How to Write an Effective Abstract For a Research Paper

How to Write an Effective Abstract For a Research PaperMost writing guides will tell you that it is important to properly proofread your research paper before submitting it. However, the proper way to write an effective abstract for a research paper is to start with a thoroughly researched document. The basic idea of the paper is to present a brief synopsis of the research, in a summary format. It is also important to consider other aspects of the topic, such as the time frame and the types of question asked by the reader.Writing an abstract for a research paper is a bit different than that of a book. For one thing, it will not have any actual physical pages. Because of this, it is much easier to present the ideas as an abstract. It is important to consider the purpose of the paper, and make sure that it is useful and not just designed to get the most citations possible.Keep in mind that the abstract is not necessarily the only place to present your research. If you are presenting th e abstract, make sure that the body of the paper is well organized. This means making sure that the introduction and conclusion are all tightly packed together. In addition, do not forget to include a few references. Also, consider including one other paragraph, an analysis of the main idea, and a list of references.One brief paragraph can summarize what you have written about, but to really make the point, you should add some supporting data, such as quotations and graphs. You may be tempted to use a word count to summarize your points, but this does not give you a proper idea of what you are saying. As the author, you should present the most information possible to the reader, and this will take a little more time than simply breaking down the information into short paragraphs.An important thing to remember when writing an abstract for a research paper is that the entire article should contain a different theme each time. It is more effective to use a research paper than to write about something in a research paper for the sake of having one more piece of material to read over again.Make sure that you look at the research paper that you are writing for and realize how many citations you will need for the paper. If you are using several different sources, such as books, articles, and journals, you will want to look at the numbers before you write your paper. You will also want to be sure that there are a large number of people's names listed for each citation that you use.If you are going to rewrite your original abstract, always make sure that it has the same tone and structure. Many people use a template for writing the abstract, but many do not always follow the same style. Keep in mind that you want to end with a clear and powerful statement, not a long list of citations. Your abstract should be as concise as possible.

Reasons For The Civil Rights Movement - 1436 Words

When did the Civil Rights Movement begin in earnest in Buffalo? The Civil Rights Movement In Buffalo was weak and many people were quiet and conservative. It was less a Movement than a group of scattered individuals, primarily black and Jewish. This Civil Rights Movement happened in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Some people believed that this movement began in Western New York. African Americans faced many social problems during this time period, which demonstrated the significance of organizing the black community on the neighborhood level. During that time African Americans were mistreated and fought for their equality. Who was involved in the civil rights movement in Buffalo? One person involved was Charles Hamilton Houston†¦show more content†¦The Niagara Movement attempted to bring about legal change, addressing the issues of crime, economics, religion, health, and education. The Movement stood apart from other black organizations at the time because of its powerful, unequivocal demand for equal rights. The Niagara Movement forcefully demanded equal economic and educational opportunity as well as the vote for black men and women. Some people chose to stay out of the civil rights movement in Buffalo because of the violence involved and fear of being killed. During that period of time you had people who were being murdered, homes being bombed, churches being bombed and there was a sense that evil would prevail, said William Bell, Birmingham’s current mayor. What organizations were active in the Civil Rights Movement in Buffalo? The Civil Rights Movement began with the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, and from its inception to its end during the late 1960s, several organizations worked together to create change in United States society. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was established in April 1960 at Shaw University. Throughout the civil rights movement, SNCC organizers worked throughout the South planning sit-ins, voter registration drives and protests.The Congres s of Racial Equality also played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement. This organization was established by James Farmer Jr. , George Jouser, James R. Robinson, Bernice Fisher, Homer Jack and Joe Guinn. TheShow MoreRelatedJohn F. Kennedy : Reasons For The Civil Rights Movement883 Words   |  4 PagesMinh Pham Mr. Robins Pre- AP U.S. History 20 October 2015 Kennedy: Reasons to Remember the Name John Fitzgerald Kennedy, born in 1917, was the youngest ever to be elected president in the United States history, also the youngest to leave office when he was assassinated 3 years after his election. Regardless of his short time in office, he left an astonishing impact on every single individual and on the country as a whole. As a president, John F. Kennedy was successful in managing the economy asRead MoreTo What Extent Was Grass Roots Activism a Significant Reason to Why the Civil Rights Movement Grew in the 1950s and 1960s1394 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent was grass roots activism a significant reason to why the Civil Rights Movement Grew in the 1950s and 1960s The civil rights movement grew for a number of reasons during the 1950’s and 1960s. Prior to this select time period America were fighting in the Cold War and many black soldiers battled in the name of ‘freedom’. This was ironic as these black soldiers were fighting for something that they didn’t even have back home. Often Black soldiers talked about the ‘Double V Campaign’;Read MoreImpact Of The Civil Rights Movement1383 Words   |  6 Pagesworld (Gandhi). Throughout the American history, the greatest number of people through an awkward to live peacefully. The Civil Right Movement in the United states has been a long, primarily nonviolent attempt to bring full civil rights and justice under the law to all Americans. The movement has sustained a lasting impact on the United States society. Before the civil right movement, the great migration of 1916- 1940, some blacks still lived in the south under the Jim crow, where state laws kept themRead MoreMartin Luther King’s Policy of Peaceful Protest Essay1337 Words   |  6 Pagesprotest such as the Albany movement as Laurie Pritchett stopped media attention by treating the protestors with respect. Kings policy of peaceful protest wasn’t the only reason for the successes of the civil rights movement also presidential action helped. The effect of the policy of peaceful protest was good as it provided media attention and created public sympathy for the way black Americans were treated by white Americans it also gained support for the civil rights movement from presidents. The BirminghamRead MoreWhy did the Civil Rights movement in the United States become fragmented after 1966?756 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿It is safe to say that the main reason as to why the civil rights movement became fragmented after 1966 was the major ideological splits that had developed within the movement to civil rights for African Americans. Examples include; the rise of black power, the adoption of more radical tactics by certain civil rights groups such as the SNCC and CORE, and the ideological splits among those involved within the civil rights movement. The rise of the concept of the Nation of Islam gave birth to theRead MoreBlack Power And The Civil Rights Movement1675 Words   |  7 Pagesweakening of the civil rights movement in the 1960s? Black power is a political slogan that was aimed to promote the ideas of the black racial group. There have been mixed views on weather it weakened the civil rights movement or strengthened it, this involved many factors. Some of the thing’s that weakened the movement was the use violence, organisation and leadership and the CORE ideas and the message of the black power. However some people disagreed that Black Power weakened the movement as other factorsRead MoreThe Black Civil Rights Movement Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesThe Black Civil Rights Movement The Black civil rights movement emerged as a mass movement in the 1950s but its long term origins go back much to the abolition of slavery and the failure of States to implement the 14th and 15th amendments which guaranteed ex-slave rights as defined in the constitution. Just after the end of slavery the reconstruction era began, it allowed blacks many opportunities thatRead MoreSuccess of Black Americans In The Civil Right Period Of 1950 - 1970960 Words   |  4 Pages1970, black Americans were able to improve their level of civil rights. Therefore, it is logical to say that they were at least partly successful in achieving their civil rights. This was accomplished through a variety of ways, two commonly used techniques being legal strategies and non-violent direct action. However, because they were unable to attain complete equality, there must have been factors that worked against the civil rights movement. One of these factors was the use of violence as a meansRead MoreThe Selma Incident Of The Civil Rights Movement1320 Words   |  6 Pagesdescribed by John Lewis, a longtime civil rights activist as â€Å"what comes at the end of the bridge in Selma†. (413) This was a reference to the incident on March 7th, 1965 when â€Å"police officers used clubs and tear gas against a group of civ il rights demonstrators led by the reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. as they protested the denial of voting rights in Alabama.† (pg 95) However, news reports of this horrific incident helped galvanize support for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.† The Selma incident was justRead MoreCivil Rights Movement Essay797 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement, also known as the American Civil Rights, was a mass movement during the 1950s and 1960s. It was one of the most intricate social movements of mankind. The Civil Rights Movement was a period where African Americans did not have the same equal rights or treatment as the whites. Instead, African Americans were segregated from whites by not going to school together, having to sit in the back of the bus, not being able to move freely, or not having the right to vote. Over the

Essay on Pre and Postnatal Care for the Amish - 950 Words

Prenatal Amish view pregnancy and childbirth as normal biological functions of the female body, however; due to their cultural beliefs they will not seek out prenatal care until late in their pregnancy, if no problems arise. Women who are primiparous, giving birth for the first time, will generally seek prenatal care at around four months, while those who are multiparous, those who have given birth multiple times, generally seek prenatal care during the third trimester. Amish women typically do not outright reject the use of modern medical technology and practices if it can assist in the pregnancy, however; they must determine which practices coincide with their cultural and spiritual belief system. Many Amish women will seek the advice†¦show more content†¦Nearly all furniture for the birthing center, such as: bed frames, bassinets, tables, cabinets, etc. is made from Amish craftsmen from within the community (Showalter, 2000). Labor and childbirth are a private matter to Amish families with only the mother, father, and few midwives attending. The role of the husband is one of support and gentle aid when applicable. The husband rubs the back and shoulders of his wife, holds her hand, cools her with a hand fan, and provides words of comfort. Labor and childbirth for Amish women is very quiet and, on average, shorter when compared to the labor and childbirths of other women; this could be a testament to the strong-willed convictions of the Amish women’s cultural beliefs that aids them in this traumatic process (Showalter, 2000). Postpartum Post Partum care is generally short as the mother and infant are taken care of by the nurse midwife at the birthing center for 24 hours after the birth. In birthing centers, all postpartum care is administered in the patient’s room where the child was also given birth (Fisher 1996). After the child is born, the mother is always eager to begin breastfeeding. A few hours after the birth, when the mother is able, family members and close friends come bearing food and gifts for the mother and child. Gifts of natural herbal remedies and teas are also given to the mother to aid her health. The birth of children is very common in Amish communities with women bearing, on average,

Characters in Hamlet and Questions Vs Assignment Essay

Hamlet Questions VS Assignment 7. How does Hamlet behave initially with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (through 2.2.216-66)? Is it different from the way he just acted with Polonius? How does Hamlet change when he realizes that the two were sent for by Claudius and Gertrude? Hamlet behaves very ambiguously with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and continues to act this way with Polonius. Once Hamlet realizes that the two were sent by Claudius and Gertrude he got angry and had a feeling something wrong was going on and kept asking them questions as to why they went behind his back and betrayed him. He was being very suspicious even before they admit they betrayed him. 8. How seriously should we take Hamlets view of the world and of man†¦show more content†¦Because Hamlet knows that they were sent to him and they did not come by their own will to see Hamlet. 9. Why are the players traveling? What has been going on in the city? (Much of 2.2.317-46 refers to contemporary events in London around 1599-1601.) Hamlet Questions VS Assignment 7. How does Hamlet behave initially with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (through 2.2.216-66)? Is it different from the way he just acted with Polonius? How does Hamlet change when he realizes that the two were sent for by Claudius and Gertrude? Hamlet behaves very ambiguously with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and continues to act this way with Polonius. Once Hamlet realizes that the two were sent by Claudius and Gertrude he got angry and had a feeling something wrong was going on and kept asking them questions as to why they went behind his back and betrayed him. He was being very suspicious even before they admit they betrayed him. 8. How seriously should we take Hamlets view of the world and of man (2.2.287-98). How do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern react to Hamlets use of generic man (2.2.298-300)? It should be taken quite seriously because it is very obvious that he has trust issues with people and that he feels that people portray him in a very negative way. He feels that people do not take him seriously and do not appreciate him. Rosencrantz andShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Appearance Vs. Reality819 Words   |  4 Pagesthis assignment. -MLM Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, reveals a consistent theme of appearance versus reality throughout the character’s actions. In many situations, honesty and sincerity appear to be present; however, in reality, dishonesty and deception are usually the character’s true intentions. Specifically, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet, and Claudius demonstrate the disconnect between appearance versus reality. Throughout the play, these characters workRead MoreI Am Writing At The Spring 2015 Semester Of Mrs. Miller s Engl 112 Dual Enrollment College1577 Words   |  7 Pagestext. Each chapter included series of readings that represented a variety of points of view. This assignment asked students to construct a summary and to synthesize a response to the various points of view included in the readings. I selected the chapter that addressed the value of a college education. Writing effective and analytical summaries is always a challenge, but as I worked on the assignment I could see how this process is really important to developing an argument in objective terms. InRead MoreLiterary Masterpieces Matrix1186 Words   |  5 Pagesworks. Your entries in these columns must go beyond a few words or a simple bullet point. There is no required minimum word length, but you must go into sufficient detail to demonstrate your comprehension of these literary components. This assignment is designed to be completed throughout the course. It is easier to complete when approached this way; it also functions better as a foundation for your Learning Team paper—The Literary Masterpiece in Contemporary Society Paper—due in Week Five. Read MoreMonologue: Reading and Students6486 Words   |  26 PagesBill Cosby, Lily Tomlin, Hamlet and even Jay Leno †¢ there are even places for content area teachers to jump in. If you choose to use this unit later in the year, students might be more ready than ever to try on different personae or share their empathy about others not like themselves. In fact, monologue writing presents opportunity for students to reflect about themselves, as well as their writing. In this unit,â€Å"monologue† is broadly defined as a speech by one character (person, animal or even object)Read MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pages................................................................... ............... 25 Muhammad Ali (â€Å"The Greatest† boxer of all time) .................................................................................. 27 Fiction and Literature: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (â€Å"To be? Or not to be?†) ...................................................................... 29 Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (Witches, Wizards, and Muggles!) .......................................................... 31 Read MoreImaginative Play9679 Words   |  39 Pagescharacterized overall as having certain patterns that are unique to the individual person and are dramaturgical in the sense that a drama is unique to the characters and their roles in that particular drama. Hamlet showing up in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† won’t work even though both he and Willy Loman are tragic characters. We understand Willy and Hamlet in the context of their particular life history as portrayed and not by any other life history. I regard myself in this way and other persons as well. HowRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesSelf-Disclosure 89 Through the Looking Glass 89 Diagnosing Managerial Characteristics 90 An Exercise for Identifying Aspects of Personal Culture: A Learning Plan and Autobiography 92 SKILL APPLICATION 95 Activities for Developi ng Self-Awareness 95 Suggested Assignments 95 Application Plan and Evaluation 95 SCORING KEYS AND COMPARISON DATA 97 Self-Awareness Assessment 97 Scoring Key 97 Comparison Data 97 Emotional Intelligence Assessment 97 Scoring Key 97 Comparison Data 99 The Defining Issues Test 99 The EscapedRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost in Translation? 31 Questions for Review 32 Experiential Exercise Workforce Diversity 32 Ethical Dilemma Jekyll and Hyde 33 Case Incident 1 â€Å"Lessons for ‘Undercover’ Bosses† 34 Case Incident 2 Era of the Disposable Worker? 35 vii viii CONTENTS 2 2 The Individual Read MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagesleadership. A continuing and relevant end-of-chapter feature in this edition is the â€Å"Internet Exercise.† The purpose of each exercise is to encourage students to use the Internet to find information from the websites of prominent MNCs to answer relevant questions about the chapter topic. An end-of-book feature is a series of Skill-Building and Experiential Exercises for aspiring international managers. These in-class exercises represent the various parts of the text (culture, strategy, and behavior) and provideRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 PagesEach chapter concludes with an indication of further reading. We have also included, wherever possible, indications of films and other media that provide insights into the issues covered in the chapter. Discussion questions Finally, each chapter concludes with a number of questions that have been developed for use in seminar discussions or would be suitable as the basis for assessments. . List of figures Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Figure 1.3 Figure 1.4 Figure 1.5 Figure 1.6 Figure 1.7 Figure

Social Security Policy in Brazil Essay - 1003 Words

Brazilian social security benefits are only available to Brazilians and foreigners who have made contributions to the social security system. Some of the benefits that we will introduce and discuss are; maternity benefits, temporary incapacity or accident benefits, long-term sickness benefits, disability benefits, pensions benefits, imprisonment benefits, death benefits, and invalidity benefits. In many of the cases in order to receive benefits or assistance, the insured must have contributed to at least twelve months of working, or in the case of the old age pension at least one hundred fifty-six months of contribution are required. In some cases there are instances where the contribution is waived if the insured as hurt or injured on†¦show more content†¦Workers who were already sick, or injured prior to joining social security are not entitled to the sickness benefit. Periodic visits to the doctor are required in order for the insured to keep their assistance. The monthl y earnings for the sickness benefit are the same as the maternity benefit. Disability benefits are issued to those who have contributed twelve or more months or are unable to perform the duties of their job or work. If the accident happened as a result of performing a duty on the job the contribution period is waived. The amount paid is equal to one hundred percent of the average earnings. There are cases where the insured is not able to receive total disability because they are capable of performing some type of duties. The insured will then receive partial disability. The survivor pension is issued to one of two people; a partner, and or child or children under the age of twenty one. The federal government funds a program called the Benefit of Continous Social Welare, also known as the BPC Program. this program recognizes the rights of the National Insurance Institute. The Beneits of Continous Social Welfare is designed for the elderly, individuals that are sixty five and older, and persons with disabilities, PCD. In order to be eligible for the program, either the disabled or the elderly must provide proof that their monthly income is less than one fourth of the minimum wage according to MinistryShow MoreRelatedForeign Investment And Trade Policy1565 Words   |  7 PagesForeign Investment and Trade Policy: Brazil can be seen as country that is open and inviting foreign investments. Brazil remains the top destination for FDI in the Latin American region and according the A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index for 2015, Brazil is ranked #6 as a global FDI destination. FDI inflows into Brazil stood at USD 60.5 billion as on Feb 2015, (Central bank of Brazil). The US Department of State’s report on Brazil states that Brazil is a foreign investment friendlyRead MoreThe Sustainability Of Biofuels Throughout Latin America1223 Words   |  5 Pagesnumerous favorable circumstances, for example, great soil, appropriate atmosphere, accessible land and low work costs. Brazil is one of only a handful couple of nations that have generally demonstrated an expanding supply and utilization of biofuels as Brazil s generation and usage of bioethanol from sugarcane has turned into a reasonable transport fuel since 30 years. Argentina and Brazil are encountering the developing use of soy beans for biodiesel creation. Moreover, there are numerous different nationsRead MoreThe History of Oppressive Violence by the Brazilian Military1186 Words   |  5 Pagesin the policies of the Empire of Brazil. Princess Isabel signed the Golden Law in May, effectively abolishing slavery in Brazil. Civilian and military personel saw this, along with increased loans to the powerful coffee farmers who held economic, social, and political power in Brazil, as a threat to the status quo. The National Guard was reorganized and the military received increased pressure to intervene. On November 15, 1889, military launched a coup of the monarchy and established Brazil as a RepublicRead MoreBrazil s Global Knowledge And Communication Has Affected The Country Over The Years Essay1701 Words   |  7 Pagesfuture. Like many other emerging markets, Brazil has embodied these traits that have fostered immense financial growth over the past decade. The Brazilian government has demonstrated a commitment to pro-business policies and taken advantage of the fact that their government can act swiftly on behalf of their financial well being, while so many other developed nations find themselves stuck in a political bureaucracy. The global economy has taken an interest is Brazil which is why the country is consistentlyRead MoreThe Country Of Brazil And The City Of Rio De Janeiro1219 Words   |  5 Pagesof Brazil and more specifically, the city of Rio de Janeiro. The focus of this paper will be the link between poverty and race in Rio. Rio has one of the highest populations in Brazil that currently live in favelas (the slums of Brazil), close to 25 percent and all of these people are currently living below the poverty line. There are many causes of poverty, but there are also many solutions and current initiatives that are currently being implemented by the Brazilian government. While Brazil isRead MoreThe Typical Structure Of The Cities In Brazil Is Characterized1192 Words   |  5 PagesThe typical structure of the cities in Brazil is characterized by segregation based on social classes and political affiliations. Some regions in the city have good infrastructure, improved security, and better sanitation facilities in comparison to others. Critical to this process of disintegration of city zones is the racism aspect. In Brazil, It has remained a critical aspect of separation, in terms of the settlement, service delivery, and employment opportunities among others. In major casesRead MoreThe Brazilian Immigration Policy And The Constitution Of The Federative Republic Of Brazil925 Words   |  4 Pagesshow below is necessary that the law be rewritten. The Brazilian immigration policy presents problems like the exaggerated national security idea, the lack of a specific immigration’s govern department , the bureaucracy to get documents like visa and work permits, the difficult of social inclusion to the immigrants . Include some concepts in the law immigrants goes against the Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil. According (Wermuth, 2015) due the absence of more appropriate law to theRead MoreAnalysis Of Bolsa Familia Springs From A Long Tradition Of Welfare And Development1471 Words   |  6 Pagesstrategies in Latin America. Economic and social development are of central concern to governments and development agencies worldwide due to their direct link to equality. This can be explained through the well-defined link between income levels and health, education and nutritional outcomes, emphasizing the importance of addressing inequality in order to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Thus, reducing in equality is central to the success of policy initiatives, as the Bolsa Familia’s strongRead MoreThes First Oil Refinery1333 Words   |  6 PagesPetrobras was created in October of 1953 in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, after years of a campaigning around Brazil due to foreign currency spent on petroleum and oil product imports. It has since become an integrated energy company engaged in exploration and production, refining, commercialization, transportation, distribution of oil products, natural gas, biofuels and electricity. It is the largest company in the Southern Hemisphere by market capitalization and the largest in Latin America measured byRead MoreThe Human Development Index And Gini Coefficient1270 Words   |  6 PagesDespite the fact that Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product is one of the highest globally, Brazil still faces developmental issues in their economy. As Stiglitz has mentioned prior to his overall research, it is clear to see that Brazil has benefited treme ndously from globalization . With a GDP of $2.346 trillion , this shows the output of goods and services have helped the country bring in more revenue to help stabilization. Although there is an increase in GDP, both the Human Development Index and Gini

Social Rejection Essay Paper Example For Students

Social Rejection Essay Paper Someone once told me that life is not always fair; that some days are better than others are. Men do not care for this rule and we want everyday to be great, perfect and full of joy; but deep down we know it cannot be. We refuse to accept the unfairness of life though; we resist in our own unique ways to every bad thing that happens in our lives. We have been known to resist violently, lashing out at others in rage; and we have been known to bear the pain ourselves without rage and violence. Either way we find a way to deal, but dealing is not our game in life; we would rather solve the problem than to risk defeat. However, there are times and situations that cannot be solved; that judgment and result are given in one sweeping blow that can knock the wind out of our self-esteem or knock us out completely. These types of problems cannot be avoided if a male wants to have a normal and productive life. It is a matter of our approach and our dealing with the result that will give us a le arning tool for future problems. The problem I want to ad-dress is dealing with rejection by a woman in two different stages: pre-relationship and during the relation-ship. When I say pre-relationship I am trying to say is asking a woman out on a date. For most men this is the trickiest part of the relationship, and the most feared because of that. Men also have a portion of self-doubt in themselves when it comes to persons of the opposite sex that they find attractive. They will go through a period where they try to talk themselves out of asking a woman on a date by using the self-doubt. They will try to convince themselves that they are not good enough for the woman and therefore should not try. This is a subconscious defensive tactic to avoid rejection; because you cannot be rejected if you do not try. Self-doubt is the first snag that needs to be reckoned with before pursuing any relationship. To overcome self-doubt you need to believe in yourself in and out. You need to show people that you are confident and believe that you are confident as well; if you cannot convince yourself, it will be ex-ponentially harder to convince others. To do this you n eed to become a little arrogant to get your self-esteem up. Focus on your strengths, not weaknesses and exploit them. If you have gotten to the point where you have torn down your self-esteem to the point where you cannot tell your own strengths, then talk to someone, anyone. The best place to go is your mother; she loves you for all that you are regardless of what youve done and will show you who you really are. If you cannot talk to your mother then find a good friend to feed you ego for a while; however do not become dependant on the ego-boost you get from others. Use their words as a springboard to self-confidence both inside and out. You also need to relax around others especially the woman you are interested in pursuing. Most men feel rather awkward around the ones they like and often try to underplay their fear and anxiety, or overplay them and try to psychologically try to show off for the woman. These are dead give-a-ways to the woman that you are interested; but it also sh ows that you are too immature to handle it in a normal way. The way to overcome this anxiety is to focus on the situation at hand. You most likely did not act macho or timid around the woman you like before you found her interesting. No, you treated her like a friend like one of the guys; not like a sexual object or a goal. The person treated her as such is the one whom she likes or is interested in. In return, it is the person she was in reaction to that treatment that you started to like. It is a give and take relationship from the get go; any deviation from that would be hard or even detrimental to the relationship before it even gets off the ground. Now, you are probably asking yourself, how do I avoid this awkwardness; and the answer is sim-ple, suppress your feelings. You have to try to not let feelings could your personality or your judgment on speech. At times suppression maybe hard to do, especially if your feelings are increasing for that person and it feels like you are a bout to lose it. Just remember this simple point in the back of your mind; a man looking over anxious around a woman is more likely to scare her off than a man who is very cool and com-fortable around her. Depending on the strength of your relationship and the woman involved, you might have to wait for her to make the first move. However, if you spend all of your time waiting for her to make her move she will either lose interest or some one else will make their move in the meantime. Know when you need to wait or know when you need to make a move; either way keep your focus. .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 , .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .postImageUrl , .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 , .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:hover , .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:visited , .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:active { border:0!important; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:active , .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3 .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u14d79f0cf7fe43bfeb76fa9ba0efb3d3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: For many years now I have listened to teachers spe EssayNow, if and when you make your move there are two obvious responses that the woman will give: yes and no. The no response is the one that guys have the most problem with, but there are ways to deal with it correctly. The best way is to realize that there are other fish in the sea, and move on to an-other woman. Life does not end when a woman says no, in fact it should be viewed as a learning experi-ence for any man. After the reaction is given to the man, it should be looked upon as a grade on how well you approached a potential date. See where you went wrong in your approach, your self-doubt in yourself; as well as l ittle things such as your dress, breath, and other physical things. If you cannot decipher your wrongs in this type of situation, ask the woman why she said what she said; it may not be you at all. There are many reasons that a woman could say no and those reasons should be defined when the negative response is given. Responses like the woman having a boyfriend, or moving to a distant place should be seen not as rejections based on your character, but rejections based on necessity. It is unreason-able to think that a woman will start a romantic relationship with you when they are already involved with another or they are ready to move to another state or country. Those situations will not tolerate nor warrant a relationship, and that should not bee seen as a bad thing. You should be overjoyed to know that the rejec-tion is not about you personally and that should give some comfort for your self-esteem. Rejections based on flaws on your personality tend to be more painful because it fills you with that self-doubt that is detrimental to your dating practices. The way to deal with these responses is to learn from the like I mentioned before. If the rejection is a calm one where the woman nor you feels no contempt for the other; then ask a reason to work on for your next attempt. If she says she is not ready for a relationship at this time, she is most likely telling the truth; espe-cially if the woman is recently single or been hurt either physically or mentally in the past. This should be dealt with like a response of necessity and not as a personal attack or a personal rejection. Now there is the rejection during the relationship that is, unfortunately, harder to deal with for anyone; male and female alike. When a woman says that she does not want to see you anymore and wants to end the relationship, it can be very detrimental to you. The pain is more severe when the relationship has grown and love is in the matter. You feel that the one you love has rejected y ou for whatever reason and there must be something terribly wrong with you. Most of the time it is not you it is the other person; the feelings on the relation ship have changed to the point where the only way to resolve it is to end it. Men, as a rule do not see the end of a relationship while it is going as a resolution at all, but as a sure sign of some-thing wrong with them either physically or in their personality. We feel like that since we have been re-jected by the one we loved that we are not good enough for anyone or ourselves; and at times not good enough for life. These feelings are not uncommon as well but should be handled in the same way as any other rejection, only more earnestly because more emotional resources have been depleted. However, there should not be any reason that recovery into what you have been before the relationship; your self-esteem, your pride. Not all is lost on a man who still has a little faith in himself. It should bee looked upon in a Shakespea rian point of view: it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. In conclusion, rejection can be avoided in many ways, but it cannot be avoided forever. There are flaws in all of us that make us susceptible to rejection at one time or another and in many forms. It is a mat-ter of how we conduct ourselves to reduce our chances of rejection as well as preparing ourselves for the worst in any case. Nothing should be taken for granted and hope should not be lost on a single word such as no. We should look at all down-fallings as lessons in life and that whatever does not kill us only makes us stronger. I may have said things that are obvious to many, but not all are willing to let themselves be helped. Some people spend their entire lives in self-pity and relying on the pity of others to boost heir es-teem. Hope is what is needed to help these people and to get them back in the game. There is no such thing as a lost cause; especially in terms of the heart.

Blockbuster Inc a Strategy and Competitive Analysis free essay sample

Blockbuster Video is facing many challenges in trying to remain competitive in the video rental industry. Besides strong competition from Hollywood Video and Netflix, consumers are migrating to new choices, including video-on-demand and DIVX (Digital Video Express), an alternative rental option that allows consumers to eventually own the movie. This report will describe Blockbuster’s strategy and will compare Blockbuster to its main competitors, Hollywood Video and Netflix (see exhibit 2). The research and analysis will attempt to answer the question of whether Blockbuster can survive in the fast changing video rental industry. A competitive comparison will be done between Blockbuster Video, Hollywood Video and Netflix, with regards to the state of the rental industry, strategy to remain competitive, economic factors, innovation and development strategies, the supply chain strategy and the sales, service and promotion strategy. Blockbuster History The first Blockbuster Video store opened on October 19, 1985 in Dallas, Texas. David P. Cook, the founder, with the help of CEO, Wayne Huizenga, grew the business from a $7 million business with 19 stores to a $4 billion global enterprise with more than 3,700 stores in 11 countries. In 1994, Blockbuster sold to Viacom for $8. 4 billion in stock. Following the deal, Huizenga left the company. Over the next few years, Blockbuster experienced poor business decisions and executive departures, starting with Steven Berrard (CEO after Viacoms 1994 takeover), who resigned in 1996 to head Huizengas used-car operations. Wal-Mart’s Bill Fields replaced him and started promoting the retailer as a neighborhood entertainment center, selling videotapes (in addition to renting them), books, CDs, gift items, and music. In 1997, Fields resigned and current chairman and CEO John Antioco replaced him. By the time Antioco took over, Blockbuster was widely described as a mess. Cash flow was down, and major marketing initiatives such as selling magazines and candy in the stores had flopped. Its performance was dragging down Viacoms stock. Antioco immediately started unraveling many of Fields efforts, especially his focus on non-rental operations. Then in 1997, with the help of Blockbusters large market share he forced the movie studios into a revenue-sharing agreement that replaced the standard practice of buying rental copies for as much as $120 each. It not only saved money, but it allowed Blockbuster to stock more copies for less. By 1999 Viacom spun off a minority stake in Blockbuster and the company split into three new operating units that oversee its retail outlets, e-commerce operations, and database and brand marketing. Viacom later sold off the rest of Blockbuster in 2004. In 2001 Blockbuster announced that it would decrease its VHS and video game inventory by 25% to make room for more DVDs. In 2004, Blockbuster eliminated late fees on all of its in-store rentals at locations in the US and Canada. This was in response to competitor Netflix policy of not charging late fees for returned DVD’s. Later in 2004, Blockbuster launched a $700 million takeover bid for Hollywood Video, a move that the FTC was very concerned about and attempted to block. Hollywood Video refused to consider the offer and eventually agreed to a purchase by its smaller competitor, Movie Gallery, in 2005, creating a strong #2 in the industry. Blockbuster has lost significant amounts of money in recent years: $1. 6 billion in 2002, almost $1. 0 billion in 2003, and $1. 2 billion in 2004. The past few years, Blockbuster has been busy reinventing itself for a future in which video rentals may be on the way out. Competition and the State of the Rental Industry Technological and market evolution is finally catching up with the brick and mortar movie rental business. With all the new sources of competition available, Internet subscription services (Netflix), cheap DVDs at Wal-Mart, online movie download services, cable and satellite movie channels plus video-on-demand, Telco entry into the video business, it’s no wonder that Blockbuster and Hollywood Video are struggling. In 2005, Joe Flint and Kate Kelly reported in the Wall Street Journal that â€Å"Blockbuster Inc. is facing new pressures as signs increase that a sharp decline in the video-rental market is putting a strain on the company’s finances. † The company’s stock prices fell by 9. 7% in late 2005, hitting a low of $4. 60 per share. Then Hollywood Video (Movie Gallery Inc. ) reported that sales at many of its stores dropped 10% the same quarter in 2005. Meanwhile, Netflix was gaining momentum and a customer base of almost six million subscribers (see exhibit 2). Antioco admitted to the Wall Street Journal that the â€Å"rental industry is in the tank† and the firm’s SEC filing in 2005 said that it anticipates a â€Å"faster than expected decline† in the store-based video rental market. According to Adam Thierer , â€Å"This is what makes the FTC’s efforts to stop the Blockbuster-Hollywood Video merger so troubling. Clearly, this is a sector in the midst of rapid decline; perhaps even the beginning of a death spiral. This has been forecast by some industry analysts and techno-pundits for years, but now it is really happening thanks to all the new competition and innovation in the media sector. Without this merger, both these firms are likely dead. Of course, they might have been dead even if they had been allowed to merge. But now we’ll never know. † The Strategy to Remain Competitive As the SWOT analysis shows (see Exhibit 1), Blockbuster faces competitive battles on a number of fronts. It appears as though Blockbuster understands the need to expand into other fast-growing services and technologies. Antioco is determined to â€Å"deliver entertainment to consumers homes almost every way but down the chimney†. He has called his plan the ultimate bricks, clicks and flicks strategy. He cut deals with major studios to share revenue from rentals, which lowered the companys acquisition costs for tapes and ensured it would have more copies available for rental. And he spent heavily on getting the message out to customers that Blockbuster had cleaned up its act. Of the approximately 88 million U. S. households, about 45 million are an active Blockbuster account, which means its rental business still has room for growth. And Antioco said the retail stores and its strong brand, as well as the data that it has gathered about consumer preferences in movies and other entertainment, are assets Blockbuster can leverage as it moves into new areas. Antioco has put the company into the satellite business with DirecTV Inc. Customers can buy satellite TV systems in Blockbuster stores, and the company offers Blockbuster movies on a pay-per-view basis. In 2003 Blockbuster acquired Movie Trading Co. , a used DVD trading retailer with 18 stores, in order to study the used DVD business. In 2004, Blockbuster acquired American Satellite and Video, operator of 40 southeastern Rhino Video Games stores that buy, sell, and trade video games. This was a late effort to combat rival Hollywood Video’s venture into the gaming industry, which started in 1999 with the creation of its successful â€Å"Game Crazy† brand. Blockbuster is also on the Internet. Theres the company Web site, Blockbuster. com, where new movies on video and company promotions are listed. Blockbuster also has an alliance with America Online Inc. Blockbuster promotes AOL products and services in Blockbuster stores. `The new management team has done a great job of taking their current assets and ensuring that they have a role no matter what technology develops in the future, said David Reidel, president of equity research for Salomon Smith Barney. If satellite develops more rapidly than broadband, they have access to that. As the Internet becomes more important, they have exposure through AOL. But they also have a very strong base of retail. Blockbuster entered into Internet subscription service with â€Å"Total Access† to compete with the success Netflix was having. Antioco had initially been skeptical of consumer demand for the mail-order concept, but after Netflix signed up millions of customers, Antioco changed course. Carl Icahn, Blockbusters top shareholder, criticized Antiocos slowness to act. While Blockbusters service, which allows customers to return mail-delivered movies to their local store, has proved popular, it still has fewer than half the number of customers Netflix has . What is surprising is that Hollywood Video didn’t jump into this fast-growing market as well. And that might be because Internet subscription services have their drawbacks. The customer is never assured of getting the exact movie they are interested in. They are sent a movie from a list that they set up online. New movies that are usually attainable at the local video store require the Internet customer to be very patient. But it seems that Blockbuster has a clear advantage over Hollywood Video by entering the Internet subscription market first for rental stores (but after Netflix) and providing the advantage of in-store drop- off. This added convenience to the customer can be looked at as a first to market strategy. Hollywood Video introduced a program called the Movie Value Pass which allows customers to rent unlimited amounts of movies. The pass allows customers to have up to three movies checked out for free at any one time. The major restrictions on the pass are that customers must wait an average of four to eight weeks for new releases to be added to the list of MVP available titles. Customers are also still limited to five day rentals and will pay late fees on their free rentals if they are not returned on time. MVP Premium was started in November 2005 and allows customers to rent any movie in the store for a maximum of fifty days. The difference between the two MVPs is that Premium costs either $24. 99/month or $29. 99/month in order to have either two or three free movies out at a time, respectively. Antioco said he doesnt believe the basic rental business will completely go away. It will continue to grow, but it will be slow growth driven over the next couple of years by DVD. Even if it were to shrink, with sales of $10 billion a year, its a long way from extinction. And he added â€Å"Opening new channels for delivering entertainment just increases the public appetite, home video didnt kill the movies, and pay-per-view hasnt killed rentals. The market for movies viewed at home through rentals and other methods has grown to $20 billion-plus over the past 20 years, and we believe it can grow to $30 billion over the next five years. â€Å" Economic Factors The early 2000’s were a boon for the video rental industry. â€Å"By 2001, VCR’s had become an entertainment staple, with over 96% of U. S. TV households equipped with at least one VCR†, according to Peter Coughlan (Exhibit 3). An unbelievable 74% of these households rented videos each year and 63% purchased videos in any given year. Clearly, Blockbuster was a winner with these statistics and one can understand how their revenue climbed to over $5 billion in 2001. That was then and the situation now is a sharp decline in video rentals throughout the industry. Innovation Development Strategies Blockbuster is striving to innovate to remain competitive. They are trying to get ahead of the curve with video downloads. The proposed system will enable consumers to pick a film and download it onto a memory stick or card, meaning it can then be viewed on a portable mobile device or laptop. Blockbuster is also looking at online downloads and video-on-demand services. Competition is causing a lot of innovation in the DVD rental industry. Netflix has launched a new feature called Watch Now that will enable subscribers, at no additional cost, to watch movies immediately on Netflix. com. The new service does not limit the number of movies a customer can watch, instead it gives users 1 hour of video for every $1 they spend monthly (18 hours of online video is free with the $17. 99 plan). Customers can watch 5 minutes of a movie, decide that they dont like it, and switch to another without penalty (many online movie rental options require atching a movie within a certain time period, such as 24 hours or 14 days, or the movie will have to be re-rented at additional cost). Blockbuster has a history of innovation but not all its ventures have worked out. Former Wal-Mart executive Bill Fields took over the chain in the mid-1990s and was gone soon after when his idea to sell more general merchandise in stores flopped. The chains Blockbuster Music venture du ring that same period suffered an early demise, as did its short-lived video-on-demand venture in 2000 with Enron (yes, that Enron! ). Supply Chain Strategy In the early days of video, the release process was fairly straightforward. A movie would play in theaters for six months or more. Eventually, after a stint on cable or airplanes, it would show up on videotape in stores and rental outlets. The initial purchase price would be too high for most consumers to afford, so the tape would be geared largely toward the rental market. When the demand for rentals subsided, the distributor would drop the price and offer the movie for sale. That gave rental stores like Blockbuster a window of near-exclusive access to customers. With the advent of movies on DVD, everything changed. Today, rental and retail DVDs are released simultaneously, so Blockbuster and Hollywood Video must compete with a growing ownership market. And the retail side has a simpler supply chain. DVDs for sale go through a standard pick, pack and ship process before reaching store shelves. Rentals, however, involve several additional steps, including the printing of a store-specific insert, placement of the insert into the outer sleeve of a separately produced, lockable case, and transfer of the DVD from its original packaging into the new case. The whole process must be tightly scheduled, to make sure that each of Blockbuster’s U. S. stores gets product in time to meet release dates. Demand volatility gives Blockbuster additional challenges. Depending on the number and popularity of new DVD titles in a given month, the company’s labor needs at its distribution center can vary sharply. Up to now, it has solved that problem with temporary workers, who are expensive to train on short notice. Blockbuster is responding to these problems with a new approach to DVD packaging. Beginning in 2006, the company got rid of its familiar blue-and-white rental boxes and replaced them with lockable cases that look just like rental units, complete with factory artwork. A plastic backer card remains on the shelf when all units of a particular DVD are rented. Extra work is still required to place the disks into these new cases, but Blockbuster has turned to technology to cut costs. Five high-speed machines, located at the company’s sole distribution center near Dallas, automate the process of opening an empty case, inserting the disk, printing and applying store-specific labels to the cover, inserting additional coupons or disks, and placing each order into totes on conveyors. As a result, work at the distribution channel can be completed in less than half the time, with 75 percent less labor. That adds up to savings in excess of several million dollars a year for Blockbuster. The project’s success relies upon cooperation with suppliers. Blockbuster convinced its distributors to ship DVDs without cases, on spindles in stacks of 100. That eliminated the need to remove them from retail packaging. Artwork, which must be cured for two days to prevent warping, is shipped separately as well. Tight collaboration with vendors was also required to determine the right kind of plastic mold for the cases, and sticker for the cover. To keep distribution costs down, Blockbuster divided the U. S. and its surrounding territories into 50 regions, or pool points. The distribution center keeps a close watch on pickup schedules, so that it can expedite shipments if a movie is in danger of missing an in-store date. All of these measures have helped the company to stay competitive in an industry that is constantly changing, with an ever-growing number of options for consumers. Sales, Service and Promotion Strategy Rentals are still the key revenue source for Blockbuster, but theyre no longer the only category Blockbuster has to rely on. During the past few years, the chain has been working to reinvent itself as a true retailer instead of a rentailer. That process began in early 2002 when the chain began selling video game consoles and video games in stores for the first time. Later that year, Blockbuster introduced new signs to promote DVD sales, marking its first concerted effort to sell new video releases in stores. The results of that strategy showed in the first quarter of 2004, when Blockbuster posted $119 million in DVD sales, a 74% increase from $69 million the same period the previous year. During a recent conference call with analysts, John Antioco made a point of highlighting those numbers. We sold 5. 2 million DVDs in the first quarter alone and were clearly on our way to becoming a destination for DVD buyers, said Antioco. Video game sales also skyrocketed during the first quarter of 2002 with $62. 5 million in sales compared to just $9. 7 million the first quarter of 2002. Overall, merchandise sales accounted for 19. 7% of the chains total revenue for the quarter compared to just 14. 6% in the same period last year. Antioco said the results were the start of Blockbusters long-range goal to become both a retail and rental destination. The rapid adoption of DVD altered the buying habits of consumers and the industry in general. Analyst Tom Adams said Blockbusters strategy is a sound one given the state of the industry. The rental market has been relatively flat the past 10 or 12 years, so during that time Blockbuster has been growing by adding more stores and gaining market share, said Adams, president of Adams Media Research in Carmel, Calif. But now theres only a limited amount of space left and they have to look for growth elsewhere. Adams said using merchandise sales to spur growth is a great idea that takes Blockbuster back to the halcyon days of video. Back in the early 1980s, most video stores were consumer electronics stores that got into renting videos on the side, so they were the place to go to check out new technology, said Adams. Thats where video started so I think its a great way to go. Blockbuster has floated several new ideas designed to increase its market share. In June 2003, the chain introduced its Freedom Pass program that allows unlimited video game rentals with no late fees for $19. 99 per month. The chain also opened new video game stores-within-in-stores in the United Kingdom and is testing the same concept in some U. S. outlets. Besides Hollywood Video’s Movie Value Pass program, mentioned earlier, they began accepting Trade-Ins to be sold as Previously Viewed in June of 2005. To trade in a movie, a valid membership is required. In addition, only titles and editions carried by Hollywood Video are acceptable for trade-in, therefore most Full-Screen DVDs were not accepted. In June of 2006, Hollywood Video started carrying both full and widescreen copies of major titles to offer customers a choice, so now most DVDs can be traded in regardless of format. In August of 2006 Hollywood Video began a new program called Play Guard which is essentially an insurance policy for your rentals. For a fee of twenty five cents per individual rental (DVD, VHS, Game) guests can purchase Play Guard to protect them from paying charges for a broken or cracked item. In the past if a guest rented an item and they broke it, the guest was responsible for paying for the item at its previously viewed price. Now if they purchase Play Guard any item that is broken while in their possession may be returned without any obligation to pay for it. For its inaugural month all proceeds went directly to the Starlight Starbright Foundation, since then and from now on 10% of the proceeds will go to the foundation. Conclusion Since I began working on this report, Blockbuster CEO John Antioco has announced that he is leaving the company. Apparently he was at odds with the top shareholder of Blockbuster for some time. Appendix Exhibit 1