Summary Marketing free essay sample

Marketing process: understand the marketplace and customer needs and wants ( design a customer-driven marketing strategy ( construct and integrated marketing program that delivers superior value ( build profitable relationships and create customer delight ( capture value from customers to create profits and customer equity. 5 core customer and marketplace concepts: 1. Needs, wants, demands 2. Marketing offerings (Products, services, and experiences) 3. Value and satisfaction (building blocks for developing and managing customer relationships) 4. Exchanges and relationships 5. Markets (the set of all actual and potential buyers of a product or service) So the marketing process involves 5 steps: the first four steps create value for customers. First, marketers need to understand the marketplace and customer needs and wants. Next, marketers design a customer-driven marketing strategy with the goal of getting, keeping and growing target customers. In the third step, marketers construct a marketing program that actually delivers superior value. All of these steps form the basis for the fourth step, building profitable customer relationships and creating customer delight. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary Marketing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the final step, the company reaps the rewards of strong customer relationships by capturing value from customers. Marketing myopia: only watching at the product instead of the underlying customer needs. Marketing management: the art and science of choosing target markets and building profitable relationships with them. (find, attract, keep, and grow target customers by creating, delivering, and communicating superior customer value). = customer management and demand management. It’s best to select customers (target marketing) instead of serving all customers. alternative concepts under which organisations design and carry out their marketing strategies: †¢ Production concept: consumers will favour products that are available and highly affordable †¢ Product concept: consumers will favour products that offer the most in quality, performance, and innovative features. †¢ Selling: buying asks for a lot of selling and promotion effort. ( inside-out perspective â⠂¬ ¢ Marketing: achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions better than competitors do. The job is not to find the right customers for your product, but to find the right products for your customer. ( outside-in perspective. Our goal is to lead customers where they want to go before they know where they want to go. †¢ Societal marketing concepts: a company should make good marketing decisions by considering consumers’ wants, the company’s requirements, consumers’ long-run interests, and society’s long-run interests. Selling concept: factory ( existing products ( selling and promoting ( profits through sales volume Marketing concept: market ( customer needs ( integrated marketing ( profits through customer satisfaction 4 P’s of marketing: Product, Price, Place, Promotion (these are marketing mix tools ( integrated marketing program) Customer relationship management: the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction. Customer perceived value: the customer’s evaluation of the difference between all the benefits and all the costs of a market offering relative to those of competing offers. Customer satisfaction: the extent to which a product’s perceived performance matches a buyer’s expectations. A company should deliver high customer satisfaction relative to competitors, it does not attempt to maximize customer satisfaction. In the past companies focused on mass marketing to all customers, today companies are building more direct and lasting relationships with more carefully selected customers (selective relationship management). Direct marketing (by telephone, mail-order catalogs, kiosks and online) is booming. Partner relationship management: working closely with partners in other company departments and outside the company to jointly bring greater value to customers ( every employee must be customer focused. Outcomes of creating customer value: customer loyalty and retention, share of market and share of customer, and customer equity. The aim of customer relationship management is to create not just customer satisfaction, but customer delight (emotional relationship with product or service). Customer lifetime value: the value of the entire stream of purchases that a customer would make over a lifetime of patronage. Share of customer: the portion of the customer’s purchasing that a company gets in its product categories. Companies want not only to create profitable customers, but to ‘own’ them for life, capture their customer lifetime value, and earn a greater share of their purchases. Customer equity: the combined discounted customer lifetime values of all of the company’s current and potential customers. Whereas sales and market share reflect the past, customer equity suggests the future. The goal is to build the right relationship with the right customers. The major new developments in marketing can be summed up in a single word: relationships. Today, marketers of all kinds are taking advantage of new opportunities for building relationships with their customers, their marketing partners, and the world around them. 2 Company and Marketing strategy: Partnering to build customer relationships Strategic planning: the process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organization’s goals and capabilities and its changing marketing opportunities ( adapting the firm to take advantage of opportunities in its constantly changing environment. Mission statement: a statement of the organization’s purpose –what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. They should be market oriented and defined in terms of customer needs. They should be realistic and specific. They should fit the market environment and be motivating. Business portfolio: the collection of businesses and products that make up the company The major activity in strategic planning is business portfolio analysis, whereby management evaluates the products and businesses making up the company. Product/market expansion grid: a portfolio-planning tool for identifying company growth opportunities through: †¢ market penetration: making more sales to current customers without changing its products †¢ market development: identifying and developing new market segments for current company products †¢ product development: offering modified or new products to current markets †¢ diversification: starting up or acquiring businesses outside the company’s current products and markets. Companies must not only develop strategies for growing their business ortfolios but also strategies for downsizing them. Managers should focus on promising growth opportunities, not fritter away energy trying to salvage fading ones. Customer value and satisfaction are important ingredients in the marketer’s formula for success. Marketers must partner effectively with other companies in the marketing system to form a competitively superior value-delivery network. Value chai n: the series of departments that carry out value-creating activities to design, produce, market, deliver, and support a firm’s products. A company’s success depends on how well each department performs its work of adding customer value and on how well the activities of various departments are coordinated. In today’s marketplace competition no longer takes place between individual competitors. Rather, it takes place between the entire value-delivery networks created by these competitors. So even if Toyota makes the best cars, it might lose in the marketplace if Ford’s dealer network provides more customer-satisfying sales and service. Customer-driven marketing strategy: Companies cannot serve all consumers in a given market. So they divide up the total market, choose the best segments and design strategies for profitably serving chosen segments. This process involves: †¢ market segmentation: the process of dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers who have different needs, characteristics, or behaviors, who might require separate products or market programs. A market segment consists of consumers who respond in a similar way to a given set of marketing efforts. †¢ target marketing: a company should target segments in which it can profitably generate the greatest customer value and sustain it over time. Market positioning: arranging for a product to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of target consumers. †¢ Differentiation: actually differentiating the market offering to create superior customer value. Marketing mix: the set of controllable tactical marketing tools: product, price, place and promotion, that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market. One concern: the four P’s concept takes the seller’s view of the market, not the buyer’s view. It might be better described as the four C’s. Ps4Cs ProductCustomer solution PriceCustomer cost PlaceConvenience PromotionCommunication Managing the marketing process requires the four marketing management functions: analysis, planning, implementation, and control. SWOT analyse: a complete analysis of the company’s situation. It evaluates the company’s overall Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O) and Threats (T). Contents of a marketing plan: executive summary, current marketing situation, threats and opportunities analysis, objectives and issues, marketing strategy, action programs, budgets, controls. To be successful companies must also be effective at implementation: turning marketing strategies into marketing actions. Marketing control involves evaluating the results of marketing strategies and plans and taking corrective action to ensure that objectives are attained. Marketers want to know the actual return on investments: Return on marketing investment (or marketing ROI): the net return from a marketing investment divided by the costs of the marketing investment. Marketers are using customer-centered measures of marketing impact, such as customer acquisition, customer retention, and customer lifetime value. Increased customer equity in relation to the cost of the marketing investments, determines return on marketing investment. A company’s success depends on how well each department performs its customer value-adding activities and how well the departments work together to serve the customer ( partner relationship management ( so they form an effective value chain that serves the customer. 3 The marketing environment Marketing environment: the actors and forces outside marketing that affect marketing management’s ability to build and maintain successful relationships with target customers. It is made up of a microenvironment and a macroenvironment. Microenvironment: the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers: the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets, competitors, and publics. Macroenvironment: the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment: demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, and cultural forces. The company’s microenvironment Marketing management’s job is to build relationships with customers by creating customer value and satisfaction. The company n designing marketing plans, marketing management takes other company groups into account-groups such as top management, finance, research and development (RD), purchasing, operations, and accounting. Suppliers they provide the resources needed by the company to produce its goods and services. Most marketers today treat their suppliers as partners in creating and delivering customer value. Marketing intermediaries help the company to promote, sell, and distribute its products to final buyers; they include resellers, physical distribution firms, marketing service agencies and financial intermediaries. Today’s marketers recognize the importance of working with their intermediaries as partners rather than simply as channels through which they sell their products. Customers The company needs to study five types of customer markets closely: 1. consumer markets 2. business markets 3. reseller markets 4. government markets 5. international markets Competitors The marketing concept states that to be successful, a company must provide greater customer value and satisfaction than its competitors do. No single competitive marketing strategy is best for all companies. Publics A public is any group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on an organization’s ability to achieve its objectives: †¢ Financial publics influence the company’s ability to obtain funds: banks and stockholders. †¢ Media publics carry news, features, and editorial opinions: newspapers, magazines †¢ Government publics, marketers must often consult the company’s lawyers on issues of products safety, truth in advertising, and other matters †¢ Citizen-action publics †¢ Local publics †¢ General publics †¢ Internal publics The company’s macroenvironment Major forces in the company’s macroenvironment: †¢ Demographic forces: demography is the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, gender, race, occupation, and other statistics. the post-world war 2 baby boom produced 78 million baby boomers, born between 1946-1964. The youngest boomers are now in their early forties. As a group, the baby boomers are the most affluent Americans. However although the more affluent boomers have grabbed most of the headlines, baby boomers cut across all walks of life, creating a diverse set f target segments for businesses. Generation X: the 45 million people born between 1965 and 1976 in the ‘birth dearth’ following the baby boom. Generation Y: The 72 million children of the baby boomers, born between 1977 and 1994. But marketers need to form more precise age-specific segments with each group. Marketers must increasingly consider the special needs of non-traditional households, because they are now g rowing more rapidly than traditional households. Each group has distinctive needs and buying habits. This is a period of great migratory movements between and within countries, this is interesting because people in different regions buy differently. The U. S. population is becoming better educated. The rising number of educated people will increase the demand for quality products, books, magazines, travel, personal computers, and internet services. Between 2004 and 2014, the number of professional workers is expected to increase 21% and manufacturing is expected to decline 5%. As the population in the United States grows more diverse, successful marketers will continue to diversify their marketing programs to take advantage of opportunities in fast-growing segments: gay/lesbian, people with disabilities, ethnic groups. †¢ Economic forces: consists of factors that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns. Some countries have subsistence economies they consume most of their own agricultural and industrial output. Others are industrial economies, which constitute rich markets for many different kinds of goods. people are spending more carefully since the recession of the early 2000s. alue marketing has become the watchword for many marketers. Rather than offering high quality at a high price, or lesser quality at very low prices, marketers are looking for ways to offer today’s more financially cautious buyers greater value – just the right combination of product quality and good service at a fair price. Over the past three dec ades, the rich have grown richer, the middle class has shrunk and the poor have remained poor. Food, housing and transportation use up the most household income. However consumers at different income levels have different spending patterns. Engel’s laws: as family income rise, the percentage spent on food declines, the percentage spent on housing remains about constant (except for such utilities as gas, electricity, and public services, which decrease), and both the percentage spent on most other categories and that devoted to savings increase. †¢ Natural forces: involves the natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities. Marketers should be aware of several trends in the natural environment: shortage of raw materials increased pollution increased government intervention In the U. S. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in 1970 to set and enforce pollution standards and to conduct pollution research. †¢ Technological forces create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities. They made a lot of wonders (televisions, cars, internet) and a lot of blunders (chemical weapons, nuclear missiles). New technologies cre ate new markets and opportunities. Every new technology replaces an older technology. As products and technology become more complex, the public needs to know that these are safe. Thus, government agencies investigate and ban potentially unsafe products. †¢ Political forces consists of laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence or limit various organizations and individuals in a given society. Almost every marketing activity is subject to a wide range of laws and regulations. Legislation affecting business around the world has increased steadily over the years. Regulations are constantly changing, marketers must work hard to keep up with changes in regulations and their interpretations. Reasons for business legislation: To protect companies from each other To protect consumers To protect the interest of society Cause-related marketing has become a primary form of corporate giving. It lets companies ‘do well by doing good’ by linking purchases of the company’s products or services with fund-raising for worthwhile causes or charitable organizations. Critics: cause-related marketing is more a strategy for selling than a strategy for giving. †¢ Cultural forces: institutions and other forces that affect society’s basic values, perceptions, preferences, and behaviours. Core beliefs and values are passed on from parents to children and are reinforced by schools, churches, businesses, and governments. Secondary beliefs and values are more open to change. Believing in marriage is a core belief, believing that people should get married early in life is a secondary belief. The major cultural values of a society are expressed in people’s views of themselves and others, as well as in their views of organizations, society, nature, and the universe. More people choose to stay home, this asks for home improvement and entertainment products (cocooning). People are getting more aware of nature( organic food, fuel-efficient cars People vary in their beliefs about the origin of the universe and their place in it. People have been moving away from materialism and dog-eat-dog ambition to seek more permanent values – family, community, earth, faith – and more certain grasp of right and wrong. Marketing management cannot always control environmental forces. But whenever possible, smart marketing managers will take a proactive rather than reactive approach to the marketing environment.

The Truth Behind Those Megalodon Documentaries

The Truth Behind Those Megalodon Documentaries What can you say about a TV documentary in which the suspiciously good-looking lead protagonistmarine biologist Collin Drake- comes up empty in a Google search? Or, for that matter, his equally attractive marine biologist pal Madelyn Joubert, who joins him halfway through the show, and whom a cursory web search easily demonstrates not to exist? And, not to belabor the point, a TV show that starts with suspiciously staged-looking video footage of a charter boat capsizing off the coast of South Africa, and no references can be found about this accident (in which three passengers were supposedly killed) from reliable online news sources? I dont know much about charter boats, but I do know that people whose ship is in the process of sinking do not take the trouble to center their subjects on frame. (See also 10 Things Megalodon Could Swallow Whole, a review of Megalodon: The New Evidence, and an article explaining why there are no giant sharks alive today.) Welcome to the world of the Discovery Channel and its inaugural Shark Week special, Megalodon - The Monster Shark Lives, which first aired on Sunday, August 4, 2013.  I usually steer well clear of Discovery programming, but since I know more about Megalodon than the average person (see my articles 10 Facts About Megalodon and Megalodon vs. Leviathan - Who Wins?) I felt compelled to tune in. Im shocked that a major TV channel with a supposedly educational purview can get away with this drivel, in which Collin Drake (whoever he is in real life) pursues his theory that that charter boat was rammed by a living Megalodon. Were taken through various pieces of evidencesonar sightings, Nazi-era photographs, whale carcasses washed up on the beachbut if Discovery is brazen enough to manufacture its talking heads out of whole cloth, what is the point of assessing the reliability of these details? I dont want to get into a debate about whether real, live Megalodon sharks are prowling the shores of southern Africaafter all, its impossible to prove a negative, and people will believe what they want to believe. On first airing, I was also willing to entertain the teensiest bit of doubt that Collin Drake and Madelyn Joubert were who they said they were (though they certainly looked, acted and talked unlike any scientists Ive ever met in real life, a judgment confirmed when it was later revealed that Collin Drake was actually played by a third-string Australian soap actor.) But I am saddened by the prospect that millions of unsuspecting people allow themselves to be educated by the Discovery Channel, which apparently cant stoop low enough to procure its ratings, and doesnt care how many schoolkids it misinforms in the process. Say what you will about Megalodon, but it couldnt help being a soulless, uncaring killing machineyoud think someone at the supposedly more evolved Discovery Channel would have a conscience! (Apparently unashamed by the critical backlash against Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives, Discovery aired an even more egregious sequel, Megalodon: The New Evidence, in July 2014, about which you can read in Megalodon: The New Evidence - Dont Believe Everything You See.)

Sunbird Facts (Family Nectariniidae)

Sunbird Facts (Family Nectariniidae) Sunbirds are tropical nectar-sipping birds belonging to the family Nectariniidae. Some members of the family are called spiderhunters, but all are considered to be sunbirds. Like unrelated hummingbirds, they feed primarily on nectar. However, most sunbirds have curved bills and perch to feed rather than hover like hummingbirds. Fast Facts: Sunbird Scientific Name: NectariniidaeCommon Names: sunbird, spiderhunterBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Less than 4 inchesWeight: 0.2-1.6 ouncesLifespan: 16-22 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Southeast Asia, Africa, northern AustraliaPopulation: Stable or decreasingConservation Status: Least Concern to Endangered Species The Nectariniidae family consists of 16 genera and 145 species. All birds in the family are sunbirds, but those in the genus Arachnothera are called spiderhunters. The spiderhunters are distinct from other sunbirds in that they are larger and both sexes have the same dull brown plumage. Description Sunbirds are small, slender birds measuring less than 4 inches in length. The smallest sunbird is the black-bellied sunbird, which weighs about 5 grams or 0.2 ounces. The largest sunbird is the spectacled spiderhunter, which weighs 45 grams or 1.6 ounces. Generally, males are larger than females and have longer tails. Most members of the family have long, downward-curved bills. Except for the spiderhunters, sunbirds are strongly sexually dimorphic. Males often have brilliant iridescent plumage, while females tend to be duller or different colors than males. Some species have distinctive juvenile and seasonal plumage. Male and female sunbirds may have very different plumage colors. Irtiza7 / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Sunbirds live in tropical forests, inland wetlands, savannas, and scrubland in Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East, and northern Australia. They tend not to favor coasts or islands. Some species migrate seasonally, but only a short distance. They are found from sea level to 19,000 feet of elevation. Some species have adapted to live near human habitation in gardens and agricultural land. Diet For the most part, sunbirds feed on flower nectar. They eat from orange and red tubular flowers and are important pollinators for these species. A sunbird dips its curved bill into a flower or else pierces its base and then sips nectar using a long, tubular tongue. Sunbirds also eat fruit, small insects, and spiders. While hummingbirds hover to feed, sunbirds land and perch on flower stalks. Behavior Sunbirds live in pairs or small groups and are active during the daytime. They aggressively defend their territories from predators and (during the breeding season) other bird species. Sunbirds tend to be talkative birds. Their songs consists of rattles and metallic-sounding notes. Reproduction and Offspring Outside of the equatorial belt, sunbirds breed seasonally, usually during the wet season. Birds that live near the equator may breed any time of year. Most species are monogamous and territorial. A few species engage in lekking, where a group of males gather to put on a courtship display to attract females. Female sunbirds use spiderwebs, leaves, and twigs to build purse-shaped nests and suspend them from branches. However, spiderhunter nests are woven cups attached beneath large leaves. The female lays up to four eggs. Except for spiderhunters, only sunbird females incubate the eggs. Purple sunbird eggs hatch after 15 to 17 days. Male sunbirds help rear the nestlings. Sunbirds live between 16 and 22 years. Olive-backed female sunbird with chicks. Paul T Photography / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies most sunbird species as least concern. Seven species are threatened with extinction and the elegant sunbird (Aethopyga duyvenbodei) is endangered. Populations are either stable or decreasing. Threats Threats to the species include habitat loss and degradation from deforestation and human encroachment. The scarlet-chested sunbird is considered an agricultural pest, as it spreads parasitic mistletoe in cocoa plantations. Although sunbirds are stunningly beautiful, they are not typically captured for the pet trade because of their specific nutritional needs. Sources BirdLife International 2016. Aethopyga duyvenbodei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22718068A94565160. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718068A94565160.enBirdLife International 2016. Cinnyris asiaticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22717855A94555513. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717855A94555513.enCheke, Robert and Clive Mann. Family Nectariniidae (Sunbirds). In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Editions. pp. 196–243. 2008. ISBN 978-84-96553-45-3.Flower, Stanley Smyth. Further notes on the duration of life in animals. IV. Birds. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, Ser. A (2): 195–235, 1938. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1938.tb07895.xJohnson, Steven D. The pollination niche and its role in the diversification and maintenance of the southern African flora. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 365 ( 1539): 499–516. 2010. doi:10.1098/rstb.2009.0243

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Leadership - Essay Example Moreover, good leadership engenders the quality of inspiration over coercion; choosing to allow for the possibility of trailblazing new ideas rather than merely following a prescriptive playbook of actions based upon needs. Further, leadership, although prized and likely a commodity that is lacking within the current professional and political world, is not often appreciated within many of the largest multinational corporations throughout the world. This is of course due to the fact that oftentimes management is expected to be carried out utilizing a rather formulaic approach that does not rely upon the leadership capacity or imagination of the individual. However, leadership itself entails a great deal more than mere direction. Corollary parts of trust, belief, and mutual understanding between people are necessary components that cannot and should not be diminished. With respect to what leadership means to me, the answer to this deviates slightly from the textbook definition of what defines leadership. In this way, leadership must engender a great deal of selflessness, tacit yet clearly discernible levels of trust, and the continual dedication to considering the needs of those under your supervision prior to your own needs (Mutalib & Ghani, 2013). As a function of defining and understanding these nuanced concepts to a greater degree, the following analysis will focus upon understanding the following quote: â€Å"A leader’s true test is his or her ability to inspire behavioural changes required to transform organizational performance throughout the ranks† (Caldwell et al., 2012). This will in turn be analyzed leveraging an appreciation for the many schools of management theory that have existed and been promoted throughout the years; attempting to gain a level of oversight with regards to how leadership is viewed as a transformational process through which greater degrees of cohesion and increasing levels of utility/profitability can be engaged. B efore delving into the step-by-step discussion of how the different management theories relate to an interpretation of leadership within the current model, it must be understood that leadership and management are two distinctly interconnected concepts. Whereas management refers to the actual process of accomplishing tasks, focusing resources, and mitigating risks, leadership engenders a more nuanced and personal understanding of how a given individual can encourage cooperation and respect within the employees/stakeholders in question (Mayer et al., 2012). By much the same token, management has a number of roles and functions whereas leadership is not judged by easily quantifiable metrics. For instance, management roles and functions can include, but are not limited to, decision-making, problem-solving, motivation, influencing, negotiating, delegation, and communication. This is not meant to state that leadership does not engender many of the same requirements. However, leadership is something that should not be understood to exist wholly separate from the management process. Rather, the two, in an ideal interpretation and application, must exist side-by-side as a means of providing the best overall product and experience to all individuals involved within the process (Muethel et al., 2012). In such a way, one of the best means of measuring effective leadership is to seek to engage with effective management and ensure that these determinants are met first and foremost. Only once effective management is realized, can true leadership tickets form. This is not to state that leadership must follow managerial process and/or theory 100% of the time. Rather, past instances have proven that many times there is a market deviation from standard managerial protocol and the

Identity Formation and the Bordelandsof Self Essay

Identity Formation and the Bordelandsof Self - Essay Example g thought-provoking complicated autobiographical work that has significantly led to the construction of Chicana and â€Å"mestiza† collective identity. The author narrates her experience of spiritual awakening and growth as well as her introduction to self knowledge. This experience is not for her consumption alone. The author also delineates the social implications of spirituality as a source of power for all Chicanas. Anzaldua’s concept of spirituality is central to â€Å"la mestiza’s† cultural experience defined by the borderlands. Let us now asses the relevance of the concept of â€Å"borderland†. Literally, the term refers to the borders between Mexico and the United States. The term â€Å"border† brings to mind the war between these tow countries which culminated in the annexation of Texas to the US in the 19the century. This annexation, ironically, has resulted in the Chicanos becoming second-class citizens in their own country. Gringos in the US Southwest consider the inhabitants of the borderlands – transgressors, aliens, whether they possess documents or not, whether they are Chicanos, Indians or Blacks. Do not enter; trespassers will be raped, maimed, strangled, gassed, shot. The only â€Å"legitimate† inhabitants are those in power, the whites and those who align themselves with whites. Consider the plight of Pedro, a Chicano in the following extract from Anzaldua’s text: â€Å"In the confusion, Pedro ran, terrified of being caught. He couldn’t speak English, couldn’t tell them he was fifth-generation American. Sin papeles – he did not carry his birth certificate to work in the fields La Migra took him away while we watched. Se lo llevaron. He tried to smile when he looked back at us, to raise his fist. But I saw the shame pushing his head down. I saw the terrible weight of shame hunch his shoulders.† The term â€Å"borderland† in Anzaldua’s work points to the strict boundaries that Western thought has laid down in the

Of mice and men - A comparison of the opening scenes of the film and the beginning of the book Essay Example for Free

Of mice and men A comparison of the opening scenes of the film and the beginning of the book Essay A comparison of the opening scenes of the film and the beginning of the book Of mice and men is set in southern California at the time of the great depression (late 1920 and early 30s), the basis of the story is about 2 men George and Lenny, who are two workers who travel from place to place finding work on ranches, so they can earn there 50 bucks a month. George is the leader out of the two he looks after Lenny, sorts out where they go and what they do and eat. Lenny is a very big and strong man, but he is very dumb and could not look after himself, he his at heart a nice, harmless man but likes colourful, nice feeling things, so he is just like a small child. Lenny gets them into trouble a lot, he likes to touch nice things and when he does people get the wrong idea and like at the start of the book and film gets accused of rape, and at the end causes a death of a woman. Like most writers or directors, John Steinbeck and Gary Sinise try to grab the readers or viewers attention. Even though the novel and film are based on the same story, they use different techniques and ways to try and get the audiences attention. In the novel John Steinbeck uses a lot of description of his settings and this is how he tries to keep the audiences imagination going. For example in the first two pages of the novel, he uses a strong descriptive and a strong style of language to try and give an effect of a natural, calm and peaceful atmosphere, also when describing the willow pool he tries and puts as much detail in as possible, as this area of land is one of the most important places in the story as this is where Steinbeck starts the story and ends it in a similar place. Its quite amazing how Steinbeck manages to turn a violent and threatening scene into a calm, relaxing place and an almost peaceful time. I think that the first set of settings is set in a spring/summer theme as they are talking about there dream which is seen as the American dream of this time, so this also relates to life in the late boom and depression of the 1920s. The beginning is used to try and introduce the two main characters portraying Lenny as the leader and it seems that he is like a father to Lenny who is portrayed as a small child who cannot control what he is doing. George also knows he has to take the role as the father or older brother and has to keep rules and tells him what to do, e.g. when they are drinking from the lake Lenny keeps his head in the water and is just guzzling the water down, then George says; For god sake dont drink so much, and also he checks if the water is safe by making sure that its is running although George is of little intelligence him self he knows how to stay alive and live well. Gary Sinise tries to grab the audiences attention quite differently at the beginning of the film as he uses a dramatic sequence of George and Lenny sitting in the luggage holder of a train, and you see him thinking back to what happened at Weed. When this is happening the light fades over Georges face from the cracks in the compartments wooden walls, this effect of the light streaming across his face gives an imaginary sense of prison bars. During Georges flashbacks you see them running fast and out of breath down a field full of long grass, and it keeps flashing back on Georges face in the train giving you a sense of distress instead of the calming effect of the novel. It then flashes to a pretty woman in a red dress that has a rip going down the bottom of it, the air flows through her dress and hair as she is running down a field. This scene really is exciting and full of tension to the viewer, which contrasts totally to the calm and peaceful opening of the book. Next you she a bunch of workers in a field, and they hear the girls screams. The workers on horse follow carrying shotguns. This contrasts to the life of today against nearly a century ago, as nowadays Lenny would have been arrested and put to a fair trial but back then they would have just killed Lenny on the spot. This scene puts people on the edges of their seats giving a sense of suspense; this is how a good director is able to keep the audiences attention to the film. The scene of the willow pool is quite like the scene in the book it gives a more relaxed effect from the previous suspense scenes, as they hide neck deep under the overflowing bush weed, and luckily the workers lose them. When we see George and Lenny getting there work cards it proves the fact that this is in the 1930s as there were a lot of job shortages and you had to go to a job office and see if any jobs were available, most people would take any job there was, because of the depression. This then gives us a slight historical background of the time they are in. George in the book is firstly described as small and quick, dark of face with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. George being described as having restless eyes gives an impression that he is quite alert and a quick thinker of what to do in troubled times. Lenny on the other hand is described quite differently: Huge man, shapeless face with large, pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. the way a bear drags his paws Lenny is being described as an animal which shows that he is a slow and clumsy both physical and mentally. The characters in the film are unlike the ones in the book as they are not physically opposite. Lenny is only slightly taller than George, but the behaviours of these two characters do mirror that it is similar to the book as Lenny acts like a child and George is the smart, dominant one. This is often shown in the close ups of their faces and in their speech and movement. The clothes they wear are described in the book as workers clothes so rugged and tattered, so the movie is also based on this part as the clothes in the movie are like this. In my opinion I think casting John Malkovich was perfect to be Lenny as he was able to portray the child like brain of Lenny. He seemed to fit the right description of Lenny. The voice used by John Malkovich was very effective in giving the viewer a childlike impression of Lenny. Gary Sinise although he was director he himself played George and he obviously knew how he wanted George to be played and he did with an amazing attitude, he gave out the attitude and cunningness of George as is written in the book. In conclusion, the beginning of the book and the beginning of the film are based on the same storyline. The way the scenes are described and presented are really quite different. Gary Sinise is able to create a sense of action and suspense followed by the calm of the willow pool, whilst Steinbeck creates a very rich and calm descriptive opening scene, which contrasts with the violence of what is actually happening.

Antigone as a Tragic Hero Essay -- essays research papers

Antigone as a tragic hero The debate over who is the tragic hero in Antigone is unanswered. The belief that Antigone is the hero is a tough one. Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic hero of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies for doing what she believes is right. She buries her brother without worrying what might happen to her. Unlike Antigone, Ismene says â€Å"And break the law, our death will be more shameful even then theirs† (pg.5 line 60). In Sophocle's Antigone, the characters show a variety of traits. However, Antigone's life of aspiration, family of noble rank, and display of good mentality portray her as the tragic hero of the story. A tragic hero has haughty, opulence, and perfunctory. A tragic hero must include thre...

Informative Speech 101

Speech 101 D 10/14/12Delivery Outline IntroductionAttention getter: Take the time to think, how well do you know the people you call friends?Reveal topic: John Wayne Gacy was one of the Notorious Serial Killer in the United States.Thesis: Gacy was one of the well-known serial killers during the 1970’s. Credibility: In a 1982 news paper article from the Washington Post News â€Å"Gacy killed at least 33 young teenage boys by lower them to work for him. †Preview: We will look at details involving gacy life such as his early life, Serial killing, and his trial. Transition sentence: Let us begin with how he was raised.I. Gacy Early childhood lifeA. Attended Catholic school1. He was not a very popular kid in school.2. According to Racheal Bell in the Crime Library, â€Å"He always remained active with other children and thoroughly enjoyed outdoor scouting activities. †B. Family relationships1. Gacy relationship with his mother and sisters were very strong.2. According to Racheal Bell in the Crime Library, â€Å"his father was an abusive alcoholic who physically abused his mother and verbally abused him and his sister. Gacy deeply wanted to gain his father devotion and attention.Transition sentence: Now that you have a better understanding of his early life, let’s talk about the Serial killing.II. Serial KillerA. Pogo the Clown/Killer Clown1. His alter ego was one of the ways he lower young boys in his home.2. According to the Crime and Investigation crime files â€Å"Gacy had convinced his self that his alter personality Jack Hanson had committed the murders and was trying to frame him for them. †B. According to the Crime and Investigation crime files â€Å"Gacy was making sexual advances to young employees within his father-in-law’s restaurant. †1.Mark Miller was one of gacy’s first victims which had gotten away.2. As said in a 1975 article from Chicago Tribune states, â€Å"Gacy just couldn’t resist his urges of making sexual advances towards young boys. He increased his interest in gay pornography and violent mood swings. †Transition sentence: Now that you know how/when he started the killing, let’s talk about the trial (conviction).III. Gacy on trail(conviction)A. Confession and Trial1. According to the book Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders â€Å"Left a stunning impression on the jurors and the courtroom spectators, who were learning some details for the first time.2. According to Michael Buchanan of the criminal law blogâ€Å"Gacy admitted to detectives that he had committed approximately 30 murders, all of them teenage males. Once back at Gacy's residences, the young men would be handcuffed and choked as they were sexually assaulted. Some of the teenagers had been strangled with a tourniquet, which Gacy referred to as his â€Å"rope trick†. Most of the victims, Gacy said, were buried in the crawl space of his home where, periodically, he would pour lime to hasten the decomposition of the corpses. †B. Gacy was convicted of all 33 murders1.He was sentenced to serve 12 death sentence and 21 natural sentences.2. He died by lethal injection on May 10, 1994 at Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois.Transition sentence: So I ask you, do you know the people you associate with on a daily basic? Conclusion The world we live in today you just can’t be too sure of who you know or who you want to get to know. Gacy was one of the well-known serial killers across the U. S during the 1970’s. As we can see Gacy wasn’t brought up to do the things he did(Yes of course he really didn’t have a father, but I felt that was not an excuse. )

Impact of Socio Economic Condition on Academic Achievement of Students

Research Proposal On Impact of Socio Economic Condition on Academic Achievement of Students Introduction Education provides individual children with the knowledge and skills necessary to advance themselves and their nation economically. Socioeconomic factors, such as family income level, parents' level of education, race and gender, all influence the quality and availability of education as well as the ability of education to improve life circumstances. (Jennifer, 2005).A person’s education is closely linked to their life chances, income, and well being. Therefore, it is important to have a clear understanding of what benefits or hinders one’s educational attainment (Barry 2005). Socioeconomic status (SES) is often measured as a combination of education, income, and occupation. It is commonly conceptualized as the social standing or class of an individual or group. When viewed through a social class lens, privilege, power, and control are emphasized.Understanding the ef fects of socioeconomic status on academic performance is important in determining effective and valid testing for students. Determining the correlation between these two variables is important for all educators to understand, so that all students can achieve to their academic potential. Finding the correlation between academic performance and socioeconomic status can assist educators in determining instructional strategies that best fit each individual student (Brent, 2009).The issue of socioeconomic status and its relationship in the academic performance creates an emerging study in academic research. The link between the economic status of the family and its influence in the student’s pursuance for education is one of the issues that the educators are attempting to address. In public institutions all levels of students are getting chance to study according to their merit. After getting the scope to study in public universities, it is not a very easy task for all students to carry on their studies in present circumstances.According to statistical reports 23-25% students of public universities are come from those families which are living below the poverty line (Dr. Abdul Hai, 2009). Problem Statement The level of family income, what level of income a family is in, has the potential to influence a child's ability to perform from one extreme to the other. Parents with higher status often have more opportunities in preparing their young children for school because they typically have access to a wide range of resources in contrast to parents with lack of financial and social status.Parents with inadequate resources and limited access can negatively affect their young children’s development in learning (Eamon, 2005). In the other developing country, like Bangladesh which is a populous country, socio-economic status of a family is usually linked with the family’s income, parent’s educational level, parent’s occupation and the soc ial status of other relatives. This logic is said to create great parental influences on the student’s university performance (Okafor, 2007). The university effectiveness is also addressed in the determining the outcome of the students.This justification motivated to investigate the socio-economic condition of the parents and its impact on their children’s’ academic achievements in Department of Business Administration Literature Review We know that the link between a child’s socio-economic status (SES) and school achievement is real; it is a very tight link as such things go, and the link has existed for decades (Grant, 2005). The level of family income, what level of income a family is in, has the potential to influence a child's ability to perform from one extreme to the other.If a parent is financially able to clothe, feed and entertain their children it appears they should have all the support they would need to score well on exams. However on the fl ip side, if parents are not financially able to support their children with just the basic needs, it is possible that will have an effect on the child's scores as well(Ima,2008). Extensive   research   in   the   sociology   of   education   offers   conclusive   evidence   of   a   positive   relationship   between   family   socio? economic   status  (SES)   and   the   academic   achievement   of  students   (Sirin,   2005;   White,  1982).On this relationship, Bone (1981) studied and concluded that the students belong to the family of high socio-economic condition have effective academic achievements than students belong to poor family. Sirin (2005) conducted research and the result showed medium to strong relationship between socio-economic condition and academic achievements. The socio-economic condition of a family is an important factor which affects the learning achievements (Iqbal, 2012). According to Bon (1981) Socio -economic status can be measured in a number of different ways.Most commonly it is measured by parents’ education, occupation and income and the responsible factor is father, but sometimes mother’s education or occupation, family income resources or household possession are used, especially in combination. Whatever the measurement is the socio-economic status is positively correlated with both educational attainment and achievement. The socioeconomic background was founded and recognized from the wealthy and well-educated parents that can help to ensure the future of their children.Because of their influence, it is believed that the background of a student is favorable for their learning environment, better education, and good jobs. On the other hand, the children who have the low socioeconomic background are believed to lack in education and obtaining an opportunity in the future may be difficult. Because of the importance of family backgrounds in other countries, it is also referenced to be the major influence on the student school success. The relationships of the student environment have established many variables that can be direct or indirect in the student’s success (Okafor, 2007).Objectives The main aim of the study is to examine the impact of socio-economic condition of parents and its relationship with academic achievements of children. In order to provide the idea regarding the study, there are other objectives that should be considered. * To recognize the perceptions of the students regarding the family status and academic achievements. * To examine the impact of socio-economic condition of parents and its relationship with academic achievements of children. * And to suggest the other possible ways to increase the competitiveness of the academic settings.Methodology This study is an exploratory in nature. For exploring and explaining the impact of socioeconomic condition on academic achievement, the researchers apply both quali tative and quantitative method. To collect information we use various techniques like interview, observation. * Sources of data: The study will be based on both primary and secondary data. The respondents are the source of primary data and the literature (research reports, journals, articles, bulletins) related to the socioeconomic status will be considered as secondary sources of data. Population: Target population of the research is 350 students of Business department. Sampling procedure: As a sample technique we use probability sampling, because every member of the population has a known, non-zero probability of selection. All probability sampling are designed or based on selection criterion and among them we select stratified sampling, a probability sampling procedure in which simple random subsamples that are more or less equal on some characteristics are drawn from within each stratum of the population.Stratified sampling is of two types, proportional stratified sample and dis proportional stratified sample. For purpose of our study we use proportional stratified sampling, a stratified sample in which the number of sampling units drawn from each stratum is proportional to the population size of that stratum. We have stratified 350 students of Business department in seven batches and randomly select seven students from each stratum. * Sample size: The total numbers of sample is 49.All respondents will be selected for interview. Techniques of data collection Research data will be collected by using the techniques of interview. During the interview phase selected respondent will be formally invited to participate in the session. A convenient place of respondent will be fixed according to their yearning. Tools of data collection For collecting data the following tools will be used- * Interview schedule with open and close ended questions * Unit of analysis:Every student of the study will be the unit of analysis. * Respondents: The respondents will be selected on basis of following three criteria. Such as- * Who currently study in Business Administration Department * Those who are engaged on tuition for supporting their study * Those who live in the student hall or Boarding house Data processing and interpretation As result being conducted using the tools of interview schedule. So it will transcribe the data and carefully reexamine to minimized errors in the data.Collected data will be classified into different socio-economic characters. Analysis work after tabulation will generally based on the computation of various percentages. Researcher will use various statistical tools like regression analysis, correlation analysis and also dispersion for analyzing the data. References * Ahmad Iqbal (31 July, 2012), Relationship between parental socio-economic conditions and student’s academic achievements: A case of district dir, Timergara, Pakistan [online] accessed on 21 December 2012. Barry Jennifer (2005), The Effect of Socio-Economic Status on Academic Achievement [online] Accessed on 15 December 2012. * Blevins M Brent (2009), Effects of socioeconomic status on academic performance in Missouri public schools [online] Accessed on 15 December 2012. * C. R. Kothari (2005), Research Methodology: Methods & Techniques – Page: 95-122, used for collecting and analyzing the data. * Ima (November 2008), Socioeconomic Status and School Achievement [online] accessed on 20December 2012. * Okafor, P. (2007) A Case Study: Factors Contributing to the Academic Achievement of Low-Socio Economic Status Students in Anambra South County, Anambra State Nigeria[Online] Available at: http://patrickokafor. com/LeadingtoThesisProposal1. pdf [Accessed 01 December 2012]. * Thomas, J. , & Stockton, C. , (2003) Socioeconomic Status, Race, Gender, & Retention: Impact on Student Achievement [Online] Available at: http://www. usca. edu/essays/vol72003/stockton. pdf [Accessed 07 December 20102]. * William G. Zikmund (2010-2011), Business Research Methods – Page: 400-402, Stratified Sampling Technique.

Cars and Carriages

Cars and Carriages Cars and Carriages Cars and Carriages By Mark Nichol Car and carriage, and many other words containing the element car, derive from the Latin word carrus, meaning â€Å"two-wheeled wagon.† This post lists and defines many of the words descended from carrus. A car is a passenger vehicle designed to be driven on roads; autocar and motorcar are outdated terms used in the early days of automotive travel to describe cars so as not to have them be confused with train cars and streetcars, which were dominant modes of travel at the time. A streetcar is a public passenger vehicle, running on a network of rails within a city, that can be drawn by horses (this type was sometimes called a horsecar) or propelled by electricity; one drawn by cables is sometimes called a cable car. Car also describes a segment of a railroad train, and terms for specialized cars include boxcar, denoting an enclosed car for carrying freight, flatcar, which refers to a platform freight car, and â€Å"stock car,† meaning â€Å"a ventilated boxcar for hauling livestock.† (â€Å"Stock car† also describes a racing car with a stock, or mass-produced, chassis and a customized car body.) A car wash is a public facility for cleaning cars, either staffed or self-service with coin-operated equipment. A carpool is an arrangement in which two or more people share a car driven by one of them to reach a common destination. A carport is an area, like a garage but generally with only a roof on posts and no walls, for storing vehicles. (â€Å"Car park† is a British English term for a parking garage or parking lot.) To be carsick is to become nauseated by the motion of a car; the ailment is called carsickness. Carriage originally denoted the act of carrying but came to apply to a vehicle that carries people, including a train car; the meaning was extended to refer to one’s posture as well as specialized senses pertaining to a moveable part of a machine, such as a typewriter’s carriage, or to having a pathogen in one’s body. Carry also derives from carrus; among the most versatile of verbs, it has numerous senses pertaining to bearing, moving, or directing something from one place to another or to associated actions. But it is also employed as a noun, as in the case of a method of bearing something, as in describing the advance of a football player with the ball. A carrier is an entity that carries something, and a carryall is a vehicle or a large bag; the latter word stems by folk etymology from the French term carriole. Chariot, denoting an ancient two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle, is, with charioteer, derived from the Old French verb charrier, meaning â€Å"transport,† by way of Middle French and Middle English. The word, as well as chariotee, a diminutive of chariot, and â€Å"post chariot,† pertain to types of carriage used before the automotive age. Charabanc is a British English word for a sightseeing bus; the term is derived from the French phrase char bancs, meaning â€Å"wagon with benches.† Carousel, originally describing a jousting match and later pertaining to an amusement ride in which people mount statues of horses or other animals set on a revolving platform, is from the Italian word carusiello, possibly descended from carrus. Cart and its compound variations (from cartwheel to â€Å"shopping cart†) are unrelated, stemming from an Old English word, related to the Dutch word for basket, that likely alluded to the fact that early carts often included a body made of wickerwork. However, charette (also spelled charrette), a word originally pertaining to a cart used to carry drawings- by extension, it now describes a meeting involving architectural plans- is French for â€Å"little cart† and is from carrus. (The modern sense might derive from the notion of viewing and discussing architectural drawings spread out on a cart at a building site.) However, a few words that may not be easily recognized as belonging to the same family do stem from carrus, including career, which means â€Å"course† or â€Å"passage† and by extension came to denote a field or profession one pursues. As a verb, it describes speeding along a road or other course. (However, careen, denoting turning something over or a side-to-side movement, is unrelated.) Carrack, the word for a sailing vessel common during the 1400s and 1500s, derives from an Arabic word for â€Å"merchant ship† that may have been borrowed from the Latin term carricare, meaning â€Å"load a car.† Cargo, meaning â€Å"goods conveyed by a vehicle or vessel,† stems from the same word by way of Spanish, and that language is also the source of supercargo, denoting a ship’s officer responsible for freight and related matters. Carricare is also the source of cark, an obscure word used as a noun or a verb to refer to trouble or worry, from the notion of a burden. It is also the origin of charge, which originally referred to a load or a weight carried but now has a variety of meanings, including â€Å"command† or â€Å"supervision,† â€Å"obligation,† â€Å"expense,† or â€Å"complaint,† â€Å"criticism,† or â€Å"assertion of guilt.† It also describes a rush, especially of attacking mounted soldiers, and still refers to a load of in the sense of a quantity of electricity or explosives. In addition, it serves as a verb pertaining to these senses. A charger is something used in charging, such as a warhorse or a device for holding or reinforcing a weapon or an energy source. and something that can be charged is chargeable. Recharge means â€Å"charge again,† and something that can be charged again is rechargeable. A countercharge is a response to a charge, and overcharge and undercharge denote excessive or insufficient charging, while supercharge refers to applying energy, pressure, or tension and a surcharge is an extra charge, usually in the financial sense of an additional fee. The noun chargà © d’affaires, borrowed directly from the French phrase meaning â€Å"charged with affairs† (and pronounced the same), denotes a deputy of an ambassador or other senior diplomat. Carpenter, meaning â€Å"worker who builds and repairs wood structures† (from a Latin word denoting a wagon maker), and carpentry, referring to the practice, are related to carrus. Although caricature is in a sense a synonym of character, in that both pertain to a representation of a person, and the terms are pronounced similarly and appear as if they might share a root, they are unrelated: Character, by way of Latin, is from the Greek word kharacter, meaning â€Å"engraved mark†; it retains its original sense of â€Å"symbol† but also developed the meaning of â€Å"person in a work of fiction,† then simply â€Å"person† (and later â€Å"eccentric person†) as well as â€Å"the sum of one’s defining qualities,† or â€Å"integrity.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-Efficient36 Poetry TermsEach vs. Both

Provide a critical analysis of the business case for work-life Research Paper

Provide a critical analysis of the business case for work-life programs within a strategic HRM context - Research Paper Example ork life balance as identified by David Clutterbuck is defined as being aware of the demands on time and having the ability of making choices and knowing the applications of certain values for choices and finally making choices (CIPD, 2009). Yasbek (2004) business case shows that most of the New Zealand organisations are highly ensuring work life balance policies and practices at their workplace. The topic of importance of work life balance practices has become not only for the employees and organisations but for the government, politicians, workers and academics. Furthermore, the changing market structure of economies from monopolies to competition, increasing women workforce, shortage of skilled labour force and increasing social groups have also enhanced the importance of the subject of work like balance policies. Some social groups also increase the demand of work life balance policies such as women, minority groups and old aged people. Therefore, this topic appears to be an emer ging topic, which has changed the working practices in organisations. In consideration to the importance of increasing work life balance policies, this report has been created and it aims to discuss the pros and cons of work life balance policies. The scope of this report is limited to secondary research, as in this report only the early literature on work life balance policies will be evaluated. This report will critically analyse the key issues associated with work life balance policies discussed in business case of New Zealand written by Yasbek (2004). The key issues identified by Yasbek in his case deal with the impact of work life balance policies on employees’ retention, satisfaction, performance, organisation performance and productivity. Therefore, this report aims to highlight the key issues resolved by work life balance policies, the strategies for the firms adopting these policies and challenges faced by the firms after adopting such practices. In short, this report is

Recent trends in top tier banks in U.S., Europe, Asia, or Latin Term Paper

Recent trends in top tier banks in U.S., Europe, Asia, or Latin America - finance - Term Paper Example such as money transfers, payroll services, bank reconcilement, credit services such as asset based financing, lines of credit, commercial loans, or commercial real estate loans, deposit services such as checking or savings account services and foreign exchange. The latter involves services such as securitization, financing of mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, underwriting of shares, private placements of equity shares and debt securities with the investing institutions. These two services which were specialized by two distinct set of bankers are now being increasingly converged to be undertaken by same banks in view of deregulation of the financial sector. The banks have also started entering into insurance businesses. These changes have catapulted the banks to become an important and integral part of global business environment (Trends in the banking industry). In this context, this paper seeks to trace the recent trends in top tier banks in the U.S. and other countries in re spect of products, competition and global advancement. Since World War II through1970, there had been not many bank failures as it used to be a stable business. There were just ten bank failures in the U.S during the postwar period. It was only after deregulation, and liberalization identified as the catalysts for competition and growth, bank failures began to raise during 1980s and 1990s. Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (2004) and other studies of Blommestein and Lange (1993) and Blommestein (1997) provide a thorough analysis of bank failures in the U.S., Japan, Europe and others. Figure 1 showing the trend of banking failures during the period from 1934-2003 is clearly illustrative of this. The deregulation and liberalization has resulted in consolidation of banking industry during the last twenty five years. In the U.S. alone, the number of commercial banks which was 13,000 in 1980 has come down to 7,600 as in 2005. The last two decades have been characterized by