The Inhabited Woman

The novel, classified as a semi-biographical one, is the author's first bestselling novel. It can be considered as a contemporary classic. In fact, Randall (2004) reiterated, â€Å"The Inhabited Woman grabs us from two unexpected directions: its consciousness of the centrality of woman in struggle, and its retrieval of the cycles of birth and rebirth which are such an important part of indigenous cosmology† (Forward, p. 6). On the one hand, throughout the novel, Lavinia (one of the main characters) struggles with being a business-minded woman in an architectural industry composed primary of men.The plight a woman’s struggle first took shape in Chapter One when a battle was referred to as the roots of a tree of which the writer entered into through its circulatory system (Belli, 2004, p. 7). As with any circulatory system, there must be a constant blood flow that helps all the parts function properly. If the blood flow is interrupted, then problems begin to arise. Thus, the other hand, the roots of the tree must be healed in order to make the system work. Hence, the writer refers to time spent in Europe (Bologna) as a place where Lavinia’s artistic nature was tame.However, she had left that place to have opportunities to showcase her innovative side (Belli, 2004). The parallelism between the protagonist, Lavinia, and the author is striking and obvious. Both women are well-educated members of the upper class who were raised in a world of political turmoil. Significantly, they have a choice of not paying attention to the glass ceiling that these politics entail or allowing it to be their ruin. Both women choose a life far from the one of limited opportunities and poverty.Instead, the women pursue a life of luxury, education, and continuous learning. In order to acquire a true reflection of how Gioconda and Lavinia were alike, their lives must be examined. Gioconda lived a comfortable, protected and sheltered life. She was educated in the best of schools as well as given a sheltered life away from bullets and bombs. Gioconda was also loved and nurtured by her parents. Later on, Gioconda joined the Sandinista movement. Sadly, this took her away from luxurious living and eventually forced her to be exiled in Mexico in 1975 (Wikipedia, 2008).Lavinia, similar to Gioconda, lived a sheltered life until she joined the revolution and fell in love with a war hero. Over the years, countries around the world have been in constant struggle to gain a free government; a democratic government free from dictators and tyrants. Many books have been written about this topic. Few books have focused on the author’s feminist struggle for freedom and democracy, and in the process, a struggle for self identity and self worth. As Lavinia’s journey through a life of opportunities begins, she goes to a job interview.It is a typical interview symbolic of a male’s ego and testosterone. Julian sees Lavinia as a woman that can expl ain architecture blueprints in simple terms but as a sex symbol, all the same (Belli, 2004, pp. 13-17). Lavinia’s goal was to prove she had a great deal of knowledge of architecture and could succeed on her own merits. Thus, although she thought of men and sex throughout the book, Lavinia predetermined that marriage, for her, would be placing limitations on one’s self—unless, of course, the right man came along (Belli, 2004, p.22). Nevertheless, the fact remains that the novel was full of sexual context. One example is an office romance that was present in the early stages of the book. A man and a woman were having sex openly, as if they were wild animals. Belli (2004) wrote, â€Å"I know only that they make love to each other like healthy animals, without garments or inhabitants. ’ ‘That is how our people loved before the strange god of the Spaniards forbade them the pleasures of loving’† (p. 41).Despite being forbidden of this fruit by a god, as in the holy bible when Adam and Eve were forbidden of eating from the tree of good and evil by the Lord (Genesis, King James Version), one can say that Lavinia’s people had disobeyed a god. As a result of this disobedience, (Adam and Eve) they were forced to go forth out of their comfort zone and learn how to live on their own (Genesis, KJV). Thus, just as Adam and Eve had to learn (as children do from their parents), so were many lessons taught in the novel.In one incidence, while Lavinia was watching one of her sex partner’s named Felipe sleep peacefully, she referred to him as a child (Belli, 2004, p. 42). This is important because Lavinia thought of her seeds as the seeds of oranges that are capable of falling on good soil and bearing fruit (children). She also considered the Earth as an orange because it is round and flat. Yet, symbolism used to compare child bearing to orange trees blossoming is of extreme value because Lavinia mentioned Ute, the wom an who taught Felipe to love.In fact, Lavinia indicated that Felipe considered Ute as the â€Å"Mother and lover in one woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Belli, 2004, p. 47). Thus, just as an orange tree must bear forth fruit that produces a continuous cycle of orange trees, so must women bear forth children who will, in turn, grow up to replenish the Earth. Another reason why much symbolism exists in the novel is because of the realism. Lavinia read a book that â€Å"†¦said that Jules Verne had never left France, and yet he had still managed to reach the moon with his imagination and predict many of humanity’s deeds and discoveries† (Belli, 2004, p. 55).This is what Lavinia desired out of life. Consequently, the mind (or imagination) can open up doors to endless opportunities and countless lessons. Unlike the body which comes to a closure upon death, due to the mind, legacies can live on. Lavinia’s grandfather tapped into this concept as he gave Lavinia some final wor ds that included â€Å"†¦Now that I am nearing Omega, I leave you this legacy: nothing that is done in the name of universal culture is ever a waste†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Belli, 2004, p. 56). Thus, through these words Lavinia was taught that no matter what the struggle or the triumph, a lesson is available to be learned.Yet, the reader can learn from the symbolisms that exist in the novel. One such lesson came as Lavinia’s grandfather died on New Year’s Eve by sneezing to death (Belli, 2004, p. 56). Just as her grandfather had talked about Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end), the lesson here is that just as one year comes to an end, another one begins. Although Lavinia’s grandfather died out, history still lived on through his granddaughter. That history included Lavinia coming in contact with members of the National Liberation Movement (NLM) that showed up at her door one day, wounded.It is a history that also includes Lavinia referring to her admiration of Che Guevara of Italy, her grandfather’s fascination with Fidel Castro and the ideal of revolution, and even the NLM members’ being referenced to tropical Quixotes by Lavinia (Belli, 2004, p. 71). Yet, the reality of all lessons is that there are often harsh ones to be learned. Lavinia had to witness the same people she had helped (two men and one young woman) bodies being shown as bloody and dead in the paper when she returned to work.Just to not be discovered as a helper to these individuals, Lavinia had to tell a lie to a co-worker in regards to which of the men was Fermin (Belli, 2004). Just before the book takes a turn where Lavinia changes from that lively woman with endless opportunities to do anything or be anything in life, she manages to sum of what the reader considers as the main theme of the book: Man with his deeds can change features, appearances: he can sow or cut down trees, change the course of rivers, make those huge dark roads that trace snaking paths along the earth.But he cannot move volcanoes, life up the canyons, interfere in the dome of the heavens, prevent the formation of the clouds, change the position of the sun or the moon. (Belli, 2004l, p. 85) This exert is symbolic of how since the beginning of time man-kind has altered things. In the bible when the City of Babel was being built were the people wanted to come together and build a tower to heaven, rather than use stones that were already made by God, man created bricks for building (Genesis 11:1-9, KJV).Yet, man-kind had been told to fill the earth. Since they would not do it themselves, the Lord sent angels to scramble their languages and force them to do so (Genesis, KJV). Due to the fact man-kind sowed a bad seed, there are many languages today and the reason why there are many wars. In the bible, when the City of Babel was being built, God realized that man-kind would not think there was anything they could not do if they were to succeed at this.So, God had to take action against it (Genesis 11:1-9, KJV). Throughout the novel, no matter what happened, Lavinia could always use her imagination to make things as she wanted to. However, no matter what, it did not change the fact she went from being the leader of her own life to being lead (by Sebastian and Lorenzo) and then to even turning to God for instruction. Due to these factors, one might consider Lavinia as putting profession first, politics second and religion last.In this scenario, Lavinia encountered the struggle of woman to find their place in the world—a struggle that often finds woman having to pay the ultimate price of disobedience. References Belli, G. (2004). The Inhabited Woman. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press. Randall, M. (2004, Spring). The Inhabited Woman: Foreward. (Contributor). Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press. Wikipedia. (2008, February 13). Gioconda Belli. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from website: http://en. wikipedia. org/wi ki/Gioconda_Belli

Imaginative writing (George)/writing to describe (Harley Davidson) Essay

(1) Imaginative Piece of Writing Characters from Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck George now has a wife, Rose and 2 kids. He wakes up every night remembering that he murdered Lennie. Darn flies, *splat* mmph better get up *yawn* and go get a glass of water otherwise I’ll never get to sleep again. *Walks downstairs* Stupid creaking stairs ooo the lino’s cold. Glass Glass Glass, right Water, mmm that was nice. Feels cold in here†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.where the heck’s that draft comin’ from†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦*huff* windows open, I told Rose to close that. *Looks out window* Crops lookin’ good, I’ll get ol’ big red out the barn tomorrow and start cuttin’ it down. *Thinks about Lennie* Lennie would have like this place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..he could have helped me with the crops†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pushed the kids on the swing in the old apple tree†¦..and al’ the animals would have kept him happy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦he would have loved the rabbits that run free al’ over the farm. If only I hadn’t sho, no, what I did was right, it was for the best. Yeah that’s it I did him a favour, yeah, yeah. I keep telling myself I did the right thing but I still feel so damn guilty†¦..i just wish we’d never gone to that ranch and never met her†¦it was all her fault†¦.it was all because of her. But Lennie’s safe now†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.he’s safe from people like her †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. I bet Lennie’s up in heaven chasing the rabbits with his pup *laugh* Lennie, I’ll never forget you†¦..you’ll always be in my heart. * Rose calls down from upstairs* George, you there? *Calls back* I’ll be up in a minute Rose. Right, come on then, better get back to bed n get some sleep. *Walks upstairs* Sssh stop creaking, don’t wana disturb the kids. *Talks quietly to Rose* Rose, I couldn’t sleep so I went and got a glass of water. *Whispers† Were you thinking of Lennie? Yeah George, you could have a garden with rabbits and other things that Lennie liked, then when you can’t sleep, you could go there and think about him. *Thinks about Lennie’s garden and replies happily* Yeah, that’s a great idea, I’ll get the kids to help me make Lennie’s garden tomorrow. What would I do without you Rose. *Switches off light* Night Darlin’ Night George *Rose Kisses George on check* (2) Writing to describe (Harley Davidson Motorbikes) Harley Davidson are a company that make motorbikes. The company was formed in 1903 in Milwaukee, by William Harley and Arthur Davidson. To begin with Harley Davidson produced push-bikes but in 1903 they made their first motorbike, the racer. Harley Davidson bikes are well known for being strong and reliable and because of this, they are commonly used by both the American police and the fire department. When people think of Harley Davidson they think of gangs of men with leathers, long beards and hair riding chopper bikes, with long forks and handlebars. Who travel from town to town terrorising the townsfolk and who live on the open road. People dream of having the same freedom as the gangs and wish they could be like them. The dream that comes with owning a Harley Davidson is of travelling through the great wilderness of the mid west and along Route 66. To fly like the eagle along the road and let nothing hold you back from your journey. Although Harley Davidson was first created in America people all over the world have joined the Harley Davidson family by owning one of their machines. When you buy a Harley Davidson you not only get a piece of the American dream you also gain entry to the exclusive Harley Owners Group, HOG, where you can make friends with other proud owners. All other Britain different Chapters of owners get together and ride to seaside towns in the Southwest. At these rallies bikers get together to admire each others bikes. Many have specialist artwork, such as Wolfs and Eagles, on their bikes and clothing Harley Davidson also make merchandise that feature their many designs. Merchandise such as: Jackets, T-shirts, Hats and Wallets. Harley Davidson have various logos. Many of them have the American Eagle, which is a symbol of power and freedom. Most of the logos feature strong bold designs in black and orange. Harley Davidson give people excitement and danger which contrasts with their normal boring everyday life. My advice to you is to go and buy a Harley Davidson fuel your imagination. Go on, make it happen, there’s no time like the present.

Chapter 8 Case Study

How does Wrangler’s new B2C e-commerce site assist Wrangler’s brand recognition and marketing efforts? Wrangler’s new B2C e-commerce site assists Wrangler’s brand recognition and marketing efforts in many ways. Their brand recognition was already high since their company started in 1904. They have grown since their first owner, C. C. Hudson started out with only several sewing machines. Their company has become known country-wide. Their next step to grow even more was to enable purchases through their e-commerce site. Wrangler has made a site with goals to be exceptional from their competitor’s. They have enabled their customers to now be able to purchase online. They are also presenting their site in the best quality website and that proves that their marketing efforts are positive. Without these marketing efforts, no one would like to use their site and would prefer to just visit a brick-and-mortar store. If their website would have not been successful, they would have lost a lot of money by implementing the site to just be a failure. 2. What goals did Wrangler set for its e-commerce site? Visit www. wrangler. com. Do you think its new site meets those goals? Wrangler had several goals set for its e-commerce site. One goal that they had was that it needed to provide visitors with a view into the spirit behind the Wrangler brand. They wanted their site to utilize the latest technologies. The reason that Wrangler wanted to have the latest technologies because they wanted to show that Wrangler is tech savvy and they also wanted the Wrangler’s marketing department to be able to present their products in the best way. I do believe this site meets these goals. It was very organized and user-friendly and it was easy on the eyes. I did not find the site to be distracting or take away from their product but instead enhance on how great their product truly is. Without having a successful site, they would be taking away possible customers because they would be less likely to shop online. E-commerce is very important for profits. Critical Thinking Questions: 1. Wrangler targets a very specific type of person with its marketing and Web site. How would you describe that group? What risks and benefits do companies assume when they target specific types of individuals? Do you think it pays off for Wrangler? Why? Wrangler targets a style that is mostly associated with a western-style. Their slogan is â€Å"Enduring American Freedom; it’s in the spirit of people who work hard, have fun and recognize courageous individuality. † They Wrangler brand targets men, women, and children around the world and with their product being sold in 1 in every 5 pairs of jeans that are purchased, it proves that their target group is successful. With targeting specific groups, there is a chance of failure because your target group may be small. Also, if the target group does not take like the product, they will be doomed due to losing their group. Luckily for Wrangler, they have grown due to their target group. They have been able to be successful for many years and have been able to grow into an e-commerce company. If their specific target group had not liked the product, it would have not lasted as long in the business world. 2. The Wrangler site incorporates a lot of dynamic visual elements. How do these elements affect a shopper? What types of products are best suited for this type of marketing approach? The Wrangler site incorporated a lot of dynamic visual elements. It is important for any kind of business; there are visual elements involved both in a brick-and-mortar and e-commerce. Visual effects are pleasant to look at and there is more of a positive buying experience. These elements make the shopper happy and therefore they will purchase more items. All kind of businesses, including clothing and general stores, must find a way to incorporate dynamic visual elements. Without having dynamic visual elements, people will be less likely to stop in the store and therefore they will not spend any money. Profits are important when you are involved in a business and without profits, you will be unable to stay in the market for long. Being able to be successful requires that visual effects are available in order to make profits and have a successful business. All businesses can benefit from dynamic visual elements.

The key to success ( grit) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The key to success ( grit) - Essay Example It is true from the talk that positive psychology linked to perseverance are part of grit. This is for the reason that changing one’s mid-set is pertinent to changing his or her grit. It is also important to note that these two aspects are key to realizing deliberate practice, a type of effortful activity that improves skills. Her belief that success can only be predicted by hard work is however questionable. For instance, a teacher who wants to predict success in her students would wonder how to get his kids to try harder. It is not that easy for a teacher to get learners determined and make them work hard if they lack a positive attitude. Secondly, there are so many more determinants of success, such as self-drive and self-motivation, which do not necessarily need hard work but the inner push and confidence in oneself. I totally agree with her that without grit, success cannot be achieved. This is because of her definition of the term as a multidimensional concept that involves so many learner-centered characters like perseverance, struggle, and self-determination. The other reason is that her research concerning grit is relevant in a way that it assures brilliant students that only those who set goals and stay focused to those goals even when life gets harder and even when inconvenience comes will achieve

Victimization and racial boundaries (English Literature) Essay

Victimization and racial boundaries (English Literature) - Essay Example h other races and darker skin tones, this concept of ivory white skin remained the hallmark of beauty even before the ugly side of race relations reared its head in America. However, with the long span of history between the whites and the blacks, this connotation grew ever stronger, creeping even into the culture of blacks as they struggled against the restrictions their own skin color brought upon them. Lightness of skin tone became more than just a badge of beauty, but also represented a certain power and freedom that had long been denied black people. For black women, lighter skin meant better husbands, more comfortable lives and perhaps even a greater opportunity to experience what it was like to be white. For black men, having the power to seduce a white woman meant he had a power all his own, a means of defeating his oppressors and bringing the white devils down a peg or two. This concept of whiteness as a standard of beauty, power and control is found throughout Chester Himes ’ novel â€Å"If He Hollers, Let Him Go† and Toni Morrison’s novel â€Å"The Bluest Eye† as they each relate how issues of skin color have served to victimize the entire community. The concept that white is right is laced throughout Himes’ novel as Robert (Bob) Jones struggles to maintain balance and still get the job done in a work environment that unofficially discriminates against the black workers in numerous ways. The story opens with an introduction to Bob as a black man living with a black family in a barely adequate home and terrified of the race issues that he sees erupting around him in World War II Los Angeles. As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Bob is one of many Southern blacks who have moved to L.A. in the hope of finding his fortune in the wartime boom of production needs coupled with the shortage of white men available to work the necessary jobs. On the job, he has had some success, being the only black man to have been appointed to the position of

Human Resource Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource Management - Term Paper Example The supermarket has been able to divide all its stores into five major segments depending on the location and demands of the customers. These segments are Superstores, metros, express hyper, additional home plus and anything else can be found under one roof. The express hyper shops are small in size and are located in the neighborhoods to offer food stuffs and they normally have high margins due to the small sizes of the shops while the metros are usually located at the city center. At the international level, these stores are found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Korea, Poland, Kenya, France, China and Hungary. Their major competitors include You deserve the best, Between us, The place to be and Amongst us supermarkets (Armstrong, 2003). The supermarket has a corporate strategy which helps it appeal to all segments of the market that is the up market, middle age and the low market range. The strategy for You n Us supermarket has been its ability to include the finest brands, middle and low priced products so as to meet all the demands and expectations of the customers. Since 2001, the supermarket has been able to market itself using the phrase â€Å"Home for Your Value† slogan to describe its principles, mission and core values both locally and internationally. It has also been able to advertise both locally and internationally using the slogan â€Å"you need it, we have it†. Most of its advertisement is done in major billboards along major highways, electronic media and the print media. In the television advertisements, they have been able to engage the services of major actors and actresses such as Look Brooke, James Upright and Young Heart (Armstrong, 2003). The supermarket is committed to corporate social responsibility by offering some of its pre-tax profits to charitable organizations, schools and community based activities. It has started a computer school for the disadvantaged in the

Should U.S get war with Iraq Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Should U.S get war with Iraq - Research Paper Example To him, Saddam was developing and stock piling weapons of mass destruction, denied Iraq people democratic space and his administration abused human rights. Furthermore, Saddam was accused of financing and harboring Al-Qaeda. However, facts and evidences refuted the above allegations and revealed that it was Bush’s and his cronies’ decision to attack Iraq in order to secure supply of oil. Statement French and Jason claimed that terrorism and weapons of mass destruction compelled United States of America to lead war against Iraq (61). However, United States of America should not have led war against Iraq. All facts and supplementary evidence failed to link Iraq with any form of violation of both international law and United States security. On the contrary, security, integrity and independence of sovereign Iraq were adversely violated following clever statements and manipulation of facts carried out by former President Bush administration. Bush used clever statements to i nfluence decision of the UN Security Council and allied nations to destroy Saddam’s regime. Bush administration painted Saddam as defiant and deceptive. As compared to Iran, Libya and North Korea, Iraq had less capability of developing WMD. Doherty confirmed that war in Iraq was not driven by bad intelligence but rather it was by Choice of Bush and his cronies. Bush relied on his National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which were doctored to mislead Americans and the world to back the war against Saddam regime as planned. Justification why Iraq war was acceptable First reason why it was wrong to invade Iraq was that, Iraq did not possess or produced weapons of mass destruction. According to United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission did not find evidence of weapons of mass destruction (199). Iraq Survey Group led by the United States of America revealed that Iraq ended its biological, chemical and nuclear programs in 1991. In fact in February 2001, Powell and Rumsfeld asserted that Iraq did not pose a nuclear threat. It was even revealed that Saddam did not have the capacity or intention to project conventional weapons against own neighbors leave alone weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, United States at that time declared that they had Saddam caged. The weapons that were suspected to be contained in Iran were Yellowcake uranium. Furthermore, the French government opined that Iraq had stockpiles of botulism and anthrax toxins and was able to produce VX within short notice. Sabri alleged that Saddam hid poisonous gas among Sunni tribe’s men but revealed that there were no biological weapons stocked piled or produced in Iraq. However, Bush’s administration maintained that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction even after facts presented by various investigators such as Wilson Joseph and Subri revealed otherwise. In 1995, according to report provi ded by defector General Hussein Kamel to the United Nation’s Security Council all chemical, biological, missiles and nuclear arsenals had been destroyed. Following repeated assessment that was done in May 2001, Iraq’s military was said to be fairly weak. In July 2001, Rice claimed that Saddam was not in control of North of Iraq and his military forces were not rebuilt or regroup. In September 2002, International Institute for Strategic Studies revealed

Identify and analyse the aims, impact and outcomes of increasingly Essay

Identify and analyse the aims, impact and outcomes of increasingly integrated ways of working in childrens services on children and their families - Essay Example The need of the hour that could be truly beneficial to the child and the family is a consorted attempt coming from all the agencies involved in it to work together. In this paper I would like to analyse the process and objectives, impact and outcome of an integrated working style. A survey of the children and families in need of help is enough to be disillusioned about their pathetic condition. They want a little relief but on the contrary have to face more trouble. In some cases the constant intervention of numerous agencies and practitioners literally make it impossible to have some real breather as both the child and the family pass through repetitive processes, questions and tests. ‘There are times that having all different people in my life is too much. I spend a lot of my time up the hospitals. I wish there were less appointments and less doctors to see.’ (Child quoted in Turner, p.21) There are such instances where the family of the child is at a loss of whom to go to. And this has been detrimental to the mental and physical well-being of the child. Therefore it calls for an increasing demand of a coordinated way of working between the different agencies. (Stone & Rixon, ch3, p.88-89) It is important for the agencies to come together and decide upon the ruling ideology and the common goal towards which they would conjointly work. In this particular issue it is needless to say that the goal is the betterment of the child in all respects. Whatever mode of cooperation and coordination they might adopt all should be child-centric in approach. (Stone & Rixon, ch3, p.90) The practitioners or agency workers should first and foremost prepare themselves to enter into the life of a child needing help and partake of the child’s problems with the sole aim of finding a resolve to alleviate it. The agency representatives must make it a point to listen to their problems, demands and needs.

Ethics, Norms and Practices that influence the behavior of Journalists Coursework

Ethics, Norms and Practices that influence the behavior of Journalists today in reference to the phone hacking scandal at the now defunct News of the World newspaper - Coursework Example It acts as application and assessment of the principles and customs that guide journalism practice, with exceptional consideration to the main problems in the field. Journalism ethics and norms contain both practical analysis and theory. In the scrutiny of cases, journalism principles may possibly appeal to theoretical matters, such as the temperament of ethical contention (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). Phone hacking outrage at the present defunct News of the World newspaper is the ongoing controversy that involves defunct news of the world and the British news paper that are being published by the news international. The news international is a subsidiary of the news corporation (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). The staff of the newspaper were blamed of engaging in  phone hacking,  police bribery, and exercising inappropriate influence in tracking down of publishing accounts. Investigations conducted from 2005 concluded that phone hacking tricks were mostly restricted to famous perso ns, politicians and members of the  British Royal Family. The outcome of the phone hacking originating with the  News of the World raises wider questions about the ethics engaged by businesses under Murdoch's possession, as well as the effects the outrage will encompass on the morals employed particularly by print journalists and to a little degree the wider world of journalism (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). Murdoch had beforehand been condemned for building a media domain that lacked any ethical foundation and replacing dependable journalism with hearsay, sensationalism, and manufactured debate. Grossman, a certain professor of journalism at  one of the State University of New York lay blame on Murdoch of building a dishonest, deceitful and corrupt media realm in history and also... Journalism has gone through many transformations, since the set up of the Internet era, and the employ of intelligent phones and videos to file news as it takes place. At the same time as the financial shape of newspapers remains in question, journalists must accept the Internet and hang about at the critical edge of expertise in order to advance their occupation and convey accurate news. Journalism schools are altering the mode they advance story-telling, with the increase of digital media. It is essential to make use of technology as an aid to moral, grammatical and efficient journalism. The News of the World outrage was one of the most disreputable privacy violations of the digital tracking period. The mobile devices we have come to depend on spray tracking data around similar to so lots of digital bread specks. That being the case, there will for all time be a tough temptation for those who value this information to grasp at it with no regard to an individual’s privacy or security. Every one of us has the liability to guard private information. Those, Such as the Metropolitan Police, who have the influence to either guard or invade individual privacy, must do so devoid of compromise.

Global Marketing Strategy (China Automotive Industry) Essay - 1

Global Marketing Strategy (China Automotive Industry) - Essay Example legal, socio-cultural, technological and environmental condition of China has allowed to efficiently evaluating the scopes and barriers of market entry for the organisation. The discussion has also evaluated the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of the China population to detail their purchasing behaviour. This analysis has allowed the study to demonstrate the rationale behind choosing the China automobile market. The next section of the discussion has evaluated different international entry modes and their advantages and disadvantages. It has also provided details about the China market entry strategies of different leading organisation such as Volkswagen, General Motors and Toyota. This study has assisted to select joint venture as a suitable entry mode for the organisation in China market. The study has elaborated different external and internal factors that are influencing the international market entry procedure. Finally the report has detailed the market development strateg ies of the organisation in terms of different marketing mix tools. The report is based on designing the international market entry mode and market strategy development for a British automobile business, Ariel Motor Company. The report will assist the management of the organisation to analyze the international market entry and development strategies for China automobile market. The discussion will give details about the external market environment of China and competitive position of its automobile industry. The study will also illustrate the available market entry mode while discussing the suitable market entry strategy for the organisation in the China market. Finally, the report will detail about the elements of marketing mix to discuss the market development strategies of the organisation. Ariel Motor Company is the smallest automotive company situated in Somerset, England. Currently, the organisation possesses a total of 19 employees. Till date, the organisation has produced almost

Hog case study Essay Example for Free

Hog case study Essay Product Life Cycle: Late Growth / Early Maturity I. Uncertainties that may affect industry structure II. The plausible assumptions about each important causal factor The uncertainties that exist for the Motorcycle Industry are fluctuations in the following categories: government regulations, price of supplies, Fuel Cost, Global Demand for motorcycles, Product innovation, customer loyalty value (CLV), target market, and market share. The casual factors that drive these uncertainties are an important factor when forecasting the future of the Motorcycle Industry. The most likely scenario for government regulations will push the industry towards going â€Å"Green† and becoming more environmentally friendly by requiring lower emissions. They will require the industry to improve these emissions standards. Currently the average motorcycle averages 40 MPG (miles per gallon) in the city and 50 MPG on highway but they still emit smog into the environment. The industry will most likely use the fuel consumption statistics to their advantage by relating to the current price of gasoline and the fact that the average car gets 20 MPG and SUV’s get even less at about 16 MPG. Price will be a major uncertainty for the industry. The industry relies on other companies to provide them with materials so that they could assemble the bike. The increasing cost of transporting these materials from the manufacturers to the motorcycle assembly plants are going to increase and therefore lead to increase in the operating cost for the industry and lead to higher price for the finished product resulting in no value added. The price of the finished product is a very important factor for the industry because all the players in the industry are trying to attract the younger target market and are competing on price. The Japanese manufacturers have a mindset that they are willing to incur short-term loss so that they could gain market share. This strategy is bad for the industry because every company will try to reduce its prices and will eventually not be able to make significant profit. This fact needs to be carefully monitored so that no one player tries to influence the overall industry. Economic conditions in the U. S. significantly affect the firm’s performance from year to year. During an economic recession, Harley-Davidson will feel its effects since consumers tend to tighten up discretionary spending during rough times resulting in no value added to the company. This is what is currently happening in the economy. Global demand fluctuation also is an important factor to the overall success of the industry. The global demand for the heavy weight motorcycles grows at an average core rate of 7% to 9% per year and has averaged 8. 6% since 1991 for Harley Davidson. This trend will most likely continue because of the Baby-Boomers who previously purchased these bikes will continue to do so as they live more active and adventurous lives then previous generations. The baby boomers are more affluent then previous generations. The global demand will rise because of this fact. It will also rise because they are not only catering to the older consumers but also towards the younger generation and women. The industry is creating bikes that are cheaper and faster that appeal to the younger consumer. This trend will spread globally because of the Blue Ocean created by Harley Davidson because of the Rental Programs, and the Riders Edge programs that will be emulated by the other players in the industry. This will lead to the Red Ocean scenario again and companies will compete at the same level within the industry. We also believe that players in the industry will make strategic alliances with other industries to cross sell their products such as Harley currently produces clothing and accessories to increase and diversify its revenue sources. The industry will continue to compete on all aspects such as price, quality, and functionality. This intense competition will lead to a Red Ocean until a new innovator can emerge. The industry will most likely continue to invest in Research Development to improve the quality of their products, to try to innovate, to get a better product out to the market and even innovate the way they assemble and market their product to the consumer. Also, personalization and customization of motorcycles will increase as television programs such as American Choppers, and West Coast Choppers are glorifying them. All these factors will lead to an expansion of the Target market and more intense competition. Customer Loyalty Value will most likely rise for the industry because many of the individual producers have a wide variety of products that they can offer to their customers. The industry will most likely target previous customers more to get them to purchase a secondary bike. This trend will continue since the largest buyer group numbers are steady for the next several years, currently there are 41 million US men in the age group of 35 to 54 and that number increases to a little over 41 million in 2020. Also currently there are 80 million baby boomers of those the oldest ones are entering their late 50’s and the youngest boomers are just entering earlier part of their 40’s. These groups will be heavily targeted by the industry to either purchase their first motorcycle or 2nd motorcycle. III. Plausible assumptions about each important casual factor The most important casual factors are the level of quality of the motorcycles, product innovation and marketing. These three factors are predetermined meaning that change is likely to happen  nd is largely predictable and they are constant meaning that these areas in the industry are unlikely to change. However, product innovation is uncertain meaning that product innovation depends on other irresolvable uncertainties in the industry. To begin with the first important casual factor the level of quality, we know that if the level of quality for motorcycles increase, it is likely to lead to an increase in other areas as well such as price, sales, market share and customer retention. (Cash flow, interrelationship, linkages and value added). The next important casual factor is product innovation. Similar to quality, if product innovation increases it is likely to lead to increases in other areas such as price, sales, market share, customer retention and gaining new customers. Lastly, marketing is another important casual factor. We know that if marketing is increased and if it becomes more innovative in ways there will be increases in other areas such as sales, market share, customer retention, new customers, advertising and promotion, branding and in relationship marketing resulting in value added. IV. Assumptions about individual factors into internally consistent scenarios. Scenario 1: If quality increases it is likely that performances in other areas are likely to increase as well. Improving quality is always beneficial and important to execute any strategic sequence successfully. The value curve, which is the basic component of the strategy canvas, depicts relative performance across the industry’s factors of competition. Creating a new value curve involves identifying which factors of the industry should be eliminated, reduced, raised well above and created or offered in regards to the industry. So let’s use Harley-Davidson as an example. Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create Grid: Harley-Davidson Eliminate Company staff positions Raise Tariff protection against global competitors Reduce Inventory levels Create JIT inventory practice Employee involvement Materials-As-Needed program When it came to improving the quality of the business Harley-Davidson eliminated the positions of senior vice president in marketing and operations because there was no value added. The style of leadership at the company was very effective because they were able to identify weak links in their operations and cut out the extra manpower that was muda. The company reduced inventory levels with the hope that it would make quality problems more apparent and force employees to take action. The tariff protection the company sought to gain time and protect itself from the Japanese inroads in the heavyweight segment was a leading factor that raised them above the industry standards. The company’s OWC that was created was the use of JIT inventory practices, employee involvement and the SOC (statistical operator control). Workers were required to participate in the newly formed circles that were made directly responsible for improving motorcycle quality. A Materials-As-Needed (MAN) program was implemented to free up, as much needed cash by reducing WIP inventory, which led to economies of scale and LC. These changes also led to increased quality. Productivity improvement went up by over 50%, WIP inventory was reduced by 75%, scrap and rework went down by 68%, U. S. revenues increased by over 80%, international revenues by 1. 7 times, operating profits increased by $59 million and market share in the heavyweight segment increased by 97%. Harley-Davidson’s net revenue increased from $1,350,466 in 1995 to $5,015,190 in 2004 in millions. Scenario 2: If product innovation increases it is likely that performances in other areas will increase as well. Product innovation is the new business imperative. It drives growth and future success for companies. Most companies are trapped competing in red oceans because they define their industry similarly, focus on the same buyer group, define the scope of the products and services offered by their industry similarly and they focus on the same point in time and often on current competitive threats in formulating strategies. However, Harley-Davidson has not followed these same guidelines, so they are not currently trapped in the red oceans. Harley-Davidson was selected as an outstanding corporate innovator by PDMA in 2003 (Product Development Management Association) because of its established brand, its strong connection with customers, and because of its continued commitment to product innovation. The company focuses on optimizing the â€Å"customer experience,† and as a company has grown from 40,000 units/year in 1998 to 264,000 units/year in 2002. Their use of multiple and novel venues to gather customer needs and preferences information to guide their new product efforts, while employing a formal Concurrent Product Process Delivery Methodology (CPPDM), has kept their new product engine running at peak efficiency. Several unique elements and concepts in their process such as â€Å"swirl,† â€Å"bins,† and â€Å"cadence,† ensure the degree of innovation, speed to market, match of development resources, and financial viability of individual projects as well as the entire new product portfolio. Scenario 3: If marketing increases performances in other areas is likely to increase as well. Marketing for any company in any industry is extremely important. How well a product/company is marketed leads to the success of that product/company. Blue oceans are defined by untapped market space, demand creation and the opportunity for highly profitable growth. In order to execute a blue ocean strategy market boundaries must be reconstructed and must reach beyond existing demand. This is in fact what Harley-Davidson did to create a blue ocean for itself and increase the brand name and company revenues simultaneously. The company’s three strategic constants: passion, sense of purpose and operational excellence are the cornerstone of their blue ocean strategy. There is no competition, as seen by being the only U. S. manufacturer for 46 years, and petition to end protective tariffs. All bikes are customizable, and some say that they are made to be tinkered with (not as hands-off as can be, therefore redefining premium brand). The company has a huge fan club and a phenomenally powerful brand and its quintessential strong emotional connection keeps them in the leadership position. Undoubtedly, Harley-Davidsons greatest marketing asset is the Harley Owners Group, with one million member’s world wide making it the largest motorcycle-sponsored club in the world. Harley-Davidson is continuing to improve value innovation by still focusing on beating the competition, making it irrelevant by creating a leap in value for buyers and their company by opening up a new and uncontested market space. They have done this with the implementation of their Rider’s Edge and Rental Programs. The rental program was implemented to hook customers and entice them to buy a Harley. This program is offered by 250 dealers and is available in 52 countries. Survey shows that 32% bought a bike or placed an order and another 37% planed to buy within one year. The Rider’s Edge Program offers riding lessons that last for four days and cost students $350. Approximately 70% of students in the program purchase a motorcycle within 18 months and about 40% of the students are women and 30% are under the age of 35. This buyer learning relationship created by Harley-Davidson has increased sales, new customers and targets the untapped market of women highly. This value innovation has led to LC for people who have learned to ride the motorcycles through the program and also to the instructors teaching the students. It has led to increased sales and revenues from the 70% of students that buy within 18 of completing the lessons. This continues to be a huge win for Harley-Davidson. V. Analyzing the industry structure that would prevail under each scenario McKinsey Model INDUSTRY ATTRACTIVENESS Competitor Profile WeightRateTotal Market Growth Rate. 102. 20 Marketing Size. 103. 30 Competitive Structure. 203. 60 Seasonal/Cyclical. 103. 30 Industry Profit. 102. 30 Tech Demand. 204. 80 Eco of Scale. 102. 20 Unique Social. 102. 20 TOTAL12. 90 Competitor Profile WeightRateTotal Market Share. 204. 80 Tech Strength. 203. 60 Marketing Skill. 203. 60 Company Profit. 102. 20 Management Skill. 102. 20 Ability to compete on price quality. 203. 60 TOTAL13. 00 9 Cell Matrix for Motorcycle Industry 2004 Competitor Profile Strong Average Weak HiIIE MedIE HOGD LowEDD HiMedLow I= Invest E= Evaluate D= Disinvest The next step in scenario planning is to analyze the implications of each scenario for competition. We will determine the future industry structure, implications for industry structural attractiveness and the sources of competitive advantage. The future growth is largely dependent upon its ability to develop and successfully introduce new, innovative and compliant products. In addition, it must comply with governmental laws and regulations that are subject to change and involve significant costs. Worldwide demand for motorcycles is forecasted to advance to 5. 2% annually to more than 35% million units in 2007, valued at $46 billion. Driven by increased income levels in emerging markets such as India, China, and Southeast Asia, demand for scooters, mopeds and light motorcycles will remain relatively strong, providing continued growth opportunities for motorcycle OEMs and suppliers. The market for large motorcycles will also remain strong, although some concerns regarding future demand have emerged due to the aging customer base and rising insurance costs, especially in the US and Europe. While growth prospects remain solid, especially when compared to the 2% annual growth experienced by the light vehicle industry, the industry will likely go through a restructuring phase in the future. Many of the small competitors will begin to exit the market. The intense focus on price in the Asia/Pacific region has caused Japanese OEMs to begin to abandon Japan as a production base in favor of lower cost hubs like China or Thailand. In China, for example, the largest motorcycle market and producer in unit terms, is rapidly transitioning away from motorcycle toward cars, and in the process overflowing the world market with motorcycle exports. In contrast, rising fuel prices and increasing restrictions on car uses are favoring motorcycles in developed markets. Two separate motorcycle markets exist. The first is centered in the industrialized Triad (US, Japan, Europe), where consumers who already have one or more vehicles see motorcycles as pleasure vehicles. These motorcycles tend to be larger, more powerful machines, which cost on average about $5,000 to $6,500. The other much larger market in unit terms is found in the emerging economies of the Asia/Pacific, where motorcycles are seen as primary family and work vehicles. These vehicles are cheaper, smaller and less powerful than Triad motorcycles. Motorcycles everywhere is being fractured down from, stricter emissions controls to noise limits, from land closures to exclusions from HOV lanes. The motorcycle industry has spent the last 10 years of convincing the public that motorcycles are a form of entertainment and not a form of transportation. The world has been changing with new issues and now advertising is geared toward qualities like dependability, practicality, technology, safety and environmental friendliness. Women control 85% of all the discretionary dollars spent in the US. Ten years ago women represented about 3% of the motorcycle owners. In 2004, they ramped up to 12% in motorcycles. Utilizing learning curve, dealers are beginning to understand their sales people can no longer talk down to a woman. Some have started to hire women as salespeople. Once only men staffed dealerships, women are showing up as techs, service writers, parts counter, and unit salespeople. The behavior has changed. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation conducts training for new motorcyclists. In 2003, they reported that 40% of those signing up for new classes are women. In the case of Harley-Davidson, the Harley rider is now 45 (10 years ago it was 37) and 20% of Harley riders are over 55. Despite the company’s success in the past 18 years, it has difficult time attracting younger consumers, who tend, to go for sporty, fast, technologically-savvy racing bikes produced by its competitors. Harley has been investing in its product to attract a younger buyer. It continues to revamp its affordable Sportster line and its higher-tech V-Rod family with liquid-cooled revolution engines continues to appeal to more youthful market. In addition, its sports bike subsidiary, Buell, is to lure in the Generation Y market. Growth in year-to-year sales was slow, but with the economic downturn in the market, sales in this market segment may increase due to the lower price point. These marketing challenges will force the company to examine their manufacturing, marketing, pricing and every other part of the business. For consumers, this will means better pricing, more value and greater service to attract their more discerning and selective purchase. The industries never stand still. Operations improve, markets expand and players enter and exit. VI. Determining the sources of competitive advantage under the most likely scenario The driving force behind Harley-Davidson’s competitive advantage is its quality, marketing and product innovation so we will determine the sources of competitive advantage in these forms. Quality Harley Davidson’s source of competitive advantage in regards to quality will most likely be its continued use of the productivity triad. Harley’s productivity triad involves employee involvement, use of JIT inventory practices (which Harley renamed MAN – Materials As Needed) and statistical operation control. Quality drives productivity and increased productivity is a source of greater revenue. This can be seen as under Harley’s new system inventory turn increased to 17 and productivity improvement went up by over 50%. This new system allowed Harley to free up cash by reducing its work in process inventory by 75%. This system proves that improved quality does not always mean increased cost because its costs decreased while its U.S. revenues increased by over 80%, international revenues by 1. 7 times, and operating profits increased by $59 million. Their market share under this new system had also increased by 97%. Quality is defined entirely by the customer and end user and based upon that person(s) evaluation of his or her entire customer experience. Through the use of the productivity triad, customer retention will increase as Harley Davidson continues to improve its entire customer experience from how their bikes are sold (utilizing women sales people to make women customers more comfortable), to how the bikes perform. The increased customer retention and productivity triad will result in a differentiation advantage over its competitors thus creating superior value to its customers and superior profits for itself. Harley was able to create a blue ocean by driving costs down while simultaneously driving value up for its consumers. Marketing Harley Davidson’s source of competitive advantage in regards to marketing will most likely be the continued use of its programs such as the Ladies of Harley, the Riders Edge and Rental Program. The Ladies of Harley group cultivates and will most likely continue to cultivate the interest of women riders. This group was sponsored by HOG to support women motorcycle enthusiasts, and to encourage women to become more active within the group. The Riders Edge program offers motorcycle-riding lessons that last for four days and cost students $350. Surveys show that 70% of Rider’s Edge participants purchase a motorcycle within 18 months. This program helps to target the women market (who makes up 40% of participants) and younger riders (30% of participants who were under 35). The future strategy of Harley is to gain market share in the younger rider segment, so it is likely to continue this program. Harley will most likely continue the use of its rental program, which is used to â€Å"hook† customers and entice them to buy a motorcycle. It is said that 32% of participants bought a bike or placed an order and another 37% planned to buy one within a year after renting a Harley. The company will most likely increase the number of dealerships the program is offered in, as it has demonstrated great success. This is a value added to the consumer who gets to experience the feel of a Harley before making an actual purchase, and a value added to the company because it almost guarantees future earnings. These programs will result in a differentiation advantage over its competitors. Product Innovation In regards to production innovation, Harley-Davidson will most likely continue with new product development and upgraded manufacturing technology. With many concerns with environmental health issues, Harley will most likely manufacture a Hybrid or economically friendly motorcycle to entice sales of future consumers who are concerned with environmental conservation and to appeal to current eco friendly consumers. Harley-Davidson’s resources and capabilities together form its distinctive competencies. These competencies enable innovation, efficiency, quality and customer retention, all of which could be leveraged to create a cost or differentiation advantage for the firm and thus creating value for its customers and profits for itself. Harley-Davidson has created a strong differentiation strategy setting itself apart from the crowd and making its brand identity legendary. On the next page, you will find a competitive analysis of Harley-Davidson to one of its existing competitors, Honda. Competitive Analysis HARLEY DAVIDSON HONDA Future Goals? Produce and sale high quality motorcycles. ?Maintain market share. ?Replace some of aging boomer customers by tapping into the youth market. ?Address shifting demographics. ?To make cycles more popular. ?Strengthen themselves as a manufacturing company. ?Strengthen focus on initiatives, quality and technology. Current Strategy? Maintain current growth in traditional segments while taking measures to reach younger customers. ?Keep up with trends and customer needs. ?Increase product line of accessory and apparel. ?Provide motorcycles accessories and services to selected niches? Maintain global viewpoint. ?Supplying products with high quality at a reasonable price. ?To create new technology that offers new possibilities in mobility. Assumptions ?Harley would not be able to maintain ?Market for Harley-Davidson products may be maturing. ?Baby-boomers were aging and may not want to ride motorcycles anymore. ?Boomers will ride into their late 60 and 70’s. ?Manufacturers are more skilled at mass-producing motorcycles efficiently. ?Will continue to be more technically advanced in the industry. CapabilitiesStrengths ?Renewed RD expenditure.? Strong brand identity and loyalty. ?Boomers are living more of an active lifestyle. ?Productivity triad. Weakness ?Some bikes are too expensive for younger consumers. ?Close association with baby boomers. Strengths ?Strong technical advances. ?Have a stronger brand with the younger generation. ?Caters to younger buyers with smaller budgets. Weakness ?Does not have an association with baby boomers who are expected to ride longer. Market Share Harley Davidson maintains a large margin in its dominance in the U. S. Heavyweight Motorcycle market as compared to its major competitors. 2003 2007 US Heavyweight Market ShareUS Market Share 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 Harley-Davidson 49. 4% 50% 49. 6% 50. 2% 50. 3% Honda 14. 2 15. 1 16. 6 18. 7 18. 4 Suzuki 12. 5 12. 9 12. 4 10. 2 9. 8 Yamaha 9. 2 8. 6 8. 9 8. 7 8. 5 Kawasaki 7. 2 6. 8 6. 5 6. 4 6. 7 However, Harley’s international market share is slightly smaller. For instance, the company has a 38. 4% Canadian market share and a 10. 2% market share in Europe as of 2006. Notably, both of those markets are substantially smaller than the US market. Nonetheless, Harley has a dominant worldwide market share of 33% in what is a growing industry. Operating Metrics Several operating metrics are useful in understanding the company’s position vis-a-vis its largest competitor. Honda’s figures are for its motorcycle business only. Please see chart on next page. 2006 Operating MetricsOperating Metrics Harley-Davidson Honda Units Sold 361 103 Units Sold per Employee 35. 4 3. 6 Revenue per Employee (USD) 637,881 356,746 Operating Margin(%) 27. 5 9. 2 CapEx as % of Sales 3. 8% 4. 2% While the company’s competitors, notably Honda Motor Company (HMC) and Suzuki, do not have as dominant a market position, they often have greater financial resources. This is largely because companies like Honda have more diverse product lines (like cars), and are greater in size than Harley-Davidson, a far more specialized company. For example, motorcycle sales at the company’s largest competitor, Honda, hover around 12% of total revenue. Revenue by Region While around 80% of the Harley Davidson’s sales still occur in the United States, its international segments are growing quickly, and the company is pursuing opportunities for gaining market share abroad resulting in value added. This can prove important to the company, as market share has begun to stabilize in the US due to saturation of this market. 12 Month Harley-Davidson Stock Analysis The chart above shows that it has definitely been a tough 12 months for Harley-Davidson stock and it is undoubtedly being affected by the economy. VII. Predicting competitor behavior under each scenario Introduction of competitor behavior In 2007, Sales in the motorcycle industry failed to increase after 14 consecutive years of gains and were lower than in 2006. For Harley-Davidson, revenues declined 1. 3% and earnings declined 4. 3% 2007. In preparation for the affects of a slowing American economy, the firms largest market, Harley cut production and shipment of its motorcycles in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2007. However, on the up side, the motorcycle industry sales in 2007 were over the 1 million mark for the 5th straight year. Battery and tire sales indicate that ridership and enthusiasm for the sport remain high. Quality The competition will continue to manufacturer new models and invest in quality improvement; however, they will focus on supplying products with high quality at a reasonable price. In addition, they will strive to further improve JIT inventory practices and statistical operation control. Quality drives productivity and increased productivity is a source of greater revenue. Marketing The competition will market their brand with the younger generation. It will cater to younger buyers with smaller budgets. The aim to attract the younger target market and compete on price. Furthermore, create bikes that are cheaper and faster that appeal to this market. In addition, the current success that Harley has had with the rental’s, and the rider’s edge program will most likely be emulated by the players in the industry. Product Innovation The competition will continue to invest in product innovation that will appeal to the younger generation in design and price points. They will continue to create new technology that will offer new possibilities in mobility. Conclusion: Harley-Davidson has developed a blue ocean strategy by fulfilling dreams through the experience of motorcycling. All bikes are customizable and have developed a huge fan club and a phenomenally powerful brand with emotional connection and loyalty. This loyalty will be crucial to the company’s success going forward, and Harley will depend upon duplicating this success  internationally to fuel growth. Despite the fact that due to economic issues, in the motorcycle industry sales have been down and cost up, we expect that Harley-Davidson will continue to invest in quality improvement, marketing strategy and product innovation in order to remain competitive in the industry and achieve economies of scale. Harley-Davidson will continue to manufacturer new models and invest in quality improvement however; they will do it with increasing cost pressures. The dollar has lost 26% of its value against the euro and 11% of its value against the yen since March 2003. Escalating cost for the metals, plastics and other commodities used to manufacture motorcycles and the fuel needed to transport foreign models to the U. S. market, has resulted in price pressures for the European and Japanese manufacturers in particular. Harley will need to look to further cut manufacturing costs, (lean manufacturing) rather than raise retail prices for consumers who, in the U. S. , are continuing to tighten their belts. Harley-Davidson will continue to invest in marketing. Through marketing efforts the company will look to increase its current loyalty program but also duplicate this success internationally to fuel growth. The company’s customers tend to be fiercely loyal to the brand, which has helped to drive consistent growth over the past 20 years while making the company the premier name in its industry. In addition, since the company’s core consumer group is aging, it will target women and the younger generation of motorcycle enthusiasts. In order to appeal to this group, the company will continue to use the HOG and riders edge program. Furthermore, the company will continue to revamp its affordable Sportster line and its higher-tech V-Rod family with liquid-cooled revolution engines and its subsidiary, Buell, in order to lure in the Generation Y market. However, it should be noted that in marketing to this new segment, it will lead to the red ocean scenario again and companies will compete at the same level within the industry. The company will also have an opportunity to increase marketing in the international markets. While around 80% of the Harley Davidson’s sales still occur in the United States, its international segments are growing quickly, and the company will have an opportunity to market to these segments in order to gain market share abroad resulting in value added. This can prove important to the company, as market share has begun to stabilize in the US due to saturation of this market. Harley-Davidson will also continue to invest in product innovation. In order to increase its customer base, the company will focus more on fuel efficiency transportation oriented models in the coming years. With many concerns with environmental health issues, the company will most likely manufacture a Hybrid or an economically friendly motorcycle to entice sales of future consumers who are concerned with environmental conservation and to appeal to current eco friendly consumers.

Sentence Structure Essay Example for Free

Sentence Structure Essay In constructing a sentence, the writer brings about what he has in mind. However, it is not pleasant for the part of the reader to read a sentence where the words contained don’t relate with each other. Construction involves right sentence order, right structure and clarity. Verb tenses determine if an action was taken at the past, is being taken at the present, and will be taken in the future. â€Å"At the time the celebrity went up the stage, the crowd cheers with such joy† has an inconsistent tense since the first phrase indicated a past tense. At the time the celebrity went up the stage, the crowd cheered with such joy† has a correct construction. â€Å"They must reflect actual changes in time. † (Aaron, 2007, p. 209) A mood is a form of verb that tells whether the speaker is stating a fact or asking a question (indicative), making a request/command (imperative), or expressing a supposition/suggestion or condition that is contrary to a fact (subjunctive). Shifts in mood, usually in imperative form, don’t make any consistency. â€Å"Open the seal completely, and shake it well before using† gives a complete instruction to be done. The voice of the verb determines the activity of the subject. In the active voice, the subject is the doer; while in passive voice, it receives the action done by another object. â€Å"Water gives food for the plants; refreshment for people is given by water† is inconsistent. â€Å"Water gives food for the plants and refreshment for people† is correct since they are both in active voice. Verb tenses, mood and voice must be consistent in their form throughout the whole sentence to avoid confusion and provide clarity.

Self Efficacy In Writing Performance Psychology Essay

Self Efficacy In Writing Performance Psychology Essay Writing, is a complex process and competent writing is frequently accepted as being the last language skill to be acquired. Al-Mekhlafi, 2011 Due to its complex process, writing is regarded as a challenging task not only for native speakers of a language but also for second language learners. As it is the case for any other acquired skill, writing skill also evolves continuously until the product, a piece of writing, meets the expectations of both the writer and reader. However, when it comes to learning how to apply certain conventions of writing in a formal learning environment, the role and responsibility of the learner becomes even more important. As cited in Sheila Matoti and Almon Shumba (2011), writing problems identified by previous studies are grammar, spelling, punctuation, expression, and the ability to explain, structure and interpret facts as well as vocabulary and referencing. Although it can be claimed that the problems listed above can be fixed, to a certain extent, through formal instruction and learners effort, it is a fact that having some sort of knowledge about ones capabilities and skills can indeed play an important role in motivating human behaviours. (Bandura,1986) According to Banduras Social Cognitive Theory, individuals possess a system of self-beliefs that enables them to exercise control over their thoughts, feelings, and actions. (as cited in Garcia Fidalgo,2008, Rahimpour Jahan, 2010, Al-Mekhlafi, 2011, Shah et al. 2011, Galligan ,2011, Alexander Schmidt, 2012). Broaddus (2012) explained that social cognitive theory forms the roots of both writing self-efficacy and motivation both of which change from course to course, depending on students interest, efficacy for performing tasks in the course, and other social and environmental factors. In other words, learners may create their own path of learning through engaging themselves in tasks. Therefore, students set their goals for learning a specific subject. Self-efficacy is a construct proposed by Bandura (1977) and has been tested in a variety of fields, focusing on a variety of topics. Broaddus (2012) and Bong (1999) define self-efficacy as peoples convictions about their own capability for successfully executing a course of action that leads to a desired outcome. Schmidt and Alexander (2012) argued that self efficacy is not only a current but also future disposition requiring learners or participants in a research to evaluate their beliefs in their future abilities. Therefore, self-efficacy requires self-evaluation, about what one can do and what can be improved. As well as self-evaluation, there are two more factors affecting self-efficacy: modeling (coaching) such as coding the information for retention, being capable of producing the presented patterns, and maintaining a certain level of motivation; goal setting, such as acquiring skills and knowledge or making good grades. (Schunk, 2003). When considered specifically for the writing ability, writing self-efficacy translates into a strong sense of confidence for the task of writing.( Pajares Valiante,1997). In other words, once learners have sufficient self-belief in their ability to write in their second language, their interest in writing may increase, they may display constant efforts, and great eagerness and resiliency when they are working on a writing task. In his study conducted in 2012, Broaddus concluded that journalism course students who hold high self-efficacy for grammar have put more effort into their time management and environmental resources while studying and it was found that these high efficacy attitude towards grammar resulted in better grammar skills. This was interpreted as these students determine where the challenge or obstacle related to the task lies and they develop strategies so as to succeed in their writing assignments. Garcia and Fidalgo stated in their 2008 study that in difficult tasks such as writing which includes many recursively employed cognitive processes, self-efficacy plays a the key role. While acquiring writing skills, students need to use their cognitive, behavioral and motivational engagement and learning. Recently, an enormous amount of research has been done on the writing composition proceses that student writers undertake(Erkan Saban, 2011). Although writing instruction has gone through numerous changes, according to an action research carried out by Yavuz and Genà § ( 1998), students tend to display negative attitudes towards writing. Yavuz and Genà § (1998) concluded their research findings as, for students writing is an obligation in order to pass final exam. Erkan and Saban (2004) suggest that this attitude can be interpreted as students apprehension and lack of self-efficacy in writing. The reason for students apprehension and lack of self efficacy may be due to limited time allocated for writing practice in classes. As cited in Leki and Carson (1994), according to the results of structured interviews of a study, university students who completed language courses in intensive English program at five different university reported that they only spent 10 % of their time on writing assignments across the curriculum. However, it should be noted that in order to succeed in their academic studies, second language learners, especially the students at universities are required to gain a certain ability to write well since writing is integral to academic success.Although the time spared for writing practice may not always be possible, the use of a variety of writing assignments, with clear, concise evalution criteria, could help student writers in the development of their self-efficacy while dealing with a writing task. (Broaddus, 2012) When examined specifically, Turkish students practising the conventions of writing in English, even students who are proficient at other language skills share the same problems with writing: they are afraid to make writing errors; they lack self-efficacy in writing.(Erkan Saban, 2011)In her study, Erkan concluded , similar to previous research findings, it was confirmed that the degree of students negative attitude, writing apprehension, does affect Turkish Tertiary level students writing performance. In other words, the higher the apprehension, the weaker the writing skills / performance. This aspect of Erkans study, one that specifically looks at relationships between writing apprehension and writing performance, is an expansion in the research area since the number of studies conducted to investigate second language learners wiriting apprehension is very few. However, as cited in Garcia and Fidalgo (2008), Bandura maintained that misjudgement in ones beliefs about potential performance may be detrimental, which is proved by some research that it can be prevalent in writing classes. Although there is a great number of research examining the relationship between self-efficacy,to the best knowledge of the researchers Rahimpour and Jahan, there is no research on relationship between general self-efficacy and writing (Rahimpour and Jahan, 2010). Rahimpour and Jahan claimed that all the previous research mainly focused on the investigation of self-efficacy among groups with a very limited range of proficiency. Therefore, Rahimpour and Jahan determined their research area as the impact of self-efficacy and proficiency on EFL learners written task performance regarding load, fluency, complexity, and accuracy. The participants chosen were low-proficiency and high-proficiency learners of English aged between 18-25. In addition to completing three separate tasks, the participants were asked to fill out the General Perceived Self-Efficacy questionnaire, through which the participants level of confidence was aimed to rate. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between self-efficacy and personal tasks in terms of concept load in high proficieny participants; however, there was not a significant relationship when it came to fluency, complexity, and accuracy only for low but also high proficieny participants performance. Another area of research on self-efficacy is related to help seeking which is recognized as a component of self-efficacy. Help seeking is comprised of two types of behaviour: adaptive and nonadaptive behaviours. (as cited in Williams Takaku, 2011) Various studies yielded significant correlations between self-efficacy and help seeking. Williams and Takaku cited that while high self-efficacy students tend to express high help seeking behaviour, low self-efficacy students, despite being under similar circumstances, less willing to seek help. It is commonly accepted by researchers in the field that just as help seeking, self-efficacy belief has been found to be a predictor of academic success. In addition to their teachers, most students may seek help at writing centers remedial courses in the institutions they attend. Writing centers have been proved to be helpful when it comes to improving students writing performance. Williams and Takaku (2011) hypothesized that writing self-efficacy would influence writing performance. The participants of the study were both native and nonnative university students who attended a one semester intensive writing course for all content areas. In contrast to the researchers anticipation, the analysis showed that the frequent visitors to writing center in order to receive professional assistance from the writng center staff, managed to get higher grades than the ones who did not. What makes the results of the study more noteworthy is the fact that these results apply for both ESL learners and native-English- speakers. When the results are generalized, it can be argued that when appropriate assistance is provided, every student practising the conventions of writing can improve himself or herself. A study carried out ,by Shah,Wan Mahmoud, Din,Yusof, Pardi in 2011 with Malaysian secondary school learners in order to determine the students self-efficacy in writing. The results indicated that there is ,indeed, a large, significant positive correlation between self-efficacy and writing performance. That is, it was,again, confirmed that learners with high self-efficacy tend to pursue opportunities to write, put more effort into writing, and be more persistent in seeking writing competence. Another research conducted by Early and De Costa-Smith, in 2011, confirmed Banduras social cognitive theory. To put it differently, self-efficacy beliefs can be developed by mastery experience, social models and lived experiences, and social persuasion. The impact of multiple opportunities to practice any genre, along with peer and teacher feedback and interaction during the intervention may play a key role on the increase in students self-efficacy beliefs related to the genre. All in all, while strong efficacy leads to success, overly high or low efficacy can undermine the proper development of cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral skills. (Broaddus, 2012) On the other hand, Igo (2002) asserted that the students overestimated their self-efficacy because of several reasons, namely, high school teachers failure to provide appropiate and correctional feedback, the teachers negligence of promoting the importance of producing good work, and teachers overappraisal of mere student participation in the writing process. Conversely, when individuals see that another person, in our context a classmate, performing a desired task, self efficacy believes are positively affected. To pplace this into the context of university English preparatory school classrooms, when a student witnesses that a friend of his or her succeeds in writing a well-organized essay, he or she may be more willing to try writing an essay on his own. As Broaddus (2012) cited observers self-efficacy beliefs would be reduced if they see their peers repeatedly fail to accomplish a required task. Whether high or low, self-efficacy in writing has a crucial role in students writing performance. Broaddus (2012) cites from Bandura (1997) and draws our attention to environmental context and says that it often affects efficacy. In a formal language learning environment where there is only limited time can be allocated to writing, it is an undeniable fact that determining students with low self-efficacy and assisting these students while they are developing their writing skills is highly important. Instructors should not only provide the standard techniques of writing and provide corrective feedback on vocabulary and grammar but also provide one-to-one assistance whenever their students seek help. The amount of assistance provided by teachers should also have limits. As cited in Broaddus (2012), Bandura (1997) says Successes achieved with external assistance carry little efficacy value because they are likely to be credited to external aids rather than to personal capabilities METHOD Participants Participants were 20 Turkish learners of English at a preparatory school of an English medium university, Turkey. The participants initially took a standard language proficiency test prepared by the preparatory school testing office. The proficiency test consisted of 80 four-option multiple choice questions before the semester started. The multiple choice items aimed to test the students level of grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension abilities, The passing grade for the proficiency test was determined as 60.The students who got lower than 60 took the placement test consisting of 80 questions. The students were also required to write an essay on a topic provided by the testing office after completing the multiple choice section. According to the placement test scores, the students were placed in three different levels-A, B, and C levels. The intermediate level students were placed in A level classes. In other words, the participants can understand and speak English with some confidence and they have the grammar and the vocabulary to talk and read about a wide number of subjects. Moreover, they can assess and consciously improve their own pronunciation. They have studied all the main tenses and can confidently make sentences, question forms and clauses in all of them. However, intermediate students are only in the beginning phase of improving their use of phrasal verbs and modal verbs. On the other hand, intermediate level is equivalent to IELTS score 4.5 5.5, TOEFL IBT score 55, TOEIC score 450 650, Cambridge PET. Out of 20 participants, there were only 3 students who were private high school graduates. In Turkey, private high schools English curriculum is more intense when compared to state schools English curriculum. Both males and females were involved in the study. They ranged in age from 18 to 20. Instrument The questionnaire administered in the study was developed for the purpose of assessing international students in Marquette University, U.S.A. Marquette University is a private university in Milwaukee, U.S.A. The development of the questionnaire was one of the four assessment areas that Marquette university aimed to assess the four advanced ESL academic bridge courses, one of which focused on international students efficacy in their writing performance. The original questionnaire is a 36-item self-assessment scale to grade the strength of participants belief, or self-efficacy, in their writing performance. However, the questionnaire used to investigate the relationship between students self-report on their writing efficacy and their writing performance is a 20-item questionnaire. The reason why the original questionnaire was not used in the current study was the fact that some of the items did not serve the purpose of the study. The adopted writing efficacy questionnaire features 20 i tems with positive polarity (I canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦).The instrument of 20 item questionnaire was used to assess students self- efficacy beliefs related to the skills needed in different essay organizations and other factors that determine students writing performance as successful or unsuccessful. Some of the investigated factors through the questionnaire are brainstorming, outlining, as well as their self- efficacy in terms of grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. Level of efficacy in writing ability was measured on a five point- likert scale included the responses (usually not true of me, somewhat true of me, usually true of me, always or almost always true of me). The questionnaire will be used as the independent variable when the relationship between self-efficacy and writing scores is investigated. Procedure Questionnaire is distributed to participants at the beginning of the semester as a self-completing questioonnaire. Since they were not received any writing instructions before the semester, it is assumed that this questionnaire served to measure their self-efficacy without any intervention of teacher. During the semester, they learned basics of essay writing such as paragraph organization, thesis statement and some grammar backup. Quiz scores which will be used as the dependent variable in my essay are based on the Second Quiz, took after XXXXXXX which constitutes 20% percent of the midterm grade. Findings Self-Efficacy of Participants Table 1. Mean Standard Deviation Coefficient of Variation item3 topic sentence 3,75 0,64 0,17 item11 clear thesis statement 3,75 0,79 0,21 item20 using my independent thinking 3,70 0,66 0,18 item14 effectively brainstorm 3,65 0,81 0,22 item9 support /develop main point 3,60 0,60 0,17 item1 summary 3,50 0,61 0,17 item8 spell, capital, punctuation 3,45 0,83 0,24 item13 a good conclusion 3,45 0,76 0,22 item17 wording, gram., pun,spelling 3,40 0,88 0,26 item15 outline to logically organize 3,40 0,75 0,22 item10 a good introduction 3,40 0,82 0,24 item7 various sent.structures 3,35 0,59 0,18 item6 vocab/ word forms 3,25 0,55 0,17 item4 paragraph organization 3,15 0,67 0,21 item18 effectively write under time constraints 3,13 0,56 0,18 item16 revise to improve dev. org. 3,05 0,69 0,23 item19 write quickly in English 2,95 1,03 0,35 item2 paragraph 2,95 0,51 0,17 item12 different types of organization 2,85 0,93 0,33 item5 academic style tone 2,58 0,67 0,26 Above table shows descriptive statistics of items used in the questionnaire. Since the questionnaire is composed of Likert scale questions, 1 stands for the lowest score and 5 is the highest possible score. According to this table, participants self-efficacy is relatively high in items like topic sentence, clear thesis statement, using my independent thinking, effectively brainstorm and support/develop main point where average scores are above 3,50 over 5. Their weakest points are stated as academic styletone, different types of organization, paragraph and write quickly in English, where averages are below 3 over 5. Generally speaking, participants seem to be confident in idea development and they feel themselves relatively weaker in the structural aspects such as academic style and tone. Coefficient of variations, calculated by dividing standard deviation to mean for each items show how responses are dispersed in each item. Highest dispersion is observed on item19, write quickly in English and on item12, which measures self-perception about the ability to use different types of organization, both coefficient of variations are above 0,34. Lowest scores are observed on these items topic sentence, support/develop main point, summary, vocab/word forms and paragraph, all of them are 0,17. Descriptive statistics give some hints about overall level of self-efficacy of participants, and it is almost sure that this is not something uni-dimensional. However a multivariate analysis is beyond the limits of this essay and number of cases is very small to conduct further analyses. Consequently remaining parts of this essay will be based on the assumption that self-efficacy is uni-dimensional, something possible to measure in a single dimension. Efficacy scores of respondents are calculated on their raw scores obtained by using above described self-efficacy questionnaire. Total efficacy score is calculated by using a simple summation of responses. Theoretical maximum score is 100 showing the highest self-efficacy score, and minimum theoretical score is 20, indicating that respondent stated him/herself on the lowest end in each question. Table . Descriptives of Self Efficacy Scores Average Std. Dev. Min. Max. Efficacy 66,15 7,34 53 86 Descriptive statistics are presented above. Mean self-efficacy score is 66,15 with a standard deviation of 7,34. Coefficient of variation (V) is 0,11, indicating a low level of variation. Minimum score is 53, which is above theoretical minimum and observed maximum 86 is below theoretical maximum. These findings show that scores are located between 60 and 90. In order to facilitate interpretation of analyses, all raw scores are transformed to standardized (Z) scores. Newly created self-efficacy scores have a mean of 0 and standard deviation of 1. Distribution of this new scores are presented in the below histogram. Although number of participants is limited (we have only 20 cases), this distribution is very close to be normally distributed. Figure . Histogram of Standardized Self Efficacy Scores Measurement of Academic Performance: Quiz Scores It is so far argued that quiz scores are used to measure academic performance of participants. Quiz scores are graded over 100. Table . Descriptives of Quiz Scores Average Std. Dev. Min. Max. Cause and Effect Quiz Scores 60,05 7,78 52 83 Above table shows that average quiz score is 60, and standard deviation is 7,78. If we consider that range between minimum and maximum scores is only 31, it is possible to conclude that quiz scores are relatively less dispersed. Correlation Analysis Our expectation is that academic performance of students is correlated with their self efficacy. As one students is more confident about his/her efficacy, it is expected that he/she performs better in courses; and as he/she performas better academically; his/her self efficacy increases. Since direction of causality is not clear; correlation analysis is the best tool to present the nature of the relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance. In our cases, self-efficacy of participants are measured by using a self completed questionnaire and their self efficacy scores are calculated based on their answers; meanwhile their quiz scores are accepted as indicators of their academic performance. Table . Correlation Analysis Compare and Contrast Quiz Self Efficacy 0,60 Above table shows that correlation coefficient between self efficacy and compare and contrast quiz scores is 0.60. Correlation coefficient is a score located between -1 and 1, where -1 stands for perfect negative correlation and 1 stands for perfect positive correlation. As this coefficient comes closer to 0, it shows that power of relationship is relatively week, if it is 0, it means that there is no relationship between examined variables. A correlation coefficient of 0.60 means that there is a positive correlation between self efficacy of participants and their academic performance, a finding not falsifying our expectations. If we emphasize on the strength of this relationship, 0.60 shows a more than moderate relationship between our two variables. This finding shows that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy of participants and their academic performance. As ones self efficacy increases, his/her academic performance also increases; and since correlation coefficient is a symmetrical measure; this finding also shows that as ones academic performance increases; his/her self-efficacy also increases. Although the measurement of self-efficacy precedes the measurement of academic performance; it is not sufficient to talk about a causal relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance; because self-efficacy of participants most probably affected by their previous academic performance, such as their performance in the high school or other exams they attended. Consequently accepting self-efficacy scores as an indicator of academic performance is a less risky choice compared to using them to forecast future academic success. In order to make such a forecasting, we need much more detailed measurement of academic performance and self-efficacy and higher number of respondents. Anova Test A further analysis is conducted to see whether there is a significant difference between students, based on their self-efficacy scores. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is preferred because it allows us to test statistical significance of an intervening factor on a dependent variable. We expect that students having high level of self-efficacy are more successful in academic terms. Above discussed measurement of self-efficacy is accepted as the independent variable and Quiz Scores are dependent. Since self-efficacy is an interval level variable, recoding these scores to a nominal level variable is needed. It is preferred to use standardized self-efficacy scores to facilitate interpretation. Standardized self-efficacy scores are recoded as follows: Those having a score less than 0 are recoded as low efficacy and those having a score less than or equal to 0 are accepted as high efficacy. 12 students are categorized as low-efficacy students and 8 are grouped as high efficacy students. Table . Descriptives of Quiz Scores according to the Level of Self Efficacy Average Std. Dev. Std. Error N Low Self Efficacy 57.33 3.45 0.995 12 High Self Efficacy 64.13 10.7 3.772 8 Total 60.05 7.78 1.739 20 Descriptive statistics of both groups are presented above. It is known that overall average of quiz scores is 60.05 with a standard deviation of 7.78. Students with low self-efficacy scores have an average of 57.33 and standard deviation of this group is 3.45. Meanwhile, students having high self-efficacy scores are also more successful in quizzes, their average is 64.13. At this point, we need to consider that standard deviation of these students is very high, 10.7; compared to other students. Table . ANOVA Results Sum of Squares Df. Mean Square F. Sig. Low Self Efficacy 221.41 1 221.41 4.30 0.05 High Self Efficacy 927.54 18 51.53 Total 1148.95 19 Above presented results of ANOVA shows that difference between average quiz scores of low self-efficacy and high self-efficacy students is statistically significant. F score is 4.3 and this score is statistically significant at 0.05 level. Thus, we can falsify our hypothesis that group means are equal, meaning that students with high self-efficacy scores have higher scores in the Quiz, than students with low self-efficacy scores. Similar to correlation analysis, ANOVA analysis does not allow us to make generalizations about the causal relationship between self-efficacy of students and their academic performance. However, it is clear that there is a statistically significant difference between these two groups of students. I believe that causal relationship has to elaborated by using more sophisticated data analysis tools and using these instruments with higher number of participants. DISCUSSION This essay targeted to discover whether there is a relationship between students perceptions about their efficacy in the English language and their academic performance. Literature review led us to think that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy scores of students and their academic performance. There are a lot of reasons of this relationship discussed in details in literature review section of the essay. Our hypothetical expectation is that as self-efficacy scores of students increase, their academic performance in writing also increases. Since this relationship is recursive, meaning that self- efficacy leads to better performance in exams and better performance may also lead to higher self-efficacy, causal relationship wont be tested in this essay. In order to measure self-efficacy of students, an adopted version of the questionnaire developed by the Marquette University has been used with 20 students at the beginning of semester. Original questionnaire was shortened to limit it with writing related items. By using these questionnaires, an index of self-efficacy is calculated and standardized. Meanwhile academic performance of students are measured with their grades in a Quiz held on XXXth week of the semester. Correlation analysis showed that there is a positive correlation between self-efficacy of students and their academic performance. With a coefficient of 0.60, this relationship seems to be moderately powerful. As a result of restrictions of correlation analysis, it is not possible to understand direction of causality between these two variables. My second analysis also showed that difference between mean quiz scores of students with high and low level of self-efficacy is statistically significant. Standardized self-efficacy scores are transformed to a binary variable. ANOVA showed that these two groups have different mean quiz scores and this difference is statistically significant. While correlation analysis showed that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy scores and academic performance; ANOVA results presented that students having high and low level self-efficacy scores have different quiz scores. Both findings indicate that self-efficacy scores matter. It is so far argued that these findings cannot give any idea about direction of causality, since relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance is recursive. However, my analyses presented the existence of a relationship and it deserves further discussion. It is possible to repeat this exercise with a larger sample and to prevent a possible falsification of hypotheses as a result of small sample size. Questionnaire revised to measure self-efficacy may be refined and developed to make a better measurement of this concept. Fu