Perspectives On Psychology And Evaluate Their Key Assumptions

Perspectives in Psychology This essay will give detailed descriptions of the behaviourist and cognitive perspectives in psychology and evaluate their key assumptions. The strengths and limitations of each perspective will be discussed along with an evaluation of their applications to contemporary issues in psychology. Finally there will be an analysis of the similarities and differences between each perspective and a conclusion. The behaviourist perspective is a scientific approach within psychology which claims that we are blank slates at birth and all human behaviour is learnt.Behaviourism was developed by John Watson in America in the early 1900s, (Cullis, T1999). Behaviourists focus on external conditions, learning and experience†¦show more content†¦He investigated his theory further by repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditional stimulus, such as the ringing of a bell with the arrival of food; this eventually led to the bell ringing alone causing the dog to salivate. Pavlov believed the bell was a conditional stimulus and salivating to the bell was considered the conditional response. B. F. Skinner was another influential psychologist who developed the theory of operant conditioning. Unlike Pavlov, Skinner thought that behaviour was determined by the consequences or rewards generated after the response, he called this operant conditioning, (Cherry, K 2005). Skinner invented a device which contained a button which an animal could press in order to gain food, water or some other form of reinforcement. Using this box he discovered two forms of reinforcement, positive (which resulted in a favourable outcome), and negative (which resulted in removal of unfavourable outcomes). Cognitive psychology, as opposed to behavioural psychology, is the science of how we think. Cognitive psychologists are concerned with the human brain and its functioning as an information processor. Key areas of interest within cognitive psychology are mental processes such as memory, perception, problem solving, language, creativity, attention span and thinking. Ulric Neisser published Cognitive Psychology in 1967

Women in William Shakespeare’s Plays Essay - 2376 Words

Shakespeare and the members of the Elizabethan era would be appalled at the freedoms women experience today. The docility of Elizabethan women is almost a forgotten way of life. What we see throughout Shakespeare’s plays is an insight into the female character as perceived by Elizabethan culture. Shakespeare’s female characters reflect the Elizabethan era’s image of women; they were to be virtuous and obedient and those that were not were portrayed as undesirable and even evil. When one considers Shakespeare’s female characters, one has to remember that the plays were written in a time when women were considered weak-minded creatures who were apt to make bad choices if given the freedom. Shakespeare, for the most†¦show more content†¦Orsino, as the frustrated suitor laments â€Å"that women are very inconstant in their love, and could have a feeling as deep as the love that he has for Olivia† (Bates 10). Shakespeare also plays with the role of strong women as undesirable, even evil. As we see throughout many of his plays â€Å"it is common in Shakespeare’s plays†¦ for the good characters to easily fall victim to their evil counterparts† (Peterson 12). This is particularly true of Cordelia and King Lear in the play, King Lear, as both become victims of Regan’s and Goneril’s plotting (Shakespeare V.iii.276-280). â€Å"Women as the most evil of characters is not a new experiment for Shakespeare† (Peterson 8). In Elizabethan life â€Å"a dominant woman was unnatural, a symptom of disorder† (Order in the sexes 1). Particularly in King Lear, we see the unnaturalness of dominant women and how they are evil. Regan and Goneril, who begin the play with false declarations of love for their father, soon become dominant women who show little regard for the values of their society (Shakespeare I.ii.54-61, 69-76). Regan, in particular, becomes a target. â€Å"[Lear] notes that humanity is in danger because of people like her† (Peterson 22). Even Albany, Regan’s husband, is appalled at what his wife has become through her thirst for power. â€Å"The woman form she takes, Albany proclaims, disguises the fiend which exists beneath and if it were not for this cover, he would wish to destroy her†Show MoreRelated Portrayal of Women in William Shakespeares Plays Essay3560 Words   |  15 PagesWilliam Shakespeares characterization of women varies immensely from one comedy to another. In his works, Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and Much Ado About Nothing, he portrays both dominant and submissive women. Ultimately, Shakespeare examines the complexity of women by displaying the vast array of attitudes, emotions, and their treatment and reaction to men as well as refuting the typical subservient wife role. In Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew, the difficultiesRead More The Role of Women in Hamlet in William Shakespeares Play Essay2041 Words   |  9 PagesThe Role of Women in Hamlet in William Shakespeares Play Gertrude and Ophelia, the only two women in Hamlet, reflect the general status of women in Elizabethan Times. Women were suppressed by the males in their lives (brothers, fathers, and partners) and were always inferior. Ophelia and Gertrude have little or no power due to restricted legal, social and economic rights that were found in Elizabethan society. The male characters in Hamlet reflect this sexist view pointRead MoreEssay about The Life of William Shakespeare1274 Words   |  6 Pages William Shakespeare was a very talented man known for his various works of literature. His works include poems, plays, and sonnets. His works are then broken down into tragedies, comedies, and histories. Shakespeare left this world centuries ago, but his writings continue to live throughout the world today. He has greatly impacted the world of literature and his existence will forever be remembered. In 1564, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon (Hazell 32). It seems thatRead MoreRole of Women in Shakespeares Plays - a Case Study of Macbeth and the Merchant of Venice1499 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet William Shakespeare and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the â€Å"Bard of Avon† (or simply â€Å"The Bard†).His surviving work consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performedRead MoreEssay on The Globe Theatre and The Elizabethan Audience 1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre in London , where William Shakespeares most famous plays premiered; Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night, was built in 1599 in Southwark on the south bank of London’s River Thames by Richard Burbage. It was co-owned by Shakespeare, with a share of 12.5%. The Globe was a large, open-aired, three-tiered theater made out of timber taken from the Theatre-– a former theatre owned by Richard Burbage’s father. The Globe Theatre burned to the groundRead MoreThe Impervious Perception of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night1631 Words   |  7 PagesIllyria (fantasy world), Twelfth Night was supposedly originally written for the entertainment of Queen Elizabeth I. William Shakespeare’s comedy associates with the Feast of Epiphany (January 6th) and was means for entertainment in the seventeenth century. It contains some aspects that can be thought of as a successful comedy when compared to the standards of today’s society. The play incorporates some of the very same devices that are used in modern comedies today, such as topsy-turvy romance, fooleryRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew889 Words   |  4 PagesIn many accounts, William Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew, is often criticized for its seemingly misogynistic themes; such as the thought of â€Å"taming† a woman, thus making her completely submissive to her husband. While in the opening of the play, Katharine, ill-tempered but seemingly impenetrable, gets pulverized by Petruchio’s contradicting her words, and also saying disgusting jokes in an intense verbal arguement. In another example, one of the other main characters, Bianca, was bet on by severalRead MoreWomen s Tragedy : Hamlet And King Lear1185 Words   |  5 PagesDr. Pitchford ENGL 4037 24 November 2015 Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies: Hamlet and King Lear While William Shakespeare’s Tragedies are well known for their violence, tragic heroes, and fatal flaws, the method in which Shakespeare portrays his female characters in a negative light is seldom expressed. The women of Shakespeare’s Tragedies are represented unfavorably, no matter if they are virtuous or evil. â€Å"Shakespeare’s plays are not lacking in women with positive human qualities, and some ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare And Domestic Violence .During High1006 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare and Domestic Violence During high school, students will tend to read multiple plays written by William Shakespeare in school. In fact, part of the English Language Arts (ELA) Standards set by Common Core included William Shakespeare’s plays. For ninth and tenth grade students, standard CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9 expected them to be able to examine how an author draws on and transforms source materials in a specific work (Common Core State Standards, 2017). The examplesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. Humanists advocated for the freedom of the individuals

Cervical Cancer Essay - 1058 Words

Cervical cancer malignant cancer of the cervix uteris or cervical area. It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in its advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts using the Pap smear. About 2.2 percent of women carry one of the 2 virus strains most likely to lead to cervical cancer. One of the symptoms of Cervical Cancer is very Unusual amount of discharge. Treatment consists of surgery in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease. An effective HPV vaccine against the two most common cancer-causing strains of HPV has recently been licensed in the U.S. These two HPV strains together are†¦show more content†¦Although there are several known risk factors for getting cervical cancer, no one knows exactly why one woman gets it and another doesnt. One of the most important risk factors for cervical cancer is infection with a virus called HPV (human papillom avirus). HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that is incredibly common in the population, one study showed that 43% of college age women were infected in a 3-year period. HPV is the virus that causes genital warts, but having genital warts doesnt necessarily mean you are going to get cervical cancer. There are different subtypes, or strains, of HPV. Only certain subtypes are likely to cause cervical cancer, and the subtypes that cause warts are unlikely to cause a cancer. Often, infection with HPV causes no symptoms at all, until a woman develops a pre-cancerous lesion mostly of the cervix. Because infection with a STD is a risk factor for cervical cancer, any risk factors for developing STD are also risk factors for developing cervical cancer. Women who have had many or several male sexual partners, having sexual intercourse at an early age, or have had male sexual partners who are considered high risk (meaning that they have had several sexual partners and/or began having sexual intercourse at an early age) are at higher risks for developing CervicalShow MoreRelatedCervical Cancer2176 Words   |  9 Pages414 C. Rath Cervical cancer is considered to be a slow-growing reproductive disease that affects thousands of women in the United States annually. This particular type of cancer forms within and/or on the tissue of the cervix. The cervix is part of the female reproductive tract, which connects the uterus to the vagina. Cervical cancer begins when surface level cells on the cervix divide uncontrollably causing cervical lesions, which if left untreated can progress into cancer. If not foundRead MoreThe Prevention Of Cervical Cancer Essay1521 Words   |  7 Pagesdetection of diseases especially in diagnosing cancer. From that one of the foremost programme allied to women cancer is cervical cancer screening in Pacific island woman. Cervical cancer is the most leading disease problem in NZ which is more in the pacific area .Cervical cancer is the cancer of the cervix. It is a preventable disease which is detected in early. In NZ the rate of screening is still increasing because of the introduction of National cervical screening programme which was launchedRead MoreThe Prevention Of Cervical Cancer Essay1835 Words   |  8 PagesCervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related mortality in countries such as India accounting for more than 17% of all cancer deaths in women aged 30-69. [3] Cervical cancer is one such type of cancer in which screening plays a significant role. Clinical trials done in below poverty level populations do encoun ter ethical issues to a certain extent with regards to informed consent as most or all of these patients are illiterate. However informed consent is extremely important whenRead MoreI. Introduction Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccine Cervical cancer2800 Words   |  12 Pages I. Introduction Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccine Cervical cancer is formed in the tissues of the cervix, an organ that connects the uterus and the vagina. Virtually all cervical cancers are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections (Schiffman et. al., 2007). HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. According to the CDC, 75% of sexually active people aged 15-49 have the infection at some point in their lives. (CDC). BecauseRead MoreThe Incidence Of Cervical Cancer983 Words   |  4 Pages According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) cervical cancer incidence rate among Hispanic women residing in the United States, is about 60% higher than among non-Hispanic white women. A geographic analysis in the United States found that, Hispanic women experience the highest cervical cancer incidence rates of any racial/ethnic group in every region; the highest rates were found among Hispanic women in the Midwest, likely due to large numbers of new immigrants in this region (ACS, 2016). ThisRead MoreWhat Is Cervical Cancer?2614 Words   |  11 PagesBackground: What is Cervical Cancer? This year alone approximately 12,360 documented new cases of cervical cancer in the United States and 4,020 deaths according to National Cancer Institute (â€Å"Cervical Cancer†, 2014). Cervical cancer is a slow growing cancer that grows in the tissues of the cervix (an organ that connects the uterus and vagina). The disease is predominantly caused by the human papillomavirus infection (HPV). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the HPV virusRead MoreWhat Are Cervical Cancer?2935 Words   |  12 Pages Abstract (TBD) Background: What is Cervical Cancer? This year alone approximately 12,360 documented new cases of cervical cancer in the United States and 4,020 deaths according to National Cancer Institute (â€Å"Cervical Cancer†, 2014). Cervical cancer is a slow growing cancer that grows in the tissues of the cervix (an organ that connects the uterus and vagina). The disease is predominantly caused by the human papillomavirus infection (HPV). According to the Center for Disease Control and PreventionRead MoreTaking a Look at Cervical Cancer742 Words   |  3 PagesLet the truth be known that cervical cancer can affect everyone with cervix. That is, all women. It doesn’t just happen to those with multiple sexual partners or women after the age of 30. It can happen even to monogamous women and women in their 20s. But bear in mind that cervical cancer is preventable and curable especially in its early stages. Massive now is the campaign and attention given by health workers, media and people who had experienced cervical cancer themselves or within their familiesRead MoreThe Primary Causes Of Cervical Cancer Essay1178 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract The primary cause of cervical cancer in women is Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is an infection transmitted through sexual intercourse (Buchwald et al 2014). In all cultures around the world, there is the recognition of the vulnerability of the sexually active, young women. Also, measures are being taken by various countries to introduce the HPV vaccination. However, the various efforts have not been successful due to the emotional charged and divisive social nature of the sexual behaviorsRead MoreCauses And Treatment Of Cervical Cancer1335 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION Cervical cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the cervix or cervix uteri. Cervical cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in females worldwide with over 527,000 new cases 1,2 and perhaps the second most common cancer among women in the third world countries 3-5 It accounts for 9% of the total new cancer cases and 8% (more than 265,000) of the total cancer deaths among females.1,2 More than

Tory Burch Essay Example For Students

Tory Burch Essay Introduction: The fashion industry is one of the most competitive industries in the world: sought after products and coveted brand-name garments can be â€Å"in† one season and just as quickly â€Å"out† the next. It is one of the most difficult industries for a new brand to successfully penetrate, as the top tier of respected and recognized designers have built their brand equity through many seasons of impeccable looks and styles that consumers have come to demand. Tory Burch LLC, however, made the feat seem easy in 2004 when the start-up brand stormed the women’s ready-to-wear apparel scene and introduced their luxurious, yet affordable, line of clothing. Selling out its first shipment in a matter of weeks, Tory Burch LLC set the tone for its furious rise in the fashion industry. Tory Burch, the founder of Tory Burch LLC, recognized a niche in the women’s high end fashion market for designs that are practical and easy to wear at respectable prices. She built her brand upon that concept. Four years after an initial $2 million investment to finance one freestanding boutique in lower Manhattan, Tory Burch LLC now has twelve locations across the United States. More recently, in an effort to hold down production costs and achieve economies of scale, the company added wholesale accounts including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale’s. The collection, which started with a mere 20 styles, now boasts more than 1,000. After four years in business, the company’s annual sales are estimated at about $115 million. The question looming on the horizon is whether Tory Burch, LLC has the potential to become a timeless brand, or whether it is merely a passing trend in the constantly changing apparel industry. The explicit problem presents itself in the onslaught of brands vying for a share in the women’s fashion market. The already established and successful brands of Diane von Furstenberg, Theory, and Marc Jacobs offer styles and quality of products comparable to that which Tory offers. In addition, given their preexisting loyal customer base, it is questionable whether Tory Burch can continue to draw new customers, boost sales, and ultimately become a â€Å"timeless† brand. This paper will explore two of the four â€Å"P’s† of marketing which Tory has explicitly focused on to propel itself to success. The first is pricing. Tory Burch’s favorable pricing in the high-end fashion market has allowed it to experience rapid growth in the last four years. This pricing strategy may be an appropriate means to achieve continued sales growth in the niche women’s luxury apparel market. The second is product development. Tory’s product development strategies have given it a unique advantage over its competition and is one of the keys to Tory’s continued success. In addition, an understanding of how Porter’s 5 Forces affect Tory Burch within the fashion industry will lead to a series of recommendations as to how Tory should undertake to ensure its survival in the ever-fickle fashion industry and become a â€Å"timeless† brand. Chapter 1: Competitive Analysis of Tory Burch and the Luxury Apparel Industry 1. 1: Threat of Potential Entrants Although new brands are by no means guaranteed success, the fashion industry provides a relatively open space for new entrants. New market entrants offering products with similar styles and design philosophies have the potential to draw loyal consumers away from Tory. Tory has been very successful in past seasons by introducing appealing wardrobe staples, such as the extremely popular â€Å"Reva Ballet flats† that have been described as reaching â€Å"cult status. † This does not guarantee, however, that new brands entering the market will not rival the products that consumers will demand. There are two reasons why new entrants may not pose a significant threat to Tory Burch. First, designers must invest significant time to develop a unique vision upon which to build its line of clothing. Not only does a designer need significant time to design a line and produce samples, it must also take time to establish itself within the fashion industry and build its reputation with notable people and groups. Second, a large capital investment is required to fund the production and the distribution of the apparel. Funding is also required to perform extensive market research to ensure that the styles generated by the brand fit the current fashion trends that consumers are interested in buying. In today’s economic conditions, it may be difficult for new start-up designers to gain access to capital needed to enter the fashion industry. Although there are always talented and up-and-coming designers waiting for their chance to make their mark on the fashion world, it is not likely that new entrants have the potential to greatly affect Tory’s sales. The branding requirements alone to compete in the saturated luxury women’s fashion industry limit the impact of new market entry from new designers. Competition to the Tory Burch product line is most likely to come from designers of existing brands. Not only are they more likely to understand the consumers’ tastes, styles and aesthetic preferences, but they also have the required infrastructure and suppliers to produce high quality garments and accessories. However, given the current unfavorable economic conditions in the United States, it is not likely that the larger, more established brands will expand their product lines in these times. The risk of financial loss outweighs the possibility of a successful new apparel line. Therefore, the luxury fashion market is a safe place for existing brands such as Tory Burch in terms of further competition from new entrants. This leaves Tory free to focus on effective product pricing and product innovation. 1. 2: Threat of Substitutes Substitution is the ability of customers to find an alternative way to fulfill the needs that the former product was meeting. As more direct alternatives become available to the consumer, the demand for the competing firms’ apparel becomes more elastic and accordingly prices and profitability may be reduced. This is a significant threat for firms in the fashion industry due to the copious styles, designs and brands to choose from apparel from. The threat of substitutes for Tory Burch comes through price competition. J Crew, Banana Republic, and Express offer similar, yet more mainstream products, in the US market. While these brands have apparel that may be inspired by similar trends, they appeal more to the price sensitive, yet fashionable target market. While these brands are constantly promoting in-store sales and pushing their outlet locations, Tory offers her products at a consistent and higher price point. If brands like J Crew can continue to improve their brand and name recognition, loyal Tory consumers may experience less severe â€Å"switching costs† if they decide to purchase J Crew products. Tory is in the luxury apparel and accessories industry, which means that Tory faces the risk of decreased sales due to substitutes of knock-offs for real products. Corner vendors carry numerous Tory handbag look a-likes for a fraction of the price of the real thing. Consumers without the disposable income to spend large amounts of money on pricey name brand accessories, such as handbags, find these knock off’s an attractive substitute for genuine goods. The counterfeit trade industry is a major problem among the world’s most well-known and high priced brands, such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Counterfeiting can severely damage a brand’s overall equity, as the knockoffs are of much lesser quality and detract from the â€Å"exclusiveness† that owning goods like this provides. Ellen Goldstein, chairperson of the accessories design department at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, believes that these knock off’s cheapen the products; rather than serving as a form of â€Å"flattery,† this mode of â€Å"stealing† significantly reduces sales from authentic brands. Counterfeiting of luxury fashion brand accessories like Tory can become a type of substitute good, particularly in the future as improvements in technology produce better quality fakes and better distribution outlets. The extent to which counterfeits effect Tory’s overall sales is unknown. At this point, because they are such a young company, it is unlikely that counterfeiters have seized any major opportunities to copy any of their bags. It also is beneficial for Tory that they produce over twenty handbags each season and do not have a â€Å"signature† print, such as Louis Vuitton’s brown â€Å"LV. † . 3 Buyer Bargaining Power Buyer bargaining power is defined as how easy the buyer finds it to drive prices down. In the high-end apparel industry, with a growing consumer base and a relatively constant number of sellers, buyers typically do not hold much influence over prices and thus, price sensitivity remains low. While prices are held at or around a level that will attract buyers, limited production of certain prints and styles allow firms to raise prices for those items. Consumers’ preferences, the availability of substitutes, and price sensitivity influence buyers’ bargaining power. Personal Narrative- Helping Others EssayThe Gucci bag retails for over $1,200, while Tory’s bag retails for just under $500. Capitalizing on the void in the marketplace for luxurious and stylish apparel comparable to high end designers, but offered at a lower price, Tory is able to achieve a significant market share in the women’s apparel industry. If it continues to offer high quality products that reflect the popular trends and styles demanded by the female consumer, its strategy of pricing should propel it to a 14% growth in sales over the next five years and begin them on the path to becoming a â€Å"timeless† brand. . 2Product Development 2. 2. 1 Wearable Styles While many high-end fashion designers offer sought after clothes and accessories, many women find that these looks are often â€Å"un-wearable† in everyday life. Complaining that these looks do not reflect the size and shape of the average American woman, many consumers are restricted from b uying luxurious clothing because it does not flatter their figure. This is the area of product development where Tory Burch excels and finds a competitive advantage over her competitors. Tory Burch blends timeless and classic design elements with modern fashion sensibilities. Picking up on the cuts and styles that flatter the shape of all sized women makes her clothing appeal to a wider range of consumers. The ready-to-wear aspect of her line draws many women who are eager to try new styles, yet are unsure if they can pull off risky trends that Gucci or Christian Dior offers. Tory Burch offers a trendy enough aesthetic that excites females consumers who are interested in fashion, while at the same time being classic enough to not scare consumers away. Exhibit 2. 1 offers a visual example of this strategy. This exhibit shows Tory Burch on the left offering a trendy, yet classic, approach to a chic, professional outfit. The picture on the right shows a Marc Jacobs dress ensemble, a designer who is direct competitor of Tory’s. The Marc Jacobs outfit is much riskier and further â€Å"out there† than the look of the Tory Burch outfit. The TB outfit, while evoking the feeling of being on the cutting edge of the new trends, still appeals to the consumer on a classical level. The yellow hat featured in the Marc Jacobs outfit is seen as not being wearable on a day-to-day basis by many female consumers, and thus reduces the sales of Marc Jacob’s products. 2. 2. 2: Bold Prints The second aspect of product development that Tory utilizes in her strategy for success is using bold and unique prints to differentiate her clothing from her competitors. In designing her clothing line, creative director Ms. Burch, draws inspiration from her favorite era—the 1960s and 1970s. She relies on such style influences as art, photographs, films, and her mother and father’s vintage wardrobes. Using these influences allows her to create unique prints that set her clothes apart from many of the solid colored tops and pieces of other designers. Exhibit 2. 2 shows the comparison between a typical Tory tunic and a blouse of one of their main, earlier identified, competitors: Theory. These bold prints are important to the design philosophy of Tory Burch, because they convey the inspiration of each season, and these prints are something that consumers have come to associate with the brand of Tory Burch. The unique prints chosen to make her clothing pieces are integral to the aesthetic of Tory Burch. CONCLUSION: Given its accessible price strategy and unique product development aspect of bold, unique prints and wearable clothes, I strongly believe Tory Burch has the potential to continually increase its market share of the women’s luxury apparel market and grow into a â€Å"timeless† brand. By sticking to these core strategies, Tory Burch will build brand loyalty among consumers and continue to increase sales at a steady rate of 8% for the next four years. Tory Burch will continue to build its brand equity, and in turn they will have the opportunity to open more freestanding boutiques as more consumers demand Tory Burch products. The following recommendations will enhance Tory Burch’s brand and name recognition, bolster growth, and allow Tory to continue on the path of becoming a â€Å"timeless† brand: 1. Develop advertisements highlighting Tory’s bold prints and unique aesthetic in top fashion publications: Vogue, Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, and InStyle. 2. Change their target market to a more focused and specific age group, rather than their current strategy of catering to â€Å"grandmothers, mothers and daughters. † This will allow Tory to more explicitly cater its prints/products to the specific tastes and trends of their target market. 3. Revamp ToryBurch. com to create a more interesting and personal online shopping experience- such as including a flash demo on the homepage, which will result in more visitors to the website and more purchasing of apparel. 4. Introduce a signature fragrance that consumers will associate with Tory Burch and incorporate the theme of â€Å"uniqueness and boldness† into the scent. 5. Intensify consumer awareness of Tory Burch by creating special promotions during the Holiday Seasons. 6. Capitalize on the â€Å"young professional† market: create a sub-collection of trendy suits and business attire for women entering the business world. . Continue to produce the â€Å"Reva Ballet Flat† with modern updates every year, so that it becomes a timeless shoe that consumers cannot live without. 8. Offer â€Å"TB T-Shirt Customization† services online: where consumers have the opportunity to pick from a pre-chosen selection of fabric prints, pick the style of tee-shirt, a nd pick their size to have their own â€Å"custom† TB garment. This will be effective because Tory will be able to keep its price point low, as the raw materials cost for tee-shirts is very low, while giving the consumer the impression of a unique and quality product. 9. Create an online community for Tory Burch shoppers to communicate, consisting of a blog where loyal shoppers can talk about their favorite trends and styles. This will build the idea of the Tory Burch â€Å"lifestyle† and will encourage consumers to buy TB products as an extension of this lifestyle. Works Cited: Agins, Teri. â€Å"The Boomer Balancing Act. † The Wall Street Journal. November 3, 2007. Agins, Teri. â€Å"How Tory Burch Found Her Stride. † The Wall Street Journal. February 1, 2008. Chanel. www. Chanel. com. Chase, Jane. â€Å"The Glory of Tory. † Connecticut Cottages and Gardens. May 1, 2008. Diane von Furstenberg. ww. DVF. com. â€Å"Goyard and Tory Bruch: 5th Avenue Style Tribe. † The New York Times. April 24, 2007. Gucci. www. Gucci. com. Karasyov, Carrie. â€Å"Tory in All Her Glory. † Town and Country Magazine. February 2008. Loomis, Rick. â€Å"There’s Something About Tory. † The Los Angeles Times. June 1, 20 08. Marc Jacobs. www. marcjacobs. com. Marx, Linda. â€Å"Tory’s Story. † The Boca Raton Observer. April 1, 2008. Mind Tools. â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces. † January 18, 2008. www. mindtools. com Moore, Booth. â€Å"Tory Burch has turned her line of Classics into a line of Must-Have Lifestyle Brand. †; http://www. newsday. om/features/lifestyle/ny-lstory0602,0,345077. story. ; The Los Angeles Times. June 1, 2008. O’Brien, Diane. â€Å"When Imposters Knock Off Profits. † December 1, 2003. â€Å"Preppy Chic Flip Flops are All the Rage This Summer. † The Houston Chronicle. June 1, 2008. Theory. www. theory. com. â€Å"Tory Burch: Targeting soccer moms and yummy mummies. † The Business of Fashion. November 6, 2007. â€Å"Tory Branches Out. † Women’s Wear Daily. May 24, 2008 Primary Sources: Interviews with: 1. Kerry Lynne Carerra. Public Relations and Marketing Director of Tory Burch, LLC. 2. Caitlin Donovan. Pub lic Relations Assistant.

Everything You Wanted To Know About Generating a Technobabble-Free Press Release But Were Afraid To Ask - The Writers For Hire

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GENERATING A TECHNOBABBLE-FREE PRESS RELEASE BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK Imagine yourself in the following situation: You’re the chief engineer of an up-and-coming technology company, and you’ve just led the launch of a ground-breaking systems control software package. You’re excited. You know your new product can meet a wider range of needs for industrial operators than competing solutions. You’ve published a detailed press release, and now you’re waiting to hear back from the tech press and trade publications. And †¦ crickets. Your big announcement does not seem to have drawn any attention or comments. You ask your team members to look into the matter, and they tell you sheepishly that only a handful of newspapers and blogs have taken note of your announcement. Moreover, they inform you that these outlets have either run the company’s statement in full or have condensed it into a brief blurb that uses exactly the same wording. You’re disappointed – and not sure what to do next. You’re proud of your new product and confident that it can find an audience. So far, though, your audience seems to be yawning. What happened? Perhaps you’ve fallen victim to technobabble. That is, perhaps you – and your communications team have spent enough time in the company of your fellow engineers, coders, systems architects, and other technical experts that you’re defaulting to the jargon you use with each other in the office. And as a result, the message you were trying to send out to potential buyers, not all of whom have the same level of familiarity with technical terms that you do, has been lost in a thicket of acronyms, abbreviations, and neologisms. Luckily, you aren’t alone.   Many, many other companies have written press releases that are all but incomprehensible to the average reader. Take, for example, this statement from Borealis: This press release is a difficult read for several reasons: The headline, â€Å"Borealis inaugurates EUR 15 million investment project mtm plastics GmbH,† gives few details about the topic at hand.The first paragraph devotes more space to describing the companies involved than to explaining what exactly is happening.The text is heavily loaded with technical terms.Most of the results of an internet search for more information on the topic consist of articles that are slightly reworded versions of the press release. Press Releases: Like Doing a Root Canal But how much does it matter if your press release is a difficult read? And if technobabble is truly a problem, how can you avoid it in press releases? To answer these questions, The Writers For Hire spoke to Joel Alpert, the founder and strategic and creative director of MarketPower, an Atlanta-based branding and marketing consultancy. Alpert, who worked for multiple weekly newspapers in the New York City market before moving into consulting, pointed out that press releases have their own problems even if they’re light on technobabble. â€Å"Most press releases are like doing a root canal,† he said. â€Å"They’re incredibly painful to listen to [or] to read. They’re terrible. They do the wrong things †¦ Just in the course of [working in journalism], you learn to hate press releases.† Journalists and editors are in a better position than most to critique public statements from businesses because they see so many of them, he explained. â€Å"Years ago in New York City, we certainly worked with press releases,† he said, referring to his past experience. â€Å"We got hundreds each week. You’d go through them; you’d throw most of them away. You’d edit them, and then you’d publish [them] in some form. When you do that often enough, you develop a sense of taste – of tolerance – for what you’re willing to put up with.† Your takeaway here? Journalists get a ton of releases, and many are poorly written. So make their job easier, and they’ll be more likely to pay attention to you.Tweet this Telling Your Story Unfortunately, the communication problem is not limited to interactions with the press. Companies that struggle to draw the attention of journalists and editors are also likely to have difficulty making a good impression on potential clients and customers. According to Alpert, the best way to avoid boring copy is to tell a story. When telling that story, a strong start is crucial, he remarked. â€Å"The first thing to do is to make the story interesting. And it’s got to be enjoyable, preferably fun,† he added. â€Å"The lead has got to be very strong [and go] right into a story that really engages the reader. Otherwise, the reader will probably throw it away immediately.† To achieve this aim, he said, companies may need to move beyond describing their newest products and services in a straightforward, just-the-facts-ma’am manner. Potential customers – even those who are looking for technological solutions to complex problems – may respond more positively to a different approach, he said. â€Å"You might not tell a story about the brand or about the company,† he said. â€Å"[Instead], you can tell something that expands on your brand or your interests by telling something that’s interesting. It could be a customer experience. So while that doesn’t seem, at face value, to be about the brand, it really is because you’ve told about how a customer interacted with the brand.† HelloPackage seems to be thinking along the same lines, if its press release dated September 14 is any indication. The package management system platform’s statement succeeds on several fronts: The headline and first paragraph draw attention to an easily relatable problem – namely, that of keeping track of more and more packages thanks to the expansion of delivery options.The second paragraph provides data to support the company’s argument without leaving readers to drown in a sea of numbers.The overall tone is collegial and engaging – and non-technical, despite the technical nature of the product.The statement explains clearly how the company can help resolve a real-world problem. If Borealis had taken this approach, the first paragraph of its press release might have read as follows: â€Å"For both manufacturers and consumers, plastics are cheap and convenient. They are also disposable – and piling up around the world, creating environmental hazards. Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the chemical industry, is contributing to clean-up efforts through the expansion of a plastics recycling facility in Niedergebra, Germany.† The Eyes Have It Hitting these high notes may seem like a tall order for companies involved in complex, high-tech operations. But there are concrete ways to optimize the content of press releases to help them reach laymen and experts alike, Alpert told The Writers For Hire. One technique is to keep press releases and other marketing materials brief, he said. â€Å"Keep it short because if you’ve got something that can be told more [succinctly], you’re getting that story published the way you want to have it, [rather] than getting it sliced to bits because someone feels like they have to take a pen or cursor to it,† he said. Another helpful strategy is to seek out striking imagery, he said. â€Å"There’s something you can do that really helps a lot, and that is [to be] visual,† he said. â€Å"Instead of saying something like ‘we’re growing quickly,’ you say ‘we’re growing in leaps and bounds.’ If that happens to [catch the readers eye], it’s a little more visual.† Even companies involved in heavily technical projects should make use of striking imagery, Alpert asserted. â€Å"Everything has an angle that can be made interesting,† he said. â€Å"I worked for a client in insurance compliance consulting, which is pretty dry stuff. And we had a whole theme of getting through the jungle of insurance compliance that was very visual, with all kinds of illustrations about escaping from the paper tiger in the jungle and cutting through the jungle with machetes. Everything became a way of cutting through the bureaucratic clutter that this industry is known for, and we made that interesting. And this particular client’s business started growing radically once we started doing this kind of stuff because it has a way of gaining the attention and interest of the target audience.† He continued: â€Å"[Something] that’s more engaging and more entertaining and more interesting will gain the attention of your audience – wherever it is, every single time, no exceptions. There’s no industry that can’t create some interesting thinking or analogy.† Borealis would probably have benefited from this approach. For example, the German company could have tweaked its statement to include a more evocative headline, such as â€Å"Borealis to scoop up more litter with EUR 15 million push to expand plastics recycling facility.† Likewise, with a few modifications to the original text, it could have offered a clear and succinct explanation of its investment program. More specifically, it could have used the following as its second paragraph: â€Å"The company is set to spend EUR 15 million on the expansion of a plastics recycling facility that it acquired through the acquisition of another German firm, mtm plastics GmbH, in 2016. The project aims to boost the capacity of the plant, which is located in Niedergebra, Germany, while also improving its ability to navigate the high-end market of plastic re-granulates.† Maintaining Credibility When reworked in this fashion, press releases can do a better job of capturing readers’ interest. But if the topic at hand is technical in nature, will an overhaul really do justice to it? According to Alpert, avoiding technobabble doesn’t have to entail a loss of credibility. â€Å"Sometimes a company has something that’s highly technical and it’s a big innovation, and you have to explain to [readers] why this big innovation has value,† he said. â€Å"That can and should be able to be done. That can also be made interesting and engaging.† He explained: â€Å"Sometimes in the cases of a technical product, you can be a little more technical in what you do because you want to gain some credibility †¦ [Your press release] may be seen by a CFO as well as a CTO, or it may be seen by a programmer or someone in customer service, and [those] audiences are really different. They have different tolerances for what they want to read.† Even so, he said, the desire to cater to expert readers is no excuse for a badly crafted press release. â€Å"No matter who it is, even if they have a technical background, they still want to be able to read it like a normal sentence and not [have it] sound like they’re sitting in a science class looking at the periodic table of elements,† he commented. This target is not out of reach, as the organizers of a technology conference in Wuxi, China can demonstrate. In this press release, the Organizing Committee of 2018 World Internet of Things Expo has accomplished several important goals: In the headline and first paragraph, it uses evocative phrases such as â€Å"pivotal leap,† â€Å"great breakthrough† and â€Å"years of cultivation.†It presents readers with a striking visual image by referring to the event as the â€Å"pearl† of Wuxi.The statement explains how consumers can benefit from the technologies showcased at the event.It references new technological developments without taking refuge in technobabble. Borealis would have done well to adopt a similar approach. For example, it could have played up the positive environmental impact of its plans by playing up the theme of cleaning up litter along the following lines: â€Å"The expansion project will add value to mtm plastics GmbH, which is already in the vanguard of efforts to recycle items that might otherwise be sent to landfills, including mixed post-consumer plastic waste and as one of Europes largest producers of post-consumer polyolefin recyclates.† Cross-Fertilization In any event, companies should certainly aim to stand out, given that media markets have changed so much over the last two decades. â€Å"I don’t think it’s a secret to say that press releases have been fighting for their survival for years,† Alpert said. â€Å"In electronic media, there are so many places to go for information, and social media tends to dominate over press releases. So press releases are not as popular as they used to be.† Even so, companies can attain the best of both worlds by writing press releases that bear more resemblance to social media posts. Alpert explained: â€Å"A press release tends to have a more corporate style, and social media tends to be more conversational. I would argue that press releases should be more conversational, or if not conversational, then minimally they should be engaging and absolutely interesting and readable.† The press release mentioned above serves as a good example of this informal approach. In similar fashion, this September 13 statement from MyRepChat strikes a friendly note: Instead of listing the software’s technical features at length, it uses brief summaries and quotes from its CEO to highlight the ways that the software helps its users. By contrast, Borealis uses a quote from its acting CEO that comes across as plodding and overloaded with buzzwords: â€Å"This investment in our mechanical recycling capabilities at mtm is key in realising our growth ambitions in the circular economy, and it underlines our continuing commitment to mtm. We need stepwise expansion projects to minimize down time, but also need to maintain existing facilities and business.† The company might have done better to preface this statement with something more descriptive, such as: â€Å"Borealis’ acting CEO Alfred Stern emphasized his company’s dedication to expanding its activities in the area of plastics recycling – and doing so without forcing mtm plastics GmbH to take a break from the important business of responsible handling of post-consumer waste.† Content Management In short, according to Alpert, avoidance (or judicious use) of technobabble is valuable for any company looking to bolster its bottom line. Clear communication â€Å"absolutely leads to sales,† he said. â€Å"That’s why we have so much marketing communication [and] so much chatter across every imaginable medium, from email and Twitter and Facebook on your phone to electronic billboards and ads in elevators.† As noted here, good writing skills are a crucial part of the solution, especially for companies involved in complex and technical industries that are not easy to describe to laymen. But they do not have to be the only tool in use. Indeed, technology – in the form of content management systems (CMSs) – can play a role. CMSs are software packages or apps that allow their users to collect, store, manage, and publish information, including text, graphics, and other materials. As companies accumulate collections of press releases and other public statements, they can use CMSs as an archive that stores older material: as a smart index that tags text and graphics so that they can be used in the most effective context, as a template that generates new material and calibrates it to specific audiences, as a sounding board that allows staff members to update and comment on press releases and other public statements, and as a publishing solution that formats material attractively. Pimcore, a German open-source software vendor, has pointed out that these systems help companies access the technological resources needed to streamline the process of composing and releasing marketing materials: â€Å"You don’t need to know HTML or any other programming language to build a website using a CMS. All you really need to know is how to use Microsoft Word and you will be able to create (using) your CMS to create web pages, blog posts, news articles, landing pages, and press releases.† (hyperlink to https://pimcore.com/en/resources/blog/why-you-should-be-using-a-content-management-system-cms_a981) In other words, CMSs can be a helpful complement to good writing skills. They can streamline the process of drafting press releases by helping companies to draw on their most successful marketing campaigns and statements of the past. Through tagging, they can help companies tailor their press releases to different audiences with different tolerances for technical information, while ensuring that the final product is well formatted and visually appealing.

Walt Disney Company Case study

Walt Disney Company Case study Disney’s has different characters that have proven successful in different market segments and as such, cross-platform franchising has enabled the company to create a sustainable competitive advantage (Russell 2012). For example, the company targets children and young teens with its princess and Cars franchises.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Walt Disney Company Case study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, Disney’s uses music labels such as Hanna Montana or Jonas Brothers to reach out to a diversified consumer group. On the other hand, the Pirates of Caribbean targets the adults and older teens’ markets. Through product differentiation, Disney has managed to reach out to multiple markets, and this has helped to promote the Disney brand as a whole (Russell 2012). Disney has also adopted product differentiation through its Pirates franchise. This is aimed at gaining sustainable co mpetitive advantage. The Pirates franchise comprises of a series of products such as DVDS, movies, figurines/ships and toys, customers, and Disney world ride. All these products have been integrated into a single franchise that targets different consumer markets. The movie Car is among the major brands that has created a competitive advantage for the company. After the hit movie Cars, Disney went ahead to produce a series under the brand name Cars. To reach out to customers, Disney used DVDs in addition to launching the Disney TV channel. As a result, the company has managed to reach out to different consumers of different age groups and locations. The Cars brand is also available through an online virtual gaming world which targets teens and children. All these practices are part of the company’s product differentiation strategies which the company has adopted in an attempt at reaching out to different customers, thereby creating a competitive advantage. Disney has developed a strong brand which differentiates the company from other competitors in the industry. For example, the brand name, â€Å"Pirates† is used on Disney’s products to appeal to target customers from different segments of the market. Product appeal results in consumer loyalty among the targeted consumer markets thus giving the company an upper hand over its competitors. As noted by Bob Iger, the company has manaed to create multiple experiences through product appeal thus generating consumer enthusiasm (Disney Institute 2012). This has enabled Disney to give its consumers a reason to come back and share the same experience.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The application of market diversification has also given Disney competitive advantage in the market. For example, Disney has been moving its franchises with the objective of capturing the growing t eens’ market. In addition, the company has broadened its viewership on its Disney Channel franchise in a bid to capture new markets. Under the leadership of Bob Iger, the company has moved Disney Channel from premium channels to basic channels. In addition, it has also focused on launching local versions its major key markets around the globe. All these activities have led to a sustainable market share of the company. Marketing mix entails the 4ps that is, product, price, place/distribution, and promotion. Disney’s Cars franchise is one of the company’s leading franchises. According to Disney (2012), the Car franchise has helped the company to achieve huge success in the film industry. As part of its marketing mix, Disney produced the hit movie Cars, which was followed by series of Cars in the form of animations available to targeted markets. The company also produced Cars 2 which promoted the Cars franchise. Other accessories associated with the Disney Cars fra nchise include personal care, food, apparel, home dà ©cor, electronics and toys (Disney 2012). Different products of the Car franchise are promoted through the Disney Channel, personal selling, displays, and advertisements. For instance, Cars was introduced to the movie theaters and to the public by designing cartoon car characters which were later displayed in merchandise stores along with the real Car movie as part of its promotion exercise. The Cars franchise is currently promoted through Cars e-magazine, internet platform and other mobile phone applications such as Cars’ Lightning Was Here (Disney 2012). The products are found in movie theaters’, online platforms, and leading merchandise stores. Disney has adopted a strong distribution network in order to ensure that the products are available to consumers within the stipulated timeframe. Disney uses premium prices as part of its pricing strategy (Garcia 2011). The prices offered by Disney are modest and affordabl e given the high level of competition in the entertainment industry.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Walt Disney Company Case study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Considering that the company’s executives constantly under pressure to increase profit margins the company has adopted aggressive pricing. This strategy is intended to increase sales. Since Disney has already gained its market share, it uses competitive pricing. Competitive pricing is associated with quality products such as the products associated with Cars franchise. Based on the case study, Disney’s major focus has been on family-friendly fairs with a major emphasis on teens and young children. However, due to increased competition in the industry, Disney should consider choosing another market segment. A good example of a new market segment for Disney to target would be young girls in Middle East. Through the Disney Princess franch ise (Walt Disney 2012) the company could target an untapped market in the Middle East. Jasmine as portrayed in the film Aladdin is a girl who was later captured and treated like a slave (Walt Disney 2012). Middle East is an emerging economy with a fast growing population of women. The Middle East market is promising especially the female segment (Krupnick 2011). Therefore, targeting girls in Middle East is appropriate because the population has an increasing purchasing power. Krupnick (2011) add that the Middle East market is composed of oil-rich nations whose purchasing power has been on rise. For instance, Middle East has a purchasing power of more than 8% (Newman 2006). Therefore, it is important to note that the targeted market will afford Disney branded dolls and other feminine related accessories. Some products such as body and hair perfumes for girls which are a reflection of Jasmine would be highly marketable. Furthermore, Middle East Women inclusive of girls have larger inf luence on products because of their family spending. Arab females have been categorized as an attractive market target group because they form the largest group of media consumers (Carter 1997). In addition, they have a higher buying power just like other buyers in Western markets. The population of females of ages below 30 years is higher compared to that of men.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This means that there is a ready population which can be targeted (Carter 1997). Advertising through the media and magazines are the most appropriate methods of reaching the target market. This is because traditionally, magazines and media have been the key advertising medium for existing and emerging brands (Carter 1997). If at all Disney is to reposition itself in the Middle East market, the management should take in to consideration market changes and market trends. Products diversification would be a viable option as it would ensure that the target market gets to enjoy a variety of Disney’s products. For example, Jasmine diversified fragrances, perfumes, dolls, t-shirts, and clothing have the capacity to evoke various feelings among the target market. Perfumes with different scents and sizes have different effects on different people and are thus recommended. Jasmine dolls should be of different sizes, color, and be clothed differently in order to meet new market trends a nd customers’ preferences. Also, Disney needs to invest heavily on TV commercials and magazines because females from the Middle East are heavy consumers of TV commercials (Carter 1997). In addition, Disney could upgrade its products and give them a youthful look which create memorable experiences and brand image in the minds of the consumers. Finally, the company should improve its current products by adding new features as a way of making them more appealing to the target customers. Carter, Meg. â€Å"The Buying Power of Arab women. (Latest Developments in Advertising in the Middle East). † Campaign. 6 Jun. 1997: 1. Print. Disney. Disney Consumer Products: Disney-Pixar Cars. 2011. Web. https://www.disneyconsumerproducts.com/Home/display.jsp?contentId=dcp_home_ourfranchises_disney_cars_usforPrint=falselanguage=enpreview=falseimageShow=0pressRoom=UStranslationOf=region=0. Disney Institute. Disney’s approach to Brand Loyalty. PDF files. 24 Nov. 2012 disneyinstit utecollateral.com/files/PDP/BrandLoyalty_Extended.pdf Garcia, Jason. â€Å"Disney Pricing Strategy: Seeking More Profits out of Long-Term visitors.† Orlando Sentinel. 20 Jun. 2011: 1. Print. Krupnick, Ellie. Arab Women The Majority Of Couture Clients, Executives Say. 10 Oct. 2011. Web.. huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/07/arab-women-couture-clients_n_999680.html. Newman, Mark. Purchasing Power. 2006. Web.worldmapper.org/posters/worldmapper_map170_ver5.pdf Russell, Christina. The Walt Disney Company. PDF files. 24 Nov. 2012, christinalrussell.com/documents/DisneyFinanceProject_000.pdf. Walt Disney. Disney Consumer Products: Disney Princess. 2011. Web. https://www.disneyconsumerproducts.com/Home/display.jsp?contentId=dcp_home_ourfranchises_disney_princess_usforPrint=falselanguage=enpreview=falseimageShow=0pressRoom=UStranslationOf=region=0

A Brief History of Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

A Brief History of Globalization - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of globalization as a process (or set of processes) which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and transactions, expressed in transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity, interaction, and power. Globalisation is perhaps the most overused and least understood word, and one can easily see that the meaning and scope of the word has transformed and evolved dramatically over the past few years. The controversy associated with it proves how complicated scholars on both sides have made it. Under this backdrop, here is someone with a rational approach who seeks to clarify the concepts. Alex MacGillivray’s views are wry and balanced, replete with historic anecdotes and high-quality analysis of each aspect and implication of globalization. He litters his writing with speckles of benign humor when referring to the steady growth in the number of countries over the last few decades accord ing to membership of the UN, recognition by FIFA or entries in the CIA’s World Fact Book. His observations are woven logically into the fabric of first-rate primary data analysis. For instance, a new data set showing that much of the reputed growth of an international trade over the past two decades arise from regional (intra trading block), rather than a truly international movement of goods and services. This idea contrasts what organizations like WTO and World Bank acclaim as the benefits of globalization.