14 Character Archetypes to Help You Build a Strong Character Cast

14 Character Archetypes to Help You Build a Strong Character Cast 14 Character Archetypes to Help You Build a Strong Character Cast Using character archetypes in your book is a great way to ensure you have a diverse cast with specific roles.Because without good charactersyour readers wont find a good reason to keep readingThe character development of your story can make the biggest difference in hooking real fans for lifeand losing readers for good.Well help you discover some character archetypes you can use to ensure your readers are ensnared in the grasp of your story from start to finish.Heres a list of 14 character archetypes:The LeaderThe OutsiderThe CaregiverThe RebelThe MentorThe ProfessorThe WarriorThe HunkThe WiseThe OrphanThe HeroThe JesterThe SeducerThe BullyNOTE: If youre ready to take these archetypes to the next step and flesh them out with your very own coach, check out our VIP Fiction Selfs: The LeaderFor more clarity, here are some recognizable examples of this character archetype where you can easily identify these traits.Harry Potter in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Throughout the se ries, Rowling paint Harry as a leader in several ways. We first see him as less than a leader, living under the stairs but as the story progresses, his leadership shines in several ways. Firstly, he decides to forgo friendship with Draco Malfoy because, well, he doesnt believe him to be a good person. This sets the stage for even more leadership characteristics as he stands up to Snape, and ultimately takes on Voldemort in the end. His leadership continues to grow as he leads his friends and classmates through difficult times in the series.Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins The first act of leadership we see from Katniss is the very beginning of the story. She is hunting for her familyso they can eat. Its a very basic form of leadership thats necessary due to her moms state after her father passes away. We continue to see her leadership flourish as she volunteers as tribute, sets a precedent of distaste for the games, and ultimately saves both her own a nd Peetas life by the end of the first book.Tobias Kaya in The Saviors Champion by Jenna Moreci Tobias begins the book as a provider for his family. This leadership role is necessary due to his sisters disability. As the book progresses and Tobias enters the deadly tournament, allies seem to be his only means of survival. He bands together (somewhat reluctantly) with a few key competitors and soon finds himself as the voice of their group, making decisions out of instinct without even realizing the position hes in.#2 Character Archetype: The Outsider/WildcardThis character archetype serves a very distinct purpose. Oftentimes, this is a character that adds a layer of mystery and intrigue to the story.For example, this character wont be close to your main character or even other secondary characters. They often come into the story to aid or solve a specific issue, but can also be seen as untrustworthy.Character Archetype Examples:Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games trilogy Johannah M ason meets Katniss and Peeta during the opening of the 75th Hunger Games. Wild, unpredictable, and untrustworthy is our first reactions to her, solidifying her character archetype as the outsider or wildcard. Because her character is so unpredictable, were both worried and interested in what shell do next, which increases the tension when she appears on the page.Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter series Luna Lovegood is a very important character in the Harry Potter series but is often seen as an outsider not only from her own perspective but from others. We dont really know what shell do next and this adds to the intrigue of any scene shes in.#3 Character Archetype: The CaregiverThis character archetype speaks for itself. The caregiver is essentially the character who serves to take care of others.They often have qualities that are parently and can be the voice of reason when the plot thickens. This character is one others often turn to for help, reassurance, and even encouragemen t.Characters may also wonder how theyd get through what they have without this one character ensuring their safety and wellbeing.Character Archetype Examples:Louisa Clark in Me Before You The main purpose of this characters role is to be a caretaker. Her job in the story is to care for a disabled man. The characteristics she possesses in the story are directly in line with this character archetype of being a voice of reason, encouragement, and caring for others in the story.Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series While Hermiones character serves several purposes throughout the story, a major contributing factor to her narrative is the care she takes of both Ron and Harry. How many times throughout the series do the two of them even say, What would I do without you? This is a common reaction to the caretaker character archetype.#4 Character Archetype: The RebelMany main characters can fall under The Rebel character archetype because this trait often leads to interesting and in triguing conflict readers latch onto.Keep in mind, however, that this is also a great archetype to use for villains or antagonists.The qualities that make up The Rebel archetype are exactly what youd expect; the characters often go against the grain, resist rules, regulations, and orders, as well as follow their own paths.Character Archetype Examples:Fred and George from the Harry Potter series While Fred and George, twin brother of Ron Weasley in the series, are also known as The Jester character archetypes (which well cover below), theyre primarily rebels as well. The most infamous instance that showcases this is in book 5 when Delores Umbridge takes over. They drive her out with their own invented pranks, sticking it to the man in the way they know how best.Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games trilogy Katniss may not have thought herself a rebel at first, but her actions quickly showcase her natural rebel side. From threatening to eat Nightlock berries at the end of the first b ook to actually leading the rebellion as a whole, shes The Rebel through and through.#5 Character Archetype: The MentorOne of the most iconic (and sometimes clichà ©d) characters in stories is The Mentor.Im sure many examples are already popping up in your mind for this one. A classic example of this is Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series.The Mentor character archetype is someone who serves as a source of information, motivation, support, and encouragement usually for the protagonist or that group in a novel.This character is also commonly used as an exposition element in the sense that they can provide information to the protagonist that the audience also needs to know, but in a natural way that doesnt feel like infos:Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series As mentioned above Albus Dumbledore is a prime example of a mentor in this series. He guides, teaches, supports, and encourages not only Harry, but several students he grew close to throughout the series.Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games trilogy This may be unclear at first, but Haymitch is literally and figuratively The Mentor in this trilogy. His character literally mentors Katniss and Peeta in the games as his duty but later mentors them in ways unrelated to the games by offering advice and taking on their personal conflicts.#6 Character Archetype: The ProfessorThe Professor and The Mentor are very similar character archetypes. However, with The Professor the emphasis is on their role as an educator and teacher instead of just a mentor.Therefore, Dumbledore can be seen as The Professor, though another character occupies that role in this series.This character archetype is usually a teacher or educator the main character grows close to. The key defining factor is that The Professor both teaches in a formal way, but also takes an interest in aiding your characters personal life and journey. They offer guidance and help when the characters need it most and can be a gos:John Keating in Dead Poets Society In this iconic story, Professor Keating guides his students on a journey through poetryand adolescence. Not only does he teach his students poetry in a way they can understand and appreciate, hes also instrumental in developing Todd Anderson, the main character and student.Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series This archetype is evident in Professor McGonagall as well. Her role is to be an educator and to hold students to the highest standard, pushing them and even creating conflict within the story.Mr. Bruner in The Edge of 17 Mr. Bruner is Nadines teacher and also someone she goes to for guidance in her personal life. He not only serves as her educator in school, but hes a confidant for Nadines personal problems and helps her get through them.#7 Character Archetype: The WarriorWhen you think of this character archetype, its very evident which characters fall under this category.Think of the best warriors in any movie where they appear. Those charac ters are often tough, confident, and skilled in combat. Many army officers, commanders, and persons in charge of armies will occupy this archetype.But a character doesnt need to be in a role of combat or military in order to be The Warrior. They can possess qualities of a warrior without the title.The Warrior can also be both a good or bad character.Character Archetype Examples:Gray Worm in the Game of Thrones series Chosen to lead the Unsullied under command of Daenarys Stormborn in this series because he has no fear, his character is the epitome of The Warrior. He is fierce, skilled, battles:The Adonis in The Saviors Champion by Jenna Moreci In the Sovereigns Tournament, a competition to the death to win the hand of The Savior, there are several competitors, one of which is nicknamed The Adonis. This character is very much the stereotypical hunk with no brains, and it serves a very distinct purpose in this novel. Hes a fans:Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings Series While this cha racter also serves as The Mentor, its important to note that hes a very wise, alls:Tony Stark from The Marvel comics Although Stark loses his parents at the age of 21, this plays a big role in who he is in the franchise. After they pass, he has to take over his fathers company, where he grows into the person we really know him as: Ironman. Their death also plays a pivotal plot point in storylines later as well.Harry Potter in the Harry Potter series Harrys parents died when he was a baby but they left before something so important, the series could not have been written ass:Heres a long list of The Hero character archetypes:Harry PotterKatniss EverdeenMarvel SuperheroesMatilda Wormwood in MatildaHuckleberry FinnBeowulfAtticus FinchNeville LongbottomHermione GrangerRon WeasleyThe entire Order of the PhoenixPeeta MellarkTobias Kaya#12 Character Archetype: The JesterIf your favorite character in stories is ever the goofball whos really funny, theyre likely The Jester character arche type.This type of character has a few jobs, the main one being comedic relief. They can serve as a strong literary device to cut the tension in order to give characters a relief, or to distract from something worse coming up.A couple of key identifiers of The Jester in stories is that they cut tension either with what they say or do, are the butt of every joke, or make others the butt of every joke. The Jesters job is to elicit laughs and keep the scene and mood light.Character Archetype Examples:Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter series Weve already talked about these rebels but theyre also very much Jesters for this series. They make jokes and even pull pranks, both of which lighten the mood of a story thats very dark.Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect The story of Pitch Perfect is made hilarious by Fat Amy, one of the main characters. She adds jokes, comedy by the way her character acts, and generally brings the story to a new level of funny.Dory in Finding Nemo Weve all laughe d at Dory in this story. Because of her short memory, there are plenty of moments for jokes and laughter, not to mention her characters general demeanor.#13 Character Archetype: The Seductress/SeducerWith this character archetype, theres a very specific goal of the seducing behavior.Most often, this character is someone whos attractive and can seduce someone in order to get something they want, or even to subdue them in order to do this.The main point of The Seducer archetype is to trick someone into being vulnerable in order to gain the upper hand in any type of situation, whether thats life or death or simply getting out of a speeding ticket.Character Archetype Examples:Dominika Egorova in Red Sparrow This character archetype for this movie is quite unique. While her character, with the alias of Katerina, may not have been this type to start, she is taught this very specific skill in order to achieve her goals as a spy.Black Widow in the Marvel comics Similar to the previous ex ample, this character was trained in many art forms, seducing being one of them. Her character often has to seduce men, playing to their deepest desires, in order to extract information for the intelligence agency she works with.#14 Character Archetype: The BullyWe all know a bully in real life and stories have no exception to their presence. Of the character archetypes, this one is easy to stop.Its is often used to make your main characters life a lot harder. They can be a bully physically or even emotionally. As long as they belittle your character to the point of increasing conflict in the story, theyre The Bully.Character Archetype Examples:Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series From the get-go, Draco Malfoy has bullied Harry Potter and his friends. He puts them down, tries to disrupt them with their plans, and even tries to have Harry killed (and kill him himself) later in the series.Regina George in Mean Girls This character is the epitome of a bully. She puts others down and makes them feel like less than, so much so that the climax of the movie comes to a head with her burn book, which consists of a diary of bullying comments about others.Patty in Diary of a Whimpy Kid There are several bullies in this story, the main characters own brother being one, but Patty indeed holds this title as well. She consistently bullies Greg throughout the story.Are your characters ready for their own book?If youre ready to take the next step, the real step toward launching yourself as an established author, this training will help.Now that you have your character archetypes, its time to put the wheels of writing your book in motion.

Learn How Insects Hear

Learn How Insects Hear Sound is created by vibrations carried through the air. By definition, an animals capacity to hear means that it has one or more organs that perceived and interpreted those air vibrations. Most insects have one or more sensory organs that are sensitive to vibrations transmitting through the air. Not only do insects hear, but they may actually be more sensitive than other animals to sound vibrations. Insect sense and interpret sounds in order to communicate with other insects and to navigate their environments. Some insects even listen for the sounds of predators in order to avoid being eaten by them.   There are four different types of auditory organs that insects may possess.   Tympanal Organs Many hearing insects have a pair of tympanal organs that vibrate when they catch sound waves in the air. As the name hints, these organs catch the sound and vibrate in much the way that a tympani, the large drum used in the percussion section of an orchestra, does it when its drum head is struck by a percussion mallet.   Like the tympani, the tympanal organ consists of a membrane tightly stretched on a frame over an air-filled cavity. When the percussionist hammers on the membrane of the tympani, it vibrates and produces a sound; an insects tympanal organ vibrates in much the same way as it catches sound waves in the air. This mechanism is exactly the same as found in the eardrum organ of humans and other animal species. Many insects have the ability to hear in a manner quite similar to the way we do it.   An insect also has a special receptor called the chordotonal organ, which senses the  vibration of the tympanal organ and translates the sound into a nerve impulse. Insects that use tympanal organs to hear include grasshoppers and crickets, cicadas, and some butterflies and moths. Johnstons Organ For some  insects, a group of sensory cells on the antennae form a receptor  called the Johnstons organ, which  collects auditory information. These group of sensory cells is found on the pedicel, which is the second segment from the base of the antennae, and it detects vibration of the segment(s) above. Mosquitoes and fruit flies are examples of insects that hear by using the Johnstons organ. In fruit flies, the organ is used to sense the wing-beat frequencies of mates, and in hawk moths, it is thought to assist with stable flight. In honeybees, Johnstons organ assists in the location of food sources.   Johnstons organ is a type of receptor found only no  invertebrates other than insects. It is named for the physician Christopher Johnston (1822-1891), a professor of surgery at the University of Maryland who discovered the organ. Setae The larvae of Lepidoptera  (butterflies and moths)  and  Orthoptera  (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.) use small stiff hairs, called setae, to sense  sound  vibrations. Caterpillars often respond to vibrations in the setae by exhibiting defensive behaviors. Some will stop moving completely, while others may contract their muscles and rear up in a fighting posture. Setae hairs are found on many species, but not all of them use the organs to sense sound vibrations.   Labral Pilifer A structure in the mouths of certain hawkmoths enables them to hear ultrasonic sounds, such as those produced by echolocating bats. The labral pilifer, a tiny hair-like organ, is believed to sense vibrations at specific frequencies. Scientists have noted a distinctive movement of the insects tongue when they subject  captive hawkmoths to sounds at these particular frequencies. In flight, the hawkmoths can avoid a pursuing bat by using the labral pilifer to detect their echolocation signals.

Summary 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Summary 1 - Essay Example In the US, different laws deal with hazardous waste handling by organizations, fines and taxes on environmental interference, business regulation as well as municipal laws and common law. Types of common law include laws regarding nuisance, trespass, strict liability as well as dangerous s substances among others, they are all meant for human safety and in order to understand them one needs to have knowledge on how they were created. Federal environmental laws regulate all local as well as state environmental laws. Judicial precedent on air and water pollution exists. At some places, laws are created for specific criteria such environmental law enforcement; specific permits use, and crime concerning regulation of the environment. Creation of laws is the senate work while regulation is done by agencies like Environmental protection agency. For better understanding of environmental needs, states as well as municipal governments create more environmental laws. Judicial precedents also change the law of environment. The court also interprets environmental law. Historical cases are a source of understanding the need for changes as well additions on laws regarding the

Business Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Research Methods - Essay Example The personal interview will allow the investigator to connect with each individual which will facilitate the process and create a connection that should translate in honest and truthful answers for the investigation. It would hard to collect the information the investigator seeks utilizing other methods that utilized standardize questions. B. The best primary research method to perform poll on large group of students concerning their preference among preferential candidates is to submit the group to self-administered questionnaires. This is the best option because we are dealing with a large population which creates the necessity for a method that is effective and easy to administer (Mann, 1995). Since the scope of the information needed is simplistic a questionnaire can be utilized effectively in this research application. The questionnaire is also the best alternative because is the most cost effective solution for this particular problem. The students would fill out the questionnaire themselves without the assistance of the investigator in the process. Once all the questionnaires are collected the investigator can perform other qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate the data collected. C. In this example there is need to survey 58 wholesale grocery companies about their personal management policies. One of the constraints of the situation is that each of the companies is scattered in different locations in the eastern part of the United States. The best research method for this particular situation is to perform telephone interviews. A phone survey is a systematic collection of data from a sample population using a standardize questionnaire (Responsivemanagement, 2009). All the participants can be easily reached by the utilizing the telephone as the main communication device. The phone survey is effective for this particular situation because it speeds up the process in comparison with visiting

Developing country Essay Example for Free

Developing country Essay Why we want to let our knowledge to someone else unknown to us. Why we want to make our nation into a question mark. Work for our nation work for us let our future generation be a developed nation. We are ranking in a forest place both in economy and in developing. So brain is our so why we want to drain to others. So get into it to work for our nation. Jai hind. Rate this: +3 -2 The concept of ‘brain drain’ is of a recent one that has ever strongly emerged since the last few decades. The phrase ‘brain drain’ refers to the increasing tendency of the young, energetic, capable and talented youth of a country to migrate to another country in search of their fortune — rather better fortune. They forsake their motherland for they seek better opportunities in other countries. This has become a characteristic more of the intelligentsia of the nation—the doctors, engineers, scientists, M.B.A’s, C.As, lawyers and other professionals. Investment in education in a developing country may not lead to faster economic growth if a large number of its highly educated people leave the country. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) estimates that India loses $2 billion a year because of the emigration of computer experts to the U.S.[45] Indian students going abroad for their higher studies costs India a foreign exchange outflow of $10 billion annually. Our country is gradually being deprived of its intellectual capacity. Brain drain is also regarded as an economic cost, since emigrants usually take with them the fraction of value of their training sponsored by the government. Our nation, if this continues, will be rendered intellectually impoverished and impotent. This, in turn, is leading to a great loss of National wealth. But, have we ever thought of the reasons behind such a great movement of brain outside the country? Like always, we prefer to harp upon the problems rather than find a solution. Why does India, a great and domineering nation in Asia, have to face such a grave and serious problem? Why is our youth allured by the stranger meadows and horizons? Why do they prefer to work hard and be honest there, instead of here?The first answer to this problem is that we have.. no plans to return to India. The reasons aren’t hard to fathom: a handsomely paying job in a great professional environment. But, Bandyopadhya, isn’t alone who has decided to stay back in the US. In fact, he is just one among 94.8 percent of Indians who study abroad to earn doctorates in science, engineering, and health and don’t return home according to a research study released in October 2012 by Wan-Ying Chang and Lynn M. Milan of the National Science Foundation. The study, if anything, is latest evidence that ‘brain drain’ isn’t stemming, something over which our policymakers must ponder on the occasion of ‘National Science Day’. In 2010, India with an estimated stock of 11.4 million emigrants was only second to Mexico (11.9 million) as a source of immigrants, according to a research paper, ‘Indian Human Resources Mobility: Brain drain versus Brain gain’ published in 2012. India and the Philippines supply most foreign-trained doctors and nurses to the English-speaking countries within The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Citing lack of growth opportunities in the country, Dr. Sudeshna Mitra, assistant professor at IIT Kharagpur points, â€Å"It is true that a lot of improvement has been made at the infrastructure level over the past ten years but if we compare it with the developed countries of the world, it is still not up to the mark, hence it will be really difficult on our part to stop ambitious people leaving the country.† Brain-drain works both within and outside the country. Dr. Arvind Agrawal, professor at Department of Sociology, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, says, â€Å"There are two kinds of brain drain going on in the country. The first is the internal and the second is the external. As far as the internal brain drain is concerned, it is mostly confined to the states. A state like Rajasthan which has to its credit a list of many good schools but lacks good English medium colleges, hence students after completing their school education move out to big cities and ultimately get settled there.† Both internal and external brain-drain point to lack of opportunities. â€Å"External brain drain is defined as one when students move out of the country for higher education and settle there permanently,† further explains Dr. Agrawal.As per the Thomson Reuters Report 2012, India’s share in global research output is about 3.5 per cent. India’s largest global share of publications was in the field of Chemistry (6.5 percent) followed by Materials Science (6.4 percent), Agricultural Sciences (6.2 percent), Pharmacology Toxicology (6.1 percent) while the relative share in the field of Physics and Engineering was 4.6 percent and 4.2 percent respectively. One of the most affected sectors is genetic engineering and biotechnology which copes with shortages of junior staff, as approximately 90 percent of post-graduates in this field go to the US after completion of their studies in India. The quality of a nation’s higher education vests in the research and development, which in India’s case also is an area of concern and a major factor for brain drain. Concurring with the above, S. R. Ahlawat, professor at Department of Sociology, M.D University, says, â€Å"We have not been able to provide the right kind of research environment in which the students can really contribute to enhance their knowledge.† India with 68,000 students in 2009 accounted for the largest number of foreign students in the area of Science and Engineering in United States, followed by China with 54 000 students according to the ‘Indian Human Resources Mobility: Brain drain versus Brain gain’ research paper. â€Å"Developed countries provide good environment and easy accessibility to quality of life which provokes people to get settled there permanently,† warns Ahlawat at M.D University. Indian Universities have by and large failed to figure in the list of top 200 educational institutions of the world according to the QS World University Rankings for 2012. The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings — the most reputed global rankings of institutes for higher education had featured IIT-Bombay in 2010 which was ranked 187, but dropped to 227 in 2012. Highlighting the solutions to overcome the scenario, Dr. Agrawal at Central University of Himachal Pradesh, says, â€Å"Most of the state universities are run on political interference which acts as a hindrance in the growth of these institutions, hence it is a high time that there should be a semblance of order and growth and the prime focus should be to promote basic and fundamental research to save the quality.†

Disaster Management Essay -- Business Management Studies

Disaster Management Introduction All disaster managers must make decisions. Their decision involves a comparison between several alternatives and an evaluation of the outcome. The quality of the decisions managers make is the true measure of their performance. Each operational decision influences future actions, which in turn, require further decisions. Errors in decision-making, therefore, tend to be cumulative. Decision-making is the major responsibility of a disaster manager, regardless of his or her functional area or level in the organization. Some of these decisions may have a strong impact on the organization, while others will be important, but less crucial. The important point, however, is that all decisions will have some sort of effect. Variables in Decision-making In some cases, decisions are made where there are few alternatives and all the parameters of the decision can be clearly identified. However, many decisions require that a choice be made between different courses of action that may be affected by variables or events beyond a manager's control. For example, the field director of a refugee relief operation knows that the accuracy of new arrival forecasts will depend in large measure, upon political events in another country. Similarly, a supply officer of a relief agency is faced with the problem of how much and what types of supplies should be ordered in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, without knowing the full extent of the disaster. Decision-making is carried out under three different conditions or sets of variables: 1) certainty; 2) risk; and 3) uncertainty. 1) Decision-making Under Conditions of Certainty à ¦ When a manager knows or is certain of all the effec... ...e. Clarify the problem and try to eliminate irrelevant or unnecessary issues. Step 2. Gather and organize all the information about the problem. Put all the information in a logical form and sequence. Step 3. Extract the relevant information. Step 4. Evaluate the information. Assess the quality and accuracy of the information and estimate the unknowns and variables that may influence the outcome of the decision. Step 5. Identify alternatives. Determine the alternatives and identify as many of the pros and cons and the possible outcomes of each. Step 6. Make the decision. Pick the best (most positive) alternative. Once a decision has been made, it should be adhered to. Hesitation or wavering fosters uncertainty and lack of confidence in the decision-maker, and can reduce the effectiveness of the decision.

Strategic Position Review of Michael Hill Jewelers in New Zealand

Michael Hill Jewellers (MHJ) is one of the most recognizable names in the New Zealand retail jewellery industry. In 1979, Michael Hill opened his first store in Whangerei. Until then, jewellery stores had been run primarily by craftsmen jewellers. Michael Hill changed this with the philosophy â€Å"to make jewellery buying less intimidating and more accessible to the public.† In order for any company to succeed, it has to take a look at the environment in which it operates. This is why an external environmental analysis is so important. This involves a continuous process of scanning, monitoring, forecasting, and assessing the external environment. Doing so will illuminate any opportunities to be exploited or threats to minimize. The first step in the analysis is environmental scanning which is identifies any trends or changes which are occurring or have recently occurred in the environment. Once identified, the company can then strategise and react in order to exploit the phen omenon. Three useful tools in an environmental analysis are a PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and Strategic Grouping. Utilising these tools, an environmental scan of the jewellery industry will be performed. PESTEL AnalysisPoliticalMany of the raw materials for the jewellery industry can originate in countries that have political instability. Of the top five diamond producing countries, Canada is the most politically stable, with minimal probability of any mining disruption due to war. The other four are a different situation. Russia is still in a state of internal turmoil regarding Chechnya and other breakaway nations, while Botswana, Angola and Congo are all in a constant risk of war both from within and from neighbouring war-torn countries. A war in any of the above countries would cause a considerable loss in production and have a significant impact on the jewellery industry worldwide.EconomicThe entire jewellery industry relies on commodities such as gold, platinu m and silver in order to manufacture their product. This can create a problem as the prices of commodities can fluctuate drastically. For example, from 1982 to 2005 gold prices remained relatively stable. From 2005 to 2011 it nearly quadrupled in value. This price increase for the raw material will  be passed on to the consumer causing a price increase in the end product. Conversely, if the price of the commodity drops it would be expected that the price of the finished product would reflect this.SocialIn recent years, it has become more important to consumers to purchase products that have been produced ethically. In the jewellery industry, one of the most prominent ethical issues is the use of blood or conflict diamonds. These diamonds are mined and sold by African rebel forces in order to finance their wars in Angola and Sierra Leone. There has been a certification system instituted that lets the consumer know the origin of the diamond that they are looking at purchasing. Consu mers can now ask the jeweller to see the certificate of origin for their diamond. Jewellers must now be aware of this and ensure that they buy only ethically obtained diamonds in order to fulfil this request.TechnologicalThe internet allows consumers to select and purchase any piece of jewellery they desire online. A large number of jewellers have online stores or use websites such as amazon.com and ebay.com to reach their customers. It is important for the jewellers to recognise that their clientele are no longer limited geographically and can easily find and in some cases import items that may not be readily available in that region.EnvironmentalBusinesses are starting to become more aware of the impact that their own production processes have on the environment and are looking for ways to reduce this. The gold mined to produce jewellery is not always extracted with the most environmentally sound methods. Up to 15% of the world’s gold is produced using artisanal and small s cale gold mining, the single largest demand sector for mercury. Virtually all of this mercury is dumped directly back into the environment causing havoc on the surrounding ecosystems. The jewellery industry needs to ensure that they purchase raw materials from only environmentally sustainable mining companies.Legal Due to the size of some of the companies in the jewellery industry along with the large sums of money and power that accompanies it, there are strict  antitrust laws in place. The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international organisation set up to oversee and protect the jewellery industry from various practices. This council has set up antitrust policies in order to protect its members. Industry Environment Analysis – Porter’s Five ForcesPorter’s Five Forces model is used to evaluate the degree of rivalry between competitors in a given industry through assessing the four forces that lead to this outcome. These forces are the threat of new entr ants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, and the threat of substitute products.Threat of New EntrantsIs the ease in which a new company can start into the retail jewellery industry. It is not difficult to start a jewellery store as the only requirements are start up capital and a premises. There are many small sole trader jewellery shops in New Zealand to attest to this. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is: HIGH Bargaining Power of SuppliersIs the control that suppliers have over the pricing and distribution of their products across the jewellery industry. Once the wholesalers have sold their products to the retailers, the retailers can sell for any price they deem appropriate. There are many wholesalers in the industry, many based in Asia, giving the retailer alternative suppliers if the price is not right. Therefore the bargaining power of suppliers is: LOW Bargaining Power of BuyersIs the power belonging to the customer to choose to shop at a store. As there are many jewellery stores to choose from, many of which seem to have sales on every week, the customer can decide not only to shop elsewhere, but even try to haggle for a discount. Therefore the bargaining power of buyers is: HIGHThreat of SubstitutesIs the probability that a consumer will purchase something else. Since jewellery is a luxury item and not a necessity, consumers will choose to spend their income on many thing before jewellery even makes the list. Not only do necessities come first, but other luxury items may be higher on the list of things to purchase like golf clubs or bicycles. Therefore the threat of substitutes is: HIGH Degree of RivalryIs the level of competition within the industry. Even though only three out of the four forces were identified as high, the retail jewellery industry is still extremely competitive. The one anomaly was the power of suppliers and the only reason that was low is because the suppliers operate in such a competitive stat e as well, giving more bargaining power to their customers, the retailers. Therefore the degree of rivalry is: HIGH Strategic GroupingA competitor analysis compares a company against each direct competitor. It relies on four key areas for comparison. These are future objectives, current strategy, assumptions, and capabilities. By looking at these concepts a response can be formulated and the company can create a strategy. The closest competitor of Michael Hill is Pascoes. They have similar strategy with pricing and target market. Walker and Hall aims at a higher level with more designer items and craftsmen in store. Partridge Jewellers is a contrast to Michael Hill with only the best brands and handmade jewellery in their stores in only four select high end shopping districts in New Zealand.ConclusionThrough a PESTEL analysis, an industry environmental analysis and a strategic grouping map, the retail jewellery industry can be evaluated. The PESTEL analysis showed various trends tha t may have an effect on the industry while the industry environmental analysis showed that the competitive rivalry in the industry is quite high. The strategic grouping map illustrated that the company itself shares a target market with few other large companies but does not display the hundreds of other smaller independent firms that offer similar services.What has been learned in this assessment is that Michael Hill has cornered the jewellery retailing industry in New Zealand and has bucked the financial trend by being one of the companies on the NZX to make large gains during the recession. Through low prices, Friedman Group staff training, and a good understanding of their industry environment, they have  become one of the leading retailers in New Zealand.

Successful Public Relations Campaigns

Successful public relations campaigns no longer have to stop at billboards, store greeters and newspapers. In this age of social networking, media and technology, there are numerous opportunities to explore various methods of implementing effective public relations campaigns and a variety of companies have been capitalizing on these different methods. Following, you will see examples of employing the Internet, nature and a host of other methods in order to catch the eye and attention of consumers.In this day, the options are so vast that marketing, advertising and PR professionals have their work cut out for them. In February 2011, Rayovac initiated a Rapid-Response Twitter campaign to engage consumers who likely had spare time on their hands due to the snowstorm that a big part of the country was experiencing. The campaign was essentially a virtual snowball fight that included consumer changing their profile picture to a Rayovac-branded avatar and each related tweet utilized the has htag #snowball.The virtual snowball fight lasted for roughly 48 hours and thereafter Rayovac hosted a two hour snow day tweet-up where Rayovac followers could tweet about the weather in their area, activities they partook in and weather related trivia complete with prizes. This particular campaign was seemingly successful, generating 1188 click-throughs to retrieve the branded avatar, becoming a worldwide trending topic (#TT) and a 30% increase in Twitter followers. With the popularity of Twitter, this was a genius marketing/public relations plan.It gave consumers something to do while home on their snow days and one could assume that some participants were introduced and others may have become more familiar with the brand Rayovac. There’s not much that I would have done differently. I think that the only component that was missing was something to target the non-Twitter users. Since this was solely an online public relations effort, this same campaign could have been tweaked a bit to have also been done on Facebook, Google Plus or another site for those who do not use Twitter. Converse has taken one of their current PR stunts to the streets of Australia.Strategically placed in all of Australia’s major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are fire emergency type boxes that contain a pair of sneakers behind a glass window. The slogan of the campaign is, â€Å"Let’s Take This Outside† and written across the top of each fire box is, â€Å"IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, BREAK GLASS. † Upon breaking the glass, one can actually retrieve a pair of free, brand new, Converse tennis shoes. The sneakers being spotlighted are from the 2012 Chuck Taylor All Star collection. This feat has been constructed to bring awareness to the brand as well as fully engage the citizens of Australia via a few different means.There are clues on the company’s website as well as their Facebook page in a picture album leading consumers to the locations of these fire boxes. Converse has similar PR stunts going on in other countries as well. This campaign fully encompasses every facet of consumerism. From the scavenger hunt-type clues to encouraging giving to one another if they find shoes that are the wrong size to capitalizing on the public’s love of free goods, this is a fun, genius public relations task that will run through June 10, 2012.I can’t think of a single thing that could be done differently. Converse utilized every form of media. No stone was left unturned. Print media, online social networks, in-store advertisements and television commercials were all incorporated. Even the â€Å"prizes† themselves are outside and available to those who are off the grid. There is no discriminating demographic either, because the target audience is anyone who wears sneakers. This was well planned, very well executed and done in such a way that is preventing mass hysteria.I think that would be the only apprehension that I would have as a company is public reaction since everyone would be interested in a free pair of sneakers. I’m certain there were many precautions that had to be taken in order for this to come to fruition. Zoning, permits, and backing from law enforcement departments had to be among the kinks that needed to be worked out, but they dealt with them in a way that is seemingly flawless. Converse has managed to concoct the perfect formula to keep the campaign enjoyable and safe.

Discuss The Rationale Of The Payment Method And Risk Sharing Under

Discuss The Rationale Of The Payment Method And Risk Sharing Under Discuss The Rationale Of The Payment Method And Risk Sharing Under Capitation – Article Example Rationale of Payment Method and Risk Sharing Under Capitation Affiliation: Insurance companies such as MCOs, Blue Cross/BlueShield, and the government are classified as third party payers with the patient and the providers being the other two parties. The payment extended to the latter parties by the third-party payers is referred as reimbursement. However, while providers traditionally preferred the fee-for-service method, this method has been dismissed due to fee escalation. Hence fore, various other methods bearing varying merits have been devised to cater for the reimbursement needs. The rationale for the payment methods and risk sharing are highlighted below (Shi, 2013).a. Free for service – this method has been dismissed due to charge escalation. However, the method required insurers to pay charges passively set by the providers. These charges were developed under the assumption that services were provided within a set of identifiable and individually unique circumstance s involving service delivery.b. Package Pricing – this payment method is also referred as bundled charges as it covers related services in one price. For example, vag9inal delivery can have one set fee that includes pre- and post-delivery care.c. Resource-Based Relative Value Scale – this method is more based on the risks involves and therefore reimburses physicians regarding the skills, time taken, and the intensity of providing services. This method involves adjustment for reimbursement regarding with respect to the geographical factor to the practice location – hence, involving a complex formula.d. Reimbursement Under Managed Care – This is a set of reimbursement approaches. Firstly, the PPO is a variant of the fee-for-service method and institutes fee schedules relative to discounts conveyed with providers within the grid. Secondly, the HMO puts physicians on payroll. However, the HMO has a branch classified as the third method, capitation. Capitation is a mechanism which reimburses providers monthly. This method has no merit of compensating a provider with regards to enrollee frequency in search of services. It also down plays the role of providers in inducing demand – providers are encouraged to provide only needed services. Package Pricing and Resource-Based Relative Value Scale has the same effect as the capitation method – risk sharing is economically managed (Shi, 2013).ReferenceShi, L. et al. (2013). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System: Financing and Reimbursement Methods. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Free sample - Anthropology. translation missing

Anthropology. AnthropologyAnthropology   refers   to   the   study of   human   beings   and   their   cultures.   This   study   cuts   across   the   natural   sciences,   humanities   as   well   as   the   social   sciences.   The main   focus   of   the   study   is   to   investigate   the   origin   of   man (Willigen, 1993).   It   deals   with   the   origins   of   homo   sapiens,   homo   sapiens   characteristics,   behavior,   how   evolutionary   past  Ã‚  Ã‚   of   homo   sapiens  Ã‚   affects   its   social   organization   as   well   as   culture   and   the   reason   for   differences   among   different   groups   of   people.   Anthropology   basically   has   four   subfields:   archaeology,   cultural/ social   anthropology,   linguistic   anthropology   and   physical/ biological   anthropology   (Strauss, 1963). Archaeology   is   a   subfield   that   is   concerned   with   the   study   of  Ã‚   the   material   remains   of   various   artifacts  Ã‚   such   as   buildings,   tools, and   pottery   of   different   communities.   This   study   aims   at   establishing   the   cultures   as well   as   the   cultural   evolution   of these   societies (Willigen, 1993).   The   professionals   involved   in   this   study   are   referred to   as   anthropological   archaeologists.   They   mostly   focus   on   the   prehistoric   cultures   since   they   have   not   been   documented   as   well   as   early   animal   domestication   and   metal   use (Willigen, 1993).  Ã‚   Anthropological   archaeologists  Ã‚   mainly   attempt   to   establish   several   things   from   the   artifacts   they   collect. They   at tempt   to   establish   the social   dispensation   of   the   culture,   the   relationship   of   this   culture   with   others   in   the   area,   the   nature   of   the   physical   environment   of   that particular   area   as   well   as   the   animal   and   plant   resources   of   the   area,   if   the   culture   under study   engaged   in   domestication   of   animals   and   plants,   the   people’s  Ã‚   religion,   population   size,   health,   and   technology ,  Ã‚   causes   for   cultural collapse   and   finally   the   reasons   for   cultural   evolution/change(Willigen, 1993) .   Biological/   physical   evolution   on   the   other   hand   is   concerned   with   the   biological   aspect   of   people.  Ã‚   It   further   attempts   to   establish   how   the   biological   nature   of   human   beings   relates   to their   cultural   practices,   evolution   as   well   as   their   environment (Willigen, 1993).   This   subfield   is   further   divided   into   three   main   branches   which   are:  Ã‚   paleoanthropology,  Ã‚   primatology,   and   the   study   of   modern   variation   as   well as   adaptation of   human   beings (Strauss, 1963).   Paleoanthropology  Ã‚   is   basically   concerned   with   the   study   of   human   fossils   as   well   as   their   close   relatives   while   primatology   focuses   on the   study   of   primates   such   as   humans,   ap es,   monkeys   and prosimians (Willigen, 1993).   References Strauss, C. (1963). Structural   Anthropology.   London: Oxford   University   Press Willigen, J. (1993)   Applied   Anthropology.   London:   Oxford   University   Press

Analysis impact of firm-specific information on a company's stock Essay

Analysis impact of firm-specific information on a company's stock returns - Essay Example Accordingly, a brief literature review will be shown which helps to underscore and elaborate upon many of the specific theoretical interpretations of the methods utilized within this report. Additionally, a demonstration of development of event study is included and defined. Furthermore, the third part of the piece will include a methodology review. The explanations of approaches which have been utilized to conduct this report will be given as well as some assumptions and critical common factors that are associated with this methodology. Likewise, a research design and results section will comprise the fourth part of this analysis. Ultimately, the issues which will be explored will be analyzed based upon an event study method. This part will begin with defining the date of events and then choose the estimated period and test period. Following this, marker models will be chosen as the benchmark for abnormal returns. Similarly, a linear regression for the market will be chosen. At this time, ordinary least square assumptions will be necessary to estimate the stability. Based on the results of linear regression, the abnormal return will be calculated. Next, the Cumulative abnormal return, or CAR will be utilized as a means of indicating the effect of events. A T-tests by CAR will be presented to show the significant of these events. A final part will necessarily be the conclusion of this report. It will show the basic information of this report and summarize it according to the inference which has been drawn. Background information InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is global hotel group which operate nine hotel brands (which in turn comprise a total of 4,600 hotels in more than 100 countries and regions, more than 676,000Â  rooms). IHG was established in 1946 and is the world's largest and most widely distributed network of professionally managed hotels. IHG operates in three different ways. First, IHG operates as a franchisor, second as a management accessory, and thirdly it operates as a rental basis. In addition, the franchise has been recognized as an effective business philosophy by many leaders within the industry. This report chose four specific events to explore the relationship with the IHG stock price volatility for a period time. These four events are shown below: (1) 18th April 2012: IHG shows its support for small business owners, entrepreneurs and Road Warriors. (2) 7th August 2012: IHG reported interim results from the 30th June 2012 and announced $1bn return of capital. (3) 8th October 2012: IHG reported the results of general meeting about Special Dividend and Share Consolidation. (4) 12th November 2012: IHG announces new Vice President of Development in Europe. Literature review Efficient Markets Hypothesis(EMH) The Efficient Markets Hypothesis(EMH)arose in 1970 by Eugene Fama. "Efficient market hypothesis" was developed by Louis Bachelier (1900) who was from the perspective of the stochastic process. Bachelier studied t he movement of Brownian motion, stock price changes, and recognized that the effectiveness of the market information, present events, and even the discounted value of the future events, are reflected in market prices. The efficient market theory is that the market price already contains all the available information. Based on the past information and

Interview with the Lieutenant Detective Ricky Rivera Assignment

Interview with the Lieutenant Detective Ricky Rivera - Assignment Example The interview that has been conducted focuses on his professional as well as personal life so as to draw a conclusion in terms of the factors that have affected the career and goal of Rivera. The assignment even reveals his bravery in handling juveniles and his various other success stories that have made him what he is in the present scenario. On the other hand, the assignment would even comprise of certain other interview questions in terms of preferred role and responsibilities of Rivera in the future. The interview would even outline the current role of the individual and the ways in which this role would help him in the long run. The assignment is a thorough analysis of the interview conducted with Ricky Rivera and details of which would be mentioned in the below-given sections. The interview has been conducted with Ricky Rivera who is presently part of the Passaic police department. He is working in this department for many years and is currently posted as a lieutenant detective. He has handled many complex cases and even has been rewarded with appraisals or promotion. The address of the police department in which Rivera is working is 330 Passaic Street New Jersey 07055. When interviewed Ricky Rivera stated that he still does not possess any college degree and he said that this degree did not matter much for him in the career path. He said that he was only focused towards entering into a profession that would help him to utilize his skills and would also enable him to serve the country in some way or another. Rivera was always dedicated towards his job with more of attention towards reducing crime from the region which was under his control. Rivera in the interview said that individuals who want to set their career as a detective need to only hold a high sc hool diploma or GED. He even stated that all that is required in this career path is to be dedicated towards the job role and to be passionate towards the work.  Ã‚