenham Hale, London. McLean was so deeply involved in the project that he helped to come up with the concept. I want to be involved at the outset and not just as an add-on. explained McLean. At Tottenham Hale concourse, McLean and Lyall designed three separate pieces: a 16m-high lit beacon (the Tower of Time), a fountain (the Bridge of Signs) and paving (the Path of People). The idea was to give the people something fun to look at while waiti ng for buses or trains. Lyall saw this project to be a very successful collaboration between art and architecture. The way I feel about the best collaborations is that we start with a bank sheet of paper and work together in free form and what results is something which neither would have thought of separately. I like artists because they have a different eye and way of thinking he explained. McLean is now designing a new foreshore in Bridlington with architect Rayner Banham. The Collaboration between architects and artist does not have to be only for the purpose of making nice looking buildings. Architects Faulks Perry Culley and Rech and artist Martin Richman came up with a great environmental idea to produce electricity! They designed the new incinerator at Tyseley, Birmingham, which burns the waste of households and use the heat produced to generate electricity. Richmans involvement in the project caused a lot of fundamental changes in the architectural side of the project. He replaced the yellow cladding with red ones and he also used the light as an essential factor in the building. Martin introduced the idea of red to highlight the function of the building and its heat so we changed the yellow cladding to red. He also introduced areas of translucent and transparent cladding to show the internal lighting. Says Perry. After his success of collaborating with architects Pelly and Rech, Richman is now working on two other architectural projects. All the previous projects along with many other ones are living proofs that the collaboration and interrogation between architecture and art not only can actually happen, but when it does it results with a huge satisfaction to the architects, artist and also the public. Architect Perry confirmed that the people of Birmingham were very pleased with the outcome of his design with Richman. I havent heard anything from anywhere which is negative. Its all been favorable. And thats something of a first because we architects are used to getting kicked. Explains Perry. Therefore this collaboration promises us with more modern, developed architecture that can communicate with public and be understandable in a better way. It is often argued that art and architecture are totally incapable of meeting each other, especially since architecture deals with numbers, function and mathematics whereas art deals with imaginations, feelings, inspirations and it does not have any function. Nevertheless, this very dissimilarity between architecture and art is actually the reason behind this collaboration, since collaboration is all about differences. If architecture was able to meet art by itself without any interrogations then there would have been no need for this collaboration. But the recent past of architecture taught us that architecture becomes very dull and lifeless without art. Once, Frank Lloyd Wright said Art is the mother of architecture. Even if artists and architects see architecture in different eyes their compromise can be the result of something astonishing and new that no architect or artist alone could have come up with. Architects like to build a building that is slick, fixed and suitable. Artis ts are searching for more brute, independent and confronting approach, as art should be. Towards the end of the project Antoni and I had developed a level of telepathy Explained architect Steve Tompkins about his experience with artist Antoni Malinowski after designing London Community Centre. As a result of combining art with architecture, the latter becomes more human and alive. Art gives architecture the ability to combine beauty and logic in one thing at the same time. Without it architecture will be as boring as accounting. The future of architecture today dose not only lay on the hands of architects alone anymore. It now relies on architects and artists. It is their tasks both to promote architecture to a new level where architecture becomes more meaningful. The future of architecture relies on combining the conceptual approach of artists and the contextual approach of architects. With these two approaches architecture in the next few decades will be starting a new phase where function and art will finally come back together again after more than 70 years of separation.

Violence, Hatred, and Pain in Fyodor Dostoevskys The Idiot :: Fyodor Dostoevsky The Idiot

Violence, Hatred, and Pain in Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot "There was a look of unbounded pride and contempt, almost hatred, in that face, and at the same time something confiding, something wonderfully simplehearted." There began Prince Myshkin's curiosity of and infatuation with the complex Nastasya Filippovna as he sat in awe of this woman's picture in Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot . This story, set in Russia during the late 1860's, is one of continuous love rivalries which describe the life of the Russian aristocracy during that time period. Prince Myshkin is described as the "ideal" man due to his compassion for everyone and his firm belief that there is a good side to all people. The story begins as Myshkin returns to Petersburg after a stay in a Swiss mental hospital for his epilepsy. Upon arrival in Russia, he visits distant relatives who are quite receptive to him and he ends up staying for a while. While there, he believes he has fallen in love with Nastasya Filippovna and prematurely proposes to her. She first accepts, but then rejects him. Nastasya is the driving force behind the novel and carries the reader, as well as the characters, from scene to scene. The duration of the book consists of Myshkin's quest for happiness and love through which he encounters jealousy for his love and for the love of those who love him. Unfortunately, the tragic end to this book, including the predicted death of Nastasya, causes Myshkin to regress to his former epileptic state. The time directly following Myshkin's first proposal to Nastasya stands out as an extremely memorable moment in the book. At Nastasya's birthday party, several men bring money and begin bidding on her hand in marriage. Eventually, she announces to everyone that she wants to alter her lifestyle and start over as a poor woman. Any man who cannot accept her for who she is, she decides, is not the right man for her. She feels that all men are motivated by greed and that the men will not want her for love, only greed. Myshkin feels that he can love Nastasya for who she is and not for her money and so he proposes to her. She immediately accepts and shocks the rest of the party. One of the other suitors, Rogozhin, offers to give up everything he has for Nastasya and Myshkin encourages her to accept his offer because this sacrifice shows that he truly loves Nastasya.

Essay --

With the turning point of the American Revolution in the favor of the Americans being the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and the eventual surrender of British General Cornwallis to George Washington in 1781, the Americans finally earned and gained the freedom they desired from the British. From the beginning when the Articles of Confederation were ratified by all thirteen colonies in 1781 through 1789 when the Constitution was ratified by nine states, the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government. This experimentation with new government was very new in every sense of the word. New things are not always perfect just as new computer programs may have glitches but as with new computer programs; the Articles of Confederation could have been developed and improved to a stronger government. The Americans did not leave any room for improvement and development for the Articles of Confederation, which contributed to its downfall. Americans were fearful of trying something new and with the Constitution. They were afraid of turning back to a government extremely similar of the British government. As a result the Articles provided an effective government politically, economically, and diplomatically from 1781 to 1789. The political effectiveness of the Articles of Confederation is obvious in that it was written in the spirit of independence from the British government and was, as a result, written as a different government as opposed to the government of the British. The Articles explained that the union of the states as a confederacy, a loose group of independent states. This guaranteed that their new government would not include the politics of the past British government. â€Å"They said States hereby sever... ... the Constitution that it was necessary. Opponents to the new plan, anti-federalists, criticized it most on it creating a strong central government that will be abusive to individual liberty. It wasn’t even until the Bill of Rights was drafted by James Madison that people started to accept the Constitution. The Articles of Confederation may have extended much power to the states, which can be interpreted as a way of separating the states; the unity of the states under the Articles of Confederation should be interpreted as Aristotle observed that â€Å"the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.† The Articles of Confederation never got its fair chance to spread its wings as a government and show the world how high it could actually soar. However, during its term from 1781 to 1781, the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with and effective government.

Coral Bleaching: Potential Mechanisms and Observed Adaptations :: Sea Coral Corals Ecosystem Papers

Coral Bleaching: Potential Mechanisms and Observed Adaptations Coral reefs are the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems. Driving this diversity are cnidarian corals which are obligate mutualistic symbioses between coral animals and dinoflagellate algae of the genus symbiodinium. These algae are commonly called zooxanthellae. This symbiosis between heterotrophic hosts and photosynthetic symbionts allows coral to thrive in nutrient poor seas and deposit calcium carbonate to build reefs (Toller et al. 2001, 348). Coral bleaching occurs when there is a loss of zooxanthellae from their coral host. This is accompanied by loss of a coral's normal color that may or may not be detectable to the human eye. Bleaching can lead to coral death when prolonged, although links between bleaching and subsequent coral recovery or death are not well known. Causes of bleaching have been observed to include salinity, exposure to air, and sedimentation. The primary reasons cited to cause most instances of coral bleaching are increased sea temperatures and solar radiation. These two factors have been observed to cause the most damage in combination (Fitt et al. 2001, 51). The two types of bleaching that result from organism damage or disturbance are algal-stress bleaching and animal-stress bleaching. Algal-stress bleaching is characterized by expulsion of individual zooxanthellae from a host cell. Animal-stress bleaching is characterized by host cell detachment, which is expulsion of zooxanthellae from the coral animal along with the host cell they occupy. Radiation and temperature induced animal-stress bleaching and host cell detachment have not been observed in the field at current sea temperatures. This type of bleaching has only been observed under laboratory conditions (Fitt et al. 2001, 55). A third type of bleaching, physiological bleaching, occurs in an unstressed coral-zooxanthellae holobiont as a method of shedding excess zooxanthellae from host cells. Zooxanthellae density within host cells varies seasonally in this manner. Maximum zooxanthellae density is observed to occur during the coolest season with the lowest solar radiation. The minimum density is observed to occur at the end of the warmest season with the highest solar radiation (Fitt et al. 2001, 54). The temperature at which coral bleaching occurs has been observed to be from 30 to 34 degrees Celsius (Ralph et al. 2001, 163). Solar radiation exacerbates bleaching in this temperature range and can also cause bleaching at ‘normal’ temperatures when at sufficient intensity.

Why I avoid social interaction

Over the last few days I have been trying to find out why I avoid social interaction. Usually, I don’t feel comfortable to meet new people. After meditating for sometime I found out that this problem was not an issue that came up in one single day but has developed over a number of years. I therefore went further to think about my past life and the experience that may have led to this kind of behavior. This essay analyzes these experience and their theoretical explanation using psychological eye. My mother is a teacher while my father is a doctor. They are both hardworking and have achieved a lot in their professionals. They always show me some of the medals they were awarded for their good performance in their respective institutions. Apart from that, I have attended and witnessed them receiving the awards. The most significant instances included a ceremony where may father was named the doctor of the year after carrying out a surgical operation which was thought to be too complicated and difficulty to perform. Just a month later, I witnessed my mother receiving a present as the teacher whose subject was best performed in that year. I was so moved by these two occasions that I promised to work hard and become a doctor like my father. One thing I didn’t like in these ceremonies was that particular moment when my parents introduced me to their friends. I was normally filled with fear and shyness. My parents also realized that I was having a very difficulty time whenever we attended such occasions. We all discussed about my problem. They told me that even when I was young I was not only afraid of strangers but also shy. They concluded by telling me that this reaction would not stop all of a sudden but would even continue in the future. They both agreed that this may be the reason why I was uncomfortable whenever I met new people. Back in my school, meetings were often held to evaluate the performance of the students. This was done to ensure that every student did well in examinations as well as to find out, if any, the problems why some students didn’t perform well. Those students who performed poorly in exams were punished and ridiculed. They were even nicknamed. On one particular day I was almost about to fall under this category of students. My parents were annoyed and cautioned me about the kind of friends I had in school. I was promised a present if I improved in school. I had to dedicate more of my time in studies. I used to spend most of my leisure time in watching movies and soaps. Though I didn’t like this at first, I had no alternative since my family and I had moved to this country in which I was quite unfamiliar with. I eventually came to love watching the T. V and currently I prefer this to going out and meeting new people. I usually spend most of the afternoon watching the TV and I have come to associate evenings with watching the TV. The presents my parents received motivated me so much that I had to set my personal goal of being like them or even doing better. A child personality is usually shaped by their personal interaction with their parents and forces which are unconscious. According to Maslow â€Å"the inner need to fulfill one’s potential† which he referred to as ‘self actualization’ is a process that continues all though one’s life. In other words, it is not only applicable to childhood but also across on individual’s lifespan (Slater A, Bremner G, 2003, pp. 57-58). I always felt I that I would only achieve ‘self actualization’ at that time when I will become a doctor and I had to give more time to my studies then going out to meet new people. Psychoanalytic theory (Maslow theory of self actualization) is the reason why I always worked hard to become a doctor. However the theory may not explain my behavior since I have already changed my mind about my future career and I no longer long to be a doctor. My parents’ explanation about my behavior can be traced to trait theories where our actions in childhood are supposed to be manifested even when we grow old. On the other hand this may not explain my behavior since not all what I did in my childhood is manifested in my current life situations (Ewen R, 1998, pp109). Watching some students being punished and humiliated in front of their schoolmates forced me to work even harder to avoid the same. My parents’ reaction to my poor performance and their promise to reward me mounted pressure on me to spend more time in studying. Social learning theory is the reason why I spend more time in books and discouraged me to meet new people. I learned how grievous it was to fail in school by â€Å"observing behaviors of others and outcomes of these behaviors† (Bandura A, 1977, pp. 21-23) However some of my classmates still go out to meet new friends and their performance in class is excellent. Others spend more time studying and perform poorly so this may not be the reason why I avoided social interactions. Watching the T. V came to be part of my life even though I didn’t like it at first. classical conditioning is the reason why I long for the evenings because I love to watch movies and songs. According to Pavlov P. , conditioning implies to that â€Å"process where neurological patterns become sufficiently established to make a response† and there must also be reinforcement (Cropps R, 1986, pp. 98). I no longer watch TV in the evening. From the theory of classical conditioning the evening can can be taken to represent the conditioned stimuli while the Tv soaps and movies represent the unconditioned stimuli. I enjoyed watching the Tv in the evening so much and an evening always reminded me of the soaps and movies. This theory may also not sufficiently explain my behavior because though I no longer watch the Tv in the evening, i still don't like going out to meet new people. All the theories discussed above do not sufficiently explain my behavior even though they may be part of the explanation. I still don't have a concrete explanation of my behavior up to date.