Aztecs :: essays research papers fc

AZTECS The Aztecs came from Azatlan which is the mythical place of origin(Aztecs of Lost Civilization). Huizilopochtli, the god of war, told the Aztecs to leave Azatlan and wander until they saw an eagle perched on a cactus growing out of a rock and eating a snake(Los Aztecas). The Aztecs traveled many years to find the legend and finally found it while at Lake Texcoco. Lake Texcoco was ruled by the Toltecs between the 10th and 11th centuries(Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia). Since many other tribes also migrated to Lake Texcoco at the same time, the Aztecs were pushed out to the westside of the lake to a swampy area. The only piece of dry land they had was a little island surrounded by marshes. Over a long period of time they built their empire with chinapas. Chinapas were formed by piling up mud from the lake bottom to make little islands(Aztec Empire History). Tenochtitlan (currently Mexico City), which means "Place of the Cactus", became the capital in 1325 and soon there came many islands in which bridges were built to connect the mainland (Los Aztecas). They also dug canals and constructed aqueducts. There were many religious structures, and they built temples and pyramids. By 1502 the Aztec Empire expanded from Guatemala to San Luis Potosi which is in Central and Southern Mexico and extended 800 miles along a northwest-southeast axis. The Aztecs conquered many cities and all became part of the empire which was wedged between high mountains and surrounded by lakes(Aztecs of Lost Civilization/ Azetc Empire History). The three social classes of the Aztecs were slave, commoner, and nobility. The slaves (lowest class) were basically servants, although they could buy there way to freedom or if they escaped from their masters and reached the royal palace without being caught they would earn their way to freedom. There were two kinds of commoners (middle class). The maceualtin were given a lifetime ownership of a plot of land in which they would build their house on. The tlalmaitl were tenant farmers. The nobility (highest class) were usually rulers, chiefs, or nobles(Aztecs/ Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia). The Aztecs typical home was on a log raft covered with mud which had plants on it that stabled the raft with its roots. The home usually had it’s back to a canal with a canoe tied at the door so they could have efficient transportation(Aztec Empire History).

An analytical response to comparing the original novel

Morally different ideas are introduced into the modern appropriation and in the same way, several core ideas pertaining to the 18th century lifestyle are lost. The modern interpretation In essence addresses modern day values through the use of the â€Å"Lice's Adventures In Wonderland† world, whilst retaining the plot line of the original text and presenting the story in a new textual form: film. In addition, both texts sustain features that are of the satirical and ‘literary nonsense' genres. Set In the 18th century, the Ideas surrounding the evolving self of Alice are ransomed, particularly through the visual textual form of film.Lewis Carroll incorporates the value of one's identity, and the way ‘Alice' distorts, changes and questions her identity. This exploration of the power of transformation Is fuelled by the recurring theme of deception, questioning what Is real, and what Is a dream. The characters In Wonderland' continually ask Alice who she Is. As a resul t, she questions her identity, and the novel becomes a journey of her exploring who she is, and deciding whether or not this reality is one that she likes.This questioning f identity Is particularly seen by the poetic and deceptive nature of the language ‘cat' uses In the novel. ‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? † â€Å"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to†, said the Cat. â€Å"l don't much care where†, said Alice. â€Å"Then it doesn't matter which way you go,† said the Cat. Through the use of low modality from Alice, and very much high modality from the characters of Wonderland such as ‘car, Carroll demonstrates the vulnerability of Alice, and how this vulnerability deteriorates throughout the novel as she becomes ere of herself.Due to the novel first being published in the late sass's, Carroll is very much exploring an idea which was not seen very often in his time, that of society being for ced to abide by the strict standards of being ‘prim and proper', and thus falling Into mainstream society. Carroll, however, throughout the novel discusses ideas of Alice going against what society would expect of her, and this is seen in many occasions of her evading orders of her elders. One such example would be her Interaction with the ‘Red Queen', an antagonist In the novel, but nevertheless an adult.Through the use of shifts In language forms, Carroll demonstrates who Is holding power in a conversation. In particular, this is seen in one of Lice's final their interaction, where the Red Queen is dominant, giving orders to Alice in high modality, and in the end, where the Red Queen is speaking in short, truncated sentences, such as â€Å"Off with her head! â€Å", and â€Å"Never again! â€Å". Symbolism through the use of language is further transformed through the motif of a â€Å"White rabbit in a red waistcoat†.This rabbit is always Just out of Lice's reach, and is very much reflecting memories of her father, who passed away when she was young. Much like her, he had a quirky sense to him, and Alice echoes his words when she says, â€Å"The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible. † The use of the rabbit being represented as wearing the same clothing as her father once had, and that within the story she is trying to follow the rabbit, is symbolic of Alice finding herself, and shaping her identity to become more like her father.It is through the use of various literary techniques such as symbolism and poetic language that Carroll uses the context of ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland' to reflect the power of transformation, ND how it changes Alice over the course of the novel. This same exploration of one's identity is seen within the modern appropriation of the text: ‘Alice in Wonderland', a film directed by Tim Burton. The same idea of one's changing identity is transformed by the change i n context, from an 18th century novel, to a 21st century film adaptation.Burton explores the same themes through the use of ‘Alice', the protagonist of the film, saturating social values of being ‘prim and proper', and going against her peers and elders, who simply want her to marry off to omen her parents chose and not allow her to do what she wants in order to be happy. One of her friends' in the film says, mirror life will be as happy as mine! You shall marry Hams, it is decided. † Alice, of course, does not accept this from the very start, and this is conveyed through the use of shaking camera shots, and close ups of Alice showing her looking off into the distance, showing her complete disinterest.Alice makes a comment to her mother, later in this scene, saying, â€Å"What if proper was wearing a codfish on your head? Would you wear it? † Alice is rejecting society expectations, and so her solution to finding herself is running away from expectations of her and falling down a rabbit hole. Burton transforms the characters of Wonderland to frame Lice's changing self, when the paradoxical character of the Mad Hatter, who is one of the only characters who is concurrent with Alice in his views.The Mad Hatter and Alice share the core idea of not living their lives for society, and this is seen before the climax of the movie, where the Mad Hatter says, Mimi cannot live your life to serve others. â€Å"†¦ â€Å"When you step out to fight, you will step out alone. Through the use of makeup artistry and computer generated imagery, the Mad Hatter is visually depicted with strange features such as bright orange hair, a pale white face and abnormally large eyeballs.He is established as an eccentric and peculiar character and through the close relationship that the Mad Hatter and Alice develop, a link between his peculiarity and Lice's different views on society are made. To keep ‘Alice in Wonderland' true to its original text, â₠¬ËœLice's Adventures in Wonderland' the crucial difference of context is evident in the change of textual form, ND thus the use of literal imagery is transformed to convey characters, values and themes true to the original text. Society has greatly transformed. In both texts, the protagonists are women who show great courage.In ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland', Alice is a young girl undergoing puberty, and is dealing with the struggles of growing as a person physically and emotionally. Similarly, in the film adaptation, Alice is being prepared for an arranged marriage, based upon financial security and social class. What accompanies this exploration are themes of patriarchy and struggles of women in the context of Carol's time. The first of such explorations occurs in chapter two of the novel where Alice has her first conversation with ‘mouse'. â€Å"OÃ'Ëœ est. ma chatty†?Are her first words, and this French phrase means, â€Å"where is my cat†. The phrase itself is only an opening sentence to further dialogue, but the use of French language, only spoken by Alice throughout the novel, is a way of Carroll saturating the ideals of young girls in the Victorian era taking French lessons. The exploration of the value of women in the novel is reflective of the context in which it was written in, and this is seen from ultimate French references and puns interlaced into the story by Carroll. In the Victorian era, young girls growing up were pre-destined to live lives of obedience and purity.Besides Alice, the Queen of Hearts is the only other significant female character. The Queen of Hearts is portrayed with short, truncated sentences with high modality and no respect for others, and this portrayal is reflective of the Victorian era: A woman with too much power bringing about a chaotic dyspepsia. It is evident that through the exploration of themes involving power and gender trudges, that Carroll has taken a satirical point of view for the novel, and through this point of view, Carroll explores the values that underpin the context of this novel: the Victorian era.The film ‘Alice in Wonderland' opens with a scene involving Lice's father being criticized for his opinion, and then Alice walking into the room, interrupting the conversation, due to a nightmare. This opening scene sets the entire motion of the film, where the responder follows Lice's Journey of acceptance, and her attempts to discover her identity, and find the courage to overcome such threats. The opening of the film actually follows the Journey of two females: Alice and her mother.They converse with other women who are all in pursuit of a man in possession of good fortune, as a result of society's emphasis and pressure upon the importance of wealth. During 18th century England, socially profitable marriages were widely accepted as â€Å"normal†. This opening scene of the film is an example of Tim Burtons direct inter-textual references betwee n the novel and the 21st century film. It is through this opening scene that Burton foreshadows the coming chase for identity ND acceptance as both a young adult, and as a woman.In the lead up to the climax of the film: Lice's fight with the Jawbreakers, Alice in distress says, â€Å"From the day I fell down that hole, Eve been told what I have to do, and who I have to be. â€Å"†¦ â€Å"L made this place, this is MY dream†. Despite Alice directly referring to the world of Wonderland' as a dream, Burton is providing a psychoanalytical perspective of Lice's thoughts through the film as a whole. Alice is proclaiming that ever since she fell down that hole' she's been told what to do. This sentence directly matches with the coming agitated due to Alice not wanting to wear her corset or stockings. No corset? And your stockings†¦? † This insecurity as a woman is paired with Lice's constant battle of identity. The battle Alice faces is to find a place in society a s a woman, and this is portrayed by Burton through the use of cinematic techniques and makeup artistry. Alice is constantly portrayed from high angle oblique shots, which give the connotation of Alice being small, in comparison to her surroundings. Alice is also portrayed in the same blue dress, which quickly gets dirtied and blackened up until she fights the ‘Jawbreakers – a dragon-like creature, where she is suited in a suit of armor.The effect of having Lice's dress stay the same, and only get blackened, is reflective of how much, like her dress, she wants to change who she is as a woman, but society doesn't allow her. Within Wonderland, a projection of Lice's subconscious, as opposed to being bound as to what to wear by her mother, there simply is no way to change except by force, when the Red Queen orders her a clean dress of a different kind, much like her mother does in the opening scene of the film.The theme of growing up as a young lady pressured by these socia l ideals, and instead rebelling in the real world and in Wonderland', is a contrast to the original novel by Lewis Carroll, and this is very much reflective of the 21st century culture of acceptance. Equality amongst all people, man or woman, is an idea that has only emerged in the 20th-21st centuries, from a developing post-modern society. This emerging idea is representative in the character of Alice, and her struggles with being a woman, which is finally overcome with her final scene of slaying theJawbreakers, where Alice has truly shown courage when faced with the largest threat of all: a fire-breathing monster. From the early 18th century until the current 21st century, the value of religion and spirituality has greatly transformed. In the late 18th century, a high amount of value was placed into the beliefs of Catholicism and Christianity. This was also the beginning of a time where society was starting to question religious ideas and teachings, and disorder and confusion was beginning to form. This confusion and exploration is discussed within ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland' and similarly,Lice's exploration and wonder in the film adaptation is one of remembering her past self who visited Wonderland, and being presented with new ideas, and questioning values from the real world. The role of religion included providing education, spirituality and cultural acceptance in the Victorian era, and elements of Catholicism are seen throughout the novel. The first of such references is seen in Lice's conversation with the Cheshire cat where she asks, â€Å"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? â€Å"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to†, said the Cat. L don't much care where†, said Alice. â€Å"Then it doesn't matter which way you go,† said the Cat. This phrase with the Cheshire cat is reflective of Carol's emotional state, as he was an Anglican all his life, but in the stage of his life where he began starting his own family, he began questioning the morals and ideals of the Anglican church, much like Alice, who is unsure where to go and is forgetting her past. â€Å"l knew who I was this morning, but Eve changed a few times since then. Opportunities to rebel against society and more importantly to rebel against ones century. It is as a result of society's overall view that Carroll incorporates ambiguous ideas of religion and desperate hope to find order from chaos through the use of complex wordplay relating to core religious values. In contrast to the 18th century novel ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland', the film adaptation by Tim Burton discusses religion/supernatural values and themes in a post-modern light, much like the context in which it was written.The idea of chaos being created from the fear of the unknown is an idea set by the fragmented ideas of religious values/imagery. The main example of magic/supernatural happenings is established when Alice falls d own a seemingly small rabbit hole she barely fits into. The size of this large tunnel is then shown to be much larger than once thought, and Burton uses the technique of a long-shot camera angle, and computer generated imagery to give the illusion Alice is falling down a hole kilometers deep: a feat unachievable by a rabbit.The reader is then plunged into a world where gravity shifts upside down, where pianos play themselves, cakes cause Alice to grow meters taller, and to shrink to Just a few inches tall. The same themes that underpin the alee of religion are essentially there, with the figure of a morphing cat helping Alice on her way. The key difference is the context the film was created in: the 21st century.The film was created in a time where in a post-modern society, expressing religious values was Just as discriminatory as putting down another religion, so any references to a specific religion are eliminated from the film adaptation. This, however, does not stop Burton from exploring the idea of the supernatural world, and Lice's world of Wonderland' is reflective of the character of Alice pondering on the value she holds in the supernatural world.The responder is met with the harsh reality that Alice keeps convincing herself, â€Å"This is my dream, I can do what I want†¦ I'm going to wake up soon, and you'll be gone†¦ â€Å". This idea of assurance in the supernatural world is twisted through the use of scarring from a creature in Wonderland' carrying across to the real world, when Alice climbs out of the hole into the real-world, a prime example of post-modern techniques such as textual ambiguity changing the way in which a value is explored, but retaining the same moral value as the original text.It is through the change in textual form that Burton explores the same themes and values held in the original text ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland' but with a change in context – a post-modern perspective of chaos in the area of r eligion: not knowing what the future may hold. The film adaptation ‘Alice in Wonderland' cleverly depicts many themes and motifs that pertain towards the context of the original novel: 18th century England.The film achieves this through a similar plot line belonging to ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland'. In essence, it is the core values of religion, gender and identity that are transformed into the modern and cultures view on society, whilst retaining the original setting. Contextually, the texts are considerably different and although this is the case, the film adaptation is an effective appropriation of ‘Lice's Adventures in Wonderland'.It is important to emphasis the target 21st century audience and the value of this film, when placed in this genre. Through stylistic features relevant to the religious/supernatural imagery that remain to be of importance in a modern day society. The high cultured language used by Carroll within his novels is lost in this modern a ppropriation, however this is done in favor of effectively depicting the struggles and successes of the 18th century woman.

Christianity vs. Mythology Essay

For many centuries, ancient Greek mythology has played an instrumental role in the development and foundation of all societies. The ancient myths formed through Greek Mythology has given meaning to the world people saw around them and helped answer perplexing questions such as, â€Å"Who made the world? How will it end? Who was the first man? Where do souls go after death?†. In fact, Greek mythology has provided meaning to people and the world around them in the same way Christianity and Judaism does. Greek mythology can relate to Christianity and Judaism such that they all were based off oral tradition, they have helped mankind develop a community that shares a common world view through moral way of life, and they all respond to our quest for wonder, the mystical and the unknown. Nonetheless, it is necessary to try and understand that both Ancient Greeks and Ancient Christians may have held similar beliefs about the world they were living in. In ancient Mythology, although there were no written texts that presented the several myths and stories such as the Christian Bible or the Hebrew Torah, the earliest Greek myths were part of an oral tradition. Ancient Greek myths, in their unknown beginnings, are believed to have been formed and passed on by oral tradition, meaning the myths originated from story-telling. The spread of Greek myths can relate to the early spread of Christianity and Judaism in the respect that the stories in the Bible and the Torah were stories about the sayings and acts of Jesus as told by story tellers long before they were ever recorded into a written text. Greek mythology, Christianity and Judaism are also similar such that they all teach a moral way of life and help mankind share a common world view. Almost all ancient Greek myths were constructed to teach some sort of lesson or moral, for example, in the story of Arachne. In the story, Arachne expressed extreme pride in her weaving skills; in Ancient Greece, having too much pride was considered a very unfavorable quality to acquire. Arachne believed her weaving abilities were far more superior than that of Athena’s, the goddess of weaving, so she challenged her to a weaving contest. In the end, Arachne’s skills did not even compare to Athena’s and Athena turned her into a spider. The story teaches that excessive pride and having a big ego is not considered acceptable if one wants to like a purely moral life. Like Greek mythology, Judaism and Christianity also strive to teach mankind how to live a fulfilling, moral life through the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments in Judaism and Christianity are a set of laws that God gave to the people of Israel that represent the main moral code of behavior every person should try to follow in order to live a spiritually pure and moral life. Finally, Greek mythology, Christianity and Judaism are similar because they all attempt to answer our perplexing questions and wonders about the world we live in. For instance, one similarity lies with the stories of creation; The story of Pandora’s Box in Greek mythology and the Book of Genesis in Judaism and Christianity. In the story of Pandora’s Box, Pandora was the first woman created and she was given a box by the Gods that she was told to never open. In the end, her curiosity overcame her, she opened the box and out came all the evils of the world. The story in the Book of Genesis is very similar- God created Adam and Eve and commanded them not to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree. Eventually, a serpent appeared to Eve and convinced her to eat the forbidden fruit. She persuaded her partner, Adam, to eat the fruit also and as a result, sin engulfed the world. The ancient Greeks and early Christians tried to find an explanation for the evil in the world, and both blame a woman for mankind’s downfall.

Consumer Behaviour Audit

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AUDIT The Consumer Behavior Audit is divided into the following sections: MARKET SEGMENTATION A. External Influences B. Internal Influences C. Situational Influences D. Decision-Process Influences PRODUCT POSITION A. Internal Influences B. Decision-Process Influences PRICING A. External Influences B. Internal Influences C. Situational Influences D. Decision-Process Factors DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY A. External Influences B. Internal Influences C. Situational Influences D. Decision-Process Factors PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY A. External Factors B. Internal Factors C. Situational Influences D. Decision-Process Influences PRODUCT A. External Influences B. Internal Influences C. Situational Influences D. Decision-Process Influences CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND COMMITMENT MARKET SEGMENTATION As mentioned by Silvia Rico, the market segment consists of single women with children, ages 25-44, who live in the same geographical area in Brownsville and shop at Lopez Supermarket. A. External influences Are there cultures or subcultures whose value system is particularly consistent (or inconsistent) with the consumption of our product? The value system for the subculture (Mexican-Americans) is for the most part consistent with the consumption of Lopez Supermarket since they all share the traditions and beliefs, Hispanic race, Spanish language, and nationality background. Average family size for this segment is of 3. 5, and spends 15 to 20 percent more of disposable income on groceries than the national average. They view their family and friends as an important part of their life, and value their opinions when making decisions such as where to shop for groceries. Customers of Lopez are generally those living close to the store. In general they are low-income Mexican/Hispanics with limited resources, strong values, high ties to family and tradition and the majority practice the Catholic religion. Is our product appropriate for male or female consumption? Will ongoing gender-role changes affect who consumes our product or how it is consumed? Lopez Supermarket is appropriate for both male and female consumption. Even though, according to the Census Bureau, 17. 4% of households are made up of female householder, and 45. 8% without husband presence and with children, products sold at Lopez can be bought by either male or female. The ongoing gender-role (assuming that is from the same culture and subculture) would not change as to who buys at Lopez, but it could affect how it is consumed. Meaning, men, just as women, shop at Lopez, but men would not shop as much or buy the same products as women. Do ethnic, social, regional, or religious subcultures have different consumption patterns relevant to our product? Ethnic and social subculture, for the most part, might have a different consumption patterns. Some might like to go to Lopez to make use of their rebate coupons they offer. Some might shop on a daily basis, while others might shop once a week. It all depends on the amount of income and time they have to make their shopping. For the most part, Lopez is directed to a Mexican-American region culture. If Lopez were to locate somewhere where Mexican-American population is very low, Lopez’ current environment might not be as appreciated due a difference in values and believes other segments might have. Do various demographic or social-strata groups (age, gender, urban/suburban/rural, occupation, income, education) differ in their consumption of our product? Mexican-American is one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U. S. (in Brownsville, they totaled 103. 297). Geography is an advantage for Lopez, since stores are located on the border of U. S. and Mexico. Demographic and social-strata groups (age, gender, urban/suburban/rural, occupation, income, education) might have different motive for shopping at Lopez Supermarket. For example, in an age group, kids might go to buy candy or they could be sent by their mothers to buy immediate products (tortillas, milk, soda) that they might need at home. Meanwhile adults might go to buy groceries in high amounts and items such as beer and cigarettes. Other segments might not buy their groceries at Lopez, but they might go for the â€Å"fresh meat† or â€Å"barbacoa† they sell. Geographically, if Lopez is not close by, consumer might look for alternatives and buy groceries either at a gas station or at another grocery store. Is our product particularly appropriate for consumers with relatively high (or low) incomes compared to others in their occupational group (ROCI)? Based on Silvia Rico’s report, class structure for this segment is Lower-Middle who strives to become part of the Upper Class. This segment view food as an abundance of wealth, so they usually give food gifts. They have many status symbols, such as jewelry, new car, home decor, etc. In their leisure time the go to the beach, and spend time with family. High income might prefer an alternative. Can our product be particularly appropriate for specific roles, such as students or professional women? In general, anyone can shop at Lopez, but it is most appropriate for district level, low-middle income consumers whose role are of a household provider. If customers are playing the role of a professional businessperson, for example, they definitely will not find items they might need (suitcases, high quality pens, etc. , since Lopez is meant for groceries. A student, might find pen, paper, pencil, and notebooks, but in very small amounts, and a higher price than specialized stores. Would it be useful to focus on specific adopter categories? Not necessarily. Focusing on specific adopter categories (The ranking into which adopters of a new product fall according to their willingness and speed to embr ace a new product; adopter categories are normally listed as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards) will not help much, since Lopez sells products people are already familiar with. An alternative would be to subgroup the current marketing segment even further (such those women who work and those who don’t) in order to target them better, since this subgroups share similar purchasing behaviors. This group of single young women with children can be subdivided based on the people that live with them (alone with own children, and with extended family), their number of working hours (part-time, and full-time), and based on their children’s age (under 6 yrs. , and from 6 to 17 yrs. ). Targeting per segment Women living alone with their own children: This sub-segment is influenced greatly by their children, they may go to shop at Lopez because their children had great experiences from the store. Children are a strong influence that guides these women to shop there, but also they also have influence in the products they buy. This segment may spend great part of their income in shopping products their children like, depending on their age. Small children may influence them to buy candies, and products that contain attractive animations. Older children may influence their overall product selection based on their tastes and preferences. These children may also influence their mothers to buy high quality, and name branded products. Women living with extended family: These women are more likely to be influenced by their relatives living with them, specially the older ones that are thought to be the wisest ones. This segment tries to comply with society, and with their own family. They want to be approved by others, and make their purchases according to the way others expected them to act. They choose Lopez as their store for their food supplies, because it is the family tradition store. They are high self-monitoring, since these women tend to evaluate products consumed in public in terms of the impressions they make on others. They may also cash their checks, and pay some bills at Lopez, because that is the family tradition way to do this activity. Another reason for them to cash their checks is because they are low-Income and usually they do not have a bank account, because they tend to save the money that is left (if any) in their houses. They learned these activities from their parents or relatives living with them. Women living with extended family and not working: This segment relies on the extended family (or federal aid such as food stamps) for financial support. They might be the ones purchasing immediate items for their children (such as cereal, milk, cookies) but leave the large purchase decisions to a secondary person. This segment has more time to shop and look around, and does not go to Lopez alone. They usually go at least twice a week (if not more) with their kids, and the extended family member with the purchase decision in the household. They rely on their family and friends for their immediate purchase decision, and try to save as money as much as possible since they don’t have sufficient income. Women working full-time: This sub-segment is very busy, they value their time, and buy at Lopez because of the store location, the relative small store size (comparing it with HEB, and El Globo), and because they are very familiar with the store, and they cash their checks at Lopez when they go shopping in order to save time. These women know where are products located within the store, they know products prices, people working there, and people shopping there. Women within this segment, go to Lopez once a week, or once every two weeks, depending on the way they get paid. They will usually go to the store on weekends, especially on Friday because is when they may cash their wage checks. On weekends they can buy groceries for all the week, since buying food supplies is a priority for them, and whatever money is left, they will spend it in clothes or save it. This segment usually goes to shop alone, and make their purchases according their own opinion, and neither relatives nor children influence their consumer behavior. These women are very important for Lopez because these women buy high-volume when they go to Lopez. They buy huge quantities because they do not have time to go other day in the week. Their purchases may not be well planned, they may buy their necessary products, and other products with discounts. Products strategic point-of-display is very important to influence this segment to buy. Women working part-time: This women have more time to analyze and plan their shopping, they may look more detailed the products they will buy. They may go to Lopez at an average rate of three times per week. Since they earn less money than full-timers, they will buy products at discount, and are well informed of the products that are going to be on sale any specific day. These women are very familiar with the store, and usually they have great relationships with store employees, and seek for their advice when making their purchases. This segment go to shop with their children, or other relatives, so their purchases are influenced by the people that go with them. They shop at Lopez because it is the store for groceries they know best, and because their relatives advice them to. They are more likely to be influenced by advertising (specially coupons), than full-timers, since they have more time to read adds, look for coupons, cut and use them. Women with children under 6 years old: This group of women with children under 6 years old, represents 8. 6% of the female householder with no husband present, according to the U. S. Census Bureau (Census 2000) of Cameron County. This segment in heavily influenced by their children preferences. They will look for products that will be accepted and that will cause a positive attitude in their children. Children are a strong influence that guides their consumer behavior; thus influencing the type of products they buy. This segment may spend great part of their income in children-related products, such as candies, chocolates, cereals with cartoon animations, products that include small toys and others that are attractive to children. Mothers will usually go to Lopez accompanied by their children, because children make pressure to go with them. Children under 6 years old like to be with their mothers, and enjoy going to shop with them. These children influence mothers to buy seasonal products, especially adornments to their houses, and also food that include seasonal animation in its package. This segment may end up buying unexpected items, and spending more money than planned because of their children influence. Women with children from 6 to 17 years old: These children have strong influence in product brand selection. This group represents 35. 3% of the female householder with no husband present, according to the U. S. Census Bureau (Census 2000) of Cameron County. They may influence their mothers to buy the brands that are most common, and are preferred by their friends. These children may not go to shop with their mothers, since they are at an age where they like to be seen as independent individuals. They do not participate actively in the purchase itself; they just influence their mothers to buy what they said. Mothers seek the approval of their children, so their purchases may be strongly influenced by their children. This segment wants to create a positive attitude towards the products they buy. These women are willing to buy more expensive items to satisfy their children’s preferences. They are willing to buy more products at a higher price, and sacrifice other goods, as possible to comply with children’s desires. For this segment, their children are seen as young adults with valuable opinion about products. Since many of this children go to school, and are the most knowledgeable and educated in the family, their judgment about certain products are taken as valid, and may cause changes in the products bought. Do groups in different stages of the household life cycle have different consumption patterns for our product? Who in the household is involved in the purchase process? In this case, single women might just buy the basic items (milk, cereal, eggs). If they live with their parents, their parents might be the ones doing the groceries. Younger kids might also play a role, meaning they might be the ones asking what type of products to buy at Lopez (specific brand of cereal or soft drink). B. Internal influences Can our product satisfy different needs or motives in different people? What needs are involved? What characterizes individuals with differing motives? Yes. Customers might go to buy groceries, and at the same time take advantage of paying their bills, cashing a check, or sending mail. Those who go on a daily basis might also want to know what kinds of savings they might find. Kids might want to go to buy candy. Others might need to buy food for a birthday party, or to get ready for Friday’s barbeque. Is our product uniquely suited for particular personality types? Self-concepts? Lopez is focused more for the lower-middle income people. This means that people who have relatives and shop at Lopez might do so as well just to not feel left out, as mentioned by Silvia. High-income people might not shop there simply because they might want to be compared or identified with the low-middle income people (of course there are exceptions but this goes for the majority of the high-income class. ) For the most part, Lopez is directed toward a Mexican-American environment and to the other segments that accept this. What emotions, if any, are affected by the purchase and/or consumption of this product? Realizing that they are known and treated on a friendly matter influence them to go to Lopez. Also having family, neighbors, or friends who might work or go there, might affect this as well. Is our product appropriate for one or more distinct lifestyles? For the most part, is for those who prefer to go to Lopez for convenience and to save money. Young single Mexican-American mothers might go there because their concern is their family and their heritage traditions. Other with a different lifestyle (those who might like to spend a lot of money, for example) might not consider Lopez as an option. As Silvia Rico mentioned, self-monitoring is also affected here because their choices are influenced by their estimates of how Lopez is perceived by their family and friends. If a person was told that shopping at Lopez is only for the poor, then that person might be embarrassed to go or be seen there. A birth of a child or departure of an older one, may affect the lifestyle of the consumer and they way they buy. For the birth of a child, they might need to buy baby products, while for the departure of a child, they might consume less. Do different groups have different attitudes about an ideal version of our product? Yes. Some might prefer a â€Å"nice looking and cleaner† store. Others might compare Lopez to H. E. B. and might perceive Lopez as a small, local store compared to H. E. B. Others might not want to shop at Lopez because of the smell (meat) it emits. There are also those who believe that Lopez is fine the way it is. C. Situational influences Can our product be appropriate for specific types of situations instead of (or in addition to) specific types of people? Yes. In case of an emergency (a hurricane, for example), people might go to Lopez to buy items such as candles, flashlights, can food, batteries, or anything else they might need. A family birthday party or special celebration might require buying the meat and even decorations such as balloons. Barbeque on Friday, as Silvia pointed out, is another example. D. Decision-process influences Do different individuals use different evaluative criteria in selecting the product? Yes. Family could influence some individuals (worrying about what their family might think of them if they were to shop at another store). Others might select distance or convenience as a way to measure going to Lopez (how far it takes to go to Lopez compared to going to a gas station). Do potential customers differ in their loyalty to existing products/brands? Some of the products sold at Lopez might not be sold at other stores and vice-versa. (Hill Country products are only sold at H. E. B. ). Some products are well known to them since they are the products their parents and grandparents used. Others might not be as loyal to the brands as they are to the store itself.

Earned Interest on My Savings Account Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Earned Interest on My Savings Account - Essay Example Although the interest earned with certificate of deposit is higher than for a savings accounts, my decision for choosing the saving instrument would also be driven by some other factors. In a certificate of deposit, the money will remain locked for 5 years whereas in a savings account, I can withdraw and use the money whenever I need. Secondly, if at a certain time, the inflation starts increasing, the real value of the investment in the CD would become significantly lower than the money at hand in the savings account. For example, if after 2 years, the inflation reaches say more than 5% and remains there for the next 3 years, then the real value of the final amount I would receive from the CD would be much less than the actual balance at the end of 2 years in the savings account that I may have used already. On the other hand, if I expect the inflation to drop in the coming years, CD would be a more attractive option.

Who is The Illuminati and are they running the world Research Paper

Who is The Illuminati and are they running the world - Research Paper Example It is alleged that the Illuminati is the principal motivational force behind the push for one-world religious ethic, global governance, as well as a centralized system of controlling the world’s economy. Organizations such as the IMF, the United Nations Organizations, the ICC, and the World Bank and viewed as appendages of the Illuminati. The Illuminati conspiracy explicates that Illuminati is the impetus behind all the efforts aimed at brainwashing the gullible masses through manipulation of beliefs and thought control using the educational curriculum, the press, and the political leadership of the countries. The Illuminati aims at controlling the world by creating a New World Order. This is a diabolical plan established by the financial elite with intentions of destroying the national sovereignty of the worlds’ governments through world conflict and blackmail. Their ultimate goal of doing this is to enslave mankind into a one world dictatorship government (Burkett 46). The New World Order agents have managed to take control of the financial system of the world. It pains to realize that the politicians that are elected by the common man are the ones who have let that to happen. They have done that by making it legal for private financial institutions to control the stock market, the money supply, and ultimately our destiny. Additionally, they have given the private financial institutions the power to control print money and the printing press, and this has enabled them enslave the people of the world by making them live in debts (Penre). The creation of debts slavery has made governments bankrupt or insolvent. Therefore, in order to keep their economies going, governments’ rely on credit from the New World Order. This enslaves governments since they are dependent of the New World Order. On the other hand, the New World Order makes use of this opportunity to control the destinies of these nations that depend on it.

Marketing. Firms gain competitive advantage Case Study

Marketing. Firms gain competitive advantage - Case Study Example For many years, logistics inefficiencies have been criticized and scrutinized in order to increase productivity. There has been little close examination of possible savings in the area of physical distribution, now known as logistics. There is a movement towards a closer analysis of all aspects of logistics. This is particularly important where selling and distribution costs are high. One of the new methods in logistics is wireless technologies used by UPS and FedEx which help them to create state-of-the-art solutions for difverse customer groups. In other words, firms are a sum of their activities and not just comprised of a series of discrete functions. Logistics is therefore not just about managing functions, but managing linkages between those functions. More will be said about the integration of various facets of the value chain in the discussion on implementation strategies. FedEx Executive says: "Wireless data connectivity is something we've done for many years. But we had to provide our own bandwidth and we had to develop technology to manage it" (Gruman 2006). At this stage, what is important is to understand how logistics companies can analyze current position along various dimensions of the value chain - in essence, their strengths and weaknesses. ... real-time data to manage their operations, and the only way for the companies to get this near-real-time information is through the use of wireless technology in the field and in their facilities" (Gruman 2006). UPS and FedEx take into account internal and external factors that influence location of the goods. The Concept of 'Place' and its Role in New Logistics Looking at the concept of 'Place' from a total viewpoint, may indicate that some parts of the system can operate at less that the optimum in order to make the whole system more effective. For example the production manager may need to schedule shorter runs, or the transport manager more frequent deliveries, if it benefits the total logistics system. Acceptance of the new logistics concept implies a recognition of the fact that an action affecting one part may affect all others (Chase, Jacobs 2003). So a united approach is needed in order to maximize overall effectiveness. One of the main innovations used by UPS and FedEx is that: 'The two companies are exploiting new wireless technologies in their differing attempts at aiding the two main components of their operations: pickup/delivery and packaging/sorting" (Gruman, 2006). In order to produce or provide quality service to a required quality level, at an appropriate time and within acceptable financial constraints, logistics create a number of functions that are essential. For instance, using UPS and FedEx new logistics flexible organizations have the potential to maximize benefits from different locations and national economic conditions through a variety of means: locating businesses in markets where factor conditions are favorable leading to cost advantages and efficiency; operating in non-domestic markets where "demand conditions are more favorable"