Marketing environment and buyer behaviour Essay Example

Marketing environment and buyer behaviour Essay Example Marketing environment and buyer behaviour Paper Marketing environment and buyer behaviour Paper The external marketing environment (1 000 words) Choose two environments within the external environment to analyses demographic, socio-cultural, economic, technological, natural, competitive and political and legal (500 words per environment) Provide a definition of each chosen environment and justify in relation to your product (4 marks) Explain how each chosen environment impacts your product, using evidence from your research (business sources) to justify (20 marks) Discuss the opportunities presented for your chosen product in each environment (8 arks) Discuss the threats presented for your chosen product in each environment (8 marks) 1) Political First of all, political factors refer to the stability of the political environment and the attitudes of political parties or movements. This may manifest in government influence on tax policies, or government involvement in trading agreements. Political factors are inevitably entwined with Legal factors such as national employment laws, international trade regulations and restrictions, monopolies and mergers rules, and consumer protection. The difference between Political and Legal factors is that Political refers to attitudes and approaches, whereas Legal factors are those which have become law and regulations. Legal needs to be complied with whereas Political may represent influences, restrictions or opportunities, but they are not mandatory. One of the important aspects that Apple Inc. Just consider is a market and product launching regulations. In Europe, many residents do not even have a land line phone system, and the mobile phone is the primary and only) phone number. Thus, the political environment is more possessive Of the cellular standards. This is also one of Apples biggest weaknesses. Keep in mind there are different political systems in different countries that must agree on the same cellular standard. The cellular standard must be transparent to a country that is a monarchy as well as a socialist country. The E has made it clear that the political aim of the governments role in cellular standards is to entertain more competition that shares the same standards. One more issue that Apple must confront is the apparent De facto reductionism of Monika and Ericson. These two companies are extremely important to their economy, as Monika has been mentioned as one of Rupees most important companies. The future is pretty safe for those two telecommunications giants, and Apple will be at a disadvantage if it must wrestle with them. There is an argument that with cellular standard conforming to European standards, US companies such as Motorola and Apple may be at a disadvantage in keeping up with Rupees cellular manufacturers. One can argue that this can be supported by the 2. G release of the phone Europe as opposed to the G standard. Apple can argue the European standards are exclusionary and discriminatory as Apple has invested large amounts of money into R standards. At present, mobile devices based on current US technology are now locked out of the E market since the W-CDMA standard has been converted into a requirement. (Wallis- Brown, Von Hellene, et al, 2000) The development of the phone under two different standards is a burden for Apple. The ELI arguably also protects its two telecommunication giants, Monika and Ericson. Apple is not alone in this fight, as Korean manufacturers such as LEG and Samsung face these burdens. Apple also shares this dilemma with Motorola on IIS soil. However, these competitors are established companies that have introduced product since the early adopter phase of mobile technology. Apple is a late entry in mobile phones. The development of the phone must balance the development of the phone to conform to US standards, E standards, and still maintain its uniqueness that the Apple brand has always maintained. 2) Technological The technological environment refers to new technologies, which create new product and market opportunities. Technological developments are the most manageable uncontrollable force faced by marketers. Organizations need to be aware of new technologies in order to turn these advances into opportunities and a competitive edge. Technology has a tremendous effect on life-styles, consumption patterns, and the economy. Advances in technology can start new industries, radically alter or destroy existing industries, and stimulate entirely separate markets. The rapid rate at which technology changes has forced organizations to quickly adapt in terms of how they develop, price, distribute, and promote their products. The four Ups of marketing are directly affected the moment a new sign is created. New technology is an ever- growing competitive industry based on consumer demand. Consumers want to do everything faster and easier, thus causing companies to combine their technologies into one product. The idea of multi-media device is not new, mobile phones have been able to make calls and access the internet for some years now. With the latest craze of listening to music outside of the car and Disdains becoming a history channel special, digital music; MPH has skyrocketed. With many Pads supporting a Windows based SO, consumers were able to buy a memory arid, load music, insert that into their phone, and listen via Windows Media player. The phone is different because it allows music to be stored directly onto either a 4 or KGB hard drive (Apple Inc. , 2014). The phone uses a new multi-touch display and new software so everything can be controlled by touch. It capabilities of listening to music and watching videos are amazing compared to standard software on Pads and other multi- media phones currently available. The phone capabilities are the same, you just simply touch a name and press call on the display, and there are no buttons to press. The internet allows you scroll web pages while downloading, just like a computer. However, in the international market, if Apple were to enter into Europe, they would be faced with a challenge of accommodating their technology. Rupees largest mobile phone service provider, Videophone, uses G/LISTS technology, which the phone does not support. Phone currently operates on GSM; however rumors have been spread about the possibility of Apple developing two versions of their phone. If a contract between Videophone and Apple was generated and the two versions of the phone were available for OTOH markets, the launch of the phone would be astounding. As technology is growing fast it is a big advantage for Apple because if it continue innovates like today it will be able to keep a pace of the high technology growth in the world. Increasing demand in technology can lead the company to new success. One of the biggest mobile wireless developments in 2008 was the increased availability of G mobile phones, such as Apples phone G. Moreover, Sprint is planning to offer a Woman based G services by 2009. Other mobile providers (including AT T, Verizon wireless, and T-Mobile) are currently purporting new Long Term Evolution (LET) G technology based on the SIMMS cellular standard. Chips are already developed that support both types of G networks and are expected to be included in Notebook computers, mobile phones, digital cameras and other consumer devices. Moreover, the mobile cloud is the recent trend, which includes not only giant carriers and Mobile device makers (Apple, Samsung), but also a full convergent of internet based companies and software giants (Amazon, Google, Face book, Microsoft and more). Apple launched cloud in October 201 1 and this new service stores music, applications, photos, calendars, intact, and documents and wirelessly pushes them to multiple ISO devices, Macs and Windows-based computers (Apple Annual Report, 2011 Apple Inc. Is on top of the market because of investing highly in research and product development. Moreover, innovation has shown big portion of this brand and has shown to pay out (Apple Inc. , 2014). B. Consumer buyer behavior (1500 words) What type Of buying decision is used for your product? Justify your answer by considering the level of involvement and other factors influencing this (10 marks) How might need recognition be triggered for your product? Explain how one factor influences this stage (1 0 marks) How could information search be undertaken for your product? Explain how one factor influences this stage (10 marks) Provide an example of a typical evoked set for your product and describe how alternatives could be evaluated for your product. Explain how one factor influences this stage (10 marks) How might the decision to purchase be made for your product? Explain how one factor influences this stage (ID marks) How might a consumer undertake post-purchase evaluation for your product? Explain how one factor influences this stage (10 marks) Studying consumer attitudes toward brands is of paramount important because thats what comes closest to revealing if a consumer intends to buy the brand in question. The Attitude toward object model is suitable for measuring attitude towards a product category or specific brands. According to this model, the consumers attitude toward a product/brand is a function of the presence (or absence) and evaluation of certain product-specific beliefs and/or attributes. That explains the number that turned up at various launches of the phone across the country. This also explained by the Attitude toward behavior model. This model is designed to capture the consumers attitude toward behaving or acting with respect to an object rather than the attitude toward the object itself. The appeal of this model is that it seems to correspond somewhat more closely to actual behavior than the attitude toward object model. Now this where Apple fails. There are 5 important steps that a consumer makes before they decide upon purchasing a product or using a service. What goes on in their head? Understanding these processes will help with developing marketing strategies targeted to the consumer. Brand awareness plays a huge role in the consumer decision making process. When consumers show an interest in buying a certain product, many of them will follow a decision making process which follows the next steps: problem recognition (unsatisfied need), information search, evaluation of expected outcome, purchase, post- purchase behavior. This process is a guideline for studying the way consumers make decisions, but it is important to remember that they can abandon the whole idea at any stage, and they do not necessarily continue with this decision making process up to a purchase. Consumer behavior is influenced by many things, including environmental and marketing factors, he situation, personal and psychological factors, family, and culture. Businesses try to figure out trends so they can reach the people most likely to buy their products in the most cost-effective way possible. Businesses often try to influence a consumers behavior with things they can control such as the layout of a store, music, grouping and availability of products, pricing, and advertising. While some influences may be temporary and others are long lasting, different factors can affect how buyers behave whether they influence you to make a purchase, buy additional products, or buy nothing at all. The first stage in the buying decision is problem recognition. Problem recognition occurs when a consumer is faced with an unsatisfied need (the need for a more convenient mode of communication) and desires a fulfilled outcome that satisfies this need. Problem recognition is triggered by either external stimuli (advertisements) or internal stimuli (hunger or thirst). Consumers can recognize unfulfilled wants in several ways, for example when an old product is not performing as well as it should, or when consumers are made aware of a new technology that will enhance their current product experience. The core off marketers goal is to make consumers aware of possible unsatisfied needs, and to show the consumer how the product or service will fulfill that need. Look at how Steve Jobs came along with the phone. No one needed it, but he made sure that the phone was something that everyone needed to have. Human beings are social, and they need people around them to interact with and to discuss various issues in order to reach better solutions and ideas. We learned that these social factors typically consist of the consumers small groups, their family, and their social roles and status. We also learned about social roles such as Initiators, Influences, Deciders, Buyers, and Users. These roles play a part within social groups consisting of friends and families in aggravating a buyers hunger for a certain product. The second stage in the buying decision is the search for information and the organization of this information within the individuals frame of reference. The information search involves exposure to different sources, such as promotional material and displays of the product, actively researching the product, or relying on historic information in the consumers mind, such as reconciled ideas about a product or a previous experience (good or bad) with such a product (our personal and psychological factors). Affecting consumer buyer behavior, Psychological Factors, are the consumers own personality is constructed by the unique psychological characteristics that create relatively consistent, lasting behavior in response to their own environment. These characteristics include Self Concept, Motivation and the five motivational needs, Perception, Learning, and Beliefs and Attitudes. In Summary, all Of these factors and stimuli illustrate an important point: nonusers are complicated. Not all buying decisions rely this heavily on the gathering of information, and the extent to which a consumer conducts an information search depends largely on the perceived risk of the purchase. When we are confronted with a decision, emotions from previous, related experiences affix values to the options we are considering. These emotions create preferences which lead to our decision. We are capable of rationally processing information about alternative choices; but were unable to make decisions because they lacked any sense of how they felt about the options. However, for consumers, perhaps the most important characteristic of emotions is that they push us toward action. In response to an emotion, humans are compelled to do something. In a physical confrontation, fear forces us to choose between fight or flight to insure our self-preservation. In our daily social confrontations, insecurity may cause us to buy the latest phone to support our positive self-identity. The third stage of the decision making process, is the evaluation of expected outcome. The consumer is now ready to make a decision based on all the information gathered, and those discarded. The consumer has now developed a set of criteria against which he will base this decision, and will most likely be able to narrow his search down to only a few products. The goal of the marketing manager is to determine which attributes of a product will convince a consumer to buy it. Recent studies have shown that attributes which plays on emotions (such as perceived trustworthiness, perceived comfort, perceived excellence or perceived status) are the ones that weighs the heaviest in decision making processes. This stage of the decision making process is critical, because many consumers are not able to make a rational session by weighing up alternatives, and if they have reached this stager the more emotional consumer has reached an uncritical blindness in which they become obsessed with buying the product. The next step in the decision making process is to purchase the product. The consumer has decided which product to buy, or not to buy anything at all. If he decides to make a purchase, the next step in the process is an evaluation of the product after the purchase. While demographic variables such as income, education, and marital status are important, we will look at gender, age, and stage of life and how they influence purchase decisions. Men and women need and buy different products. They also shop differently and in general, have different attitudes about shopping. You know the old stereotypes. Men see what they want and buy it, but women try on everything and shop till they drop. Theres some truth to the stereotypes. Interestingly the process does not stop at the point of purchase because there is a stage five called the post-purchase evaluation. The process continues even when the product or service is being consumed by the individual or business. So if it doesnt meet your needs or solve your problem o can take action to improve the product or service. Your actions at this point might inform other potential buyers who would be keen to hear about your experiences. The level of satisfaction that the consumer will experience will depend largely on how many of his expectations were met. Lets look at an example based upon buying a new Phone. The first stage is likely to be that you have a need for communication or access to the Internet, or problem because you cannot interact with friends using social media. So the second stage is where you speak to your friends and surf the Internet cooking at alternatives, which represent stage two or your information search. As a buyer you might visit a local phone store and speak to the sales staff to help you complete stage three, I. E. Your evaluation of alternatives. Stage four is the selection of product and you go and make your final decision and buy your Phone from a local store or using an e-commerce website. Stage five involves your post-purchase evaluation whereby you use the phone and have a positive, negative or mediocre experience of the product. If it doesnt satisfy your needs you take action and more importantly youll tell ethers of your problems. If youre pleased with the product, you will tell your friends and this will influence stage two (their information search) when they decide to buy an Phone.

Parson, the birth of modern politics ( U.S. History to 1865 ) Essay - 1

Parson, the birth of modern politics ( U.S. History to 1865 ) - Essay Example Historians have argued that Andrew Jackson was a person who showed people what it meant to be in a political arena. Some of the actions may have been positive while others negative, but he managed to enter the books of history about what politics really involves; honor, ethics, democracy, conflicts, racism and liberation. Lynn Hudson Parson argues about how modern politics came to exist. In the 1828 presidential election, Andrew Jackson, who was a Major General, contested against John Quincy Adams and this election was what was viewed to be one that will be remembers through history. It was viewed as the first truly democratic presidential election which implemented campaign tactics (Parsons, 99). In that presidential election, Andrew Jackson, a hot-tempered and whose education was not perfect showed his supporters that he was a man of the people, genuine of his word and this made him make history after defeating an aristocrat whose education and political experience matched no other. The election led to the coordination of media, fund-raising, rallies be organized, polling of opinion, use of campaigns and research on opposition in order to gain an upper hand at the elections. In The Birth of Modern Politics, Parsons goes on to bring out Andrew as a man who made a historical achievement. Parson goes on to say how the contest brought out a national debate that involved incitements against each other in terms of culture, social life and the economic values of people. Those whose intentions were pure and had an interest in community development were pitted against those who believed that the only way communities would grow stronger is not by them standing together, but as individuals with the freedom to ensure that their own interests were satisfied above others. Despite the difference in backgrounds between Andrew and Quincy, they had the same values at heart, and

Techonology affects our life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Techonology affects our life - Essay Example reading, and was now forcing me to carry out another action involving modern technology, in this case mostly referred to internet and cell phone usage. I always knew that technology referred to the application of scientific knowledge in the creation of a machine, tool, or a system, intended to solve a problem present in our life. But is it what modern technology accomplishing these days? I have been sensing this behavioral change for a while now; a persistent compelling to log in to my Facebook account in the middle of night, a severe drive to check my e-mail during a lecture, a relentless desire to steal a look at my cell phone for incoming texts during a group meeting, were few of the examples. From my modified conduct, I could claim that this modern technology, with its ever increasing presence and various mediums, was gradually enslaving me. But at the same time, I could contest that this panic is always adjunct to the emergence of all new technologies, and instead of fighting it , I should simply embrace it. In his article Writing Is a Technology that Restructures Thought, Walter Ong declared that â€Å"New tracks for thought are imposed by the newer technologies,† (30), but I do not strictly agree with his statement. Although, I consent that in the past ten to twelve years, my reliance on technology has increased to such an extent that it has altered how I connect with people around me, and perceive attainment and retention of knowledge, but it has not mutated my thought process. Technology has certainly transformed the way I connect with people, for example, the other day, I was thinking, when was the last time I sent or received a personal letter; not the bank statements, or solicitation pamphlets, I receive every other day, but an actual letter from an acquaintance of mine. Even the yearly season’s greeting cards I used to receive had reduced to one or two. Although, this gradual change, brought on by the increasing popularity and usage of new technological mediums, was relevant enough for me to notice, it was not profound enough to emotionally distraught me. It was probably because I realized that, for me, what matters, is the sincere and deep wishes of the sender, not the medium they are utilizing to send them. Therefore, I can say that technology has ended the ‘paper’ exchange of wishes, but it has not rendered the social interaction to be defunct. C.P. Snow once said in New York Times that ‘Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other,’ (Editors, 110). Few days ago I faced a situation, which left me feeling the same. I was supposed to travel to an unknown location with my grandfather, and I guaranteed him that I will get the complete address through Google maps, so that he does not need to keep the paper map with him. When we both sat in the car, he asked me whether I took the directions, and I assured him that yes I did look at them. He asked me if I memorized the directions, and I told him that whenever required, I will access Google through my I-Phone, and we will be able to look at the instructions. The look he gave me said a thousand words. He further playfully stated that if I kept on continuing like this, and did not put my brain to work by memorizing these minor things, my brain will gradually deteriorate. After this incident, I was

Bottled Water Essay Example for Free

Bottled Water Essay A couple of decades ago, people turn to the tap for drinking water. Now, most people, both young and old, drink water from bottles. In fact, the demand for bottled water is so great that it has become a multimillion-peso business in the country today. Why is there a substantial growth in the demand for bottled water? The main reason is the increasing health consciousness of the people. Many people prefer bottled water because they question the cleanliness of tap water. The quality of tap water has been decreasing. To be safe, people choose bottled water to avoid drinking water that may be contaminated with harmful microorganisms. Contaminated water can cause diarrhea and other stomach disorders that kill, like dysentery, gastroenteritis, amoebiasis, cholera, and hepatitis. Mostly, the bottled water that you buy is either mineral water or purified water. Water plants use surface water or ground water as the main raw material. These plants are located in places far from cities and industrial centers to avoid contamination. MINERAL WATER Mineral water comes from mineral springs. It normally contains a high content of mineral salts or gases, and which consequently may have an action on the human body different from that of ordinary water. Mineral waters are usually classified as alkaline, saline, chalybeate (iron-containing), sulfurous, acidulous, and arsenical. Mineral springs are generated deep underground, where, under intense heat and pressure, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, and other minerals are leached from the surrounding rocks. Mineral water is also called aerated water. (The term aerated means charged with gas.) The most common gases that are in mineral water are carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. GUIDELINES FOR BOTTLED MINERAL WATERS There are strict rules for water to be labeled as mineral water. Genuine mineral water should contain the right percentage of such minerals as manganese, chromium, selenium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals. In California, United States, to be labeled mineral water, the water must contain 550 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS). In Europe, mineral water must meet several criteria. One is that the water must flow freely from its source, meaning it may not be pumped or forced from the ground, and the water must be bottled directly at its source. Furthermore, the waters properties, such as its temperature, mineral balance, and pressure have not varied in ten years. Some better known brands of mineral water in Europe include Evian and Ferrier of France, Ferarrele of Italy, and Apollinaris of Germany. All these conatin 330, 560, 1,400, and 2,250 ppm of TDS, respectively. MEDICINAL EFFECTS OF MINERAL WATER It has long been believed that mineral springs possess great curative powers. In fact, people have used mineral water since ancient times to cure such ailments as rheumatism, skin infections, and poor digestion. Also, many effervescing waters (impregnated with carbon dioxide gas) are used as table beverages and to dilute spirits or wines. Because of the springs medicinal effects, medicinal spas have been built around mineral springs. These spas are frequented by people who are hoping that the springs waters will relieve them of their ailments, such as gout, liver trouble, indigestion, and rheumatism. DISTILLED WATER Water that is treated by the process of distillation forms distilled water. This substance is purer than the original water because salt and other impurities do not evaporate with the water. Distillation is the principal method for purifying water. In this process, the water is vaporized into steam, the steam is condensed back into liquid water, and the water is collected in a separate container, leaving behind the impurities. Other methods of water purification include chlorine treatment, ozone treatment, ultraviolet decontamination, and oxidation-reduction media. Also, one method of water purification is with the use of iodinated resin. Iodinated resin can destroy even the smallest viruses through electrostatic attraction. Negatively charged contaminants are drawn to the positively charged resin. This ensures contact, no matter how small the microorganisms that might otherwise escape if filters are used. Upon contact, the resin releases sufficient iodine to penetrate and kill the microorganisms. PRODUCING SAFE, PURE WATER One of the most effective methods of producing safe, pure water consists of a three-step process. The first step is the use of sediment filters to remove large particles. The sediment filter acts to screen out suspended matter and can also remove many harmful bacteria and protozoa that may be present in the water. The second step is to purify the water through the use of iodinated resin. This devitalizes even the smallest harmful microorganisms within the water. Biological contaminants could also be removed by exposure to ultraviolet light, killing the microorganisms that may still be in the water. The third step is the use of carbon filters to remove taste- and odor-causing contaminants. The filters activated carbon and its ion exchange resin remove unwanted ions and molecules from water, leaving those that make water  pleasant to drink. The activated carbon also initiates a chemical reaction that converts free chlorine, which water utilities put in water to kill germs, into chloride and hydrogen ions, which are safe and taste all right. Other systems in bottling water consist of several steps that utilize both purification and filtration processes. In some systems, water is passed through as many as 16 stages in the whole process. Water is an all-important substance that sustains life here on earth. However, safe, pure water is becoming a rare commodity everywhere. Bottled water, whether mineral or distilled, offers safe drinking water for all of us.

The Importance of Roger Spottiswoode’s Screen Adaptation of And The Ban

The Importance of Roger Spottiswoode’s Screen Adaptation of And The Band Played On [1] Hollywood is no longer just a name, it is a business, a living entity holding America’s people in its grasp, and it is not about to let them go. Gradually taking on more responsibility and trying to build up its reputation over the years, Hollywood has progressively assumed the position of history-teller for the American public. This role, whether or not an appropriate one for an industry such as Hollywood to tackle, has catapulted actors and actresses into high paying, high visibility positions. History has and will continue to be one of the main subjects that the movie industry has been fascinated with. It is an alive and very fragile subject that, through its multi-dimensional character, requires careful attention by everyone involved in the project. Whenever Hollywood tackles an historical topic, whether portraying a non-disputable factual event or only a vaguely one, the industry is bound to encounter dispute and criticism. [2] Regardless of how careful the director, producer, and actors are at being loyal to the subject matter, then, the question still remains whether or not Hollywood is a legitimate resource for historical matter. Is it possible for a dramatic, high priced and glitzy medium to be honest and true to its subject matter in such a way that viewers are not confused but more educated walking out than they were walking in? Is the Movie Theater any place for history to be learned? Directors fight and argue that indeed Hollywood is equally as reliable and legitimate a source as other "texts." The movies provide a more immediate resource, allowing history to change from the dreaded school subject to an appea... ...-. Conduct Unbecoming: Lesbians and Gays in the U.S. Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993. ---. The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life & Times of Harvey Milk. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1982. â€Å"The True Virus.† The Economist 8 June 1991 (v319 n7710): 83. Video Against AIDS. v1-3. Curated by John Greyson and Bill Horrigan. The Video Data Bank with V Tape/Canada, 1988 Voices From the Front. Video. Dir. Robyn Hutt, David Meieran and Sandra Elgear. Cinemax/Vangaurd Cinema, 1991. Wallis, Claudia. â€Å"Battling AIDS; More Misery, Less Mystery.† Time 29 April 1985: 68. Weintraub, Bernard. â€Å"Stars Flock to Be in HBO Film About the Early Years of AIDS.† Rev of And the Band Played On, by HBO Productions. New York Times 11 Jan 1993, Current Events ed.: C11. Werth, Barry. â€Å"By AIDS Obsessed.† GQ Aug 1991.

Barbara Corcoran Effective leadership qualities Essay

Barbara Corcoran is an American businesswoman, consultant, investor, speaker, author and TV personality. She is the owner of $5 billion business ‘The Corcoran Group’. She is known as one entrepreneur with a real story of ‘rags to riches’. Barbara was born in the year 1949 in Edgewater, New Jersey. She graduated with a degree in Education from St. Thomas Aquinas College in the year 1971. Upon graduation, she got a teaching job which she did for about a year. Barbara was never settled at teaching, so she quit and sought other jobs. However, things did not go as smooth as she had expected, as she had to quit one job after the other. By the time she was 23, she had been in and out of more than 20 jobs. It is her last trial at jobs that would ultimately change her life completely, making her one of the richest women in America. After trying different odd jobs, Barbara felt that she wanted to become her own boss. So she started a small real estate agency, dealing with brokering entry to vacant houses. However, this transformation needed money which she did not have at that moment. She asked for a loan of $1000. On one trip to see a vacant house with a client, things turned out for the best she had never imagined- the client became interested in buying the property rather than renting it. From the sale, she earned a commission of $3000 for the Corcoran-Simone partnership. This excited her, giving her the idea to transform her business into more than just the letting of vacant houses, to include even property on sale. The business began to grow, and the couple was reaping considerable profits until Barbara’s boyfriend, Simone, decided to quit the partnership after running away with Barbara’s secretary and marrying her. The division ended in 1978, when she immediately founded The Corcoran Group. When Simone withdrew his shares, he mocked Barbara that she would never make it without him. This particular incident encouraged her even the more to work hard and prove him wrong. Her determination paid, with The Corcoran Group, the first female-owned realty firm in the Big Apple, expanding to a workforce of 7 agents and over $350,000 in revenue in just her first year. Corcoran Group thrived under Barbara’s leadership, thanks in large part to her unique style. By the year 2006 when she decided to sell the company, The Corcoran Group was so big, with a staggering sales force of 850 agents and annual revenue approaching $100 million. It was sold at $66 million to NRT Inc. I chose Barbara Corcoran because her rise to the top is outstanding, thanks to her exceptional leadership skills. Barbara motivates me to push on despite my humble present- theirs is so much room up there! My vision is to grow into one of the most celebrated leaders of my time, and she fit perfectly as a person who started with nothing and turned every small thing she got into something big. Her definition of leadership is quite unique. â€Å"I never thought of it as leadership, but I knew I wanted to be loved by the people who worked for me,† Corcoran says. â€Å"I built the business exactly the way my mother built and ran her family. I wanted a replication of the big, happy family I grew up in. I wanted happy people having fun†, Barbara says (entrepreneur.com). She believes that leadership is making people feel they belong to the company like it was their family. That is how she enabled others to act, a quality discussed by Kouzes and Posner (2012). Barbara says, â€Å"I found out that the more fun I created in the company, the more creative and innovative it became,† she says. â€Å"That was the big kahuna–the fun piece. That’s what built that culture upside down and inside out. You got innovation. You got loyalty. You got people who would recruit for you.† (entrepreneur.com) She effectively encourages the heart (Kouzes and Po sner, 2012). Barbara Corcoran displays many qualities of a good leader. One unique is that she understands the value of other people she works with. Despite being the boss, Barbara respected every worker in her firm and she let them carry out their tasks with a lot of trust and space. As she says, she never knew what the firm’s revenue was, having delegated accounting duties to Esther Kaplan, the first agent she brought in. Secondly, Barbara believes in rewarding workers for their exemplary performance. She personally put colored ribbons on those workers who performed well. Her rewarding quality became even more evident when she eventually rewarded Kaplan’s hard work with a 10 percent commission in the firm, allowing her to cash in when the firm was sold. Corcoran is a leader who models the way (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). She never sat down and let her agents do all the work. She continued to make sales herself, working very hard. This encouraged her employees to develop a similar determined character. Barbara also exercised her authority very strictly. She gave all new employees a grace period of three months to make a first sale, failure to which they would leave the firm. The fifth leadership quality in Barbara is that she never let her past failure’s pull her down. In high school she scored D’s, but it never bothered her later in life. She was determined to move from one success to the other. Her undying spirit is a clear way of challenging the process (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). However, it is not all that easy for Barbara; she faces various problems as an investor in the New York realty market. While she is a popular investment consultant in the city, she admits that she has problems advising because other factors come into place. After selling her realty company, she was left with several buildings in the city; these building are her source of income, beside other investments. For instance, the values of properties have plummeted and interest rates have gone down tremendously. This gives her problems in deciding what to tell investor to do, especially because they look upon her success for guidance. References Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary things happen in organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Hann, C. (2014). Barbara Corcoran’s Leadership Style: Rainbows and Steel-Toe Boots. Entrepreneur. Retrieved 15 August 2014, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222798 Source document

The Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer - 1073 Words

In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer introduced and described a variety of fictional characters that lived in the Middle Ages. It was the time period that European civilians were governed by a system called feudalism. Where kings were the head of the system and everyone was categorized in social classes. In the prologue of The Canterbury Tales the first character introduced was the knight. Geoffrey Chaucer depicts the knight correctly by characterizing him as a chivalrous and honorable man, which contrasted him from the rest who had bad behaviors and that he was a heroic figure. The prologue began with the descriptions of the knight that showed how such a perfect and heroic man he was. It was seen when Chaucer wrote, â€Å"who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor, generousness and courtesy† (44-46). Unlike the other characters that were presented, Chaucer never spoke negative about him. He literally said, â€Å"He was a true, a perfect gentle knight† (Chaucer 74). Besides the descriptions of the knight’s moral values, he also told about nobility. The author stated, â€Å"In fifteen mortal battles he had been and jousted for our faith at Tramissene† (Chaucer 63-64). He implied that the knight was a noble warrior. Overall the knight was a distinguished man, and the most prestigious person in the pilgrimage. Based on the research this is how Chaucer’s fictional characters were in actual life during the Middle Ages. An article stated,Show MoreRelatedThe Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer1582 Words   |  7 Pages Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the Canterbury tales a collection of short tales in the 14th century. The compilation of stories are told by different characters within the narrative as part of a game proposed by the host. Each individual must tell two stories on their journey and two stories on their way back. Each story tells some aspects of English life during the time and often added satire like qualities to the English life. In particular Chaucer often tells stories with elements of the relationshipRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer913 Words   |  4 PagesThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer consists of frame narratives were a group of pilgrims that are traveling from Southwark to the shire of St. Becker in the Canterbury Cathedral, tell each other to pass time until they arrive at their destination. During The Canterbury Tales the reader is exposed to many characters that represent all of the social classes of medieval England and the reader gets to know them from t he general prologue to each individual tale. One of these characters is the PardonerRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2127 Words   |  9 PagesIt is unknown when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, but it is assumed that he wrote it in 1387. There are many different aspects and themes throughout this paper that are very prominent. One theme that is very important is the importance of company. This entire tale is about twenty-nine pilgrims who all tell tales while on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. The importance of company is that this is a pilgrimage that requires companions and friendship. ThoughRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer1585 Words   |  7 Pageswas published toward the end of his life, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was his longest and most popular work. The plot is made up of tales told by thirty-one different pilgrims as they embark on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas a Bec ket in Canterbury. His initial idea was to have each pilgrim tell four stories a piece during the pilgrimage, but Chaucer either died before finishing or decided to change this idea, as only twenty-four tales presently make up the work. The prologue ofRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer963 Words   |  4 PagesThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of 24 stories written during the Middle Ages. The tales were written with the intent of criticizing the functions of societal standards as well as the beliefs of the Church. â€Å"The Miller’s Tale,† one the most popular stories, offers unique insights into the customs and practices of the English middle class during the Middle Ages. The story follows the lives of John, Absolon, and Nicholas, three men who are involved with a beautiful woman namedRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2664 Words   |  11 PagesThe Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales was written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1392, during the medieval period in Europe. Three important aspects, his family’s ties to the court, his schooling and working for royalty (XI), and his love for reading and learning (XII) all combined and enabled him to create his greatest work, The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer includes many different characters, pilgrims, all from very unique walks of life. Although there are not as many women included as men, their storiesRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2648 Words   |  11 PagesThe Canterbury Tales was written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1392, during the medieval period in Europe. Three important aspects, his family’s ties to the court, his schooling and working for royalty (XI), and his love for reading and learning (XII) all combined and enabled him to create his greatest work, The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer includes many different characters, pilgrims, all from very unique walks of life. Although there are not as many women included as men, their stories give some extraordinaryRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2221 Words   |  9 Pagesin medieval literature is the Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer. This research seeks to examine the life of Chaucer, the Canterbury Tales, and the impact and legacy of both the author and the work. Agnes Copton gave birth to a baby boy c. 1340, whom she named Geoffrey. The baby took the surname of his father John Chaucer, who came from a family of wine merchants. The family relied on strategic relationships to subsidize where they lacked in wealth. Chaucer was fluent in French, ItalianRead MoreCanterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer1380 Words   |  6 PagesCanterbury Tales Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer was a story of not the people themselves but a social statement of how the people of higher standing were viewed by the middle class. In the time that Canterbury Tales was written it was a time of corruption of the Church. There were many clergy members that were mentioned in this story. Each of the characters was unique in the way they went against the standards they should be held to. The most interesting this story was definitely TheRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer1777 Words   |  8 PagesCanterbury Tales takes place in the late 1300’s also known as the Middle ages. Prior to and at this point in time, people tend to be more conservative and to themselves. Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of these stories does something most authors didn’t do at this time, he ironically pointed out the flaws of the medieval English society. He does this by using estate satire. The Canterbury Tales is a great example of the B ritish human experience at that point in time. Chaucer does a great job describing