Global Health Policy (choose a topic) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Health Policy (choose a topic) - Essay Example The IRIN (2015) report indicates that maternal mortality in South Sudan is above 2000 in every 100,000 live births. Statistically, the figure is far much higher than other countries. For instance, World Health Organization reports that the figure is 1000 times higher than the rate in Sweden. However, the figure representing the maternal mortality could be an underestimation (Nyamtema, 2015). This can be attributed to the fact that many deaths are not recorded. Partly, this is because more women give birth in villages. Such environments are characterized by lack of medical facilities and lack of trained medical professionals. As a result, most of pregnant women suffer from infections that result from open wounds. Hemorrhage is also another underlying factor that fuels up maternal mortality. Blood vessels rupture during delivery due to the pressure of pushing. Studies show that hemorrhage is common due to lack of proper medical attention and unhealthy maternity environment, which imped es the efforts of controlling the bleeding. Consequently, women die because of excessive bleeding. Accessing medical services in South Sudan is also a major challenge. In this case, families that live in rural areas are the most affected (The Sudan Household Health Survey, 2010). Lack of sufficient medical facilities in the rural areas is to blame for higher maternal deaths. It is important to note that South Sudan is an underdeveloped country. For this reason, the economy of the country is very poor (World Bank, 2010). The people are impoverished as well. In addition, high maternal death rates are generated through early marriages. According to Christian Connection for International report (2014), young girls drop out of primary education and contract early pregnancies. Girls as young as 13 years old discontinue their education and opt to marry elderly men. This policy brief will

Matching Case Essay Example for Free

Matching Case Essay Match the definitions listed on the right with the words listed on the left. Please note that there are more possible answers than terms. 1. Interview _E___ 2. Interrogation F____ 3. Interrogation approach __I__ 4. Witness __J__ 5. Suspect __D__ 6. Subject _I___ 7. Admission ____ 8. Confession _G___ 9. Deception __H__ 10. Statement __K__ a. Documents used to pass on instructions or information from one party in the department to another b. A written or oral assertion of certain facts and information for an investigation c. The manner in which the interrogator accomplishes the interrogation, such as sympathetic, aggressive, indifferent, and so on d. A person who may have planned, participated in, committed, or be knowledgeable about a crime e. A formal meeting between two people for the purpose of exchanging information f. Asking formal questions to obtain the truth through planned or unplanned approaches and techniques g. A full and complete acknowledgement of guilt concerning participation in the commission of a crime h. Physical, emotional, or mental attempts to deceive the interrogator i. A person who may have committed a crime j. An individual who has personal knowledge from seeing or hearing something about the incident k. Any act or statement made by the suspect that is a partial acknowledgement of the offense l. A question phrased in a way that suggests an answer to the person being questioned. Short Answer Answer the following questions, in paragraph form, using a minimum of 100 words per answer. 1. What is the difference between an interview and an interrogation? Define each. During the interview, officers acquire information about the witnesses and their needs, worries, anxieties, and approaches. Investigators can later use this material to arrange questions and arguments to use during interrogations. During the interview process, people answer questions from investigators about the incident, themselves, and other people involved in these events. During this soft initial approach, investigators detect non-verbal and verbal conduct showed by the subjects. During the interrogation the approach is of the investigator is more aggressive. Agents use diverse skills in interrogations, challenging subjects with declarations instead of asking for information. During the interrogations, the investigators lead the process; subjects are placed in a submissive state. Investigators do not look for information, what they pursue is a confession. 2. What are effective techniques for interviews and interrogations? The first step is to evaluate the motive for the interview. An interview with a witness is different than an interview with a suspect or victim. Consequently, it is vital that the role of the investigator is set prior to the interview. It is important to remember that the same technique of interviewing will not work for all officers or be successful with all witnesses. A fundamental rule of law enforcement interviewing is to find witnesses to a crime as soon as possible. The bigger the time period between the crime and the witness interview, increases the possibility that the witness will not remember all the details that were witnessed. A second reason for interviewing witnesses as soon as possible is to avoid them from sharing their statements with other witnesses and then altering their  versions of what they saw.

Marketing Orientation With In The Renault Company Marketing Essay

Marketing Orientation With In The Renault Company Marketing Essay Harris (2002, p. 247) Defines Marketing Orientation as The extent to which an organisation is perceived to act in a coordinated, customer and competitor-oriented fashion. Narver and Slaters (1990) also confirm there are three dimensions of Marketing Orientation, customer orientation, competitor orientation, and interfunctional coordination. This marketing concept involves three essential steps in being customer-focused. First, the wants and needs of the customers are researched and identified. Then, the research outputs are studied by the marketers and new products are created based on the consumer needs. Finally, customer satisfaction is aimed after public awareness and introduction of the product is made. A marketing-orientated business is characterised by various attributes. The company makes good and extensive use of marketing research, develops new and broad products, highlights product value and benefits, uses product innovation methods, and designs supplementary services or customer benefits such as delivery, installation, warranty, and credit availability. All these are geared toward customer advantage. Marketing orientation has three common alternatives which can be adopted by a company and these are sales orientation, product orientation, and production orientation. Looking at Renaults orientation, the conclusion that we have made is that Renault is a market orientated organisation. The reason for this conclusion is Renault is very focused on the needs and wants for the consumer. They have different types of cars focusing on different markets for their customer base. For example, Clio which is marketed at young adults who may have a low budget for purchasing the car. On the other side of the spectrum where the Laguna or Megane could be classed as a high specification family car. Also Renault has many of these cars in a range of sports models. Due to the nature of the business which Renault is involved in they have had to diverse the range of car models which they sell due to its competitors. For example Ford and Vauxhall. Another good example is Renault are in the process of developing hybrid cars and electric cars within its car range. According to Renault (2011) the first electric car will be sold in Israel in 2011 and then in other countries. The reason for this has come from customer demand, consumers are more aware of rises in fuel prices and carbon emissions. This would be a classic example how Renault is a market orientated company. In terms of RD Renault listen to their consumers as different customers have different types of criteria when purchasing a car. Mack (1996) states That to reinforce customer loyalty they involve existing customer in the design of its cars. According to Renault (2011) Renault- Nissan Alliance spend 4 billion Euros on the investment on electric parts. Many Eastern European countries would have a different specification of a car compared to someone in the UK. For example countries such as Bulgaria and Romania need cars that cater for larger families. Also some countries may not require a car which has a soft top due to climate conditions being different in comparison to a country where the weather is hot. Countries where the weather is constantly warm may require cars to have air conditioning. The Renault car called Dacia Logan has created in 2004, this particular type of car was designed for people in developing countries of the world. The car was first sold in Romania at a very cheap price of 5000 Euros and then moved into South America and India after proving a success when the car was first launched. Demographics would play a major role in the RD aspect of the business so Renault would know where and how to market their final end product. Boddy (2008) defines PEST analysis as A technique for indentifying and listing the political, economic, social, technological, environment and legal factors. Political Factors: The political factors in any country are largely responsible to alter a business environment as company may decide to change its business strategy based on the political scenario of the region it is based in. The government of any country regulates power supply, telecom and postal services and finance. The following are the political factors that affect Renault within the UK. Current taxation policy: According to the Trade and Investment minister Digby Jones the UK is becoming least attractive to work and invest due to the taxation policy, which was under pressure from opposition to tax rich foreign investors doing business in the UK. Thus the labour party proposed a cut on taxing investors who are non-UK domiciled. Also a worth mention is VAT which means value added tax. It is charged on most goods and services that are VAT registered. The recent recession has affected a lot of businesses most importantly the car manufacturing in the UK, it can be seen as going through a bad phase for the automobile industry. Thus UK motor agency served a budget to the current Government in the UK and urged it to create a right mix of policies to sustain growth in the segment. Renault decided to follow the following measures to counter any future threats in regards to financial aspect of the same by the following measures: Continue to put pressure on banks to give more loans Support automotive council Freeze fuel duty Following the Kyoto protocol, more political pressure has been imposed to the polluting industries. Regarding the car market, Governments across the world have established some environmental penalties and bonuses to manufacturers and consumers. For customers, they need to pay a tax to the government according to the level of CO2 emissions. This can have a massive influence for buyers, especially with sports car and ones with large engines which are regarded as the most polluting. Economic factors: Osbourn (2011) mentions Chancellor of Exchequer made a budget statement which is meant to reform the nations economy and this time the budget is neutral and also becomes the best place in Europe to invest, which is a good sign for car manufacturers as certain taxes applicable have been cut and import duty has been significantly reduced, which is a sign of relief for car manufacturers. Godlevskaja et al (2011) states: Many OEMs are expanding their model lines to entice new customers and increase overall customer base range. Often at their competitors expense. At the same time growth increase is limited within the auto mobility industry as a whole. in the EU new car demand fell 7.8 per cent to 14.7 million units in 2008 that reflects consumer concerns about the economy the buying power from consumers this could have been down toward the recession, despite this Renault would continuously market themselves to its potential consumers. Having customer awareness makes people want to purchase their vehicles with newer models being introduced. Sociological Factors: These factors constitute various social factors such as cultural aspects, demographics, lifestyles and attitudes. For e.g. Whatever works in one country may not be successful in other, Renault may sell racing cars in France but for a market like India it needs to launch small cars as in this country small cars are much in demand due to the infrastructure of the company and population size. Demographics: Renault is the third largest car manufacturer in the world with its presence across Europe, Asia and even Africa thus it needs to proactive rather than reactive in development in these countries. Its policy of developing strategic alliances with local manufacturers helps it to get an edge in the global scenario as locals know their home market better, they use a tried and tested marketing strategy of targeting the right market segment to see if it works sells. Such alliances apart from fostering industrial harmony also helps in sharing of technological aspects of each firm, and helps develop new products such as the concept of electrical cars to save fuel and protect the environment. Though Renault is a French company it has alliances across the Globe that helps it foster multicultural aspects. In which the sentiments of local population are not hurt as they continue using the same product such as in case of Romania and Korea. Where in Renault acquired Dacia and Samsung motors respectively. Such alliances also help it to launch existing vehicles from one region to the other, also known as market development from Ansoffs matrix. Alà ¡ez-Aller et al (2010) states knowing your customers needs and wants are vital to success to entry strategy within new regions. In depth analysis of macro and micro environment is key when consumers are looking to purchase vehicles. Technological Factors: Any company from any sector catering to any segment needs to change at some point, in order to grow and survive the growing competition from consumers and competitors. Godlevskaja et al (2011) states: Firms must constantly adjust their service portfolios because it is important for companies to have a dynamic service portfolio that is adapted to various customer needs. Consequently companies that fail to do so lose in the long term as the outside world is very competitive and brutal to securing a position in the market. Companies worldwide spend millions of money just to make sure that they do not lag behind if they lack the technical expertises. Renault (2011) quotes directly from its website: Renault is committed to the development and implementation of new technologies into every aspect of our vehicles. Renaults engineers cover every angle roadholding, safety, comfort, soundproofing, etc. in their relentless quest to make motoring a pleasurable experience. Porters five forces analysis and criticism In order to settle a strategy, a company must analyse its industry. However the analysis of its competitor is not enough to understand all the aspects of the business. The types of businesses are various and numerous. But in almost all the industries, Michael E. Porter has identified a common structure composed by five global forces. These are to take into consideration in order to implement a successful strategy. 1. The Analysis For our topic we will consider these five forces within the car industry adapted to the Renault Company. Rivalry among existing competitors Strong competition Very strong competitive rivalry in the cars sector, especially with the brands focusing on a particular market segment. E.g. Audi are becoming leaders on high standard quality cars, while TATA is undertaking the low cost cars segment The Asian manufacturers have a very strong growth thanks to their low cost cars and their quality car is very reliable. E.g. KIA and their 7 years warranty. The structure of the automotive industry is becoming more and more powerful because of all the merges and the joint ventures, so the competition is strong and aggressive. The threat of new entrants Low threat Few new brands entering on the market for these important reasons: The investment that has to be made is extremely important. Especially in the manufacture part of the activity, where the investment must be important if the brand wants to get a competitive advantage The experiment and the know-how are essential elements to have its place on its market, in particular on management of the costs and the competitiveness. The competitors already present are already well known brands. All these companies trend to be restructured into fewer big groups. These implicate that they are more powerful and do not let possibilities for any small new company to enter in the market The threat of substitute Mild/ Relative Threat Even if there are the other ways of transportation, the car remains indispensable nowadays. It is true that sometimes changing the transportation way can have some advantages as the cost (with the low cost airline carrier), the ethic of environment (with ecological way of transports such as trains or the buses) or time in important factor within lsrger cities (with the underground), none of the transport way offer a good mix of utility, convenience, independence, and value afforded by automobiles. Nowadays, the automotive companies have a wide range of product, which can satisfy every demand, in adapting their cars in satisfying every new need, that increases the loyalty of the consumers to use cars. Bargaining power of the suppliers: Dependence Suppliers/Customer The purpose is being to establish a profitable, reliable relation for both parts. But the parts suppliers are sometimes small manufactures so Renault has more pressure to put on its supplier in terms of price However the image of Renault, as a reliable car company also depends on the quality of the car parts Suppliers are also important to Renault in terms of costs, according to Renault (2011): Suppliers account for 80% of total vehicle production costs. It is therefore essential for Renault to gain their commitment and to make them part of its approach to sustainable development Bargaining power of the buyers Strong power of negotiation The consumers are the target of communication campaigns and marketing actions because it is more and more tempted to try other brands The final product are standardised, customers can put the pressure on the different vendors insisting on the fact that an equivalent car can be find from another company for approximately the same price The negotiation can be in the price, but also on obtaining more options or services with same price. This affects the costs to organisations 2. Criticism of the Porters analysis The three new forces The Porter analysis remains one of the most influential marketing and strategy tool. However this analysis has been written by Porter during the 1980s, and the economic world has considerably changed during the last decades. Especially due to the Internet and all the e-business that make evolved most of the industries. Larry Downes, co-author of Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance relates in the article Beyond Porter that the Porters five forces analysis is no longer a complete tool to opt for a viable strategy. He describes new strategic frameworks composed by three new factors (forces), which permit to analysis the business area more relevantly: The digitalisation Due to increase power of information technology, new business models will be born from the market. This allowed the global awareness of the consumers on the global market. The competitors will now not only be part of the same industry. Now the tour operator Thomas Cook can be a competitor of Renault. These two companies will push their clients to use their money to buy their product when there are the same prices According to Recklies (2008) The old economy used IT as a tool for implementing change. Today technology had become the most important driver for change. Therefore mindsets have changed for organisations and how they operate; the final end product will require an element of technological advances for it to successful in modern society due to social factors. The Globalisation The globalisation of the market is nowadays something that a company cannot afford to ignore. The effects of the globalisation on businesses are betterment in the areas of distribution logistics and communication. The Global companies have to adapt their strategies in function of the global network. These strategies remain more complex than what Porter describe. Its not a question of price or quality for the customers, but trying to reach a type of loyal relationship with a network of partners and consumers. The deregulation One of the big changes in the business from the Porters model is the taking into consideration of the intervention of the governments in the business and in the industries. Because of the action of the states (new laws, new quality requirements, new importation/exportation quotas) the industries and the organisations have to adapt their strategies, finding new alternatives to their business models. These factors became important but they rarely appear into the Porter analysis. So an important Company like Renault cannot focus on this tool to create a solid and successful strategy. The purpose of the five forces model is to define the attractiveness of an industry in relation with theses 5 forces. But according to Dagmar Recklies: In economics, the constellation of factors determines issues like profit maximisation or supernormal profits.   So we can conclude that the Porters five forces analysis is a strategy tool that can be used only knowing its limitations and among others tools to be the base of a correct strategy. Place Jobber (2006) defines price as The agreed value placed on the exchange by a buyer and seller. Price is one of the fixed key factors in the marketing mix and should be blended together with all element of the marketing mix, to create customer value. It can be argued then that price interlinks with the other elements of the marketing mix and must be met by supply and demand to achieve its best. Price in the marketing mix is very important to a business as it can determine if a company is successful or not when selling the product, it can be perceived that price can reflect quality when selling to consumers. The price can affect the following areas so its pivotal to have the right pricing strategy to market the right product. Price can include the cost of production to an organisation and the strategy they use to market the product at a competitive price so consumers decide to use you, rather than your competitors. The price of a product can be sold at a cut-price to boost volume of sales. This can be a strategy used by organisations to gain market share which can have its positives and negatives. Walker (2006) states Having low prices may be perceived by consumers as being low quality. Organisation may market themselves so they may be seen as obtain profits on a short term basis. This is where promotion can be interlinked to a pricing strategy. Organisations spend vast amounts on RD before setting prices on products. It can be argued that firms must price the product in a way which reflects the appropriate position of the product within the market. The balance for organisations is to maximise profits, but to have a consistent amount of sales. Marketers use this strategy as they maybe price orientated within the marketing mix. This is where product development would occur and knowing your target market well. Renault uses price within the marketing mix very well. Throughout its range of cars they have luxury cars including the Laguna all the way down to the Clio which is targeted on price with low maintenance costs. In terms of price to the Renault Clio it can be seen as being priced similar to its major competitors. Considering the Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Fiesta and also Peugeot 206. The pricing strategy of the Renault Clio new ranges from around  £9,000 to  £19,000 plus. There are many factors that can influence the prices of just one particular type of car. For example engine size, motor sport version etc The Clio range has the sport 2000, Dymanique, Gordini and also Bizu. This shows that the product has been diversified to achieve maximum price when selling the product to consumers. Clio Series Price Sport 2000  £16,000 Dymanique  £11,000 Gordini  £19,000 Bizu  £9,000 Walker (1996) shows that all other competitors i.e. Corsa and Fiesta are based around the same pricing strategy. This is because the car industry is large and production costs are not so important and creating the largest profit is not as necessary as it would be for a smaller organisation. The reason for Clio having the same pricing strategy as its competitors is because it is the only model in Renault range to predominately focus on lower cost with low quality from launch. Therefore it needs to be competitive with its rivals. The Clio model has done this very well as new models for the Clio are designed every few years. The Clio has been on the market for over 15 years proving its successfulness to its consumers who are aware of other markets available to them. The following is a perceptual map of small commercial cars sold and its comparison with the Renault Clio. It can be seen that the Clio and Corsa can be placed in the same category as each other, as both focus on price mainly. Other small cars including Audi and BMW focus on both high quality and price as the reputation they have is that its a long term investment. The Skoda Fabia is a low priced car because of the reputation it held from its unreliable past, but its reputation has slow been built back up. High Quality *BMW 1 Series Audi A4* *Skoda FabiaLow Price High Price Vauxhall* Corsa *Renault Clio Low Quality Relationships can be built up between the consumer and the seller. Mack (1996) states that Renault try and use this strategy as much as possible when selling cars. But why do this? They do this to make the consumer feel they are receiving a personalised service. Some dealerships offer free gift as an indirect way of making customers by their product too its competitors. Walker (1998) also says This has been a vital part of our strategy in helping to persuade customers that we can meet their needs especially targeting smaller cars. However it can be argued this strategy possibly may not work in modern society. As many people are aware the automotive industry is very competitive, it is becoming quickly cost orientated in particularly markets, indirect costs such as fuel, insurance and tax. Trade-off analysis could be applied to the Renault Clio. Jobber (2006) says Features such as speed, petrol consumption, brand and price are placed in front of consumers and asked which combinations they prefer. While the Clio Mk 3 was being designed it would have consulted potential buyers, they would have used rd for this because the car was designed to be low cost and wanted as many luxury as possible while concentrating on its core competence its price. However this analysis can have its limitations. When rd is taking place respondents may ask for a lot of things but all these additions may not be feasible. When asked to purchase the car consumers may not be willing to exchange money. Product Jobber (2006) defines product as A good service offered or performed by and organisation or individual, which is capable of satisfying customer needs. To have an effective product that consumers desire, it needs to be prices fairly and requires a Unique Selling Proposition. (USP) Walker et al (1998) states there are four elements which creates a well balanced and successful marketing mix. These included: Matching customer needs Need for balance Creates a competitive advantage Matches corporate resources The product Renault Clio has historically been targeted at the younger aged population who maybe on a budget. The product is a smaller model compared to other ranges in Renault yet also delivering the majority of luxury that other models offer. Including air-conditioning, climate control, Bluetooth and satellite navigation, this makes Clio very positive when it advertises the model to its consumers. The Clio then however meets the criteria set to have an effective marketing mix. Jobber (2006) states that Product development is important. As technology and tastes change, products become out of date and inferior to those of the competition, so companies must replace them with features that customers value. The fundamental feature of the new Clio model is the tom-tom feature. Renault and tom-tom have had to come to an agreement to include the satellite navigation to integrate this within the models. This has given Clio a competitive advantage over external competitors. Having a competitive advantage enables them to charge a premium price. However in few cases charging a premium price for products can have its down fall. Many consumers may not be willing to pay extra for products that may not be essential, consequently consumers will move to Clios competitors such as the 206 and Corsa. The balance is conducted by market research to see what consumers want, referring back to trade off analysis. According to Renault (2011) Clio is its most successful range of car across Europe. This is because the product caters for a broad range of markets. The reason for can be considered when looking at the anatomy of the Clio. The core product (I) would be the car itself and the way it is strategically priced, as being a low value priced car compared to its other cars within its range. The second layer would be products that add value to the overall product. Making it match customer needs and creating a competitive advantage. This could be as mentioned above, tom-tom, Bluetooth, keyless entry system, parking assist sensors and warranties. The outer layer includes extras which maybe indirectly related to the car including after sale support and credit sale. Many augmenting features are closely related to establishing a successful relationship between buyer and seller. A product life cycle (PLC) can determine where the product lies within its life. Many organisation use different strategies to pro-long the life of its product. When a product reaches maximum maturity and seess signs its declining it then considers using Product/Market Ansoff matrix. This involves 4 different strategies that can be used: Product development Diversification Market penetration Market development The reason for this is to maximise profits for Clio. Renault Clio mainly uses product development to change its model throughout years so customers have the opinion of upgrading and keeping up with trends rather than going to competitors. When the Clio was first launched it obviously begins in the introduction phase of the PLC and is strategically priced high. Jobber (2006) states that the Strategic marketing objective is to build sales by expanding the market for the product. The growth stage is next to follow, there is increase of sales and profit growth. The reason for this is due to increase in promotion by creating awareness. Renault Clio use TV advertising predominately to penetrate the market. They also have their own Renault TV channel. The maturity stage is where the product sales are at its peak whilst time is increasing. This is where the organisation may offer discounts or extra such as warranties. This is also the stage where product improvements occur at the peak of the maturity stage. The reasons for this include: Maintain competitive advantage Future growth First move advantage The decline stage is the final process of the PLC, the reason for this according to Walker (1998) is due to technological superior substitutes and also consumers change in preferences due to competition. The Renault Clio was an innovation that Renault developed due to competition from its competitors. According to Bloomberg Businessweek (2006) Renault was at number 49. Its competitors did not even reach the top 100 of innovated companies. Other automotive companies included within the list lower than number 49, Nissan and Volvo. This information could now be argued because companies such as Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota are much more innovated in 2010 as they have developed cars whilst considering external factors such as the environmental factors. (Development of the Hybrid car) Distribution Mix Marketing The distribution policy includes all decisions and actions that can be related to the delivery of our product to the customer. There are two different ways of distribution existing for Renaults company. Business to Business (B to B) = Company Retailer Consumer Business to Consumer (B to C) = Company Consumer Engineering Renault is one of the biggest car industries worldwide. It is present through the world in around 201 countries, including Europe, North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. An international engineering; closer to the markets. The Techno Center (France) Engineering: The Renault Group is deployed globally. It revolves around two components: Engineering Central, the heart of the system and regional engineering spread over Renaults strategic markets. Engineering centers: The Techno Center (France), the heart of the engineering world Renault Technologies Americas Renault Technologies Romania Renault Technologies Spain Renault Samsun Technical Center This organisation is based on a standardised process of engineering at Renault World of unified technical standards, defining key functions and technical harmonisation of policies. A well-developed network of design centers Renault Design America Latina in Sao Paulo The group relies on a parallel network of five satellites design centers. Observatories real trends these emerging centers of vehicles for new markets. They are involved from the launch of a new project through to the production of the final concept car. The design centers are: Renault Design Paris Renault Design Central Europe Renault Design America Latina Renault Samsung Design Renault Design India Two objectives are Warranty the best customer satisfaction all around the world Produce close to the markets Renaults industry realises two type of sell: Either to the customers or to companies. But, all confounded, Renault has realised for the Year 2010 reporting record sales volumes with 2.6 million vehicles sold. Thanks to its positioning, essentially outside Europe, in the emerging countries, Renault has bounded its sales. Heres a graph which represents the market where Renault is present in 2010: From: Renault Website It is important to understand that the Clio is one of the best vehicles brand for Renault. In about 20 years, it has won more than 10 million customers around the world (100 countries). This success is thanks to a styling, comfort, safety, versatility and different equipment package worthy of cars from the next segment up. Renault February 2011 sales in Europe region In February 2011, by Renault (2011) Website, its sales represent in Europe 28,350 cars sold, this means 29.74% are Clios models. Renault February 2011 sales in Worldwide region In February by Renault (2011) Website, its sales represent in Worldwide 40,969 cars sold, showing 27.15% are Clio models. In the following table are the most popular diverse ways to market the Clio model Place Advantages Drawbacks Car Dealerships This is the most pr

Runners High :: Definition Sports Running Papers

Runner's High Many runners have had the opportunity to experience a state of euphoria while running. While the actual state that they feel varies immensely for each individual there is a common feeling associated with the term "runner's high". When a person is asked about runner's high they typically will say that it a pleasant state that a runner might experience after a certain distance. This in fact may not be true for only runners though. Skiers, surfers, football players and wrestlers all have "highs" or moments when they feel they are working to their maximum potential and feeling on top of the world. Runner's are not the only types of athletes that experience intense emotional feelings. One must question exactly what is included in this feeling. Defining a "high" may not be all that easy, if there even is such a thing. Many people have related runner's high to the feeling of an orgasm. At this time, the body and mind are both highly stimulated and seem to elevate a person's senses. Other people have responded to the question of "What is runner's high?" by saying that when the environmental stimuli around you is near perfect and you are feeling good you are actually feeling a type of "high". We must not overlook the facts though, which include physical and physiological details to back up feelings of runner's high. Throughout time, runner's high has been debated and there is still no general definition as to what it is, or even if it exists. Looking at different personal experiences and physical evidence one can generally conclude that runner's high is a state of euphoria caused by the environmental stimuli around the runner and the biological aspects of stress associated with running. The most obvious aspects to address with runner's high are the biological and psychological aspects that can be associated with it. When the body is put under stress the mind reacts accordingly. This is why endorphins are commonly associated with runner's high. Endorphins are any of a group of opiate proteins with pain-relieving properties that are found naturally in the brain. The word "endorphine" comes from endogenous, meaning "produced within the body" and morphine, a chemical substance derived from opium that elevates mood and reduces pain. Endorphines in turn are neurotransmitters that are chemically similar to morphine.1 It has been realized that the brain responds to morphine and that morphine receptors are in the brain.

Frostbite Chapter 20

Twenty We NEEDED AN ESCAPE PLAN, and we needed it fast. Unfortunately, my only ideas called for things that really weren't under my control. Like us being left completely alone so we could sneak off. Or having stupid guards whom we could easily fool and slip away from. At the very least, we should have been sloppily secured so that we could break free. None of that was happening, though. After almost twenty-four hours, our situations hadn't really changed. We were still prisoners, still securely bound. Our captors stayed vigilant, almost as efficient as any group of guardians. Almost. The closest we got to freedom was heavily supervised- and extremely embarrassing- bathroom breaks. The men gave us no food or water. That was rough on me, but the human and vampire mix made dhampirs hardy. I could handle being uncomfortable, even though I was fast reaching a point where I would have killed for a cheeseburger and some really, really greasy french fries. For Mia and Christian†¦well, things were a little harder. Moroi could go weeks without food and water if they were still getting blood. Without blood, they could manage a few days before getting sick and weak, so long as they still had other sustenance. That was how Lissa and I had managed while living on our own, since I hadn't been able to feed her every day. Take away food, blood, and water, and Moroi endurance dropped through the floor. I was hungry, but Mia and Christian were ravenous. Already, their faces looked gaunt, their eyes almost feverish. Isaiah made matters worse during his subsequent visits. Each time, he would come down and ramble on in his annoying, taunting way. Then, before leaving, he'd take another drink from Eddie. By the third visit, I could practically see Mia and Christian salivating. Between the endorphins and lack of food, I was pretty sure Eddie didn't even know where we were. I couldn't really sleep under these conditions, but during the second day, I started nodding off now and then. Starvation and exhaustion will do that to you. At one point, I actually dreamed, surprising since I didn't really think I could fall into a deep slumber under such insane conditions. In the dream- and I knew perfectly well that it was a dream- I stood on a beach. It took me a moment to recognize just which beach it was. It was along the Oregon coast- sandy and warm, with the Pacific unfolding in the distance. Lissa and I had traveled out here once when we lived in Portland. It had been a gorgeous day, but she couldn't handle being out in that much sun. We'd kept the visit short as a result, but I'd always wished I could have stayed longer and basked in all that. Now I had all the light and warmth I could want. â€Å"Little dhampir,† said a voice behind me. â€Å"It's about time.† I turned around in surprise and found Adrian Ivashkov watching me. He had on khakis and a loose shirt and- in a surprisingly casual style for him- wore no shoes. Wind ruffled his brown hair, and he kept his hands stuffed in his pockets as he regarded me with that trademark smirk of his. â€Å"Still got your protection,† he added. Frowning, I thought for a moment he was staring at my chest. Then I realized his eyes were on my stomach. I had on jeans and a bikini top, and once again, the little blue eye pendant dangled from my belly-button. The chotki was on my wrist. â€Å"And you're in the sun again,† I said. â€Å"So I suppose it's your dream.† â€Å"It's our dream.† I wiggled my toes in the sand. â€Å"How can two people share a dream?† â€Å"People share dreams all the time, Rose.† I looked up at him with a frown. â€Å"I need to know what you mean. About there being darkness around me. What does it mean?† â€Å"Honestly, I don't know. Everyone has light around them, except for you. You have shadows. You take them from Lissa.† My confusion grew. â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"I can't get into it right now,† he told me. â€Å"That's not why I'm here.† â€Å"You're here for a reason?† I asked, my eyes wandering to the blue-gray water. It was hypnotic. â€Å"You aren't just†¦here to be here?† He stepped forward and caught my hand, forcing me to look up at him. All amusement was gone. He was dead serious. â€Å"Where are you?† â€Å"Here,† I said, puzzled. â€Å"Just like you.† Adrian shook his head. â€Å"No, that's not what I mean. In the real world. Where are you?† The real world? Around us, the beach suddenly blurred, like a film going out of focus. Moments later, everything steadied itself. I racked my brain. The real world. Images came to me. Chairs. Guards. Flex-cuffs. â€Å"In a basement †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said slowly. Alarm suddenly shattered the beauty of the moment as everything came back to me. â€Å"Oh God, Adrian. You've got to help Mia and Christian. I can't- â€Å" Adrian's grip on my hand tightened. â€Å"Where?† The world shimmered again, and this time it didn't refocus. He swore. â€Å"Where are you, Rose?† The world began to disintegrate. Adrian began to disintegrate. â€Å"A basement. In a house. In- â€Å" He was gone. I woke up. The sound of the room's door opening startled me back to reality. Isaiah swept in with Elena in tow. I had to fight a sneer when I saw her. He was arrogant and mean and all-around evil. But he was that way because he was a leader. He had the strength and power to back up his cruelty- even if I didn't like it. But Elena? She was a lackey. She threatened us and made snide comments, but most of her ability to do so came from being his sidekick. She was a total suck-up. â€Å"Hello, children,† he said. â€Å"How are we doing today?† Sullen glares answered him. He strolled over to Mia and Christian, hands folded behind his back. â€Å"Any changes of heart since my last visit? You're taking an awfully long time, and it's upsetting Elena. She's very hungry, you see, but- I suspect- not as hungry as you two.† Christian narrowed his eyes. â€Å"Fuck off,† he said through gritted teeth. Elena snarled and lunged forward. â€Å"Don't you dare- â€Å" Isaiah waved her off. â€Å"Leave him alone. It just means we wait a little longer, and really, it's an entertaining wait.† Elena's eyes shot daggers at Christian. â€Å"Honestly,† continued Isaiah, watching Christian, â€Å"I can't decide which I want more: to kill you or have you join us. Either option offers its own amusements.† â€Å"Don't you get tired of hearing yourself talk?† asked Christian. Isaiah considered. â€Å"No. Not really. And I don't get tired of this, either.† He turned around and walked toward Eddie. Poor Eddie could barely sit upright in his chair anymore after all the feedings he'd gone through. Worse, Isaiah didn't even need to use compulsion. Eddie's face simply lit up with a stupid grin, eager for the next bite. He was as addicted as a feeder. Anger and disgust flooded through me. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled. â€Å"Leave him alone!† Isaiah glanced back at me. â€Å"Be silent, girl. I don't find you nearly as amusing as I do Mr. Ozera.† â€Å"Yeah?† I snarled. â€Å"If I piss you off so much, then use me to prove your stupid point. Bite me instead. Put me in my place, and show me what a badass you are.† â€Å"No!† exclaimed Mason. â€Å"Use me.† Isaiah rolled his eyes. â€Å"Good God. What a noble lot. You're all Spartacus, aren't you?† He strolled away from Eddie and put a finger under Mason's chin, tilting his head up. â€Å"But you,† Isaiah said, â€Å"don't really mean it. You only offer because of her.† He released Mason and walked in front of me, staring down with those black, black eyes. â€Å"And you †¦ I didn't really believe you at first either. But now?† He knelt down so that he was at my height. I refused to look away from his eyes, even though I knew that put me at risk of compulsion. â€Å"I think you really mean it. And it's not all nobility, either. You do want it. You really have been bitten before.† His voice was magical. Hypnotic. He wasn't using compulsion, exactly, but he definitely had an unnatural charisma surrounding him. Like Lissa and Adrian. I hung on his every word. â€Å"Lots of times, I'd guess,† he added. He leaned toward me, breath hot against my neck. Somewhere beyond him, I could hear Mason shouting something, but all of my focus was on how close Isaiah's teeth were to my skin. In the last few months, I'd only been bitten once- and that was when Lissa had had an emergency. Before then, she'd bitten me at least twice a week for two years, and I had only recently come to realize how addicted to that I'd been. There is nothing- nothing- in the world like a Moroi bite, like the flood of bliss it sends into you. Of course, by all accounts, Strigoi bites were even more powerful†¦. I swallowed, suddenly aware of my own heavy breathing and racing heart. Isaiah gave a low chuckle. â€Å"Yes. You're a blood whore in the making. Unfortunate for you- because I'm not going to give you what you want.† He backed away, and I slumped forward in my chair. Without further delay, he returned to Eddie and drank. I couldn't watch, but it was because of envy this time, not disgust. Longing burned inside of me. I ached for that bite, ached for it with every nerve in my body. When Isaiah finished, he started to leave the room, then paused. He directed his words at Mia and Christian. â€Å"Don't delay,† he warned. â€Å"Seize your opportunity to be saved.† He tilted his head toward me. â€Å"You even have a willing victim.† He left. Across the room, Christian met my eyes. Somehow, his face looked even gaunter than it had a couple of hours ago. Hunger burned in his gaze, and I knew I wore the complementary one: a desire to sate that hunger. God. We were so screwed. I think Christian realized it at the same time. His lips twisted into a bitter smile. â€Å"You never looked so good, Rose,† he managed, just before the guards told him to shut up. I dozed a little throughout the day, but Adrian didn't return to my dreams. Instead, while hovering just at the edge of consciousness, I found myself slipping into familiar territory: Lissa's head. After all the weirdness of these last two days, being in her mind felt like a homecoming. She was in one of the lodge's banquet rooms, only it was empty. She sat on the floor of the far side of it, trying to stay inconspicuous. Nervousness filled her. She was waiting for something- or rather, someone. A few minutes later, Adrian slipped in. â€Å"Cousin,† he said by way of greeting. He sat down beside her and drew his knees up, unconcerned about his expensive dress pants. â€Å"Sorry I'm late.† â€Å"It's okay,† she said. â€Å"You didn't know I was here until you saw me, did you?† She shook her head, disappointed. I felt more confused than ever. â€Å"And sitting with me †¦ you can't really notice anything?† â€Å"No.† He shrugged. â€Å"Well. Hopefully it'll come soon.† â€Å"How does it look for you?† she asked, burning with curiosity. â€Å"Do you know what auras are?† â€Å"They're like †¦ bands of light around people, right? Some New Age thing?† â€Å"Something like that. Everyone has a sort of spiritual energy that radiates out from them. Well, almost everyone.† His hesitation made me wonder if he was thinking of me and the darkness I allegedly walked in. â€Å"Based on the color and appearance, you can tell a lot about a person†¦well, if anyone could actually see auras, that is.† â€Å"And you can,† she said. â€Å"And you can tell I use spirit from my aura?† â€Å"Yours is mostly gold. Like mine. It'll shift with other colors depending on the situation, but the gold always stays.† â€Å"How many other people out there like us do you know?† â€Å"Not many. I just see them every once in a while. They kind of keep to themselves. You're the first I've actually ever talked to. I didn't even know it was called ‘spirit.' Wish I'd known about this when I didn't specialize. I just figured I was some kind of freak.† Lissa held up her arm and stared, willing herself to see the light shining around it. Nothing. She sighed and let the arm drop. And that's when I got it. Adrian was a spirit user too. That was why he'd been so curious about Lissa, why he'd wanted to talk to her and ask about the bond and her specialization. It also explained a lot of other things- like that charisma I couldn't seem to escape when I was near him. He'd used compulsion that day Lissa and I had been in his room- that was how he'd forced Dimitri to release him. â€Å"So, they finally let you go?† Adrian asked her. â€Å"Yeah. They finally decided I really didn't know anything.† â€Å"Good,† he said. He frowned, and I realized he was sober for a change. â€Å"And you're sure you don't?† â€Å"I already told you that. I can't make the bond work that way.† â€Å"Hmm. Well. You've got to.† She glared. â€Å"What, you think I'm holding back? If I could find her, I would!† â€Å"I know, but to have it at all, you must have a strong connection. Use that to talk to her in her dreams. I tried, but I can't hang on long enough to- â€Å" â€Å"What did you say?† exclaimed Lissa. â€Å"Talk to her in her dreams?† Now he looked puzzled. â€Å"Sure. Don't you know how to do that?† â€Å"No! Are you kidding? How is that even possible?† My dreams †¦ I remembered Lissa talking about unexplained Moroi phenomena, how there might be spirit powers out there beyond healing, things no one even knew about yet. It would appear that Adrian being in my dreams was no coincidence. He'd managed to get inside my head, maybe in a way similar to how I saw Lissa's mind. The thought made me uneasy. Lissa could barely even grasp it. He ran a hand through his hair and tipped his head back, staring at the crystal chandelier above as he pondered. â€Å"Okay. So. You don't see auras, and you don't talk to people in dreams. What do you do?† â€Å"I †¦ I can heal people. Animals. Plants, too. I can bring dead things back to life.† â€Å"Really?† He looked impressed. â€Å"Okay. You get credit for that. What else?† â€Å"Um, I can use compulsion.† â€Å"We can all do that.† â€Å"No, I can really do it. It's not hard. I can make people do anything I want- even bad things.† â€Å"So can I.† His eyes lit up. â€Å"I wonder what would happen if you tried to use it on me†¦.† She hesitated and absentmindedly ran her fingers over the textured red carpet. â€Å"Well†¦ I can't.† â€Å"You just said you could.† â€Å"I can- just not right now. I take this prescription †¦ for depression and other stuff†¦and it cuts me off from the magic.† He threw his arms up in the air. â€Å"How can I teach you to walk through dreams then? How else are we going to find Rose?† â€Å"Look,† she said angrily, â€Å"I don't want to take the meds. But when I was off them †¦ I did really crazy stuff. Dangerous stuff. That's what spirit does to you.† â€Å"I don't take anything. I'm okay,† he said. No, he wasn't, I realized. Lissa realized it too. â€Å"You got really weird that day when Dimitri was in your room,† she pointed out. â€Å"You started rambling, and you didn't make any sense.† â€Å"Oh, that? Yeah †¦ it happens now and then. But seriously, not often. Once a month, if that.† He sounded sincere. Lissa stared at him, suddenly reevaluating everything. What if Adrian could do it? What if he could use spirit without pills and without any harmful side effects? It would be everything she had been hoping for. Besides, she wasn't even sure if the pills would keep working anymore†¦. He smiled, guessing what she was thinking. â€Å"What do you say, cousin?† he asked. He didn't need to use compulsion. His offer was plenty tempting in its own right. â€Å"I can teach you everything I know if you're able to touch the magic. It'll take a while for the pills to get out of your system, but once they do †¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Brief History of Agriculture essays

Brief History of Agriculture essays The development of agriculture had a great affect on the world; even so this happened gradually to the world as a whole. It had led the people who were once nomads to a settled, routine life in which they could become accustomed. Therefore they would be able to make advances towards a civilized, easy lifestyle. Agriculture had allowed writing to come into existence. It had created a need for a government, and civilized ways. As it also led to advanced architecture. Agriculture had created a whole new lifestyle for the people who had once roamed aimlessly. It created a foundation and a lasting way a life. The creation and advancement in writing came because the people were able to settle concluding in thinking and creating new ways to record, keep order, and even communicate, in order to better accommodate to this new way of living. According to Document #1, the Sumerians had developed the earliest form of writing by 3200 B.C., it was used for numerous reasons, and to have such knowledge is invaluable. The ancient form of Sumerian writing had evolved from pictographs to wedge symbols of cuneiform. Since people had agriculture, the need for searching for food hadn't any importance anymore. Settling down created the need for establishing a government to provide fair and just laws; to govern the people. Also, there was a need for civilized ways. This was a step towards an advanced civilization. Keeping law and order are very important when there is a group of people because of conflicts. Having a government ensures the people protection and justice (or at the very least; should) of which it acts upon and lives up to such a reputation. A civilized community works in unity and peace, abiding by just laws, and creating an amiable atmosphere. In the city of Ur the peoples farming was for everyone, people had farmed and they had paid taxes with them. Eventually, people established skills allowing them to create large, det...