The Shack By William P. Young - 1508 Words

In 2007, an incredible book was published. William P. Young wrote The Shack with the intention of just giving it to friends, and close family, but then hose people wanted to share it with their friends. He took the book to over twenty publishing companies, and the all turned it down, and so Young eventually decided to self publish his book. He ended up selling over a million copies of his book from his garage. The book has won many awards, and is now being made into a movie. In The Shack, William P. Young uses incredible imagery to turn a shack from something dreadful and tragic to something beautiful and heavenly. The many different settings within the book impact the main character to help him overcome obstacles and strengthen his†¦show more content†¦Mack found this very strange, seeing as how he hadn’t seen his father since he was thirteen, and Papa had been the name that his wife had used when referring to God. He knew that this was either a cruel joke, or he had just received a letter from god. Mack goes to the Shack without telling anyone except his best friend. When he arrives, he doesn’t find anyone there. Just as he’s about to leave, something happens, and the unclean old shack turns into a beautiful log cabin. He goes inside and is greeted by three people. The first one calls herself Elouisa, but is called papa throughout the rest of the book. He then meets Jesus, and lastly he meets Sarayu. These three people represent the Holy Trinity, The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Mack spends the weekend with the three and learns so much about them, as well as about himself. In the book, Mack describes what he calls â€Å"the great sadness.† This is basically the depression that Mack goes into after the death and disappearance of his daughter. He creates a very dark and depressing setting for the readers, but of course that’s to be expected after the death of his six-year-old daughter. This affects how Mack lives his day to day life, and how much effort he puts into his relationships. Mack loves his family, but he blames himself for the death of his daughter. Mack brings up the great sadness multiple times

The s Mother, Kine Thiam - 959 Words

Born as Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, â€Å"Akon† was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 16, 1973, the son of Senegalese parents who traveled to the United States for his birth in order to ensure that future immigration would not be a problem for them. His family returned to Dakar, Senegal, in West Africa, when Akon was young and lived there until he was seven years old, when they moved back to the United States. He had a difficult time adjusting to life in the United States. Akon’s mother, Kine Thiam, is a dancer; his father, Mor Thiam, whom is a well-known as a jazz percussionist. From Akon’s influence from his parent, Akon had a strong love for music from an early age. After growing up in Jersey City, New Jersey, Akon began singing and performing as a teenager. Surrounded by music at home, Akon developed an early appreciation of various types of music, and he grasped influence from Stevie Wonder and Phil Collins to Steely Dan. As a teenager he grew to love hip-hop music, and he began writing songs, blending RB lyrics with hip-hop beat structures. Though he showed an early musical talent, Akon did not believe he would succeed as a recording artist, and at a young age he turned to crime to make ends meet such as: gang banging and drug procession. After dropping out of high school, Akon moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he specialized in stealing high end automobiles, selling them, selling drugs, and gun activities. After multiple attempts of auto theft, his criminal

Parenting Teenagers Essay Example For Students

Parenting Teenagers Essay Parenting Teenagers Essay can be a difficult thing, but it doesnt have to be if it is approached correctly. There are four major parts in parenting. These are: education, discipline, communication, and letting go. Each of these is an equally essential part of the Researchers and scholars have marked adolescence as a very important period in human development- the fork in the road which forever shapes an individuals- and mankinds- destiny. Adolescence is the a period when a child begins to become an adult. During this time, the adolescent starts to develop the personality and character that will stay with them for the rest of his or her life. According to Terry Miller, adolescence is a time when a young person decides what path they will take with his or her life. It is a very important time when their life has a turning point and his or her future is redirected and established. He says that, it only seems logical that a lot of thinking and planning would go into this time of adolescence to reinforce a positive self image that is so important to have for growth. Instead, a lot of parents and teachers arent ready to help guide these budding personalities. Maybe they are ignorant or just dreading this confusing, rebellious stage. But they are using techniques to deal with teens instead of helping them. This usually doesnt let teens maximize the huge potential that adolescence Raising children to have good morals and high values will help in almost every aspect of parenting. It will also help the children in almost every aspect of his or her life. Dr. James Dobson, a famous family psychologist, says that religion is the best way to instill these traits. Although some children dont appreciate being told exactly what to believe, they dont want religion forced down their throats. Children want to be given a choice in what they are going to believe. But if the early exposure has been conducted properly, they will have an inner mainstay to stand by them. That early indoctrination then is the key to the spiritual attitudes they will carry into adulthood. Even if the child doesnt choose to believe the what the parents believe, the child should still have to participate in the religious activities of the family as long as he or she is living under the parents roof. However, the teenager should not be forced to carry the same beliefs (55). Dobson points out that a teenager is subjected to all of his parents ideas, beliefs, and attitudes, which is good. It is the parents God- given responsibility to train their child the best that they can. But there has to come a point where the child takes the things that his parents have taught him and either accept them as the truth or rejects them as false. If that personal evaluation never comes, then the adolescent fails to span the gap between what Ive been told versus What I believe. This is one of the most important bridges leading from childhood to adulthood (54). Disciplining teenagers can be a very hard thing to do. To make the consequence reasonable enough to teach the lesson, but not so harsh that it will cause long term feelings of resentment. According to Dr. Lee Hausner, there are four main steps in disciplining a teenager. He says for the first step that discipline should start at a young age, because if it doesnt it will be nearly impossible to do it when the teenage years come. Secondly, Hausner says that a parent needs to be specific. This is done by clearly defining the behavior that they expect and the consequences that will follow if the rules are broken. The third step is for when the rules are broken, to be sure that the consequences are connected with the activity in some way. .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 , .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .postImageUrl , .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 , .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:hover , .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:visited , .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:active { border:0!important; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:active , .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015 .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u21c239d353bbf24b48f4c52673771015:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Advantages Of Balanced Scorecard Accounting Essay The fourth guideline to follow when dealing with discipline issues is to have a list of four or five major rules that must be followed. These rules should thing that are really important, dont worry about the type of clothes that they wear or how loud that they play their music (1). Communication, in my opinion, is the most important tool a parent can have with their teen. It is the key in almost every aspect of parenting. Not only is it a necessity in parenting, but it also will develop a frienship that can last a lifetime. Without communication parenting a teenager .

Case Study of Harley

Introduction Harley-Davidson Company has been in the motorcycle manufacturing business for decades now. The American based company was launched in Wisconsin at the start of the 20th century as a small yet promising motorcycle manufacturer. Due to its strong managerial and marketing background, Harley-Davidson outwitted the Great Depression era that witnessed many manufacturing firms going under receivership while others closing down completely.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Case Study of Harley-Davidson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The unfavorable competition brought about by lack of adequate quality control of the US markets was yet another challenging moment for Harley-Davidson (Harley-Davidson, 2006). Nonetheless, it survived the harsh markets, moved on and later emerged as one of the global leaders in the manufacture of heavyweight motorcycles with over 750 cc. engine capacity. Today, Harley-Da vidson motorcycles are known globally due to their distinctive design similar to that of a chopper. Unfortunately, the firm has not been successful in its bid to venture and invest in the light motor-cycle industry largely due to dominance by other market rivals. Through its loyal brand community, the motorcycle manufacturer has spread its marketing tentacles far and wide. Its logo alone generates about five per cent of the firm’s net income. This paper explores a case study of Harley-Davidson and the strategic marketing theories and concepts used. The paper also offers some recommendations that the company could adopt to improve its marketing competences. Case Summary Customer loyalty is the strongest marketing strategy of Harley-Davidson, a phenomenon not common with most brands especially those operating in the high end manufacturing market. One reason attributed to this overwhelming success in the company’s marketing strategy is the fact the marketing department ha s laid more emphasis on the needs of customers, the latter being the most vital asset owned by the company (Harley-Davidson, 2006). Firstly, the company marketers have taken significant amounts of time to understand the ideals of Harley-Davidson customers, what they really want and how their purchasing needs and preferences can be met at any given time. For the company, it is imperative to serve its customers with passion. This entails evaluating their feelings as well as their rationale behind buying at Harley-Davidson. According to the marketing team, attention to details is paramount in understanding the needs of customers (Harley-Davidson, 2006). The management at Harley-Davidson confirms that it is out of customer satisfaction that it has grown into a five billion dollar company and the largest group sponsored by a company worldwide(Harley-Davidson, 2006). Currently, there are over nine hundred thousand members attached to Harley Owners Group (HOG).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As the management admits, the company does not just sell motorcycles. Harley-Davidson believes in creating a sense of independence, free will as well as liberty to its chronic buyers so that they do not just purchase the machinery alone but the intrinsic benefits that come along with it. Hence, the motorcycle manufacturing firm has gone beyond creating product consumption experience. Buying at Harley-Davidson has become a lifestyle to its customers. Therefore, the management realizes that supporting such a high level consumption experience as well as a life style requires rigorous marketing tools. This has been attained through the establishment of a network of individuals who work smart and tireless hard to deliver the mission and vision of the company. In one of its common marketing strategies, the company often sponsors travel adventures alongside other breat htaking events for its customers and other interested users. For instance, it may occasionally opt to offer free clothing and other riding accessories for passionate motorists and other fun-loving individuals (Harley-Davidson, 2006). Application of marketing theories in the case study There are quite a number of marketing theories, concepts and models that are applicable in the Harley-Davidson case study. To begin with, it is vital to understand that the consumption experience of consumers at the company is largely driven by how best the very customers make their decisions (Gummesson, 2002). The myriad marketing principles applied by the marketing team at Harley-Davidson is clear evidence why consumers will choose their products against those of the competitors. For instance, the brand name of the company has remained to be a very strong marketing tool over the decades especially in reaching out to new customers who may not have had prior shopping experience with the company. From t he utility theory of the decision making model by consumers, it is proposed that the purchasing decisions made by consumers is heavily dependent on the anticipated outcomes of the very decisions made. In this regard, consumers are treated at actors who are rational in their decision making process and will only settle at what will bring optimum benefit and satisfaction to them. Hence, the marketers at Harley-Davidson are quite aware of this and as it is the sole reason why customers are given the first priority as real assets to the company.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Case Study of Harley-Davidson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nonetheless, it is definite that consumers may not always be rational in decision making. Better still, they may equally fail to fully recognize the various inputs which affect their overall decision making patterns. In addition, they can fairly estimate frequencies of eve nts but the process of translating the latter into probabilities is typically cumbersome for consumers. Although the utility theory of decision making paradigm by consumers has been embraced for long, it has notable limitations that cannot be elaborated by the given marketing model. A more simpler and satisfactory backup of the utility theory is the one referred to as satisficing. According to this model, consumers tend to stop the process of decision making once their immediate needs are met. This can be used to explain the loyalty nature of customers attached to Harley-Davidson products. They no longer need to make further decisions on whether to purchase heavy motorcycles and related products from Harley-Davidson since their buying needs have already been satisfied. The marketing department at Harley-Davidson has largely utilized a marketing theory referred to as consideration. This theory has it that consumers are of equal importance to the brand name of a company. In other word s, customers act as a subset to the company upon which all decisions are made. As customers continue to attach more importance in purchasing motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, the management of the company is equally enforcing the theory f involvement. As the motorcycle manufacturing firm continues to launch new brands to the market, it has to intensely involve its active and prospected consumers. This is evident in the manner in which the company engages its customers and interested users of its products in events such as adventurous riding and contests so that they can develop liking for the Harley-Davidson motorcycles. How does Harley-Davidson build long term customer relationship? Harley-Davidson has a variety of strategies in place aimed at building long term relationships. First, the company has revolutionized its customer experience on the purchase of heavy motorcycles.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has dominated the market with the manufacture of high quality products that go along way satisfying customers (Hunt, 2002). The company has embarked on a serious quality program of its motorcycles so that it does not only retain and build long term relationships with its chronic customers but also work towards maintaining market leadership. Second, the Harley Owners Group (HOG) is another strategy being employed by the company to build long lasting consumer experience and relationship. There is a close working relationship among the HOG members aimed at fostering better customer satisfaction in the heavy motorcycle industry. Through the large pool of HOG membership numbering over 900,000, customers have been netted and retained far and wide. This has consequently assured the company of its profitability and survival even during the hard economic times. Third, Harley-Davidson has a comprehensive company sponsored adventures aimed at bringing together its customers and other fun lo ving users of its heavy duty motorcycles in field events. It is a form of social corporate responsibility that seeks to reach out for the wider population with some form of entertainment while at the same time creating demand for its motorcycles. The company also offers some clothes and other residing accessories for the users of its motorcycles as way of attracting their attention to the Harley-Davidson brand. What is Harley-Davidson’s value proposition? The value proposition of Harley-Davidson lies heavily in the way the company conducts its business strategies. Although the management of the company is confident in the quality of its motorcycles, it has a strong conviction that satisfaction derived from thorough understanding of customer’s feelings, likes and dislikes as well as preferences is long lasting and is perhaps the best business strategy to adopt. In order to achieve this value proposition, the company has created a mentality of a lifestyle in the consumpt ion of its products (Copley, 2004). It is not merely the need of customers to purchase motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, developing great liking and passion for the various company brands is of utmost importance. The company has attributed this value proposition as the major growth factor at Harley-Davidson. Relate the concept of customer equity to Harley-Davidson. How does Harley-Davidson’s strategy focus on the right relationships with the right customers? The total lifetime and markdown value of all customers attached to a given company is referred to as customer equity. In other words, customer equity will largely determine how a company shapes its strategies as part and parcel of meeting the needs of its users. In the case study of Harley-Davidson, customer equity is being driven by three main factors namely value, brand and retention equities. The utility value of Harley-Davidson motorcycles is critically assessed by the company and any necessary modification are made i n order to maintain or improve the value of their products. Besides, the Harley-Davidson brand is regularly assessed by the customers in terms of what the company claims to be offering against what is actually received. Finally, the retention equity will see into it that customers attempt to stay put with a particular brand and hence it is upon the company to comply with the needs of customers since the latter shapes the overall business strategy being adopted by the company. Hence, customer equity enables Harley-Davidson to choose the most applicable tool among the aforementioned drivers in satisfying the diverse needs of its wide array of customers. Conclusions and recommendations Although Harley-Davidson brand has remained competitive and stable even during the hard economic times, there are still numerous concerns that the management has not addressed adequately. Its value proposition currently stands at developing passion for its products. However, this may not be sustainable a s a business strategy over time owing to the changing and unpredictable customer preferences in addition to the entrance of other market players. Indeed, the company’s bid to venture in light motorcycles has not been successful so far since the old strategies may not be productive in a market where competition is rife. It is against this backdrop that the following recommendations have been suggested as way out for Harley-Davidson to remain profitable even as it expands its brand portfolio. To begin with, the management at Harley-Davidson should ensure that customer satisfaction is not just driven by passion per se. the price of its motorcycles as well as the availability of its brands should be satisfactory to its consumers (Roth Mullen,1991). It is a basic requirement in a business strategy that Harley-Davidson cannot ignore. Secondly, the company can differentiate itself from other market rivals by creating superior service levels to its products. Customers must be able t o distinguish between the services offered by Harley-Davidson and market players. For instance, response to queries from customers should be fast enough. In addition, improved delivery and other after-sale services should stand out for Harley-Davidson to boost competitiveness. Finally, variety of customer experience strategies should be applied throughout the lifetime of the company (Gilmore, 2003). For example, both existing and prospective customers should be educated on how to make better buying decisions. It is pertinent for customers to be fully aware of the product knowledge and not merely making it a lifestyle. Customers who have the right knowledge of the products they are willing to buy are more likely to remain loyal for long. References Copley, P. (2004). Marketing communications management: concepts and theories,  cases and practices, Burlington: Elsevier Inc. Gilmore, A. (2003). Services marketing and management, London: Sage Publications. Gummesson, E. (2002). Total relationship marketing, Oxford: Elsevier Science. Harley-Davidson (2006). Video Case. Web. Hunt, D.S. (2002). Foundations of marketing theory: toward a general theory of  marketing, New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Roth, M.B. Mullen, D.J. (1991). Decision Making: Its Logic and Practice, Savage: Rowman Littlefield Publishers Inc. This research paper on Case Study of Harley-Davidson was written and submitted by user Maxx Serrano to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Riots essays

Riots essays Americas college campuses are once again aflame. But, in the 1990s, the riots are not fueled by politics, as they were in the 1960s, but by beer, liquor and drugs. University of Arizona, University of Maryland and Temple University have all recently experienced these unfortunate riots on their campuses, but it is truly at home with us, the students of the Pennsylvania State University. The riots began in 1998 during The Arts Festival that caused more damage than ever. Students lit piles of furniture on fire, dropped beer kegs from high balconies and ripped down every street lamp on East Beaver Avenue. After a year off in 1999, a milder sequel riot returned at the 2000 Arts Festival. Then, last month, a post-basketball-loss encouraged police to deliver pepper spray on the crowd as they were showered with glass bottles from above. Storeowners have suffered due to the late-night activities on East Beaver Avenue. Police protection now consists of protecting themselves while battling the drunken mobs. Alumni are disappointed with their alma mater, and some residents fear that the quality of life in their town is being dishonored. The riots have created a demoralizing trend that has effected and disrupted not only the community that surrounds Happy Valley but also the students. Penn State students are feeling the heat no matter which way you view this appalling situation. Whether they were the ones throwing the beer bottles or just standing on the sidewalks, students are finding themselves affected by each event as the riots continue to arise. Penn State students reputations are no longer based on their exceptional scholarship, but rather for their ridiculous, outrageous riots. President Grahm Spanier stated, From my perspective as president, the downtown riots have been very damaging to Penn State's reputation and the confidence that citizens, elected officials, parents, and a ...

Distribution of Beverages to its Retail Customer Case Study

Distribution of Beverages to its Retail Customer - Case Study Example If it offers a discount or charges less price for its products from one of its customers then it has to charge a lower price for its entire customer which will result in a loss for the company. The current costing method that is adopted by Johnson Beverage Inc in order to analyze the costing and profitability of the business and understanding the cost of the business that is underlying in order to analyze the cost and the income drivers. Therefore an in-depth knowledge is required in order to understand the profitability as per the stock keeping unit. For the improvement and development of the costing and profitability of the business, the company has adopted job order costing. JBI uses or adopts this costing as it assists JBI in analyzing and evaluating the net cost of its manufacturing process over a definite period of time. Under this method of costing the accurate cost that is incurred in the cost of production of the particular unit are maintained. JBI adopts both job order costing and process costing for different parts of its operations. The main disadvantages of applying or adopting this method of costing are it is very difficult or critical in identifying the overall activities that are undertaken that influences the cost of performing this activity. It is very critical in identifying the preferable cost drive that will evaluate or analyze the cost on the basis of the various activities. JBI mainly adopts fixed cost method for its billing purpose in order to analyze the fixed cost for all its activities and it analyzes and finds out the reason for variations in price. It allows the company in leveraging its efficiency and expertise in order to gain competitive advantage. Relevant costing may be defined as the cost that will influence the decision making of the company. The most relevant and best-costing method that JBI  should adopt on the basis of Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2 is Activity-based costing. It can be observed that in Exhibit 1 that the cost of the goods is subtracted or deducted from the revenue in order to generate the gross margin. It also calculates the customer profitability of the company.  

Emerging Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Emerging Markets - Essay Example While developing economies are usually flooded with emerging markets, the concept is not novel to developed economies. It is these emerging markets, which when successful in the future, become economic giants in the industry (Garten, 1997). The emerging markets need to consider a lot of geographical and economic concerns before setting in a foreign country. They may be small enterprises or large projects. This paper seeks to evaluate the industry of emerging markets in the United States and see how successful it has been over the years. It would also analyze how these emerging markets have affected the economy of US and all related economies. Emerging markets have had positive impacts and some negative setbacks and this paper would state both sides of the picture. The US is the third largest country in the world comprising an area of 3.79 million square miles. It accommodates over 300 million people in fifty states, and being so, it remains the most populated region in the world. The US is the most ethnically diverse nation in the world with people from all over the world staying there for work, study or leisure. It has a GDP of 14.3 trillion US dollars which proves that it is a relatively economically stable country in the world. However, about 11% of the US population lives below the poverty line (Juster, 1997). It has a very high rate of productivity and high rate of scientific developments and innovations. Also, the unemployment level in the US is fairly low and inflation is under control too. The US is bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans making it a favorable site for water travel. Also, it has sufficient nuclear weaponry and a strong army to ensure its defense against the worldly enemies. The US also enjoys fairly good relations with most economies of the world and it stands as a much unbiased nation with a lot of