A family ritual to strengthen family bonds Essay

As I was answering the Family rituals questionnaire, I felt good as i was somewhat compelled to reminisce the activities which I shared with my family when I was a child. It feels good to see that our family got a high score in the questionnaire. In only proves that we have been quite close as a family. I was only mesmerized as I recalled those moments when we simultaneously scan our old pictures and laugh at the way all of us looked in the past. I also enjoyed recalling the fond memories of our excursions when I was still a child. Personally, I do not want to change that kind of relationship which I had with my family in the past. I would like us to maintain this close relationship we have right now. For me, this is how families are supposed to be. Families are supposed to spend most of the time together so they can be updated with the events happening to one another. In this sense, they will always be available to succor when one among the family members is having some dilemma. In addition to that, the intimacy between them will not be lost; and instead, will only be kindled. That feeling of intimacy will make them more comfortable and more expressive with one another. The ritual that I would like to apply to my family is a unique Islamic tradition called Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is being done some time after Ramadan. It is basically a tradition celebrating the success of the recently done Ramadan which is a whole month of blessings and joy. Moreover, Eid al-Fitr is also the extension of these blessings and joy to those who happen to be less fortunate. Every Muslim family must offer some donation of any kind to those who are in need. They do this so the needy can participate in the celebration as well. This is done before the end of the Eid so all the people can be prepared for the jubilation. When the day of the Eid comes, all of the participants will gather outdoors – in mosques – to perform a prayer that is especially for the Eid. Afterwards, the participants will begin to disperse and mingle with one another. They will meet up with their families, friends and other acquaintances to give presents and express their cordial greetings. If they have relatives who are not present and cannot go to the event, they can call them on the hoping and likewise extend their wishes. This event usually lasts for three days to allow the Muslims make the most out of the celebration. The meaning of this ritual is that it can manifest the unity and comradeship among its participants. By extending their warm wishes to other people and giving donations to those who are in need, the participants learn to take care aside from their selves and value other people as well. The act of giving donations can be symbolically interpreted as an act of offering something that sincerely comes from the self. The act is like transcending the self and its own interests in order to extend one’s hands to other people. By applying this ritual with my family, I aim that my family will have a sense of responsibility and learn how to work as a group. Moreover, I can also reinforce family planning. My family will learn that they also have responsibility over other people –their fellowmen – and that all of us must unite for a singular cause. By promoting the behavior of giving donations to the poor and mingling with the family members, the unity of a singular cause is reinforced. As we harbor in mind the need to achieve a singular purpose, we will learn how to work as a group. In the latter process, we will develop a more cohesive bond among ourselves. The part of mingling with other people can only encourage us to commune more deeply with one another and be aware of one another’s experiences. As the ritual will be repetitious, all of its objectives will be recurrently addressed. In addition to that, by mingling with the family members in the course of the ritual, we will realize the importance of family planning. In our family, there are more than ten of us who are siblings and it will surely be harder for us to greet one another while doing the ritual. Lastly, I think that the ritual need not to change as the members of the family grow older. We must only adapt with one another and our family embers – and our oscillating temperaments, tastes and yearnings. The touchstone of the ritual is that we feel the warm company of our family members as we do and enjoy doing things together. In that sense, my two goals can be achieved. We learn that we are responsible for the welfare of our family members and we learn to work collectively in making all of us grow individually as persons and the family as a whole.

Go Lovely Rose: An Explication Essay

Topic Sentence 1: The lover has emphasized sweetness and loveliness of his lady by comparing her to rose. Proof 1: He seems to be disappointed by the fact that his warm love has not been requited by the lady he loves. His impassioned address to the rose – â€Å"Go, lovely Rose† – is an instance of apostrophe, a figure of speech effectively used. This comparison not only highlights the lady’s beauty, it also underscores its fragility. Proof. 2. It is the philosophy of hedonism that preached here. The pleasures of human life are indeed short-lived; so lovers should not waste valuable time in prolonged courtship. They should confess their love and accept the bliss of love. He is full of regret that her shyness does nothing but â€Å"wastes her time and me,† (l. 2) Proof 3. The poet reminds his beloved that death is the inevitable end of everybody’s life, therefore they should live fully and happily before death can seize them. His contemplative mood reminds him of the fact that each day brings all creatures closer to the grave. The rose which symbolizes beauty and sweetness may remind her of the common fate of all living creatures: â€Å"Then die — that she †¦May read in thee;†(ll. 16-18) A realization of this kind may change her mind and requite his love. Topic Sentence 2 : He urges the lady to enjoy the warmth of attention she is receiving from her lover rather than feel embarrassed by it. It is a pity that she â€Å"shuns to have her graces spied†(l. 7) He argues that her beauty would have been wasted if she lived in a desert. Then there would be no one to appreciate her beauty. The existence of beauty is only justified if there are viewers to admire it. Proof. 1. The Puritanical coyness of the ladylove seems to be an impediment to the fulfillment of his love and it only deepens his gloom. Living in isolation may make her more covetable and attractive, but it is unwise â€Å"not blush so to be admired. † (l. 15) The etymological meaning of the word â€Å"blush† is to â€Å"redden† which is derived from the Middle English blusshen, from Old English blyscan to redden, according Merriam-Webster Dictionary. The red color is associated with a lady in love and also with rose which is often chosen by lovers as a gift to express their love. Proof. 2. In this poem we find the recurrent theme of carpe diem reinforced as in John Donne’s â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† and other poems. Even the things â€Å"wondorous sweet and fair† (l. 20 ) are not beyond the jurisdiction of ageing and death. Proof 3. The lover asserts that beauty is useless unless there is some one to admire it. Her beauty would have gone unnoticed if she were born and brought up in a desert. The beauty of human form is revealed by light and therefore it would be unwise to conceal it by blushing as he says, â€Å"not blush so to be admired. † (l. 15) Topic Sentence 3: He reminds his coy mistress that it is a privilege to be the object of male attention, and it is wise not to spurn it. Proof 1: In the final stanza he reiterates the central theme of carpe diem – human life is short, therefore enjoy it. He makes an appeal to her to â€Å"Suffer herself to be desired† (l. 14) and not to withdraw from public gaze out of false modesty. The metaphor of light and darkness is very apt. Beauty is hidden in darkness; similarly love is marred by its concealment. As light reveals beauty, so love is denied by withdrawal. Lovers should express their feelings spontaneously. Proof 2: If we think of eternity, the span of human youth and beauty is indeed very brief. The span of human life is indeed short. Even three scores and ten or more is a very brief period to fulfill one’s desires. Reflection on the fleeting nature of the life one should make one conscious of its limitations and lead to a meaningful life in which there is no time to waste. Proof 3: The rose is a beautiful flower with sweet fragrance, but it is also short-lived. It stands for the beauty as well as vulnerability of life. The use of the word â€Å"resemble† to mean â€Å"compare† is archaic according to Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Dictionary. Conclusion: The lover in the poem (not necessarily the poet) attempts to persuade his lady to share his positive outlook on life and enjoy life to the brim. He is very modern in outlook. What he says is better appreciated in the twentieth or twenty-first centuries. Closing statement: The message to the lady is a universal one: every lover feels that lovers should not suppress their feelings under the cover of social respectability. They must not delay their decision to choose their mate as human life may not grant him or her another opportunity. Restate thesis: The poem explores a lover’s complaint to his lady about the need for eschewing her coyness and reciprocate his love by responding quickly as human life is ephemeral. Human life should be lived happily and meaningfully in which there is no scope for wasting time in vain modesty. Work Cited Waller, Edmund. â€Å"Go, Lovely Rose†. http://classicpoetryaloud. podomatic. com/entry/2007-12-04T00_24_07-08_00 (The text of the poem. Accessed on 12/29/08) Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Dictionary. 2003. Version 3. 0 (CD-ROM) 29-Dec-08

Hospitality Essay

From a food and beverage manager’s perspective – Why is managing the diversity of an international food and beverage operation so important? Discuss this by using a system, or process, or method and/ or technique In the hospitality industry, managing the diversity of international food and beverage operation which is important from a food and beverage manager’s perspective can improve the quality of the hospitality services, reduce high turnover in hospitality management and make more profit from the food and beverage operation. Hospitality workforce is consisted of diverse population and visible and non-visible differences which are included gender, age, background, culture, religion, race, disability, personality, and work style. According to this, the establishment of processing food and beverage operations is able to effectively manage people who work in hospitality workplace. And also, the hospitality education and training can provide hospitality worker an opportunity that improve themselves and understand the diverse workforce. Jones (as cited in Igram, 1999) indicated that â€Å"operations concern the way that organizations deliver their product/ service to the consumer† (p. 142). This is the key of concerning for the effective practice hospitality. Johnston (as cited in Igram, 1999) indicated that the operations could be divided into three activities; customer processing operations, information processing operations and product processing operations. As manager must understand these three activities which reflect employees how they plan and control the processing operation. Thus, effective hospitality operations must incorporate planning with technology and people management. Furthermore, Mullins (as cited in Igram, 1999) pointed that hospitality operations are heterogeneous group, but they share a number of common characteristics. For example, there are a wide range of skilled staff required, but there are also high numbers unskilled staff needed; most employees are from different countries, they have different background and use English as second language; there is a large proportion of female, part time, casual staff. Due to this situation, the labour mobility and turnover are high. Thus, managing diversity in food and beverage operation must need a perfect system or an improved method as foundation. Systematic in the  design, planning and control of a food and beverage operation must be concerned by international food and beverage manager. And also, management of the operation systems within a food and beverage operation must be considered by international food and beverage manager. What benefits will be brought into international food and beverage operation by understanding the systems? To sum up, there are three benefits. Firstly, control of resources which is implemented the systems inputs aim to reduc e wastage. Secondly, efficient and effective operation can perfect international food and beverage services by using systems processes. Finally, the systems outputs assure what goal the hospitality organization can achieve. The hospitality education and training can provide hospitality worker an opportunity that improve themselves and understand the diverse workforce. The hospitality education and training are the techniques which can complement the international food and beverage management. Lynch (as cited in Robinson, 2005) pointed that† business management foci currently in vogue with hospitality and food and beverage operations education and practice† (p. 70). In other words, in order to provide effective services to consumer, the hospitality organization will implement the food and beverage operations education and practice to guide and develop skilled and high standard staff. Ingram (1999) indicated that â€Å"effective academic abilities (including abstraction, attention to detail, â€Å"hair splitting†) are not always found in conjunction with personal organization skills (such as planning, delegation, prioritizing tasks)† (p. 146). Thus, the academic education impleme nted in hospitality organization can incorporate to the international food and beverage operations with staff. 2 From a food and beverage manager’s perspective – What are the important thing to consider when planning, designing and allocating space for storage, preparation, production and service for a food and beverage operation. From a food and beverage manager’s perspective, the design and plan of a food service facility effect on the attraction from customers and on productivity of employees, and also on making profit from hospitality business. If facilities are poorly designed, customers will be inconvenienced and food  services are inefficient. If a manager wants to perfect a food service, he/she must consider what requirements are needed when planning, designing and allocating space for storage, preparation, production and service for a food and beverage operation. The considerations will be the market and operational needs, the food production areas and equipment, sustainability and hygiene and health issue. As described above, first of all, as the operational needs, food service facility design will be the first consideration in planning space for food and beverage operation. The better food service facilities design will appeal to customers and employees when manager plans space for production and service. Rodgers (2005) indicated that â€Å"food service facility design is based on the principles of space efficiency, flexibility, product flow, food safety (sanitation) and ergonomics† (p. 308). In other words, an effective food service facility design can provide safe workplace for staff and set up an environment for efficient operation flow of people and product. The facility can make employees work efficiently so that the organization can reduce the labour costs. Furthermore, the costs on facility maintenance are low. Finally, the maximum profit is gained from investment. Secondly, manager must consider the food production areas and equipment. An efficient workflow established can create a tight, smooth and productive food service operation. Afterwards, an adequate work space and suitable work sections are required to provide to employees. For example, kitchen space sometimes will be minimized in order to make more room for customers. That lead to the kitchen space is limited. The quantities of food can be supplied, however, the narrow kitchen design cannot provide employees enough room so that the food service will be delayed which dissatisfied the customers. Another thing that manager must consider is the kitchen layouts. Ninemeier (2010) indicated that â€Å"work flow-the traffic patterns employees form as they go about their work-is another factor that muse be considered† (p. 5). Different kitchen activities must be done in individual work stations. For example, as the figure below, it is a bakery kitchen. Different number stands different stations. Employees can follow the work flow step by step to prepare food. As we can see from the figure, the food  preparation space must be divided into specific areas. The station 2-5 are the places which are for food preparation and storage. The station 1 and station 6 are used for washing and waste disposal. Due to this kitchen layout design, the food contamination will decrease and the food storage time can extend. As a food and beverage manager must consider of the food contamination. Figure 1 kitchen layout (Source: Ninemeier, D. J. 2010) References list Ingram, H. (1999). Hospitality: a framework for a millennial review. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 11(4), 140-147. Ninemeier, D. J. (2010) Management of Food and Beverage Operations (2nd ed.). American: American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation. Robinson, R. S. (2007). Plain Fare to Fusion: Ethnic Impacts on the Process of Maturity in Brisbane’s Restaurant Sector. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 14(1), 70-84. Rogers, S. (2005). Applied research and educational needs in food service management. International Journal of contemporary Hospitality Management, 17(4), 302-314.

Singapore Healthcare vs. Us healthcare Research Paper

Singapore Healthcare vs. Us healthcare - Research Paper Example ow that people of Singapore are healthier than Americans although the government of Singapore pays only 20 percent of what the US government spends on the healthcare system. For instance, United States’ life expectancy of 78 years in comparison with Singapore’s 82 years enforce this fact. Again the mortality rate of the former amounts to around 6.4 for every 1000 births of living babies while in case of Singapore it is 2.3 deaths for the same size of group. When the number of caregivers of United States is compared with Singapore one tends to get a ratio of 9.4 to 4.2 nurses, 2.6 to 1.4 doctors, six to one dentists and 3 to one pharmacists respectively. When the healthcare spending is taken into account it leaves one with further shock because US incurs an expenditure of 15.4 percent of GDP while Singapore allots only 3.7 percent of their GDP to healthcare activities. The idea is to let people take care of their health. Singapore follows strictly policy with respect to public smoking, throwing around wastes, chewing gums and all of these activities result in fines. (Callick, 2008) However these policies have helped in enforcing the health consciousness within people. More than anything, the state funds merely 25 percent of the total health related costs incurred by the people of Singapore. Again while Singapore ends up undergoing a public expense of $381 per capita, US spend seven times of the same. The state’s strategy is so devised that finally the individuals and the employers end up incurring rest of the expenses. The Singaporean Health Ministry can be quotes saying, â€Å"Patients are expected to co-pay part of their medical expenses and to pay more when they demand a higher level of service. At the same time, government subsidies help to keep basic healthcare affordable† (Callick, 2008) The Singapore model works because the responsibility is not in the hands of the profit making insurers or the generosity of the government. It rather rests in the hand

The rise of the German unification and how it affected the french Research Paper

The rise of the German unification and how it affected the french military policy during the period of 1840-1870 - Research Paper Example Germany is a state in Europe that rose into power during the German Unification of 1840-1870, and became a part of the Status Quo. Before it became unified, Germany entered into different wars such as the Austro-Prussian War, Danish War, and Franco-Prussian War. Prussia was a major boost for the German Unification, after it defeated Austria that had dominated Germany. The Unification was not an easy process, but the Germans were patient. Their main strengths were the growth of the economy, the effective railway network, and superior weapons. 1Today, Germany is a modern state, in the 19th Century it was made up of a collection of smaller states that formed the German Confederation. These Confederations were controlled by Austria. In the 1860`s, the control of Austria was challenged by the Prussia, the development of the unification, and codification of Germany. 2The process of unification began as a gradual evolution of economic affinity from the early stages of Industrial Revolution in the mid 19th Century, which made the German state modify towards economic unification. Some of the economic modifications were like the growth of the railway network in Germany, which made it easy to access different resources across the Confederations. This railway network helped to enhance economic growth, and economic prosperity. This growth also resulted to the formation of the Zollverin Customs union; this accordance was amongst the German states, to introduce a preferential custom policy for its members. Schleswig and Holstein were two German duchies that were under the control of the Danish. The Holstein population was largely German speaking and the Schleswig was a mixture of Germans and Danes. 3In the year 1840, the Dane tried to claim Schleswig and Holstein to be part of Denmark, instead of having a semi-independent duchy. This angered the German nationalist and demanded for the two duchies to be incorporated into the German Confederation. In

Analyzing Marketing Opportunities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Marketing Opportunities - Essay Example GVA online defines market demand as the "total volume purchased in a specific geographic area by a specific customer group in a specified time period under a specified marketing program (GVA Online GVA, 2003/2004)." In the case of Qantas market demand is indicated by the total number of travelers and individuals who patronize the services that they offer, having the resources to pay for the bill charged by the company. When assessing the total demand for the company's product and services, the company takes into account only those people who can afford to pay them, excluding those who won't be able to afford those that they offer or those who don't intend to take a trip by plane. Market demand, market potential, and sales forecast are interrelated. It is due to the fact that market demand is utilized to generate an accurate sales forecast and sales potential. As defined above, market demand is the historical demand for a good or service by customers backed by purchasing power. Sales forecasting is a very essential tool in assessing the health of a business entity. The accuracy of sales forecast can also give decision makers in the company the required information to come up with precise and useful strategies that will boost the revenue and profit of the business in the long run. Companies that implement accurate sales forecasting processes reap benefits such as enhanced cash flow, knowledge on timing and quantity of inventory to be purchased, in-depth knowledge of customers and the products that they prefer, the ability to plan production and required capacity, an insight on the trend and pattern of sales, determination of the value of business above the value of current assets, and the ability to determine the expected return on investment (Conduct a Sales Forecast, 2000). These benefits in turn, will help the company maximize its revenue and efficiency, minimized costs and further boost customer retention. In sales forecasting, the company come up with a sales volume which the company expects to generate in the future. Since the forecast is based on past sales of the company, it is necessary to know the dollar sales volume of the firm for the past several years. If not enough sales data have been recorded, it may be necessary to improvise (Conduct a Sales Forecast, 2000). In the case of Qantas, sales forecasting can be done by gathering data on how the company performed during the past years. Historical data of number of passengers should be gathered according to the time-frame needed. In its other line of businesses like food service, it can utilize the historical data on dollar sales. Sales forecasting can be employed to predict the short-term and long term sales of the company. For a short-term forecast, it is usually enough to know the sales for the past few weeks or months in comparison with the corresponding period of the year before. If sales for the past 4 weeks were 8 percent more than the corresponding 4 weeks of the preceding year, sales for the next few weeks can reasonably be expected to be 8 percent ahead of the corresponding period a year ago (Conduct a Sales Forecast, 2000). Adjustments have to be made, of course, for any known or predicted conditions

3.4 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

3.4 - Case Study Example This calls for very careful and prudent credit policies, to avoid losses when clients become bankrupt. The industry operated profitably from 1985 to 1988, but a considerable recession that hit the economy in 1989 caused instability. As a result, the trucking companies lost revenues as manufacturers were reducing their transportation requirements as they cut down their operations. In fact, most of the trucking companies became bankrupt and the few that survived the situation lowered their prices to remain competitive. Although the industry recovered from the recession in 1990s, the transportation industry in southern Ontario remained challenging as there were too many companies competing for few clients. By 2003, albeit the industry experiencing substantial growth, the profit margins remained very low since the prices were still very low. To survive with very low prices, the companies are forced to look for loans so they can operate at high volumes to increase their profits. Besides, the trucking companies maximize the time they spend on the road to increase sales so they can be able to repay the loans and their operating expenses. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) had introduced legislation that required all vehicles used by trucking companies to comply with strict safety standards. The ministry impounded any vehicle that failed to comply with these safety measures. Commercial Equipment Financing (CEF) carefully analyses its borrowers before approving loans, with the aim of increasing the recovery rate. This is particularly very important because the industry is undergoing very tough economic conditions and the chance of a company failing to repay the loan is very high. What CEF looks for can be summarized in terms of ‘4 C’s of Credit’ as analyzed below. The financial History of the borrower is referred to as

Plant Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Plant Project - Research Paper Example A brief consideration of theoretical information about the mentioned plant will be beneficial for better perception of the results of the present study. Andrographis, or Andrographis paniculata, belongs to the family Acanthaceae. (Hobbs, Gardner, 2013, 17). The motherland to the plant is the Tropical Asia, particularly the Indian Subcontinent with its areas of India and Sri Lanka. (GRIN, 2005). Andrographis hs been naturalized to several geographic locations, it is widely cultivated and can be seen today in such regions as Africa (Mauritius), Temperate and Tropical Asia (China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia), Southern America (the Caribbean region), Central America, Australia. (GRIN, 2005). â€Å"The plant is erect and widely branching, reaching 2 to 3 feet tall, with long, green, square stems; small, lance-shaped leaves; and tiny, flecked, white to pale pink flowers in long, slim clusters.† (Hobbs, Gardner, 2013, 17). Andrographis is primarily used for the medical (medicines making) and treatment purposes: it is possible to find it at the chemists’ as tablets and capsules. (Hobbs, Gardner, 2013, 17). This plant possesses such beneficial from the medical point of view features as immunity boosting and antiviral effect. (Hobbs, Gardner, 2013, 17). Traditional form of this plant application has been the form of decoction or tea, which could be accompanied by herbs possessing sweet taste (stevia or licorice), because andrographis is very bitter. (Hobbs, Gardner, 2013, 18). The mentioned medicine shall be consumed before the meals due to its effect of the digestion enhancing. The point of concern here is that it is necessary to start with a dose of tea which is weak, and then reach stronger doses. (Hobbs, Gardner, 2013, 18). Andrographis is capable of treatment of a wide range of ailment conditions and diseases of a human body. It can be applied for preventing of flu and cold, and it

The Wedding Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Wedding Story - Essay Example Significance of the use of Simile in Literature IV. Conclusion V. References The Use of Simile in Julianne Homokay’s The Wedding Story A literary device is a technique that the writer uses for a given literary purpose (Niazi & Gautam, 2010). Literary devices can be any form of method or procedure that the writer/artist uses to express ideas through language, and produce a desired effect on the reader/audience. Examples of common literary devices used are Allegory, Analogy, Climax, Foreshadowing, Hyperbole, Metaphor, and Simile. As in any piece of good literature, Julianne Homokay’s The Wedding Story is also filled with literary devices that make the drama come to life. Homokay used a number of different literary devices to make the drama a comedic take on criticizing the conventional pictures that men and women are pictured as, especially in the confines of marriage. Thus, The Wedding Story may be considered as a farce, because it is a comedy in which the plot took an u nfortunate, almost exaggerated twist. One particular literary device used repeatedly in the drama is Simile. Simile is a literary device known as a figure of speech, which makes a comparison between two dissimilar objects using as, like, or as though (Bertens, 2008). Since similes are essentially a group of descriptive words, they are able to paint a clearer picture in our minds as opposed to when they are left out in a text. Since the actual object used in the text may be an abstract one, using simile to liken it to a more concrete and visually engaging object gives the reader a chance to create a more vivid picture of the scenario in his or her mind. Simile, as a figure of speech, is very similar to metaphor, except that comparisons are made without the use of as, like, or as though. In The Wedding Story, simile was used in the dialogue to emphasize particular points. The narrator, who may be considered as the protagonist in the story, reads from his book and talks of a â€Å"wom an, pretty as a day in June.† This comparison paints the woman in the minds of the reader as someone who is young, fresh, and vibrant, comparable to the vibrance of June’s summer. Of course, the bride and groom (who may be labeled as the antagonists of the drama), clarifies that the bride bears no resemblance to a pretty day in June because she was a middle aged woman who had to get married for convenience. The bride C. How did the use of Simile as a literary device contribute to the drama VI. Significance of the use of Simile in Literature VII. Conclusion VIII. References A prominent literary device used in the drama was

How the recent economic recession has impacted U.S. aerospace Research Paper

How the recent economic recession has impacted U.S. aerospace manufacturing industry - Research Paper Example This industry is mainly concerned with the manufacturing and planning of new and improved spacecraft to explore the universe, designing aircraft for the transport of the civilians and military services as well as missiles with the aim of national defense. The industry employs nearly 1703000 people retaining the global diverse talents. Owing to the heavy investment in the research related functions a significant percentage of the people employed with the aerospace are scientists, engineers and technicians (Cook, n.d.). b. Short history of Boeing and Airbus Boeing is the leader in the manufacturing of space, defense and security systems and commercial jetliners. A top ranked exporter in US the company serves customers across 90 countries. The products and services of the company include military & commercial aircraft, weapons, electronics, satellites and defense systems, launch systems, advanced communication & information systems. The airline has long history of aerospace innovation a nd leadership. The company has continually expanded its product lines and services to satisfy the growing needs of the customers (Boeing. 2011). Aircraft ranks among the leading manufacturer of aircraft that has propelled the company to the forefront by virtue of customer focus, technological leadership, commercial know-how, and manufacturing efficiency. The company provides a variety of customer services that are tailored to meet the requirements of the operators across the globe. The airline has its headquarters in Toulouse. Owned by EADS, the airline is a global enterprise with nearly 52500 employees. The company has fully owned subsidiaries in China, Japan, US, and Middle East (Airbus, 2011). Economical Crises facing the aerospace Industry The aerospace industry is grappling with a number of challenges because of the capital-intensive nature of the industry and the situation has worsened with the major governments and companies of the world facing one of the worst crises in rece nt decades. The economy across the globe is anticipated to pass through tremendous economic upheaval in the forthcoming period. a. Re-Building Confidence of the Consumer The airlines across the globe reported grim earnings over the last couple of years due to a fall in the ticket sales. The commercial aviation being an essential part of the global economy the airlines across the globe are devising new ways to restore the confidence in air transport. One such way adopted by these companies is through an extensive advertisement campaign. There was a sharp fall in the airline traffic during the recent financial crisis due to the cut-back in business travel. One of the biggest problems faced by the airlines industry is the drastic fall in the demand for air transport. Despite the bailout packages almost all the air carriers have grounded air planes to limit capacity whereas some of the big airless have even retrenched workforce to prune the massive losses (The Federalist Society, 2003). To improve the demand for the air travel the companies can announce some waivers that will lower the cost of air travel thereby making this mode of travel more attractive as well as affordable. b. Security There has been a revamp of all the security standards in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack. The necessary security measures

Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Capitalism - Essay Example The present day Dubai is capitalist and this is because the profit motive controls all undertakings and the royal family enjoys most of the profits acquired from the production of various commodities. For example, the Dubai royal family controls most of the oil reserves in the country and they fund other sectors of the economy in order to gain from different areas and build up wealth. In my work environment, which is the court, capitalism exists and an example of this is that there are minorities who control the legal structures and they can get away with crimes through unethical practices. There are various aspects of welfare state in the UAE and these include the government providing free education and access to funds for development purposes. The country also engages in helping its neighbors all in the effort of providing benefits to people all over the world. The UAE was not capitalist 100 years ago, and this can be explained by the fact that people could help each other to survive and even at times for free. People traded with various items such as fish, and this was not for the profit motive, but to work together in order to survive. However, this has now changed and everything is done with the motive of earning a profit. I believe that despite capitalism being just in that one gets what they work for, it is evil and people should help each other to survive and not be greedy in order to accrue wealth as others suffer from poverty. Everyone has a right to survive and exploiting others to amass more wealth as others suffer in poverty is

Narrative Criticism of Gillian Welch’s “Caleb Meyer” Essay Example for Free

Narrative Criticism of Gillian Welch’s â€Å"Caleb Meyer† Essay Throughout this essay I will identify â€Å"Caleb Meyer† as a rhetorical narrative, criticize its form and function, and evaluate its effectiveness. In order to criticize â€Å"Caleb Meyer† using Rowand’s method of narrative criticism, I must first establish that it meets all of the criteria of a narrative according to Sonja Foss. The first criteria Foss requires is that the artifact contain two events. The song in fact includes multiple events, but for explanative purposes we will assign those two events as Meyer drunkenly wandering into the narrator’s yard and raping her, and the narrator slicing his throat with the broken bottle. Foss then requires that the two events in a narrative happen in a sequence of some sort, which, using the examples above, we can easily find to be true in a chronological nature. Meyer first assaults the narrator, and it is not until he does that she retaliates. Foss’s third standard for a narrative requires that the sequential events have a casual relationship. Again, using the events above, we can easily argue that without the first event (Meyer assaulting the narrator) the second event (the narrator slicing his neck with the bottle) would not have occurred, for there would have been no reason for her to retaliate against Meyer. The last criteria Foss requires is that the sequential, casual events be about a unified subject. All of the events that take place in the artifact, including those aforementioned, are about the interaction between Caleb Meyer and the narrator from the time he gets drunk and rapes her to the time she cuts his throat. Now that I have satisfied Foss’s requirements for a narrative and determined â€Å"Caleb Meyer† to be such, I am able to apply Rowand’s method of narrative criticism. According to Rowand, the main components of a narrative are the characters and their roles, the setting, the plot, and the theme. While on the surface many of these things may seem obvious to the audience, in order to discover the artifact’s rhetorical purpose it is important that we uncover more than just who, where, and why. There are two main characters in Welch’s song: the antagonist, Caleb Meyer, and the protagonist, the narrator. Caleb Meyer is established as a lonely, drunken abusive male whose purpose in the artifact is to create conflict to allow resolution (he rapes the narrator and pays the price). The narrator is a married woman whose husband has left her home alone while away on business. Her function is to tell a story and create Welch’s message. She is established as religious (prays to God and believes in Hell [Caleb Meyer your ghost is gonna wear them rattling chains]), brave, and resilient. Meyer represents the abusive, alcoholic male figure in society, while the narrator represents women who are taken advantage of and decide to put up a fight. A secondary character, Nellie Kane, is minimally important but adds to the severity of Meyer’s actions, as he is the narrator’s husband whom Meyer knows is not around to protect her. The setting in the narrative is a wooded area on a mountainside, although it is unspecific where exactly. Meyer asks the narrator if her husband has gone down the mountainside after emerging from where he lives â€Å"in them hollering pines. † This setting, including the fact that the narrator’s husband has gone to Bowling Green for work, creates a picture of a helpless, isolated woman in the woods. This forces the audience to empathize with the narrator as the antagonist attacks, knowing that there is no one to aid her after being thrown down by her hair and pinned beneath a drunken man. It is because of intrinsic humanitarian values that the audience cannot help but wish they could come to her relief, which makes the persuasiveness of Welch’s message more powerful. The plot of Welch’s song first provides that Caleb Meyer lives alone and drinks to pass the time, implying that he is an alcoholic. Lonely, he stumbles to the back of the narrator’s home and yells until she comes outside. We then hear the chorus, which consists of the narrator claiming that Meyer’s ghost will wear rattling chains, implying either that he is going to hell or that he will forever be tormented in the afterlife. Meyer then asks the narrator where her husband has gone and if he has left her alone, to which she replies that he has indeed left on business. Meyer then grabs her by the hair and pins her hands above her head as he lay across her dress, implying that he is attempting to rape her. The narrator begins to pray and finds the bottle of whiskey that Meyer had dropped, slicing his neck open as he bleeds all over her. Welch provides a fantastic crescendo into a climax, which includes a conflict and resolution in order to keep the audience engaged. The theme of â€Å"Caleb Meyer† stems directly from the plot. Meyer represents generic abusive, womanizing, and drunken men that sadly exist in society, while the narrator represents women who are imposed upon by them. Welch’s â€Å"Caleb Meyer† sends a message to women to be strong and independent, while it sends a message to men to mind their belligerence and forcefulness or there will be consequences, as seen in the death of Caleb Meyer. Another message that Welch may be trying to get across is that alcohol is wicked and leads to sinful behavior. One could even go as far as saying that her message is intended to warn men of the dangers of leaving their loved one’s side, however the supporting evidence for these two arguments are insignificant in comparison to the support for the message to women to stand against abuse. Gillian Welch’s â€Å"Caleb Meyer† not only meets all of Foss’s requirements of a narrative, but also establishes itself as a powerful narrative by persuading the audience to feel hatred and anger toward the actions of Caleb Meyer. It forces the audience to identify with the narrator, and understand that what she is experiencing is wrong. Certain audiences, women in particular, and abuse victims especially, identify greatly with Welch’s narrative because rape is the greatest fear of many women. However, men too can see the pain in the narrator’s words as Welch does a wonderful job evoking the emotions of the audience. It is because of her ability to do so that the crescendo is so effective, creating great relief when at the end of the song she sings â€Å"Then I felt his blood pour fast and hot / Around me where I laid† as the antagonist meets his rightful demise.

Global Marketing And Expansion Into The US

Global Marketing And Expansion Into The US Introduction Roustam Tariko, founder of the Roust Holdings planned to establish a brand that will set up new standards of world class quality for new breed of global Russian brands. Traiko focused on setting up the standards by a product which is distinctive because of its Russian Heritage so that Russians can take pride in it, and to fulfill this requirement vodka was the obvious option as it is developed in Russia and strongly associated with the country. Tariko launched the vodka and by 2002, Russian Standard was outselling all other brands achieving the top position in the vodka market. This success of the Russian brand was attributed because of its consistent product quality, packaging, and merchandising and of course because of its strong depiction of Russian heritage. Encouraged by its success, Tarikos management launched the Russian Standard in the European countries aiming to make it the best vodka globally. Russian Standard vodka was making business in around 10 European countries, the company wishes to enlarge the business by further crossing the boundaries by entering into the US Market. Vodka is very famous in the US; it has a huge market, largest around the globe and there are many best selling companies which offer premium quality vodka. Launching Russian Standard vodka in US would mean high competition with the already existing brands that are quite popular among customers. The Russian Standards also expanded the list as Tariko decided to launch a new type of bank which will serve foreign trade companies, small business and individual customers. The challenge faced by the Russian Brands team was to make the two diverse businesses compatible with each other while maintaining the standards of the Russian Brand. The report presents a brief overview of the brand equity concept of the Russian Standards and the reasons behind its success story, discusses the horizontal brand diffusion in terms, and also debates over the possibility of launching Russian Standard in US and whether it needs to change its strategies to attract the customers. Brand equity is considered to be a crucial source for profitability. A firm with strong brand equity can have a significant edge in the market as compared to its competitor. It can be able to charge higher prices with its brand image backing it up. The firm can also enjoy a larger market share, a possibility of further product extensions and even draw more investment into the existing business. This is the reason why in the present world, branding or brand image has become a very important strategic issue for businesses. Businesses such as Pepsi, Coca Cola, Ralph Lauren, Nestle etc have very strong brand equities, because of which they are able to enjoy huge market shares as well as the ability to price their products higher than what they would have if they did not have their respective brand names. Brand equity is the value of a company which is only because of its name. As observed by Dr. Ramachandran (2010) brand equity is the outcome which is attributed to the products brand name as compared to the same product without a brand name. Due to the benefits strong brand equity can provide, every corporate entity works their utmost to excel others in the retail sector. However the question arises that what makes a brands equity stronger than it is? According to Kellers (2003) brand equity pyramid, there are mainly four steps and six building blocks which establish a consumer based brand equity for a firm, namely; Salience (identity), Performance and Imagery (meaning), Judgments and Feelings (Response) and finally Resonance (relationship) (Appendix 1). These are the steps at which the consumer asks respective questions related to the firm, and each step leads onto the next until the consumer places complete confidence in the firm, and thus the firm is able to acquire strong brand equity. This model by Keller (2003) can be used to explain how the Russian Standard brand was able to establish strong brand equity and how this brand equity helped the company to gain commendable success in Russia. Brand Salience The very first step in the pyramid is that of Salience, or identity. This is the step where the consumers ask the firm or product, who are you. This means that when a firm is introduced in the market, the firm establishes distinct identity. It establishes its association to a particular product class, i.e. consumers consider the firm/product according to this distinct identity. Brand salience can be defined as to how often and easily the brand is evoked under various situations and circumstances? (Keller, 2001) The beginning of the Russian Standard brand was with a mindset that its products were to be established in such a way which would be able to gain long lasting consumer association. The objective was to establish an exclusive product, which focused on Russian traditions. The brand identity established by Tariko was such that the Russian Standard brand was identified as the standard for Russians. The aim was to reach for the emotional aspect of consumers while they can relate themselves to the brand and claim pride in owning it. As the case study points out that the Russian Standard Vodka is identified as a traditional Russian souvenir, like matryoshka wooden dolls, Red Army captain watches, and lacquer boxes from Palekh (Grigorian, 2000). The intricate details taken into account in establishing the brand salience for the Russian Standard Vodka can be largely attributed to the brand equity that it enjoys today. Keeping the brand equity in order to build and protect the equity a brand positioned as a premium brand has to keep up with the expectancy by the consumers. For a premium brand the customer expectancy is not only from the quality of the product but it starts from the manufacturing to the pricing to packaging to delivering as well as to promotion (NetMBA). In all these levels a premium level of quality is expected. Russian standard has been careful in keeping quality at the utmost level while carrying out the four Ps. The product was produced with quality ingredients. The packaging was outlining quality in every aspect including meticulous details like design, labels, bottle caps and cases. The pricing was done to put the product in the premium to super premium category and the distribution was carefully laid out to acquire shelf spaces in fancy restaurants and night clubs and even in the highly perceived supermarkets. Brand Meaning Moving onto the next step of the Kellers pyramid, Performance and Imagery are what gives a brand its meaning in the minds of the consumers. The performance block includes all the principal characteristics of the brand, i.e. how well is the brand able to conform to the consumers psychological and functional requirements. This portion of the pyramid basically includes the basic features of the product, pricing, design, durability etc. Whereas, the brand imagery portion of the pyramid includes all the characteristics that are connected to the product, i.e. the products user profile, the values and history that the product reflect along with the distributional structure of the product(Keller, 2003). The Russian Standard brand was known for its quality, packaging and strong distribution channels. It was designed to be the first domestic brand to create a rich mosaic of imagery. It focused not only on quality but also on the price, packaging, merchandizing and communication. The Russian brand emphasized on depicting the Russian heritage to connect to the Russian customer and also achieve and ensure product quality that will attract the customers and make them loyal to the brand. The Russian major scientific institute which specialized on food research, in 1990s, along with Mendleev formulated a formula for vodka, this was patented to be exclusively Russian, it was considered a symbol of quality. The quality based on Mendeleevs recommendations of the vodka was of utmost importance to Tariko, which was then communicated to the people through extensive advertisement promotion, the designed bottle of vodka showed Mendeleves signature so that the customer will felt secure about the qua lity of the product. By establishing this strong connection of vodka with the Russian heritage, Traiko developed a certain sense of meaning and understanding among his customers that they were attracted emotionally and physiologically towards the Russian Brand vodka, and this sense of owning and connecting to the product not only attracted as many locals but also ensured their loyalty towards the product. Other than this, the Russian Brand also priced the product in a very appropriate way; the price was in support of its image as an exclusive brand. The vodka was priced more than other local brands, while still it was less expensive than the imported brands. This helped the Russian Standard Vodka to be recognized as an elite brand, in league with the imported brands; whilst at the same time it helped in gaining profits for the firm as well (Appendix 3) (Anselmsson, 2007). It mainly targeted the connoisseurs and strivers who preferred high quality products and prestigious brands. Moreover, the packaging of the Russian Standard Vodka was unique and fashionable. The exclusivity of the product and its other brand values was reflected by its packing. Attention was paid to every little detail of packaging of the vodka bottle; from bottle case to its cap and more importantly the shape of the bottle all were designed to emphasize on Tarikos objective of depiction of the Russian heritage and also ensure class and quality to the customers requirement and satisfaction. The packaging was designed by one of the top most design house, so that it would reflect the brands quality. The act of focusing on the packaging of a product was in itself something new for a business in Russia. Quality used to be the sole source of focus for a product, leaving the focus from pricing, packaging or the distribution channel, whereas, in modern marketing techniques, product, price, place, packaging and promotion make up the marketing mix for any product. Therefore, packaging was another on e of the major reasons for the Russian Standard vodka to acquire its brand meaning in the eyes of the consumers. Furthermore, the nostalgic touch to the packaging which reflected the value of the brand increased the brand meaning. The shape of the bottle resembled that of the traditional Russian orthodox churches, and there was a historical signature on the packaging as well.. This helped the consumers in establishing distinct brand imagery for the Russian Standard brand and relate to it. On the other hand, the strong distribution channel of the Russian Standard Brand also helped to setup its brand imagery. The Tarikos import business before the Russian Standard brand helped the new vodka to acquire advantaged shelf space as opposed to what it would have had in case Tariko had no prior reputation. Therefore, the beginning for the Russian Standard Vodkas placement in the market was privileged with supermarket promotions, access to prominent restaurants, clubs and bars. Brand Response The judgment and feelings of the consumers are the next building block. . This is basically the feelings and perceptions of the consumers about the brand (Keller, 2008). The brand judgment includes the brand quality, credibility, and differentiation. The quality includes the value or satisfaction the brand provides the consumers. The Russian Standard Vodka was trusted by the consumers for its quality. The advertised quality was supported by the actual quality of the product. The appropriate marketing mix helped the consumers to relate to the product. The idea of the campaign was to show a transformation from the previous Russian standards and the new ones. It was meant to create a modernized image in the minds of the consumers. However, this was not perceived as desired by many consumers. Most of the people thought of it as disrespectful to degrade Russian traditions no matter which era they belonged to and the message could not transfer to most people as well. So the campaign failed to communicate the intended premium image. It was designed for the international market but the response from the Russian market stopped it from being used abroad. It was not portraying the embracing the past and inspiring progress mantra the company was following. The feeling that was called upon by the advertisement within the consumers was such that they preferred using the Russian Standard Vodka as opposed to the imported brands. The brand acquired more appeal through its unique packaging and quality. The on-premise promotion on the other hand worked better for the company. It was promoted as a prestigious brand in restaurants and night clubs. The off-premise promotion was also carefully planned to portray its elegance by acquiring quality displays and shelves in the supermarkets. Brand Resonance The consumers in the modern times demand much more than just the functional benefits from a product. They demand intangible benefits such as image, status, personality, lifestyle, success and other factors that they can strongly relate to (Aziz and Yasin, 2010). The Russian Standard brand was one of the very first brands in Russia which used all these aspects into account when introducing its products in the market. Prior to this, quality and the product was the only consideration for the businesses. They believed in the supply making its own demand style of selling as opposed to the making a product in accordance to the demand of the people. However, the Russian Standard brand changed the traditional style of marketing and therefore was able to hugely benefit from rapid success in Russia. The Russian Standard brand used all the five Ps of the marketing mix to powerfully introduce itself in the market. From there onwards, it maintained its quality and built a solid name for itself by being consistent and innovative in promotion. The Russian Standard brand was able to establish a reputation which appealed to the consumers nationalistic sense. The idea was to create a strong consumer-brand relationship. Brand resonance can only be healthy if the consumers feel that they are in synchronization with the brands identity and values. Because of its patriotic look the brand was able to delve into the Russian market well. It was in complete harmony with the traditions of the Russian people. Therefore, from the analysis above, it can be said that the rapid success of the Russian Standard brand was not only because of the strong product quality they offered but also due to its right choice of marketing mix and most importantly its uphold with the Russian Identity. As the Roust Organization has already developed strong merchandizing and communication skills and relationships with the both kind of trades that is on-trade and off-trade, it was easy for the Russian Standards to be introduced to the consumers, but it was the Russian Standards strong conviction towards the brand equity that they become increasingly popular with the people and establish a certain kind of bond with them. It can be rightfully said that the success story of Russian Brand vodka emphasizes on all the aspects of the brand equity i.e. to establish brand salience and keep themselves intact with brand meaning to strengthen the bond with the customers keep counter check on the brand response and improve i ncase of any negativity and maintain the high standards, and last but not the least to provide brand resonance to the customers so they can feel pride in using the Russian Brand vodka. Thus it enjoyed rapid success and managed to maintain its position at the top, with these brand equity concepts followed it is today thought as to be one of the traditional Russian Souvenirs. Diversification Horizontal brand extension is one of the diversification strategies for the businesses. As can be seen in the Ansoffs matrix in appendix 2, when a firm increases its business into new products and markets, it is said to be diversifying its business. The benefits from diversification include, profitability, growth, reaping economies of scale if the diversification is within the same product range, avoiding dependence on a single product etc. Capitalizing on the equity of existing brands can produce many benefits for the company (Strach and Everret, 2006) even enhance the perception for the core brand (Aaker, 1991). There are two types of diversification strategies; concentric diversification or conglomerate diversification. Concentric diversification is the one where the product class remains the same. This strategy is to add related products or markets from that of the current line of business. On the other hand, conglomerate diversification is where the firm diversifies into areas that are unrelated to the current product range. Synergy Synergy is the ability of two or more instruments to work together to create something more than what they would have created separately. In a firms case, a synergy would be the extra benefit acquired by two different organizations working together, as opposed to what they would have acquired if they worked separately (Ellwood, 2002). In the Russian Standard brands case, the banking industry and the vodka industry are two unrelated industries. However, the Russian Standard brands aim to establish both these businesses under a single brand name could have been to benefit from synergies. This is possible if the bank and the vodka business together can give a stronger brand equity or profitability as opposed to their working as separate businesses under two different brand names (Aaker, 1991). Conglomerate Diversification: Benefits and Problems The possible motivations for conglomerate diversification include profitability, reducing firm specific risk, and limited growth in the current business along with other benefits of diversification in general. As observed by Martin and Sayrak (2001), the diversified organization may benefit from a larger tax liability than the initial business. Moreover, there may be other benefits from diversification such as risk from suppliers can be reduced, overhead costs can be distributed amongst a larger business (economies of scales), and the debt capacity may increase as well (Lewellen, 1971 as cited in Martin and Sayrak, 2001). Furthermore, the additional business can become a source of internal financing for the combined brand, which can considerably reduce the firms financing costs. This can be done by the management of the combined organization, by redistributing resources within the organization, where a larger amount of funds can be placed in the areas where there is potential of a hi gher gain than some other department (Stein, 1997 as cited in Martin and Sayrak, 2001). On the other hand, conglomerate diversification may create a number of problems for the existing firm. There are chances of administrative problems arising with an increase in the scale of operations (VanAuken, 2011). There can be managerial issues, i.e. an intensification of the principle-agent problem in an organization. Along with this, there can be an inadequate level of experience for the existing firm in the new industry. There may be requirements of the new industry that the current management is completely unaware of. New marketing mix, technical equipment, personnel and a lot more will be required for the new business which the current management may not be able to obtain. Support for and against Conglomerate Diversification In conglomerate diversification there are cases where the diversification has been extremely successful as well as cases where diversification was a source of loss in shareholders value in the initial business (Martin and Sayrak, 2001). Maksimovic and Philips (2002) in their research found out that conglomerate diversification reduces shareholder value, whereas in Martin and Sayraks (2001) work they have given a wide range of supporting as well as opposing arguments, without a significant conclusion as to whether conglomerate diversification is beneficial for the initial firm or it actually dilutes its initial shareholder value. However, it has to be noted that most of this literature is on merging or acquiring conglomerate businesses and not establishing a new business like the Russian Standard brand did. In case of the Russian Standard brand, (Grigorian, 2000) the bank was met with immediate success. Therefore, the success of the bank could be attributed to the existing brand name of the Russian Standard Vodka, but even if it was not because of that then there was definitely no dilution of the brand because of the conglomerate diversification. However, it may be difficult to measure in the Russian Standard brands case whether the success of the bank was because of the credibility of the brand or the right marketing mix for the bank itself. It can be the case that the bank may still have had the same success without the Russian Standard brands name associated to it, because the strategies to establish the bank were appropriate and the marketing mix was correct for the respective environment. This may be very much possible considering the fact that most of the people did not associate the Vodka and the Bank even with the same brand name; few customers made a clear link between the two businesses (Grigorian, 2000). Another aspect in this situation could also be the fact that the owner of the company, Roustam Tariko, had established much credibility for himself as well by being successful very early. His sense of strategic business thinking made him successful in creating a brand image of Russian Standard. The aim to meet international quality standards and improve the image of his country reflected well in his branding strategies. The Russian standard vodka and bank, though both were quite different in terms of relativity but as both were being run by Roust their relativity was somehow subsided by the credibility of the parent company (Ellwood, 2002). Both the brands were leveraging on the Russian Standards image. So the brand could very well diversify instead of considering to be diluted. Therefore, it can be said that even when the banking and vodka businesses are not compatible and few modern businesses actually go for conglomerate diversification, the Russian Standard brand was able to handle the two businesses well. As reputation (Ali, 2008) is one of the main factors that can affect the results of brand extension, the Russian Standard brand had a strong brand equity because of its vodka business which could very well afford to withstand any brand extension. Market Extension Another diversification strategy is to extend ones existing business into new markets. As can be seen in the Ansoff matrix (appendix 2), the market extension (Jewell, 2000) is when the existing product is introduced in some new market. This is another extension strategy that the Russian Standard brand was taking into consideration, i.e. extending its vodka into the US market. The benefits of market extension include profitability, an opportunity to reap economies of scale as the basic product will remain the same and growth of business and operations (VanAuken, 2011). Whereas, the market extension process may cause difficulties for the existing firm, because the new market may be completely different from what the firm has been working in initially. An in depth analysis of the potential market, information of the competitors and consumers, legal regulations, economic and social environment, all are required before the extension may be made. An entirely new marketing mix is required f or the same product for it to be introduced in a new market. If the product is launched in the new market with the same marketing mix, then the probability of its success may be reduced considerably. This is because, consumers in each market have distinct requirements and the social, economic and legal situation is also different from the existing market. Moreover, the potential market may already be saturated with competition, as is the case with the US market for Vodka (Sahani, 2008). The US market already has a number of well positioned, distinct local and foreign brands. Each of the brands available in the market is distinct in its own way, i.e. each has a specific segment of the market that it is very well catering to. Therefore, it can be said that introducing the Russian Standard Vodka in the US market is a difficult task, however with the quality product that it has, it may as well be successful to grasp a section of the market. In order to do this, a new marketing mix will be required for the Russian Standard Vodka to be successful in the US. The Russian Standard Vodka in the US market The Russian Standard Vodka was hugely successful in Russia not just because of its quality, but also its appeal to the nationalist sense in Russia along with its privileged distributional channels. These are the attributes of the Russian Standard Vodka that may not be present when the vodka is introduced in the US market. The US market which is todays largest consumer of vodka, is already very saturated in terms of premium vodka brands. The consumers will not be attracted to the brand merely because of its Russian origin, nor will the brand be able to acquire advantaged distribution channels (Sahani, 2008). Also considering the fact that the relationship between the two countries have always been on a verge of disagreements (Graham, 2008), this can act as creating a certain biasness for the origin of the brand. Based on the market analysis the super premium to premium segment already includes a lot of imported brands. For Russian Standard to create its space the super premium segment will have a benefit in terms of no competition from local brands, since the super premium segment only includes the imported variety. So if Russian Standard vodka changes its market strategy they can be noticeable in the US market. Change in the strategy will have to be emphasized in new and creative ideas of marketing and advertising, for this purpose it is very essential for the Russian Standard management to carefully study the US market, understand what the customers need and want, and what does the other vodka brands offer them, whether is there any loopholes or any gap between the customer requirement and brands offers and if Russian Standard vodka can overcome that gap. The American market is completely different from the Russian market, therefore Russian standard faces a great challenge in first capturing the attention of the American and consumers and then providing them with a better vodka than its competitors. The Russian Standard vodka can be launched in US market, but for a successful launching a lot of literature review and planning is required. From the discussion above it can be said easily that the Russian Standard will have to adapt to the US market to make their space. Many aspects of the Russian Standard vodka advertising and management campaign will plays vital role, among which pricing is the most crucial of all. The price should be appropriate enough to capture the attention of the Americans and maintain class as well. The quality of the Russian Brand vodka will ensure brand loyalty from the customers, but the real challenge is faced in actually making space in already so brand crowded market of the vodka in the US. The Russian Standard Vodka marketing mix for the US market will have to have a significant media campaign as well. This is because, all other competing brands in US have noteworthy amounts of money spent on advertisement, and are using user profiling (associating celebrities to add value to the brand) to their advantage. This is one place, where the Russian Standard Vodka will have to focus to establish a brand image that will appeal to the respective consumers. With the current scenario going pretty well for Russian Standard at home a global impact will add to the equity of the brand. As far as the image and global inconsistency is concerned in order to venture into a foreign market the characteristics must be understood. Since the US is a big market and the people are very accustomed to freedom and rationality Russian Standard will have to adapt to the culture in order to create the brand image (Deresky, 2006). This might impact global consistency of the brand but in order for it t o be associated exclusively to Russia the Russian Standard brand has to be put up as a brand for the elite. One the brand recognition will be spontaneous and second it will enjoy cost effective global positioning (Sahani, 2008). As the current situation of the brand is leading in the Russian Market the intervention in the US market will not be a wrong decision. Another aspect in consideration with the adaptation to the US market involves the brand name Russian standard itself (Deresky, 2006). This can have a positive as well as a negative impact while branding in US. The word Russian associates the Russian traditions with the brand. This can impact in the unique positioning in imported vodkas market. The name will give the product a Russian trait and the market does consist of people inspired more by brands with foreign attribute associated to them. However, the market also consists of people who can be biased in terms of foreign associations. Since Russia has been on major disagreement terms with US in history, some sort of biasness or stereotyping might result in the undermining of the brand (Graham, 2008). Launching Russian Standard Brand vodka in the United State would be challenging but not entirely an impossible job. With change in strategies and with new concepts of brand equity that will be according to the US markets, the Russian Standard Brand may be able to make their space in the strong world of vodka in the United States. Conclusion Therefore keeping these aspects in mind the venture into the US market can be risky at some points since it is the largest vodka market in the world. On the other hand it can also provide Russian Standard the global position it is looking for. It will add to the equity at home and in other markets it plans to venture into. The loyalty will increase and so will the company reap economies of scale by pricing it in the super premium market.

School Counsellors for Gifted and Talented Students

School Counsellors for Gifted and Talented Students This paper critically reviews previous studies that have explored the role of school counsellors for gifted and talented students. School counsellors in Saudi Arabia receive little specific training in the needs of gifted students, and it is very rare for counsellor training programmes to require counsellors to take courses on gifted students as part of the degree requirements. Therefore, this article considers theories of counselling, and the role of school counsellors, and gifted student programmes in the USA, the UK and KSA. This review considers the counsellors role in different contexts and discusses it in the Saudi context. In doing so, the psychological, educational and professional skills of counsellors need to be understand in order to meet the needs of gifted and talented students so that they can live up to their ambitions and aspirations. Background of the study The role of the school counsellor is complicated and one of the most demanding careers when compared with other educational professions. It involves interaction with students from different cultural, economic and social backgrounds. The primary responsibility of the school counsellor is to develop the skills that will enable them to meet the challenges of this technological era. In the era of globalization, this objective is more important than ever, where we have to search for and develop the skills of talented students. In 1981, the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia established the General Directorate of Guidance and Counselling for Gifted Students. Since that time, guidance and counselling has become formalized and recognized as a profession, and counsellors have been appointed to deal with psychological, social, educational and vocational problems and to deliver protective counselling (Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia, 1999). For this reason the current paper will highlight the historical background of school counselling and counsellors of the gifted and talented in the USA, UK and KSA. In the 1955 Yearbook of Education, reference is made to counselling as a process of helping individuals through their own efforts to discover and develop their potentialities both for personal happiness and social usefulness (Hall Lauwerys, 1955, cited in Milner, 1974). A more recent definition is that counselling is to help an individual to make his own decisions and choices in the light of his feelings and needs (Milner, 1974). Jones (1970) suggested that counselling Is an enabling process, designed to help an individual come to terms with his life as it is and ultimately to grow to greater maturity through learning to take responsibility and to make decisions for himself. The American School Counsellor Association (ASCA, 1999) defines counselling as an interactive process as follows: it is a confidential relationship in which the counsellor meets with students individually and in small groups to help them resolve or cope constructively with their problems and developmental concerns. In Coreys (2002) words, the central function of counselling is to help clients recognize their own strengths, discover what is preventing them from using their strengths, and clarify what kind of person they want to be. Counselling is a process by which clients are invited to look honestly at their behaviour and lifestyle and make certain decisions about how they want to modify the quality of their life. McLaughlin (1993) mentions that effective school counselling has three elements: an educative function whereby attention is focused on the social development of the student within the school context; a reflective function which explores the possible impact of the school practices and societal conditions on the personal and mental health of the student, and a welfare function which is concerned with planning for and reacting to issues that affect the students welfare. Saudi Arabia has conducted research to find out the best approach to gifted education, but of course for females who are severely restricted in the subjects they are allowed to study, these moves are somewhat academic. An interesting survey of computer use in Arabic countries was made by a Jordanian, Subhi (1997). He recommended that gifted pupils records should be computerised for easier monitoring of their progress, and he has designed a programme to help this. The problem, he found though, is that although there are computers in Jordanian schools, there are very few of them and the teachers do not generally know how to use them. It looks as though most, if not all, Arab countries are willing to recognise and help the gifted, and several have made forays into out-of-school activities, but the overall outcome is still difficult to define. Some authors (such as Sternberg et al., 1986, Ziegler and Heller, 2000) believe that a consensus is yet to be reached on what is meant by the term (gifted), and yet multiple efforts have been made to establish criteria for this, which include components such as motivation, creativity, task commitment, and problem solving. However, personal talent is described by Renzulli (1999a, p.4) as exceptional ability to select and achieve difficult goals that fit ones interests, abilities and social contexts. In his view, personal talent is a capability developed in the field of self-management that is concentrated by the individual in the direction of selected outcomes that contain well-being, happiness, personal relationships, hobbies as well as career achievements. He proposes that personal talent can be referred to as a range where those in the centre of this continuum can be explained as personally competent, while those at the high end of the range can be categorized as personally talente d. On the other hand, Masten et al. (2002) argue that resilient individuals learn how to overcome obstacles in order to achieve their anticipated goals, and that this can be described as personal talent. Also, Bland et al. (1994) refer to specific characteristics of resilience as an indicator of exceptional abilities and talent regarding children from poor backgrounds. In this regard, Marker et al. (1996) propose that numerous of the principles of distinguishing curriculum for gifted and talented learners support the development of personal talent. They refer to learning environments that foster independence, flexibility and high mobility as being potentially more promising for fostering personal talents than the more traditional teacher-centred classrooms that concentrate on lectures with academic content. However, some researchers regret the fact that research on giftedness has been somewhat biased, having mainly concentrated on IQ-related abilities that address academic skills, and b y-passing or simply ignoring other basic skills such as vocational skills (Bals, 1999), practical intelligence in everyday life (Sternberg, 2000), and, most importantly, social skills (Persson, 1997). Motivation is another issue that has been the focus of research with regard to gifted children. According to Sternberg (2000), some theories depict motivation as an assisting internal factor in the expansion of giftedness. One of these theories is Gages dynamic theory of giftedness which depicts motivation, volition and self-management as interpersonal catalysts that help convert gifts into talents. However, these theories have failed to provide guidance in assisting youths of high ability to develop motivation. For this reason, some researchers (for example, Colangelo et al. 2000; Alrasheed, 2001) believe that talented students should be identified and given tasks at a higher level than the normal school curriculum. Renzulli (1999b) is of the opinion that gifted students should be pro ducers of knowledge rather than mere consumers of existing information. He believes that specific programmes and services for the talented and gifted are the only solution to allow them to live up to their potential. This idea is further supported by Reis et al (1995) who argues that it is not fair to make a gifted child sit in a classroom where learning something new will not happen until the second half of the year. According to Alhossaini (2000), the effectiveness of the educational process could be seen in table (1): The above figure of methods of interactions could be interpreted in this table. If these roles are all positive, we get the creative outcome. And it is mines, mines, mines, it is less creative. Pattison (2006) suggests that, counselling is an activity that takes place behind closed doors in privacy, the nature of client confidentiality requires this. However, this can make counselling practices and processes mysterious and misunderstood. In placing this research in the public arena, it is hoped that counselling practices and processes have been made a little more transparent and that the case for including young people with learning disabilities in counselling has been strengthened. Bor et al. (2002) state that school counselling is an interaction in a therapeutic setting, focusing primarily on a conversation about relationships, beliefs and behaviour (including feelings), through which the childs perceived problem is elucidated and framed or reframed in a fitting and useful way, and in which new solutions are generated and the problem takes on a new meaning . Research Problem There have been few programmes for gifted students offered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Even though there has been programmes existing, it is new and is for further evaluation to be able to develop it more for the students. It has been believed that if there has been more developed programmes for gifted children then they will be more enhanced and so, benefiting the country. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have put up programmes for gifted students but is new and rare. There has been studies regarding the support of the authorities in the schools on how to support gifted students. 1.5 The research questions Based on the aims articulated in the previous section, the following specific research questions have been formulated: How does the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia support gifted students? Does the authorities in the schools help in the development of the programmes? How do we determine the effectiveness of the programmeswith the school counsellor, principal, and teachers help? 1.6 Sub-questions Two sub-questions will also be explored: Do the teacher, student counsellor and principal who work with gifted students have special qualifications? What is the level and nature of the response of gifted students to these programmes? Historical review of school counselling in USA Schmidt (1999) suggests that the development of school guidance and counselling in the United States has its roots in the vocational guidance movement, which started in 1898 when a Detroit school principal, Jesse Davis, introduced a guidance curriculum that was delivered in each English class in his school to help students develop character, avoid problem behaviour, and relate vocational interests to the solution of their vocational and social problems. Gysbers (2001) argues that in the 1920s and 1930s, the concept of guidance evolved from vocational to educational guidance. Educational guidance was viewed as a set of activities that would address not only occupational concerns but also the personal and educational aspects of individuals. However, although school counselling remained focused on secondary schools, counsellors were beginning to appear in some elementary schools in Boston in the 1930s. Yet, it was not until the 1960s that the need was generally recognized and funds were provided for the training of counsellors in elementary schools (Schmidt, 1999). However, Baker (2001) suggests that despite the progressive movement of the 1960s, school counselling did not fare well in the 1970s. During the 1970s and into the 1980s, a number of school counselling positions were eliminated and fewer jobs were available for newly trained school counsellors due to school budget cuts and financial problems across the US. At the same time, concern was being expressed about the programmes of guidance and counselling and the services offered by counsellors in school (Baker, 1996; Schmidt, 1999). On the other hand, Herr (2001) says that attempts to define the role and functions of the schools comprehensive developmental models w ere better suited to meeting the development needs of students. In 1997, the American School Counsellor Association (ASCA) (1999) adopted the National Standards for School Counselling Programmes. According to these standards, school counsellors are required to address the needs ofstudents comprehensively through the implementation of a developmental school-counselling programme. Historical review of school counselling in the UK School counselling in the United Kingdom dates back to 1913 when London County Council appointed a psychologist to examine backward children and advise their parents and teachers on methods of treatment (Milner, 1974). However, it was not until the 1960s that school counselling began to emerge as a discipline in its own right (Bor et al., 2002). At the time, the American school counselling model which was based on the client-centred approach proposed by Rogers (1961) was influential. Rogers produced a report in which he recommended that counsellors should be appointed to look into the needs of low achieving children. As a result, counselling courses were set up for experienced teachers, and several hundred counsellors were employed by local education authorities throughout the country (Bor et al., 2002). However, according to the Department of Education and Science (1989, cited in Bets et al. 1995) pastoral care is concerned with promoting pupils personal and social development and f ostering positive attitudes. Confronted with pervasive and traumatic social problems such as the collapse of the extended family and increases in rates of violence, the need for school counselling attracted the attention of local education authorities. However, in the light of limited budgets, the 1980s witnessed a shift of emphasis on counselling, and it was felt that counselling should be integrated into teaching practice, so that teachers themselves should take responsibility for pastoral care (Bor et al., 2002; Mclaughin, 1999). Jones (1970) says that, in the absence of government backing, enthusiasm for counselling courses began to fade, and the majority of schools were left without counsellors. To exacerbate the situation even further, cuts in education funding at thehands of the Conservative government in the 1980s resulted in a reduction in the number of existing counsellors (McLaughlin, 1999). According to one estimate, only fifty counsellors were left in schools in England and Wales following the introduction of the local management of schools in 1987 (Robinson, 1996). Bor et al. (2002) argue that since the 1980s and despite heavy workloads, growing social problems and immense psychological pressure, teachers in the United Kingdom still continue to play a major role in counselling their students. To add to their problems, they have recently fallen under pressure to fulfil all of the criteria of an over-demanding National Curriculum. As a result, teachers now find it difficult to fulfil a pastoral role, and schools are beginning to feel the need to employ counsellors to meet the educational, psychological and emotional needs of students. To provide teachers with the necessary counselling skills, a sizeable number of studies in the field of pastoral care began to appear (e.g. Raymond, 1985; Watkins, 1994; Hamblin, 1984; Marland, 1989). In general, these studies focused on good student-teacher relationships (Mclaughlin, 1999), emphasized the importance of assisting children to improve their lives, and used study skills to guide them in making their own decisions (Raymond, 1985). Nonetheless, although the literature on counselling and pastoral care in the United Kingdom is vast, it is still not integrated and provides only a few guidelines on practice (Al-Rebdi, 2000). On the other hand, some still argue that teachers have to manage complicated and demanding situations, channelling the personal, emotional and social pressures of 30 or so youngsters (Black et al., 1998). The debate is still raging between those who argue that counselling should be provided by specialists and those who suggest that teachers should bear the burden. Inthis context it is worth listing the duties and responsibilities of the school counsellor as outlined by the British Association for Counselling (1997). These are: Â · To offer pupils, parents and staff individual or group counselling. Â · To provide information on the counselling service, the role of the counsellor and boundaries of confidentiality. Â · To cooperate with head teachers, governors, parents and, where appropriate, the local education authority, in setting up a suitable appointment system. Â · To keep suitable case records of counselling conducted in a secure place. Â · To report back to management on a regular basis on the numbers that use the service and to give a general overview of the types of problem encountered. Â · To liaise with the pastoral management team, year tutors, class teachers, governors, parents and caring agencies. Â · To network with personnel from other agencies with a view to easing referrals and accessing specialist consultants. Â · To devise and, where appropriate, deliver a programme of training to support and develop the counselling service. Â · To attend supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor. Historical review of school counselling in the KSA Initially, in 1981, the Ministry of Education established the General Directorate of Guidance and Counselling. Since that time, guidance and counselling has become formalized and recognized as a profession, and counsellors have been appointed to deal with psychological, social, educational, and vocational problems and deliver protective counselling (Ministry of Education KSA, 1999). It should be mentioned here that the model for and practice of guidance and counselling in SaudiArabian schools was derived from western sources, mainly the United States. More than two decades have passed since the guidance and counselling programme was established in Saudi schools. Its development has progressed at a slow rate and, currently, it faces various problems. The major difficulty relates to the definition of the role and function of the school counsellor (Al-Gamdi, 1999) which is unclear to principals, teachers, parents, students and school counsellors themselves. Due to this problem, counsell ors have found themselves overly involved in paperwork and administrative tasks and duties not related to school counselling. Additionally, counsellors often complain about lack of support and cooperation from others involved in the counselling service, especially parents (Al-rebdi, 2000). In this situation, if school counsellors in Saudi Arabia are to provide better services for students, their role must be clearly defined. It is also necessary for those involved in counselling to have a clear view of what counsellors should and should not do. Added to this, counsellors must choose carefully how they spend their time and energy. As the role and functions of the school counsellors become clearer, they should be able to respond better to the needs of their students. Furthermore, in 1981, following decree number 216/k issued by the Ministry of Education, the Social Educational Administration was replaced by the Student Guidance and Counselling Service, and guidance and counselling in Saudi schools became formalised. That same year, the name was changed again to the General Administration for Guidance and Counselling (Ministry of Education, 1999). The responsibilities of this administration are as follows: 1- To plan, prepare and develop the programme and services of guidance and counselling. 2- To provide professional staff who are capable of delivering such services to all students at various stages of education. 3- To provide students with the appropriate care applicable to their ages and their psychological, educational and social needs. 4- To assist students to develop their capabilities, potentialities and talents, to allow them to face their problems and to help them feel comfortable with themselves and with the community in which they live. 5- To attain a high standard of mental health in a way that reflects the targets and goals sought by educational guidance in general (Ministry of Education, 1999). Saleh (1987) pointed out that, due to the immediate need for professionals to monitor and guide the counselling service in schools, the Ministry of Education sought personnel from among the existing social education supervisors to act as the supervisors; counselling and guidance programmes in addition to carrying out their normal duties. The Ministry of Education also sought personnel from within the existing teaching force, provided they had the relevant experience, to work temporarily as counsellors in schools. To meet the need for school counsellors in all schools, the General Administration for Guidance and Counselling allowed those with a Bachelors degree in psychology, social work or sociology to perform the role of the school counsellor until enough trained professional counsellors could be provided. In order to meet the need for trained full-time counsellors to work in schools, universities in Saudi Arabia were requested to offer guidance and counselling programmes at masters level. Statistical information for the year 2000 shows that there were 229 counselling supervisors and 3381 school counsellors overall (Ministry of Education, 2000). By 2003, the number of counsellors had increased rapidly toabout 4000(Al-Rebdi, 2004). The Ministry of Education (1999) defined the term counselling as the interactive process though which the counsellor assists the student to understand himself and recognise his capabilities and potentialities and gives him a more enlightened approach to his problems and how to face them. Counsellors also help students to enhance their responsible behaviour and to show conformity with their community. Counselling gifted students Landau (1990) noted that gifted students might become isolated and alienated. Moreover, Rogers (1983) pointed out that in an egalitarian system children not only lack the opportunity for confirmation and social acceptance, but they also often lack the freedom to learn. The need for confirmation and emotional support is well known in the literature which focuses on giftedness and talent (Csikszentmilalyi et al., 1993; Kelley, 1999; Stednitz, 1995). Donna (1999) suggests that teachers and counsellors need to encourage minority students to consider a teaching career in general and gifted student education in particular. Ford (1995) however, believes that from an historical point of view, the counselling of gifted students has not been an important part of educational and counselling discourse. He points out that misconceptions and stereotypes of gifted students as being immune to social, emotional, and academic problems have contributed to the lack of counselling for these students, and in cases where counselling is available it is only limited to academic, assessment and placement issues. According to Ford, the fact that more children are entering school with serious personal and academic problems should entail an expansion in the responsibilities and roles of counsellors to meet the needs of all children who seek guidance andassistance. But nonetheless according to Alrasheed, (2001) the limited availability of counselling services has failed to meet the enormous need for counselling services and research regarding gifted individuals. In this respect he endeavoured to provide counsellors, classroom teachers and educationalists as well as parents with advice regarding the understanding of the academic and social needs of gifted and talented students. Persson (2005) considers mentorship as a possible solution to aid the immediate psychological and intellectual needs of gifted individuals, particularly received mentorship. According to Person, mentorship could be direct or indirect by cooperating with the student to find a mentor of his choice, given the fact that not al l gifted students would be likely to choose their counsellors to be their mentors. Person expresses the conviction that mentorship is the only viable counselling solution in an egalitarian context, which lacks recognition and particular provision for gifted individuals. Ford (1995) outlines the goal of counselling as that of promoting healthy self-concepts and ensuring psychological growth. Bearing that in mind, counsellors must have an awareness and understanding of the many issues that hinder gifted students and affect their psychological, social and emotional well-being. He recognises the role of counsellors in ensuring that such students remain in gifted programmes once identified and placed. Finally the concept of counselling needs to be defined within a context where it is not a task assigned merely to a particular group. Instead, as Brown et al. (1992) suggest the task has expanded from an initial concern with educational and vocational guidance to the remediation and prevention of personal, interpersonal, vocational and educational concerns. Consequently, according to Persson (2005), the aim of the intervention is for the individual to gain an understanding of self and context, in which case individual differences become a sensitive and even problematic issue, particularly in cases where gifted individuals are involved. Research Design The design of the study is intended to determine: first, the relationship of the roles of student counsellor, teachers, and principals to the performance of the gifted students; second, the effectiveness of the programmes in developing the capacity of the gifted students. Instrumentation and Data Collection The researchers visited the [Insert name of University Library or City Library] for journals, articles and studies needed for the research paper. The researchers gathered time-series data from different physical training institutions to assure of its validity and consistency. The primary data will be gathered using quantitative method, as this is best useful with questionnaires. The use of quantitative method will be appropriate for the research because the results in the questionnaires consist of numerical information, mostly based from the ratings included in the questions. Quantitative methods are used to provide reference to numeric calculations and are often used with questionnaires that have a specific goal and a target to achieve. This is helpful in the research, and its instigation in the process needs to be further culminated so that the problem is solved with efficiency and precision. In gathering data, the researcher would like to clear certain ethical issues that might hinder the processing of data. First, confidentiality will be kept at all costs. As the main reason why questionnaires will be used in the research is for the respondents to feel secure and to be assured that their answers will not be related to who they are. There may be instances wherein the respondent will divulge information that will be detrimental to the company, or to its competitors, depending on the case. Hence, there is a better chance at more responsive respondents if they can be assured of their confidentiality. Second, the Data Protection Act will be followed at all costs. The compliance with the act will be transparently said to the respondents so that they are further assured that anything they say in response to the questions asked them will only be used for the benefit of the research and not in any other practices. It should also be clear to the researcher that any information regarding the respondents cannot be released to anyone who is not immediately connected with the research unless permission from the subject respondent has been secured beforehand. Third, the research must always bear in mind the objectives of the study and never stray away from them. A researcher who has no definite purpose in doing the research is going nowhere and is exerting effort in a research that is not delimited properly and punctually. The purpose of the research is explicitly stated at the beginning of the research and is implied in every step of the realization of the research so as to not delineate the researcher from his goals. Lastly, the researcher must opt to practice objectivity. As the researcher, he is expected to keep an open-minded approach to the topic, keeping from his mind and personal bias in the subject matter or on the people involved. The reason for doing research is to test existing information, validate, prove or disprove existing ideas, or to test the limits of a certain prospect. Given this simple definition, it is clearly seen that in no form is the personal opinions of the researcher expected to hinder in the subject. Any act that might be biased or subjective will hint of the researchs failure to achieve its goals. Planned Method of Analysis The researchers plan to analyze the different test conducted through constant evaluation of the gifted students and how they perform. There will be a weekly evaluation in terms of how the programmes and the role of the authorities, and the effect of it to their performance. The performance in the field will be evaluated by the gifted students progress and development. Time Schedule Literature Review History of programmes for gifted students in KSA Observation Questionnaires Evaluation of performance Analysis of performance of the students Findings and Recommendation Conclusions Conclusion The role of school counsellors for gifted and talented students has been discussed widely in the literature. However, school counsellors urgently need to be provided with the appropriate skills in the areas of education and psychology so that they are capable of providing guidance to talented students and thereby respond to their needs in a way that will boost the educational process in the school. Counselling gifted students and their relatives is one of the mainly challenging and satisfying functions for a counsellor. Gifted students have wonderful variability, not only in their cognitive capability, but in their affective progress. While there are obviously frequent themes in the social-emotional issues tackling gifted students, there are also reflective individual differences amongst them. The talented student faces numerous problems that make life hard for him at school. However, anxiety and tension may affect his social life as well as forcing him to live in isolation. Moreover, decisions in relation to gifted learners should be part and parcel of a wider programme. This implies the identification of the task as being one which helps children conform with their culture, or empowers children to advance in their society, or challenges social, political and economic inequalities. Schoolcounsellors receive little specific training on the affective needs of gifted students and it is rare for counsellor training programmes to require counsellors to take a course on gifted students as a degree requirement. The role of the school counsellor is to develop the skills of the pupils in general, giving special attention to those who are talented and innovative by discovering their areas of interest, and by responding to their needs in a way that will achie