Network Security Essay

The infrastructure which encompasses the network solution and security considerations is a major consideration for your company. Considering that the company will be expanding from one (1) floor to three (3) floors in the very near future you, as the CIO, are responsible for the design of the infrastructure and security protocols. You have been tasked with designing a network that is stable, redundant, and scalable. In addition, speed and reliability are important considerations. Assumptions should be drawn regarding network usage in relationship to network services and resources. All the established criteria that were set at the onset should be adhered to within your plan. The network solution that is chosen should support the conceived information system and allow for scalability. The network infrastructure will support organizational operations; therefore, a pictorial view of workstations, servers, routers, bridges, gateways, and access points should be used. In addition, access paths for Internet access should be depicted. Additionally, the security of the network should be in the forefront of your design because protecting your data is a primary consideration. Section 1: Infrastructure Document 1. Write a four to six (4-6) page infrastructure document in which you: a. Justify and support the relationship between infrastructure and security as it relates to this data-collection and analysis company. b. Present the rationale for the logical and physical topographical layout of the planned network. c. Design a logical and physical topographical layout of the current and planned network through the use of graphical tools in Microsoft Word or Visio, or an open source alternative such as Dia. Note: The graphically depicted solution is not included in the required page length. d. Illustrate the possible placement of servers including access paths to the Internet, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and firewalls. Note: Facility limitations, workstations, databases, printers, routers, switches, bridges, and access points should be considered in the illustration. e. Create and describe a comprehensive security policy for this data-collection and analysis company that will: i. Protect the company infrastructure and assets by applying the principals of confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA). Note: CIA is a widely used benchmark for evaluation of information systems security, focusing on the three (3) core goals of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. ii. Address ethical aspects related to employee behavior, contractors, password usage, and access to networked resources and information. Section 1 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: * Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. * Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. * Include charts or diagrams created in MS Visio or Dia as an appendix of the infrastructure document. All references to these diagrams must be included in the body of the infrastructure document. Section 2: Revised Project Plan Use Microsoft Project to: 2. Update the project plan from with three to five (3-5) new project tasks each consisting of five to ten (5-10) sub-tasks. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: * Develop information systems-related activities to maximize the business value within and outside the organization. * Demonstrate an understanding of existing and emerging information technologies, the functions of IS, and its impact on the organizational operations. * Evaluate the issues and challenges associated with information systems integration. * Use technology and information resources to research issues in information systems. * Write clearly and concisely about strategic issues and practices in the information systems domain using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

How does Mark Haddon use the first person narration in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time? Essay

In the words of Christopher Boone ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night – time’ is a ‘’murder mystery novel’’. This book takes you on a surprisingly effective journey through the world of 15 year old Christopher suffering from Asperger’s syndrome; a boy who turns to mathematics for comfort, who cannot eat foods if they are touching on his plate, and who judges the potential success of his day by the number of similarly coloured cars that pass him on the way to school. The story of the murder of Mrs Shears’s dog is told from Christopher’s perspective. Author, Mark Haddon’s use of the first person narrative is effective in the way in which it enables us to enter Christopher’s mind, it equally creates problems for the reader†¦ Throughout the novel, it becomes clear for us that Christopher finds it difficult to portray emotion or vice versa to read other people’s emotions. The fact that Christopher has Asperger’s syndrome adds to his inability to relate to how other people feel. As a result of this Christopher sees life in a very logical way and tends to describe things in lots of detail. This lack of understanding is highlighted during the novel. Initially the way Christopher fails to understand Mrs Shears’s anger and horror at the discovery of her dog, and later his lack of understanding for his father’s unhappiness and regret. ‘’There was a policeman and a policewoman. The policewoman had a little hole in her tights on her left ankle and a red scratch in the middle of the hole.’’ This quote shows Christopher’s logic and understanding and how he failed to realise that the policewoman had been hurt. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a murder mystery novel. Christopher tells us how he does not ‘’like proper novels.’’ The first person narration is good for the reader because it’s as if you are travelling with Christopher on a journey and you are there with him all the time in the book. As a reader you feel this way because in the book the ‘major’ events unfold to you and Christopher at the same time so as a character Christopher is facing new experiences, whilst you the reader are getting a shock. The reader and Christopher are both kept in the dark for the same amount of time until the truth gets revealed. ‘’Then I stopped reading the letter because I felt sick. Mother had not had a heart attack. Mother had not died. Mother had been alive all the time.’’ This quote shows the time when Christopher finds out that his mother had not been dead, and in fact alive. His reaction to this is not e xactly ‘vivid’ however as a reader you could imagine in your head that moment and picture his facial expressions. Mark Haddon’s use of the first person narrator makes the story seem more realistic as it lets the reader get an insight into not just Christopher’s but most of the character’s emotions. Even though Christopher himself doesn’t tend to show much emotion you can still paint an image in your head of what he is feeling, this is because of the way he narrates. The small yet detail he gives you along the story is beneficial as it enables you to become close to Christopher and understand him as a character. The details he notices of other people tend to be their body language; this information helps the reader to understand how other characters feel. Christopher finds it hard to read emotions and gets confused when he can’t think properly, as a reader you can relate to his frustration because of the way he responds to people and their actions. ‘’What else did I say Christopher? I thought that this might be a rhetorical question, but I wasn†™t sure. I found it hard to work out what to say because I was starting to get scared and confused.’’ The downside to Mark Haddon’s use of first person narration is that the reader cannot fully experience what other people are feeling. The reader is restricted to mainly Christopher’s feelings and emotions as the book is written from his perspective. The fact that it is written from Christopher’s point of view means that everything we find out has already been processed through Christopher as he is the narrator. The disadvantage of this is that because Christopher has Asperger’s syndrome, it is harder for him to understand things like jokes and metaphors. ‘’ This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them.’’ This could be bad for the reader because Christopher is a very literal person so it is hard for him to add humour into the book and for that reason readers may not enjoy the fact it is written in first person. Christopher tends to focus on other small details which seem relevant to him but as readers you feel as if sometimes it is just completely off topic. Another reason why Mark Haddon’s use of first person narration is not suitable is that, when Christopher narrates he tends to digress alot. When he talks he sticks to the topic however moments later he is narrating about another topic. ‘’Marilyn vos Savant said that you should always change and pick the final door because the chances are 2 in 3 that there will be a car behind the door.’’ This quote was taken from a chapter which started off by Christopher talking about why he liked maths and how his teacher said that Christopher liked maths ‘’because it was safe.’’ The chapter ended with a tree diagram showing outcomes of a game show, where the topic started, and where it ended were in two quite different places! In conclusion, I think that Mark Haddon has successfully written this book in first person although if the book was written in third person we would gather more information from all characters and their feelings, alternatively, as it is written in first person, Mark Haddon tells Christopher’s story with warmth and humour which makes us see Christopher’s problems at the same time that we experience everyone else’s frustrations in dealing with him. By having Christopher as a narrator it allows you to enjoy those situations that may happen in real life. The suspense that builds up throughout the story is great as it keeps you on the edge of your seat as you don’t know what is going to happen next! I personally enjoyed reading this book from Christopher’s point of view as it lets you imagine how people deal with Asperger’s syndrome as well as how they act with the syndrome. The first person narration is effective because I think it made the book seem more realistic because in reality that is probably what would happen, if you were to go onto a train for the first time alone then you would most likely be scared.†Then the train wobbled a lot and I had to hang onto a rail and we went into a tunnel and it was noisy and I closed my eyes and I could feel the blood pumping in the sides of my neck.’’ I think the way in which the author has captured Christopher’s emotion and feelings is unique because as a reader I first thought It was boring to be reading a book from his point of view, however as the story went on I realised that it is quite fascinating to be reading from someone who has Asperger’s syndrome. Overall I thought this book was quite extraordinary and the first person narration was used quite effectively.

Reality and Crash Essay

I would like to start by saying that, I really enjoyed watching the movie CRASH, some of the things shown in the movie are very realistic and much of it can’t even be put into words. Two of the behaviors that I noticed most, are prejudice and stereotyping. It was the cause of where all the events eradicated from. These behaviors are viewed as thoughts and feelings that almost everyone has felt more than once. This movie shows us the different point of view of people in our society; it gives us an insight of the stereotypes that have built within our society and within the world. It invites us to see and understand how such a small stereotype and negative attitude can go a long way and affect people differently. In the movie Crash it is apparent that emotions run high with racial and ethnic inequality such as frustration, aggression, and authoritative personalities. According to Diana Kendall in Social Problems In a Diverse Society, the frustration-aggression hypothesis is â€Å"Individuals who are frustrated in their efforts to achieve a highly desired goal tend to develop a pattern of aggression toward others (51). † In other words, when people feel as though they are being prevented from achieving a goal, their frustration will usually turn into aggression. In the movie Crash, Farhad, the Iranian/Persian storeowner tried to live his best to pursue the American dream by running his own store. He hired a Latino locksmith named Daniel to have the lock at his store changed but conflict emerged between the Sas 2 two and in the end, Daniel didn’t change the lock. Later, the store gets robbed and trashed. Farhad was already a frustrated middle aged man who struggled to make ends meet, and now having his store robbed has him act out aggressively without anyone to blame. So, he decides to lash out his anger towards Daniel, hoping it would help him feel better. Expectations of Arabs to be violent terrorists, Farhad is not even Arab. Technically, he is Persian, but what the shop owner expects from him, he eventually gets when Farhad â€Å"shoots† the little Hispanic girl. Farhad believes the Hispanic man is ripping him off so when his shop is looted, the Hispanic man is blamed although he had nothing to do with the destruction. Crash is full of many other sociological concepts, examining issues of race, social class, and gender, as well as many others. In this movie, we can see the theories of Durkheim and Marx for sure as well as many other concepts. Crash is one of those movies that make us rethink even what we think we know about the world we live in. Another sociological concept that Crash demonstrates is the Thomas Theorem. Basically, this theorem tells us that if we believe situations to be real, they become real to us. Our own subjective reality becomes our objective reality. It follows then that if we believe certain things about an individual, he/she begins acting in exactly that way. It also follows that certain crimes or problems do not have an objective realities. Using drugs would be one example of that sort of victimless crime. The best example of this in the movie might be when Jean Cabot grips her purse when passing by Anthony (Luda cris) and Peter on the street. She believes black people to be a threat. Her subjective reality becomes real in the next minute when the two young Sas 3 black men carjack them. What the characters believe about others has become real in these instances. Another sociological term demonstrated in Crash is the theory of micro-aggression. Microaggressions would be defined as â€Å"Microaggressions are subtle insults (verbal, nonverbal, and/or visual) directed toward people of color, often automatically or unconsciously. † While the individual effects of these particular instances may be small, the cumulative effects can be devastating. In Crash, I believe the character that most exemplifies this is the film director. Examples of these subtle insults would be things such as people telling him that he just isn’t really black to them or the comments about language on the set of the movie. He advises him to tell the black character to make his language â€Å"more black. † These are subtle but insults nonetheless. These kinds of comments, combined with the powerlessness he feels when his wife is sexually assaulted lead to the blow-up where he almost gets himself killed. He has endured these subtle forms of racism his whole life, and he reaches a breaking point where he just isn’t going to take it The last concept that is displayed in Crash is the sociological concept of ethnocentrism. This means that we judge other cultures by the standards of our own. Not only that, but we also believe that our own culture is superior to everyone else’s. Graham and his Latina girlfriend fight and he pokes fun at her culture by calling her Mexican even though she isn’t. Asian Americans speech patterns are made fun of, like the term â€Å"blaking† for braking. These characters don’t celebrate or even accept the characteristics of other cultures. They only mock them, assuming the superiority of their own culture. They fail to try to understand one another through Sas 4 ethnocentrism. Officer Ryan makes fun of the name Shaniqua, a more common name of African American culture. All in all, Crash is a movie full of sociological concepts. Many more could be analyzed in cry, sometimes at almost the same time. When we laugh, however, we must question the underlying sociological assumptions or concepts that make us laugh. Are we laughing at some of the racist jokes because of our own ethnocentrism. Are we failing to see the microaggressions directed at members of minority groups all the time. Are we as guilty as Jean Cabot at making our own realities our truths? Do we have beliefs about certain groups of people and essentially make them come true for ourselves? Crash asks us to question all of these things.

Emotional Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example This conclusion was based on the skills of different clinical officers. In addition, it is not only the mental intelligences of a person which can assist in making the difference, but there has to be other forms of relations such as emotional response. This means that an emotional intelligent person will be able to know his emotions and those of others that will make him or her relate well with them. From the definition of emotional intelligence, it is clear that its needs are vital in any working environment. With this, I value emotional intelligence in management. I support emotional intelligence based on the number of its ideas. For example, emotional intelligence is vital in an individual life, and people have different ways of controlling, understanding and recognizing emotions, and the variety in understanding and controlling emotions makes individuals in their everyday life to adapt in divers manners especially at the work place. From the above concepts, emotional intelligence is important in management because the management team know how to handle different workers and situations so as to achieve the best outcomes. This characteristic would show that managers should have self-control so that this translates to the subordinates and a cohesive work team is created. Concerning this, the management team should encourage cohesiveness and skills that will result to positive work outcomes (Cherniss 114). Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Management Performance Good emotional intelligence affects management performance. This is evident from the traits that the management team have if they practice emotional intelligence. One of the traits is self-awareness, which means that the manager or management team is capable of knowing his or her strength and weaknesses because he or she understands emotions and its effects. The management would be affected in positive manner if the managers would use their strengths to promote good working relations and also recogniz e their weaknesses to assist in finding solutions that could shape management for high-end production. Management could also be affected in positive manner because an emotional intelligent management team or managers possess social awareness trait, which means that they recognize emotions of other individuals like employees in the firm, and they also know their wants and are able to interact with them socially. From this, it is evident that emotional intelligence affects management in a positive way because good relationships and communications are established hence management performance is improved. Furthermore, emotional intelligence affects management performance, as the it will easily develop solutions in cases of conflict, as it is aware of how to handle different situations and this is a form of inspiration to the employees as they will learn from their seniors and this creates a productive workforce (Lazovic 798). Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Work Place There is clear view that emotional intelligence is important based on the following mechanisms; first, an emotionally intelligent person has capability of differentiating emotions, and they can use emotions to reason, recognize and can take control of emotions which is seen as a way of stress management. Emotional intelligence will be paramount in the workforce as people will be able to relate with each other and learn how to resolve conflicts in the event that they arise. Emotionally

The Telegraph and the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Telegraph and the Internet - Essay Example In both cases, this linking of two users led to the development of a complex network of wired channels linking different geographical areas of countries and ultimately the whole world. In case of both the revolutions, the pioneers were rewarded with unprecedented levels of wealth. Technology: Recurring themes can be observed, as far as the communication technology is concerned. Due to the wired technology of the telegraph, it became necessary to invent a coded method like the Morse Code (a binary system of dots and dashes), which would facilitate transmission of information, as was the need of those times. The technology used by Internet also has an essentially similar design philosophy, though much more advanced. The system of nodes as intermediate transfer points for the complex networks of the telegraph system, similarly relate to the modern Internet connectivity. Another factor common to both technologies is the slowdown due to information overload. Development phase: The rise and spread of the population to far flung areas, and an increase in business and industrial activity resulted in the development of efficient transport systems such as railways. ... The governments utilized this innovation for better control of military and political matters, whereas the businesses could covert larger and larger geographical areas into one marketplace. In both cases, the subsequent entrants in the customer base were individuals, who brought along with them good and bad impact of human issues. Hacking or disruptive activities and misinformation about the operational capabilities are the common negative aspects about the social impact. On the positive side, personal issues like online chatting, romance and love over the wires, and even conclusion of marriage contracts are the common features of the personal applications of both, the telegraph and the Internet. Impact of the telegraph on New Journalism: The meaning of New Journalism: The term 'New journalism' as it is understood today, was codified by Tom Wolfe in a collection of journalism articles he published in 1973. Though it is not fiction, and it maintains elements of reporting, including strict adherence to factual accuracy, New Journalism often brings some features not originally found in news papers, but rather in magazines. The features identified by Wolfe are: elements of story telling, dialogue in full, first person point of view, and recording every day details. In effect, New Journalism differs from traditional journalism, by accommodating the element of entertainment in the original factual content. The influence of the telegraph: The origins of this shift towards New Journalism can be traced back to the invention and adoption of the electric telegraph in the nineteenth century. During that period, great changes were taking place in the society. The telegraph was instrumental in changing the

Five Advertisements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Five Advertisements - Essay Example Some of the mass media channels used for advertising include newspaper, television stations, radio advertisement, newspaper, outdoor advertising, or new media such direct mail, text massages, or website. Not all advertisements are aimed at promoting sales; others are geared at keeping customers informed of availability of certain products in the market. Some of the advertisement that gives no reasons for purchasing the products includes advertising to profession or business, institution advertising, pioneering advertising, Obtrusive advertising, competitive advertising, and remainder advertising. This form of advertising targets professionals and resellers. The media type that is mandated to carry out this form uses professional magazines or directly mails the customers. The ads herein do not aim at influencing customers directly and the products presented for advertisement are not to be bought by final users. For instance, a company-advising mortgage for the developers has nothing to do with customers or the end users. In other words, the advisement does not target the final customers. The corporate ads form part of these ads. They often target stockholders, financial institutes, employees, government, and political leaders (Phillips & Rasberry 127). The main aim of institutional or corporate ads may be to boost or establish corporate image and identity, counter any negative attitude towards the company, to promote industry’s interest in relation to some potential social or public interests. The current Aditya Birla group campaign ads would fit into this category. This type of advertisement tries to create a selective demand; that is the demand of a specific manufacture’s product as opposed to product category. The major companies that are involved or seek this form of advertisement are innovating companies who are ever forced to show the customer the evolution the company’s product. For

Principles of Marketing for Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Principles of Marketing for Business - Essay Example One such theory is the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs proposed by Abraham Maslow. Their motivational theory is largely based on a hierarchy of needs. These hierarchical levels can be defined into lower to higher levels as shown in the figure below: Figure 1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Source: Phinney & Halstead, 2003, p.15) Marketers can use this theory in conducting market research about consumer behaviour of a target market audience. It is a well known fact that a successful product is largely one that can satisfy the needs and wants of the customers. Hence marketers spend considerable time and resources towards trying to figure out the demands of the customers. The model of hierarchy shows that only when the needs in the lower part of the pyramid are fulfilled the individuals are motivated to fulfil the next level. Marketers can therefore use this model to predict the needs and wants and also use surveys to find out the level of the needs that are being satisfied by t he present product offering. Adequate motivation can be provided in the form of innovative advertising strategies so as to motivate individuals to move to the next level of hierarchy. An example in this regard is the computers. Initially computers were desktop based devices and thus fulfilled the basic needs of computing, however as the basic needs of individuals got fulfilled they wanted more value from the products. The arrival of laptops and now tablets is a classic example of how this motivational theory can be used by marketers to gain competitive advantage. Question 2 Choose a product and explain how the market for that product could be segmented. One of the most useful and highly innovative products is the tablet PC. The tablet PC is actually a modification of the laptop and is much smaller in size but has advanced functions and can be very well used as a mobile computing device. The market for tablet PC can be segmented on the basis of price as well as quality. In the curren t situation a tablet PC would be designed that would have optimal functions and same looks but would be priced on a lower level. The market for tablet PC’s can be segmented on the basis of income levels and age. The low cost tablet would be specifically targeted for the student segment. The product features of the product would be such that it would tend to satisfy all the needs of students with regards to using such devices in their educational needs. It will not carry advanced features like 3G or other high end graphics that are essentially not required for students in their educational activities. The product would come at a very low price tag of only 40 US dollars. The above stated segmentation strategy can largely be stated to be price and need based segmentation of the market. In the case highlighted above the product is segmented for lower income group individuals with a specific need. In this case students perfectly fall into this segment. Other than this there are st atistical techniques and tools like cluster analysis and factor analysis that can be used by marketers as a marketing research tool. Gathering real and live data from the market can help generate even better analysis and results and help generate competitive advantage in the market. Part 2 The environment The market environment is perhaps a very important area for marketers. Any organization is largely

Muti questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Muti questions - Assignment Example Mutualistas comprised of all individuals who were ready to liberate and unite Mexicans in United States. Its membership was not restricted and it consisted of Mexican authorities, nation organizations for instance Alianza Hispano formed in 1894, Club Femenino Orquidia and women groups. 12. What did El Norte symbolize to the immigrants from Mexico in the early twentieth century? The main two actors in El Norte were David Villalpando and Zaide Gutierrez and they experienced civil war, which made them flee to America. Experiences witnessed by the individuals symbolized hard life they encountered while in United States of America where they did hard chores within poor environments. Conversely, their freedoms and rights were hand capped by government and those who tried to boycott duty were severely murdered and tortured. Though they were discriminated in United States, it still remained better to them than their homeland where there was turmoil and insecurity. These actors preferred life in captivity where you can get basic wants than being free in a country where you suffer due to high poverty levels. 13. What were the results of the Mexican Revolution for the average Mexican? Mexicans enjoyed a tranquil society after the revolution since new democratic country was formed which catered for needs of the people. Economic development was jerked by applying mixed economy strategies that welcomed investors and local entrepreneurs. Mexican citizens who were squatters were given land by the government and this improved their living standards since they can engage in agricultural production. Human rights and freedoms were adhered to by the government and laws and policies were put in place to protect citizens for instance formalization of peasant organisations and labor unions. Restoration of peace created an avenue for distribution of goods and services making it readily available for consumers. 14. What did the train come to symbolize? Train come symbolizes a new beginn ing in the life of Americans after a long time of captivity and unrest. It bestows lots of hope to citizens and encourages the government to gear towards achieving initial stability before the revolution. However, these hopes and aims can be achieved via uniting all Mexicans to create a common bond and cohesion. Though train come made people lose their hard earned property and others lives, it marked a beginning since Mexicans were to contribute to economic growth of their own country. 15. What kinds of work did most Mexicans find when they came to the United States? Give some examples for both men and women in different parts of the country? Mexican immigrants found life hard in foreign land and had to indulge in odd jobs in order to make ends meet. Early immigrants found good jobs but with endless flow of illegal Mexican citizens, Unites States economy was disfranchised of jobs and all Mexicans were relegated to blue collar jobs for instance in industries, farm work and house maid duties. In this regard, men participated in tedious jobs for example working in plantations, herding livestock and operating industrial equipments. On the other hand, women indulged in housekeeping chores like babysitting, washing toilets, caring for the old and washing clothes. This depended on different regions one inhabited for instance industrialization was practised in North America and agriculture in the South. Most Mexicans’ work places were un conducive for example industrial set up where there is a lot of noise, harmful fumes and

Researching Web 2.0 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Researching Web 2.0 - Essay Example It is a mind-set, not a hi-tech: An acceptance that Web 2.0 is not principally regarding a set of principles or apps, but a novel mindset to how the internet may be employed. Secondly it is a network upshot: This defines apps which are more efficient as the numbers of consumers increase. This outcome is renowned in computer set of connections, with the Web offering an illustration of how network jam may be more flexible as the numbers of tools on the Internet increases. Thirdly, it is a long tail: As the levels of subscribers of the Web increases, this may create business chances for niche marketplaces which formerly it might not have been lucrative to reach. It also includes small pieces, loosely related: As the scientific communications of the Web becomes stable, it becomes achievable to incorporate small apps. This allows services to be Data overload. In excess of information is day after day posted by numerous citizens with diverse notion. This creates disorder for the readers as well as the excellence of the content is not consistent. Today’s learners have been bought up with digital hi-techs at their fingertips. For this age band, utilizing Web 2.0 hi-tech at school may make education a lively rather than inactive medium, which improves the education process. With Web 2.0 hi-techs students may work together with others, make projects, converse the results to an actual audience, and obtain valuable response. Web 2.0 hi-tech may increase teaching opportunities and excellently equip learners with the 21st-century expertise essential for their future (Web 2.0, 2014). The company’s latest earnings shock helped to lift the share subsequent to numerous unsatisfactory reports during the past decade had sustained to discourage investors. Following up its concrete quarter with an additional round of products earnings would be tremendously motivating, and higher expenditure levels might be simply the ticket.

Management Decision Making Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Decision Making - Coursework Example What are some of the drawbacks of having biases? Could there be any advantages to having biases? Explain. What are the implications for decision making? A. Biases may lead to self assumed and irrational analysis of situations thereby resulting into superstitious decisions. When identified and understood, biases may help managers analyse and select various inputs from individuals/groups. Biases tend to limit the thought process of managers thus jeopardising their decision-making skills. A. I would call myself an intuitive thinker. Systematic decision-making approach results in more robust solutions. Whereas, results based on pure intuitions might save on time but can be misleading. Latter approach may, however, prove more creative. Organisations need both A. In today’s world of technological advancements where business has gone borderless and complex, it is humanly not possible to adhere to the conventional model. It is, therefore, economical to simplify the situation using bounded rational model and then follow the steps of rational model for making decisions which can give fine solutions, if not optimal. A. Good managers make bad decisions when they let their personal biases uncontrolled or restrict their decision making skills because of organisation’s culture. Identifying and controlling biases, staying focused on objectives, overcoming inertia against change, and staying on guard against ‘Yes Man’ trap are few ways to improve decision making

Rights for the Non-human Animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Rights for the Non-human Animals - Essay Example Many noted theorists such as Tom Regan, Julian Franklin, Evelyn B. Pluhar, Paola Cavalieri, Mark Rowlands and Gary Francione have made critical contributions to the cause of animal rights. The issue of animal rights involve many legal dilemmas about the direction of changes in the law, the degree of animal welfare must be sought, animal suffering-reduction, compulsory animal rights education and the nature of proto-rights for all animals. The purpose of the essay is to look at the possibilities of broadly defining rights theory in order to recognise the rights of nonhuman animals. The Background: Human-Nonhuman Animal Relations and Postmaterial Society Inglehart’s (1977) theoretical elaboration of the concept postmaterialism well captures the changes occurred in the last fifty years, especially with the developed countries. Postmaterialism also involves the changes brought about in the realm of human-nonhuman relations. Postmaterialism mainly deals with the value changes in th e society as result of the profound transformations. Inglehart’s major point is that â€Å"the new â€Å"value-orientations† among people born after World War II yield better empirical purchase in the study of political movements than the â€Å"interests† at issue in the commonly deployed class-based theories. Referring to â€Å"quality of life† rather than to the instrumentally economic rationality typical of modernization, â€Å"Postmaterial values† arose from the conditions that liberated most people in developed countries from spending their lives on basic material demands and that opened new opportunities for self-expression and aesthetic satisfaction† (Franklin, Tranter and White, 2001, p. 129). Scarcity and socialisation are the basic themes which Inglehart follows in defining the attitude change towards animal rights. It is important to note that people can have differing opinions based on the resourcefulness of their background. Ing lehart’s notion of existential security highlights the â€Å"the fundamental difference between growing up with an awareness that survival is precarious, and growing up with the feeling that one’s survival can be taken for granted† (Inglehart, 1997, p. 31). It does not mean that there is no place for materialism in the developed countries; materialism certainly could come to the forefront but postmaterialism is the dominant trend in the lives of the people in the advanced Western countries. Sica (1988) too has forcefully asserted that postmaterilaism is also essentially a product of postmodernisation. No more the societies in the developed world are determined by the forces of materialism either class based or rational-legal. Present world is increasingly characterised by cultural differences in which lifestyles play a prominent role in defining distinct social groups. Human-animal relations too are being completely reconstituted by the postmaterialist values. I t is argued that â€Å"one of the most significant postmaterialist values that emerged on several fronts concerned the extension of civil rights and social inclusiveness, the breaking down of boundaries drawn on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, and age.

Training Managers to be Cross Culturally Sensitive Essay Example for Free

Training Managers to be Cross Culturally Sensitive Essay Cultural sensitiveness is an important part of modern management practices in the world of business today. With the brink of globalization in the current system of life of the human society today, it could not be denied that there are many reasons for managers to adjust their system of dealing with their professional duties as major controllers of the human resources of several organizations in the society today. Gone are the days when they simply have to deal with individual-based diversity (Morgan 1998). Today, more than simple individual differences, managers have to consider cultural values of the people as well.   Being sensitive about these particular aspects is a certain leap towards development for managers of the current society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Human issues are probably the hardest issues of diversity that should be dealt with today. With the clashing of cultural values between people from different nations because of the effects of globalization within the current system of things, the past issues of human relationship had both been increased in possibilities of being resolved or even the possibilities being worsened. This could be judged through the process of management that is applied towards the values of the said diversified society of business organizations today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being sensitive to this aspect of human development shall make it easier for the managers to have better understanding of their responsibility. Understandably, the system of management should be more concerned on how the values of the people being controlled are being provided by the authorities. This is primarily to satisfy their values and their levels of wants and demands of being respected as humans who have their own personal guidelines of being individually satisfied from their works through the ways that they are being treated by their authorities (Nelson-Neuhaus 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Why is being sensitive about the matter of culture necessary? Moving into a new social environment is a very challenging matter. First, since the destination is a new place and full of new people, critical adaptation and socialization are greatly required to be able to adjust to the change of society (Dalton 2002). One must learn the cultural pattern and social standards of the new society to be able to blend in and adapt. This idea is greatly relevant to the case of an expatriate employee of a certain company, which is already becoming a main concern for the business society. Many cases of an expatriate employee already resulted to resignation due to staggering problems brought by the socialization process (Keough, 453-459). Thus to address this social dilemma, socialization of a new person mainly an expatriate employee must be given concern especially the communication strategies that are relevant to the process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, training managers to be cross culturally sensitive in this matter is a serious task to take into consideration. How then are the procedures supposed to be dealt with? First, the realization of diversity should be implemented thus helping the individuals concerned take full charge of their duty when the issue comes to becoming highly involved in a multicultural working environment. Next is the implementation of normalizing rules. As managers, these individuals should realize that they are in power to put an end to the dilemma that may be caused by human differences at work. Thirdly, making the managers competent enough in handling such cases of cultural diversity lies in the understanding of he said individuals of the fact that humans are indeed in different measures of both cultural and personal diversity that should be fully recognized by everyone especially at work so as to be able to establish a lot more responsive environment at work. References: Keough, Colleen M. (1998). The Case of Aggrieved Expatriate. Management Communications Quarterly. MCQ. Volume 11 (3), pp 452-459. http://cbae.nmsu.edu/~dboje/papers/ExpatriateCase.html#The%20Case. January 3, 2008. Eileen Morgan. (1998). Navigating Cross-Cultural Ethics: What Global Managers Do Right to Keep From Going Wrong .Butterworth-Heinemann. Kristie J. Nelson-Neuhaus. (2004). Successful Managers Handbook: Develop Yourself, Coach Others. ePredix, Inc.; 7th edition. Stephen H. Rhinesmith. (1996). Managers Guide To Globalization: Six Skills for Success in a Changing World. McGraw-Hill. Maxine Dalton. (2002). Success for the New Global Manager: How to Work Across Distances, Countries, and Cultures. Jossey-Bass; 1 edition.

Comparison of Business Model and Development

Comparison of Business Model and Development The growth and development in the field of information communication technology has more or less changed the buying preferences of consumers. Currently Tesco not only sells products through its physical stores but also through online store. Tesco was the first explorer of the new market which began online sales in 1994 (Ocado, 2011). Tesco is the UKs largest retailer and one of the worlds re-known leading international retailers operating in fourteen countries (Tesco, 2013). During the next 10 years a number of internet retailers emerged in the United Kingdom not only to saturate the online market but also to fight the traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Among them were the Amazon established business in the UK in 1998 (Brown, 2008) and the British start-up Ocado an online grocery shop launched in 2001(Ocado, 2011). Like wises Sainsbury also a third largest retailers in the UK initiated online selling in the year 1995. Although these four businesses are not in direct competition at a first glance, they definitely explore and shape the future of e-retailing and retail industry in general for the coming decades. The aim of this work is to compare the four companies, their business models, logistics set ups and challenges they face. It is important to highlight that unfortunately almost no information is available in open sources about Tesco Direct and Amazons performance and development indicators as they are incorporated in the annual reports of the American mother company. In order to achieve the aim required I assumed that more or less of these four companies have similar business model but dealing with the daily logistics in the supply chain network is different from each other and in terms of KPIs. There was also some limitation in finding out resourceful data. Amazons business model and development over the last 5 years Amazon appeared on the internet in October 1998 as a rebranded website bookpages.co.uk purchased by amazon.com (Brown, 2008). From the very beginning it was a bookstore offering a range of books wider than any traditional book retailer. Nowadays in addition to books Amazon sells a wide range of product lines: books, music, films, games, electronics, computers, home garden, toys, childrens accessories, apparel, sports goods, DIY and (so far) limited grocery range. Tesco Direct- business model and development over the last 5 years Tesco started selling non grocery products online since 2006 by expanding its products range and integrate home / office electronic, furniture, DIY products and other entertainment related products such as DVD, CDs, Blue ray, Games etc. Tesco non-food business in the UK is also growing rapidly and in-fact it is over 13% a year (Tesco, 2013a). Tesco manages its own supply chain through its distribution centre located in Hertfordshire, which is responsible to supply goods to south eastern part of England. Moreover, Tesco is generating sales by promoting everyday low price concept not only through stores but also through online. The Tesco non-food online business was also expanded by the acquisition of blinkbox in 2011 (online movie service), We7 (free music) and Mobcast in the year 2012. The transitional period of success in selling general merchandise is sighted over past four years and also expected to grow more in this particular area because the demand is increasing. Ocados business model and development over the last 5 years Ocado was born out of strategy. Three ex-bankers spotted a market opportunity in the rapidly developing e-commerce and set up in 2001 the first fully dedicated online grocery retailer in the UK (Ocado, 2011). The market spotted was online sales and home deliveries of upmarket food and grocery initially were sourced from Waitrose (Ocado, 2011). As of 2012 Ocado sells 100% of goods via its web store, companys only sales channel (Ocado, 2011). The company is responsible for order processing, picking and shipping to the customer. It also bears full responsibility for the customer service, technology and inventory availability. Ocado uses a fleet of own dedicated vehicles to ensure deliveries to the customers. Ocado sells own-brand goods from Waitrose and Carrefour, wide range of branded goods from a number of producers, and small but expanding range 1of private label goods (Ocado, 2011). The total number of SKUs is over 22,000; approximately 4,300 SKUs out of that are Waitrose-branded pr oducts (Ocado, 2011). Sainsbury- business model and development over the last 5 years Sainsbury one of the UKs top five top grocery retailers founded in 1986. Offering thirty thousand diversified daily use food products and currently operating over 1000 supermarkets and convenience store employs around 150000 colleagues. Sainsbury starts selling products such as electronic entertainment as well as sports equipment through online in the year 2010. According to the financial performance till 2012 the underlying profit before tax is  £712m with the market share of 16.6% (Kantar). It can be seen that since the year 2008 the sales (including VAT fuel) grew from  £19,287m to  £24,511m (Sainsbury, 2013 a). Working mainly through four (CFC) strategic fulfilment centres and four Primary consolidation centres (PCC). Many of the stores are also offering non food products. The non- food products sales started back in 2010. In the year 2008, total sales for fourth quarter up 6.7% excluding (5.1% fuel), like for like (LFL) was 6.0% excluding (4.0% fuel). Comparing it with t he financial performance of up to the 3rd quarter of the year 2013 the total sales remains 3.9% excluding (3.3% fuel). It shows that in the third quarter of the year 2013 the sales remain lower than it used to be in same quarter in 2011. Role of logistics and supply chain of Amazon UK Amazon can be called a pioneer of innovative SCM solutions of the online retail industry. Although a significant progress has been made so far there are a lot of challenges still facing the business including supply chain infrastructure development, inventory optimisation, sourcing optimisation, order fulfilment, last mile solutions etc. Amazon runs a number of fulfilment centres in the UK four in England (forth opened in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire 2012), two in Scotland and one in Wales (Amazon, 2011). These centres are responsible for keeping the minimal stock of goods and fulfilling customer orders. Amazon operates system of hubs (also called injection points) to reduce transport cost. The idea is to transport goods ready for delivery in full truck loads to the area of their delivery and after that hand them over to Royal Mail, DHL and others for the last mile delivery. Inventory optimisation has been a key issue for Amazon from its creation. As a response to it Amazon created a multi tear inventory network to optimise own costs and improve performance. The web store manages and owns relationship with the customer with the immediate access to the Tier I level of the supply chain Amazons fulfilment centre. If for some reason the product is out of stock within own facilities the IT system checks availability with the Tier II level partner DCs and wholesale DCs. If the product is missing there as well, the IT system turns to the Tier III suppliers, publishers and third party providers. As a result of this architecture Amazon keeps information flows under control and manages inventory through all three levels to its own benefit (Amazon, 2011). Distribution process is the customer facing supply chain part. Although Amazon outsourced the last mile solution its IT keeps the process under control to ensure transparency for the customer and feedback collection. Role of logistics and supply chain of Tesco Direct Tesco Direct established in 2006 providing a large range of home, furniture, appliances, computers and much more. The overall financial performance of Tesco Direct sales were impressive, up by more than 16%, with Click Collect once again proving a particularly attractive option for customers ahead of Christmas. Many customers chose to collect their orders from one of over 600 Express stores now offering Click Collect, providing an even greater level of convenience. Due to the growth in the online business Tesco is reopening its Fenny Lock distribution centre (DC) to handle its online growing business. It is also planned to open two (DCs) in Reading and Deganham which will improve its customer services and less impact on environment (Tesco, 2013). Some of the major business also transferred to rail transport in Daventry (DC) which will remove 40000 lorries from the road and save 10000 CO2 emissions (IGD, 2013). Tesco using automated ordering system that keeps updating operations at CFC and warehouses. The operating profit margin relatively remain same 5.9% in 2008 -09, where as little growth was seen around 6.4% in 2011 which came back to 6.1% in 2012 (Tesco, 2013). Related to the Amazon UK the business is different comparing to Tesco Direct. Amazon has expertise in this area more than Tesco Direct which has start selling non-food products just few years ago. But since 2010 non-food products business show positive financial returns which has led Tesco to grow in this particular area of business within the UK and international. Tesco is focusing more to operate internationally because they believe UK market is mature now. Role of logistics and supply chain of Ocado Supply chain model implemented by Ocado is far more straightforward comparing to Sainsbury due to only one sales channel and the nature of products delivered to the customer (grocery, substantial part of which can be perishable). Ocado runs a system of hub and spoke network with so far the only warehouse (the customer fulfilment centre or CFC) in Hatfield and seven hubs across England. As a result Ocado covers up to 70% of British households (Ocado, 2013a). The 2nd CFC expected to be openned in the 1st quarter of 2013 at Dordon in central England, which would also increase the order fulfilment capacity from 120,000 units per week to 180,000 units per week (Ocado, 2013b). Sales growth also is seen after improving the operation at Hatfield fulfilment centre which is also expected to be rise more than 13 % in the following months of 2013. The gross sales increases jumped over from  £ 551m to  £ 716m since 2008 to 2012 (Ocado, 2013c). All online orders, which consumers place, are fulfilled in Hatfield CFC. Now all picking process of product goes through highly automated machineries: plastic totes containing up to three bags move around the warehouse through the conveyer belt. Along the journey the totes are stopped opposite the aisles where members of staff pick ordered good from the shelves and put it into the relevant bags. Then packed orders are allocated depending on the delivery area and loaded onto delivery truck to bring goods to a hub or a delivery van for home deliveries. Ocado owns a fleet of branded lorries for hub deliveries and a fleet of refrigerated Mercedes-Benz brightly coloured vans for the last mile solution. Ocado benefits from a number of advantages as a result of running such a centralised set up including ease of inbound deliveries, demand forecasting, operations and control over the supply chain in general. Accurate demand forecasting allows Ocado not only to optimise inventory but also to minimise waste of unsold goods which is crucial for a grocery retailer. Ocados supply chain is using its own IT customise software in its business. Current service delivery is improved 151 DPV and CFC efficiency improved by 120 UPH. Role of logistics and supply chain of Sainsbury online grocery deliveries Currently Sainsbury is working mainly through four (CFC) strategic fulfilment centres and four Primary consolidation centres (PCC) offering. Many of the stores are also offering non food products. The non-food products sales started back in 2010. Over the past five years development has been seen the growth in the overall sales. The Sainsbury is using Manhattans Extended Enterprise Management (EEM) solutions in the newly built with fulfilment centres. Sainsbury is an experience retailer of supermarkets serving customers with both food and non food products. Reducing delays in logistics operations supply management by covering an area on 600000 sq. ft, runs over 2.5 km of conveyer belt with 10 automatic ambient storage and retrieval cranes. Sainsbury operations are spread all over the UK with a larger capacity to store and higher in efficiency output than Ocado so that is why not the right to compare logistics / supply management to each other. Changes effecting logistic performance of the companies I selected three major changes that could influence performance of the four companies Tesco Direct, Amazon-UK, Ocado Sainsbury. Increasing fuel costs would have mixed effect on all four companies. On one side it would increase their costs and undercut profits. On the other side consumers would be more reluctant to drive for shopping and would be more eager to shop online. In the profit margins would be squeezed but the sales volumes would most probably increase making the market space far more competitive. Environmental regulations: Environmental problems to be consider seriously by using alternate bio fuels in the road transport network to lower carbon emission. Increase the use 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse Recycle) in logistics and supply chain management both at national and international levels would generally have positive effect on all companies. At the moment all four companies are working closely to reduce waste and more recycling. Source locally: Almost all of the four retailers are not fully sourcing their products locally but also dependent on international sourcing. But Amazon UK could be effected in future if the Government announces any new taxes on business, whereas Tesco, Ocado and Sainsbury are as a local retailer would suffer less. Suggested actions to improve financial performance Ocado as it is still in its developing phase of business with a lot of opportunities to explore within the UK. Ocados still needs to focus more toward to south- east part of the England specially by covering London area, once the market demand of Ocado products increases then to move towards geographic expansion in the UK. The newly built 2nd CFC in north of England would definitely increase the coverage area allowing the company to serve the north of England and Wales. Location play important role in business success hence, Ocado needs to concentrate on those strategic areas which are nearer to the suppliers and market. Once the market is covered a next step the company should consider starting operations in Scotland. The current financial performance is not very good to suggest Ocado to operate outside the UK. Another option would be to increase product range well beyond recent 21,000 SKUs and enter the non-grocery market if they want to compete Sainsbury. Sainsbury has an upper ha nd by offering products around 30,000. Having appropriate coverage and customer service in place this would be a very sound option for development. In-house structured trainings should be given to all working in the area of logistics supply chain management. Weekly trainings should be given to the drivers who face the customers mostly and plays key part in the future development. Company reputation should be kept on priority by meeting the KPIs. Customer services level needs to be maintained all the time. The last mile problem should be dealt seriously. Lower the customers services are, higher the possibilities in financial growth. Providing high quality products range in competitive prices would certainly attract the customers through proper marketing. Making sure the product availability all the time in store based or online based, growing the product range would benefit the business. Given the size and expertise of the company it should not be a big issue. Price always was a key matter for the Amazons success. I believe tracking and adopting prices in line with the market fluctuations may be not enough in the future. It would be interesting for Amazon to explore promotion campaigns widely used by traditional retailers. Summary This studies is based on four top retailers of the UK companies studied are advanced players in the market of online retail. There business operations are facing more or less similar challenges are similar in-spite of the fact that they are technically serving different markets. Amazon is a well know global market leader still hungry for growth and success in the UK industry and expanding more. Sainsbury is also expanding but inside the UK, Ocado just passed a set up stage and actively growing in the UK and building plans for global expansion. Tesco is performing well in it food grocery and non-food grocery which is performing well and giving hard time rivals also planning to expand in India. I do believe that they work in the exiting online market during the exiting times when everything is still possible and the most innovative and brave will win the marketplace. References: Amazon.com Inc, 2011 annual report. [online] Available from: [Accessed 09/03/2013] IGD (2013), Tesco in major network shake up, [online] Available from: [Accessed 09/03/2013]. Ocado (2011, b), Groundbreaking ceremony for new Ocado CFC, [online] Available from: [Assessed: 08/03/2013]. Ocado (2011, c), [online] Available from: [Assessed: 12/03/2013]. Tesco (2013), , [Assessed: 11/03/2013]. Tesco (2013), Five year financial summary, [online] Available from: [Assessed: 11/03/2013]. Tesco (2013 a), [online] Available from: [Assessed: 11/03/2013]. Sainsbury (2013), [online] Available from: [Assessed: 07/03/2013]. Sainsbury (2013 a), Five year summary, [online] Available from:  http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/about-us/financial-performance/5-year-summary/#tabbed_section  [Assessed: 07/03/2013]. Sainsbury (2013 b), Sainsbury trading statement, [online] Available from: [Assessed: 08/03/2013].

The Advantage Of Mobile Marketing

The Advantage Of Mobile Marketing Today, marketers are finding it increasingly more difficult to attract and retain their target audience. This is due in part to the impersonal one-way nature of traditional mass-media, and in part to the fragmentation of the media environment. What is more, consumers are no longer impressed with spectacular advertising campaigns and mind boggling special effects, instead they are now thirsty for information and are even willing to pay for it (Haig, 2002). Yet the picture is not all doom and gloom. The new global market of the 21st century has provided many new opportunities and cost effective alternatives for both marketers and consumers alike. For example, the emergence of the mobile smartphone has changed every aspect of our society and has become one of the fastest adopted consumer products of all time. As Chuck Martin points out, we are in the midst of a technological revolution that has far outweighed the television or the personal computer. This third screen, is revolutionizing the marketing landscape and the entire buying process. Mobile smartphones have liberated consumers from the confines of their homes, offices and traditional media environments and empowered them with information right at their fingertips. (Martin, 2011). Mobile marketing comprises many different applications ranging from SMS, MMS, short-codes and location-based services, to apps and direct mobile payment. With more and more people carrying smartphones in their pockets, marketers have the potential to catch them anywhere and anytime. Recent studies show that today there are more mobile devices in use than there are PCs and laptops together. Moreover, according to eMarketer, the amount of time people spend on their phones surfing the internet, listening to music, using apps and playing games has more than doubled in the past two years while the time spent online on computers has grown by just a mere 3.6 percent  [1]  . Nonetheless, that is not to say that traditional media is becoming less important or obsolete. However, due to its passive nature, marketing messages cannot be personalized for different target markets and often end up reaching the wrong audience at the wrong time. With multimedia-rich smartphones and other wireless devices marketers have the ability to send their consumers more personalized and relevant marketing messages wherever and whenever. Likewise, consumers are now able to search for the information they need whenever they need it. Thus, with a well-integrated marketing campaign that includes both traditional and new media businesses and brand owners can increase the customer loyalty, acquisition and most importantly their bottom-line. 1.2 Objective The objective of this thesis is to gain an understanding in the current state of mobile marketing and to identify the advantages of using a mobile smartphone as a direct marketing tool in comparison to traditional mass-media. Moreover, this thesis will examine the potential and future trends of mobile marketing and its implications for companies. 1.3 Methodology This review is based on a number of select books, journal articles, websites and other literature in the field of mobile marketing, digital media and m-commerce. The most popular and commonly cited literature was also selected. The search for relevant literature was based on many keywords including but not limited to: mobile marketing, mobile ads, m-commerce, traditional vs. new media, digital media, and direct marketing. Mobile Marketing 2.1 Definition of Mobile Marketing Before exploring the advantage of using a mobile smartphone as a direct marketing tool we must first define mobile marketing. In short, mobile marketing is a method of connecting people with advertisers via a mobile device. However, with the rising demand for information and communication technology as well as falling prices for broadband internet  [2]  , mobile marketing has become a powerful marketing tool that is shaping the way we do business.  [3]   As Eric Pfanner of New York Times describes, the power of mobile marketing comes mainly from the ability to acquire immense volumes of user-generated data by monitoring their clicks and tracing their whereabouts. Mobile marketing also makes it easier to focus the communication towards targeted audiences giving it a huge advantage over traditional mass-media which targets the public as a whole. But what exactly constitutes mobile marketing and how is it defined? According to the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), mobile marketing is defined as a set of practices that enables organizations to communicate and engage with their audience in an interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device or network.  [4]  This definition is composed of two important components: a set of practices and engage with audiences. The first component relates to various marketing and e-commerce activities such as advertising, promotion, e-banking, online-purchase and CRM to name a few. Hence, mobile marketing is a set of practices intended at delivering a message, creating value and/or building a relationship with the customer. According to Philip Kotler, renowned professor and marketing theorist, marketing is defined as the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit (Kotler, Wong, Saunders, Armstrong, 2005). One might then say that mobile marketing is the science and art of communicating, engaging, and delivering value that is relevant to the target market at a profit via wireless telecommunication media. The second and more important component in MMAs definition of mobile marketing relates to the relationship between the customer and the marketer. With mobile devices this relationship has shifted from one-way to two- and even multi-way relationships where both the organization and the customer are responding to one another and exchanging information (Shankara Balasubramanian, 2009). Consequently, the purpose is to entice the customer to respond by either push tactics, initiated by the customer in the form of a click or a response, or pull tactics initiated by the marketer  [5]  . Additionally, Rob Stokes of eMarketer explains that there are two forms of mobile engagement. One uses the mobile phones communication features as part of an engagement strategy, and the other drives traffic to an organizations mobile website or application (Stokes, 2011). Either way, marketing messages must be relevant enough that consumers no longer passively consume, but instead actively participate in campaigns, especially in real-time, influencing the scope and the direction of the promotion or marketing message. Kim Dushinski, author of Mobile Marketing Handbook, delves deeper and defines mobile marketing as how businesses communicate with consumers on their mobile devices, with their explicit permission, at the right time, at the right place while providing relevant value (Dushinski, 2009). She calls this smart mobile marketing because not only does mobile marketing rely on the use of smart devices, but it is a uniquely tailored form of communication that it personal and of value to the individual user. More importantly, consumers voluntarily consent to receive advertising or promotional offers which in turn increases the efficiency of the marketing campaign and establishes a more effective and transparent relationship with the consumer  [6]  . To sum up, mobile marketing uses wireless and mobile communication channels for conducting various marketing and e-commerce activities with the aim of establishing deeper and more transparent relationships with individuals as well as target markets. More so, mobile-data can provide marketers and business with valuable information on customers and prospects, including their location, purchasing habits, and many other useful insights which can help them deliver value in a more relevant manner. This is specifically why it is crucial for marketers to consider engaging customers on their mobile devices. 2.2 The 6 Elements of Mobile Marketing Figure : The 6 key elements of mobile marketing Together with the internet the mobile phone has truly transformed the methods by which we communicate and share information. As mobile phones continue to evolve with better and newer features they are also helping to redefine the marketing landscape. As powerful as mobile marketing may be, many businesses are still hesitant or inept at developing strategies and allocating resources to effectively engage their customers on the mobile platform. As a consequence, many opportunities are overlooked or mismanaged. One reason may be the fragmented media environment and consequently shifting consumer habits (DAlleva Colapietro, 2012). Another reason for this incompetence may be the lack of understanding what mobile marketing is and the various forms it can take or the many different kinds of applications and tools that are involved. The model in figure 1 should ideally help marketers make sense of mobile marketing and recognize the potential of engaging customers on their mobile phones. The six elements were produced out of various ideas as well as after extensive review of the literature at hand. Mobile marketing differs from traditional marketing in many ways and the purpose of this chapter will be to discuss these differences based on six distinguishing key elements. Earlier, it was explained that mobile marketing relates to marketing activities conducted via wireless mobile devices and networks and according to Andreas Kaplan to which consumers are regularly connected  [7]  . Likewise, Alex Michael and Ben Salter note that mobile marketing uses the mobile medium for spontaneous, direct, interactive and targeted communications or entertainment between a business and its customers and may occur any time or place. (Michael Salter, 2006). Therefore, the first element of mobile marketing is direct. That is, it can generate an immediate response from the consumer. Philip Kotler et al., explain that direct-marketing is a direct form of communication where individuals and target customers are carefully selected in order to obtain an immediate response (Kotler, Wong, Saunders, Armstrong, 2005). The mobile phone allows both the marketer and the user to connect directly with each other without first having to go through intermediaries such as a pos tal service or broadcasting network (Becker Arnold, 2010). Consequently, with the mobile phone there is a high degree of synchronicity meaning that the sender and the receiver can respond to the message simultaneously (Hongcharu Eiamkanchanalai, 2009). If the consumer is interested in the marketing message they can respond straightaway by either replying to the text message, answering the call or any other form of communication available on their mobile phone. With mass media such as the TV or Magazines, interactivity is near impossible and synchronicity is therefore very low. The second element of mobile marketing is universal. This is because todays smartphones are multimedia-rich devices with a wide array of tools capable of sending and receiving content as text, image, audio and video in addition to making phone calls. Since the aim of advertising is to attract the attention of the consumer by stimulating their senses, mobile marketing is particularly effective in influencing a consumers perception. Moreover, mobile marketing campaigns can incorporate all the facets of effects  [8]   emotion, persuasion, behavior, association, cognition and perception and therefore have a more profound impact on the consumers behavior. Third, mobile marketing is in-context. Due to the ubiquitous nature of mobile phones information can be delivered in real-time depending on the whereabouts and the day-to-day behavior of the user. Therefore, being able to anticipate the location of customers when they receive the marketing messages is integral for the success of any marketing campaign. The mobile phone has become a mundane, everyday item (Michael Salter, 2006). It can be used at home, at work or while being on the move. By considering the customers location, the marketing message can eventually be tweaked to better serve the customers needs (Krum, 2010), and when it comes to local searches, mobile marketing can offer effective solutions. Thus, on the one hand, mobile marketing enables businesses to implement context-aware and targeted advertising, and on the other hand, mobile marketing allows for more personalized pull-type advertisements for consumers (Li Du, 2012). Forth, mobile marketing is personalized-marketing. Communication can be uniquely customized to meet the specific needs of individual customers or target audiences. As mentioned in the beginning of the chapter, advances in information technology and telecommunication have caused a shift from mass marketing to targeted or one-on-one marketing. This has led to a dramatic impact on marketing communication as whole (Kotler, Wong, Saunders, Armstrong, 2005). The fifth element is that mobile marketing is permission-based marketing. As previously mentioned, there are many tools and features built into mobile phones which allow the consumer to opt-in or -out of promotions and updates. The mobile phones also enables both the sender and the receiver to conceal their identity when making a call and therefore providing additional anonymity. However, this calls for stricter regulations in order to protect the privacy rights of individuals and to promote ethical behavior. As Seth Godin explains, permission-marketing is a privilege so when a customer pays attention to the message, business must treat them with respect  [9]  . Last but not least, mobile marketing is interactive. Consumers can interact with the company, the media and with each other through various applications and tools readily available on most mobile smartphones. Where traditional marketing is viewed as a one-way communication process in which the message moves from sender to the receiver, mobile marketing seeks to engage the consumer through interactive dialogue. The message is sent back and forth between the sender and the receiver throughout the entire communication process (Moriarty, Mitchell, Wells, 2012). To conclude, mobile phones have undoubtedly altered the communication process between organizations and their customers. Consequently, this poses vast challenges for businesses and marketers as traditional marketing methods are becoming ineffective and unable to keep up with shifting consumer habits. The one-size-fits-all approach of mass-media no longer applies to knowledgeable and empowered consumers backed with sophisticated technology and rich with information. Consequently, customers no longer want to be talked at, instead, they want firms to listen, engage, and respond (Kietzmann, Hermkens, McCarthy, Silvestre, 2011) as well as provide useful and relevant information. 2.3 The Rise of Mobile Marketing Mobile phones are widespread and of great importance to mankind. With the power of the internet they allow people from all around the world to connect almost instantly irrespective of time and place. But smartphones are not only communication devices. Nowadays they are being used while shopping, banking and even as technical utilities such as operating pumps from remote locations  [10]  . Mobile phones are also great for staying up-to-date on the news and for receiving alerts on personal monetary transactions  [11]  . The rising popularity of mobile phones provides many new opportunities for businesses as well as individuals. According to recent studies, they are the number one preferred communications medium (Li Du, 2012), and because they are personal and accessible at all times it is no wonder that more and more marketers are adopting mobile phones in their campaigns. With the introduction of broadband internet and innovative developments in communication technologies many industries are becoming increasingly more involved with digital media. News networks such as CNN, BBC and Reuters now offer mobile apps. Likewise, food and beverage companies like Coca-Cola, Starbucks and McDonalds deliver coupons to mobile handsets. Mobile phones have created a new breed of always connected consumers. For many people around the world the mobile phone has become a personal and everyday tool used for surfing and communicating online (Michael Salter, 2006). The mobile has also paved the path for new forms commerce that can be conducted wirelessly and on-the-go (m-commerce). As explained in chapter 2.1, Mobile Marketing refers to any method of engaging and developing a relationship with the customer in order to deliver value at a profit and which is conducted via a mobile network. Thus, users no longer depend on wired networks and personal computers, instead they now use mobile communication device such as their mobile phones or tablet PCs to conduct various e-commerce activities (Ngai Gunasekaran, 2007). Number of People with Access to a Mobile Phone Furthermore, the graph in figure 3 shows the percentage of page views coming from mobile devices globally and regionally. Several studies indicate that mobile internet will soon take over desktop internet usage. Hence, we can observe that 10.1% of all the pages viewed during May last year were from a mobile device. Likewise, mobile web penetration is strongest in Asia and Africa with 18% and 12.9% page views respectively. Throughout the world people have become interlinked with each other on their mobile phones and other devices. The near ubiquity that mobile phones have to offer is generating many new economic opportunities for the whole society. The scope of mobile devices has reached unprecedented proportions. Nearly everyone on the planet can be engaged with a mobile device. In developing countries, it may be the only way to engage someone digitally (Becker Arnold, 2010). In Kenya for instance, the mobile phone has become and vital part of cash-transfer schemes  [14]  allowing the poor in rural areas to purchase goods. In Peru, mobile phones and tablet computers have become a main source of knowledge among pupils. Likewise, various social networking sites and web apps such as Twitter or Facebook have in many ways influenced the Arab spring. Social media is no longer the domain of the liberal youth, empowering different agendas across the political map.  [15]   Mobile technologies have provided many economic and political opportunities which have helped people lead better lives and make their opinions heard within their communities. This is because mobile phones have, in many countries, become much cheaper than personal computers. As such, smartphones are often considered a persons first personal phone as well as first personal computer (Krum, 2010). Global Mobile Marketing Spending In the context of mobile marketing, eMarketer predicts that global spending is expected to rise 400% in the coming four years from $8.4 billion in 2012 to nearly $37 billion in 2016. This growth is mainly due to increasing smartphone and tablet sales  [17]  . The Number of Users/Minutes Spent on Apps per Month And with regards to smartphones, it is estimated that there are 1 billion active mobile app users worldwide spending a total of 101 billion minutes a month on apps. The facts and figures presented in this chapter aim to show the importance of the mobile medium in modern day marketing. It is clear that mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily lives. Since we spend a large portion of our time logged-in to our phones, it seems self-evident that mobile phones are the most convenient and direct channel for reaching and engaging customers at every stage of the life cycle. Whether it is to sell a product or service, deliver information, or to make life easier, the mobile phenomenon has rapidly disseminated making that which is on the opposite side of the globe seem very real and local. Businesses should not hesitate to tap into the realm of the mobile medium. 2.4 Push and Pull The main difference between push and pull marketing lies in the way a consumer is approached. While push tactics are usually initiated by the brand owner without necessarily obtaining permission from the user, pull tactics attempt to draw the consumer to the brand by offering something of value  [19]  and establishing loyalty. In traditional mass-media the same messages are pushed out to everyone including people who are not within the marketers target audience. With mobile marketing customers will, on their own terms, choose when and what they see. Melissa Rucker makes the following observation in regards to pull marketing: They choose to opt-in to your message regardless of the channel in which it is delivered, which means you have to make it has[sic!] easy to opt-in as possible. This trend toward opt-in pull marketing is partially why social and mobile marketing are a critical aspect for marketing success.  [20]   2.5 Opt-in and opt-out While mobile marketing has been around since the 90s it is still quite a young discipline and deeply rooted in traditional marketing strategies. As such, the methods used to push content through mobile networks resemble interruption marketing common in traditional mass-media. Similar to how commercials interrupt a television program or pop-up windows come into view on a computer screen, push techniques via mobiles are sometimes invasive and often happen without prior approval from the end-user  [21]  . According to Kim Dushinski, sending content via mobile devices and especially text messages to people who havent explicitly requested them is unethical and in many countries even illegal  [22]  . This calls for the need for extensive revision of traditional marketing and advertising practices with new rules and methods for engaging and interacting with consumers on their mobile phones. One method briefly discussed in chapter 2.2 is permission-based communication which allows users to opt-in or -out of marketing messages by obtaining legal authorization. For instance, signing-up online, filling out a registration form or responding to an SMS are all methods by which consumers can opt-in. Such guidelines are not only significant in protecting consumers from unsolicited messages, but promote ethical behavior and are very effective too. The real trick however, is to develop a marketing campaign that generate demand and encourages people to opt-in. Users today are bombarded with infinite spam messages, promotional offers and obtrusive pop-ups. Thus, it is important to recognize the specific needs and wants of the consumers and to create more appealing and user-friendly campaigns in order to build long-lasting and profitable relationships. 2.6 The Tools of Mobile Marketing Mobile marketing is only as powerful as the hardware permits. The advances and capabilities of mobile marketing are therefore directly linked to the mobile phone and its networks. Before launching a mobile marketing campaign it is imperative to understand what type of devices exist on the market and what tools and applications are available to best meet the needs of the customers. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a primer into the different tools commonly found on the mobile medium and to explain their application within a marketing context. But before going into much detail it would be useful to provide a short comparison between basic mobile phones and smartphones. Essentially, it all boils down to two main aspects: the Operating System (OS) and the hardware specifications. With basic mobile phones the user is often tied down to a closed operating system and without the ability to extend its features. This kind of phone connects to a so called 2G wireless radio network and provides limited functionality such as voice communication, Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). Newer mobile phones may feature a watered-down version of the Internet such as WAP which allows for text-based Web browsing, instant messaging and e-mailing. On the other hand, according to SmartphonesAppsPedia, a smartphone is defined as a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities, often with PC-like functionality or ability to download apps.  [23]  As such, a smartphone can not only connect to 2G networks, but also newer 3G as well as Wi-Fi networks. Consequently, the smartphone integrates the features of a basic mobile phone with the features of a computer to allow the user to store personal information, send and receive e-mails, surf the internet and install programs that extend the functionality of the onboard operating system. 2.6.1 Text Messaging (SMS and MMS) Text messaging is an effective and cost efficient way to market any product or service with the ability to reach out to customers via bulk SMS (or MMS). It is one of the oldest features available on almost any mobile phone. SMS are digital messages which hold up to 160 alphanumeric characters and can be sent to and from a mobile phone. Alternatively, MMS extends the capabilities of SMS and includes multimedia content such as graphic, audio and video in addition to text messages. SMS and MMS can be sent as a form of personal communication from one mobile phone directly to another and can also be sent commercially via text messages services that relay content to multiple phones simultaneously (Dushinski, 2009). It is estimated that roughly 7.8 trillion SMS messages were sent worldwide in 2011 and this number will continue to grow throughout 2013. Furthermore, it is expected that by 2013 worldwide SMS revenue will break the $150 billion mark for the first time  [25]  . The immense popularity of SMS and MMS comes from the fact that they are straightforward person-to-person messaging service that are simple to grasp and have widespread support (Michael Salter, 2006). In the context of mobile marketing, text messaging has become increasingly popular as it provides great ways for interacting with customers and provides cheap access to information. The usage of SMS and MMS among phone users is quite high and forecasts show it will remain that way for some time to come (Michael Salter, 2006). One of the main advantages of a text messaging campaign is that it is easy to implement and most affordable as it can be applied across various mobile platforms and carriers (Dushinski, 2009). SMS and MMS marketing are particularly effective in enticing customers or potential customers to participate in a marketing campaign and in stimulating consumer purchasing. For instance, reality shows such as ÃÆ'-sterreich sucht den Superstar or American Idol prompted viewers in participating in the final votes for their favorite musical act by sending special keywords to short codes (SC). Coca Cola, on the other hand, has repeatedly run a long-term sweepstake where secret numbers are hidden beneath the bottle caps and when sent via SMS to a short code, consumers could win prizes. By responding to these campaign users are opting-in or subscribing to receive marketers messages or updates as well as allowing them to expand their database. When integrated with traditional mass media, text messages can also generate large ROI. However, mobile marketing can be challenging and if done wrong may even deter customers or potential clients. Susan Gunelius of Creative Inc. recommends following five tips for better text messing campaigns  [26]  : Brief, clear and precise communication. Customers must recognize the purpose and be able to respond accordingly. Addressing the customer appropriately and avoiding the use abbreviations and slang terms (common in spam messages) otherwise they will be ignored. Text messages should ideally enhance the user experience as soon as it is read by offering important information or something else of value. For example, real-time information based on a customers geo-location. The sender and or brand should be clearly identifiable in order to be traceable, accountable and promote ethical behavior. Making the customer feel exceptional and avoiding clutter in order to entice them to opt-in or remain subscribed to the service. 2.6.2 QR Codes Originally invented in Japan for tracking products in factories  [28]  , today quick response codes (QR) have become indispensable marketing tools we can no longer do without. QR Codes like the one depicted above in figure 7 are 2D bar codes that can be captured via a mobile phones camera and converted into text, links and image or used as vouchers among other things. The rapid rise in popularity for QR codes lies in the fact that they enable traditional mass media to become interactive and measurable since each QR code is unique and traceable. In the context of mobile marketing, QR codes can be used in a variety of ways and can be integrated into any type of media including TV commercials, print advertising, digital displays or infoscreens, business cards, mailers an

A Comparison of Religion in Sir Gawain and Green Knight and Othello Ess

Role of Religion in Sir Gawain and Othello      Ã‚   Respect for religion and government is an important part of any country, but what happens to a country when these values begin to change?   England was beginning to go through this change in 1603 when Othello was written by William Shakespeare.   Comparing the religious themes and heroes of Othello to the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which was written during the Middle English era, will demonstrate just how far England had come.   Both heroes are clearly religious, but Gawain maintains his faith until the end, while Othello falls into the snare of temptation.   The spiritual hero of Middle English is quite different from the tragic hero of the Machiavellian era.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To begin, look at a night in the life of Sir Gawain.   It is Christmas Eve and Gawain is in need.   He needs a place to stay in his search for the Green Knight's castle and he has traveled a long way.   What does he do?   Gawain could boast of his great ability to find his way and gallop on.   He could give up and go home as many others would.   He could become so completely discouraged after all his hard work with no results, that he wishes someone would just thrust a sword into his side and put him out of his misery. Gawain doesn't do any of those things though.   That is just not Sir Gawain of Camelot.   He is not that kind of hero.    And at that holy ride He prays with all his might That Mary may be his guide Till a dwelling comes in sight. (736-739)    If that wasn't enough, Gawain continues praying when he realizes that it is Christmas Day and he is missing mass:    I beseech of Thee, Lord, And Mary, thou mildest mother so dear, Some harborage where... ...troduction" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (1-6)    Dinney, Larry. Religion and Tradition in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1995.    Gardner, John. The Complete Works of the Gawain Poet. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1965.    Gawain Poet. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams et al. 6th ed. 1 vol. New York: W.W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. 1:200-254    Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (39-55)    Snyder, Susan. "Beyond the Comedy: Othello" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (page 23-37)

Knights of the Golden Circle Essay -- American History, Bickley, Valla

In 1854, a medical practitioner of ambiguous credentials, George W. L. Bickley, founded the Knights of the Golden Circle. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Golden Circle was complete with passwords, quasi-Masonic rituals, secret signs and symbols. The Knights of the Golden Circle (later called the Order of the American Knights and, by February 1864, the Sons of Liberty) (Bruce Tap, Over Lincoln Shoulder, 73) quickly hatched lodges throughout Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. To identify themselves, members wore the head of Liberty cut out from the old-style copper pennies. (Tap, 74) Affectionately, their enemies called them Copperheads, a reference to the venomous snake. Although there were many, it is arguable that the antiwar Copperheads rallied the most passionate around one leader, Clement Vallandigham. Born on July 29th, 1820 in New Lisbon, Ohio, Vallandigham was a brilliant individual, whose young mind at age two knew the alphabet, at twelve, spoke Greek and Latin, and who entered Jefferson College in Philadelphia at the age of seventeen. At nineteen, Clement Vallandigham became principle at Union Academy in Maryland, and at twenty was editor of an extremist Democratic newspaper. (Tap, 6) Later in life, Vallandigham gained the reputation in Ohio as an unbeatable, eccentric, defense attorney. After a term as governor of Ohio, Vallandigham was elected to congress with the platform of anti-Abolitionist Democrat, advocating Confederate Independence and denouncing emancipation, but was defeated in 1862. (Chandra Manning, What This Cruel War Was Over, 99) In his last speech before Congress, Vallandigham urged his countrymen to stop fighting. (Roger L. Ranson, The Confederate States of America: What Mi... ...nited States. (Ranson, 160) Lincoln’s reputation however won by over 400,000 popular votes and easily confirmed an electoral majority. Several states now allowed their soldier citizens to cast a ballot, a first in United States history. Soldiers in the army gave Lincoln over than 70% of their votes. (Manning, 148) Meanwhile, as the list of dead and wounded hit northern newspapers, Vallandigham returned from Canadian exile to attend a convention condemning this â€Å"unnecessary war† and adopting resolutions in favor of an â€Å"immediate cessation of hostilities† and a negotiated peace. (Manning, 149) Once again up to his old tricks, Vallandigham would later disguise himself by stuffing a pillow under his shirt and donning a false mustache just in time to denounce Lincoln publically in the 1864 presidential election, where at which Lincoln will ignore him. (Dickson, 316) Knights of the Golden Circle Essay -- American History, Bickley, Valla In 1854, a medical practitioner of ambiguous credentials, George W. L. Bickley, founded the Knights of the Golden Circle. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Golden Circle was complete with passwords, quasi-Masonic rituals, secret signs and symbols. The Knights of the Golden Circle (later called the Order of the American Knights and, by February 1864, the Sons of Liberty) (Bruce Tap, Over Lincoln Shoulder, 73) quickly hatched lodges throughout Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. To identify themselves, members wore the head of Liberty cut out from the old-style copper pennies. (Tap, 74) Affectionately, their enemies called them Copperheads, a reference to the venomous snake. Although there were many, it is arguable that the antiwar Copperheads rallied the most passionate around one leader, Clement Vallandigham. Born on July 29th, 1820 in New Lisbon, Ohio, Vallandigham was a brilliant individual, whose young mind at age two knew the alphabet, at twelve, spoke Greek and Latin, and who entered Jefferson College in Philadelphia at the age of seventeen. At nineteen, Clement Vallandigham became principle at Union Academy in Maryland, and at twenty was editor of an extremist Democratic newspaper. (Tap, 6) Later in life, Vallandigham gained the reputation in Ohio as an unbeatable, eccentric, defense attorney. After a term as governor of Ohio, Vallandigham was elected to congress with the platform of anti-Abolitionist Democrat, advocating Confederate Independence and denouncing emancipation, but was defeated in 1862. (Chandra Manning, What This Cruel War Was Over, 99) In his last speech before Congress, Vallandigham urged his countrymen to stop fighting. (Roger L. Ranson, The Confederate States of America: What Mi... ...nited States. (Ranson, 160) Lincoln’s reputation however won by over 400,000 popular votes and easily confirmed an electoral majority. Several states now allowed their soldier citizens to cast a ballot, a first in United States history. Soldiers in the army gave Lincoln over than 70% of their votes. (Manning, 148) Meanwhile, as the list of dead and wounded hit northern newspapers, Vallandigham returned from Canadian exile to attend a convention condemning this â€Å"unnecessary war† and adopting resolutions in favor of an â€Å"immediate cessation of hostilities† and a negotiated peace. (Manning, 149) Once again up to his old tricks, Vallandigham would later disguise himself by stuffing a pillow under his shirt and donning a false mustache just in time to denounce Lincoln publically in the 1864 presidential election, where at which Lincoln will ignore him. (Dickson, 316)