Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Marshall MBA Prime Program Personal Statement

The Marshall MBA Prime Program - Personal Statement Example The opportunity of working in a foreign country excited me and I promptly accepted the nomination. Part of the challenge was to audit an industry I had limited knowledge about since Jordan was not a crude oil exporting country. The other would be to interact with the different cultural mentalities of our clients' multinational staff. The Audit team comprised two Senior Associates and five junior associates including myself. The flight to Tripoli was uneventful and upon arrival at our location a heterogeneous mix of people representing our client greeted us. At first I could not help but go through the motions as I shook hands and tried to keep track of the names of our hosts. As I got settled in my hotel room later that night and after a formal reception with our hosts, I was still astonished as to how many different international delicacies were offered at the dinner. The audit proper began in earnest the next morning as we set up our workstations and devices. About two-thirds of our Client's Finance department staffers were from different countries in Europe, the others being Americans, Egyptians, India nationals, Pakistanis and a few Libyans. Although most of the staffers communicated in English, some of the expatriates were quite knowledgeable in Arabic: this pleasantly surprised me. After work hours most days, we would mostly dine at the hotel or at nearby restaurants with our hosts.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Anything in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anything in business - Essay Example The tablet will be access beyond the Wife only. It will be able to catch Web access via simple linking it to the Blackberry. But the tablet will also function as a standalone advice. RIM’S COEE claims that the ultimate aim of this tablet is to provide a full on computer and web experience on the tablet. This means that the dependency of tablet would be very little on third party applications. On its end, the Playbook is a step taken by RIM to protect its position as the top notch provider of mobile gadgets for the business set. It will also have flash applications. On the other hand, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has voiced his restraint in allowing Flash on company’s mobile gadgets claiming that the software has too many bugs and rips apart too much battery life. RIM’s close relationship with its various corporate clients can help the company extract a certain portion of the tablet market which is originally Apple’s niche. If it moves strategically, then it can take away that portion of the market share. IDC predicts that the corporate market for tablet computer will keep growing with the growth of sales of these tablets in the next few years. It is forecasted that roughly 11 percent of the overall sales of the tablet PCs will be directed to schools till 2014. Playbook and Ipad will be at loggerheads with each other. It remains to be seen who beats whom. While Playbook will not just be work oriented, it will have video games, it looks like Ipad will take the edge in styling. And the market is not just restricted to RIM’s tablet. When Ipad came, it brought with itself, a wave of competitors, so naturally Ipad is not the only competitor out there. Even Dell is headed in this direction. It came up with its own tablet computer called Streak in August. Similarly Samsung is all set to launch Galaxy tab next month and already has four carriers in its kitty booked. The battle is on and it is only going to get

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Domestic Marketing And International Marketing

Domestic Marketing And International Marketing The report has been prepared to highlight whether International marketing is really no different from the study of domestic marketing. It comprises the insight of domestic marketing, international marketing, and evolution of global marketing. The objective of this report is to explore various differences between International and domestic marketing. It focuses on various issues that need to be overcome before moving from domestic marketing to international marketing. This report illustrates various examples which moved from domestic to global marketing and experienced remarkable increase in the revenue. This report highlights various ethical problems faced in International Marketing. TABLE OF CONTENTS Topics Page No. Introductionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦4 The evolution of global marketingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.4-6 Domestic Marketingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..6-7 International Marketingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.7-9 Domestic vs. Internationalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.9-11 Empirical Examplesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦12-13 Biggest International Marketing Mistakesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.13 Ethical Problems in International Marketingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.13-15 Conclusion à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦15 Reference and bibliographyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦16 INTRODUCTION The marketing aspect is as important as other business aspect in every business engagement. The marketing aspect deals as how to make the product being introduce and sell in the market. There are many kinds of organizations created such as the domestic business, multinational business, international business, etc. The marketing strategies of each kind of business depend on the nature of the business involvement. Therefore, the Domestic and International markets should have separate marketing strategy. The differences of the two markets are obvious from the point of their market host and demand domain. The evolution of global marketing The long held tenants of marketing are customer value, competitive advantage and focus. Organizations hence studied the market, developed the product which satisfied the customer. They followed correct marketing mix to satisfy its own objectives. However this strategy proved to be very narrow as time elapsed and hence evolved Strategic Marketing. The focus was shifted from knowing only customer requirements, to knowing the customer in a context which includes the competition, government policy and regulations, and the broader economic, social and political macro forces that shape the evolution of markets. In global marketing term this means forging alliances (relationships) or developing networks, which works closely with home country government officials and industry competitors to gain access to a target market. The marketing objective has changed from satisfying organizational objectives to one of stakeholder benefits including employees, society, government and so on. Table 1.1 outlines a typology of terms which describes the characteristics of companies at different stages in the process of evolving from domestic to global enterprises. Table 1.1 Stages of domestic to global evolution Management emphasis Stage one Domestic Stage two International Stage three Multinational Stage four Global Focus Domestic Ethnocentric Polycentric Geocentric Marketing strategy Domestic Extension Adaption Extension Structure Domestic International Worldwide area Adaption creation matrix/mixed Management style Domestic Centralized top down Decentralized bottom up Integrated Manufacturing stance Mainly domestic Mainly domestic Host country Lowest cost worldwide Investment policy Domestic Domestic used worldwide Mainly in each host country Cross subsidization Performance evaluation Domestic market share Against home country market share Each host country market share Worldwide In stage one domestic marketing was in focus, with all activity concentrated in the home market. Organizations like milk marketing, solely domestically oriented organizations. In stage two home marketing is focused, but with exports (ethnocentric). Organization probably believes only in home values, but creates an export division. In stage three stage two organizations which realize that they must adapt their marketing mixes to overseas operations. The focus of theses organizations switches to multinational (polycentric) and adaption becomes paramount. In stage four global organizations which create value by extending products and programs and focus on serving emerging global markets (geocentric). This involves in recognizing the markets around the world which consist of similarities and differences and that it is possible to develop a global strategy based on similarities to obtain scale economies, but also recognizes and responds to cost effective differences. The strategies are a combination of extension, adaptation and creation. Domestic Marketing A domestic market is a financial market and trades are aimed toward a single market. A domestic market is also referred to as domestic trading. In domestic trading, organization faces only one set of competitive, economic, and market issues and essentially must deal with only one set of customers, although the company may have several segments in a market. Following are four guiding principles that governs the marketing strategy Knowledge Based Promotion The marketing platform is to deliver the huge benefit of products through ethically designed promotional strategies. The product will be promoted in the marketplace with a message that is focused, competitively advantageous, relevant and evocative to target audience segments, clinically supportable, and sustainable over time. Building Loyalty The marketers ensure that their product is always superseded by any other alternatives and it doesnt go out of fashion. Brand loyalty is integral part in adding value to their business. Parameters Not Formulas There is no set formula to devise the marketing and sales strategies and every product is different and respectively faces its own unique confluence of factors influencing its performance over time. The parameters governing should be with respect to sales and market share. Each of these parameters should be reviewed frequently through external market conditions, other corporate priorities, pricing changes, and new or revived competitors. Meeting the Genuine need The organization should aim to meet customer needs recognized by them. Japanese domestic market The term Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) is used by companies in Japan to refer to the services and product they offer in local market, as opposed to the international, non-Japanese market. The automotive hobbyist uses this term most commonly to refer Japanese-brand automobiles and parts designed and constructed to conform to Japanese vehicle and equipment regulations and to suit Japanese market preferences. Vehicles made in JDM migrate to other markets through ordinary commerce and the grey market. Vehicles made in JDM often differ in features and equipment from vehicles sold elsewhere. For example, Honda to sell its product worldwide has produced different versions of the B18C 1, B16A and K20A engines. This was done to suite varying emission regulations laws followed in different countries. Vehicles built based on JDM specifications will have stiffer suspensions and improved throttle response over vehicles built for different global markets, due to differing driving styles and different road types. For example, the USA features long highways and a smoother ride is always preferable, whereas Japans features short and twisty roads, where a stiffer suspension is desired for improved handling capability. For the US and European market versions, some features may be removed in order to meet certain price level, conventional rear suspension can be used instead of a double wishbone suspension and electronic devices like Active Yaw Control. Furthermore, engine power of JDM sports cars may be removed to meet stricter emission standards in other countries. The JDM headlamps would be a major concern when it comes to safety in countries where traffic flows along the right side of the road, because JDM headlamps are engineered for use on the left side of the road. International Marketing International marketing is a kind of marketing carried out by organizations overseas or across national borderlines. The strategy used is an extension of the techniques used in the home country of a firm. According to the American Marketing Association (AMA) international marketing is the multinational process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. Global Marketing Strategy gives a practical managerial orientation to international marketing in complex, rapidly changing global business environment. The marketing strategy focuses on customer analysis, competitor analysis and company analysis. Once marketing strategies are established the focus is done for segmenting markets, targeting markets and market positioning in the international arena. Following are the factors that need to be considered before moving abroad Demographic and physical environment should be assessed in categories like population size, growth, distribution channels, etc. Economic environment should be reviewed that goes around with the income and expenditure activities, inflation, currency stability, etc. that will contribute for the new service or products success. Social and cultural environment should be assessed that encompasses a wide range of anticipations and assumptions with regards to the culture and social differences. Legal environment should be considered which includes the limitations on trade and tariffs, proper documentation and import regulations. Political environment should be reviewed in which the governments system is included. In terms of strategies, the international market is truly different and more complicated than domestic markets. Individualized Marketing Strategy: This strategy is followed by companies that conduct international business in several nations and is often utilized by smaller businesses involved in only one or two foreign markets. In this strategy, political, social, and economic factors are important components of the marketing process. Global Marketing Strategy This strategy ignores differences between nations and based on the notion that consumers around the world are growing more and more similar and a standardized product and marketing mix can achieve enormous economies, especially in advertising, packing, and distribution because they would not be changed. Domestic Marketing vs. International Marketing Global marketing decisions requires months of research. They require high degree of planning and formation of internal strategies, factors affecting strategies are target audiences, spending and profit margins. Global marketing is more complex, and must take into consideration numerous factors such as Language and translation: Some countries share similar language but every country has nuances of language that should be considered before marketing globally. The marketing pieces should be shared with native speakers in the countries targeted for marketing, even if the language is the same as domestic market. For example Spanish is a language shared by millions worldwide, yet the Spanish spoken in Mexico differs from the Spanish spoken in Spain. Cultural considerations: Cultures vary worldwide and marketing pieces must reflect cultural nuances accordingly. It is wise to examine cultural context before to save money later by helping you avoid costly advertising and marketing mistakes. For Example In the United States, advertisements depicting scantily clad models sell everything from shaving products to soft drinks but in more conservative cultures, such advertisements would be offensive or even banned. Price and payment methods: Online sellers should facilitate currency converters or payment processing systems that accept multiple currencies, sellers must be aware of pricing sensitivities by country, by product and by market. Before launching the product into global market, competition and competitive pricing models should be investigated. The price should be tagged depending on whether product is targeted for domestic or global market. Marketing methods and the media mix: Marketing methods such as websites and print advertisements are used in most countries while others countries prefer to have direct mails. Countries with large rural populations, such as China and India, may not have as robust a mail service as industrialized countries so they may rely more heavily on radio or television rather than printed messages to share new and information. Before investing in any media we need to understand audience being targeted. Distribution methods and shipping concerns: Each country has its own restrictions and law as to what goods can be imported. Costs, time delay and country restrictions must be accounted for worldwide shipping. Every organization must comply with all importation laws, and if required they should be willing to invest the time into learning rules and regulations concerning exports and imports. While planning is an important aspect of any successful campaign, there are certain considerations which are vital for successful launch of a product in domestic market and global market. Table 1.2 lists the instances required to be considered before marketing. Table 1.2 Considerations vital for successful launch of a product Domestic Planning International Planning Single language and nationality Multilingual/multinational/multicultural factors Relatively homogeneous market Fragmented and diverse markets Data available, usually accurate and collection easy Data collection a large task requiring significantly higher budgets and personnel allocation Political factors relatively unimportant Political factors frequently vital Relative freedom from government interference Involvement in national economic plans; government influences business decisions Individual corporation has little effect on environment Gravitational distortion by large companies Chauvinism helps Chauvinism hinders Relatively stable business environment Multiple environments, many of which are highly unstable (but may be highly profitable) Domestic Planning International Planning Uniform financial climate Variety of financial climates ranging from over-conservative to wildly inflationary Single currency Currencies differing in stability and real value Business rules of the game mature and understood Rules diverse, changeable and unclear Solid Global Marketing decisions involve months of research with high degree of planning to achieve companys ultimate goals. Advanced planning gives a number of advantages Helps coordinate activities Helps prepare for emergencies Gives activity continuity Integrates functions and activities Helps in a continuous review of operations Following are the common differences Domestic Marketing Domestic marketing is marketing aimed at a single market. This single market is the firms domestic market. The firm faces only one set of competitive, economic and market issues. International Marketing International marketing goes beyond exporting and calls for direct involvement in the local marketing environment within a given country. Understanding different cultural, economic and political environments becomes necessary for success in international markets. Empirical Examples The domestic businesses samples probably rise in the range of local suppliers whereas the internationally engaged business strives to keep their business growing such as the Nike, automobile businesss, and even beauty products. QVC shopping leader The QVC shopping leader started as a shopping channel. The show hosts could only demonstrate a limited number of products per day. In 1996, QVC thought of expanding its business by getting into an Internet business where customers could browse online at their iQVC web site for a much larger selection of products. The QVC marketed majority of its product online which resulted in quantum leap in QVC e-business, spurring development of a technologically elegant system of warehousing and shipping the items as well. iQVC noticed a profit only after three months, made $97 million in profits by the year 2000, and has enjoyed ever-increasing sales each year since then. McDonalds Strategy McDonald has succeeded in growing as a consequence of its strategic choices. The analysis of the external and internal environment of the company shows, McDonalds strengths are more significant than its weaknesses. The primary strength is its brand, which is recognized all over the world, and its position at the head of its industry makes it a force to be reckoned with. The ability to determine what consumers want and need and adapt to new requirement is a major strength of company. This is the one that requires McDonalds to keep reinventing itself. Previously McDonalds used to close in the evenings just after dinner, but now almost 40% of McDonalds restaurants stay open round the clock, this is done to focus on between-meal and late-night options such as snack foods and fruit smoothies. On top of this McDonalds keeps on generating new products more aggressively than in the past. The new selections are tried out in one market for several weeks to see how the sales, costs, and margins grow and how easy they are to prepare by the companys constantly-changing staff. McDonalds strategies add on to companys strengths, such as the delivery service. It offers services in crowded cities such as Shanghai, this way company not only make more sales by catering to the traffic-challenged, time-constrained, and lazy, it also saves itself some money at the same time, because delivered meals require no table clean-up at the restaurant. Biggest International Marketing Mistakes Few companies faced huge losses due to insufficient planning and research done before launching the product in global market. In South East Asia Pepsi Cola lost it dominant market share when they changed the color of its vending machines and coolers from deep Regal blue to light Ice blue as Light blue is associated with death and mourning in SE Asia. Few years back when Pepsi started marketing products in China, they translated their slogan, Pepsi Brings You Back to Life pretty literally. The literal meaning of slogan in Chinese was, Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave. During Chevrolets attempt to launch the Nova proved a mistake as Spanish translation of it was Doesnt Go, and in Mexico translation was (turns out this one appears to be an urban legend and cannot be verified). Ethical Problems in International Marketing The ethical standards are frequently not defined or always clear even within the country, which to leads dilemmas for domestic marketers. The business ethics is infinitely more complex in international marketplace, because value judgments differ widely among culturally diverse groups. The ethical standards commonly accepted in one country may be completely unacceptable in other countries. In US, giving business gifts of high value is highly condemned, whereas in many other countries the business gifts are not only accepted but also expected. Once the existing ethical framework is examined in the field of international marketing from a macro marketing perspective, it is argued that marketers cannot always rely on universally accepted ethical norms, such as hyper norms or core values that have been suggested by a deluge of marketing. We can use some basic moral values in evaluating international marketing ethical issues. We should accept violations of basic moral values in internationa l marketing settings as ethical problems. Following are Major International Marketing Ethical Problems derived from applied researches by Armstrong Traditional Small Scale Bribery- This involves the payment of few concurrency to a foreign official in exchange for him/her violating some official duty or responsibility or to speed routine government actions (grease payments, kickbacks). Large Scale Bribery- This involves relatively large payment intended to allow a violation of the law or designed to influence policy directly or indirectly (eg, political contribution). Gifts/Favours/Entertainment- This includes a range of items such as: lavish physical gifts, opportunities for personal travel at the companys expense, gifts received after the completion of transaction and other extravagant expensive entertainment. Pricing This involves unfair differential pricing, questionable invoicing in which the buyer requests a written invoice showing a price that is different from the actual price paid, pricing to force out local competition, dumping products at prices well below that in the home country, pricing practices that are illegal in the home country but legal in host country (eg, price fixing agreements). Products/Technology This includes products and technology that are banned for use in the home country but permitted in the host country and/or appear unsuitable or inappropriate for use by the people of the host country. Tax Evasion Practices This is used specifically to evade tax such as transfer pricing (i.e., where prices paid between affiliates and/or parent company adjusted to affect profit allocation) including the use of tax havens, where any profit made is in low tax jurisdiction, interest payments on intra-firm loans, questionable management and service fees charged between affiliates and /or the parent company. Illegal/Immoral Activities in the Host Country This includes practices such as: polluting the environment, maintaining unsafe working conditions; product/technology copying where protection of patents, trademarks or copyrights has not been enforced and short weighting overseas shipments so as to charge a country a phantom weight. Questionable Commissions to Channel Members This includes unreasonably large commissions of fees paid to channel members, such as sales agents, middlemen, consultants, dealers and importers. Cultural Differences This is between cultures involving potential misunderstandings related to the traditional requirements of the exchange process (e.g., transactions) may be regarded by one culture as bribes but be acceptable business practices in another culture. These practices include: gifts, monetary payments, favours, entertainment and political contributions. Involvement in Political Affairs- This is related to the combination of marketing activities and politics including the following: the exertion of political influence by multinationals, engaging in marketing activities when either home or host countries are at war and illegal technology transfers. Conclusion Typically, the first area where companies seek to market their goods or services is within its own country (domestic marketing). Since the market, customer needs, tastes, geography, demographics, and distribution methods are familiar, its often the easiest place for companies to launch a product. The four Ps of marketing product, price, place and promotion are often easier for companies to determine within the domestic market. Companies begin marketing their goods or services within their domestic market, and expand to the global market to capture greater market share and open up new avenues for sales. Global marketing means to offer ones goods or services worldwide. Global marketing requires months of research and planning before getting into global market. It is necessary to understand different cultural, economic and political environments for success in international markets Reference and bibliography Text referencing: Reference book The Global Marketing Imperative by Michael R. Czinkota, Ilkka A. Ronkainen, John Tarrant News paper articles Electronic sources: Websites Publications available from websites Unpublished works: Personal communication

Friday, October 25, 2019

Female Body Image and the Mass Media :: Womens Body Image

Perhaps no time in history have body image standards had such an enormous impact on society. With today’s mass media people can be subjected to thousands of images and messages daily, portraying the â€Å"ideal† body image. The people most often portrayed and effected by these messages are young women. Females can feel constant pressure to live up to these ideals which are most often unattainable. This pressure can cause detrimental physical and mental states. To fully understand this problem we must first ask ourselves, â€Å"Why?† Why has the female body been pushed to the forefront of society and media? It is undeniable that it is merely a marketing ploy. The beauty sector is a multibillion dollar a year industry. Companies such as Revlon, Cover Girl, Maybelline, L’Oreal insist that girls must look a certain way if they want to be anything. These corporations are only concerned with the bottom line. They take no responsibility for the negative image that they portray, in fact, that is what they thrive on. The worse self-image a woman has, the more beauty products she will buy to try and â€Å"improve† her looks. And there is no better way to make her think she is ugly than to subject her to thousands of unrealistic, airbrushed pictures of models to compare herself to. This way of thinking is further drilled into the female mind through women’s magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue and so on. Never do you find an article entitled â€Å"Big is Beautiful†. More often you will find â€Å"How to lose 20 lb.. so your man will love you!† sprawled across the cover of the latest issue. Occasionally magazines will run a heart touching article about an ex-models fight with bulimia. They will often forget to mention, however, that the same model was portrayed as the pinnacle of health and beauty on the cover of last years April issue. The beauty industry and magazines are not the sole cause of the problem though, there is plenty of blame to go around. And so we look to Hollywood. The cardinal rule in movies and television: sex sells. When you tune into to watch Friends on Thursday night you will not see one leading lady (or any ladies for that matter) with a waist over size six. The only â€Å"imperfect† characters in the show are the â€Å"fat ugly guy and fat ugly lady† who live across the street and are the objects of constant ridicule.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

English-language films Essay

Many people wonder these days if people’s lives revolve around the choices they make. This is absolutely true. Everyone in this world is responsible for who they are today. Their choices and ideas pave the road for their future. A quote from Confucius says this, â€Å"People’s lives are the result of the choices they make-or fail to make. The path one takes in life is not arbitrary. Choices and their consequences determine the course of every person’s life. All people, whatever their circumstances, make the choices on which their lives depend. Confucius is absolutely right. It is a well-known fact that if you take wrong turns in life, you will end up in a wrong state. The regular human psychology states that when a person goes and ends up in a bad state, they blame others and most of the time never take responsibility for it. Take a look at this scene, and look carefully cause this happens all the time no matter the circumstances. There is no way and it is impossible for a child who takes drugs, does alcohol, doesn’t obey their parents to find themselves at an Ivy-League college. Sometimes, people change their paths along the way and somewhat improve. But if you keep going in the wrong direction for your entire life, you will not get anywhere. Think about the people who are successful in this world. For examples, let’s observe Mark Zuckerberg. He is the youngest billionaire in the world. He was focused, he was determined. In fact he was so passionate about programming that he dropped out of Harvard, the number one school in America. He used his talents, worked his choices and made Facebook. Not all of his choices were good. Some were actually bad; some choices actually got him into trouble with others. This is where the trouble comes in. Wait if some of my choices are good, and some are bad, then what’s going to happen with my life? Nothing will actually. All that matters is that the majority will overcome the system. If you have more bad than good, you are more likely to take a wrong turn. If you have more good over wrong, you will most likely take a good turn. Even I have taken wrong turns and bad choices. Everyone has. Nobody in this world is perfect. In fact, taking all good choices and all good turns in life ends up as a bad choice. Even though nobody is perfect, it’s your own self that will determine your future, what you want to become, your status in life. That’s why it’s good to switch your determination in life if you are on a bad path. Stick with someone and change your mood. Change your attitude, fix your choices, and keep yourself organized. If you are a person reading this essay, let’s say about 12 or 13, even 14 to 18. You still have time. You have so much future ahead of you, don’t give up hope cause your choices sometimes do tell your future. Sometimes these choices of yours will end you up in a bad place if you don’t work hard. A wise person, my own father once told me that it doesn’t make you a bad person if you take bad choices. It makes you a bad person if you don’t learn from your bad choices. He also told me that if you want to be someone when you grow up, work hard. In elementary, in middle school, and in high school, work hard so that you can build your base for the future. He concluded with me that once you pay off all your duties, go to college, and graduate, you have the rest of your life to enjoy. Whether it’s doing your dream job, making millions of dollars, then retiring into a large estate. This is called a dream. If you have more good choices in life, your dream will come to. Trust me, it’s always worked before.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Occupational Therapy

Early June 2011 my grandfather suffered a minor stroke at the age of 76. He was quickly admitted to John Muir in Walnut Creek, a few days went by and he only seemed to be getting worse; when unfortunately my family’s worst nightmare became a reality. My grandfather endured another stroke, but this time it was much more serious. This put my family in an enormous amount of emotional distress, everyone was terrified and we had no idea what was going to happen to my grandfather. It happened so fast, all we wanted were answers.But, when we got answers, they were far from what we wanted to hear. A few days after my grandfather’s second stroke my family met with his doctors who showed little hope or optimism. They told us we were lucky he was still alive, but with the condition he was in now we were never going to see him walk again, he would probably never talk again, and he was definitely never going to be able to live independently ever again. As he kept explaining to us wh at was going to happen to my grandfather’s life, the words cut like daggers.My cousins and I watched our parents bewail with sorrow as we just sat aside our grandfather’s hospital bed feeling helpless and confused. About a month went by while my grandfather was still in John Muir, and his progress was nothing to rave about. We would visit him daily, but he never seemed to be getting much better. He couldn’t eat, talk, or move, but we just reminded him to keep fighting and we knew, with hope, he would be able to make a substantial recovery. When my grandfather was dismissed from the John Muir hospital in Walnut Creek, he moved into the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Leandro.While in San Leandro, he started to receive more intense therapy, his recovery was slow but we started seeing improvements; he was able to eat solid food, without a pump, began to talk again. While visiting my grandfather in San Leandro I was introduced to occupational therapy for the first time. I had no idea what occupational therapists did or even what occupational therapy was, but as I sat in on a few of my grandfather’s sessions I became very interested. According to the World Federation of Occupational Therapy, â€Å"occupational therapy is a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through engagement in occupation. But, when I sat down and talked with Julie Roberts, an in-home occupational therapist, she sighed, â€Å"[describing what OTs do is] really the hardest part of the job; there are so many different things we do and everyone has their own individual qualifications. † When Julie goes into a home to meet with her clients for the first time, she greets them with a smile and tells them she’s there to â€Å"help them with their job of living. † Occupational therapy is an integral part of the therapeutic aspects of a person’s recovery.Although many people may see OTs for physical disabilities, itâ₠¬â„¢s also very common for someone to go to an OT for help with their mental or emotional state. Since everyone suffers uniquely from their various disabilities, typically the therapeutic process begins with an â€Å"individualized evaluation during which the client, their family and their occupational therapist determine the individual’s goals† leading to â€Å"a customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach his/her goals† and once their therapy is over an â€Å"evaluation to monitor progression towards meeting the client’s goals† is conducted.Occupational therapists focus on â€Å"adapting the environment, modifying the task, teaching the skill, and educating the client/family in order to increase participation in and performance of daily activities. † â€Å"For instance, teaching an elderly woman with a hip replacement how to get in and out of the bath tub while minimizing her fall r isk, or helping a man recovering from a car accident use grabbers to reach things to keep his back safe. † According to Roberts the most important part of her job is helping people â€Å"adapt to living with their disability as efficiently as possible. During my visitation I went to an assisted living home in Antioch with my mentor, OT Stephanie Morano, I was able to sit in on a therapy session for a 92-year-old woman named Fern. Fern suffered from a GI bleed and although she was living somewhat independently, she had trouble moving and limited mobility. During the session I sat in on Stephanie used a balloon to help Fern feel comfortable standing and regain her balance, while strengthening her core just by making Fern stand in front of her couch while they batted the balloon back and forth.Morano is also an in-home OT, meaning her main focus is to â€Å"evaluate their [patients] level of independence, cognition, and safety. † Moreover, â€Å"occupational therapists p rovide intervention to maximize independence and function through remedial and compensatory strategies, with the ultimate goal of the client’s regaining the ability to live independently at home. † Typically in-home OTs work with the geriatric community and spend most of their days in assisted living facilities or in homes with elderly people. According to Roberts most of her elderly patients suffering from various disabilities, are retired and don’t understand why she’s there; they don’t think they need her help, until she starts showing them what she does. † Outside of home health there are a plethora of different areas to specialize in occupational therapy, a wonderful thing about this career is the ability to change your area of expertise.Roberts and Boray both adamantly told me that home health is not for beginning OTs, when doing home health you are completely isolated from any other OTs, whereas in other areas you are surrounded by othe r OTs with other specific areas of knowledge that you can ask for advice. A few of the most popular areas of specialization include pediatrics, which is working with small children in â€Å"schools, community, and child based inpatient hospitals. † Although many times children need the same type of care as adults, the specialization comes in the way that the OTs address the needs in a way to specifically benefit a child.Jennifer Boray, an OT that has worked in many areas, including pediatrics through the Mount Diablo Unified school district expressed to me that working with children is a wonderful experience to begin being an OT with because their willingness to learn and their want to succeed is fresh and enlightening. Many OTs also work in acute care hospitals, helping people stabilize their medical after a traumatic event, such as a stroke, spinal cord injury, or brain injury.Occupational therapy plays an important role in facilitating early mobilization, restoring functio n, preventing further decline, as well as coordinating the patient’s transition and discharge planning. Skilled nursing facilities also employ many OTs, in skilled nursing facilities the OTs focus on each individual’s needs and typically help with activities of daily living and self-reliance, such as dressing and eating. There are also many outpatient clinics in hospitals for patients that are in need of individual treatment, but are still able to function on their own.The many faces of occupational therapy allow Boray to â€Å"easily move through this career and learn new things every day,† she loves that if she ever â€Å"gets tired of home health care it will always be an option to find something new in this industry† but she plans on being in home health care for the rest of her life. Although occupational therapy is crucial to a person’s recovery, it is still an overlooked career in many ways. Even the OTs that I’ve talked to told me th at going into college they had no idea what occupational therapy was.Many students begin school wanting to pursue a career in physical therapy or rehabilitation when they are approached by a teacher or counselor with information about occupational therapy. Roberts explained when she went to college her career counselor suggested Julie look into occupational therapy, but she â€Å"had no idea what it was. † Like most people, she was initially confused, â€Å"so they just reteach people how to live? † But, as she investigated the career, she realized it was exactly what she was looking for.Being an OT is an extremely rewarding career, not only for the therapist, but also the patient. While my grandfather was in the hospital he began to get hopeless, he knew that he wasn’t making much of a recovery and it was hard for him to find the want to keep fighting, until he began his occupational therapy. It may not seem like a big deal, but when he isn’t able to hol d a fork or stabilize his hand to raise it to his mouth, it frustrated him, but after trying and trying with his OT he was finally able to feed himself.When he took his first bite of food by himself after his stroke, his eyes lit up and it was obvious that he was beginning to believe in himself again. As time went on, the tasks he began to strive to achieve got bigger; eventually dressing himself, showering by himself, and contrary to the doctor’s belief, walking by himself, were all things my grandfather wouldn’t have been able to do if it wasn’t for occupational therapy. Roberts professed to me her passion for helping people is what â€Å"drew [her] into occupational therapy and kept [her] there. â€Å"Seeing the joy on a sixteen year old girls face when she finally puts her hair in a ponytail for the first time is an indescribable feeling,† Julie told me, glowing, â€Å"but the thanks that comes after, the true gratitude she feels, that’s what I love. † When Boray asked me why I was interested in occupational therapy, I told her about my grandfather, and how beneficial occupational therapy was for him. After I was finished telling her about my situation she started glowing, and replied â€Å"that’s what makes it all worth it, seeing a young girl inspired by n OT makes me know that we’re doing something right. † In doing this project and researching occupational therapy, I’ve learned a lot about the career and it’s definitely something that I’m interested in pursuing in college. Since very few people are aware of what occupational therapy really is, there is a huge demand for OTs throughout the nation, and world. According to the Medical University of South Carolina, occupational therapy’s projected growth rate is over 23% from 2006 to 2016. Roberts declared that becoming an OT was â€Å"the smartest thing† she has ever done.She is a divorced single mother of t wo, who makes â€Å"more than enough† to support herself. She’s â€Å"never been out of a job† and she was easily able to take breaks for periods of time while she was having kids and traveling. Roberts affirmed that she’s never â€Å"had to fish for a job;† and in this economy, that’s impressive. I found Boray’s ability to meet with me in the early afternoon very interesting, most people working full time jobs are locked into specific hours but when I walked into her home and saw her son playing with Legos on the floor I realized how much flexibility she really had.When asking Boray how she manages working full time and having a family, she explained â€Å"that’s one of the most wonderful things about working as an OT in home health; you really create your own schedule. † Jennifer is electronically contacted by her company on a weekly basis with a list of clients for the week; she then calls all of her clients individua lly and sets up times to meet with them that work well for her.Jennifer typically meets with 5 or 6 clients a day for about 45 minutes. Boray uses many â€Å"aspects of education† in her career every day, although the majority of her classes in school focused on muscle movement, she also uses lot of her psychology classes when dealing with patients, she evaluates a person mental state and sends it back into the doctor with her evaluations of their physical progress, â€Å"it’s a really interesting part of the job, but it can get tough. She also has to use her medical knowledge to deem what is appropriate for every client, for instance â€Å"if someone’s range of motion is limited because of a car accident but [she] notices they show signs of also possibly having a blood clot† she reports that to the doctor as well. Roberts agreed that the most important personality trait to have as an OT is â€Å"without a doubt, being a problem solver. † After wi tnessing the positive effects of occupational therapy, I’ve become very passionate about the career and spreading awareness about the benefits of this specific kind of therapy.I hope that with my video I will be able to show the class, exactly what occupational therapy is and how it positively affects the people who endure it. I would love for everyone to develop the same appreciation for occupational therapy as I have and really see the benefits of them. The flexibility in this career, along with the rewarding aspects have made it something I am greatly considering to pursue. Seeing my grandfather, along with Fern, and the women that I interviewed gave me an insight to this career that wouldn’t have been possible without my extensive research and strive to learn more.I’m immensely glad that I chose this topic to pursue and I think it will have a direct impact on my life, my mentor was wonderful and helped my very much through this entire process. I was inspired to join the American Occupational Therapy Association and am now periodically given information about breaking innovations in occupational therapy, as well as connecting with OTs in our area and starting to get my name out there, hopefully leading to helpful opportunities in pursuing this career in the near future.I’ve enjoyed expanding my knowledge about occupational therapy in general, and I found it very comforting that everyone I’ve been around in this career was so kind and willing to help; last summer before I ever even though about doing this for my project I was interested in learning more about being an OT and I’m glad I was motivated to do so because this was a life-changing experience.