3 Effective Comparative Essay Topics For Writing a College Project

3 Effective Comparative Essay Topics For Writing a College ProjectIn order to write a comparative essay, you will need to look at the subject of your college classes, what you have already learned, and what you have to learn. In this article, we will look at several Comparative Essay Topics. Following are a few that we believe are best suited for the purpose of writing a college thesis.The first Comparative Essay Topic, we will examine is how you are not equipped to do math or science. If this is the case, you will want to consider furthering your education in math or science. If math and science are not your forte, you can consider becoming a nurse or a veterinarian. Math and science are two of the most important subjects that students have to learn, as they will be the subjects of employment once they graduate. When you ask yourself if you are ready to become a nurse or a veterinarian, the first time you answer may surprise you.The second Comparative Essay Topic, we will examine is the best way to be prepared for college. This is the hardest topic to answer, as it depends on your current situation. The truth is, you will have to make some decisions about what you want to do. You might want to go back to school or even attend a community college for a year to help you gain your footing. As for the community college, you can do both, or do nothing at all and just take courses from home.Whatever you decide to do, you must consider the money situation. Do you want to save some money, or do you want to leave everything on the table? Saving money on tuition can be an option for some people, while many others will not be able to afford a major difference in their financial situation.Finally, we will look at the first two Comparative Essay Topics of your choice. The best thing to do is to write one essay for each. This will give you more time to get to know the content of each of the exams, as well as it will give you the opportunity to compare your essay to others. In most cases, the essays will also give you an opportunity to discuss the topic of your final test. After you compare your essay to others, you will have more information to help you choose the topic of your final exam.One thing that will be of great interest to students is why they failed the class. It is interesting to see if students think the whole class failed, or if there is one student that did everything well. It will be very interesting to see if the student that did everything well will be able to study more effectively and will have less difficulty in preparing for the exam.Overall, it is possible to write comparitive essay topics. In addition to learning to write a convincing essay, you can also learn how to do research, and you will have a better chance of understanding a difficult topic.

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Subversive Comedy vs Social Comedy Essay in Restoration Drama

Subversive Comedy vs Social Comedy Essay in Restoration Drama Introduction One of the main reasons why Restoration comedies The Country Wife by William Wycherley and The Rover by Aphra Behn were able to attain a popularity with the members of viewing audiences at the time of their staging, is that both dramaturgical works contain themes and motifs of an unmistakably societal significance.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Subversive Comedy vs Social Comedy Essay in Restoration Drama specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More That is, just as it is the case with Wycherley’s comedy, the one written by Behn does address the socio-cultural effects of Restoration on British society. In this paper, I will explore the validity of this suggestion at length, while arguing that; whereas, The Country Wife is best discussed within the conceptual framework of a ‘subversive comedy’, The Rover fits better into the framework of a ‘social comedy’ (as defined by Canfiel d). Main body According to Canfield: â€Å"Subversive comedy reveals fissures under the smooth surface of official ideology, even as the play end in ritual celebration of society’s centripetal power usually a marriage† (XVII). [This is how the page, containing Canfield’s definition, is numbered]. Canfield’s term implies that this particular type of comedy exposes deep-seated inconsistencies between the official state-ideology and the actual state of socio-cultural affair in the country. In order for us to be able to substantiate the suggestion that the earlier provided definition does apply to Wycherley’s comedy, we will have to make mentioning of what were the specifics of a socio-political situation in Britain, during the course of Restoration. Before being allowed to return to Britain and to assume British throne, Charles II was made to promise that, while acting as a king, he would refrain from trying to limit the British citizens’ newl y gained civil liberties, including the right to enjoy a religious freedom. This created a somewhat paradoxical situation – whereas, the government headed by Charles II predominantly consisted of ‘old school’ aristocrats, strongly affiliated with the representatives of largely Catholic social elites in Europe, the majority of ordinary Britons were in fact Protestants, who resented the ‘immorality’ of the Charles’s court. Thus, in order to be considered a legitimate ruler, Charles II had no other option but to act on behalf of these people, while safeguarding Britain’s interests, as an essentially ‘Protestant country’ – even at the expense of imposing a certain ideological censorship on the members of his formally Catholic/Anglican but factually atheist entourage.Advertising Looking for term paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is needless to mention, of course, that the court’s aristocratic sophisticates (libertines) were far from considering such state of affairs thoroughly normal. However, while being unable to openly express their lack of enthusiasm towards the prospect of having to coexist peacefully with ‘brutish commoners’, they nevertheless used to do it in a rather subtle manner – such as by favoring the plays, which were supposed to expose the officially sponsored ideology of a ‘national unity’, as having been utterly superficial (Jones, 298). Therefore, it will be fully appropriate, on our part, to refer to Wycherly’s The Country Wife as an unmistakably ‘subversive comedy’. This is because it does promote the idea that, contrary to what were the provisions of the political ideology of Restoration, there was in fact an irreconcilable existential gap between the intellectually advanced/liberated but strongly cynical representatives of British ‘old school’ aristocracy, on the one hand, and the greed-driven/intellectually shallow but pretentiously religious Protestants (Puritans), on the other (Malcolm, 309). As Canfield noted in his book The Broadview Anthology of Restoration and Early Eighteenth Century Drama: â€Å"Subversive comedy tends to focus on†¦ centrifugal energy. Sometimes this energy strains the seams that hope or pretend to stitch together a superficially homogeneous ruling class out of the heterogeneous elements of a tenuous oligarchic coalition† (121). The validity of this statement can be well illustrated in regards to a number of comedy’s scenes, which ridicule the ‘virtuous gang’ members’ tendency to remain strongly committed to leading ‘morally sound’ lifestyles, as the foremost proof of their de facto bestiality. [This is just an introductory statement – it implies that its validity will be illustrated in the paper’s consequential parts]. For example, while explaining his rationale to adopt the posture of a sexually impotent man, Horner states that it is specifically the targeted ‘virtuous’ women’s observable repulsion towards sexually-incapacitated males, which should serve him as the actual indication that, despite being ‘morally uptight’, they nevertheless strongly crave for an adulterous sex. Hence, the discursive significance of Horner’s suggestion that: â€Å"I can be sure, she that shows an aversion to me loves the sport (sex) as those Women that are gone, whom I warrant to be right† (The Country Wife Act 1. Scene 1. Lines 30-31). As Hynes noted: â€Å"Presumably, the women who make the greatest fuss about honor, virtue, and chastity are in fact the most lustful and therefore the most promising subjects† (175). Apparently, having been a rather wise individual, Horner was perfectly aware that one’s adherence to the moralistic do gmas of a particular religion does not make the concerned individual less of an animal, in the biological sense of this word.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Subversive Comedy vs Social Comedy Essay in Restoration Drama specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This implicitly promoted idea was meant to reveal the sheer hypocrisy of how overly religious ‘commoners’ used to address life-challenges, while assuming that the objective laws of nature did not have any effect on them. [This is just my personal interpretation, which is why there is no need to cite any source, in order to confirm the interpretation’s validity]. Another subject of the Wycherley comedy’s societal criticism was the fact that, despite praising the Christian values of ‘love and tolerance’, the male-representatives of the newly emerged social class of bourgeoisie nevertheless could never bring themselves to reco gnize the basic humanity of women. This is because the sheer strength of these people’s commitment to generating a commercial income (according to the Protestant doctrine, one’s financial well-being is the foremost proof that he or she is in favor with God) created objective preconditions for them to refer to women in terms of a soulless commodity (Weber, 35). For example, it is not only that one the comedy’s main characters Jack Pinchwife (representing country-commoners) [The play’s context suggests that the character of Jack Pinchwife is a commoner] used to deny his wife Margery the liberty of being able to socialize with others, but he in fact was quite comfortable with the idea disfiguring her physically, as the ultimate confirmation of his ‘possession’ of this woman. There is a memorable scene in the comedy, when Jack forces Margery to write a letter to Horner, while threatening to ‘punish’ her would-be-disobedience with a k nife: â€Å"Write as I bid you, or I will write ‘Whore’ with this knife in your Face† (The Country Wife Act 4. Scene 2. Line 79). By having this scene included in the comedy, Wycherly wanted to show that, despite having attained a social prominence, the representatives of London’s ‘new money’ bourgeoisie never ceased to remain ‘animals’ on the inside – not just irreconcilably alienated from the ideals of a courtly gallantry, but utterly incapable of understanding what the notion of a behavioral decency stands for. It is quite clear that the comedy’s exposure of these people’s actual ways was meant to undermine even further the integrity of the officially upheld ideology of a ‘national unity’. [This is because the comedy shows that, psychologically speaking, aristocrats and commoners differ from each other rather drastically].Advertising Looking for term paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, it would not be fully appropriate to discuss the subversive subtleties of The Country Wife, as being solely concerned with exposing the ‘fissures’. After all, it is not only that Wycherly succeeded in revealing the sheer pretentiousness/shallowness of the comedy’s ‘morally virtuous’ characters, such as Jack Pinchwife and Lady Fidget, but he also showed the actual roots of their hypocritical attitudes. Hence, another important aspect of the comedy’s ‘subversiveness’, as such that subtly promoted the idea that, regardless of the amount of the received education, natural-born commoners are simply incapable of matching the aristocrats’ cognitive-perceptual sophistication. As Knapp pointed out: â€Å"The gallants in The Country Wife place a high priority on witty conversation and object to the witless Sparkishs interference with it† (454). The full soundness of this statement can be well explored in regards to the comedy’s scenes, in which Horner mocks Mr. Sparkish’s outright stupidity – despite the fact that the latter continues to remain fully convinced that he is indeed a sophisticate individual: â€Å"No gad, hell never let her (Margery) come amongst us good fellows. Your stingy country Coxcomb keeps his wife from his friends as he does his little Firkin of Ale for his own drinking. Ha, ha, ha, gad, I am witty† (The Country Wife Act 4. Scene 3. Lines 184-187). In this respect, Wycherley’s message is clear – one’s consciously adopted posture in life has very little to do with what the concerned individual really is, in the de facto sense of this word. This message’s discursive implications are also quite apparent – people’s strive to gain a social prominence cannot be discussed in terms of a ‘thing in itself’, as it is only the inheritably noble (and therefore, intelligent) individuals, who are being naturally ‘preordained’ to exercise a political authority within the society. Thus, by mocking ‘piggish commoners’, Wycherley’s comedy in fact undermined the Restoration’s conceptual legitimacy, as such that occurred due to the involved parties’ willingness to reconcile – even though that they never truly believed in the reconciliation’s long-lastingness. Discussion Whereas, Wycherley’s comedy clearly aimed to undermine the discursive provisions of Restoration [that is, this comedy aimed to expose the earlier mentioned ‘fissures’], as the event that contrary to its formal significance, legitimized the British bourgeoisie’s continual dominance in the country’s public life, Aphra Behn’s The Rover had the opposite agenda – convincing viewers that, despite their rather flamboyant lifestyles, British exiled nobles were in fact the nation’s integral part. This, was meant to provide citizens with yet another reason to think of the Restoration, as having been fully justified. Therefore, The Rover can be well discussed in terms of a ‘social comedy’, because it does adhere to the Canfields definition of this particular dramaturgical sub-genre: â€Å"Social comedy socializes threats against hegemonic culture†¦ Good nature and generosity replace wit and energy as the supreme values†¦ even as bourgeois morality becomes an ethic of sentiment, of benevolence, providing the rationale for patronizing the less fortunate, less civilized† (XVII). [This is how the page, containing Canfield’s definition, is numbered]. After all, the themes and motifs [concerned with advancing the cause of Restoration], contained in this particular comedy, do serve the purpose of convincing viewers that there was indeed a very little rationale for them to think of formerly exiled loyalists (‘banish’t Cavaliers’), as having been psychologically alienated from the rest of British ‘common’ citizens. [This is an interpretative statement, supported by the following citation]. In this respect, one hardly disagree with Beach: â€Å"The fact that the play was embraced by the court suggests that The Rover expresses a pro-Stuart ideology, yet its position was moderate and ï ¬â€šexible enough to allow its survival beyond its historical moment† (2). The legitimacy of the earlier suggestion can be shown in relation to the following ideological aspects of Behn’s comedy: First, The Rover promotes the idea that, contrary to what contemporaries used to think of exiled gallants, there was nothing ‘effeminate’ about these people’s postures in life (Beach 7). The character of Willmore is especially illustrative, in this respect. It is not only that he never tries to avoid fighting with the numerically superior Spanish, but also he always ends up chasing them away in the end, whi le usually commenting their ‘retreats’ in a rather sarcastic manner: â€Å"A plague upon your Dons, if they fight no better theyll neer recover Flanders.- What the Devil wast to them that I took down the Picture?† (The Rover Act 2. Scene 2. Lines 201-203). As it can be well seen from the above-quotation, it was a customary practice for Willmore to refer to his Spanish competitors with utter disrespect, due to their cowardly attitudes. There is even more to it the second part of Willmore’s remark implies that, as compared with the British, the Spanish are differently ‘brain-wired’. Whereas, the Spanish are ‘emotion-driven’, the British are ‘rationale-driven’ – hence, the key to the existential superiority of the latter. Apparently, Behn was trying to advance the idea that there was nothing accidental about the fact that, regardless of what happened to be the actual form of the British government (monarchy or re public) in the past, Britons never had a problem, while subduing their Spanish counterparts. It is needless to mention, of course, that there is a strongly defined nationalist sentiment to it, which in turn implies that, while working on The Rover, Behn wanted to prompt viewers to think that it is not their class-status that matters, but rather their national affiliation. [This is an interpretative statement, supported by the earlier provided line of argumentation]. Second, The Rover promotes the idea that, even though the exiled British ‘cavaliers’ did not have any other option but socialize with Catholics, there was nothing ‘treacherous’ about it, as the gallants in question never ceased recognizing the apparent fallacies of Catholicism. For example, after having listened to Hellena’s plans of becoming a nun, Willmore exclaims â€Å"A Nun! Oh how I love thee fort! theres no Sinner like a young Saint† (The Rover Act 1. Scene 2. Lines 70-71). Obviously enough, this Willmore’s remark was meant to expose him as a rationally minded individual, highly skeptical of the Catholics’ tendency to follow the dogmas of their religion, regardless of how nonsensical the latter might have been. This, of course, was intended to provide the audience members with a yet additional reason to believe that, despite the Restoration’s formally ‘reactionary’ nature [monarchy is the discursively outdated form of government], there was nothing truly reactionary about it, as it is one’s endowment with the sense of ‘Englishness’ which reflects upon his or her social value, and not the concerned person’s religion (Beach 8). Hence, yet another justification for our earlier suggestion that The Rover does in fact belong to the sub-genre of a ‘social comedy’ – this play subtly argues that it is specifically the governmental officials’ ability to maintain the societyâ €™s structural integrity, which should be considered the main indication of their professional adequacy. Third, Behn’s comedy shows that the Britain’s eventual transformation from being ruled by ‘nobles’ to being ruled by ‘merchants’ was bound to occur – regardless of the aristocrats’ attitude towards it. This [‘What?’ what?] is the true significance of the motif of prostitution, explored throughout the comedy’s entirety. There is another memorable scene in The Rover, where Angelica tries to enlighten Willmore, as to the fact that there is nothing fundamentally different between women ‘renting’ their bodies to make a commercial profit, on the one hand, and men marrying women ‘in good faith’ for essentially the same purpose, on the other: â€Å"Pray, tell me, Sir, are not you guilty of the same mercenary Crime? When a Lady is proposed to you for a Wife, you never ask, how fair, di screet, or virtuous she is; but whats her Fortune which if but small, you cry She will not do my business and basely leave her†¦?† (The Rover Act 2. Scene 2. Lines 105-109). There is a strongly defined discursive overtone to this Angelica’s remark (with which Willmore agrees) Behn wanted to advance the idea that, since the relations between men and women can be well conceptualized in terms of commercial transactions, there is nothing wrong about the process of the 17th century’s British society becoming ever more ‘commercialized’. After all, men and women comprise just about any human society. [This is the common sense knowledge]. As Szilagyi noted: â€Å"Angelicas prostitution†¦ is, in principle, foundational for all the socio-political contracts between individuals in public life† (449). In other words, by prompting readers to adopt an intellectually flexible attitude towards the notion of prostitution, in general, Behn was sim ultaneously trying to enlighten them on the discursive connotations of socio-economic dynamics within the British society, in particular – hence, patronizing them to an extent. [The validity of this statement is confirmed by the above-quotation and by what are the interpretative implications of the earlier deployed line of an argumentative reasoning]. By doing it, she undoubtedly contributed towards the process of British formally monarchist government striving to set the country on the path of cultural and technological progress. This, of course, once again confirms the validity of the earlier suggestion that The Rover may indeed be discussed in terms of a ‘social comedy’. [The reason for this is apparent – as opposed to what it happened to be the case with ‘subversive comedies’, The Rover does not strive to expose the ‘centrifugal energy’ within the society, but rather to conceal it. This is also the example of an interpretative statement, so I do not quite understand why I am being required to provide any reference-sources]. Conclusion I believe that the deployed line of argumentation, in regards to what should be considered the extent of each of the analyzed plays’ consistency with Canfield’s definitions of ‘subversive’ and ‘social’ Restoration comedies, fully correlates with the paper’s initial thesis. [There are no Canfield’s ‘terms’ per se, but only his highly subjective (pretentiously sophisticate but rather unintelligible, I may add) visions, as to what the concepts of ‘subversive’ and ‘social’ comedy stand for. Therefore, I am not in a position to provide universally applicable explanations to these ‘terms’ (I will be asked for ‘sources’ again), since the very essence of the discussed subject matter denies such a possibility. We do not talk nuclear physics here; there are no scient ific formulas involved. The points made earlier, do expose the discursive difference between both comedies. If these points are not clear to you, I will be able to highlight them for your convenience]. Beach, Adam. â€Å"Carnival Politics, Generous Satire, and Nationalist Spectacle in Behns The Rover.† Eighteenth-Century Life 28.3 (2004): 1-19.Print. Behn, Aphra 1677, The Rover. PDF file. 31 Mar. 2013. https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/719/rover.pdf?sequence=1 Canfield, Douglas. The Broadview Anthology of Restoration and Early  Eighteenth Century Drama. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2001. Print. Canfield, Douglas. Tricksters and Estates: On the Ideology of Restoration  Comedy. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1997. Print. Hynes, Peter. â€Å"Against Theory? Knowledge and Action in Wycherleys Plays.†Ã‚  Modern Philology 94.2 (1996): 163-189. Print. Jones, James. â€Å"Liberty secured? Britain Before After 1688.† Canad ian  Journal of History 28. 2 (1993): 295-305. Print. Knapp, Peggy. â€Å"The ‘Plyant’ Discourse of Wycherleys ‘The Country Wife’.  Studies in English Literature 40.3 (2000): 451-472. Print. Malcolm, Joyce. â€Å"Charles II and the Reconstruction of Royal Power.† The  Historical Journal 35.2 (1992): 307-330. Print. Szilagyi, Stephen. â€Å"The Sexual Politics of Behns Rover: After Patriarchy.†Ã‚  Studies in Philology 95.4 (1998): 435-455. Print. Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Routledge, London, 2001. Print. Wycherly, William 1675, The Country Wife. PDF file. Web.

Globalisation of Business Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Globalisation of Business Activities - Essay Example There are video phones, fax machines, video conferencing facilities which helps in connecting people with ease. Movement of People: There have been a number of people who travel for higher education and new job. There are number of people from the developing and under developed countries who migrate to different countries owing to the low standard of living, for higher education and better job opportunities. There have also been foreign investments in developing countries as there are ample opportunities for growth and development. Multinational Companies and NGO’s: There are a number of organizations who are making the general public aware of number of issues and health problems ,the role of non-governmental organization is to bring together the government, people affiliated. Some examples of NGO’s include the Amnesty International or Doctors without Borders. There are also many multinational corporations that are willing to diversify and open up markets in order to access new venues and markets. (Colin,2008) In 2003, approximately 300,000 jobs were outsourced to foreign countries mainly India and China. Research states that by 2015, 3.4 million jobs will be outsourced to other countries from US alone. The main reasons for the shift are due of the following reasons: Balancing risks and rewards are very important for the manufacturing company. There are some risk factors such as financial, business continuity, recovery, political and exchange rates that the manufacturing companies need to keep in mind before outsourcing. Many companies prefer to invest their profits back into the market but are limited as the market is not matured. Hence the overseas markets prove to be a good option for growth opportunities and expand their markets. The companies also try to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the process by using the resources in management, administration,

Technology Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Technology - Annotated Bibliography Example The article entails a strategy for increasing the applications of NII technology. The article recognizes the role of South-East  Asia  Regional  Office in offering leadership on health matters. Moreover, the article notes that the South-East  Asia  Regional  Office analyzes evidence-based policy options and offers technical support to countries and monitors health trends across the globe. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). Health Communication and Health Information Technology. Retrieved from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/health-communication-and-health-information-technology?topicid=18 The article argues that health communication and health information technology play a fundamental role in health care delivery, public health, and shaping our opinion on health. The source seeks to prove that health communication strategies and health information technology can enhance population health outcomes, health equity, and health care quality. The source is important and reliable since it depicts the significance of health communication and health information technology on health sciences. The source relies on secondary sources to support its arguments. The article establishes how advancements in mobile and wireless technologies support mHealth that has the potential to transform global health care delivery. The article seeks to determine the status of mHealth in U.N member states. The article derives the advancement of mHealth and its impact on healthcare delivery. The source is important and reliable since it addresses the impact of technology in health sciences and medicine. The source relies on a survey of four aspects and fourteen categories of mHealth to derive its findings. Lasker, R., Humphreys, B., & Braithwaite, W. (2006). Making a Powerful Connection: The Health of the Public and the National Information Infrastructure. Retrieved from:

Characteristics Affecting Consumer Behaviour

Characteristics Affecting Consumer Behaviour Consumers buying behaviour has been comprehensively researched by marketers in order to understand how, what and why customers buy products and on what are the basis of their decisions. The fundamental basic approach into analysing consumer buyer behaviour is considered the Stimulus Response model developed by Pavlov shown in Figure . In this model consumers are subject to marketing stimuli as well as other stimuli such as economic, technological, political and cultural events. These are then evaluated by the customers black box which is based on personal buyer characteristics and decision processes, and hence different buyer responses are observed (Kotler Armstrong, 2001). Figure : Model of Buyer Behaviour Kotler Armstrong (2001) define the traditional buying decision process in five consequent steps which consist of: Problem identification Information search Evaluation of Alternatives Purchasing decision Post purchase behaviour The above model implies that the buying process initiates quite before the actual purchase and continues after. The process starts with the need recognition where the consumer recognizes a problem or a need, which could be caused by internal or external stimuli. The consumer will hence start to search and gather information in order to satisfy their needs. Information can be obtained from a variety of sources such as personal sources, commercial sources, public sources, and experiential sources. Once the consumer is armed with the required information, the consumer uses this information to evaluate alternatives in selected the brand. Following the evaluation of the options available, the consumer is required to make the purchase decision and select which brand to purchase. The loop doesnt close with the purchase of the product, but rather post purchase behaviour recognises whether the product meets the consumers expectations. Customer satisfaction is key because it will result in rep eat customers and positive word of mouth. Characteristics affecting consumer behaviour Consumer behaviour is highly influenced by external and internal factors. The external factors are divided into five sectors: Demographics, socio-economics, technology and public policy; culture; subculture; reference groups; and marketing. The internal factors include a variety of psychological factors, such as beliefs and attitudes, motivation, perception, learning and self-image (Malcolm, 2001). Studies have shown that these factors and others that fall beyond the marketers control have a significant impact on consumers behaviour and purchasing decisions (Dibb, et al., 2001; Solomon Stuart, 2003). Shah (2010) refers to traditional consumer behaviour in purchasing goods and services as the process of selecting, purchasing and consuming of goods and services that satisfies consumer wants. Consumers select the product they would like to consume by identifying the good or product that provides them with the greatest value in return. Hence the consumer will focus on the available spending power to obtain the commodity. Following the analysis of cost and price of the commodity, a final decision is taken to select the best option that satisfies the consumer needs. This process does not occur in vacuum, and is highly influenced by various factors such as social, cultural, personal and psychological factors. Although marketers have little or no influence on the mentioned factors, they still have some very important tools which may affect the buying decision process. The marketing mix, also known as the 4Ps product, price, place and promotion, is the set of controllable marketing tools that the firm uses to influence consumers behaviour in order to obtain a desired response from the target market (McCarthy, 1960). Online Buying Behaviour Since the expansion of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s, the Internet has grown to become one of the most powerful distribution channels with a rapid increase in ecommerce transactions. This raised the need for marketers to discover the customers online behaviour and understand their decision making process when making purchases online. There are substantial differences between offline and online consumer behaviour. In his study, Vijayasarathy (2001) tried to clarify consumer online shopping behaviour by integrating web specific factors into the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Furthermore Song and Zahedi (2001) examined the effects of website design on the adoption of internet shopping by developing on the model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Oppenheim and Ward (2006) argue that consumers are motivated to buy online because of the convenience provided. The internet provides unlimited opportunities for potential customers to purchase products at any given time and place. The internet also provides limitless information about products and services which is easily accessible to online visitors. Furthermore when comparing online shopping to traditional shopping, there are no waiting lines for shoppers on the internet and no pressure coming from sales people (Smith Rupp, 2003). However studies show that the internet has become a useful tool for comparative shopping, where users browse the web to search and compare products, whilst making it easy to abandon the purchasing process (Degeratu, et al., 2000). Furthermore Anfusos research (2004) shows that the online search for information about products drive offline sales. Consumers prefer to search for product information online since it is much more convenient, and hence purcha se the product from a brick and mortar store. Different authors have identified various divergent personas describing what the online buyers look like. Marker (2011) suggests that online buyers tend to exhibit the following psychological characteristics: egocentric, impatient, impulsive, educated, informed, thrifty, private, cautious, indecisive and pleasure-driven. In their study Donthu and Garcia (1999) propose that online shoppers tend to be convenience seekers and tare easily influenced by marketing campaigns. Furthermore they also put forward that internet users are less price and brand conscious, whilst also suggesting that these have a higher purchasing power. Other studies show that online customers are more likely to be of a young age with a high disposable income. It is also propose that they have a solid level of education especially in computer literacy, as well as being big retail spenders (Allred, et al., 2006). As mentioned earlier there are various factors which impact the traditional consumer behaviour. Liang and Lai (2000) suggest that online consumer behaviour has similarities with the traditional consumer behaviour, where consumers recognize a need for a product or service, use the internet to search for information, evaluate alternatives to choose the best solution and finally purchase the product followed by post purchase evaluation. However other studies indicate that there exist various factors that differ from the traditional consumer markets to the online environment. Refernce groups effecting consumer behaviour online have taken the form of virtual communities, consisting of blogs, forums and other forms of discussion groups (Huarng Christopher, 2003). Social influences, such as experiences, recommendations and tastes of online bloggers have an effect on online consumer buying behaviour and have a significant impact on the final decision the consumer makes. In their study Hasslinger, et al., (2007) highlight the fact that cultural differences also highly influece online consumer behaviour, especially the difference in social class the consumer belongs to. Consumers who form part of a higher social class have a higher probability of owning a computer with internet access, and thus they are more likely to purchase online than consumers from lower social classes. Personal influences effecting online behaviour also relates to the income the consumers earn, since there exists a positive correlation between households with higher income and computer possession, internet access and advanced level of education (Monsuwe, et al., 2004). Age was also recognised as being another determinant for effecting online shopping behaviour (Smith Rupp, 2003). Younger people are more pertinent in using the internet as a shopping medium compared to the older generation, since the latter tend to have less technical know-how and are far less inclined to commit and trust online vendors. Furthermore Smith and Rupp (2003) classify motivation, perception, personality, attitude and emotions as the set of psychological characteristics influencing online consumer behaviour. With the launch of Web 2.0 in 2004, the interaction between online consumers and vendors has become a reality, which became possible due to evolution of high-speed broadband connections. Web 2.0 consists of a collection of interactive tools and social communication techniques which are aimed to increase user participation and engagement online through its virtual word of mouth (Chaffey, 2011). In their study, Wirtz, et al., (2010), identify social networking and interaction factors as the two most important factors affecting online consumer behaviour from the Web 2.0 era. Moreover social networking provides online consumers with enhanced trust factors and helps retain online customers, which is fundamental for online retailers (Jarvenpaa, et al., 2000). In their research, Cheung, et al., (2003), analysed 351 publications and classified the theories used to understand online consumer behaviour. They conclude that the principal models in assessing this area are the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) together with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Other theories which have been tested include The Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT). Table provides the list of the most frequently tested theories in the area online consumer behaviour together with their references. Cheung, et al., (2003) take a holistic view of the online consumer purchase process, where they investigate the connection between the intention, adoption and continuance of purchase from online consumers. Their Model of Intention, Adoption and Continuance (MIAC) recognised that businesses primarily focused their efforts in attracting online customers. However due to stiff competition, organisations changed their attention from initial purchase to retaining customers and building customer loyalty. Table : References of Online Consumer Behaviour Research Online marketers persuasion tools Consumers are subject to influences from marketers which might impact their purchasing behaviour. Marketers provide stimuli to the consumers black box in order to try and influence the consumers decision prior to making their purchase decision (Kotler Armstrong, 2001). The set of controllable (i.e., traditional marketing) and uncontrollable (i.e., environmental factors and personal characteristics of the consumer) factors between online and traditional markets do not vary fundamentally, where both markets have factors which are within the influence of marketers and some factors which fall beyond their reach. As discussed above, most uncontrollable factors are quite similar for both the traditional and online markets (Dibb, et al., 2001; Solomon Stuart, 2003). However a thorough analysis of the online consumer purchasing decision indicates that the controllable factors influencing the traditional markets are distinct from those influencing the online market. Although most of the traditional marketing activities, such as mass advertising and sales promotions, can be applied to the online market in order to try and influence the online consumer behaviour, they are likely to be futile due to the changing nature of the online consumer (Urban Hauser, 2003). Moreover, Constantinides and Geurts (2005) suggest that traditional marketing tools are ineffective when targeting potential global online customers dispersed across different geographical regions. Since most of the interactions between online customers and online vendors occur on the web, a logical assumption is that the main marketing influences produced from the online vendors are experienced by customers online. Online marketers can influence the online consumer behaviour primarily by delivering the proper online experience, more known as the Web Experience. The virtual marketing elements constructing the online consumers Web Experience are under the e-marketers control and can shape or influence the consumers behaviour during an online interaction (Constantinides, 2004; Constantinides Geurts, 2005). Forces influencing customers purchase intention (Model) The Web experience is a combination of online functionality, information, cues, stimuli and products/services (Constantinides, 2004). The company website is primary medium of delivering the Web experience, which is the gateway between the organisation and the online customers. Constantinides (2004) explores the idea of introducing the Web experience as one of the controllable marketing factors influencing the online consumers behaviour. Figure illustrates the controllable and uncontrollable elements influencing the online consumer behaviour. Figure : Forces influencing the online consumers behaviour Source: Based on Constantinides framework (2004) Web Experience Web Experience Elements Content Category Aesthetics Marketing Mix Psychological Category Trust and Commitment Functionality Category Usability Interactivity

Not All Homeless People Are Crazy Essay -- Are the Homeless Crazy?, 20

One of life’s truly rarest treasures is human unselfish charity. The greatest thing in the world is mutual understanding and the endless feeling of appreciation of having a Home. A place that every one of us has to have: where a happy, loving family could be born, where love, support and acceptance, no matter what, always are, and where kindness, warmness, understanding are sincere and never go away. I think those of us who have homes have to count ourselves exceedingly fortunate, because we are blessed. Home--the roof and the walls--protects us from outside pressure, and gives strength and desire to live, which is the important moral base of a psychologically healthy human being. But what about those who don’t have it? Those who we call Homeless? Unfortunately, there is always a dark cloud in a blue sky, and in â€Å"Are the Homeless Crazy?† Jonathan Kozol questions the primary cause of homelessness in the United States. Are the homeless people really â€Å"pa ranoids of the street† and â€Å"among the most difficult to help?† When I read, â€Å"Are the Homeless Crazy?† I was amazed how clearly and skillfully the writer shows the reality, the conditions, and causes of homelessness through presenting an impressive array of statistics and showing the numbers of homeless children. The author writes: â€Å"nearly half the homeless are small children whose average age is six,† and â€Å"since 1968 the number of children living in poverty has grown by 3 million† (463). He uses statistics to show the level of Federal support for low-income housing, which â€Å"dropped from $30 billion (1980) to 7.5 billion (1988),† the average of rents, the declining welfare benefits for families with children, the loss of traditional jobs in industry, â€Å"2 million every year since 198... ...the attempts of homeless people to overcome the misery and destitution must be heard and evaluated. People need the response from society on their unbearable and intolerable life conditions. Kozol makes very clear for everybody that nothing would be solved until everyone will be understood. Let’s just imagine what if we were in those people’s places, without a place to live, and in total destitution. Are we going to ask for help? I think people cannot be degraded to the level of crazy beasts; they don’t have to demean themselves and their families to ask and to accept official charity. I strongly believe that they can desperately implore for Dei gratia but not for society to deign to help. It isn’t too much to desire to have a Home. And it is not a crime to have it. Works Cited Kozol, Jonathan. â€Å"Are the Homeless Crazy.† Yale Review, 1988.