Free sample - The Pros and Cons of Video Games. translation missing

The Pros and Cons of Video Games. The Pros and Cons of Video GamesThe world of electronic gaming has undergone radical transformation since it was conceived more than two decades ago. At the beginning, games like Super Mario Brothers, and Pong were just childish, enjoyable, and essentially harmless. However, today, video gaming has become a thriving industry that has a wide range of customers, spanning various ages, genders, nationalities, and moral beliefs. Just like books, television, and movies, some video games are aiming at the older audience through the use of violence, sex, and adult content. Despite the existence of a rating system and recognition for people wishing to purchase adult video games, some politicians and parents claim that video games have a hugely negative impact on the young generation. In efforts to locate the blame about the content of video games, politicians and developers alike seem to have forgotten that parents have a responsibility to make decisions on the type of material that is suitable for their children. Farrales observes that Video game content appears to have become an issue for the first time when Mortal Kombat was released in 1993 (12). Many parents complained the high degree of violence evident in the graphic depictions of blood, fighting, and death. The ESRB (Electronic Software Ratings Board) was formed by the Entertainment Software Association with the aim of coming up with a rating system for monitoring the content of video games. Fernandez indicates that video games stand accused of bringing about violence, obesity, and lousy grades (3). However, some people beg to differ, pointing out that the games are ideal for children’s mental well being. Video games are not just hard, they are adaptively hard. The games tend to challenge the players at the edge of their mental abilities. As players become better and score higher points, they are challenged to move up the ladder of more demanding play levels. This adaptive challenge can be stunningly powerful in the case of entertaining video games. Scientists point out to the importance of video games in ascertaining the extent to which the human brain is malleable. In this regard, fast-paced video games that are action-packed have been proven, in different studies, to boost spatial perception, visual acuity and the ability to pick out objects easily in a scene. Complex games that are strategy-based can significantly improve many cognitive skills, including reasoning and memory. These findings fit in well with the scientists’ increasing understanding of the malleability of the human brain. Researchers are now aware of the way in which practicing and learning an extremely challenging task can change the human brain. The question of generalizing gaming situations to non-game situations remains one of the main issues that surround many emerging game software being marketed as a way of keeping the human neurons spry as we continue to age. It is still unclear whether these games are helpful in situations that are outside the context of the game. However, in a promising study carried out in 2008, senior citizens who began playing Rise of Nations, a game devoted to nation building and acquisition of territory, started improving on many cognitive abilities, thereby performing impressively on various subsequent tests of memory, multitasking, and reasoning. The tests were administered after training was carried out for eight months. Unfortunately, no follow-up testing was carried out to determine whether the gains lasted or not. There are attempts by researchers to concentrate on the most crucial aspects of off-the-shelf games, potentially allowing designers to come up with many new games that can boost the human brain power. In the same light, there has also been some focus on determining how video games can be used to promote socially acceptable behaviors, particularly actions that can be of help to other people. Unlike, say books and movies, video games do not just have content, they are also defined by rules that are clearly stipulated. In every video game, certain actions are rewarded while others are punished. For this reason, they contain an immense potential to train children about values and ethics. However, the same games could also be used to reward antisocial behavior just as easily as the pro social behavior. A significant number of off-the-shelf games contain strong pro-social themes, for instance, the Oregon Trail or The Sims. These two video games make the players fully responsible for the well being of each other. A big challenge for developers of new games will be to figure out ways of wrapping virtuous features into a highly engaging package. Ultimately, quips Gallagher, every video game should be an entertaining experience (2). On the other hand, it is true that some of the most popular video games are the violent ones. The reason why the market is flooded with violent games is that violence sells. People enjoy action-packed violent games most. It is rarely a matter of contention whether a game is violent or not. The contention arises regarding how violent the games actually are. In an interview with Dr. Craig Anderson, a leader in the current research on the various effects of prolonged exposure to violent computer and video games on aggressive behavior, the General Aggression Model was discussed at length. Dr. Anderson pointed out that he was motivated to research about aggression in video games by the work he did on the model as well as on media violence literature. Dr. Anderson pointed out that although there were hundreds of studies on aggression and violent video games, many questions remained unanswered. Students were looking for compelling and publishable research topics, and in this way, they were able to come up with many gaps in the literature. In the beginning, Dr. Anderson looked at priming issues in the context of media violence effects. However, after debating with cognitive psychologists, the researcher thought about modifying the Stroop test, although he chose to adopt reading reaction time tasks among participants. Dr. Anderson pointed out that many researchers in the media violence generally think that everyone who is high on trait aggression is influenced more by exposure to media violence than by anything else. In other words, the conviction among many scholars is that highly aggressive people are the ones who are most susceptible to the video games’ harmful effects. In the early years of video gaming, violence used to be cartoonish. In games such as Space Invaders and Wonder Boy, when a player killed an enemy, this would be shown by the unfortunate subject disappearing in a small explosion or a cloud of smoke and debris. At the time and with the technology that was current, these games were considered violent. Today, with improvements in technology, people no longer disappear in a cloud of smoke and debris. Today, enemies have to bleed before they die. The grotesque image of the corpse also has to appear, complete with a gunshot wound. A game such as Metal Gear Solid 2 portrays enemies performing elaborate maneuvers when a player shoots them. It is always thoroughly entertaining to shoot them at the limbs and to see them go limp, or to shoot at their radio, rendering it useless. Some people say that what has increased is the level of realism and not violence, since the aim has always been to shoot and kill anything that comes in one’s way. However, this very aspect of realism makes some forms of violence appear acceptable, for example, in Wonder Boy, and others unacceptable, for example, in Metal Gear Solid 2. Yet others do not notice any difference in various types of violence, insisting that violence of whatever nature brings about the same effect on society. Farrales highlights the views of General Everett Koop, a U.S. surgeon, who once claimed that home and arcade video games are among the top three reasons where there is family violence (4). There are many instances that would perfectly make Koop’s statement on the negative impact violent video games on behavior agreeable. However, there are also many instances that portray violence as having little or no any negative effects on the individuals playing them. Some kids play video games and end up becoming violent people. Others play them but do not become increasingly aggressive. These varying outcomes make it difficult for the effects of video violence on all players to be determined accurately. Meanwhile, the most undesirable aspects of violence in video games include lack of punishment for killing, constant killing and hurting of other people, and perpetual justification for killing other people. This situation makes players to start accepting killing as an acceptable means of solving problems. They are also made to believe that there is nothing wrong with violence. In other words, violence is desensitized, and players start seeing human beings as mere objects rather than human beings, thus drastically lowering their empathy levels. Of course older players can differentiate between fantasy and reality, but children cannot. Surprisingly, argues Anthes, these older people are affected by video games as well, though not in the same way as kids. Among kids, the violence contained in video games leads to increase in aggression. A common effect of video games is to make players developed abnormally high adrenaline rates, which may result to hyper-aggressiveness together with the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. Increase in adrenaline rates leads to stimulus addiction, a common response among children who are often immersed in violent video games. People who suffer from stimulus addiction require stimulation that is increasingly strong in order to attain the same emotional experience. Sometimes, this search for stimulation leads them so go looking for more violent video games. Meanwhile, the question of whether video games result in violence in the real world remains unanswered. Many parents are worried that violent games will not only bring about restlessness in their children, they will make them more violent their behavior as well. Farrales points out to the research that was done in 1998 on a group of children aged between 5 and 7 years (9). In this study, the children were observed to imitate during free play whatever they had experienced in video games. Children who had played games with violent themes were aggressive, while those who played active, nonviolent games reflected their experiences in their play. The level of stimulation in both cases appeared to be more profound in girls than in boys. This could be because, generally, males are exposed to violence more, making a significant increase in aggression to be more profound in females. Unlike TV or movies, which present a predominantly passive viewing experience, violent video games require an individual to shoot, stab, rob, and kill enemies actively. With a movie, even if one was to watch it several times, some additional details may be obtained but it is fundamentally about the same thing. With a video game, many things can be changed according to one’s way of thinking, level of play, and dexterity in pressing the control buttons. Fernandez points out that Cho Seung-Hui, a student who killed 32 people at the Virginia Tech Campus back in 2007, is reported to have been played video games obsessively, and many commentators have been instinctively linking game violence with the killings in the campus. Claims of Cho Seung-Hui’s stint with obsessive video games were debunked by the campus panel that investigated the killings. The obvious problem with the desensitization claim made on video games after the Virginia Tec incident is that millions of adults and kids play violent video games every day and they never engage in any violent behavior. In fact, during the past decade when video games have surged in popularity, violence by youth has declined. According to a study that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released, the number of school killings reduced considerably between 1992 and 2006. However, this is not where the debate ends. Although video games may not directly result in school shootings, it is undoubtedly strongly linked with aggressive feelings. Those who are opposed to computer and video games would want to see them censored. These people cite many reasons for their stance. They insist that over-dependence on video games fosters social isolation, since in some cases the games are played alone. They also point out that women are portrayed as the weaker sex, sexually provocative and always helpless. Moreover, game environments are always based on gender bias, aggression and plots of violence. Additionally, video games have inspired criticism because of the way in which they fail to provide actions that require creativity and independent thought. Instead, they confuse fantasy with reality. In most of these games, there is no alternative route to winning other than being a violent player. Furthermore, not surprisingly, academic achievement tends to be negatively related to the overall time that is spent playing computer and video games. Anand indicates that there is a correlation between use of video games and academic performance, if the grade-point average (GPA) and scholastic aptitude tests (SAT) on students who use video game are anything to go by (555). According to Anand’s study, there is a negative correlation between the time spent by student playing video games and the student’s SAT and GPA scores. The research findings presented by Anand suggest that video and computer games could be having a detrimental effect on the GPA of the individual, and possibly, on SAT scores as well. Although the results portray statistical dependence, it still remains rather difficult to prove a cause-and-effect relationship. This difficulty arises from the complex nature of academic performance as well as student life. In a New York Times article published on the November 15, 2010 edition, the question of whether stores should sell violent video games to minors was raised. Indeed, the question was not of the article writer’s own making, it was being debated by the Supreme Court in an attempt to determine what the writers of the Bill of Rights would have thought about a violent video game like Postal 2. In the New York Times Article, Adam Liptak wrote that the justices struggled to define the manner in which the First Amendment ought to apply to video games. A suggestion was made on the imposition of a $1,000 fine on all stores that continue to sell violent video comes to minors. The violence in the computer games, according to the Supreme Court, is characterized by acts of killing, dismembering, maiming, and sexually assaulting a human being’s image, in a manner that is ‘patently offensive, lacks serious artistic, scientific, political or literary value’, and appeals to the deviant and morbid interests of minors. In summary, the cons of video games by far outweigh the pros. There is a need for these games to be regulated, particularly with regard to access by minors. The regulation standards imposed by the ESRB should be revised to reflect the need to protect children and students from being lured into the world of aggressive video games.       Anand, Vivek. â€Å"A Study of Time Management: The Correlation between Video Game Usage and Academic Performance Markers†, CyberPsychology Behavior, 10.4(2007): 552-559. Anthes, Emily. â€Å"How video games are good for the brain.† The Boston Globe, NY Times Co., 12 Oct. 2009. Web. 18 Oct. 2010 Farrales, Bernard. â€Å"Violence in Video Games.† Violence in Video Games,   N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2010 Fernandez, Alvaro. â€Å"Playing the Blame Game: Video Games Pros and Cons.† SharpBrains, SharpBrains, 26 Sept. 2008. Web. 18 Oct. 2010 Gallagher, Richard. â€Å"Video Games: Cons and Pros.† Education.com. NYU Child Study Center, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2010. National Society Honor in Psychology, Sarah Howe, Jennifer Stigge, and Brooke Sixta interview with Dr. Craig Anderson: Video Game Violence, Web, (n.d) The New York Times, Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors? November 15, 2010.

The 5 Worst Ways to Hunt for a Job

The 5 Worst Ways to Hunt for a Job Doing everything right and still not getting the gig? Make sure you’re not breaking any of these five hard-and-fast rules before despairing. The problem could be your strategy! 1. Getting stuck in search enginesFor every online application you submit, try to find an ‘in’ somewhere instead. Troll your LinkedIn for personal connections. Reach out. Use your network. That direct introduction could be the difference between an online application and an actual interview. Instead of doing keyword job searches, sign up to get Job Matches based on your entire profile.2. Applying to everythingYou’re amazing and you’re versatile, but you’re not qualified for everything. Make sure you’re not applying blind to absolutely every job, no matter whether you are qualified. Or, if you don’t look right on paper but can make a case for yourself, try and reach out directly to the hiring manager. If you’re not matching up to job requirements, co nsider taking a class or honing a new skill for the next round of applications.3. Expecting a breakSure, you’re a fast learner. But sometimes a company wants to hire someone who can jump right in the ring. Being a â€Å"fast learner† is great, but don’t expect that that will always get you through the door. Focus your energy instead on convincing your interviewer why you’d actually be perfect for the job, rather than claiming you can catch up as you go along.4. Being too aggressiveOkay, we get it. You’re looking for work. But networking is networking. Allow time to build a relationship before sticking your resume in a new connection’s face. Try and build a real relationship before you start asking for favors- or a job!5. Calling too muchIf you haven’t heard anything, play it cool. A simple, respectful follow-up email checking on their decision-making timeline will do fine. There’s a difference between proactivity and desperatio n. Make sure you’re on the good side.If you’re guilty of any of these five faux pas, consider trying a new strategy. These common sense guidelines should be a productive start.5 Job Search Tactics You Should Stop Immediately

UPS Invests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

UPS Invests - Essay Example Many of these objectives are going to be attained by monitoring, fuel consumption which will mean that they will be able to use less fuel during their activities. Another thing that the company aims at by introducing the new technology is to encourage responsibility and accountability of their employees. With the new technology they will be able to monitor their activities throughout the world. There are a number of things that United Parcel Service is doing in the bid of embracing technology. They are fitting their delivery vans with sensors that enable them to collect data about the activities that these vans are involved in. For the data that is collected to be inclusive the sensors are installed various parts of the vehicles. The parts of the vehicles that are fitted with these sensors include: the brakes, engine boxes, and the accelerators. A combination of data collected from these parts can help in coming up with inclusive information on the performance of these vehicles. The data that they aim at collecting include information about the routes used by the vans, the amount of fuel consumed by the vans, and amount of time that the engines are left idle. Given that most of their parcel transportation takes place through air transport, they also aim at conserving flight fuel, moderating flight speed, and regulating the routes that are used by their flights. The sensors that are used by their trucks will also see to it that the consumption of fuel is minimized. Every morning the drivers are briefed on the data that was collected from the vehicle that they drive (Sobey, 2009). Apart from the briefing the company also offers advice to the drivers on things that they could do to make sure that their activities contributes to the sustainability of the company. There are a number of ways in which United Parcel Service will benefit from virtualization. The

Using the data and information from the Why we still love IKEA case Essay

Using the data and information from the Why we still love IKEA case study - Essay Example According to Kwapong (2005), IKEA’s diversification strategy has been characterized by a direction and a scope targeting long term achievement through configuration of resources for manufacturing of the best furniture to fulfill the expectation of the customers. As clarified in the above case study, it is very clear how IKEA has implemented the Bowman’s Strategy Clock model together with the diversification strategy effectively through organizational activities. From an organizational perspective, IKEA Company has diversified into production of varied types of types of furniture stationed at different outlets across the world (Verbeke, 2013; Plunkett, 2008). As such, it has been possible for an organization to charge affordable cost on organizational products while still able to meet the market demand. Using the Bowman’s Strategy Clock, the case study has pointed out that the company communicates the organizational contents while encouraging the customers to adop t the concept of building IKEA’s brands in the market. With the adoption of perceived value characterized by low pricing, IKEA Company has gained popularity in different outlets thus achieving the organizational competitive advantage. As such, it has embraced the Bowman’s strategy clock as a framework for achieving more edge against various competitors in the furniture industry. As mentioned below, IKEA has incorporated varied directions as part of the strategy to ensure that potential customers receive a more affordable pricing in the market clarifies (Thomson, 2009). Based on the In Doyle (2011) clarification, IKEA Company has never chosen to compete in the furniture trade. As such, it has embraced the concept of bargain basement since some of the organizational furniture has not drawn the element of differentiation in Asian countries. However, IKEA has won customers loyalty

Why Do Many People Choose to Illegally Download Music Essay Example for Free

Why Do Many People Choose to Illegally Download Music Essay Maybe it is all to do with the possibility at each one of us has purchased and album or a c.d. in the past with high expectations of it being all great, only to be completely let down and left un-impressed with your latest  £15 Investment which you and i both believe that is worth much less . Maybe then â€Å"steeling† that artists next album by downloading it for free from many different sources scattered across the internet is your way of letting them know of your frustration. If you dont like it , you have no loss i guess ! Should we be paying for music, still? The more I think about it, the more I question it all. But there is one thing I don’t question, as it is fact: when I get music and don’t pay for it, nobody but myself benefits. I am the only one coming out ahead. Ive paid nothing for what i have got. I’ve acquired something for nothing. Did I just steal? Is it stealing if I can justify to myself that it isn’t? Is stealing even wrong anymore? In this moderen day and age looking through the iPods of others i am fully aware that i am definatly not the only one that is not paying for the music that i have on my computer, does this mean that we are all criminals? But first, I’ll explain to you that I didn’t always purchase music. I’m sure you all remember The Pirate Bay. There were many other bit torrent sites avaiable at the time , however this is the one that has been brought to the publics attention over the past few years due to its founders being sent to court and charged millions in costs and left them facing a jail sentence. This site, as you all know, allowed people to download music for free. Well, as a teenager with little spare cash to actually buy albums, I just went ahead and downloaded and basically â€Å"stole† hundreds of songs for free. Aside from the personal benefits of purchasing music, I do it to support the artists that make it for me to enjoy. I’d like to think that if I poured my heart and soul into something, they’d return the favor by spending some money on it. It’s a sign of respect and gratitude. If I enjoy an artist’s music, why wouldn’t I purchase an album to support them so they can continue to make more music? Having said all this, I mentioned that I still download free music on occasion, and this is not something I’m ashamed of. The offering of â€Å"free music downloads† is a relatively new marketing technique first popularly attempted by Radio-head back in 2007 when they self-released their album In Rainbows online for a â€Å"pay what you want† price. Since then,  many musicians have adopted this marketing technique under the premise that if you allow people to pay a price of their choosing—even if it is zero dollars—more people will pay something for your album than if you have a higher, set price. There are many other examples and variations of this â€Å"free music† regime, including iTunes’ free Single of the Week, along with Starbucks offering a free iTunes download each week, as well. Several online artist friendly sites such as amazon.com have emerged, giving artists control over how much they wish to charge their listeners for their music, or if they want to charge them anything at all. This is all well and good, but it still begs the question of why we should pay for music, especially since some artists are willing to literally give it away? I read recently stated that musicians should no longer feel entitled to be compensated for their music. The argument to support this claim explained that nowadays, one can simply record a whole album on one’s computer avoiding the high costs of producers, recording studios, and mixing and mastering engineers. I think my point is clear: if we don’t invest in the arts by way of purchasing music, we will eventually extinguish the option of even listening to it. There’s only so long that musicians will be able to make quality music for the masses without being compensated or receiving funding for it. Thanks to the Apple’s revolutionary iTunes store, as well as sites like Amazon.com, this is no longer valid. All these sites allow you to purchase an artist’s single for between  £0.89  £1.00 per song. You no longer need to pay for a whole album to get those one, two, three songs you want and the ones that you like. This new format of purchasing music has also inspired bands to write and record better albums, as they can no longer rely on one radio single to sell their whole album when people can sample the thing on the internet and realize the rest of it isn’t any good. It’s a win for the artists and maybe even more-so for the fans. With all of the options these days for sampling and purchasing music that are both artist- and listener-friendly, it still surprises me how many people still aren’t willing to pay for music. I know that we all struggle with finances as students, and can understand that money is in short supply for many of us, so paying for something you can get for free doesn’t make a ton of sense; I just hope that if you are saving your money right now by not  paying for music, you’ll remember this and not hesitate to throw a abit of money in the way of the artist that have spent their own time, money and energy creating music for all of us to enjoy.

Topology Essay -- Math Mathmatics

Topology The two main figures of Topology, the spheroid and the torus. Shown together like this, they create the symbol for the sun in ancient times (2, 1). The field of mathematics encompasses many different sub-fields which have been studied and researched for a very long time. One of the most intriguing divisions of mathematics is topology. Topology, the mathematical study of the properties of objects which are preserved through deformations, twistings, and stretchings (4, 1), is rooted far back in time; so far back that it outdates all recorded history (2, 1). Modern topological mathematics was introduced in the late 19th century by a mathematician named Henri Poincare` (2, 2). Poincare` Pictures Henri Poincare` was born in Nancy, France in 1854. He received his education at The Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Superieur des Mines in Paris (8, 1). Poincare` then spent from 1879 to 1896 lecturing and teaching an array of fields ranging from physical and mathematical mechanics to celestial mechanics at both the University of Caen and the University of Paris. Although Poincare` was considered a physicist, his greatest accomplishments came in the fields of topology, differential equations, and probability, all mathematical fields (8,1). Poincare`’s greatest exposure to the public came in 1887, when King Oscar of Sweden announced that he would award 2,500 crowns to any man who could prove the stability of the orbital dynamics of our solar system. This was a great problem for the mathematicians of the day, and a very significant problem for every being on our Earth (2, 2). If the stability of the orbits could not be proven, one could not rule out the possibility of Earth be ing hurtled into space by the influence of the other p... ...logy and its functions. Works Cited Fauvel, John. MÃ ¶bius and his Band, Oxford University Press, New York, 1993. Gilmore, Tom. Mathematics of Topology, http://www.tomgilmore.com/z_top.htm, 4 pp., 12/5/99. Klein, http://history.math.csusb.edu/Mathematicians/Klein.html, 2 pp., 12/9/99. MÃ ¶bius Strip, http://www.treasure-troves.com/math/MoebiusStrip.html, 4 pp., 12/9/99. Paper Strip, http://cut-the-knot.com/do_you_know/paper_strip.html, 5 pp., 12/14/99. Poincare, http://euler.ciens.ucv.ve/English/mathematics/poincare.html, 2 pp., 12/9/99. 7. Poincare, Henri, http://www.treasure-troves.com/bios/Poincare.html, 1 p, 12/9/99. 8. Poincare, Jules Henri, Microsoft Encarta 1999 ed., Microsoft Inc. 9. Tarot FAQ Version 2, http://lonestar.texas.net/~r3winter/tarotfaq.html, 12/10/99. Topology, http://www.treasure-troves.com/math/Topology.html, 3 pp., 12/9/99.

To Miss C.O. Y R.

To Miss C. O. y R. by Jose Rizal (A Translation from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin) Why ask for those unintellectual verses that once, insane with grief, I sang aghast? Or are you maybe throwing in my face my rank ingratitude, my bitter past? Why resurrect unhappy memories now when the heart awaits from love a sign, or call the night when day begins to smile, not knowing if another day will shine? You wish to learn the cause of this dejection delirium of despair that anguish wove?You wish to know the wherefore of such sorrows, and why, a young soul, I sing not of love? Oh, may you never know why! For the reason brings melancholy but may set you laughing. Down with my corpse into the grave shall go another corpse that's buried in my stuffing! Something impossible, ambition, madness, dreams of the soul, a passion and its throes Oh, drink the nectar that life has to offer and let the bitter dregs in peace repose! Again I feel the impenetrable shadows hrouding the soul with the thick veils of night: a mere bud only, not a lovely flower, because it's destitute of air and light Behold them: my poor verses, my damned brood and sorrow suckled each and every brat! Oh, they know well to what they owe their being, and maybe they themselves will tell you what. Translated from the Spanish by Nick JoaquinSource http://joserizal. info/Writings/Poetry/poetry. lwp. htm#To%20Josephina%20%28To%20Miss%20C. O. %20y%20R. %29

Country of origin, consumer’s Perception and Brand Image Essay

Introduction The impact of country of origin (COO) on the consumer’s perception of products has been one of the most widely studied areas of international marketing. Increasing globalization of today’s business has resulted in unprecedented problems for manufacturers, marketers, and consumers (L. Y. Lin & Chen, 2006). The country of origin (where a product is made) touches both consumer evaluations of the product as well as the firm’s decision to manufacture its goods in certain countries and how to brand (Parkvithee & Miranda, 2012). Country-of-origin or in other words the â€Å"Made in† is a concept which states that people constitutes attitudes and believes shaping the perceptions to products from specific countries and this influences purchase and consumption behaviors in international markets. The â€Å"Made In† image is the picture, the reputation, the stereotype that businessmen and consumers attach to products of a specific country (Bilkey and Nes, 1982; Gaedeke, 1973; Johansson, 1989; Nagashima, 1970, 1977, Zain and Yasin, 1997). Country-of-origin image (COI) has a strong influence on consumer behavior in the global market, as it is associated with mass communication, personal experience, as well as brand image. COI is defined as the consumer’s perception formed of a certain product offering according to this offering’s country of origin (Samiee, 1994; Peterson and Jolibert, 1995, Leonidou et al, 1999). The country, the type of product, and the image of the company and its brands all influence whether the country of origin will engender a positive or negative reaction. A variety of generalization can be made about country of origin effects on products and brands. Consumers tend to have stereotypes about products and countries that have been formed by experience, hearsay, and myth (Piron, 2000, p. 308; Roth and Rameo, 1992, p.479). Stereotypes of country and the preference of customer influence the purchase intention. Political system, culture and the economy of the country can be a  cause of sensitivity to people (Teo, Mohamad, & Ramayah, 2011). For instance, in 2006, protestors across the Muslim world demonstrated against the publications of cartoon images â€Å"Prophet Mohammed† in a Danish newspaper therefore many boycotted Danish products and many supermarkets in Cairo removed Danish products from their shelves. The question that this paper will attempt to answer is â€Å"To what extent does the country of origin image affect consumer perceptions, brand image and purchase intentions†. Previous research indicates that consumers’ and businesses’ evaluations are based on their assessment of product cues, which may be intrinsic (taste, design, performance) or extrinsic (brand name, country of origin). Buyers often make judgments about product quality and purchase value on the basis of extrinsic cues, especially when it is difficult to evaluate the intrinsic value of a product. This justifies the reason behind using the country of origin as an extrinsic cue in order to judge any foreign product. This paper also aims to fill the gap between the impact of country of origin on the brand image, consumer’s perception and purchase intention, more specially; the research objective is to develop a better understanding of the effect of positive and negative country of origin image on consumer’s buying decisions. Literature background The impact of COO applies to products in general, classes of products, specific types of products, specific brands, image among developed countries, between developed and less developed countries, or among less developed countries (Bilkey and Nes, 1982; Prendergast, Chan and Tsang, 2010, p.181). Country image is ‘‘the overall perception consumers’ form of products from a particular country, based on their prior perceptions of the country’s production and marketing strengths and weaknesses’’ (Roth and Romeo, 1992; Koubaa, 2008, p.140). Brand-image has been described as part of branding strategy at the country level (Meenaghan, 1995; Koubaa, 2008, p.141). Consumers tend to recall the  stored information about the brand and the country in question and then they relate the brand name with the COO to form a brand image and infer the product evaluation (Scott and Keith, 2005; Koubaa, 2008, p.141). Brand image is the reasoned or emotional perceptions consumers attach to a specific brand. It consists of functional and symbolic brand beliefs (Dobni and Zinkhan, 1990; Koubaa, 2008, p.141). Brand image is made up of brand associations. ‘‘Brand associations are the category of brand’s assets and liabilities that include anything ‘‘linked’’ in memory to a brand’’ (Aaker, 1991; Koubaa, 2008, p.141). â€Å"The ‘essence’ of the brand is a single simple value, easily understood and valued by consumer† (Arnold, 1992, p. 17; Pappu, Quester and Cooksey 2006, p.697).When brands are competing in the international arena, marketing managers should understand how to maintain the core essence of their brand across international boundaries. Examining how country of origin impacts brand image and its associated dimensions (e.g. perceived quality, brand associations) should reveal the means to protect or enhance the core essence of a brand. The country of origin of a product is an important marketing element known to influence consumer perceptions as well as behavior. Conversely, an inferior country of origin could tarnish a brand name (Thakor and Katsanis, 1997; Pappu, Quester and Cooksey, 2006, p.697). That is, if the country of origin of a brand were to change from a country towards which consumers have favorable associations (e.g. the USA), to a country towards which consumers have less favorable associations (e.g. Mexico), the brand names in question could be tarnished and the consumer-based equity of these brands erodes. Johansson (1989) speculated that consumers may, depending their circumstances, regard the country cue as a silent attribute of the product in question and that this attribute may influence the consumer through affective processes, as in the case of individuals who hold strongly patriotic feelings about their own country (Han, 1988; Knight and Calantone, 2000, p.129), or through behavioral intentions via processes such as social norms (Fishben and Ajzen, 1975; Knight and Calantone, 2000, p.129). Johansson’s (1989) model is an important accompaniment to the empirical work of Han (1989). Household and organizational buyers’ perceptions of the quality and purchase value of products are more favorable when these products are designed and/or assembled in developed countries than when they are designed and/or assembled in a newly industrializing country. A basic premise of the COO effect is that consumers’ image of a given product’s COO influences their subsequent evaluations of the product (e.g. Gurhan-Canli and Maheswaran, 2000; Josiassen and Assaf, 2010, p.296) as well as their subsequent behavioral intentions to purchase or repurchase the product (e.g. Ouellet, 2007). According to Johansson, country of origin is an extrinsic information cue allowing buyers to make inferences about the intrinsic value of a product (Ahmed and Astous, 1995, p.38). Consumers are more likely to purchase products manufactured by countries having distinctive images for that product(s) rather than countries that do not possess a good reputation for producing the same product(s) (Roth and Romeo, 1992; Chuang and Yen, 2007; Ozmen, 2004; Ahmed, Zbib, Sikander and Noujaim, 2012, p.110). The values which consumers associate with a brand are significantly associated with both the macro- and micro-images of the COO of the brand (Pappu et al., 2007; Ahmed, Zbib, Sikander and Noujaim, 2012, p.110). According to Cordell, consumer preferences are more product specific for industrialized than less developed countries. COO becomes of less significance when the product is widely known (Cordell, 1992; Ahmed, Zbib, Sikander and Noujaim, 2012, p.110). The image of countries as origins of products is one of many extrinsic cues, such as price, brand name that may become part of a product’s total image. Country image in respect of customer purchase intention is one of the most significant subjects among marketers for supporting their manufactured goods. The attention to this issue is because many researchers have demonstrated that a country’s image influences the prior purchase decision of customers. These kinds of investigation about country image and other related subjects dates back over three decades in developed countries  (YAMOAH, 2005). According to Laroche et al. (2005) country image and product beliefs affect product evaluations simultaneously regardless of consumers’ level of familiarity with a country’s products. A product’s COO can have a significant effect on consumer’s purchase and consumption decisions. Further, causal observation indicates the importance of COO in many consumer goods, such as clothing, cars, and food products. For instance, some luxury products (e.g. perfumes, fashion clothing) are strongly and positively tainted by being labeled ‘‘Product of France†. Most of the researchers agree that the â€Å"Country of Origin Image† has a significant impact on consumers’ evaluations of product quality and willingness to buy a product (e.g. Bilkey and Nes, 1982; Han and Terpstra, 1988; Maheswaran, 1994) Conceptual development and hypotheses In this study, Country of origin is the independent variable of interest while the dependent variables include 3 main dimensions (perception, brand image and purchase intention) as shown in Figure 1. Each of these dimensions is expected to be affected by the country of origin image. Since the proposed model is being tested for a certain product category therefore, there relation between COI and the 3 main dependent variables will be affected by the product category in question. In other words we can say that Product category will moderate this relation. Country of origin image (COI) The history of country image dates back to 1970, when Nagashima wrote about it in an academic paper. In a statement about country image he defined it as a â€Å"special image, stereotype and standing, which customers have in their mind about specific country, this picture can be shaped by historical, economical and traditional variables† (L. Y. Lin & Chen, 2006). In addition, country image is one of the first variables that researchers test when it comes to foreign product as well as international business and consumer behavior studies (Kotler, 2011). Studying issues concerning country image  has been prominent in international business for many years (Laroche, Papadopoulos, Heslop, & Mourali, 2005). In our research we investigate COI as an independent variable in order to monitor its effect on buyer’s decision making process which involves two main factors consumer’s perception and purchase intentions and also to examine its influence on the brand image through examining the brand’s perceived quality and brand associations. Brand image Brand image is defined as ‘‘a set of perceptions about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in consumers’ memory’’ (Hsieh and Lindridge, 2005; Koubaa, 2008, p.140). Brand image is determined not by only the brand’s perceived quality, but also by a host of other factors such as product characteristics, packaging, advertising, price and schemas of the typical user. Purchase intention Scholars define purchase intention as personal action tendencies according to brand. They have also concluded that intention is different from attitude. While attitude means evaluation of products, intention is the person’s motivation in the sense of his or her intention to perform behavior. Another definition declares that purchase intention is the individual’s awareness to make an attempt to buy a brand (Shabbir, M. S., Kirmani, S., Iqbal, J., & Khan, B. 2009). In a very competitive global market consumers are facing a variety of alternatives when they decide to buy a certain product therefore it is important to consider COI as a factor that can influence the consumer’s purchase intentions Consumer’s perception Individual act and react on the basis of their perceptions, not on the basis of objective reality. Thus, perceptions are much more important. Perception can be described as â€Å"How we see the world around us†. Perception is defined as the process by which an individual selects, organizes, and interprets stimuli in to a meaningful and coherent picture of the world. Customers are individuals, and each customer perceives things differently in the same  situation. Perception of the product is more important than the product itself (Dave, 2013). Product category Consumers have associations toward entities such as products, places, brands and countries of origin. These associations can have direction and strength. For example, Farquhar and Herr (1993) argued that product category-brand associations can be bi-directional. That is, consumers may recall a product category when they think of a brand name and they may recall a brand name when they think of a product category. Product category-country associations, which refer to consumers’ ability to evoke a country when the product category is mentioned, are of interest when examining the relationships between country of origin and our 3 main dependent variables. Since consumers are known to associate countries with certain product categories and vice Versa (Terpstra and Sarathy, 2000), consumers’ â€Å"product category-country† associations appear to be bi-directional. Based on the literature review and our research objectives, a conceptualized model for this research was developed and is shown in Figure 1. Previous research results support the following relations: CI directly and positively impacts brand image (Roth and Romeo, 1992; Hsieh et al, 2004). CI directly and positively impacts purchase intentions (Laroche et al, 2005). Brand image directly and positively impact purchase intentions (Esch et al, 2006). Hypotheses H1: COO image significantly affects how consumers perceive the products H2: COO image has a significant influence on the formulation of the brand image H3: The country-of-origin asserts a significant impact on the consumer’s purchase intention. H4: Product category will moderate the effect of COO image on the purchase intentions, consumer’s perceptions, and brand image We expect that the perceived quality levels of a brand will vary by the country of origin of the brand. That is, the perceived quality level of Ericsson made in Sweden is likely to be higher than the perceived quality  level of Ericsson made in Mexico or Hungary, for the product category â€Å"mobile phones†. Furthermore, consumers’ perception of the quality of products is known to be product-category specific (Kaynak and Cavusgil, 1983; Pappu, Quester and Cooksey 2006, p.701) Furthermore, consumers’ product category is believed to moderate the effect of the country of origin on consumer-based brand image. For example, the consumer’s perception of a brand made in a country with positive COO image in a certain product category (e.g. car/Germany) is likely to be substantially higher than that for the same brand made in a country with a negative COO image in that same product category (e.g. car/Mexico), in cases where consumers perceive substantive differences between the two countries in terms of their product category associated with COO (Pappu, Quester and Cooksey 2006, p.702). As concerns brand-origin effects, Takhor and Lavack (2003) declared that brand-origin is one such cue that plays potentially important role in determining a brand’s image. Samiee et al. (2005) found that consumers classify brands with their COO basing on the brand pronunciation or spelling and its similarity with the brand-origin language (Koubaa, 2007, p.142). When the brand is created, it comes out to consumers in association with its brand origin (Koubaa, 2007, p.143). Farquhar and Herr (1993) claimed that brand image will have different dimensions in consumer’s mind (Koubaa, 2007, p.143). Because brands have different perceptions among consumers across brands and across countries of production, and consumers are likely to be different as they have different backgrounds and are under different circumstances of consumption; we expect that brand image will differ across brands and across countries of production (origin) (Koubaa. , 2007, p.143). Nowadays, the international trade market is very competitive and there are many new ideas on the market to attract customers. In this case, customers have many alternatives for buying products; however, there are many elements that have an effect on product success and customer purchase intention. Other researchers believe that purchase intention is â€Å"what we think we will buy† (Park, J. 2002). It also describes the feeling or perceived likelihood of purchasing the products that are advertised, moreover, purchase shows the level of loyalty to products. Other scholars like Daneshvary and Schower (2000) believe that purchase intention has a relationship with demographic factors like age, gender, profession and education (Lu, M. 2007). There is another statement that shows that particular features of products, perception of consumers, country of origin and perception of country of origin, all have an influence on customer purchase intention (C. L. Wang, Li, Barnes, & Ahn, 2012). Purchase intention can also be defined as the decision to act or physiological action that shows an individual’s behavior according to the product (X. Wang & Yang, 2008; Rezvani, Dehkordi, Rahman, Fouladivanda, 2012, p.208). Sample characteristics Respondents were asked in the end of the questionnaire to deliver some personal information related to gender, age, income and education. Thirty eight respondents participated in the investigation. Regarding gender, the sample was selected randomly. Females’ percentage was 57.9 while the males’ percentage was 42.1. As for the income category 15.8 percent earned less than 5000 LE per month, 34.2 percent earned between 5000 LE and 10000 LE while 50 percent earned more than 10000 LE per month. And for the education 5.3 percent of the respondents were high school graduates, 71.1 percent are bachelor degree holder, 23.7 percent are master degree holders. Data collection: Our choice of COI stimuli and our variables (BI, CP and PI) was guided by our conceptual framework, specifically we wanted to test and compare the effect of COI on the three variables shown in figure (1) to enhance the generalizability of our results. To test our hypothesis we asked Egyptian  consumers to answer a questionnaire (see appendix) with regards to the latest purchased items. In addition to hypothesis advanced in this study we explore the reliability of the measurements of each variable to conduct a reliable computation regarding each variable in the questionnaire. Reflective scales were to operationalize the constructs in our conceptual framework. Except for the demographic indicators (gender, age, income and education) Measurements  COI 1. economic development 2. Political structure 3. Industrialization 4. standard of living 5. Product made in this country is reliable 6. Products made in this country of good quality 7. Products made in his country Prestigious 8. It is great to have a products from this country Khosrozadeh Shirin and Heidarzadeh Hanzaee Kambiz, (2011), P.614 Consumer perception 1. Important/ not important 2. Overall quality 3. Durability 4. Technological sophistication 5. Prestigious Gray A. Knight & Roger J. Calantone (1999) P. 144 Brand image 1. brand X offers high quality 2. brand X offers reliable products 3. I feel proud to products from brand X 4. I trust the company which makes brand X (Aakar,1991, 1996; Yoo et al. 2000) Purchase intention 1. the possibility I will buy this product 2. the possibility I recommend this product Khosrozadeh Shirin and Heidarzadeh Hanzaee Kambiz, (2011), P.614 Product category 1. Expensive/ inexpensive 2. Good quality/bad quality 3. I look for the COO to choose the best product available in a product class Ravi Pappu, Pascale G. Quester, Ray W. Cooksey, (2005) Country of origin image We used Khosrocadeh Shirin 9-items scale. The 9-items of the scale measure the extent to which the respondent perceives a particular product category from a particular country to be a good purchase choice, of high quality better than the same product category originating from other countries. The COI is formed according to the economic level of the country, the political system of the country, the standard of living and finally the technological advancement of that country. The items are anchored with strongly agree and strongly disagree. The scale displays lower reliability (ÃŽ ± = 0.66). In comparison with the previous studies reliability, our scale measurements are lower (Alpha = 0.83). Consumer perception We used five items scale from Ali Riza (April 2006). The items measure the importance of looking for COI as an external attribute. It also measures the perceived quality of the product from a certain country, so as the consumer’s association of COI with the technological sophistication of the product, and finally if they don’t have knowledge about the product’s COO; whether they will refuse to purchase the product or agree to purchase this product. The items anchored strongly agree and strongly disagree, the scale displays a good reliability (Alpha = 0.75). In comparison with the previous studies reliability, our scale measurements are lower (Alpha = 0.92). Brand image We mapped the brand image depending on two main indicators; brand perceived quality and brand associations using Aaker, 1991, 1996; Yoo et al. , 2000.  Seven items scale including the brand’s good quality, reliability, durability, its excellent features and prestige. Items was anchored with strongly agree and strongly disagree, the scale displays a good reliability (Alpha = 0.74). In comparison with the previous studies reliability, our scale measurements are higher (Alpha = 0.70). Purchase intentions The purchase intention was examined using Khostozodel Shirin. Two items scale including the possibility of the purchase and the recommendation of the purchased product. Anchored with very low and very high, the scale displays a very good reliability (Alpha = 0.89). In comparison with the previous studies reliability, our scale measurements are higher (Alpha = 0.87). Product category The research investigated the product category variable using Ray W. Cooksey, 2005. Scale with four items including the value of certain product category relative to the COI, the importance of this product category and whether it depends on the COI or not was also investigated. And finally the choice of the product class according to the COI. Ray W. Cooksey research suggested that four items scale are adequate when measuring this moderating variable. It was examined according to five-point likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The scale displays a very poor reliability (Alpha = 0.5) which was very close to the researcher’s reliability (Alpha = 0.56) Correlation Analysis Correlation coefficient of Pierson was applied to study the relation between constructs. The results are listed in Table 3. As it is stated in the table, Pierson coefficients between constructs are significant at 95% confidence level. Several of the constructs in the research were correlated. The highest correlation was 0.36, which was between the COI and brand image, and also between the consumer’s perception and brand image. This correlation appears to be weak, positive and significant, while the lowest correlation was 0.08, which was between COI and consumer’s perception. This correlation appears to be weak, positive and insignificant. Correlations between our independent variable â€Å"COI† and the other 3 main dependent variables are as follows: there is a weak and positive yet insignificant correlation between the COI and consumer’s perception (0.08). The previous studies findings concerning this correlation were (0.48) which is higher than our correlation. These analyses were conducted by (Knight, Calantone, 1998, p.136). When comparing the correlations between COI and brand image with the previous studies, we found that our correlation was significant, positive and weak amounted to (0.36) while (Ahmed, Zbib, Sikander, Noujaim, 2012, p.118) concluded that it was (0.344) which is lower than our correlation. Table (3) shows that there is a significantly weak positive correlation between country of origin and purchase intention with (0.28) while the previous studies correlation was (0.375) by (Shirin, Kambiz, 2011) there correlation was weak significant and positive. COI has a weak and positive yet insignificant correlation with product category amounted to (0.14). It also has an insignificant weak positive correlation with brand image and purchase intention while, it has a negative weak correlation with consumers’ perception. According to the previous studies; the interaction between COI and product category was insignificant  at (correlation less than 0.05). Indicating that the product category will moderate the relation ship between the COI and consumer’s perception, brand image and purchase intention (Pappu, Quester, Cooksey, 2006, p.705) Two new significant correlations were deduced from the analysis; the brand image has a significant, weak, positive correlation with the purchase intentions (0.27) and also with the consumer perception (0.36). The prior correlation corresponds with previous studies (0.53) which states that â€Å"Brand image directly and positively impacts purchase intentions† (bu Esch et al. 2006). In light of our findings it appears to us that; COI has a positive impact on focal country’s brand image. This would be the case for Germany that has a strong reputation for cars in general (product) but also produces strong brands like BMW or Mercedes. Alternatively, a country like Turkey may develop a strong reputation for a certain type of product, such as carpets, but lacks the relevant skills to turn this product-related capability into strong and well-known brands (strong product image/weak brand image) Conceptually interesting are also cases where a country, such as Austria, manages to develop strong brands, for example Red Bull or Swarowski, but is not at all well known for its expertise in the respective product categories (weak product image/ strong brand image). It would be of immediate benefit for companies operating in such countries to analyze whether image advantages accrued by strong brands can also be used to support other less well-known brands in these product categories. Hypothesis Testing To test the hypotheses of the research, we used the correlation analysis in table 3 as an indicator. This testing resulted in several significant correlation and other insignificant ones and this analysis enabled us to reject and accept our previously stated hypothesis statements. Hypothesis H1 stated that COO image significantly affects how consumer perceives the product. The major substantive finding from the correlation analysis is that the correlation between the 2 variables is insignificant therefore H1 is  rejected. This finding doesn’t confirm the predictions of previous researchers that the country of origin image significantly impacts the consumer perceptions (including two important dimension consumer’s attitude and beliefs). Gary A. Knight and Roger J. Calantone (1999,p.131) stated that COI is a significant antecedent of attitudes and beliefs which form the consumer’s perceptions related to the product in question and this appear to be insignificant in our hypothesis testing. Hypothesis H2 predicted the existents of a significant influence of the COI and the brand image. Our findings support this hypothesis therefore H2 will be accepted. The correlation confirms that the COI is directly related to the brand image which supports the previous studies findings (Roth and Romeo, 1992; Hsieh et al, 2004) which stated that CI directly and positively impacts brand image. Hypothesis H3 stated that the country of origin asserts a significant impact on the purchase intention. The result of the correlation analysis shows a statistical significant relation between the two variables which supports our hypothesis therefore H3 is accepted. This finding confirms with the predictions of previous researchers that CI directly and positively impacts purchase intentions (Laroche et al, 2005) and also with â€Å"the country of origin has a significantly positive impact on purchase intention† stated by ( Shirin; Kambiz, 2011 p.605). Hypothesis H4 offered that the product category will moderate the relation between the COI and consumer perceptions, brand image and purchase intentions. The results supported the predictions made in H4,therefore H4 is accepted. This confirms with the pervious studies findings (Pappu, Quester and Cooksey, 2005 p.705). Conclusion The verification of the hypotheses in this paper leads to five conclusions: (1) Country-of-origin image has an insignificant influence on consumer perceptions (2) Country-of-origin image has a significantly positive influence on brand image; (3) Country of origin image has a significantly  positive influence on purchase intentions; (4) Brand image has a significantly positive influence on both consumer perceptions and purchase intentions; (5) product category moderates the relation between COI and the other 3 variables. The country-of-origin effect is an environmental factor that firms have to deal with whenever they trade in non-domestic market. Yet we can do little to change COI since it is defined by a set of historical and cultural attitudes rather than by anything lying within the control of an individual firm. The good news, however, is that consumer place (COO) below such things as quality and reliability as factor influencing purchase decision for instance Mercedes make good cars but don’t necessarily transfer such positive impression to other German products. Our findings confirms that consumers use a product’s COO as a cue in purchase decisions but this cue can be superseded by the brand image which proves to have a significant relation with the purchase intentions. Also COI insignificantly contribute to the consumer’s perceptions of a certain products this means that other information about the product reliability, quality or brand image will take precedence over COI in determining how people perceive a certain product. So where does this leave us? Companies cannot ignore COO effect but equally they should not rely on those effects in the promotion of their brands because for instance simply being an Italian clothing brand may be an advantage but it isn’t enough for the firm to rely solely on it when promoting its products. Any advantage from COO needs reinforcement through the marketing process this justifies the weak positive correlation between the COI and the brand image. In conclusion, COI is just one of many factors that influence the consumer’s decision to purchase or not to purchase a particular brand. And, yet again we find that consumers do not place a huge emphasis on where a product comes  from- unless they have nothing else on which to base a decision. â€Å"The origin of a product has never been more important in the minds of consumers† (Winter, 2004, p. 46). â€Å"Ninety three percent said it is good to know the origin of products such as where it came from and who made it. People are no longer content to pay for something superficial and hollow† (Winter, 2004, p. 46). Holt et al. (2004, p. 96) Elaborated on this sentiment by stating that consumers expect global brands to tell the myth from the particular places that are associated with the brand. In this research we are presenting both point of views supporting and against the idea that COI is considered an important external attribute that buyers take into account when making a purchase decisions. The research did not attempt to support a certain point of view that is why the predicted hypotheses were not initially directional. One of the limitations of the study was the number of samples collected. In our research we managed to collect 38 questionnaires which are relatively small in comparison to our population. More over the age range and income level range were narrow ranges also the reliability of the measurements imitated from previous papers of 2 variables including product category and COI was very weak; future studies shall consider such limitations. Reference Adamantios Diamantopoulos, Bodo Schlegelmilch, Dayananda Palihawadana,(2011), The relationship between country-of-origin image and brand image as drivers of purchase intentions. Ahmed, d’Astous, (1994), Comparison of country-of origin effects on household and organizational buyers’ product perceptions. Alexander Josiassen, A. Assaf, (2009), Country-of-origin contingencies: their joint influence on consumer behavior. APIL, (2006), Foreign Product Perceptions and Country of Origin Analysis across Black Sea; Studies on Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey Gerared P. Prendergast and Alex S.L. Tsang, (2010), The interactive influence of country origin of brand and product involvement on purchase intention. Hong, S. and Wyer, R.S. (1989), â€Å"Effects of country-of-origin and product attribute information or product evaluation: an information processing perspective Kamal Ghalandari and Abdollah Norouzi , (2012), The Effect of Country of Origin on Purchase Intention: The Role of Product Knowledge. Katja Jà ¤rvelà ¤inen, (2012), Effects of Country of Origin on Consumer Product Evaluations. Khosrozadeh Shirin, Heidarzadeh Hanzaee Kambiz, (2011), The Effect of the Country-of-Origin Image, Product Knowledge and Product Involvement on Consumer Purchase Decisions. Knight, Calantone, (1999), A flexible model of consumer country- of- origin perceptions. Pappu, Quester, Cooksey, (2005) Consumer-based brand equity and country-of-origin relationships. Piron, (2000), Consumers’ perception of the country of origin effect on purchase intentions of (in) conceptions products. Rezvani, Rahman, Fouladivand, Habibi,(2012), A Conceptual Study on the Country of Origin Effect on Consumer Purchase Intention. Schaefer, (1995), Consumer knowledge and country of origin effects. Zafar U. Ahmed, Imad J. Zbib, Arif Sikander, Ralph Gilbert Noujaim, (2012), Does country of brand origin (COBO) matter for the Lebanese consumers?

Career Development Plan

Career Development Plan Free Online Research Papers After much deliberation a new compensation plan for the five new sales team members has been constructed. This compensation plan is the result of the InterClean management rating each sales staff team member according to five criteria. The categories are skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions. This proposal will discuss the new compensation plan components, why those components will work and three aspects that comprise a total benefits package for the sales team. Evaluations of skill sets among the five selected candidates were considered first. Experience was used as a basis by which relevant performance was evaluated. Dennis White, Eric Borden, Terry Garcia, Tom Gonzalez and Shane Huck all have at least five years of sales experience with sanitation products/services. Dennis White who is a year shy of that mark has past sales experience in the auto industry that lends creditability to his sales technique. Sales records of each of the five selected represent a lucent customer service based approach that is in line with the business goals of InterClean. Effort in maintaining and representing the overall business goal of InterClean, the focus on sanitation packages that provide total solutions for our customers is represented well by these salespeople. Desired result of management was to assemble a sales team that combined the forward looking aggressive approach of InterClean sales strategy with the long-term customer care approach of Env iroTech sales staff. InterClean believes that goal has been accomplished by choosing these five salespeople. Responsibilities of these candidates in their past positions differ somewhat but share common ground generally. Shane Huck and Tom Gonzales bring managerial experience to the table from both sides of the merger. This allows comparison of strategy and technique. Dennis White, Eric Borden and Terry Garcia all share long sales representative experience thus providing a cumulative knowledge of sanitation solution expertise in excess of 24 years. Working conditions for each of the sales staff have been similar with a slight difference in the products that were being represented and the scope of the clientele. The new compensation plan was devised by using a competency based system. This was decided upon to provide flexibility with assignments. Because it allows for evaluation based on specialties like customer service and generalities like overall product knowledge this system works well for InterClean sales staff who represent both these attributes in their sales approach. Additionally tying compensation to contributions InterClean will be able to retain highly successful salespeople that are capable of cross training employees from various departments who are ready for more responsibility. 60 percent of each team members compensation will be base pay 10 percent will be in the form of profit sharing (stock options) 20 percent will be â€Å"at risk† compensation that is flexible an example is additional time off with pay. The remaining 10 percent will be comprised of team output. Incentives for successful team performance allow each team member to receive a bonus that is linked to the overall success of the team. Because the job function of each salesperson is interrelated at InterClean this portion of the compensation package allows for fair distribution of bonus money to the most successful team. InterClean will offer a total rewards package to each sales team composed of the following. Team based variable pay, profit sharing and pay according to skills. Sales teams will be ranked by customers internal and external as to their performance and attention to customer needs. Quarterly achievement of objectives and observation by management of situations requiring specialized attention will also be used to rank sales teams. This system will help establish a high performance standard by allowing teams to profit from work in line with the InterClean business direction and overall plan. Benefits of incentives attached to team performance encourage cooperation between salespeople. They also reward employees who are paid only a base salary. Disadvantages are increased competition between teams. Difficulty in recognizing individual contributions which could lead to some individuals becoming less motivated. There also is the possibility that top performers can become jaded as to their contributions and start feeling as if they are carrying less productive members of the team. Much effort has been given to the establishment of this compensation package for the sales teams. InterClean management believes this system will provide excellent rewards that are fairly distributed among sales staff and focused on the business goals of the organization. Research Papers on Career Development PlanThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part OneAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Hockey GameInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfTwilight of the UAW

Commodore Isaac Hull in the War of 1812

Commodore Isaac Hull in the War of 1812 Born March 9, 1773, in Derby, CT, Isaac Hull was the son of Joseph Hull who later took part in the American Revolution.  In the course of the fighting, Joseph served as an artillery lieutenant and was captured in 1776 following the Battle of Fort Washington. Imprisoned in HMS Jersey, he was exchanged two years later and assumed command of a small flotilla on Long Island Sound.   Following the end of the conflict, he entered the merchant trade sailing to the West Indies as well as whaling.   It was through these endeavors that Isaac Hull first experienced the sea.   Young when his father died, Hull was adopted by his uncle, William Hull. Also a veteran of the American Revolution, he would earn infamy for surrendering Detroit in 1812.   Though William wished his nephew to obtain a college education, the younger Hull desired to return to sea and, at age fourteen, became a cabin boy on a merchant vessel. Five years later, in 1793, Hull earned his first command captaining a merchant ship in the West Indies trade.   In 1798, he sought out and obtained a lieutenants commission in the newly re-formed US Navy.   Serving aboard the frigate USS Constitution (44 guns), Hull earned the respect of Commodores Samuel Nicholson and Silas Talbot.   Engaged in the Quasi-War with France, the US Navy sought out French vessels in the Caribbean and Atlantic.   On May 11, 1799, Hull led a detachment of  Constitutions sailors and marines in seizing the French privateer Sandwich near Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo. Taking the sloop Sally into Puerto Plata, he and his men captured the ship as well as a shore battery defending the harbor.   Spiking the guns, Hull departed with the privateer as a prize. With the end of the conflict with France, a new one soon emerged with the Barbary pirates in North Africa.   Barbary Wars Taking command of the brig USS Argus (18) in 1803, Hull joined Commodore Edward Prebles squadron which was operating against Tripoli.   Promoted to master commandant the following year, he remained in the Mediterranean.   In 1805, Hull directed  Argus, USS Hornet (10), and USS Nautilus (12) in supporting US Marine Corps  First Lieutenant Presley OBannon during the Battle of Derna.   Returning to Washington, DC a year later, Hull received a promotion to captain.   The next five years saw him oversee the construction of gunboats as well as command the frigates USS Chesapeake (36) and USS President (44).   In June 1810, Hull was appointed captain of Constitution and returned to his former ship.   After having the frigates bottom cleaned, he departed for a cruise in European waters.   Returning in February 1812, Constitution was in the Chesapeake Bay four months later when news arrived that the War of 1812 had begun.         Ã‚   USS Constitution Exiting the Chesapeake, Hull steered north with the goal of rendezvousing with a squadron that Commodore John Rodgers was assembling. While off the coast of New Jersey on July 17, Constitution was spotted by a group of British warships that included HMS Africa (64) and the frigates HMS  Aeolus (32), HMS Belvidera (36), HMS Guerriere (38), and HMS Shannon (38). Stalked and pursued for over two days in light winds, Hull used a variety of tactics, including wetting down the sails and kedge anchors, to escape.   Reaching Boston, Constitution quickly resupplied before departing on Aug. 2. Moving northeast, Hull captured three British merchantmen and obtained intelligence that a British frigate was operating to the south. Sailing to intercept, Constitution encountered Guerriere on Aug. 19. Holding his fire as the frigates neared, Hull waited until the two ships were only 25 yards apart. For 30 minutes Constitution and Guerriere exchanged broadsides until Hull closed on the enemys starboard beam and toppled the British vessels mizzen mast. Turning, Constitution raked Guerriere, sweeping its decks with fire. As the battle continued, the two frigates collided three times, but all attempts to board were turned back by determined musket fire from each ships marine detachment. During the third collision, Constitution became entangled in Guerrieres bowsprit. As the two frigates separated, the bowsprit snapped, jarring the rigging and leading to Guerrieres fore and main masts falling. Unable to maneuver or make way, Dacres, who had been wounded in the engagement, met with his officers and decided to strike Guerrieres colors to prevent a further loss of life. During the fighting, many of Guerrieres cannon balls were seen to bounce off Constitutions thick sides leading it to earn the nickname Old Ironsides. Hull attempted to bring Guerriere into Boston, but the frigate, which had suffered severe damage in the battle, began to sink the next day and he ordered it destroyed after the British wounded were transferred to his ship. Returning to Boston, Hull and his crew were hailed as heroes.   Leaving the ship in September, Hull turned command over to Captain William Bainbridge.   Later Career Traveling south to Washington, Hull first received orders to assume command of the Boston Navy Yard and then the Portsmouth Navy Yard.   Returning to New England, he held the post at Portsmouth for the remainder of the War of 1812. Briefly taking a seat on the Board of Navy Commissioners in Washington beginning in 1815, Hull then took command of the Boston Navy Yard.   Returning to sea in 1824, he oversaw the Pacific Squadron for three years and flew his commodores pennant from USS United States (44). Upon completing this duty, Hull commanded the Washington Navy Yard from 1829 to 1835.   Taking leave after this assignment, he resumed active duty and in 1838 received command of the Mediterranean Squadron with the ship of the line USS Ohio (64) as his flagship. Concluding his time abroad in 1841, Hull returned to the United States and due to ill health and increasingly advanced age (68) elected to retire. Residing in Philadelphia with his wife Anna Hart (m. 1813), he died two years later on February 13, 1843. Hulls remains were buried in the citys Laurel Hill Cemetery.   Since his death, the US Navy has named five vessels in his honor.   Sources: Biographies in Naval History: Isaac HullHeritage History: Isaac Hull

Ethics & International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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