Ultima, Bless Me Essay Example

Ultima, Bless Me Essay Irma Rosero AFPRL 356 Latino Literature Sec 051 September 18, 2011 Cultural and Religious Identity: Bless me, Ultima Bless Ultima, me, is a novel written by Rudolfo Anaya in 1972. The story starts in 1940 during and after World Word II in Guadalupe, New Mexico. The main character is Antonio. Anaya describes Antonio’s childhood through a life changing journey. Also, Ultima, the â€Å" curandera† who helped his mother in childbirth has a strong presence in his spiritual growth and development. Antonio portrays a human being with internal struggles and experiences that conflict with tradition, beliefs, faith, religion and find acceptance of change and growth. Antonio’s familia education is tense with the two opposing symbols of Spanish colonization, his mother’s family, the Lunas, and his father ‘s family, the Marez. The Lunas represent the indigenous people, tied to the earth by their farming; whereas, the Marez represent the conquistadors, freely roaming the llano. Through the novel, Antonio is divided between his Luna blood and his Marez blood, always trying to decide between the two and please his parents desire. This one will be a Luna†¦. he will be a farmer and keep our customs and traditions. Perhaps God will be bless our family and make the baby a priest†¦Then the silence was shattered with the thunder of hoof beats; vaqueros surrounded the small house†¦He is a Marez†¦His forefathers were conquistadores, men as restless as the seas they sailed and as free as the land they conquered† (pag. 5-6). Anaya remarks on the difficult time Antonio has to go through. He will have to choose to be his â€Å"mother’s priest† or â€Å"his father’s son† (41). We will write a custom essay sample on Ultima, Bless Me specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ultima, Bless Me specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ultima, Bless Me specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Antonio’s parents constantly argue about Antonio’s destiny. 2 Antonio Mares, through the story witness many situations that cause conflict with his beliefs and religion. He discovers the magic of a pagan God called The Golden Carp and magic ‘s Ultima that is superior to the power of the Church. Anaya uses Ultima as representing all religious beliefs, which is what gives her power. She respects and reveres God, the Virgin, the Golden Carp, and the earth equally. The conflict emerge choosing between Native American religion and traditional Catholicism. Ultima guides and mentors Antonio to make his own religious choice. The first event occurred when his friend Cico tells him that the Golden Carp is a God that has taken mortal form ,and watches over its people. He asks Ultima about this legend, she tells him that it is true. This answer makes him start doubting the Christian Church. Ultima helps him to find his own path but it could lead him away from the Church. The second event that affects Antonio’s faith, is when Lucas his friend is dying of the witches curse. doctors and priest s come to try and save him but they can not. The 3rd challenge to his Christian’s Faith is when Ultima’s Power is greater than the churches, when she removes the curse of the Tellez family. The author portrays Ultima as a mysterious, magical and luminous character that appears in Antonio’s life the day he was born. â€Å" A cry came to my throat, and I wanted to shout it and run in the beauty I had found† (pag. 12). Antonio admired Ultima and praised her presence because every time she was around, he felt a deep sense of warmth and comfort. â€Å" As Ultima walked past me I smelled the sweet fragrance of herbs (pag ) The author uses the name Ultima with a purpose. Ultima is a Spanish word meaning ultimate or the end. Ultima is special for Antonio since the first time he sees her. She is the unification between the beginning and the end. She is the mentor and guide who helps him from the beginning to find his path to reconcile his cultural and religious conflicts. Ultima has an strong bond of spiritu al affection with Antonio. He has to suffer the rejection of people attacking her as a witch. Ultima is considered a witch with black powers. But Anaya shows us that Ultima is a witch not like Trementina sisters, Ultima is a witch with white power. She uses her power to help people not hurt them. In the events discussed before, Antonio seems to question his religion. He doubts his desire to be a Priest. At the beginning, he attends church willingly and i very interested in Religion. He is eager to learn the Catholic prayers and take Communion classes to pleased his mother religious conditioning. He wonder if God is still alive or exist, because he recalls all the times when God has failed where Ultima has succeeded. In Antonio’s mind, the Priest should have no trouble at all with witches, since their powers are nothing compared to the all strength manifested in the priest by the Church. Antonio believes the power of God is so potent, that â€Å"all you have to do is to lift your right hand and cross your right thumbs over your first finger and form the sign of the cross. No evil can challenge that cross† (pag 55). 4 With many failures and no answers from God, he is away from Catholicism so that he questions a God in whom he has no more trust or strong feelings. He questions God’s love and ability to know all and see all, considering that perhaps† God is to busy in Heaven to worry or care about us† (pag 187). The crucial event that leads Antonio disbelief in God is his first communion. When the answers do not come from God, he is extremely disillusioned, wondering why â€Å"there was only silence† (pag 221). At this point, he becomes very unsatisfied with the Catholic religion, wanting something more concrete and tangible like the Golden Carp. Episode 22 finds him trying to pray the Act of Contrition for his friend Florence, but he knows that it is useless because Florence is an atheist. Antonio is also failing his mother’ desire to be a Priest. He begins to abandon the traditional beliefs that he had nurtured in his heart for so long. Ultima advises Antonio to make his own religious choices: â€Å" I cannot tell you what to believe†¦. As you grow into manhood you must find your own truths†(pag 119). The author seems to convey and compare those difficult moments in Antonio’s journey as it happens in our daily lives. When we are in conflict, we enter in an area of darkness and turbulence as Antonio’s dreams. Anaya uses in story elements and symbols of nature to represent the frightening and unsafe. Stormy weather that represent conflict, tension that disrupts the peace and harmony. The wind and thunder represent forces of disturbances, â€Å" a flash of lighting struck and out of the thunder a dark figure stepped forth† (pag 71). Anaya creates the perfect scene to sense the feelings of turbulence and the agitation during the story. 5 The author mentions the Owl. The Owl is a major symbol in Hispanic Culture, it is an evil bird. It is considered a bad luck. However, in this story the owl is meant to be protector, Ultima’s soul. It represents life force, and power of religious mysticism. The Virgin of Guadalupe, the name of the Town: represents forgiveness and understanding. Antonio’s mother has a two foot big statue of the Virgin. He loves the Virgin more than any of the saints because of what she represents. The Golden Carp as a symbol that represents an alternative religion to the Catholicism that Antonio was raised in. The imagery used to describe Antonio’s family also links the human world to the wider cosmo, The family name Marez means â€Å"sea† like Antonio’s ancestor. The men of the llano are known as men of the sea, because they are wild like the ocean. In contrast, the men from the farms along the rivers, where Antonio’s mother comes from, are associated with the moon. This can be seen in their name Lunas and in the village where they live. El Puerto de la Luna, which means the door of the moon. The Lunas live all aspect of their lives in harmony with the changing phases of the moon. . The reader notices the repetition of the number three. The three sources of understand for Antonio (Ultima, God and Golden Carp). The three deaths that Antonio witnesses, (Lupito, Narciso and Tenorio). And The three Trementina Sisters. The number Three is related to Blessed Trinity. God is one God, He exists in three distinc persons, God, Son and the Holy Spirit. Anaya uses powerful images to evoke multiple responses from his headers. 6 Anaya the narrator, sets up a dialogue between Antonio and Ultima. He admits that he uses his personal experience and those of others in his childhood to construct the story. He uses Antonio as reliable narrator whom the readers can trust. Finally, at the end, Antonio understands the balance Ultima has taught him; he must be Marez and Luna and have a balance between all religious beliefs to truly be a man of learning. In the story Ultima appears to him and explains that he must see beyond himself: â€Å"You have to been seeing only parts†¦and not looking beyond into the great cycle that binds us all â€Å" (121). He learns all beliefs are bound together into a balanced system. Ultima allows him the freedom to make his own decisions. Antonio finds his inner strength, when he goes to stay with his uncles in El Puerto for the summer. Ultima knows that when he returns he will be a different person. â€Å"Be prepared to see things change when you return†¦. You are growing, and growth is change. Accept the change, make it part of your strength† (pag. 245). Antonio discovers a way to reconcile his conflicting religion and beliefs as different issues that occur in his life. He must take the best characteristics of the Mares and Lunas. Also, accept different religion and beliefs to create his personal faith and make himself stronger. â€Å" Maybe I do not have to be just Marez, or Luna, perhaps I can be both† (pag 247). 7 Anaya includes in the story the value of friendship. It was a very important aspect of Antonio’s life. Although his friends were involved in a lot of conflicts, their bond never did not break. During the story the author conveys to the readers about change as a process of life. The process of entering the adolescence is simile as a loss that is to be mourned and accepted. Antonio senses that his friends are also changing â€Å"Vitamina Kid does not want to race anymore† Antonio mourns the loss of â€Å"something good†. When Ultima dies, he is able to understand the link between change and violence, chaos and harmony. Ultima’s death serves to reinstate the harmony of the world. He comforts himself at the end of the story, because he understands he had changed â€Å"no more a child† . He understands that Death is a natural cycle of life and a change that is necessary for life to continue. He knows that Ultima is someone especial and she makes a big impact in his life. Anaya expresses his point through the story that not everyone has the same truth. We find our own truth â€Å"by testing, each and everything that comes your way and not missing out† (pag. 119). Through Ultima’s teachings, we see Anaya challenging the values of the traditional Christian Church. The author intends to suggests the need for a more holistic or diverse view of religion. Anaya uses Ultima her character as a metaphor of understanding, acceptance and tolerance. Her actions show us, that the understanding is based in building the character according experiences of life. In this way, a person cannot think in terms of absolutes. 8 Antonio finally learns the strength of truths is to explore and patiently accept and growth. â€Å"But as you growth into manhood you must not despair of life, but gather strength to sustain you†¦. â€Å" (pag 245) Ultima is a firm believer in tolerance and understanding. She teaches that different belief system can offer equally valid way of understanding the world. Meaning that not matter if it is religion, identity or love, we should learn to open our minds and search what are really matter to us.

Anti Smoking Essays

Anti Smoking Essays Anti Smoking Essay Anti Smoking Essay On April 23, 1985, Coca-Cola, the largest aerated beverage manufacturer of the world, launched a sweeter version of the soft drink named New Coke, withdrawing its traditional 99 years old formula. New Coke was launched with a lot of fanfare and was widely publicized through the television and newspapers. Coca-Colas decision to change Cokes formulation was one of the most significant developments in the soft drink industry during that time. Though the initial market response to New Coke was satisfactory, things soon went against Coca-Cola.Most people who liked the original Coke criticized Coca-Colas decision to change its formula. They had realized that the taste of New Coke was similar to that of Pepsi, CocaColas closest competitor, and was too poor when compared to the taste of the original Coke. Analysts felt that Coca-Cola had failed to understand the emotional attachment of consumers with Coke the brand. They felt that Coca-Cola had lost customer goodwill by- replacing a popular product by a new one that disappointed the consumers.As a result of consumer protests to New Coke and a significant decline in its sales, Coca-Cola was forced to revert back to its original formula ten weeks later by launching Coke Classic on July 11, 1985. Roger Enrico, the then CEO of Pepsi commented on the re-introduction of Old Coke in these words: I think, by the end of their Coca-Cola nightmare, they figured out who they really are. They cant change the taste of their flagship brand. They cant change its imagery. All they can do is defend the heritage they nearly abandoned in 1985. By 1986, New Coke had a market share of less than 3%. MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I) BACKGROUND NOTE Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta-based pharmacist, developed Cokes original formula in 1886. It was based on a combination of oils, extracts from coca leaves (cola nut) and various other additives including caffeine. These ingredients were refined to create a refreshing carbo nated soda. Pembertons bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, suggested that the product be named CocaCola. He also developed the lettering for the brand name in a distinctive flowing script.On May 8, 1886, Coke was released in the market. It was first sold by Joe Jacobs Drug Store in the U. S. The first advertisement of Coke appeared in The Atlanta Journal dated May 29, 1886. Pemberton took the help of several investors and spent $76. 96 on advertising. Initially, he could sell only 50 gallons of syrup at $1 per gallon. To make the drink popular, it was served free for several days only after this that the drink gained peoples acceptance. After Pembertons death in 1888, Asa Candler, his friend and a wholesaler druggist, acquired a stake in the company.Coca-Colas sales soared even without much advertising and as many as 61,000 servings (8 ounces) were Sold in 1889. This made Candler realize that the business was profitable. He decided to wind up his drug business and be associated with Coca-C ola full time. As the business expanded. Candler also invested a higher sum in advertising the drink. By 1891, Candler bought the company for $2. 300. In 1892, he renamed it as Coca-Cola and a year later. Coca-cola was registered as a trademark. Only Candler and his associate Robinson knew the original formula.It was then passed on by word of mouth and became the most closely guarded secret in the American industry. Though occasional rumors spread that cocaine was an ingredient of Coke’s formula, authorities mentioned that this was not true. By 1895, Coke was made available in all parts of the US, primarily through distributors and fountain owners. Coke was advertised as a drink, which relieved one of mental and physical exhaustion, and cured headache. Later, Candler and Robinson repositioned Coke as a refreshment drink. MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I)In the beginning of the 20th century, manufacturing firms in the US were criticized for promoting adulterated products and re sorting to misleading advertisements. Coca-Cola was an easy target for such criticisms. The US government passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act in June 1906. A case was registered against Coca-Cola and the trial began in March 1911. Eventually, CocaCola won the case. But the decision was reversed in the Supreme Court. Finally, the case was settled outside the court in 1917 with Coca-Cola agreeing to reduce the caffeine content of the drink by 50%.In 1919, the company was sold to an investment group headed by Ernest Woodruff for $25 million $10 million in cash and $15 million in preferred stock. Woodruffs major decision after taking over the company was to establish a Foreign Department to make Coke popular overseas. When Coke was released in foreign markets, several problems came up. Initially, it had to rely on local bottlers who did not promote the product with sufficient enthusiasm, or on wealthy entrepreneurs, not familiar with the beverage business. The company also faced problem s regarding government regulations, trademark registration, languages and culture.By 1927, Coca-Colas sales rose to nearly 23 million gallons. Even though Pepsi Cola emerged as its major competitor in the 1930s, Coca-Cola continued doing well. By the time the US took part in World War II, Coca-Cola was more than 50 years old and well established. In 1962, Paul Austin (Austin) became Coca-Colas tenth president and four years later, he became the chairman and CEO of the company. By 1965, soft drink sales in the US had risen to 200 drinks per capita, and Coca-Colas market share had risen to 41% against Pepsis 24%. In 1964, CocaCola also acquired a coffee business.The company developed drinks with new flavors and also targeted food chains, which were fast gaining popularity. In 1970, Coca-Cola faced tough competition from Pepsi. During that year, Pepsis advertising budget exceeded Coca-Colas. During the next few years there was a decline in Coca-Colas market share due to Pepsis rising s ales. In 1978, Pepsi was found to have beaten Coca-Cola in supermarket sales because of its dominance in vending machines and fountain outlets. Coca-Colas sales continued to decline during the late 1970s, as Austin began new ventures such as shrimp farming, water projects and viniculture.The political and social unres countries like Iran, Nicaragua and Guatemala had a severe impact on Coca-Colas market share. The companys poor performance and the increasing discontent of its employees led to Austins exit and the entry of Roberto Goizueta (Goizueta), a 48-year-old chemical engineer, as the companys new CEO in 1980. THE RATIONALE Soon after becoming CEO, Goizueta concluded that the obsession about increasing the market share was futile for Coca-Cola and in certain businesses, the return on capital employed ROCE) was actually less than the cost of capital.As a result, he sold Coca-Colas nonperforming businesses such as wine, coffee tea industrial water treatment and aquaculture. Even a fter this, Goizuetas focus strategy could not stop the decline in Coca-Colas market share, which fell from 24. 3% in 1980 to 21. 8% in 1984 a loss of 2. 5% in four years. The decline in each percentage point amounted to a loss of about $200 million for the company. All this happened in spite of the fact that Coca-Colas annual advertising budget in die early 1980s was higher than Pepsis by an average of $100 million.Despite this, Coca-Colas advertisements were not as effective as those of Pepsi were. Pepsi ads showed that even few Coke drinkers preferred Pepsi in blind taste tests. Coca-Colas market share continued to decline though it had more vending machines, occupied more shelf space and was competitively priced against Pepsi. Coca-Colas distribution was wider than Pepsi, which had enabled it to be the leader in the soft drinks industry. It was extremely popular because of its distinctive taste. By 1984, Coca-Colas overall market share had dropped from 9. 8% in the early 1970s t o 4. %. This became a major cause of worry for the top management of Coca-Cola. During the middle of 1983, the idea of reformulating 99-year old Coke formula struck Goizueta. The purpose was to increase Coca-Colas market share as well as to defend its position as the market leader. A thorough market research was conducted which included interviews with about 2,00,000 consumers. This involved an expenditure of $4 million over two years. The results indicated that consumers who were very fond of Coke constituted 10-12% of the total number of soft MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I) rink consumers. When asked for their reactions to the change in Cokes taste, half of 10-12% loyal Coke consumers said that they may oppose change initially, but would eventually accept it, while the other half said that they would never accept any change. In some cases, the response was contradictory. For instance, some of the consumers, who had said that they prefer Coke to Pepsi, were found to be drinking Pe psi most of the times. Others said Coke was their favorite drink but they drank even Pepsi, or any other drink, which were available at that time.It was discovered that many people preferred Pepsi to Coke because Pepsi was sweeter. Coca-Cola felt that the sweeter taste would appeal more to teenagers and youth. Hence, it decided to launch a sweeter version of Coke, the taste of which would be similar to Pepsi. Coca-Cola also conducted a Focus group research 2 that revealed that many people were willing to try New Coke. However, some believed that Coca-Cola should not alter the taste of the drink. Although both the surveys (Focus group and Survey research) indicated consumer dissatisfaction, their results were contradictory to each other.While the survey result indicated that such dissatisfaction was limited only to a small segment of the market, the focus group research observed a wider dissatisfaction. In September 1984, Coca-Cola introduced a new drink that tasted better than Pepsi and scored 6 to 8 points3 in blind taste tests. The original Coke already exceeded Pepsis popularity by 10 points. The launch of a sweeter version of Coke was expected to make Coke popular than Pepsi by approximately 16 to 18 points. Though the market research had shown customer dissatisfaction, Coca-Cola ignored it and decided to launch New Coke based on the results of the blind taste tests.THE LAUNCH AND ITS AFTERMATH Coca-Cola launched New Coke in April 1985 with the punch line Catch the wave. This change in Cokes formula was publicized through the television and newspapers. The company said that the introduction of New Coke conformed to its efforts to be innovative in its marketing strategies and establish good customer relationships. The announcement reached more than 80% of the American population within twenty-four hours. MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I) The launch of New Coke elicited mixed reactions from the public.The initial response to the product was encouraging with distributors reporting a fairly wide acceptance of it. According to the analysts, the reason for this was that consumers had not tasted the product yet, and were thus curious about its taste. The distributors stocked the product in large quantities due to such an encouraging consumer response. However, the consumers realized that the taste of New Coke was similar to Pepsis and worse when compared to the taste of the original Coke. Gradually, distributors began to accept less stocks of New Coke and later on, they did not stock any due to poor consumer response to the drink.A majority of original Coke lovers criticized the companys act of changing its formula (Refer Exhibit I). Many of them stored large stocks of original Coke at home. Consumers perceived New Coke as a me-too product4 with a sweeter taste like Pepsi. Some said that the original Coke had a unique taste that was stronger than New Coke. Some consumers reportedly complained that the taste of New Coke was similar to sewer water, furniture polish or two dayold Pepsi. An old Coke lover said that the company had spoiled the taste of its 99 year-old soft drink and betrayed the nations trust.Meanwhile, black marketers made a killing as they sold original Coke at an exorbitant price of $30 per six-and-a-half ounce bottle. Some of them even tried to import old Coke from abroad. By the end of May 1985, the scenario had worsened with consumer response at its lowest. After the launch of New Coke, Coca-Cola received more than a thousand calls per week from the Coke drinkers, most of whom informed the company that they were planning to substitute Coke with Pepsi since they found no difference between the two.Coca-Cola had received more than six thousand calls and around forty thousand letters from Coke loyalists from the US and abroad all complaining about New Coke after six weeks of its launch. Due to the protests from a huge number of consumers and a significant decline in the market share from 15% at the time of the launch to 1. 4%, Coca-Cola was forced to revert back to its original formula ten weeks later, by launching Coke Classic on 1lth July, 1985. By the end MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I) of 1985, Pepsi had more market share than the combined market shares of New Coke and Coke Classic.However, in early 1986, Coke again became more popular than Pepsi as the sales of Coke Classic picked up. By early 1986, New Coke had a market share of less than 3% which came down to 0. 6% in 1987 and further down to 0. 1% in the late 1980s. Coca-Cola later re-launched New Coke as Coke IF in 1990 (Refer to Exhibit IV) which soon phased out due to its unpopularity. NEW COKE WHAT WENT WRONG? Analysts attributed the failure of New Coke due to several factors. Some felt that Coca-Cola had failed to understand the consumers emotional attachment with Coke.Reportedly, their attachment with the brand was so strong that one of them went to the extent of wishing his bones and ashes to be preserved in Coke cans after his death. But, after the launch of New Coke, he said that he did not want to be associated with Coca-Cola anymore. Another consumer said that God and Coke were the only two important things in his life. Analysts felt that people had a high regard for Coca-Cola because of its innovative ideas, excellent products launched and the importance it accorded to people and the environment. During the 1970s, one out of every two cola drinks and one out of every three soft drinks was Coke.It was made available in more than 140 countries to 5. 8 million people. These statistics proved its popularity. Also, Coca-Cola was the pioneer in recycling plastic bottles. Analysts felt that Coca-Cola was losing the goodwill of its consumers by launching a product that went against their preferences, taste and opinion. Some analysts also felt that the findings of the market research group were erroneous and late. The research was either in an inappropriate manner or was interpreted incorrectly. Coca-Cola failed to understand that there was much more to marketing soft drinks than winning taste tests.According to the analysts, the research could not have measured the type of consumer feelings that were evoked from reformulation. MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I) Market researchers also felt that Coca-Cola must have gone for focus group testing of a new product concept first and then used individual interviews to verify and quantify the results of focus groups. But, in reality, Coca-Cola carried out individual interviews first and then undertook the focus group testing. Though the company knew that 10-12% of its loyal customers would not appreciate the change in its formula, it totally misinterpreted consumers response regarding taste.The company was totally unprepared for unseen possibilities and this caused its market share to decline rapidly after the introduction of New Coke. A MARKETING BLUNDER OR A PLOY? Notwithstanding the negative consumers response, some media report s claimed that CocaColas act of launching New Coke was actually a deliberate marketing ploy to make people develop a stronger liking of original Coke after they tasted a low quality version of the drink. Coca-Cola used cane sugar and com syrup for the sweet taste of New Coke. During early 1985, Coca-Cola ran short of cane sugar stocks, but had sufficient stocks of com syrup.Cane sugar was sweeter and more expensive than com syrup. When New Coke was introduced in the market, people did not like its sweet taste. Such customer response helped Coca-Cola, and only corn syrup was used while manufacturing Coke Classic. People were so eager to see the original Coke come back that they did not notice the difference between the sweetness of cane sugar and that of corn syrup because they were very similar. Coca-Cola thus saved millions of dollars by using corn syrup rather than cane sugar in its soft drinks. Another report said that the company never believed that New Coke would be accepted by the consumers.They deliberately introduced it with an inferior taste When people got a taste which they disliked they would demand for the original taste and when the original taste was introduced they would purchase it in large quantities. This would help Coca-Cola to regain a part of its lost market share from Pepsi. MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I) Though these media reports remain unconfirmed, there was jubilation among the Coke lovers around the world after the introduction of Coke Classic Coca-Cola received between 18,000 to 30,000 calls of thanks from every corner of the world.One of them said that it was like an old friend had returned home after a long time. The New Coke fiasco did not result into losses for Coca-Cola. The sales of Classic Coke went up to 10 times as that of New Coke soon after its launch. Coca-Colas stock price jumped from $61,875 to $84,500, a 35% increase. By early 1986, the stock hit an all-time high of $110 (Refer Exhibit II) in 12 years, between 197 4 and 1986. At the end of the whole episode, Goizueta was happy man since it resulted in building shareholders value.He said, But the most significant result of New Coke by far, was that it sent an incredibly powerful signal a signal that we really were ready to do whatever was necessary to build value for the owners of our business. Goizueta was rewarded with $1. 7 million in salary and bonuses and almost $5 million additional bonus for the increase in stock price. Questions for Discussion: 1. The launch of New Coke turned out to be a nightmare for Coca-Cola. Discuss the marketing implications of introducing New Coke. Was it necessary to re formulate New Coke? . Market researchers had expected Coca-Cola to conduct focus group testing of a new product first and then use individual interviews to verify the results of the focus groups. What other types of research methods would have been helpful to the company in providing consumer insights? Discuss. 3. Though some analysts felt that the launch of New Coke was a blunder, others thought it was a deliberate marketing ploy. Is the failure of New Coke really a marketing blunder? Give your opinion and substantiate it. MIT-SOB PGDM- 31st Batch (Sem-I)

7 Ways Private School Prepares You for College

7 Ways Private School Prepares You for College When students apply to private school, it’s often with the ultimate goal of getting into a top college. But how exactly does private school prepare you for college? 1. Private Schools Offer Exceptional Academics The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) researched just how prepared students were for college. When asked, students who attended both boarding schools and privates reported that they were more prepared for college both academically and in non-academic areas than those who attended public school. Private school students were also more likely to earn an advanced degree, with boarding school students coming in with the highest percentage of advanced degrees earned. Why is this? One reason is that private schools are designed to help students develop a love of learning, which means that they are more likely to continue their schooling beyond high school and undergraduate college. 2. Private Schools are Rigorous It’s not uncommon to hear a private school graduate come back from their first year at college saying that it was easier than high school. Private schools are rigorous, and demand a lot of students. These high expectations result in students developing strong work ethics and time management skills. Private schools often require that students participate in two or three sports and afterschool activities, while also offering clubs and activities, in addition to their academics. This heavy schedule means time management skills and a schoolwork/life balance are skills that students master before college. 3. Boarding School Students Learn Independence Students who attend boarding school receive an even better preview of college life, more so than students at a day school. Why? Because boarding school students live in dorms on campus, instead of at home with their families, they learn what it’s like to live independently, but in a more supportive environment than you might find at college. Dorm parents at boarding school play an active role in the lives of boarding students lives, providing guidance and encouraging independence as they learn to live on their own. From laundry and room cleanliness to waking up on time and balancing work and social life, boarding school challenges students to make responsible decisions. 4. Private Schools are Diverse Private schools typically offer more diversity than public schools, as these institutions tend to enroll students from not just one town. Boarding schools go even further, welcoming students from all over the world. Like colleges, diverse environments tend to provide rich experiences, as students live and learn with people from all walks of life. These varied perspectives on current events, lifestyles, and even pop culture references can enhance the academic classroom and broaden personal understanding of the world. 5. Private Schools have Highly Qualified Teachers The TABS study also shows that boarding school students are more likely to report having high-quality teachers than private or public schools. At boarding school, teachers are so much more than just classroom teachers. They are often coaches, dorm parents, advisors, and support systems. It’s common for boarding school students to stay in touch with their teachers long after graduation. Private school teachers typically dont just have teaching certificates, in fact, many private schools value experience over a teaching certificate. Private school teachers tend to have advanced degrees in their subject areas, and often have extensive professional backgrounds in their teaching subjects. Imagine learning physics from an actual engineer, or being coached by a former professional player? Private schools strive to hire the best in the business, and the students benefit greatly. 6. Private Schools Provide Personal Attention Most private schools boast small class sizes. At private schools, an average class size is often between 12 and 15 students, whereas the NCES reports that an average classroom ranges from about 17-26 students, depending on grade level and type of class. These smaller class sizes, which sometimes have more than one teacher, especially in kindergarten programs and primary school programs, mean more personal attention for students, no back row, and no chance of getting overlooked in discussions. Private school teachers are also expected to be available outside of normal class times for extra help, especially at boarding schools. This supportive environment  means  students receive even more opportunities for success. 7. Private Schools Help Students Apply to College Another benefit of boarding school, particularly when it comes to preparing for college, is the assistance students, and their parents, receive in the college application process. College Counseling offices work with students and their families to help find the best fit colleges and universities. As juniors, and sometimes even as freshmen or sophomores, students begin to work with qualified college counselors who help guide them through the college application process. From providing help with researching colleges and universities to reviewing financial aid and scholarships, college counselors work to help students find the schools that will help them thrive. With more than 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States, college counseling services can be invaluable to students and their families. Assistance in finding the right college doesnt just mean finding a school that offers a particular major, either. Private schools also help students capitalize on their strengths during the college admission process. College counselors can help students identify schools with targeted sports or art programs, which can be  helpful if scholarships are available. For example, a student who hopes to eventually pursue an MBA may opt for a college with a strong business school. But, that same student may also be a standout soccer player, and so finding a college with both a strong business program and an active soccer program can be a huge help. Boarding school coaches are often involved in helping student athletes get seen by top college recruiters, which could result in an athletic scholarship to play on an athletic team. College is expensive, and every bit of financial aid support can be a huge help in staving off mounds of student loans.

Sustainable Food Business Sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sustainable Food Business Sector - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the sustainable foods are produced in the best possible ways and are traded within the ethical norms without causing any harmful impact on the society or the environment The food products that are termed as sustainable are produced and traded in such a fashion that it contributes towards the sustainable livelihoods as well as the local economies, enhances protection towards animals and plants and also takes into consideration the welfare of wild as well as farmed species, it also takes into account all possible measures so as not to cause any damage to the natural resources and contribute positively towards the climate, and provide various kinds of social benefits such as good food quality, educational opportunities and healthy and safe products. With the rise of a globalized economy, there has also been an increase in demand toward the food sector. The companies in the sustainable food sector need to meet the demand that is created in the consumer market being aligned with the environmental policies and norms and also with the sustainability agenda. There are many companies in this sector but one of the most renowned companies who has set its mark on the sustainable food sector is Kraft Food Group. Kraft Food is a grocery manufacturing company in America. The group is also into processing conglomerate. The company has its headquarters in Chicago. The company was incorporated in the year 2012 after there was a demerger that took place and the name of the original company was changed to Mondelez International. This company is now used for distributing the confectionary and snacks brand of Kraft Food. On the contrary, the Krafts food group is totally focused on the North American market and deals with grocery products. The company in the present scenario is known for its sustainability measures that it incorporates in all its products so as to offer the healthiest products to its consumers and also safeguards the environment by utilizi ng all forms of renewable energy resources.

History of the nazi holocaust - take home midterm Essay

History of the nazi holocaust - take home midterm - Essay Example 2. The  Sturmabteilung  (SA) served as the original paramilitary wing for the Nazi party in Germany. This paramilitary wing played a key role in the rise of Hilter and Nazi party into leadership. The main work of the SA was to protect from attack the rallies that were organized by Nazi party. The SA was also tasked with disrupting meetings and rallies that were organized by other political parties that were opposed to Nazi as well as fighting the paramilitary units of the opposing parties. All this actions were key in Nazis ascension to power. 3. Mein Kampf was a book that is believed to have been written by one of Hitler’s scribes through dictation by Hitler. The book forms the manifesto of Hitler. It provides insight of how he plans to rule Germany and how Germans are a superior race compared to others. The proclamation of German as a superior race and his ambition as shown in the book to unite all German speaking states to one great German made the book to be popular among Germans as that made them love and elect Hitler to power. The book ha however, been rebuked in other parts of the word for its racism. 4. The Reichstag fire occurred on February 27th  1933. The Reichstag building was where parliament of Germany was and was therefore was destroyed by fire. The event together with the events following it gave the Nazi government control since most of the other opposing parties which were the communists and social democratic party were executed following the fire. The execution was done since it was suspected that they had started the fire. This provided a real majority for the Nazi party since they now comfortably took control of the government unlike initially where they were not sure of control if the two parties combined. 5. The Anti-Jewish Boycott took place in April 1, 1933, Hitler’s government called on Germans to stop buying from Jewish shops or even visiting professional officers

The Theme of Religion in Angela’s Ashes Essay -- Angelas Ashes Irish

The Theme of Religion in Angela’s Ashes Throughout the novel, religion is presented as being of extreme importance in Irish society, influencing the beliefs and actions of the characters. I will attempt to highlight the several factors which I believe make up the presentation of religion in â€Å"Angela’s Ashes†. From the beginning of the book, religion is said to make up a large part of the unhappy childhood Frank suffered. The following quote shows the extent of Frank’s sentiments: â€Å"Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood, is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood† The quote above portrays the crescendo of negative emotion, describing the worse possible scenario of a childhood, adding finally â€Å"Catholic† to signify the most terrible part of the childhood Frank suffered. This indicates that religion played an important role in a person’s life and in the society presented by the book. A person’s life was structured to follow the ideals of their religion. From the tone of the quote however, I am led to believe that according to Frank, being a Catholic lead to suffering in life and that therefore, religion guided lives. What is shown later in the book is that the misery Frank refers to is not only poverty and living standards, but the Catholic way of life, restricting freedom and opportunity in life. Regardless of the fact that religion could be blamed for an array of problems in the lives of the characters, Catholicism is presented as an extremely important part of life in Ireland. Many, such as Frank’s grandmother, consider it to be an institution with all answers to life; an institution that needs to be followed in order to achieve a greater good i... ...often too easy to sin in the Catholic religion, and that almost anything a person did, even impure thoughts, could be considered sins. Frank makes a comment about being â€Å"an official sinner† after his First Communion, indicating that he considers sinning to be a natural part of life, and that being an â€Å"official† sinner allows him to confess, and therefore gain forgiveness from the Church. Religion has been presented through threats made to force people into doing something often against their will. It has been presented as inspiring fear in people and therefore directing their lives. Overall, many characters, including Frank, have shown only a superficial belief in Catholicism, although through the fear they have they live their lives in accordance with the church, yet often defying its basic principles, such as sex before marriage, theft and adultery. The Theme of Religion in Angela’s Ashes Essay -- Angela's Ashes Irish The Theme of Religion in Angela’s Ashes Throughout the novel, religion is presented as being of extreme importance in Irish society, influencing the beliefs and actions of the characters. I will attempt to highlight the several factors which I believe make up the presentation of religion in â€Å"Angela’s Ashes†. From the beginning of the book, religion is said to make up a large part of the unhappy childhood Frank suffered. The following quote shows the extent of Frank’s sentiments: â€Å"Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood, is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood† The quote above portrays the crescendo of negative emotion, describing the worse possible scenario of a childhood, adding finally â€Å"Catholic† to signify the most terrible part of the childhood Frank suffered. This indicates that religion played an important role in a person’s life and in the society presented by the book. A person’s life was structured to follow the ideals of their religion. From the tone of the quote however, I am led to believe that according to Frank, being a Catholic lead to suffering in life and that therefore, religion guided lives. What is shown later in the book is that the misery Frank refers to is not only poverty and living standards, but the Catholic way of life, restricting freedom and opportunity in life. Regardless of the fact that religion could be blamed for an array of problems in the lives of the characters, Catholicism is presented as an extremely important part of life in Ireland. Many, such as Frank’s grandmother, consider it to be an institution with all answers to life; an institution that needs to be followed in order to achieve a greater good i... ...often too easy to sin in the Catholic religion, and that almost anything a person did, even impure thoughts, could be considered sins. Frank makes a comment about being â€Å"an official sinner† after his First Communion, indicating that he considers sinning to be a natural part of life, and that being an â€Å"official† sinner allows him to confess, and therefore gain forgiveness from the Church. Religion has been presented through threats made to force people into doing something often against their will. It has been presented as inspiring fear in people and therefore directing their lives. Overall, many characters, including Frank, have shown only a superficial belief in Catholicism, although through the fear they have they live their lives in accordance with the church, yet often defying its basic principles, such as sex before marriage, theft and adultery.

To Serve and Protect

Each police department believes that integrity and professionalism are the foundations for trust in the community. As trust is a significant element in the overall wellbeing of the society, a working police department must efficiently and effectively manifest integrity and professionalism in its actions so that trust from the community will be earned. The central question, however, is exactly how to achieve such an end. Being a police officer is not an easy task as what others may be inclined to believe.Quite on the contrary, being a police officer is almost synonymous, if not entirely the same, with risking one’s life on the line of duty. It does not take a genius to think that police officers face the risks of â€Å"endangering their lives precisely because of the nature of their work† (Ashenhust, p. 605). Being a police officer, the tasks include almost everyday dealings with dangerous criminals, first time public offenders who pose unpredictable threats to the publi c, or the â€Å"unpredictable public environment† teeming with â€Å"potential hazards to ordinary citizens† (Ashenhust, p. 605).As such, balancing one’s responsibilities and one’s performance in the department is perhaps one of the primary concerns of being a police officer. There are no shortcuts in achieving such a goal. To say the least, the efforts of law enforcing agents to meet their responsibilities is already a given or is already expected that perhaps the primary concern of the officer apart from meeting one’ responsibilities should be the prerogative of establishing good rapport with the public for several good reasons. The credibility of every police officer and of the entire police department is directly affected by the performance of the police agents.As the performance of these agents builds the corresponding image of the police department, it should be the case that the police agents should strive to attain a good performance that w ill consequently raise the image of the whole department. Since the police department is one of the many government institutions built around the directive of serving the people by providing the needed and ample services to the public, it is imperative that the very structure of the police department must be one which is devoid of internal flaws or, at least, has limited flaws (Block, p. 91).In order to do this, requirements for prospective police officers such as those applying for the various police positions must be structured according to the principles under which the department is founded. A careful background check with regard to the personal background of the prospective police officers must be secured first so that no ‘black sheep’ will be included from among the roster of law enforcing agents. Moreover, police departments must see to it that they serve the public with sincerity since an element for building trust is the characteristic of being genuine.In effec t, the mentality of the police officer must be patterned in accordance to the spirit of the principles embodying the government’s law enforcing arm. The police officer must act in accordance to his duties not only because he or she is compelled to do so. Far more importantly, the police officer should act as if the task of being a police officer is not a mere task that must be fulfilled but a task which is treated deeply as if it defines the very existence of the law enforcers. It is not enough to merely act because one is required to do so.Rather, police officers must begin to realize the thought that acting one’s duty not out of necessity but out of one’s personal drive is far more rewarding, if not for the police department at least for the self. To achieve such a feat, moral building activities must be pursued every once in a while in order to maintain the level of sincerity of the police officers. Enrichment activities specifically geared towards refining a nd realigning the sincerity of the police officers must be pursued so that the police officers will not lose track of the morality behind principled law enforcement.By being able to successfully maintain a considerable and observable level of sincerity towards the provision of services to the public, the people will not hesitate to build their trust around the police officers. This is because a legion of police officers being able to sufficiently meet the needs of the community in terms of protection will be able to attract the positive attention of the public. This positive attention on the other hand will expand the good relations between the police officers and the public inasmuch as the police services are sustained.A positive correlation of a form of relationship between the two creates a more sincere atmosphere. As sincerity translates to a heightened sense of integrity and professionalism, police officers will most likely gain the trust of the community. Further, each police officer should be committed to an open and honest relationship with the community. By this we mean to say that every existing police officer and department must be able to create a harmonious coexistence with the community.Although building such an atmosphere is not an easy task, it is nevertheless a possible feat, achievable through the initiative of either the law enforcing agencies or the public, perhaps even both at the same time, or if not, the former case will be more preferred. There are many ways to achieve, and most of these measures are already used in most organizations. For one, every department of the police must have the attitude of establishing rapport with the community as it can benefit both sides in many ways. Establishing rapport with community can be achieved through an open communication with the community.A form of this type is an open dialogue with the individuals of the community every now and then, say at least once a month, so that the police departments ar e able to â€Å"get updated with the recent developments from amongst the members of the community† and the whole community in the long run (Goldstein, p. 1123). Being able to create an open dialogue with the public reconsolidates the relationship between police officers and the public. But that is not to say that the police should abandon the objective of sustaining this relationship after a short period.Quite on the contrary, police officers should take all the chances and efforts of maintaining this rapport. Constant communication with the public—even in simple cases where patrolling police officers can have simple conversation with passing commuters or people attending to their businesses along the streets—aside from open dialogues between the department and the community can be effective means of reinforcing the open communication and harmonious relationship between police officers and the public.Another way of creating a rapport between the law enforcing d epartments and the community is to consistently visit and monitor the vicinity where the individuals in the community live in order to have direct contact with the people. This ensures that the people within the community are able to get a firsthand experience of interacting with the police officers. It amounts to increasing the feeling of security for the people which in turn furnishes an open relationship between the two sides.For the most part, an ‘honest’ police department is a branch of the law enforcing agencies which â€Å"does not hide anything from what the public must essentially know since police departments are still branches of the government† created for the people (Huddleston and Sands, p. 139). Hence, one way of maintaining an ‘honest’ relationship from both sides is to keep track of the police developments, update the public about these developments, and keep a record for police activities so that the public will be guided accordingl y.An ‘open’ relationship, on the other hand, entails the presupposition that the public should not hide things in which the police departments must primarily get a grasp on. Conversely, police authorities must also provide the public the vital information they are presumed to know. This can be achieved through a public information dissemination campaign such as public bulletins were police announcements can be placed. In summary, every institution of the police department firmly believes that integrity and professionalism are the key foundations for building trust with the community.Likewise, every department of the police should be committed to an open and honest relationship with the community. These two codes of ethics make it quite certain that an effective and efficient police body will be maintained while at the same time having a community which responds in accordance to the policies being offered by the police departments. A seamless cooperation between the poli ce department and the community can be achieved when proper codes of ethics are greatly taken into account. Indeed, being a police officer is no easy task as some may believe it to be.The dangers of being a police officer are as real as they get, and the tasks are equally heavy. Being a police officer means to serve and to protect not only in terms of serving and protecting the interest of the public but the very integrity of every police department as well. It is like a two sided responsibility where one is inextricable from the other. The fulfillment of one is never enough as well as with the other. That is, being of true service necessitates a good, if not better, performance for the police department and, more importantly, for the public.Works Cited Ashenhust, P. H. â€Å"Being a Police Officer. † The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science 49. 6 (1995): 605. Block, Richard L. â€Å"Fear of Crime and Fear of the Police. † Social Problems 19. 1 (199 1): 91. Goldstein, H. â€Å"Police Policy Formulation: A Proposal for Improving Police Performance. † Michigan Law Review 65. 6 (1997): 1123. Huddleston, M. W. , and J. C. Sands. â€Å"Enforcing Administrative Ethics. † Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 537 (1995): 139.