Questionnaire-Based surveys Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poll Based studies - Research Paper Example One of the best and famous methods of gathering any significant information are the studies; the essential target of an overview is to accumulate information about different parts of the people, for example, their convictions, thoughts, perspectives and recognitions. The overview is principally utilized in the fields of brain research, advertising research, open organization, general wellbeing and correspondence studiesto study the members associated with the information assortment process (Yaoxiang, &Lihai, 2008). The review can either concentrate on some genuine data about the people or may gather assessment of the respondents. The poll based studies are utilized particularly by Marketing and Human Resource Departments as they contain the specialists who need to accumulate definite data about the view of their partners with the goal that they can meet their necessities (DeMooji and Hoftsedd, 2010; Ferguson and Rio, 2010). These reviews are as often as possible utilized by them to give inside and out data about the territories that ought to be centered around by a company so it can actualize proper methods inside the business activities for upgrading its profitability and execution. In poll based reviews, the applicants need to fill the survey without anyone else and need to decipher the questions’ implications all alone. While, in meet based reviews, the analyst poses the inquiries to respondents with the goal that more top to bottom information can be gathered. The information gathered from the poll based studies is quantitative that permits simple understanding of data that is accumulated. Then again, talk with meetings are tedious and information gathered will require more opportunity for investigation; be that as it may, the data in talk with studies is of a higher caliber (Brugger, 2010). Poll based studies The poll based reviews include the planning and advancement of a survey that will guarantee that appraisal about the mentalities, conclusi ons and impression of the respondents is done in a successful way. The principle component in this exploration technique is the survey as it is the key instrument for get-together data about a specific issue or verifiable information on the members (Kalpana&Jeyakumar, 2011). As indicated by Fanning (2005), the poll advancement is a basic angle in survey based overview as the analysts need to guarantee that it has each one of those inquiries expressed that will help them in recovering the necessary data adequately. Since polls are self-managed, the sequencing of inquiries alongside their wordings is significant determinants of the information quality; thusly, a satisfactory measure of time ought to be spent on building up the survey so genuine and real outcomes can be drawn from the examination (Lee, Benoit-Bryan and Johnson, 2010). The poll based studies can occur in three different ways for example online overviews, regular postal mail studies and eye to eye studies. The most r ecent pattern is of online reviews as it permits information to be gathered rapidly and examination of the information should be possible with the

Costa Coffee Essay Example for Free

Costa Coffee Essay The remote condition contains factors that begin past and normally independent and out of Costa Coffees control. Financial variables Since Costa Coffee is a worldwide business, top-level administrators must consider the monetary circumstances on both the National (Egypt) and International levels. Monetary forms conversion standard (Forex) influences Costa Coffees last items costs just as activity costs. Costa Coffee imports great espresso beans from rainforest ranches where it pays for in nearby cash, and sells as espresso in another nation with its neighborhood nation. Consequently, when the Egyptian Pound devalues, the expense of beans generally increments; thusly, causing a fall in net revenue and the other way around. In the event that deterioration is excessively, at that point Costa may build its selling costs. In addition, loan cost is indispensable for a business thinking about extension as Costa Coffee. As financing costs increment, Costa Coffee’s capacity and ability to extend or open new branches diminishes; because of the significant expense of capital. Moreover, the securities exchange assumes a noteworthy job in urging speculators to put resources into Costa Coffee because of the expanding benefits and the great notoriety. At long last, high financial development pace of a nation drives individuals to build their utilization of Costa Coffees items; since they have more salary. Social Factors Egyptians’ culture and way of life has significantly changed over the most recent 10 years. Individuals are additionally ready to go to bistros for lunch, supper or essentially a tidbit. Considering the Egyptian socioeconomics of way of life and age gatherings, the vast majority of the Egyptian populace falls in the adolescent age gathering. Consequently, Costa Coffee plays music and offers a climate that is advantageous for all ages with extraordinary thoughtfulness regarding youth. Costa Coffee regards the religion of every country wherein it works. To explain, Costa Coffee neither sells mixed beverages nor pork-containing food. What's more, Costa Coffees menu is written in both English and Arabic dialects. English is the most generally communicated in language, and Egypt is known as a touristic fascination. Besides, Egyptians like to go over a menu written in their own language for straightforwardness and demonstrating social regard. Likewise, numerous individuals these days are worried about their wellbeing; Costa Coffee is giving low-calorie food, an assortment of new plates of mixed greens, sandwiches, and new natural product juice. Political Factors Governmental standards and guidelines could influence the organizations providers and the cost of the crude materials. Forced charges or taxes on the imported espresso beans add to crude materials cost. Rules with respect to social protection add to work costs. Political insecurity and strikes do influence work and purchasers of Costa Coffee. Innovative Factors Advanced machines influence the organizations execution and productivity through creating delectable espresso as snappy as could be expected under the circumstances. High caliber and speed of administration influences consumer loyalty and dependability. Costa Coffee utilizes exceptionally propelled brewers and espresso producers for the best espresso mug. Furthermore, the utilization of the Internet to encourage exchanges among Costa and its providers brings down exchange expenses and diminishes lead time. Accordingly, partners are progressively happy with expanded benefits and lower costs. Natural Factors Costa Coffee utilizes recyclable paper packs and paper cups. Furthermore, it attempts to decrease its vitality utilization as steps towards a greener domain. It additionally guarantees adherence to capable cultivating rehearses, with the goal that characteristic living spaces are secured along these lines lessening deforestation and carbon outflows. Moreover, Costa is attempting to convey green (LEED) affirmation for new stores starting not long from now and is working intimately with its providers to grow all the more naturally cordial bundling. Industry Environment Operating Environment A firm’s working condition is identified with natural factors that straightforwardly influence the firm and its accomplishment in acquiring fundamental assets. However, they are still factors past its region of control. 1. Contenders Costa espresso in Egypt faces high direct rivalry where around pretty much every corner in the urban areas, a bistro exists. In this manner, item separation is an absolute necessity, and industrious top notch is the best approach to keeping clients. Whichever Costa Coffee shop you enter, you are welcomed the equivalent, enjoy a similar taste and pay what you find in the menu. Menu costs are charge comprehensive which is not quite the same as the greater part of other coffeehouses. Contenders incorporate, yet are not restricted to, Starbucks Coffee, Cilantro and Beano’s bistro. Banks Costa’s past installment records and working capital position are the primary properties influencing leasers choices. Thinking about the Egyptian markets, banks are not uncommon to discover. Costa may be managing a few banks, and might be conceded advances from a few regions. Consequently, loan bosses have little influence; since financing costs are constrained by national bank of Egypt too. Clients Costa espresso is a help firm. Along these lines, its most extreme objective is consumer loyalty and dedication to return benefits. Continually observing Egypt’s socioeconomics is basic in keeping a helpful environment. For example, Costa should consistently perceive what the adolescent are tuning in to nowadays to have the option to play the ideal assortment of tunes in its branches while submitting to the brand’s picture. Openness of area and parking spots are of the primary issues respected by individuals when settling on their hang-outs. What's more, the client purchaser conduct of whether they lean toward a bigger number of servings of mixed greens and sandwiches instead of sweets; influences the amount of each ought to be accessible at Costa’s branches. Work Costa’s notoriety and picture is kept through its laborers. Costa needs to regard work rights particularly since individuals are more mindful of the rights than any other time in recent memory. Additionally, Costa must be particular in its servers and baristas to keep the brand’s picture and notoriety. Because of Costa’s notoriety, profoundly qualified specialists go after positions at Costa Coffee. Providers Supplier connections are as significant as client connections. A decent provider connections diminishes yield time and upgrades firm’s efficiency. In Costa’s case, provider power isn't high as Costa has different providers, with low exchanging costs. Be that as it may, provider connections are all around took care of at Costa Coffee; as a major aspect of its social duty towards espresso developing nations.

How The Build-Measure-Learn Cycle Really Works

How The Build-Measure-Learn Cycle Really Works THE LEAN STARTUP METHODAmong the several known approaches towards creating and managing startups, one of the most popular ones is the Lean Startup Method. This method offers a scientific approach, introducing a systematic way for business owners to engage in new product development. It provides answers on how to set up their startup, and how to steer and turn it, in order for it to succeed and grow.In this methodology, startups will test an idea with the potential users and quickly moving it to come up with a product. It will then obtain feedback on the product from users and adjust the product accordingly, depending on the response or feedback obtained. This method is best embodied in the cycle known as “Build Measure Learn”.Advantages of Using the Lean Startup MethodThis approach provides tools that can be used to test whether a vision works or not. These tools will certainly provide an order to things since it provides a systematic process to ascertain whether to continue purs uing new product development projects or to abandon the idea altogether.Application of the Lean Startup Method will instill in entrepreneurs a certain degree of confidence in their business idea turning into products. Owners will definitely have more faith and positive vibes attached to a product that has passed the initial “experiment”.Using this feedback-focused development process will enable startups to use their resources â€" which are already limited, to begin with â€" in a more effective and efficient manner. Time and labor are considerably reduced, since they are able to put the product to the test and see if it is viable before investing more time and money into it.Since the process is systematic, and it requires fast action and quick thinking, the lean method will allow startups to speed up the new product development cycle.PRINCIPLES OF THE LEAN STARTUP METHODThe Lean Startup Method follows five principles. Entrepreneurs are everywhere.  Indeed, anyone can be an entre preneur, as long as you have a viable idea, the determination to see it through, and the resources to make it happen. You do not have to be in a specific line of work in order to be in a startup. Entrepreneurship is management.  When we talk of a startup, we are not referring to just a single product or service. It is a business â€" an institution â€" and, as such, it also requires management. Of course, not all startups require the same type or approach to management. Depending on the context of the startup, or the line of business or industry it belongs to, it will require a specific kind of management. Validated learning.  Some would say that entrepreneurs create startups in order to make money. But that is not the “bigger picture”. Sure, they will have their eye on the profits, but there is a bigger goal at hand, and that is building the startup into a sustainable business. Fortunately, achieving this goal is something that entrepreneurs can learn about, and this can be done by studying and learning about the market, and various other aspects that have an impact on the business. Innovation accounting.  Being able to quantify things is also important in order to monitor and evaluate or assess outcomes. Thus, startups have to be subjected to a new kind of accounting, in order for progress to be measured. As a result, the business will be able to monitor their progress, make the necessary adjustments, set up milestones when necessary, and prioritize projects and work. Build-measure-learn.  Feedback plays a very important role in every business, and it is especially vital in the case of startups. After turning ideas into products, startups are especially focused on seeing how the customers or the market respond to their products, and to assess whether they should continue or just cut their losses and run. Having a feedback mechanism will definitely help in making this happen.THE BUILD-MEASURE-LEARN CYCLEThe Build-Measure-Learn cycle is a feedback loop that is said to be one of the core components of the Lean Startup methodology. Its goal is to turn uncertainties, assumptions and risks into knowledge or “sure things” that will eventually guide organizations and business towards progress. Through this process, the key unknowns can actually be transformed into knowledge that the startup can use in its product development â€" and business operations, as a whole. This whole process can also be called an experiment.In order to understand how the Build-Measure-Learn cycle works, let us first take a look at its components.Phases of the Build-Measure-Learn CycleThere are three phases to this loop: Build, Measure, and Learn. However, it does not have to be strictly in that order. It is, after all, a cycle. In the book entitled “The Lean Startup”, Eric Ries said that, although the startup’s activities happen in the build, measure, and learn order, planning actually works the other way around.In short, the startup will have to realize what it needs to learn, and then figure out what needs to be measured through the use of innovation accounting. This will eventually reveal whether the startup has gained validated learning or not. Finally, it will then figure out what product must be built.Let us go through the phases of this loop. Before you can start, however, there is a need to “frame” the experiment. This is where you will identify what problem needs to be solved, and how you will run the whole experiment. This entails gathering data and detailing the background of the experiment, formulating a hypothesis and considering the variables of the environment. From there, you can now start with the feedback loop.Phase #1. BUILDIn this phase, the startup’s goal is to build or develop its MVP â€" “minimum viable product”, or the bare minimum product that can be built for the purpose of testing a number of assumptions, or the hypothesis formulated â€" as quickly as possible. Before it can do that, however, the startup must first figure out what the problem that needs solving is.Design the experiment. First, you have to build out the details of the experiment and figure out how everything will fit and mesh together. For this, you must have a solid and reliable method of collecting data, meaning the data gathered must be reliable and actionable.Build the experiment. In this stage, think simple and small. Many startups tend to go big and complicated on the get-go, and they end up being overwhelmed and unable to handle it. It would be better to build the smallest possible increment that will still be enough for you to use to validate or reject the hypothesis you have made previously.Run the experiment. This is where you will collect the data. The most common methods include conducting interviews or distributing questionnaires. In some instances, others may come out with prototypes for testing.Among the activities that Eric Ries identified as part of the Build phase includes conducting unit t ests, usability tests, refactoring, and cloud computing.Phase #2: MEASUREIn this second phase, the startup must then determine whether real progress is being made or not, and this involves measuring the results obtained from the experiment performed during the BUILD phase.Data analysis. Analyze the data obtained from the experiment. What happened? What are the implications of the data to your hypothesis? Make a comparison on what you hypothesized to what actually happeneData organization. Organize your data in a way that will make it easily understood, and for the whole scenario to be easily comprehended by whoever listens to it.Data Presentation. Make your presentation of the data as compelling as possible. You want the members of the organization or the company to be engaged, so make sure you present it in a way that will truly grab their attention and hook them.In order to speed up measuring, Eric Ries suggested conducting activities such as split tests, real-time monitoring, fu nnel analysis, cohort analysis and search engine marketing, to name a few.Phase #3: LEARNThis is where the startup will have to make a decision based on the measurements accumulated: should it “persevere”, or should it “pivot”? Persevere, in this context, means carrying on with the same goals, while pivot entails changing or shifting some, or all, of the aspects of the product strategy. Afterward, you would have to document your findings and share them.The questions that are to be asked in this phase include looking into the knowledge that has been obtained. How should that knowledge be preserved?More importantly, what are the next steps that should be taken by the startup?Ries cited several activities for this phase including, but not limited to, conducting customer interviews, split tests, customer deployment, and smoke tests.The 3 phases of the cycle can be simplified in the following activities.Ask whether the new idea of the startup actually solves a problem for the use rs.Quickly come up with an action or a program that will test the idea with the users. Perform reassessment or reevaluation if needed.Obtain feedback from your us Focus on getting information that is relevant and will be useful in helping you create the product / service that is wanted or needed by the users.Consider the sustainability of the product or service. Will you be able to maintain the current level of engagement or service?Illustrative Example of the Application of the Build-Measure-Learn CycleFor purposes of discussion, let us take a look at a mobile app startup and how it should employ the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop.Some mobile app startups would follow this process: they have an idea for an app, and they immediately write everything down on their business plan. Next, they design the app on paper, and they would then start writing the code and finish the development of the app. Once it has been finished, they will begin talking to customers and selling the app.Tha t is not how the Build-Measure-Learn approach works.Application of this cycle would follow entail the following steps.The mobile app startup comes up with an idea.The startup comes up with a business model canvas, presented in a short business plan. (BUILD)They start talking with customers and ask them what features they are looking for in an app. (MEASURE)They will obtain the feedback of customers. (LEARN)Using the feedback obtained, they will have to repeat Step 2 and make revisions on the business plan until they get it right.Once they got the business plan right, they would proceed to the implementation of a prototype, or the MVP (minimum viable product) for testing. (BUILD)The prototype is then shown to the customers. (MEASURE)Feedback from customers is obtained and learned. (LEARN)Step 6 is repeated, making improvements on the prototype until they got the app right.THE ZAPPOS STORY Every business wants to succeed; who doesn’t? Unfortunately, not everyone makes it past the one-year mark. Others even do not manage to survive for a period shorter than that. The failure of most startups can be pinned on a number of reasons: lack of funding, poor management, or even a poor business model to begin with. Much of the success of any business, however, would rely on how the owner or the management acts.What decisions do they make, and how do they reach these decisions? What strategies do they employ in managing their startup? These are only some of the questions that would bring to light the reasons why the startup succeeded or fell short of expectations. In this article, we will 1) get a basic understanding of the lean startup method and its advantages, 2) learn about the principles of the lean startup method, 3) overview on the build-measure-learn cycle, and 4) an example of how Zappos used the build-measure-learn cycle.THE LEAN STARTUP METHODAmong the several known approaches towards creating and managing startups, one of the most popular ones is the Lean Startup Method. This method offers a scientific approach, introducing a systematic way for business owners to engage in new product development. It provides answers on how to set up their startup, and how to steer and turn it, in order for it to succeed and grow.In this methodology, startups will test an idea with the potential users and quickly moving it to come up with a product. It will then obtain feedback on the product from users and adjust the product accordingly, depending on the response or feedback obtained. This method is best embodied in the cycle known as “Build Mea sure Learn”.Advantages of Using the Lean Startup MethodThis approach provides tools that can be used to test whether a vision works or not. These tools will certainly provide an order to things since it provides a systematic process to ascertain whether to continue pursuing new product development projects or to abandon the idea altogether.Application of the Lean Startup Method will instill in entrepreneurs a certain degree of confidence in their business idea turning into products. Owners will definitely have more faith and positive vibes attached to a product that has passed the initial “experiment”.Using this feedback-focused development process will enable startups to use their resources â€" which are already limited, to begin with â€" in a more effective and efficient manner. Time and labor are considerably reduced, since they are able to put the product to the test and see if it is viable before investing more time and money into it.Since the process is systematic, and i t requires fast action and quick thinking, the lean method will allow startups to speed up the new product development cycle.PRINCIPLES OF THE LEAN STARTUP METHODThe Lean Startup Method follows five principles. Entrepreneurs are everywhere.  Indeed, anyone can be an entrepreneur, as long as you have a viable idea, the determination to see it through, and the resources to make it happen. You do not have to be in a specific line of work in order to be in a startup. Entrepreneurship is management.  When we talk of a startup, we are not referring to just a single product or service. It is a business â€" an institution â€" and, as such, it also requires management. Of course, not all startups require the same type or approach to management. Depending on the context of the startup, or the line of business or industry it belongs to, it will require a specific kind of management. Validated learning.  Some would say that entrepreneurs create startups in order to make money. But that is not t he “bigger picture”. Sure, they will have their eye on the profits, but there is a bigger goal at hand, and that is building the startup into a sustainable business. Fortunately, achieving this goal is something that entrepreneurs can learn about, and this can be done by studying and learning about the market, and various other aspects that have an impact on the business. Innovation accounting.  Being able to quantify things is also important in order to monitor and evaluate or assess outcomes. Thus, startups have to be subjected to a new kind of accounting, in order for progress to be measured. As a result, the business will be able to monitor their progress, make the necessary adjustments, set up milestones when necessary, and prioritize projects and work. Build-measure-learn.  Feedback plays a very important role in every business, and it is especially vital in the case of startups. After turning ideas into products, startups are especially focused on seeing how the customers or the market respond to their products, and to assess whether they should continue or just cut their losses and run. Having a feedback mechanism will definitely help in making this happen.THE BUILD-MEASURE-LEARN CYCLEThe Build-Measure-Learn cycle is a feedback loop that is said to be one of the core components of the Lean Startup methodology. Its goal is to turn uncertainties, assumptions and risks into knowledge or “sure things” that will eventually guide organizations and business towards progress. Through this process, the key unknowns can actually be transformed into knowledge that the startup can use in its product development â€" and business operations, as a whole. This whole process can also be called an experiment.In order to understand how the Build-Measure-Learn cycle works, let us first take a look at its components.Phases of the Build-Measure-Learn CycleThere are three phases to this loop: Build, Measure, and Learn. However, it does not have to be strictly in that order. It is, after all, a cycle. In the book entitled “The Lean Startup”, Eric Ries said that, although the startup’s activities happen in the build, measure, and learn order, planning actually works the other way around.In short, the startup will have to realize what it needs to learn, and then figure out what needs to be measured through the use of innovation accounting. This will eventually reveal whether the startup has gained validated learning or not. Finally, it will then figure out what product must be built.Let us go through the phases of this loop. Before you can start, however, there is a need to “frame” the experiment. This is where you will identify what problem needs to be solved, and how you will run the whole experiment. This entails gathering data and detailing the background of the experiment, formulating a hypothesis and considering the variables of the environment. From there, you can now start with the feedback loop.Phase #1. BUILDIn this phase, the startup’s goal is to build or develop its MVP â€" “minimum viable product”, or the bare minimum product that can be built for the purpose of testing a number of assumptions, or the hypothesis formulated â€" as quickly as possible. Before it can do that, however, the startup must first figure out what the problem that needs solving is.Design the experiment. First, you have to build out the details of the experiment and figure out how everything will fit and mesh together. For this, you must have a solid and reliable method of collecting data, meaning the data gathered must be reliable and actionable.Build the experiment. In this stage, think simple and small. Many startups tend to go big and complicated on the get-go, and they end up being overwhelmed and unable to handle it. It would be better to build the smallest possible increment that will still be enough for you to use to validate or reject the hypothesis you have made previously.Run the experiment. This is where you will collect the data. The most common methods include conducting interviews or distributing questionnaires. In some instances, others may come out with prototypes for testing.Among the activities that Eric Ries identified as part of the Build phase includes conducting unit tests, usability tests, refactoring, and cloud computing.Phase #2: MEASUREIn this second phase, the startup must then determine whether real progress is being made or not, and this involves measuring the results obtained from the experiment performed during the BUILD phase.Data analysis. Analyze the data obtained from the experiment. What happened? What are the implications of the data to your hypothesis? Make a comparison on what you hypothesized to what actually happeneData organization. Organize your data in a way that will make it easily understood, and for the whole scenario to be easily comprehended by whoever listens to it.Data Presentation. Make your presentation of the data as compelling as possible. You wa nt the members of the organization or the company to be engaged, so make sure you present it in a way that will truly grab their attention and hook them.In order to speed up measuring, Eric Ries suggested conducting activities such as split tests, real-time monitoring, funnel analysis, cohort analysis and search engine marketing, to name a few.Phase #3: LEARNThis is where the startup will have to make a decision based on the measurements accumulated: should it “persevere”, or should it “pivot”? Persevere, in this context, means carrying on with the same goals, while pivot entails changing or shifting some, or all, of the aspects of the product strategy. Afterward, you would have to document your findings and share them.The questions that are to be asked in this phase include looking into the knowledge that has been obtained. How should that knowledge be preserved?More importantly, what are the next steps that should be taken by the startup?Ries cited several activities for t his phase including, but not limited to, conducting customer interviews, split tests, customer deployment, and smoke tests.The 3 phases of the cycle can be simplified in the following activities.Ask whether the new idea of the startup actually solves a problem for the users.Quickly come up with an action or a program that will test the idea with the users. Perform reassessment or reevaluation if needed.Obtain feedback from your us Focus on getting information that is relevant and will be useful in helping you create the product / service that is wanted or needed by the users.Consider the sustainability of the product or service. Will you be able to maintain the current level of engagement or service?Illustrative Example of the Application of the Build-Measure-Learn CycleFor purposes of discussion, let us take a look at a mobile app startup and how it should employ the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop.Some mobile app startups would follow this process: they have an idea for an app, and they immediately write everything down on their business plan. Next, they design the app on paper, and they would then start writing the code and finish the development of the app. Once it has been finished, they will begin talking to customers and selling the app.That is not how the Build-Measure-Learn approach works.Application of this cycle would follow entail the following steps.The mobile app startup comes up with an idea.The startup comes up with a business model canvas, presented in a short business plan. (BUILD)They start talking with customers and ask them what features they are looking for in an app. (MEASURE)They will obtain the feedback of customers. (LEARN)Using the feedback obtained, they will have to repeat Step 2 and make revisions on the business plan until they get it right.Once they got the business plan right, they would proceed to the implementation of a prototype, or the MVP (minimum viable product) for testing. (BUILD)The prototype is then shown to the cus tomers. (MEASURE)Feedback from customers is obtained and learned. (LEARN)Step 6 is repeated, making improvements on the prototype until they got the app right.THE ZAPPOS STORYZappos.com has been cited by many analysts as a great example of a company that made use of the Lean Startup Method, particularly the Build-Measure-Learn cycle.Now considered to be one of the biggest online shoe and clothing shops in the world, Zappos was founded in 1999 as a startup. It was originally just a site where customers can order shoes. It is not a manufacturer or a retailer since it does not have any shoe inventory. This was the Build phase.When the first orders started coming in, the founders of the startup went to a local store to purchase the shoes that have been ordered and subsequently shipped them to the customers who placed the order. This was where they implemented the Measure phase of the cycle.The Learn phase came in as the founders tried to gauge the interest of the customers in their idea and even obtained their thoughts and reactions to it. Using the lessons learned from the first orders, they made the necessary adjustments and iterations, applied improvements, and continued the cycle.Some could say that this has an element of “trial and error”, and they wouldn’t be wrong.A crucial element in the whole Build-Measure-Learn cycle is the reliance on customer feedback and reactions. It can be said that much of the success of the application of this cycle in the case of Zappos was the fact that the online shoe store makes use of a loyalty business model and utilized relationship marketing heavily.Zappos could have gone another route entirely. It could have started its shoe inventory and simple resold them. However, by using the Build-Measure-Learn approach, it was able to test the waters first, so to speak. Instead of spending a lot of time building its inventory and hiring personnel to handle operations, it stuck to just the founders doing all the work, and getti ng orders first before procuring the shoes. Their first attempt worked, and it was only then that the founders decided to continue (“persevere”) with it. Today, Zappos is no longer limited to the sale of shoes, but is also selling other items as well, and that could be attributed to them “learning” that customers are also interested in buying merchandise other than shoes or footwear.That is not to say that Zappos would have failed if it did not use the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop. It would probably still have succeeded, but they may have taken more time to achieve the results they wanted. What this feedback loop did for Zappos, however, was to make sure that the process was accomplished quicker. Otherwise, Zappos might have taken longer to become established as the successful marketplace and retail giant that it is today.To summarize, the Build-Measure-Learn loop pertains to the cyclical process of turning ideas into products, measuring the reactions, response, and beh aviors of the customers against the products that have been built, and learning whether to persevere or pivot the idea.

Mathematics and Theology Blossoming Together - 628 Words

Mathematics and theology have blossomed together throughout history with many great mathematicians also being great theologians. However, in the modern scientific era, mathematics has become by and large secularized in mainstream academia. Although the secularization of mathematics seems to ignore mathematics’ metaphysical value, in truth, this secularization allows for mathematics to act as a universal tool and allows the individual to attach his or her own personal truths without marginalizing the beliefs of others, especially in education. In addition, attaching one’s personal beliefs to systems of math and logic may lead to contradicting interpretations of the material when taken into the larger context of society, such as with the concept of infinity, the meaning of truth and proof, or even the source of mathematics itself. In essence, the secularization of mathematics is a necessity in our modern dynamic world and in order for mathematics to maintain its effectiv eness as a universal tool our personal beliefs must not be attached to mathematics as a whole. To begin with, a proper definition of secularization is necessary in order to establish the correct connotation for the term. As denoted by the world renowned scholar in the study of the sociology of religion, Jose Casanova, secularization is spoken of in three senses: a.) Secularization as the decline of religious beliefs and practices in modern societies, often postulated as a universal, human, developmental

The Struggling Attempts of the Government and Police Essay...

The Struggling Attempts of the Government and Police For America Prohibition has been a struggle for her citizens with violence, police, and outraged citizens. Although prohibition has been considered a bad decision on the governments part, many great things have come out of it in which will be explained thoroughly and from both points of view. In 1920 January 26 at midnight the drinking, transporting, distribution, and consumption of alcohol came to a stop. At that time the 18th amendment was put into effect. In the eyes of the government it was at first a way to stop the criminal activity, but in reality it just made things worse for local police. The 18th amendment was known by multiple names partially due to its author, Andrew J.†¦show more content†¦People began to race on the weekends as well as souping up their cars for enjoyment. By the time prohibition ended in 1933, racing had become very popular. In 1944, NASCAR was created and more people joined in on the practic e of souping up their cars. The Attempts of the Big Man Instead of getting ride of criminal activity in the US with this Amendment, crime had arose to great proportions. In the first few hours of the Amendment there had been thousands of liquor store robbings. For the first time federal agents had been arrested for alcohol distribution. Even physicians began to give out phony prescriptions for the need of alcohol. After this was visible to the government they eventually allowed for the distribution of non-poisoned alcohol or simply non-alcoholic alcohol which was still not what the people wanted. Scar Face Prohibition was also a time where one of the most notorious gangsters known in America. Alfonso Capone or also known as Scar Face became very wealthy and powerful on prohibition. He was a very proud citizen of America who often said, â€Å"I am not Italian, I was born and raised in Brooklyn. He went to school with Salvatore Lucania who eventually became known as Lucky Luciano. At about the age of fourteen Capone and Lucania dropped out of school after Capone struck a teacher. After they dropped out they joined the gang known as the Five Pointers. They eventually went toShow MoreRelatedCommon And John Legend Did A Collaboration On The Song `` Glory ``1149 Words   |  5 Pagesare being oppressed by society as well as the government. The speaker’s perspective is coming from African Americans that are fed up with the injustice in today’s society and they would like to fight for their freedom, equality, glory, and respect. The speaker’s intended audience is African Americans, Caucasians, Law enforcers, and the government. 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The Amber Spyglass Chapter 13 Tialys And Salmakia Free Essays

Holding the heavy gun, Will swept his hand sideways and knocked the golden monkey off his perch, stunning him so that Mrs. Coulter groaned aloud and the monkey’s paw relaxed enough to let the tiny woman struggle free. In a moment she leapt up to the rocks, and the man sprang away from Mrs. We will write a custom essay sample on The Amber Spyglass Chapter 13 Tialys And Salmakia or any similar topic only for you Order Now Coulter, both of them moving as quickly as grasshoppers. The three children had no time to be astonished. The man was concerned: he felt his companion’s shoulder and arm tenderly, and embraced her swiftly before calling to Will. â€Å"You! Boy!† he said, and although his voice was small in volume, it was as deep as a grown man’s. â€Å"Have you got the knife?† â€Å"Of course I have,† said Will. If they didn’t know it was broken, he wasn’t going to tell them. â€Å"You and the girl will have to follow us. Who is the other child?† â€Å"Ama, from the village,† said Will. â€Å"Tell her to return there. Move now, before the Swiss come.† Will didn’t hesitate. Whatever these two intended, he and Lyra could still get away through the window he’d opened behind the bush on the path below. So he helped her up and watched curiously as the two small figures leapt on – what? Birds? No, dragonflies, as large as seagulls, which had been waiting in the darkness. Then they darted forward to the cave mouth, where Mrs. Coulter lay. She was half-stunned with pain and drowsy from the Chevalier’s sting, but she reached up as they went past her, and cried: â€Å"Lyra! Lyra, my daughter, my dear one! Lyra, don’t go! Don’t go!† Lyra looked down at her, anguished; but then she stepped over her mother’s body and loosened Mrs. Coulter’s feeble clutch from her ankle. The woman was sobbing now; Will saw the tears glistening on her cheeks. Crouching just beside the cave mouth, the three children waited until there was a brief pause in the shooting, and then followed the dragonflies as they darted down the path. The light had changed: as well as the cold anbaric gleam from the zeppelins’ floodlights, there was the leaping orange of flames. Will looked back once. In the glare Mrs. Coulter’s face was a mask of tragic passion, and her daemon clung piteously to her as she knelt and held out her arms, crying: â€Å"Lyra! Lyra, my love! My heart’s treasure, my little child, my only one! Oh, Lyra, Lyra, don’t go, don’t leave me! My darling daughter – you’re tearing my heart – â€Å" And a great and furious sob shook Lyra herself, for, after all, Mrs. Coulter was the only mother she would ever have, and Will saw a cascade of tears run down the girl’s cheeks. But he had to be ruthless. He pulled at Lyra’s hand, and as the dragonfly rider darted close to his head, urging them to hurry, he led her at a crouching run down the path and away from the cave. In Will’s left hand, bleeding again from the blow he’d landed on the monkey, was Mrs. Coulter’s pistol. â€Å"Make for the top of the cliff,† said the dragonfly rider, â€Å"and give yourself up to the Africans. They’re your best hope.† Mindful of those sharp spurs, Will said nothing, though he hadn’t the least intention of obeying. There was only one place he was making for, and that was the window behind the bush; so he kept his head low and ran fast, and Lyra and Ama ran behind him. â€Å"Halt!† There was a man, three men, blocking the path ahead – uniformed – white men with crossbows and snarling wolf-dog daemons – the Swiss Guard. â€Å"Iorek!† cried Will at once. â€Å"Iorek Byrnison!† He could hear the bear crashing and snarling not far away, and hear the screams and cries of the soldiers unlucky enough to meet him. But someone else came from nowhere to help them: Balthamos, in a blur of desperation, hurled himself between the children and the soldiers. The men fell back, amazed, as this apparition shimmered into being in front of them. But they were trained warriors, and a moment later their daemons leapt at the angel, savage teeth flashing white in the gloom – and Balthamos flinched: he cried out in fear and shame, and shrank back. Then he sprang upward, beating his wings hard. Will watched in dismay as the figure of his guide and friend soared up to vanish out of sight among the treetops. Lyra was following it all with still-dazed eyes. It had taken no more than two or three seconds, but it was enough for the Swiss to regroup, and now their leader was raising his crossbow, and Will had no choice: he swung up the pistol and clamped his right hand to the butt and pulled the trigger, and the blast shook his bones, but the bullet found the man’s heart. The soldier fell back as if he’d been kicked by a horse. Simultaneously the two little spies launched themselves at the other two, leaping from the dragonflies at their victims before Will could blink. The woman found a neck, the man a wrist, and each made a quick backward stab with a heel. A choking, anguished gasp, and the two Swiss died, their daemons vanishing in mid-howl. Will leapt over the bodies, and Lyra went with him, running hard and fast with Pantalaimon racing wildcat-formed at their heels. Where’s Ama? Will thought, and he saw her in the same moment dodging down a different path. Now she’ll be safe, he thought, and a second later he saw the pale gleam of the window deep behind the bushes. He seized Lyra’s arm and pulled her toward it. Their faces were scratched, their clothes were snagged, their ankles twisted on roots and rocks, but they found the window and tumbled through, into the other world, onto the bone-white rocks under the glaring moon, where only the scraping of the insects broke the immense silence. And the first thing Will did was to hold his stomach and retch, heaving and heaving with a mortal horror. That was two men now that he’d killed, not to mention the youth in the Tower of the Angels†¦ Will did not want this. His body revolted at what his instinct had made him do, and the result was a dry, sour, agonizing spell of kneeling and vomiting until his stomach and his heart were empty. Lyra watched helpless nearby, nursing Pan, rocking him against her breast. Will finally recovered a little and looked around. And at once he saw that they weren’t alone in this world, because the little spies were there, too, with their packs laid on the ground nearby. Their dragonflies were skimming over the rocks, snapping up moths. The man was massaging the shoulder of the woman, and both of them looked at the children sternly. Their eyes were so bright and their features so distinct that there was no doubt about their feelings, and Will knew they were a formidable pair, whoever they were. He said to Lyra, â€Å"The alethiometer’s in my rucksack, there.† â€Å"Oh, Will – I did so hope you’d find it – whatever happened. Did you find your father? And my dream, Will – it’s too much to believe, what we got to do, oh, I daren’t even think of it†¦ And it’s safe! You brung it all this way safe for me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The words tumbled out of her so urgently that even she didn’t expect answers. She turned the alethiometer over and over, her fingers stroking the heavy gold and the smooth crystal and the knurled wheels they knew so well. Will thought: It’ll tell us how to mend the knife! But he said first, â€Å"Are you all right? Are you hungry or thirsty?† â€Å"I dunno†¦ yeah. But not too much. Anyway – â€Å" â€Å"We should move away from this window,† Will said, â€Å"just in case they find it and come through.† â€Å"Yes, that’s true,† she said, and they moved up the slope, Will carrying his rucksack and Lyra happily carrying the little bag she kept the alethiometer in. Out of the corner of his eye, Will saw the two small spies following, but they kept their distance and made no threat. Over the brow of the rise there was a ledge of rock that offered a narrow shelter, and they sat beneath it, having carefully checked it for snakes, and shared some dried fruit and some water from Will’s bottle. Will said quietly, â€Å"The knife’s broken. I don’t know how it happened. Mrs. Coulter did something, or said something, and I thought of my mother and that made the knife twist, or catch, or – I don’t know what happened. But we’re stuck till we can get it mended. I didn’t want those two little people to know, because while they think I can still use it, I’ve got the upper hand. I thought you could ask the alethiometer, maybe, and – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah!† she said at once. â€Å"Yeah, I will.† She had the golden instrument out in a moment and moved into the moonlight so she could see the dial clearly. Looping back the hair behind her ears, just as Will had seen her mother do, she began to turn the wheels in the old familiar way, and Pantalaimon, mouse-formed now, sat on her knee. She had hardly started before she gave a little gasp of excitement, and she looked up at Will with shining eyes as the needle swung. But it hadn’t finished yet, and she looked back, frowning, until the instrument fell still. She put it away, saying, â€Å"Iorek? Is he nearby, Will? I thought I heard you call him, but then I thought I was just wishing. Is he really?† â€Å"Yes. Could he mend the knife? Is that what the alethiometer said?† â€Å"Oh, he can do anything with metal, Will! Not only armor – he can make little delicate things as well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She told him about the small tin box Iorek had made for her to shut the spy-fly in. â€Å"But where is he?† â€Å"Close by. He would have come when I called, but obviously he was fighting†¦ And Balthamos! Oh, he must have been so frightened†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Who?† He explained briefly, feeling his cheeks warm with the shame that the angel must be feeling. â€Å"But I’ll tell you more about him later,† he said. â€Å"It’s so strange†¦ He told me so many things, and I think I understand them, too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his eyes. â€Å"You got to tell me everything,† she said firmly. â€Å"Everything you did since she caught me. Oh, Will, you en’t still bleeding? Your poor hand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No. My father cured it. I just opened it up when I hit the golden monkey, but it’s better now. He gave me some ointment that he’d made – â€Å" â€Å"You found your father?† â€Å"That’s right, on the mountain, that night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He let her clean his wound and put on some fresh ointment from the little horn box while he told her some of what had happened: the fight with the stranger, the revelation that came to them both a second before the witch’s arrow struck home, his meeting with the angels, his journey to the cave, and his meeting with Iorek. â€Å"All that happening, and I was asleep,† she marveled. â€Å"D’you know, I think she was kind to me, Will – I think she was, I don’t think she ever wanted to hurt me†¦ She did such bad things, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She rubbed her eyes. â€Å"Oh, but my dream, Will, I can’t tell you how strange it was! It was like when I read the alethiometer, all that clearness and understanding going so deep you can’t see the bottom, but clear all the way down. â€Å"It was†¦ Remember I told you about my friend Roger, and how the Gobblers caught him and I tried to rescue him, and it went wrong and Lord Asriel killed him? â€Å"Well, I saw him. In my dream I saw him again, only he was dead, he was a ghost, and he was, like, beckoning to me, calling to me, only I couldn’t hear. He didn’t want me to be dead, it wasn’t that. He wanted to speak to me. â€Å"And†¦ It was me that took him there, to Svalbard, where he got killed, it was my fault he was dead. And I thought back to when we used to play in Jordan College, Roger and me, on the roof, all through the town, in the markets and by the river and down the Claybeds†¦ Me and Roger and all the others†¦ And I went to Bolvangar to fetch him safe home, only I made it worse, and if I don’t say sorry, it’ll all be no good, just a huge waste of time. I got to do that, you see, Will. I got to go down into the land of the dead and find him, and†¦ and say sorry. I don’t care what happens after that. Then we can†¦ I can†¦ It doesn’t matter after that.† Will said, â€Å"This place where the dead are. Is it a world like this one, like mine or yours or any of the others? Is it a world I could get to with the knife?† She looked at him, struck by the idea. â€Å"You could ask,† he went on. â€Å"Do it now. Ask where it is, and how we get there.† She bent over the alethiometer and her fingers moved swiftly. A minute later she had the answer. â€Å"Yes,† she said, â€Å"but it’s a strange place, Will†¦ So strange†¦ Could we really do that? Could we really go to the land of the dead? But – what part of us does that? Because daemons fade away when we die – I’ve seen them – and our bodies, well, they just stay in the grave and decay, don’t they?† â€Å"Then there must be a third part. A different part.† â€Å"You know,† she said, full of excitement, â€Å"I think that must be true! Because I can think about my body and I can think about my daemon – so there must be another part, to do the thinking!† â€Å"Yes. And that’s the ghost.† Lyra’s eyes blazed. She said, â€Å"Maybe we could get Roger’s ghost out. Maybe we could rescue him.† â€Å"Maybe. We could try.† â€Å"Yeah, we’ll do it!† she said at once. â€Å"We’ll go together! That’s exactly what we’ll do!† But if they didn’t get the knife mended, Will thought, they’d be able to do nothing at all. As soon as his head cleared and his stomach felt calmer, he sat up and called to the little spies. They were busy with some minute apparatus nearby. â€Å"Who are you?† he said. â€Å"And whose side are you on?† The man finished what he was doing and shut a wooden box, like a violin case no longer than a walnut. The woman spoke first. â€Å"We are Gallivespian,† she said. â€Å"I am the Lady Salmakia, and my companion is the Chevalier Tialys. We are spies for Lord Asriel.† She was standing on a rock three or four paces away from Will and Lyra, distinct and brilliant in the moonlight. Her little voice was perfectly clear and low, her expression confident. She wore a loose skirt of some silver material and a sleeveless top of green, and her spurred feet were bare, like the man’s. His costume was similarly colored, but his sleeves were long and his wide trousers reached to midcalf. Both of them looked strong, capable, ruthless, and proud. â€Å"What world do you come from?† said Lyra. â€Å"I never seen people like you before.† â€Å"Our world has the same problems as yours,† said Tialys. â€Å"We are outlaws. Our leader, Lord Roke, heard of Lord Asriel’s revolt and pledged our support.† â€Å"And what did you want to do with me?† â€Å"To take you to your father,† said the Lady Salmakia. â€Å"Lord Asriel sent a force under King Ogunwe to rescue you and the boy and bring you both to his fortress. We are here to help.† â€Å"Ah, but suppose I don’t want to go to my father? Suppose I don’t trust him?† â€Å"I’m sorry to hear that,† she said, â€Å"but those are our orders: to take you to him.† Lyra couldn’t help it: she laughed out loud at the notion of these tiny people making her do anything. But it was a mistake. Moving suddenly, the woman seized Pantalaimon, and holding his mouse body in a fierce grip, she touched the tip of a spur to his leg. Lyra gasped: it was like the shock when the men at Bolvangar had seized him. No one should touch someone else’s daemon – it was a violation. But then she saw that Will had swept up the man in his right hand, holding him tightly around the legs so he couldn’t use his spurs, and was holding him high. â€Å"Stalemate again,† said the Lady calmly. â€Å"Put the Chevalier down, boy.† â€Å"Let go of Lyra’s daemon first,† said Will. â€Å"I’m not in the mood to argue.† Lyra saw with a cold thrill that Will was perfectly ready to dash the Gallivespian’s head against the rock. And both little people knew it. Salmakia lifted her foot away from Pantalaimon’s leg, and at once he fought free of her grasp and changed into a wildcat, hissing ferociously, fur on end, tail lashing. His bared teeth were a hand’s breadth from the Lady’s face, and she gazed at him with perfect composure. After a moment he turned and fled to Lyra’s breast, ermine-shaped, and Will carefully placed Tialys back on the rock beside his partner. â€Å"You should show some respect,† the Chevalier said to Lyra. â€Å"You are a thoughtless, insolent child, and several brave men have died this evening in order to make you safe. You’d do better to act politely.† â€Å"Yes,† she said humbly, â€Å"I’m sorry, I will. Honest.† â€Å"As for you – † he went on, turning to Will. But Will interrupted: â€Å"As for me, I’m not going to be spoken to like that, so don’t try. Respect goes two ways. Now listen carefully. You are not in charge here; we are. If you want to stay and help, then you do as we say. Otherwise, go back to Lord Asriel now. There’s no arguing about it.† Lyra could see the pair of them bristling, but Tialys was looking at Will’s hand, which was on the sheath at his belt, and she knew he was thinking that while Will had the knife, he was stronger than they were. At all costs they mustn’t know it was broken, then. â€Å"Very well,† said the Chevalier. â€Å"We shall help you, because that’s the task we’ve been given. But you must let us know what you intend to do.† â€Å"That’s fair,† said Will. â€Å"I’ll tell you. We’re going back into Lyra’s world as soon as we’ve rested, and we’re going to find a friend of ours, a bear. He’s not far away.† â€Å"The bear with the armor? Very well,† said Salmakia. â€Å"We saw him fight. We’ll help you do that. But then you must come with us to Lord Asriel.† â€Å"Yes,† said Lyra, lying earnestly, â€Å"oh yes, we’ll do that then all right.† Pantalaimon was calmer now, and curious, so she let him climb to her shoulder and change. He became a dragonfly, as big as the two that were skimming through the air as they spoke, and darted up to join them. â€Å"That poison,† Lyra said, turning back to the Gallivespians, â€Å"in your spurs, I mean, is it deadly? Because you stung my mother, Mrs. Coulter, didn’t you? Will she die?† â€Å"It was only a light sting,† said Tialys. â€Å"A full dose would have killed her, yes, but a small scratch will make her weak and drowsy for half a day or so.† And full of maddening pain, he knew, but he didn’t tell her that. â€Å"I need to talk to Lyra in private,† said Will. â€Å"We’re just going to move away for a minute.† â€Å"With that knife,† said the Chevalier, â€Å"you can cut through from one world to another, isn’t that so?† â€Å"Don’t you trust me?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"All right, I’ll leave it here, then. If I haven’t got it, I can’t use it.† He unbuckled the sheath and laid it on the rock, and then he and Lyra walked away and sat where they could see the Gallivespians. Tialys was looking closely at the knife handle, but he wasn’t touching it. â€Å"We’ll just have to put up with them,† Will said. â€Å"As soon as the knife’s mended, we’ll escape.† â€Å"They’re so quick, Will,† she said. â€Å"And they wouldn’t care, they’d kill you.† â€Å"I just hope Iorek can mend it. I hadn’t realized how much we need it.† â€Å"He will,† she said confidently. She was watching Pantalaimon as he skimmed and darted through the air, snapping up tiny moths like the other dragonflies. He couldn’t go as far as they could, but he was just as fast, and even more brightly patterned. She raised her hand and he settled on it, his long, transparent wings vibrating. â€Å"Do you think we can trust them while we sleep?† Will said. â€Å"Yes. They’re fierce, but I think they’re honest.† They went back to the rock, and Will said to the Gallivespians, â€Å"I’m going to sleep now. We’ll move on in the morning.† The Chevalier nodded, and Will curled up at once and fell asleep. Lyra sat down beside him, with Pantalaimon cat-formed and warm in her lap. How lucky Will was that she was awake now to look after him! He was truly fearless, and she admired that beyond measure; but he wasn’t good at lying and betraying and cheating, which all came to her as naturally as breathing. When she thought of that, she felt warm and virtuous, because she did it for Will, never for herself. She had intended to look at the alethiometer again, but to her deep surprise she found herself as weary as if she’d been awake all that time instead of unconscious, and she lay down close by and closed her eyes, just for a brief nap, as she assured herself before she fell asleep. How to cite The Amber Spyglass Chapter 13 Tialys And Salmakia, Essay examples

The Effects of Stress, Alcohol Outcome Expectancie Essay Example For Students

The Effects of Stress, Alcohol Outcome Expectancie Essay s, Gender, Coping Styles, andFamily Alcoholism on Alcohol ConsumptionThe Effects of Stress, Alcohol Outcome Expectancies, Gender, Coping Styles, andFamily Alcoholism on Alcohol ConsumptionResearch Proposal byJosh Robbins100-928-594November 26, 1996Economics 143AbstractOne large component of American popular culture today is alcohol. Acommon stereotype for the effects of alcohol is that as a drug it acts as astress antagonist. This theory was introduced by Conger (1956) as the TensionReduction Hypothesis (TRW). It states that alcohols sedative action on thecentral nervous system serves to reduce tension, and because tension reductionis reinforcing, people drink to escape it (Marlatt ; Rehsenow, 1980). Why do wedrink, when do we drink, and how much do we drink? This research will determinethe correlation between total weekly consumption of alcohol and perceived stress,alcohol outcome expectancies, gender, coping styles, and family history ofalcoholism among undergraduate students. Do p eople drink more or less whenstressed? Do alcohol outcome expectancies lead to higher or lower consumption?Is a history of family alcoholism positively or negatively correlated topersonal consumption? Do the tested variables play mediating or moderatingroles in stress-related drinking? This research will determine the answers tothese questions, and determine the strength of the correlations, if any. We will write a custom essay on The Effects of Stress, Alcohol Outcome Expectancie specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now IntroductionThe main question that this statistical model will answer is as follows:Is there any correlation between drinking and gender, alcohol expectancies,family alcoholism, stress, and coping styles?GenderIt has been demonstrated that significant differences exist between thedrinking patterns of men and women (Hilton, 1988). In a survey of US drinkinghabits conducted in 1988 by the US National Center for Health Statistics, Dawsonand Archer (1992) showed that there are three areas illustrating genderdifferences. The first is the actual number of male and female drinkers. Thestudy showed that 64% of men versus 41% of women were current drinkers. Second,men were more likely to consume alcohol on a daily basis (17.5 grams of ethanolper day versus 8.9 grams for women). Third, men were more likely to beclassified as heavy drinkers. In fact, when the classification measure of aheavy drinker was changed from five drinks or more per day to nine drinks ormore per day the ration of male to female heavy drinkers increased by a factorof 3. StressAre the theories mentioned above about stress-induced drinking accurate?There have been studies which disprove the Tension Reduction Hypothesis. Forinstance, in a study by Conway, Vickers, Ward, and Rahe in 1981 it was foundthat the consumption of alcohol among Navy officers during periods of high jobdemands was actually lower than the consumption during low-demand periods.Additionally, some drinkers have been known to consider alcohol as a tensiongenerator rather than a tension reducer. Alcohol ExpectanciesThe expectations of what effects alcohol consumption may have play animportant role in drinking habits. These expectancies first develop inchildhood as indirect learning experiences (media, family modeling, peerinfluence) and, as a result of increased direct experiences with thepharmacological effects of alcohol, become more refined (Christiansen, Goldman,; Inn, 1982). Do the expectancies that people hold about alcohol decentlypredict consumption? Some people believe that alcohol consumption will increasesexual and aggressive behavior, or otherwise enhance social experiences. Manypeople subscribe to the view that alcohol acts as liquid courage. DataThe dependent variable for this research will be Weekly AlcoholConsumption (WEEK), measured by the total number of drinks consumed in 1 week. A standard drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle/can of beer, 1.5 ounce shot ofliquor, or a 5 ounce glass of wine. The predictor variables would include thedummy variable GENDER, where D1=1 for a male, STRESS, alcoholic expectancies(EXPECT), family alcoholism (FAMILY), and difference coping styles (COPE). .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 , .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .postImageUrl , .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 , .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:hover , .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:visited , .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:active { border:0!important; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:active , .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82 .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4ec51be712c2937d160128b5bcee5c82:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Illiad EssayThe complete list of possible measurable variables are: PerceivedStress, Family History of Alcoholism, Problem-Focused Coping, Emotion-FocusedCoping, Less Useful Coping, and Drinking to Cope. For alcohol expectancyoutcomes, the following variables would be useful: Sociability, TensionReduction, Liquid Courage, Sexuality, Cognitive ; Behavioral Impairment, Risk ;Aggression, and Self Perception. The data for this research project will becollected through surveys and questionnaires given to undergraduate students atone university, but not limited to one department. An attempt should be made tosplit the test group approximately equal in terms of sex. Since race/eth nicityand age are not being tested, they are irrelevant for this study. Compensationmay be necessary (possibly a beer), as college students time is quite valuable,and the questionnaire may take approximately 30 minutes. There are a number oftests which currently exist which may be used to evaluate the subjects. 1. Adapted Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Adapted SMAST)This is a 13 item self-report questionnaire developed by Sher andDescutner in 1986 which is designed to measure family history of alcoholism. This is a yes/no type of test, and is specifically determines the extent of anindividuals parents alcohol abuse. 2. Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol (CEOA)The CEOA (Fromme, Stroot Kaplan, 1993) has 38 questions, and isdesigned to measure alcohol outcome expectancies. There are seven expectancyscales, four positive (sociability, tension-reduction, liquid-courage, andsexuality) and three negative (cognitive-behavioral impairment, risk andaggression, and self perception). The answers are based on a five point scalewith 1 = disagree and 5 = agree. 3. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)The PSS (Cohen, Kamarck, Mermelstein, 1983) is a 14 item self-reportdesigned to assess the degress to which situations in ones life are appraisedas stressful. There are 7 positive and 7 negative questions. 4. COPEThe COPE (Carver et al., 1989) has 53 questions and is designed toassess individual coping dispositions. This test is quite complicated, as it ismade up of 14 scales which are categorized into 3 coping styles: Problem-FocusedCoping, Emotion-Focused Coping, and Less than Useful Coping (Denial, BehavioralDisengagement, and Mental Disengagement). The main result we will be looking atis a section called Drinking to Cope. This will help us find out whetherpeople drink to cope and if so, in what situations. SpecificationThe regression equation for this research will be as follows: WEEKi = b0+ b1(GENDER)i + b2(STRESS)i + b3(EXPECT)i + b4(FAMILY)i + b5(COPE)iThe expected signs of the coefficients are as follows:b1: This is a dummy variable, with only 2 possible values, 0=female and1=male;b2: Positive. Increased stress leads to increased drinking;b3: Both. It will probably be positive with expectancy variables likeTension Reduction, liquid-Courage and Sexuality, while negative with BehavioralImpairment, Risk ; Aggression, and Self Perception;b4: Positive. One would expect an alcoholic family would increase thelikelihood of an alcoholic child;b5: Positive. If we restrict this variable to Drinking To Cope, itshould be positive. I would plan to run a regression using one predictor variable at a time,and then adding an additional variable until many possibilities have beenregressed, determining the correlation between the different predictors. Thiswill determine as well which predictors account for what percentage of thevariability. Anticipated BenefitsAfter determination of the correlation between weekly drinking and the 5predictor variable discussed herein, we will be able to focus on which variableshave more effect, or higher correlation. If the highest correlation is found inthe FAMILY variable, we will know to spend more time and money on programs whichpromote Family Values. If high correlation is found with the STRESS variable,we can direct our energies to making college less stressful. This researchshould be used as a signal for what needs to be done in the future. .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 , .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .postImageUrl , .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 , .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:hover , .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:visited , .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:active { border:0!important; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:active , .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6 .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf323143453d6a1350dd2dd2c8717f1e6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Evaluation of preparation and improvisation EssayReferencesCarver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., ; Weintraub, J. K. (1989). Assessing copingstrategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and SocialPsychology, 56, 267-283. Christiansen, B. A., Goldman, M. S., ; Inn, A. (1982). Development of alcohol-related expectancies in adolescents: Separatingpharmacological from social-learning influences. Journal of Consulting andClinical Psychology, 50, 336-344. Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., ; Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and SocialBehavior, 24, 385-396. Conger, J. J. (1956). Alcoholism: Theory, problem andchallenge. II. Reinforcement theory and the dynamics of alcoholism. QuarterlyJournal of Studies on Alcohol, 13, 296-305. Conway, T. L., Vickers, R. R., Ward,H. W., ; Rahe, R. H. (1981). Occupational stress and variation in cigarette,coffee, and alcohol consumption. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 22,155-165. Dawson, D. A., ; Archer, L. (1992). Gender differences in alcoholconsumption: Effects of measurement. British Journal of Addiction, 87, 119-123. Hilton, M. E. (1988). Trends in US drinking patterns: Further evidence fromthe past 20 years. British Journal of Addiction, 83, 269-278. Marlatt, G. A, ;Rohsenow, D. J. (1980). Cognitive processes in alcohol use: Expectancy and thebalanced placebo design. In N. K. Mello (Ed.). Advances in Substance Abuse:Behavioral and biological research, Vol. 1. Greenwich: JAI Press. Sher, K. J.,; Descutner, C. (1986). Reports of paternal alcoholism: Reliability acrosssiblings. Journal of Addictive Behaviors, 11, 25-30. Business