Negotiating Your Childs Resistance to Homeschool

Shouldering the full responsibility of your child’s education can be  an overwhelming feeling.  Discovering that your child doesn’t want to be homeschooled compounds those doubts and fears. Whether its a child who has  previously attended public school  and wants to return or a child who has always been homeschooled who wants to try traditional school, it can be disheartening to discover that your child isnt on board with homeschooling What should you do when your homeschooled student doesn’t want to be homeschooled? 1. Look for Reasons the Child Doesnt Want to Homeschool The first step in working through this homeschooling dilemma is figuring out what’s behind your child’s reluctance. A child who has never gone to public school may be fascinated with its portrayal in books or  on TV. Your 5-year-old may see starting kindergarten  as an expected rite of passage, especially if its something most of  their friends are doing. An older child who has been in school may be missing their friends. They may miss the familiarity and predictable routine of a traditional school day. Kids may be missing particular classes or activities, such as art, music, or sports. Your child may feel singled out in social groups as the lone homeschooler. For homeschooled teens, especially, it can be awkward to answer the question, Where do you go to school? Find out exactly why your child doesnt want to be homeschooled. 2. Discuss the Pros and Cons of Homeschooling Creating a pros and cons list for homeschooling and one for public (or private) school can be a practical way to help you and your child objectively weigh the benefits of both options. Let your child list whatever pros and cons come to their mind, even if they seem silly to you. Cons for homeschool might include not seeing friends every day or not getting to play on the school playground.  Cons for public school might include an early start time and not  having control over  the daily school schedule. After compiling the lists, compare them. Then, brainstorm ideas for fixing the cons for each list. For example, you may be able to arrange more frequent play dates with friends or visit the big playground at the city park, but you cant  change the public schools start time. Making pros and cons lists  validates your childs concerns. After some discussion, you and your child will be able to weigh the  benefits of homeschooling  versus those of public school.   3. Look for Ways to Compromise There may be specific social or educational aspects of a traditional school setting that your child is missing. Consider if any of these voids could be filled while still homeschooling. Some ideas to consider are: Co-op classes can provide the opportunity to forge friendships, cover topics about which you’re unfamiliar, or provide a group learning setting for activities such as science labs or drama classes.Sports teams are available for your homeschooled athletes.  There are recreational leagues for casual athletes and travel teams for more competitive players. Many areas offer homeschool teams. Other sports, such as swimming and gymnastics, are often not associated with schools to begin with, providing opportunities for homeschooled students to compete outside of a school league setting.Private lessons may fill a void for activities such as music instruction.Homeschool support groups can provide social interaction, group activities, field trips, and clubs. 4. Consider Your Child’s Input It makes sense  to seriously consider your child’s input and address their concerns, even if the reasons seem childish. Homeschooling is, after all, something that deeply impacts your child’s life. It is particularly important to consider their argument  if theyre an older student with sound, mature reasons for preferring a more traditional educational option.   However, it is equally  important to remember that you are the parent. While you want to think about all the possible consequences  of  homeschooling a child who is vehemently opposed to it, you must ultimately make the decision that you feel is in your child’s best interests. It can be frustrating and disappointing when your child doesn’t want to be homeschooled. However, by keeping an open line of communication; acknowledging and addressing their concerns; and seeking out workable solutions, most children will be able to see the benefits of homeschooling and embrace it.

The Power Of A Child s Imagination - 1590 Words

Muhanad Alenezi Film Studies 101 November 19, 15 The Power of a Child’s Imagination Guillermo del Toro, a respected director has been credited for many of his films. Among his popular Pan’s Labyrinth, del Toro exposes his true power as a filmmaker in his movie as the innocent is lured by the power of imagination. Ofelia s traumatic young experiences are influencing her imaginary gateways to new worlds. In this movie, Guillermo del Toro uses different elements of film style to get an insight of Ofelia s vivid and detailed imagination of how her imaginary world is much preferred over her realistic world. At the begging of the movie, we can see del Toro’s use of mise-en-scene appear to set the mood of the film. The†¦show more content†¦Del Toro’s use of lighting and color allowed us to explore and comprehend Ofelia’s thoughts and shows clues for the movie’s implicit meaning. Lighting used in Ofelia gives us a better understanding between her reality and fantasy. A strong example would be towards the end of the movie when her father shoots Ofelia. The colors turned dark and as the whole place went shadowy showing the misery of Ofelia’s realistic world as she ‘dies’ slowly. Suddenly, bright yellow lights pervaded the scene as Ofelia turn into Princess Moana. Del Toro’s slight change of color had created two completely different worlds, one where imagination provides immortality, and a realistic one where death is not an option. Ofelia’s room is dark and there is barely any light, which portrays her reality. Nevertheless, in the mystical underground of the pale man’s home the light is relatively brighter, which just goes to show that Ofelia’s realistic life is depressing. Her imagination, however, is not astonishing but is preferred over her reality. She enters the paranormal underground wearing a full green dress and Ofelia’s face is saturated. Green is the color of nature; it symbolizes freshness, fertility, and holds with it a strong emotional correspondence with safety. The color of her dress has successfully shown her dream of escaping the real world and entering the unknown world. This indirectly indicates Ofelia’s passionate personality when she is aware that her

Nature v. Nurture in Frankenstein free essay sample

Right from creation he feels abandonment and loneliness and goes on to become a very withdrawn character. unlike natural circumstances where a child Is born Into a caring family and instilled with particular values that are acceptable to the social order. in this situation no such process took place. Upon his conception, the creation was deserted, abandoned and left to determine his way through culture on his own. He began the story of his life with the discoveries he made In sensations with light, dark. unger, thirst and cold. The first contact he eceived from a being was that of disgust from the very man that was his creator and he was born into a unkind world and didnt understand why people didnt treat him the way they do others. In his Interactions, or observations with the family neighboring him he learns many things about relationships and the Idea of family. We will write a custom essay sample on Nature v. Nurture in Frankenstein or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Through them he learns how to communicate and this opened his world to many opportunities that would continue to alter his personality. An Important character of the group, sofie, a foreigner who conveniently came to the family and he silently connected and learned long with her as she learned the language, The creature learns what love through the Interactions of this family and it only opens the void he has between his own creator and realizes he has no one to care for him in the way he sees interaction between other beings. He starts to long for this feeling, but Is denied In every opportunity he takes. His growing understanding of the social significance of family Is connected to his sense of dissimilarity and solitude. His first contact with the outside world, beyond the one he had with Victor, were he villagers who would all beat him out ot their towns with sticks. He didnt give up so quickly, he tried again to interact with children who he thought may not understand yet the deformities he had, and later when he confronts the family that he had so quietly bonded with. All these aspects of society played blg roles on the personality of the monster, as they would on anyone that is exiled from civilization in such a way. Over time he began to grow with anger and hatred for human beings because he had not one person to treat him with respect. This bulld up only grew to push him to This shows when he runs across William, the brother of Frankenstein in the forests of Geneva, he did not treat the boy with violence or anger, until William threatened to call his father, Alphonse Frankenstein the monster quickly pieces it together and in an act of rage strangles the boy to death with his bare hands. At this time in the story, having explained to Victor the circumstances behind Williams murder he implores him to create yet another monster to accompany him in his lonesome life. Where he has reached a turning point of desperation that he cant o on in the world alone, even if it means creating another terrible soul to accompany him, and it shows through the affect the nurture or lack-there-of society had on his existence. Even though the issue of nature or heredity might be overlooked because the creatures birth into the world was not a natural act but instead through scientific endeavor. But even in this case, the idea of heredity (through Victor) is definitely shown throughout the book. The clearest example of this is the monsters pure adoration of nature, much like Victors. In the first and few scenes shown of any opefulness or happiness in the creature is where he had discovered a fire left behind. Its heat attracts it, and he becomes intrigued by the way it can give bliss through warmth but at the same time be painful if too close. He starts to cook his food under it and keep it alive for as long as possible as he knows its something he cannot easily re-create. Throughout the book, all things connected with nature are depicted innocent and sacred, whereas anything man meddled in comes out dangerous, abnormal, and abdominal. Nature provides calming effects for both Victor Frankenstein and his onster, and Just like when the mountains, glaciers, and other surroundings provided Victor with happiness and allowed him to forget his worries and problems they do the same to his creation. The creatures interest and seemingly hereditary trait of love for nature also shows a different aspect to his character. Beyond his solitude, he finds bliss in something that is natural, and it shows the connection that is shared between Victor and his monster despite their rooted hatred. Nature also plays a big role in his persona because the beauty of life gives him the overwhelming comparison he has to being a rotesque being. Even through his compassion, it brings him to a sad reality. In conclusion, both nature and nurture are both major contributors to the development of the monsters behavior in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. From the start, these two aspects have influenced all living things to live, learn, understand, and survive. This theme is represented through the characterization, setting, and irony in contemplation to show that Victor Frankensteins creation would have not been this monster if society had not been the drive and influence.

The Growth of Indian Economy free essay sample

According to the latest data available with SEBI, Venture Capital Funds (VCFs) and Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCI) have reduced their investment in real estate companies during the June-2008 quarter. However, the overall investment by VCFs and FVCI rose a modest 2. 2 per cent to Rs 32,379 crore against March quarter figure of Rs 31,682 crore. While flows into real estate fell nearly 14 per cent to Rs 6,286 crore from March end quarter figure of Rs 7,285 crore; the other sector that t May 08, 2007 What is interesting is that for first time in India, venture capital will be backed by successful entrepreneurs who themselves have a hands-on experience in handling and developing businesses. The National Venture Capital Association defines venture capital as: Money provided by professionals who invest alongside management in young, rapidly growing companies that have the potential to develop into significant economic contributors. Innovation is the key driver of competitiveness within organisations as well as within countries. We will write a custom essay sample on The Growth of Indian Economy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It has been well said: Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come. However, innovative ideas need more than research and knowledge to succeed. They need not only financial, but also, managerial (technical, marketing and HR), support to achieve success. This support is lent in many forms by private funding and incubation organisations such as venture capitalists Some of the unique features of a VC firm are: †¢Investment in high-risk, high-returns ventures: As VCs invest in untested, innovative ideas the investments entail high risks. In return, they expect a much higher return than usual. (Internal Rate of return expected is generally in the range of 25 per cent to 40 per cent). †¢Participation in management: Besides providing finance, venture capitalists may also provide technical, marketing and strategic support. To safeguard their investment, they may also at times expect participation in management. †¢Expertise in managing funds: VCs generally invest in particular type of industries or ome of them invest in particular type of businesses and hence have a prior experience and contacts in the specific industry which gives them an expertise in better management of the funds deployed. †¢Raises funds from several sources: A misconception among people is that venture capitalists are rich individuals who come together in a partnership. In fact, VCs are not necessarily rich and almost always deal with funds raised mainly from others. The various sources of funds are rich individuals, other investment fu nds, pension funds, endowment funds, et cetera, in addition to their own funds, if any. Diversification of the portfolio: VCs reduce the risk of venture investing by developing a portfolio of companies and the norm followed by them is same as the portfolio managers, that is, not to put all the eggs in the same basket. †¢Exit after specified time: VCs are generally interested in exiting from a business after a pre-specified period. This period may usually range from 3 to 7 years. Buyouts and second-stage financing are the most popular stages of venture capital financing. Globally, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, around 80 per cent of the total private equity investment is done at these stages. However, in spite of the venture capital scenario improving, several specific VC funds are setting up shop in India, with the year 2006 having been a landmark year for VC funding in India. Sumir Chadha, MD of Sequoia Capital India, feels that a slowdown could be on the cards for the year 2007 as the companies and investors may try to give some time and test the investment decisions made by them over the last year. The first quarter of the calendar year 2007 is already over. There is no sign of the VC story slowing down. This is a good sign for all the entrepreneurs out there with an idea! If you have an idea, this is the time to tell it. You never know, someone might be listening round the corner! Venture capital (also known as VC or Venture) is a type of private equity capital typically provided to immature, high-potential, growth companies in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event such as an IPO or trade sale of the company. Venture capital investments are generally made as cash in exchange for shares in the invested company. Venture capital typically comes from institutional investors and high net worth individuals and is pooled together by dedicated investment firms. A venture capitalist (also known as a VC) is a person or investment firm that makes venture investments, and these venture capitalists are expected to bring managerial and technical expertise as well as capital to their investments. A venture capital fund refers to a pooled investment vehicle (often an LP or LLC) that primarily invests the financial capital of third-party investors in enterprises that are too risky for the standard capital markets or bank loans. Venture capital is most attractive for new companies with limited operating history that are too small to raise capital in the public markets and are too immature to secure a bank loan or complete a debt offering. In exchange for the high risk that venture capitalists assume by investing in smaller and less mature companies, venture capitalists usually get significant control over company decisions, in addition to a significant portion of the companys ownership (and consequently value) Introduction The venture capital investment helps for the growth of innovative entrepreneurships in India. Venture capital has developed as a result of the need to provide non-conventional, risky finance to new ventures based on innovative entrepreneurship. Venture capital is an investment in the form of equity, quasi-equity and sometimes debt straight or conditional, made in new or untried concepts, promoted by a technically or professionally qualified entrepreneur. Venture capital means risk capital. It refers to capital investment, both equity and debt, which carries substantial risk and uncertainties. The risk envisaged may be very high may be so high as to result in total loss or very less so as to result in high gains The concept of Venture Capital Venture capital means many things to many people. It is in fact nearly impossible to come across one single definition of the concept. Venture Capital in India In India the Venture Capital plays a vital role in the development and growth of innovative entrepreneurships. Venture Capital activity in the past was possibly done by the developmental financial institutions like IDBI, ICICI and State Financial Corporations. These institutions promoted entities in the private sector with debt as an instrument of funding. For a long time funds raised from public were used as a source of Venture Capital. This source however depended a lot on the market vagaries. And with the minimum paid up capital requirements being raised for listing at the stock exchanges, it became difficult for smaller firms with viable projects to raise funds from public. In India, the need for Venture Capital was recognised in the 7th five year plan and long term fiscal policy of GOI. In 1973 a committee on Development of small and medium enterprises highlighted the need to faster VC as a source of funding new entrepreneurs and technology. VC financing really started in India in 1988 with the formation of Technology Development and Information Company of India Ltd. (TDICI) promoted by ICICI and UTI. The first private VC fund was sponsored by Credit Capital Finance Corporation (CFC) and promoted by Bank of India, Asian Development Bank and the Commonwealth Development Corporation viz. Credit Capital Venture Fund. At the same time Gujarat Venture Finance Ltd. nd APIDC Venture Capital Ltd. were started by state level financial institutions. Sources of these funds were the financial institutions, foreign institutional investors or pension funds and high net-worth individuals. Venture Capital Investments in India The venture capital investment in India till the year 2001 was continuously increased and thereby drastically reduced. Chart I shows that there was a tremend ous growth by almost 327 percent in 1998-99, 132 percent in 1999-00, and 40 percent in 2000-01 there after venture capital investors slow down their investment. Surprisingly, there was a negative growth of 4 percent in 2001-02 it was continued and a 54 percent drastic reduction was recorded in the year 2002-2003. Chart I Venture Capital Investments India The investment of capitalists in Indian industries in the first half of 2006 is $3 billion and is expected to reach $6. 5 billion at the end of the year. Most VC firms in India are either divisions or subsidiaries of Silicon Valley funds. They are primarily centered in Bangalore and Mumbai. Some VCs

Essay on International Project Management Association

Essay on International Project Management Association Essay on International Project Management Association Essay on International Project Management AssociationThe article considered in this paper is named About IPMA. IPMA, or International Project Management Association, is an international associations of project managers (Management Mania, 2012). The source of the article is the website of IPMA. The relevance and trustworthiness of this article are high because the optimal source of information about the purpose and goals of the organization is its dedicated resource (such as website).The article describes IPMA organization and its members, outlines vision and mission of the organization, its history, the methods of running the organization, initiatives supported by IPMA and the goals of the organization pertaining to growing, expanding and moving the project management practices forward.IPMA operates as a federation which includes 55 Member Associations (IPMA, 2014). The goal of the organization is to promote project management, to introduce standards of project management, to help de velop project management practices and to establish guidelines in project management. IPMA was founded in 1965 and was the first organization for project managers at that time (IPMA, 2014). The staff of the organization consists of volunteers, and the development of the organization is driven by its members. IPMA encourages collaboration and organizes regular meetings in different geographic locations. The services of IPMA are provided worldwide.The organization formulated and promoted a line of project management competencies referred to as IPMA Competence Baseline. IPMA has a certification program and issued more than 160,000 certificates by the end of 2013 (IPMA, 2014). These certificates are recognized in more than 50 countries which are members of IPMA.This article is highly relevant and important for project managers. Project management is a multifaceted profession which requires having many skills and competencies. IPMA competency list can be used by existing or future projec t management professionals; furthermore, project managers who want to gain new skills or improve their professionalism can use both the competency baseline and certification programs of IPMA. Since IPMA certificates and membership are recognized in many countries, participating in IPMA programs is an efficient option for those who pursue a career in project management.

Thinking About Pursuing a Graduate Degree in History

Thinking About Pursuing a Graduate Degree in History Are you considering a masters or doctoral degree in History? The decision to pursue graduate study in History, like other fields, is a complex one that is part emotional and part rational. The emotional side of the equation is powerful. The pride of becoming the first in your family to earn a graduate degree, being called Doctor, and living a life of the mind are all tempting rewards. However, the decision of whether to apply to graduate programs in History also entails pragmatic considerations. In a difficult economic climate, the question becomes even more perplexing. Below are a few considerations. Remember that this is your choice - a very personal choice - that only you can make. Competition for entry to graduate study in History is stiff. The first thing to recognize when it comes to graduate study is that it is competitive. Admissions standards for many graduate programs, especially doctoral programs, in History are tough. Peruse applications for the top Ph.D. programs in the field and you may encounter warnings not to apply if you do not have a particular score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Verbal Test and a high undergraduate GPA (for example, at least a 3.7). Earning a Ph.D. in History takes time. Once you enter graduate school you may remain a student longer than you intend. History and other humanities students often take longer to complete their dissertations than science students do. Graduate students in History can expect to remain in school for at least 5 years and as many as 10 years. Each year in graduate school is another year without full-time income. Graduate students in History have fewer funding sources than science students do. Graduate study is expensive. Annual tuition typically ranges from $20,000-40,000. The amount of funding a student receives is important to his or her economic well-being long after graduate school. Some History students work as teaching assistants and receive some tuition remission benefits or a stipend. Most students pay for all of their education. In contrast, science students are often funded by grants that their professors write to support their research. Science students often receive full tuition remission and a stipend during graduate school. Academic jobs in History are hard to come by. Many faculty members advise their students not to go into debt to earn a graduate degree in History because of the job market for college professors, especially in the humanities, is bad. Many humanities PhDs work as adjunct instructors (earning about $2,000-$3,000 per course) for years. Those who decide to seek full-time employment rather than reapply for academic jobs work in college administration, publishing, the government, and non-profit agencies. Historians' skills in reading, writing and argumentation skills are valued outside of academia. Many of the negative considerations in deciding whether to apply to graduate school in History emphasize the difficulty of obtaining employment in academic settings and the financial challenges that come with graduate study. These considerations are less relevant for students who plan on careers outside of academia. On the positive side, a graduate degree offers many opportunities outside of the ivory tower. The skills that you will hone as you pursue your graduate degree are valued in virtually all employment settings. For example, graduate degree holders in History are skilled in reading, writing, and argumentation. Each paper you write in graduate school requires that you compile and integrate information, and construct logical arguments. These information management, argumentation, and presentation skills are useful in a variety of settings such as business, nonprofits, and government. This quick overview of pragmatic considerations in determining whether graduate study in History is for you highlights some of the challenges, but your academic and professional career is yours to make. Students who plan, take advantage of an opportunity and remain open to considering a range of career options increase the odds of a graduate degree in History paying off in the long run. Ultimately graduate school decisions are complex and highly personal. Only you are aware of your own circumstances, strengths, weaknesses, and goals - and whether a History degree fits into your life story.

English High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English High School - Essay Example Blanche is a character possessing relatively low self-esteem. Her driving force - desire - makes her constantly suffer inside. That's why Blanche has the habit of always bathing as if it were a cleansing ritual. But the feeling of refreshment and renewed strength is not long lasting: the past does not wash away so easily and brings her to the terrible climax. Blanche feels desperately lonely and hopes to meet someone to save her from falling into depression. She focuses on this so much that she falls in the end. Art, as a symbolic expression, often reflects intra-physic conflicts within the artist, and many of Tennessee Williams' plays contain themes of desperate loneliness, human disconnectedness, and victimization between the powerful and the weak. Human psychology in A Streetcar Named Desire is not represented as a guiltless thing; on the contrary, it is more so being represented as an instrument that aids people in committing terrifying deeds. The psychology of humans is being described by Blanche's weak psychological state. Blanche has the psychology of a deprived woman; she wants to be loved, but can never reach it. Stanley's active hatred towards Blanche is obvious throughout the play, especially during his birthday gift to her, his damage of her relationship with Mitch, and his raping her.

Advanced SQL Queries for the Pine Valley Furniture Company Database Term Paper

Advanced SQL Queries for the Pine Valley Furniture Company Database - Term Paper Example To get the result, we need to sort the prices of the products and choose the one that is the least among them all. In the parameters for the queries, we indicate that we would like to pick the top item from the field whose values have been sorted in ascending order. From then on, we display the top 1 item to show us the least item in terms of the price. This query is obtained from the employee table and the work center table. From the employee table, we get the employee identifications and the names of the employees. The work center table is only meant to give us the work center identifications for the employees. Once we get the values from both of the tables, we make the query. The above query is made on the order line table of the database. This table contains both the order ids as well as the product identification numbers. In order to know which different products are contained in the order number 1006, we design the query in such a way that we display the order ids for all the product lines while indicating the product line number 1006 as the only restriction on the query. In order to know the discounted product prices for the products manufactured by the product line 3, we need to calculate the discounted prices and display them on a different column. The operands for the calculation are the Standard_Price for all the products, and 0.9.

Native American Land Rights Essay Example for Free

Native American Land Rights Essay As the Native population continues to grow and create an abundance of resources such as casinos, the White Man has found ways to take the land needed to sustain such growth away. The Native American population always has inhabited the land we now live on and we the Americans have come on to that land pushing them into reservations and controlled situations. With the growing flow of residents the American government has forced the American Indians to uproot themselves repeatedly causing the loss of several lives, as well as the loss of land that they had possessed for centuries. Over the years this tribulation caused friction between the American Indians and the American government to the extent that one tribe, the Sioux Indians hosted the invasion of Wounded Knee. Over the years the White Man has come onto Native lands and gradually pushed them out, using the land for whatever they have need to. In the 1800’s the White Man has taken several rights from the American Indians and tried to keep them under control under the guise of creating harmony, and putting them on reservations as an act of control. With the creation of the Dawes Act American Indians the American government gave land to the Indians on the reservations and noted it as creating harmony, but without the knowledge of Native Americans. In the mid-1900’s with the growing populations and the continuing need the American government came into reservations and took youth off the reservations and placed them in homes to educate and intergraded them into the civilized world creating less on the reservations to be responsible for. With the idea of work and a new life away from the hardships of life on the reservations the government offered to help integrate them into city life by giving them housing and education as well as the opportunity to work. When the Indians who chose to accept this offer arrived in the big cities they were surprised to find that they would be placed with several others in rundown motel rooms. They would be treated like the foreigners who had come from other countries, and they would have just as much luck as well. As a result of all the hardships caused by the American government and the control enforced by them, the American Indians grew increasingly upset and chose to rise up against the government to take back lands originally belonging to them. After years of being mistreated the Sioux Indians made the decision to take back Wounded Knee site of the last American and Native war resulting in the Siege at Wounded Knee in 1973. In the early 1800s and during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, Americas policy had been to allow Native Americans to remain east of the Mississippi as long as they became assimilated or civilized. [ (Remini, 2001) ] The native peoples who chose not to be assimilated were forced to move into camps and to prepare to make the journey to the western side of the Mississippi. Congress came up with an idea to trade lands with the Indians from the east to the west, and then the ones who chose not to transition into the â€Å"civilized† way would be moved. Those who chose not to conform were taken from their homes and moved to camps, to begin a journey to a new and different land. This Journey would be later deemed the Trail of Tears, for the thousands upon thousands of lives that would be uprooted from their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs. During the journey More than two thousand lives would be lost as a result of illness and disease. When the journey was over land was allotted to the tribes, this was called the Dawes Act of 1887. As part of this act Families would get 160 acres, individual adult males would get 80 acres, and single minors would get 40 acres each. At this point Native women were ineligible to receive land. By 1891 the Dawes act was amended to dole out the land equally to all adults, but in doing so the amount was cut in half. Nearly a hundred years later after dealing with the Five Civilized Tribes and ongoing problems on the reservations the American government came up with the Indian relocation Act of the 1950s and 60s. This time the government came on to the reservations promising a college education and work for anyone willing to leave the reservation and come to the big cities and make their lives there. Several of these Natives agreed to leave, and were put on busses and taken places such as New York and Boston. When they arrived they were placed in run down motels with several others after the same thing. What these people were not tell was that they would have just as much chance of getting a job as any other foreigner coming from other continents. The gradual takeover of the native youth led to the Incident at Wounded Knee, witch began on February 27, 1973. â€Å"Founded in 1968, the American Indian Movement (AIM) is an organization dedicated to the Native American civil rights movement. Its main objectives are the sovereignty of Native American lands and peoples; preservation of their culture and traditions; and enforcement of all treaties with the United States. (Free Online Law Dictionary) The battle of Wounded Knee was in its self a part of the American Indian Movement in witch several tribal peoples banded together with one thing in mind. The take over at historical Wounded Knee began as a peaceful takeover, and ended in a 71 day full-on occupation of the area. The Sioux Indians were fighting for the return of land that they belived belonged to them. The take over was intended to raise awareness, and made the news and brought on a full scandal. Tribes from all over came to Wounded Knee to aid in the support of the tribes plea to get their land back. The siege was carried out much like that of the days of old with guns, and individuals riding around patrolling the borders on horse back. The incident began in February 1973, and represented the longest civil disorder in the history of the Marshals Service [ (United States Marshals Service) ]. The end result would be a long difficult process with the loss of two lives and several wounded on both sides, all this going on at the same time as the Watergate Scandal. The American government has been taking back the land of the Native peoples for years, some temporarily in deals with local tribes, others permanently. As stated in Wikipedia’s article on the Indian reservations,† With the establishment of reservations, tribal territories diminished to a fraction of original areas and indigenous customary practices of land tenure sustained only for a time, and not in every instance. Instead, the federal government established regulations that subordinated tribes to the authority, first, of the military, and then of the Bureau (Office) of Indian Affairs. † So then Not only has the government told Indians were they could and could not live they have also taken over the ownership of law on these reservations allowing for tribal laws to fall second to the American government. Are Native Americans, currently living in the same way? In research done by Edward Blakemore of the University of Dayton School of Law, he researches the use of land taken back from the Native American inhabitants. He states in part of his research this, â€Å"What little portion of land theyve been permitted to inhabit by the US government is being reacquired for use as toxic waste sites†(Blakemore, 1998). What Blakemore is trying to say is that the land that the government is taking back from the Native peoples is going towards sites that have a negative effect on the land, and that by doing so we are taking the land that they need and essentially throwing it away. Further research with this topic states that the government has looked at the Native American communities as synonymous with poverty, and yet we need to be helping the natives Americans in their long going quest for self-determination and sovereignty. Though America struggles to find room for its expanding population the Native American population seems to grow and yet the land they have seems to be decreasing. Why is it that some Americans have become so negative towards the native communities around them when they are the ones who lived here long before us. Through history the Native American population ahs fought with the white mand in an effort to remain as a equal party in the rights regarding land occupation. Through many wars and protests the people have shown that Native Pride is strong and that they will never give in, these are a people with a strong cultural tie to the land that we the white man now occupy, and call our own. Is it right what we have, and continue to do with the land we now reside on? Maybe, maybe not that is a question for each and every individual on there own, no one man can say. Blakemore, Edward, Native Americans, and Land 1998, http://academic. udaton. edu His90 History Channel, Indian Relocation Act of 1890, http://www. history. com Remini, Robert V. Indian Removal Act, 2001, http://www. freebase. com United States Marshals Service, The siege at Wounded Knee, 9/17/05, http://www. usmarshals. gov American Indian Movement Legal definition, Free online Law Dictionary, a href=http://legal-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/American+Indian+MovementAmerican Indian Movement/a.

Human Resource Management at Delphi Essay -- HR HRM

Human Resource Management at Delphi Human Resource Management is the utilization of human resources to achieve organizational objectives. Various studies have concluded that an organization?s human resources is its people. It can be a significant source of competitive advantage. Achieving competitive success through people requires a fundamental change in how managers think about an organization workforce and how they view the work relationship. It's a new approach within the framework of organizational, behavior that goes beyond the role of just personnel administration. I have learned How job analysis is a systemic process of determining the skills, duties and knowledge required for performing jobs in an organization, How compensation includes all reward that individuals recovery as a result of their employment, and The Occupational Safety and Health is an approved state occupational safety and health program. With today?s work force becoming increasingly diverse, a organization must do more to maximize the benefits of the different employees. Human Resource Managers are evolving from the ?Old School? sideline player to the front line fighters. People have always been central to organizations, but their strategic importance is growing in today?s society. Whereas the human resource inventory is concerned with telling management what individual employees can do, Job Analysis is more fundamental. It defines the jobs within the organization and the behaviors that are necessary to perform the job. It is essential and pervasive human resource technique. The purpose of job analysis is to obtain answers to six important questions: 1) What physical an mental tasks does the worker accomplish? 2) ... ...a hazardous tag on it, if it?s hazardous. The organization needs a system that can control the containers. When a person checks out the container, that same person should check it in at the end of the shift. This will ensure proper labeling of the containers. In conclusion, all these things can be benefical to an organization if utilize in proper context. I have learned How job analysis is a systemic process of determining the skills, duties and knowledge required for performing jobs in an organization, How compensation includes all reward that individuals recovery as a result of their employment, and The Occupational Safety and Health is an approved state occupational safety and health program. Whether an organization choose to implement high performance work practices or the organization has qualified people to perform the work that needs to be done.

Northern Mariana Islands and Guam History

Guam History: A Review of the Island’s Unique History VincentAnthony V. Borja English 135 Professor Rosemary Harty April 21, 2011 Over the past 10 years, random people would ask me about the history of Guam, and how it became a United States territory. Grew up most of my life on Guam, but never really cared about its history, although, every year we would celebrate its liberation day from the Japanese and celebrate festive holidays significant to the islands history, I never really understood why we celebrated it. The Spanish Era, the American Period, & the Japanese occupation played a major influence on the island and its culture today.The island of Guam, Guahan in native Chamorro, is a truly multi-ethnic community that reflects the cultures of its original Chamorro inhabitants as early as 2,000 B. C. , influenced by countless European, American, Asian, Micronesian, and other people who have occupied, visited and immigrated to Guam since the 16th Century. Many question the di scovery by the Spaniards, the occupation of the Americans and the Japanese that shaped the island’s history that makes its culture very fascinating. Understanding the islands struggles that have lead to the American status that it eventually became after many centuries of fighting.Guam of today is truly a mixed community with a distinctive culture, the foundation of which is ancient Chamorro heavily influenced by the Spanish occupation and the Catholic Church. Strong American influence is also evident in the celebration of many public holidays, the form of Government and the pride in being U. S. that is displayed by the natives. Guam’s culture has also been influenced and enriched by the Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Micronesian immigrants each group of who have added their unique contributions.According to the 2000 Census of Population and Housing the present population of Guam, is approximately 154,805 whom roughly 37% are Chamorro, 26% Filipino, 11% other Pacific Islander with the remaining 26% primarily Caucasian, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, all of whom bring their cultural heritage and customs and contribute to Guam’s unique culture and appeal. (U. S. Department of Commerce, 2004) SPANISH ERA According to the journals of Antonio Pigafetta, whom was an Italian scholar and traveler form the republic of Venice.Pigafetta travelled with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and recorded most of Magellan’s travels. Ferdinand Magellan on March 6, 1521, first discovered the island. (Pigafetta, 1995, p. 18) During his stop on the island, the natives canoed out to the ships and stole everything that was not secured or tied down. The weakened sailors had trouble fending off the tall and robust natives until a few shots from the  Trinidad’s big guns frightened them off the ship and they retreated into the surrounding jungle. The purpose of Magellan’s visit was to restock on supplies and find food.After Magellan ’s travel throughout the Marianas, it was primarily his experience on Guam that the Marianas was named Li Ladroni, the island of thieves. (Suarez, 1999, p. 133) Although Magellan was considered the first European explorer to step foot on Guam's beaches, it was known that Guam and the other Mariana islands were formally claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1565 by General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi for Spain. King Phillip II of Spain wanted trade to begin with the Phillipine islands, islands named after him. Legazpi was sent across the pacific from Mexico, which was a colony of Spain in 1564.During Legazpi’s sail across the pacific, King Phillip ordered him to take possession of all land and any island encountered. Additionally, he wanted Legazpi to find a route between Mexico and the Philllipines that would go through the pacific. Legazpi and his fleet reached Guam on January 22, 1565 and docked his ships for four days. After days of waiting, they finally went on shore on Janu ary 26, 1565 to claim Guam and posted the Spain flag. (Cunningham ; Beaty, 2001) Legazpi and his men stayed on Guam for eleven days.During this visit, Legazpi was so afraid of upsetting the Chamorro’s that he ordered all crew members not to go on shore without his permission. The Chamorro’s were much friendlier, canoeing out to greet the voyagers with food and supplies, a much different experience the Spanish explorers had remembered during their last Guam visit. Clever and sly, the Chamorro’s were always trying to trade rice for nails. Frequently the natives would fool the voyagers by placing rice in the top of the bag and filling the bottom with rocks and straw.When the men went ashore to fill the kegs with water, an altercation took place, and one of Legazpi’s men was killed. Legazpi was upset and ordered a hundred men to go to the island and punish the Chamorro’s. The result was three Chamorro’s hung and killed; and many houses and canoe s burned. Following the incident Legazpi declared anchors to be lifted and the Spaniards journeyed for the Philllipines. (Rogers, 1995, p. 14) Catholocism was the first religion introduced on the island during the 1600’s.The major influence and main support came from one of the main leaders on the island during that time. Chief Quipuha was the maga’lahi or highest-ranking male, in the area of Hagatna when the Spanish landed off its shores in 1668. On June 15, 1668 missionaries led by Spanish Jesuit Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores of Burgos, of Spain, whom landed off the shores of Hagatna. They were greeted and welcomed by Chief Quipuha, the name Ke puha or Quipuha means, â€Å"to uphold†. Chief Quipuha was so welcoming to these missionaries; he even offered a plot of land in Hagatna for the mission. Political Status Education Coordinating Commission, 1995) It was on this offered land where the first Catholic Church in Guam was built and Catholicism was introduce d. Chief Quipuha died in 1669, but his legacy left a tremendous impact that allowed the Spanish to continue its legacy for the Manila Galleon trade, which was the exchange of goods between Asia and Mexico. (Naval Station Guam) About a century later, In April of 1672, Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores and his Filipino assistant were killed by Chief Mata’ pang of Tumon for baptizing the Chief’s baby girl without the Chief’s consent. (Rogers, 1995, p. 5) It is theorized, that Mata’ pang may have acted out of frustration from being compelled to the harsh rule of a foreign Spanish king. Whereas San Vitores tried to carry out his mission in a peaceful manner, the Spanish military ruthlessly governed the local populace to protect their Galleon routes. Regardless of Mata’ pangs motives, the death of San Vitores lead to an all-out war that nearly resulted in extinction of the Chamorro race. Sources have estimated Chamorro casualties to the fighting and diseas e reduced the population from 200,000 to roughly 5,000 by 1741, mostly women and children.The Spaniards imported Spanish soldiers and Filipino’s to restock the population, marking the end of the pure Chamorro bloodline. (Rogers, 1995, pp. 41-57) After 1695, Chamorro’s were forced to settle in five villages: Hagatna, Agat, Umatac, Pago, and Fena, were monitored by the priests and military garrison, forced to attend Church daily and to learn Spanish language and customs. In 1740, Chamorro’s of the Northern Marianas Islands, except Rota, were removed from their home islands and exiled to Guam.Mata’ pang himself was killed in a final battle on the island of Rota in 1680. Having been vilified for the incident that sparked the decimation of the pure Chamorro race, the name Mata’ pang has evolved to mean silly. (Donald L. Platt, 2009) During the 18th century, the English pirates who visited Guam to take on supplies and provisions preyed upon the Spanish g alleons. Guam was a host to a number of scientists, voyagers, and whalers from Russia, France, and England some of whom provided detailed accounts of the daily life on Guam under Spanish rule.Evidence of Spanish buildings, bridges, churches and forts can still be seen across the island, especially in the southern areas of the island. Spanish cannon still overlooks Hagatna and Umatac bays from Forts Agueda and Soledad, the Plaza de Espana, once the Spanish Governor’s Palace, still stands in central Hagatna, and sunken Spanish galleons still lie under Guam’s crystal clear waters. The architecture and design of structures build long after the Spanish era, such as the bridge in Umatac, which still has distinct Spanish quality. (Donald L.Platt, 2009) AMERICAN PERIOD During the Spanish-American war Guam was ceded to the United States by the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish American war in 1898 and Guam was formally purchased from Spain for $20 million in 1899. At the time of the turnover, the local population of Guam had grown to about 10,000 inhabitants. U. S. President William McKinley issued an executive order placing Guam within the administration of the Department of the Navy. Captain R. P. Leary was appointed the island’s first U. S. Governor. (Rogers, 1995, p. 14) Under Navy administration, Guam experienced many improvements in the areas of agriculture, public health, sanitation, education, land management, taxes, and public works. Orders issued by Captain Leary on August 16, 1899, regulated the importation and sale of intoxicating liquors; regulated the celebration of church and other holidays; prohibited the transfer of land without the consent of the government; prohibited concubine and required that marriage be performed between persons that were cohabiting; prohibited exportation of certain articles in common use among he people; required persons without a trade or regular employment to pant specified commodities and keep cer tain live stock; regulated the keeping of dogs and other animals running at large; abrogated the Spanish system of taxation and provided a new one; established a public system of nonsectarian education; and required each adult to learn to write his or her own name within a specified time. (Rogers, 1995, p. 119) In 1927, the people of Guam, including schoolchildren who donated a penny each, collected $703. 92 to have a ship’s bell and a commemorative plaque manufactured in Shanghai, China.The bell was presented to the Navy and has served distinctively on each of the three USS Guam Naval vessels. (Palomo, 1999)The U. S. Navy continued to use Guam as a refueling and communication station until 1941, when it fell to invading Japanese forces shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. â€Å"The bell, along with a commemorative bronze plaque, has been returned to Guam after the decommissioning of the USS Guam, an amphibious assault ship (LPH-9), on August 25, 1998 at the Norfolk, Vi rginia, Naval Base. The USS Guam is the third Navy vessel named after Guam. † (Palomo, 1999)JAPANESE OCCUPATION On December 10, 1941, Guam surrendered to the Japanese South Seas detachment after a valiant defensive struggle by the island’s Insular Force Guard and a limited number of U. S. Marines. Guam became the only populated U. S. soil to be occupied by another country in World War II. Guam was renamed â€Å"Omiya Jima† and for 31 months, the people of Guam were forcibly subjected to intolerable hardships administered by the Japanese military. Although some measure of religious practice and business activities were permitted, atrocities, grenade slaughters and rapes were common.The 29th Division of Japan’s Kwantung Army established concentration camps and approximately 600 Chamorro’s were executed. (Rogers, 1995, pp. 163-181) Some Chamorro’s were beheaded when the Japanese learned of the 3-year humanitarian effort by Chamorro’s to s uccessfully feed and hide U. S. Navy radioman George Tweed, who escaped in the initial invasion. Tweed’s cave is a popular â€Å"boonie stomping† destination on Guam today. (Babuata, 2009) Many landmarks of the Japanese occupation, including gun emplacements and tunnels can still be seen around the island of Guam. LIBERATION AND U. S. TERRITORIAL STATUSRecord tonnage of naval bombardment in which thousands of Japanese and Chamorro’s marked the campaign for the liberation of Guam lost their lives and the city of Hagatna was nearly destroyed. American forces landed on July 21, 1944 at Asan and Agat beaches. In honor of the bravery and sacrifices of all those who participated in the Pacific Theater of World War II, including soldiers, sailors and marines of the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the Soviet Union, the landing area has been designated as the â€Å"War in the Pacific National Histo ric Park. During the following bitter three week campaign, 7,000 U. S. and 11,000 Japanese lives were lost before Guam was reclaimed and once again under American administration. (Aguon, 2009) Today, July 21st, Guam Liberation Day, is a major Guam holiday. All government offices and most businesses are closed as the island celebrates with daylong fiestas and a parade down Marine Corps drive in Hagatna. Because of its strategic position, Guam was used as a command post for U. S. Western Pacific operations until the War came to an end in 1945. On May 30, 1946, the U. S. Naval Government was re-established.Although concluded over 50 years ago, World War II still exerts a major influence on Guam. Relics and evidence of the War are still evident all across the island and divers can survey wrecks of Japanese, American, German and other ships and airplanes under Guam’s warm clear waters. On January 24, 1972, the last Japanese World War II holdout, Sergeant Shoichi Yokoi, was discove red in the cave in which he had been hiding since his unit was scattered by the advancing Americans in July 1944. Sergeant Yokoi’s cave at Talofofo falls has been preserved as a popular attraction for visitors. (Aguon, 2009) As the Westernmost U.S. soil in the Pacific, Guam today remains a strategic outpost for the U. S. military. In 1949, U. S. President Harry S. Truman signed the Organic Act making Guam an unincorporated territory of the United States with limited self-governing authority and granting American citizenship to the people of Guam. In 1962, security clearance requirement for travel to Guam, which had been in place since World War II, were lifted permitting Guam’s economy to flourish and opening an influx of new residents of diverse nationalities and races such as Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Pacific Islanders nd Caucasian. (Rogers, 1995) CULTURE The core of Guam culture, the Chamorro, is characterized by a complex social protocol centered upon respect, caring, accepting and helping one another. Inafa’maolek, or interdependence, is a central value in Chamorro culture that depends on a spirit of cooperation. Historian Lawrence Cunningham in 1992 wrote, â€Å"In a Chamorro sense, the land and its produce belong to everyone. This is the armature, or core, that everything in Chamorro culture revolves around. It is a powerful concern for mutuality rather than individualism and private property rights. The culture is visibly manifested in the kissing of the hands of elders, passing of legends, music, dance, chants, courtship rituals, handicrafts, burial rituals, preparation of herbal medicines, and requesting forgiveness from spiritual ancestors when entering a jungle. Glimpses of Guam culture are evident in local legends and folklore such as the taotaomona (ancient spirits), doomed lovers leaping to their death off Two Lover’s Point (Puntan Dos Amentes), and Sirena, a beautiful young girl who became a merma id. Guam Society and Culture Complete Report, 2010) The Spanish occupation was based on conquest and conversion to â€Å"save the heathen souls†, implemented by force, which nearly resulted in the total extermination of the pure Chamorro race. However, the Spanish failed to recognize that the Chamorro culture was matrilineal and largely ignored the influence of the Chamorro women, which likely accounts for the fact that the Chamorro culture has endured to this day. The greatest influence of the Spanish over Guam’s culture was through the Catholic Church, which has, since the 17th century, been the center of village activity.Today, every village has its patron saint whose feast day is celebrated with an elaborate fiesta, to which the entire island is invited. These fiestas, whereupon by duty, extended families contribute food and work to cook for the village guests remain a key attribute of the culture of Guam till’ this day. Chamorro society emphasizes respect f or the elderly. The practice of  manngingi (â€Å"to smell†) entails sniffing the right hand of an elderly person to express one's deep regard. Before colonial rule, Chamorro’s recognized the power and authority of clan elders.Informal positions of authority were granted to elders who commanded the respect of their clan members. Elders could pool the labor and material resources of their clans in times of need. (Guam Society and Culture Complete Report, 2010) Today thousands of tourist visit the island to experience a blend of Spanish, Micronesian, Asian and western influences that have inhabited Guam for the past 300 years. The experience of the island’s history and living traditions when you visit historic sites or by sampling some of the island’s delicious food.In conclusion, because Guam is the because island in the pacific, and a strategic point in the pacific, it is a valuable territory that will always be secured by America and very much apprecia ted. Although, the natives appreciate the Americas presence and Guam’s current political status on the island, they are still fighting for a lot of the original land to be returned to original landowners. The natives endured many struggles from Spain and Japan in order for the island to be what it is today.The diverse influence that started from the Spanish era, the Japanese occupation, and then the liberation from the Americans is what makes the Chamorro culture very unique. The new generation is fighting to preserve what is left of the island’s history, and many organizations are working to promote the culture through song and music. References Aguon, Katherine, PhD and Palomo, Tony. WWII: From Occupation to Liberation, referenced April 12, 2011, 2009 Guampedia, URL: http://guampedia. com/wwii-from-occupation-to-liberation/ Babauta, Leo. George Tweed, referenced April 11, 2011, 2009 Guampedia, URL: http://guampedia. om/george-tweed/ Ballendorf, Dirk & Foster, Sophie. Guam. (2011). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/247691/Guam Coomans, Fr. Peter. (1997). History of the Mission in the Mariana Islands: 1667 –  Ã‚  1673. Occasional Historical Papers Series No. 4. Translated and edited by Rodrigue Levesque. Saipan, CM:  Ã‚  Division of Historic Preservation Cunningham, Lawrence J. ; Beaty, Janice J. 2001 A History of Guam. Hagatna, GU; Bess Press Guam Society and Culture Complete Report. World Trade Press Date Published: 2010 LC Call Number: DU647 ISBN: 9781607804727 Naval Station Guam.Chief Quipuha (Ke puha) Statue. Retrieved April 09,2011 from http://ns. gov. gu/quipua. html Palomo, Antonio. The Guam Bell. Referenced April 14, 2011. 1999 Guam. org, URL: http://guam. org. gu/guambell/ Rogers, Robert F. (1995). Destiny’s Landfall: A History of Guam. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai’i Press. Under the Organic Act 1950-1970 224-232 Smith, J. (2004). Martin Luther. In L. Mc Donald (ed. ), Encyclopedia of science and religion. Babson Press. Retrieved November 20, 2003, from http://www. scireligion. com/ml Suarez, Thomas (1999). Early Mapping of Southeast Asia. Singapore; Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

Difference in Perceptions of Consumers in Different Regions

Institute of business management| DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTION OF CUSTOMERS BELONGING TO DIFFERENT LOCALITIES REGARDING CONSUMPTION OF NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS, SPECIFIALLY PEDIASURE. | Methods in Business Research| | Muhammad Bilal Arif SaharAnum IqbalAhetezaz HaloFaiz Mehmood| 12/10/2012| | Contents Acknowledgment3 Abstract4 Introduction5 Statement of Problem6 Significance of Problem/ Purpose6 Statement of Hypothesis6 Limitations6 Literature Review7In order to write this literature review we had to take out journals and articles from a lot of areas the reason being that there are almost no similar researches done considering this topic. Even if researches are done they tend to cater to the perceptions of westerners or people which are not belonging to the Pakistani society. In order to conduct and use whatever information we could get there were 3 pieces of materials used to conduct this review. The researches that we have found are concerning similar products that is why we have used these.Each of these researches has been combined with our research and then we have written down the Literature review. If we go along well see what is the motive of our research and what do we want. 7 Design of study10 I. Problem Definition and Hypothesis Formulation10 II. Gathering Data11 III. Sources of Data16 IV. Research Instrument17 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS18 RESTATEMENT OF PROBLEM18 DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES18 MAJOR FINDINGS19 RECOMMENDATIONS19 BIBLIOGRAPHY21 APPENDIX22 Abbott Nutrition22 Questionnaire22Product Comparison1 Acknowledgment We would first like to thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the strength and endowing us with the privilege of completing term report on the â€Å"DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTION OF CUSTOMERS BELONGING TO DIFFERENT LOCALITIES REGARDING CONSUMPTION OF NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS, SPECIFIALLY PEDIASURE. † We are also extremely thankful to our mentor and guide Ms. Kausar Saeed for her constant support, encouragement and guidance, without which we could not have successfully completed the task.Secondly, we would like to thank our respondents for their precious time and energy spent in completing our Questionnaires. Abstract Abbott being a very large pharmaceutical company is not only trustworthy but excels in the pharmaceutical industry. Its aim is to provide quality and high class products in the market so that people can benefit from it. The report that we are planning to write is about the perceptions of customers regarding consumption of Nutritional Supplements and factors that the customer considers while buying different medicines/nutritional products in different localities.Our main aim was to figure out the basic reasons in sluggish growth in sales of Abbott. The issue is actually significant at the moment because the Sales data of different territories over the past few years indicate a negative trend in a few areas but approximately constant in others. One reason for this difference could have been different percept ions that people are likely to hold in these different areas, therefore we decided to find out whether perceptional differences are the reason behind the negative trend and what are the possible solutions to the problem.We did manage to collect sufficient data through questionnaires from the mothers of children who were the eligible consumers of the product, and then we analyzed the data using SPSS. We were able to reach a seemingly valid analysis. Introduction Abbott a global, broad-based health care company devoted to discovering new medicines, new technologies and new ways to manage health. Their products span the continuum of care, from nutritional products and laboratory diagnostics through medical devices and pharmaceutical therapies.Their comprehensive line of products encircles life itself – addressing important health needs from infancy to the golden years. With over 70,000 employees worldwide and a global presence in more than 130 countries, Abbott is committed to i mproving people's lives by providing cost effective health care products and services that consistently meet the needs of customers. Abbott Pakistan is part of the global healthcare corporation of Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, USA. Abbott started operations in Pakistan as a marketing affiliate in 1948; the company has steadily expanded to comprise a work force of over 1500 employees.Currently two manufacturing facilities located at Landhi and Korangi in Karachi continue to use innovative technology to produce top quality pharmaceutical products. Abbott Pakistan has leadership in the field of Pain Management, Anesthesia, Medical Nutrition and Anti-Infective. On June 29, 2005 Abbott Pakistan Achieved Class ‘A' accreditation against the Oliver Wight ABCD Check list. This was an outstanding achievement, which puts Abbott Pakistan amongst some of the best global companies in terms of operational excellence.A continuous process of innovation, research and development at Abbott's wor ldwide facilities enables Abbott Pakistan to offer effective solutions for various healthcare challenges, with products and services that are well focused, within the customer's reach and contribute to improved health care of the people of Pakistan. Abbott believes that Corporate Social Responsibility is fundamental to earning and deepening the trust of the people it serves, an integral part of its commitment to improve lives has contributed to a number of humanitarian causes and supported various institutions in various fields including health and education.The promise of this company is in the promise that their work holds for health and for life. PediaSure Complete is a complete and balanced nutrition for children who are pricky eaters and who have to catch up for growth. Some of its salient feature includes: * Good nutrition leads to healthy growth * To grow properly, kids need to eat the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. * For times, when you believe that your child is not getting adequate nutrition from regular food then PediaSure is the thing to give.No matter which ever flavor you choose, each can of PediaSure contains 25 essential vitamins and mineral, along with adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats. With PediaSure you can be sure that your child is receiving the perfect amount of nutrition’s needed to grow. It is available in 400gram tins and 180 gram packs in chocolate and vanilla flavors at reasonable prices. It is available in most leading pharmacies and superstores of Pakistan. PediaSure is even an international product of Abbott. Statement of ProblemThis research is conducted to find out that whether the decline in sales of PediaSure is because of some different perceptions held by the potential consumers, factors which are most and which are least preferred by the consumers while making the purchase. This will cater to two areas specifically Defence and F. B area. Significance of Problem/ Purpose The problem is highly significantfor not only the company but forindividuals/ customers too. With the help of this study we will be able to find out the different type of ideas and perceptions customers carry when going to buy medicines/nutritional products.We will also find out some of the rare spending patterns of customers based in different areas or localities and what factors do they consider in buying such products. The main purpose of this study lies with the fact that Abbott will realize which particular point they need to cater to stop the sales from falling. It could be a marketing problem which they missed to address or a quality problem, which is very unlikely since Abbott is very strict about its standards and most importantly it could be the perceptions of the people.Summing it all up, through our research we will investigate the spending patterns of different localities, their preferences and why the sales of PediaSurehas declined in some areas since the past few years. Statement of Hypothesis 1. There is no difference between Perceptions of customers of Defence and Federal-B area. 2. Knowing the available competitor’s, consumer will prefer Pediasure over competitors as a Nutritional Supplement. 3. Consumers will purchase the product if they are told about the benefits. 4. Creating Awareness will impact the sales of Pediasure. . Whether high nutrients are preferred over other variables like Price and Recommendations. 6. Whether being a Medicinal product is good for the image of Pediasure. Limitations 1. One of the biggest limitations is that our study is restricted to only two areas namely defence and F. B area. It is due to time constraints and a large number of medical stores throughout the city. 2. Defence itself has about approximately 50 medicines stores while F. B area 92. Finding and going to all these stores would be very costly and time-consuming so we decided to take a small no.Of stores and interviewing around 2 respon dents from every store. 3. The time and cost associated with the study was a not very encouraging. 4. We cannot expect that each of the stores in the city have kept PediaSure which made our study very difficult to generalize. 5. It was hard to find mothers having children below the age of 12 shopping during the days. 6. Customers and Storekeepers were being very receptive. Literature Review In order to write this literature review we had to take out journals and articles from a lot of areas the reason being that there are almost no similar researches done considering this topic.Even if researches are done they tend to cater to the perceptions of westerners or people which are not belonging to the Pakistani society. In order to conduct and use whatever information we could get there were 3 pieces of materials used to conduct this review. The researches that we have found are concerning similar products that is why we have used these. Each of these researches has been combined with ou r research and then we have written down the Literature review. If we go along well see what is the motive of our research and what do we want.The first article included in this literature survey talks about the guide to consumer’s pharmaceutical purchasing behavior. The pharmaceutical purchasing behavior of consumers is the subject of unending market research for the nation's pharmaceutical companies and managed care organizations. Despite the industry's best efforts to predict future trends based on past experiences, consumers continue to confound the prognosticators. Several issues particularly pertinent to MCOs were explored in a recent consumer survey conducted by Emron, Inc.In this article, explore consumers' behaviors are explored relative to medication purchases in these areas: * Sources of advice about prescription and non-prescription medications * Communications with prescribers about cost and impact on quality of life * Opinions about price equity of medications * Importance of the pharmacy benefit in health plans * Role of advertising in purchasing decisions for non-prescription medications The study first starts with talking about the advice the customer takes in order to buy any type of pharmaceutical products.The results are divided in among the physicians, nurses, pharmacists, family e. t. c. the highest rank is of course given to physicians followed by pharmacists. So we get to know that one thing that is the sources of advice for customer’s affects customer’s perceptions of buying a medicine. So it may be possible that a doctor living in each of these localities may give different type of preference if one may prescribe pediasure other may prescribe ensure. The second factor that affects is prescriber’s communication about cost and quality of life.From the study we see that people are mainly concerned for their life rather than the cost of medicine, we all know that pediasure is a very high quality product and in order to keep your nutrition value very high you will make sure that you use pedia sure, but never the les this is one of the important factors taken in to consideration when investing in to medicines. Whatever the cost of the product is you tend to spend on it if it’ll increase the quality of your life. Consumers also look for fair consumer prices.When they figure out if one of the products is not giving a fair consumer price then they will surely not buy it even in case of medicines as now even in this market you’re faced with immense competition. If the price of Pediasure is not fair according to some then the customers will move their target towards ensure as these two are the biggest competitors available. According to this study some of the customers were even asked to talk about the main factors which result in going to a pharmacy and buying a medicine.The highest price as usual was given to the price and prescription of the doctors which shows that these two fa ctors are the main ones which affect the benefit and the buying plan of customers. A very high rank was also given to non-prescription medicine buying pattern, that is that many customers by medicine without any prescriptions, they use the help of either billboards or any other means of advertisement. This is somewhat the case with pediasure as well because I have prescribed many people to give pediasure to their children as regular diet and they have actually followed and abided to it.Summing it all up this study basically talks about the buying patterns of individuals while buying nutritional products or medicines. We get a clear view on what factor do the consumers keep in mind when making an effort to go and buy this product. The second research here talks about the consumer’s choice process when purchasing the staple food, it was chosen as for some pediasure is a medicine hence a necessity. After 1989, there were significant changes in food consumption, both in volumes a nd structure.These changes happened due to various factors. The most important factors with influence on demand and food consumption were: development of income levels of Czech inhabitants, development of consumer prices of food and non-food products and services, offer and availability of products on the market, advertising and promotion, health education, joining the EU. Besides these above, an impact on consumption also has such factors as quality development, extent of self-provision with food products, or the degree to which the needs are satisfied.The fundamental influence on consumption has the development of consumer prices of food and capital goods and services in relations to development of incomes, thus buying power. In the last few years, there was a visible tendency to decreasing influence of prices on food consumption. The paper focuses on the development of consumption and changes in consumption patterns, motivation and attitudes. Presented data are based on the marke ting research conducted by the Department of Marketing and Trade, Mendel University in Brno, in fall 2004.However, results of the recent research have proved that, when buying foodstuffs and beverages, consumers are influenced also by habits, current moods, situations, emotions and that the behavior of individual consumer segments is quite different. This could be the case with PediaSure as well. Factors, which influence purchase decision, affect individual groups of consumers in a different way. For a consumer research concerning individual staple food categories, the following demographic characteristics were used: sex, age, affiliation with a social group and domicile.Demographic characteristics, which are easily available, measurable, and helping to localize the target market, were used. Analysis and results of the survey (via questionnaire) about customer behavior then allow predicting the behaviour of customers and to learn what, why, when, where, how and how often they buy. T he survey via questionnaires aiming to analyze the consumer decision process when buying staple foods and beverages was conducted using a sample of 1 750 respondents.The sample was selected in such a way that it should represent the structure of the Czech population according to 4 identification characteristics – age, sex, social group, and size of the settlement where the respondents have their permanent place of residence. The answers provided information about reasons and the decision-making process when buying four staple food categories, meat and meat products, milk, dairy products and eggs, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages and bakery and confectionery products.Frequencies of respondents, whose motives for purchases of basic foodstuff were influenced by routine, newcomers, healthy lifestyle or other unidentified factors . As PediaSure is also a dairy product that is the reason why we use this result which says Milk and dairy products illustrate that routine purchase s predominated also when buying milk, butter and eggs. Purchases of cheese and yogurts were influenced by the assortment and by the healthy lifestyle. Frequencies of respondents classified into individual ocial groups did not show any significant differences It follows from these results that changes in consumption patterns of milk and dairy products were influenced by the factors of health protection andhealthy lifestyle. Extended offer of products was another important factor. Financial reasons were mentioned in the last place. We can differentiate in the behavior of retired people; their decision-making process is influenced by financial reasons. The healthy lifestyle is the most important factor in the age group of â€Å"productive age† (25–60 years).The place of residence did not show any significant effect on differences in the behavior of people from towns and villages. It is of interest that that there were differences in factors influencing purchasing decision s of men and women. Men tended to appreciate a wider assortment than women. As a reason for changes in consumption of these products, women mentioned more often the healthy lifestyle, while men appreciated a wider assortment. For Beverages, the reasons for changes in consumption patterns were different than those mentioned for foodstuffs.Financial reasons were as important as the healthy lifestyle and a wider assortment. This could be influenced by the fact that the question concerned all beverages so that this was a very variable category of products and for that reason the answers were too general. For producers, important information represents the fact that consumers are influenced by newcomers, innovations and advertising when buying staples. Consumers, who were strongly interested in their health, purchasedcereal bakery products, fish, poultry, yogurts, cheese and mineral water.When analysing the reasons of changes in consumption patterns, it was demonstrated that the reasons differed in dependence on the affiliation with the individual groups of customers. There were different reasons for individual social groups, individual age categories, and different localities. If we omit these identification groups, the most frequent reason for changes in consumption patterns in all categories of foods was the healthy lifestyle followed by a wider assortment. Financial reasons were mentioned on the last place.The reason for using this study was to show that although not for everyone but for those who consume pediasure is similar to a staple food. The reason being is that you have to include it either in your milk or your beverage. So when we talk about the buying and selling of dairy products overhear we can always link it to PediaSure as it is a dairy product for most. When we look at the buying patterns of consumers we can always similarize it with the buying patterns of pediasure . Starting from the price to marketing to health safety all of these affect the bu ying of pediasure.It might be one of these factors that would have resulted the sales to go down at the end of the study it said that prices didn’t matter most so it may be a possibility that there may be another factor other than price. Reference for literature review: Guide to consumers pharmaceutical purchasing behavior (MARSHA FAHEY , writer and editor, Emron, Ine. , Warren, New Jersey) Consumer choice process when purchasing the staple food (J. STAVKOVA, J. TURCINKOVA Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic) Design of study I. Problem Definition and Hypothesis FormulationThis research is conducted to find out the reasons behind the decrease in sales of Pediasure for the past few years in certain areas, and whether consumers of different localities; specifically Federal-B Area and Defence have different perceptions regarding the product and the following variables: * Brand Image * Usage Pattern * Preference * Satisfaction * Availability * Aware ness Following Hypothesis was tested during the study: 7. There is no difference between Perceptions of customers of Defence and Federal-B area. 8. Knowing the available competitor’s, consumer will prefer Pediasure over competitors as a Nutritional Supplement. . Consumers will purchase the product if they are told about the benefits. 10. Creating Awareness will impact the sales of Pediasure. 11. Whether high nutrients are preferred over other variables like Price and Recommendations. 12. Whether being a Medicinal product is good for the image of Pediasure. Research Design: The study seeks to find the ultimate solution to solve the problem of declining sales of Abbot’s Pediasure find and to seek whether it is feasible for conducting additional promotional activities. Since we were seeking to explore the reasons for declining sales we used Exploratory Research Methods.Sampling Technique: Convenience sampling method based on a non-probability sampling technique was used t o gather data from the respondents. A questionnaire based survey was conducted to validate the findings. The questionnaire-based survey is designed as to measure both quantitative and qualitative variables. Its methodical profile includes multi-perspective, cross-sectional design and broad random samples. The questionnaire tests the following variables: * Brand Identity * Usage Pattern * Preference * Satisfaction * Availability II. Gathering DataWe questioned 50 mothers from different stores in Federal-B Area and 30 from stores in Defence. The main reason for having an unequal sample size for both areas is because number of medical stores in Federal-B Area is a lot more than that in Defence, so we thought it would me fair if we had more respondents from Federal-B area. Our target respondents were mothers of age in between 30-40, but it was not very easy to find them in the medical stores. We questioned as many as we could find and the rest was filled by fathers of around the same ag e group on behalf of their wives.It was our good fortune that the fathers were surprisingly well-informed about the products being used for the infants. 1. Analysis of Results The data was first entered in Microsoft Excel and then one of our group members double-checked and copied it to the SPSS software and then analysis were conducted using SPSS Statistical Software. Pearson Chi-square test was used to analyze the result and hypothesis with assumed significance greater than . 05 were rejected. HYPOTHESIS 1 HO Area of residence affects use of nutritional supplementsHa Area of residence does not affects use of nutritional supplements AREA OF RESPONDENT * CURRENTLY USING SUPPLEMENT Crosstabulation| | | | CURRENTLY USING SUPPLEMENT| Total| | | | YES| NO| | AREA OF RESPONDENT| FB| Count| 49| 1| 50| | | % within AREA OF RESPONDENT| 98. 0%| 2. 0%| 100. 0%| | | % within CURRENTLY USING SUPPLEMENT| 61. 3%| 16. 7%| 58. 1%| | DEFENCE| Count| 31| 5| 36| | | % within AREA OF RESPONDENT| 86. 1% | 13. 9%| 100. 0%| | | % within CURRENTLY USING SUPPLEMENT| 38. 8%| 83. 3%| 41. 9%| Total| Count| 80| 6| 86| | % within AREA OF RESPONDENT| 93. 0%| 7. 0%| 100. 0%| | % within CURRENTLY USING SUPPLEMENT| 100. %| 100. 0%| 100. 0%| Chi-Square Tests| | Value| Df| Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)| Exact Sig. (2-sided)| Exact Sig. (1-sided)| Pearson Chi-Square| 4. 558a| 1| . 033| | | Continuity Correctionb| 2. 911| 1| . 088| | | Likelihood Ratio| 4. 707| 1| . 030| | | Fisher's Exact Test| | | | . 078| . 044| Linear-by-Linear Association| 4. 505| 1| . 034| | | N of Valid Cases| 86| | | | | a. 2 cells (50. 0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2. 51. | b. Computed only for a 2Ãâ€"2 table| At 5%significance level do not reject H0 Area of residence does affect the use of nutritional supplement HYPOTHESIS 2HO: AREA OF RESIDENCE AFFECTS AWARENESS OF PEDIASURE H1 AREA OF RESIDECE DOES NOT AFFECT AWARENESS ABOUT PEDIASURE ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASUR E? * IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? Crosstabulation| | | | IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? | Total| | | | YES| NO| | ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASURE? | YES| Count| 19| 14| 33| | | % within ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASURE? | 57. 6%| 42. 4%| 100. 0%| | | % within IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? | 100. 0%| 100. 0%| 100. 0%| Total| Count| 19| 14| 33| % within ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASURE? | 57. 6%| 42. 4%| 100. 0%| | % within IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? | 100. 0%| 100. 0%| 100. 0%| Chi-Square Tests| | Value| Df| Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)| Exact Sig. (2-sided)| Exact Sig. (1-sided)| Pearson Chi-Square| 1. 075a| 1| . 300| | | Continuity Correctionb| . 632| 1| . 427| | | Likelihood Ratio| 1. 079| 1| . 299| | | Fisher's Exact Test| | | | . 341| . 214| Linear-by-Linear Association| 1. 060| 1| . 303| | | N of Valid Cases| 70| | | | | a. 0 cells (. 0%) have expected count less than 5. The mini mum expected count is 14. 14. b. Computed only for a 2Ãâ€"2 table| At 5% significance level do not reject H0 Area of residence affects awareness of Abbots product Pediasure HYPOTHEIS 3H0 Knowing the available competitor’s, consumer will prefer Pediasure over competitors as a Nutritional Supplement. H1 Knowing the available competitor’s, consumer will not affect consumer preference of Pediasure over competitors as a Nutritional Supplement. Paired Samples Test| | | Paired Differences| | | | | | Mean| Std. Deviation| Std. Error Mean| Pair 1| ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASURE? – IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? -. 424| . 502| . 087| Paired Samples Test| | | Paired Differences| | | 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference| | | Lower| Upper| Pair 1| ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASURE? – IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? | -. 602| -. 246| | Paired Samples Test| | | | | | | | | t| df| Sig. (2-tailed)| Pair 1 | ARE YOU AWARE OF ABBOTS CHILD NUTRITION PRODUCT PEDIASURE? – IF YES THAN HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT IT? | -4. 856| 32| . 000| At 5% Significance level reject HO Awareness is not the only reason why consumers will prefer Pediasure over competitor’s product HYPOTHEIS 4HO: High nutrients are preferred over other variables like Price Ha: High nutrients are not preferred over other variables like Price Chi-Square Tests| | Value| Df| Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)| Pearson Chi-Square| 238. 264a| 24| . 000| Likelihood Ratio| 183. 809| 24| . 000| Linear-by-Linear Association| 62. 765| 1| . 000| N of Valid Cases| 93| | | a. 29 cells (82. 9%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is . 32. | AT 5% significance level reject H0 Nutrients are not preferred over variables such as price HYPOTHESIS 5 HO: High nutrients are preferred over other variables like RecommendationHa: High nutrients are not preferred over other variables like recommendation Chi-Square Tests| | Value| D f| Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)| Pearson Chi-Square| 217. 033a| 25| . 000| Likelihood Ratio| 206. 420| 25| . 000| Linear-by-Linear Association| 69. 663| 1| . 000| N of Valid Cases| 115| | | a. 30 cells (83. 3%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is . 24. | At 5% significance level reject H0 High nutrients are not preferred over other variables like recommendation HYPOTHESIS 6 H0: Being a Medicinal product is good for the image of Pediasure.Ha: Being a Medicinal product has no effect on the image of Pediasure. III. Sources of Data * Primary Sources: * Respondents Our main aim was to get fresh information from the parents directly, so we could better figure out the main reasons behind the sluggish growth of sales. There were some instances where the store managers were being receptive and the respondents showed disinterest in providing information. Due to our persistence we managed to get a great deal of good information. We mostly had to read out the questions to th e respondents, while they shopped and marked the answers according to their response.The questionnaires were all filled under supervision of either of the members of the group to avoid the chance of misunderstandings. * Secondary Sources: Secondary data was not as such required in our research it was mostly based on primary data. The literature review only required thorough reading of different articles. This helped us in getting a better idea about different aspects of the research work. We learned how to design the questionnaire in a way that would get the maximum possible information without offending the respondents in any way.It also helped us to figure out how the issue of differences in perception of people living in different type of areas in the same city has been dealt. Some important information regarding Pediasure and its competitors Contents was also gained using some secondary data. It was gathered from the websites of these companies and also from reading the packages of the respective products. This was basically done to compare different variables in different supplements. The comparisons were eventually used to analyze which variable is most important for the consumers. IV. Research InstrumentAs mentioned above, a questionnaire based survey was conducted, the questionnaire was designed collectively by the entire group members, keeping in mind all the dos and don’ts of Questionnaire designs taught by our mentor/teacher. It was also SPSS friendly, so it was really easy for us to statistically analyze it through the software. Before moving ahead with it, we also got it checked to reduce as much chances of errors as possible. It was scripted using simple and familiar language, few questions that were easy to answer and supervision was given throughout. The sampling technique was partially random.The stores in all the areas were shortlisted through systematic random sampling technique. There were a total of 92 stores in F. B area and 56 sto res in Defence, and we randomly selected 25 and 15 stores from the respective areas. Then from each store 2 respondents were surveyed upon. The questionnaire contained 14 questions measuring different variables that are mentioned above. The variables tested through our research are usage pattern, preference to competitors, frequency of purchase, brand identity and purchase intention. Some questions were even included to get a little idea about the demographics of the target population.We faced some trouble during data collection, since the respondents seemed totally disinterested in giving their valuable knowledge to us. The staffs of the stores were also being receptive due to the agitation of the customers. In cases where store managers were not allowing us to interview in the store, we had to wait outside to get our target respondents. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS RESTATEMENT OF PROBLEM The research problem was to identify the reasons behind the decline in sales of Abbot's flagship pr oduct Pediasure. This was done by dividing selected areas in the city, mainly Defense and F.B Area, into class A and class B and finding out the perceptions of the users about the product. DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES Research Design The study seeks to find the ultimate solution to solve the problem of declining sales of Abbot’s Pediasure and to seek whether it is feasible for conducting additional promotional activities. Since we were seeking to explore the reasons for declining sales we used Exploratory Research Methods. Sampling Technique Convenience sampling method based on a non-probability sampling technique was used to gather data from the respondents. A questionnaire base survey was conducted to validate the findings.The questionnaire-based survey is designed as quantitative and qualitative both. Its methodical profile includes multi-perspective, cross-sectional design and broad random samples. The questionnaire tests the following variables: * Brand Image * Usage Patter n * Preference * Satisfaction * Availability * Awareness Following Hypothesis was tested during the study: 1. Area of residence affects use of nutritional supplements. 2. Area of residence affects awareness of Pediasure. 3. Knowing the available competitor’s, consumer will prefer Pediasure over competitors as a Nutritional Supplement. . High nutrients are preferred over other variables like Price. 5. High nutrients are preferred over other variables like Recommendation. The data was entered in Statistical Software SPSS v. 17 and Pearson Chi-Square Test was used to conclude findings. If the value of assumed significance was greater than . 05, the hypothesis was rejected. MAJOR FINDINGS 1. Area of residence affects use of nutritional supplements We do not reject our hypothesis which means that there is a difference in perceptions of people living in different areas. 2. Area of residence affects awareness of Pediasure.We do not reject our hypothesis showing that again area of re sidence is a factor which contributes to the differences in attributes of people. 3. Knowing the available competitor’s, consumer will prefer Pediasure over competitors as a Nutritional Supplement. We reject our hypothesis because awareness is not the only reason why consumers will prefer Pediasure over competitor’s product. 4. High nutrients are preferred over other variables like Price. We reject our hypothesis with the conclusion that price is the principle variable considered in buying nutritional supplements. 5.High nutrients are preferred over other variables like Recommendation. We reject our hypothesis because considering the nutritional aspect is not a preference over other factors such as recommendation. RECOMMENDATIONS * The image of Pediasure should be improved for the consumers to identify it as a medicinal product. * Increase in the number of flavors of Pediasure would boost the sales. * There is a requirement from the marketing department to be more acti ve and engage in activities such as personal selling. * If there is a possibility then the price of the product should be reduced keeping in mind the costs. If not then the company should emphasize the benefits of the product as in Nutritional value should be highlighted in the campaigns like â€Å"37 vital nutrients† to motivate the customers into buying the product. * Different promotional campaigns according to different mediums should be designed highlighting the strong points of the product. Choosing brand ambassadors with high percentage of popularity among the children is a good idea. BIBLIOGRAPHY Guide to consumers pharmaceutical purchasing behavior (MARSHA FAHEY , writer and editor, Emron, Ine. , Warren, New Jersey) Consumer choice process when purchasing the staple food (J.STAVKOVA, J. TURCINKOVA Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic) http://www. abbott. com. pk/ APPENDIX Abbott Nutrition Questionnaire Name: Age: Profession: Area of res idence: Husband’s profession: Currently using (Any supplement): 1. _________(AGE:___) 2. _________(AGE:___) 3. _________(AGE:___) Questionnaire for Mothers 1. How many children do you have? * 0-2 * 2-4 * More than 4 2. What are the ages of your children? * * 1 ____________ * 2 ____________ * 3 ____________ * 4 __________ * 5 ___________ 6 ___________ 3. Are you satisfied with your child’s (children) growth (height and weight) that are under the age of 10? * Yes * No 4. Does your child (ren) fall sick often? * Yes * No If your answer to any of the above question(s) 3 ; 4 is YES, then proceed to Q5 5. In which school(s) does your child (ren) study that are under the age of 10? 1 ________________ 2 ________________ 3 _______________ 4 ______________ 6. Were you recommended by someone to use the product or you use it on your own * Recommended by someone * Used on the own 7. If recommended, then who recommended you to use the supplement? Doctor * Friends * Neighbors * Rela tives * Other, Please specify: __________________________________________________________ 8. How many times in a day do you give the supplement to your child (ren)? * * Child 1 * Child 2 * Child 3 * Child 4 Once Twice Thrice 9. Are you aware of Abbott’s Child Nutrition Product’ Pediasure’? * Yes * No 10. If YES, then answer the following questions If no then jump to Q#12 : (a) Have you ever bought it? * Yes * No (b) When did you buy it and whose recommendation did you buy it? ____________________________________________ (c) Any why did you discontinue buying it? ___________________________________________________________________ 11. If your answer to Q#10(a) is NO, then what is the reason for not buying it? ————————————————- 12. Have you ever been to a pediatrician or child specialist? * Yes * No 13 If you are told that Pediasure is the Child Specialis t’s first choice for child nutrition and for children who are picky/fussy eaters and it not only enhances growth (Height& Weight) but it also builds immunity. It is also clinically proven to reduce number of sick days and the incidence of infections, would you start using it? * Yes * No 4 If NO, Why? ____________________________________________________________________ 15 Rank the considerations (in order of priority) on a scale of (1-9) 1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest, if you are to make a decision to buy a nutritional supplement? * * Price * Company * Nutritional value * TV Ads * Doctor’s recommendation * Packaging * Someone else’s recommendation, Please specify: * Other, Please specify: _____________________ 16 If I tell you that per month cost of Pediasure is Rs. 2100 (1 serving per day) and the cost of supplement that you are using is ____________, then would you prefer buying Pediasure? Yes * No Product Comparison Product Comparison | Approximat ely Analysis Powder Per 100gm| | Pediasure Comp. | Promise PE| Horlics Junior| Meiji Big| Enervit Junior| Energy PER 100G| 492| 451| 406| 467| 489| Calories Per Serving| 225| 200| 101|   | 185| Per Rs. Calories| 3| 3| 3. 5|   |   | Nutrints|   |   |   |   |   | Protien| 14. 8 gm| 16 gm| 17. 5 gm| 20| 15 gm| Fat| 24. 6 gm| 16 gm| 7. 1 gm| 19| 24 gm| Carbohydrate| 52. 8 gm| 61 gm | 67. 5 gm| 54| 53. 4 gm| FOS| 1. 75 gm| 1. 4 gm| NA|   | 2 gm| Taurine| 35. 4 mg| 21 mg| NA| 33| 30 mg| Carnitine| 8. 4 mg| 7. 7 mg| NA|   | 10 mg| Inositol| 39. 4 mg| 34 mg| NA|   | 40 mg|   |   |   |   |   | Minerals|   |   |   |   |   | Calcium| 483 mg| 563 mg| 800 mg| 700| 490 mg| Phosphorus| 300 mg| 383 mg| NA| 470| 360 mg| Zinc| 4. 9 mg| 5. 4 mg| 4. 5 mg| 4| 3. 2 mg| Copper | 0. 5 mg| 0. 39 mg| 0. 34 mg| 320ug| 0. 37 mg| Selenium| 14. 8 mcg| NA| 20 mcg |   | 14. 8 mcg| Iron| 6. 9 mg| 8. 4 mg| 14 mg| 8| 6. 9 mg| Iodine| 47. 3 mcg| 42 mcg| 90 mcg| 100ug| 62 mcg | Niacin| 8. 42 mg| 3. 1 mg| 6 mg| 6| NA| Magnesium| 98 mg| 50 mg| NA| 70| 47 mg| Sodium| 227 mg| 212 mg| NA| 270| 200 mg| Potassium| 640 mg | 856 mg| NA| 970| 570 mg | Choloride| 493 mg| 495 mg| NA| 630| 360 mg| Manganese| 1. 23 mg| 0. 5 mg| NA| 45ug| 25 mg|Chromium| 15 mcg| NA| NA|   | NA| Molybdenum| 24. 6 mcg| NA| NA|   | NA| Vitamins|   |   |   |   |   | Vitamin A| 1270 IU| 1500 IU| 300 mcg| 1300IU| 400 mcg| Vitamin C| 50 mg| 54 mg| 30 mg| 55MG| 50 mg| Vitamin D| 158 IU| 301 IU| 5 mcg| 300IU| 4 mcg| Vitamin E| 11. 4 IU| 7. 4 IU| 6 mg| 6MG| 8 mg| Vitamin B1| 1. 35 mg| 0. 58 mg| 0. 5 mg | 0. 4MG| 0. 9 mg| Vitamin B2| 1. 03 mg| 0. 7 mg| 1 mg| 1. 6MG| 1. 03 mg| Vitamin B6| 1. 3 mg| 0. 56 mg| 1 mg| 0. 3MG| 8 mg| Vitamin B12| 1. 5 mcg| 1. 1 mcg| 1. 8 mcg | 2UG| 1. 4 mcg| Vitamin K| 18. 8 mcg| 28 mcg| 30 mcg| 25UG| 20 mcg| Nicotinamide| 8. 4 mg| NA| NA|   | 8 mg| Pantothenic Acid| 3. 45 mg| 2. 5 mg| NA| 2MG| 3. 4 mg| Folic Acid| 108 mcg| 31 mcg| 300 mcg| 0. 1MG| 100 mc g| Biotin | 18. 2 mcg| 11 mcg| NA|   | 18 mcg| Choline| 148 mg | 135 mg| NA|   | 80 mg | Additional details about Promise PE Gold | Powder Per 100gm| Protein | Alfa lactulbumin 0. 81 gm| | Fat| Linoleic Acid 4054 mg| DHA 8. 1 mg| AA 12 mg| | Carbohydrates| Lactose 29 gm| Maltodextrine 11 gm| Corn Syrup Solid 11 gm| Sucrose 9. 5 gm| | Vitamin | Beta Carotine 68 mcg| | Nuclotides 12 mg| | Leutin 90 mcg| | Age 2-10 Years| | Dilution| 5 scoops (44 gm) powder in 175 ml water | Scoop Size 8. 8 gm| | Flavor Vanila | | Fat formulation contains Palm Olein Oil|