Sneaky Secrets for Staying Awake in a Meeting

Sneaky Secrets for Staying Awake in a Meeting We have all been in that situation at some point in our professional lives. The voice of the presenter turns into a dull monotonous drone from some faraway place. A wave of darkness starts flowing towards you.Try as you might, you cannot fight it off.Eventually, you give in and the wave engulfs you. Your breathing becomes heavy and your eyelids close. It takes a colleague poking you on the side with a pen for you to get back into the boardroom.This is a common occurrence at the workplace, especially in today’s world where people have an endless list of obligations and responsibilities.The busy schedules translate to extended working hours and very little rest.When this is combined with red-eye flights and endless meetings, it is not surprising that we find ourselves dozing off during a meeting. Especially if the meeting is taking place in the afternoon, one of the two natural sleep periods.According to this infographic, 39% of meeting attendees report falling asleep during a meetin g. This clearly shows that dozing off during meetings is a serious problem.Before we get into some sneaky secrets you can use to keep your eyes open during a meeting, it is good to understand things that might cause us to fall asleep during a meeting.REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT FALL ASLEEP IN A MEETINGIf you find yourself falling asleep during a meeting, one of the following reasons may be to blame:You Are Warm and Your Stomach Is FullThe heavy lunch you ate before the meeting might be the reason you find yourself falling asleep during the meeting.After eating, the parasympathetic nervous system instructs your body to slow down other functions and focus on digesting the food you have just eaten.Other systems in your body â€" including your brain â€" start experiencing a slowdown. After eating, insulin is also produced to help regulate the amount of sugar within your blood. Insulin in turn triggers the release of serotonin and melatonin in your brain.These chemicals cause your brain to bec ome drowsy. The amount of insulin produced depends on the type and amount of food you eat.When you consume large helpings of foods that are rich in fats, sugars and carbs, more insulin will be produced, leading to higher levels of drowsiness.This effect is more pronounced when your body is feeling warm. This explains why more people are more likely to fall asleep during an afternoon meeting â€" the combination of just coming from lunch and the warm afternoon temperatures. You Are OverloadedIn today’s world, our work demands so much of us.Sometimes you find yourself with so much to do.This means that you have to work very early, leave way past the official closing time, take numerous trips, and so on.With such crazy schedules, sometimes you do not get enough time to sleep and rest.According to a poll by Gallup, about 40% of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night, despite a recommended sleep time of 8 hours.If you are among this 40%, there is a likelihood that you migh t find yourself dozing off the middle of a meeting.Boring PresentersOne of the top reasons why people fall asleep in meetings is due to a boring and unengaging presenter.Some presenters do not make any attempt to make their presentation engaging.According to a study conducted by the University of Tsukuba in Japan and published in the Nature Communications journal, the sleep we experience when bored is induced by a part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens.The nucleus accumbens triggers the release of dopamine (the feel good hormone) when you are doing something exciting, or when we are involved in activities that are important for your survival, such as eating or having sex.However, in the absence of motivational stimuli, the nucleus accumbens triggers feelings of tiredness.When you are bored, there is no motivational stimuli getting into your brain, no dopamine is being released and you therefore tend to feel tired and sleepy.This explains why you are a lot more likely to fa ll asleep during a presentation by a boring colleague who drones on and on in a monotonous voice.Not only is falling asleep during a meeting deeply embarrassing, it can also lead to you not being taken seriously by your colleagues and supervisors.If it becomes a frequent occurrence, it can even result in you getting fired.To avoid putting your career at risk, below are some strategies you can use to ensure you stay awake in meetings.THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE MEETINGEnsure You Are Well Rested We already noted earlier that almost 40% of Americans do not get adequate sleep. This lack of adequate sleep can lead to someone falling asleep during a meeting.Therefore, a good way of minimizing the chances of falling asleep during a meeting is to ensure that you always get a good night’s sleep.Make it a point of getting over seven hours of sleep each night. Without getting enough sleep consistently, no amount of caffeine will keep you awake when sleep comes knocking during the day.Getting eno ugh sleep also increases your energy levels and motivation and boosts your ability to communicate and socialize with others.Therefore, if you had a poor night’s sleep on the day before the meeting, you will be walking into the meeting with lower energy levels and lower motivation, making it harder for you to concentrate and stay awake during the meeting.Below are some practical steps you can take to ensure you get enough rest each night:You should have a regular sleeping schedule. Have a specific time when you go to bed and wake up each day.Spend the hour just before bed in relative quietness and relaxation. Do not exercise just before bed. Instead, relax yourself by taking a hot shower or meditating.Avoid thinking about the worries of the day while in bed.Keep TVs and computers away from your bedroom. Avoid using your smartphone or tablet while in bed.Do not take heavy meals right before bedtime.Do not drink alcohol right before bedtime.Avoid caffeine and nicotine, since they can interfere with your sleep. Caffeine will remain active in your body for up to 8 hours, so avoid caffeine in the late afternoon/early evening.Make your bedroom conducive for sleep by keeping it cool, quiet and dark.Do not drink too many liquids in the evening since they might lead to frequent bathroom trips at night, thereby disrupting your sleep.Avoid Heavy Meals before MeetingsWe already saw that eating a heavy lunch that is full of carbohydrates is likely to leave you in a near comatose state for much of your afternoon.This is bad news if you have a meeting in the afternoon.Therefore, if you have a meeting scheduled for the afternoon, it is wise to avoid having a heavy lunch.Do not eat multiple pieces of pizza, potato chips or a meal that would be perfect for Thanksgiving Day.Avoid foods that are greasy or full of carbohydrates. Instead, keep your lunch light. Eat some vegetables, raw nuts or a few fruits.These will give you the energy you need to keep you powered throughout the meeting without inducing the dreaded drowsiness.You should also go for foods with a high amount of protein. Protein-rich foods lead to absorption of lots of amino acids into the brain, giving you a stimulating effect that will help keep you awake during the meeting.Keep Yourself HydratedYour level of hydration keeps affects your performance, productivity and how you feel throughout the day. Without enough fluids in your body, you tend to feel tired, sluggish and irritable.Hydration also plays a huge role on your ability to sleep at night.Having enough fluids in your body keeps your brain hydrated and increases blood flow to the brain, thereby calming your brain and keeping it well oxygenated.This makes it easier for you to sleep. On the other hand, being dehydrated can keep you from sleeping properly at night, which in turn affects your energy and alertness levels the following day.Therefore, to ensure that you are always alert and well rested, you should make a habit of drinking pl enty of water and non-caffeinated drinks throughout the day.While caffeinated drinks like coffee might give you a stimulating boost, they will also dehydrate your body.Understand Agenda of the MeetingImagine being asked to attend a meeting at the last minute because your boss couldn’t make it to the meeting. You don’t know what the meeting is about.Once the meeting kicks off, you have nothing to contribute since you were not prepared.You start wondering why it had to be you who had to attend the meeting. Your mind drifts off, and before you know it, you have let out a huge yawn and your mind is on the verge of shutting down.If you attend a meeting without the faintest idea of the agenda of the meeting, you won’t have much to contribute. You might not even be very hands-on with the issue being discussed.This can quickly lead to boredom, which in turn escalates to drowsiness. To prevent this, it is good to prepare yourself before the meeting. Understand the issues that will be d iscussed during the meeting and prepare some points that you will share during the meeting, as well as questions that you might want answers to.If you are well prepared before the meeting, it will be easier for you to actively participate in the meeting, and therefore you are less likely to feel sleepy.THINGS TO DO DURING THE MEETINGParticipate In The MeetingOnce you get to the meeting, the top strategy to ensure drowsiness does not creep in is to actively get involved in the meeting.When you actively participate in the meeting, you will be more focused, your thoughts are less likely to wander, and you are less likely to feel bored during the meeting.For you to be able to be actively involved in the meeting, you need to have prepared for the meeting beforehand. Below are some practical tips you can use to keep yourself involved in the meeting:Listen carefully to whoever is speaking and make eye contact with them. This will help you to concentrate and keep your mind from wandering.Ta ke notes of whatever is being said. This makes it easier for you to stay engaged and ensures you will not forget the issues raised during the meeting.If you have something to contribute to the issue being discussed, speak up and share your thoughts. After all, what’s the essence of attending a meeting if you do not make any contribution?If you disagree with someone and feel that your objection will help the outcome of the meeting, raise your objection. However, do this politely, without trying to belittle the other person.If something is unclear to you, raise your hand and ask for clarification.Watch Your PostureThe sitting posture you assume during a meeting has a direct impact on the likelihood of falling asleep during the meeting.According to a study conducted by the University of Auckland, your posture has a direct effect on your emotional state. According to the research, maintaining an upright posture leads to feelings of enthusiasm, excitement and strength.On the other hand , a slouched or slumped posture leads to feelings of dullness, passiveness, sluggishness and sleepiness.Therefore, you are more likely to stay alert during a meeting by maintaining an upright posture during a meeting.Instead of a comfortable chair that allows you to recline, opt for a more straight backed chair that ensures that you are always seated in the correct posture.Place both of your feet flat on the floor and sit upright, without having to lean on the back of your chair for support.Sometimes, it becomes difficult to remain awake even when seated with an upright posture.If you feel that sleepiness is creeping in despite all your efforts to ward it off, you can simply get off your chair and stand at the back of the meeting room. You are less likely to fall asleep while standing.Additionally, it is unlikely that anyone will have a problem with you for standing during the meeting.Open a Window/Adjust the ACSometimes, the sleepiness and drowsiness you experience in a meeting occ urs because the room is a little too warm.When you are in a room where the temperatures are a bit high, several things happen. First, your body makes several adjustments to maintain its optimum temperature.The process of cooling down your body down needs energy, and therefore, you soon start feeling tired. Second, an increase in temperature within your body causes your blood pressure to decrease.This means that there will be less blood reaching your brain.Your brain will be less oxygenated and will therefore feel more tired.Finally, a warm room feels cozy, so your brain associates it with sleeping time, inducing feelings of sleepiness.If the meeting is taking place in a room that is a little too warm and you are starting to feel sleepy, simply get up and open a window or adjust the AC to regulate the temperature in the room. The fresh air and street noises from the open window will also help your mind to stay alert.In addition, the act of actually getting up and walking to the windo w will make you more alert and reduce the drowsiness.Use Acupressure According to a study conducted by the University Of Michigan, people who feel drowsy during meetings can improve their alertness by applying self-acupressure to certain stimulation points on their bodies. The most common stimulation point is at your temples, just behind your eyebrows.You can stimulate this pressure point by pressing this point on both sides of your head using your fingertips and making small circular motions.The second pressure point is found at the base of the skull at the back of your neck.To stimulate this point, wrap your fingers over your head and use your thumbs to massage this point using small circular motions.The area between your wrist and your palm is another stimulation point that can induce alertness when you are feeling drowsy. You can stimulate this point by pressing your thumb here, with your index finger placed on the back of your wrist.Finally, you can increase your alertness by r ubbing the web of soft flesh between your thumb and index finger.All these are exercises that you can use to increase your alertness during a meeting without anyone else realizing what you are doing.Take Off Some Extra ClothingThis might seem like common sense.However, when your head is cloggy with drowsiness, it is easy to forget something so basic.Being warmly dressed in the meeting wrong will increase your body temperature, causing you to feel tired and sleepy.If you have several layers of clothing, you can take off some layers. For instance, if you have a shirt and a blazer, you can take off the blazer.This will lower your body temperature significantly and reduce your drowsiness.Find Something To Interrupt Your Day DreamsIn most cases, the precursor to falling asleep in a meeting is daydreaming.Your mind drifts off, you start remembering some happy memory from the past, and before you know it, you are woken up by the voice of the CEO calling out your name.To avoid drifting off to sleep, you need to find something that will keep your mind from wandering. Below are three exercises you can do to keep your mind alert during your meeting:Exercise 1: Hold Your Pen in Your Non-Writing HandHolding your pen in your non-writing hand will create sensations that foreign to your brain. Your brain will focus on these new sensations, helping it remain alert.To make this exercise more effective, you should try to focus on the following sensations:Take note of the parts of your fingers that are in contact with the pen.Try to sense if there is any tension in your hand.Switch the pen to your wiring hand and compare the feelings.Try to write a few words with your non-writing hand.After a few moments of doing this, you mind should feel more alert.Exercise 2: Move Your Shoulders Up and DownSlowly move your left shoulder up and down. The movement should be large enough that you can feel your shoulder moving, but small enough that no one else will notice the movement.Keep increa sing the pace to the point where any further increase in speed will cause others to notice the movements. Slow down the movement and start involving your right shoulder.The shoulders should move in opposite directions, such that when the left shoulder moves up, the right shoulder moves down, and vice versa.Again, keep increasing the pace to the point where any further increase in speed will cause others to notice the movements. After a few moments of doing this, your mind should feel more alert.Exercise 3: Make Circles with Your ShouldersThis is quite similar to the previous exercise.However, instead of moving your shoulders up and down, move your shoulders in small circles, starting with your left shoulder. Try to keep the movement as circular as possible.Once you can do that perfectly, reverse the direction of the movement. Keep increasing the pace of your movements while keeping the movements imperceptible to the others in the room.Slow down again and switch to the right shoulder and repeat the process. Once you can make the movements perfectly with both shoulders, try and see if you can simultaneously move both shoulders in circular motions.Once you are able to do this perfectly, check how you feel. Your mind should be feeling more alert now.Take a Bathroom BreakSometimes, try as you might, it becomes impossible to keep the sleepiness at bay.If you have tried all the strategies discussed above and nothing seems to work, excuse yourself from the meeting and take a bathroom break.Even if you don’t feel like using the bathroom, excuse yourself and walk out of the meeting. Walk to the bathroom farthest from you, or take the stairs to a bathroom on another floor. Splash your face with cold water.This will get rid of your drowsiness and you can go back to the meeting. However, if you still feel sleepy after splashing cold water on your face, get back to your office or take a walk outside the building. Send an email apology to the meeting organizer and ask for a copy of the minutes of the meeting.It is a lot better to leave the meeting than get woken up by the CEO with a pool of drool around your face.CONCLUSIONFeeling sleepy in a meeting is quite a commonplace experience, especially when crazy schedules are coupled with afternoon meetings and boring presenters.However, the fact that it is a common experience does not mean that you should allow your drowsiness to take the better of your in the boardroom.Allowing yourself to fall asleep in a meeting can have dire consequences for your reputation and your career.To prevent the urge to fall asleep in a meeting, make a habit of getting enough rest, always keep yourself hydrated, avoid heavy meals before meetings and always understand the agenda of the meeting before walking into the boardroom.Once in the meeting, keep yourself actively involved in the meeting and sit with an upright posture, or even stand. If the room feels too hot, open a window, adjust the AAC or shed off a layer of clothin g.If the sleepiness persists, use self-acupressure to increase your alertness or find something to interrupt your daydreams.However, if you find that none of these works, it is more prudent to excuse yourself from the meeting than to let yourself fall asleep.

Automatic Sliding Glass Doors Whoosh Open - 1572 Words

Two automatic sliding glass doors whoosh open. You walk in, nervous and scared faces surround you. A stale bleach smell fills your lungs. Men and women, young and old dressed in varying shades of blue scrubs file paperwork, pound on a keyboard, or chat with patients families. You are in the Desert Springs emergency room in Las Vegas, Nevada. People say that it takes a special kind of person to work in the emergency room. Someone who can handle the most unsightly wounds, someone who can forget everything they’ve seen as soon as they walk out the door of the hospital, someone who works well under pressure, and someone who can put up a front to handle patients families even in worst case scenarios. But who really are these employees? Is it as easy as they make it seem to forget about a patient who you just witnessed take their last breaths or tell a crying mother that their son may never walk again? The emergency room was slow and sleepy, a patient limps in while others waited fo r bandages or medication for an allergic reaction. The nurses sat casually at a desk labeled â€Å"Emergency Room Check In†. Almost as though they had their own language, they barked orders at each other. â€Å"22 needs to be cleaned now† and â€Å"When was the last time alpha’s heart rate was taken in 4?† I approach a young female nurse who asked that I don’t use her name, we’ll call her Pixie because of her whimsical ear length hair style. I ask Pixie, â€Å"Is there some sort of unspoken ER language?† She looks

New Questions About Ielts Essay Task 2 Samples Answered and Why You Must Read Every Word of This Report

New Questions About Ielts Essay Task 2 Samples Answered and Why You Must Read Every Word of This Report Finding Ielts Essay Task 2 Samples Online Adding a number of the winning elements from the sample essays below will supply you with the additional marks you will need to be a high-scorer on the IELTS. No matter what kind of essay you're writing. Ultimately, writing a brief essay will enable you to return and repair any errors you have made. A well-structured essay has a fantastic introduction, body paragraphs that are simple to follow and connect together, and a great conclusion. The major body of the essay ought to be separated into three paragraphs. There was a massive gender disparity between faculties of distinct departments. An important distinction as you will notice below. The main reason why IELTS was made in the very first place was supposed to test the capability of a man or woman concerning the English language. The other thing, it is going to be helpful if you'll avoid informal means of writing like the use of abbreviations etc.. Knowing the common topics are able to help you get ready for the test better. Attempt to use the synonyms for the exact same instead, if you have to use the very same word. Before beginning writing, it helps to note down a couple critical words of vocabulary to help save you trouble later. You need to make certain you use the right verb tense and the proper aspect simple or continuous based on what you would like to say. The classical techniques of teaching always centered on the lecture format and examination. While planning you generate ideas and if you're well conscious of IELTS writing task 2 types, you can choose the appropriate structure too. It's wise that you go for a persuasive language as a way to communicate with the reader as it is an amazing convincing tool. The Ultimate Ielts Essay Task 2 Samples Trick If you're more interested in the end result of the action, then use the easy aspect. Planning and preparation reveal that you're deliberate about what you would like. If you would like to concentrate on the continuity of the action, utilize the continuous aspect. The info you make it from the Requirements can help you to better strategize. Ielts Essay Task 2 Samples Help! Certainly, money is a significant role in our lives. Certainly, it plays a n important part in our lives. So, for many, it may appear appropriate to marry for money as opposed to love. To a lot of men and women, it's appropriate to marry for money instead of love. Secondly, Facebook also has social groups that offer individuals an opportunity to meet and take part in discussions with those who share common interests. Find somebody who will supply you with accurate and beneficial feedback on your work. These steps would help you to get ready for the test in a more systematic and effective method. Thinking of good ideas is among the most difficult regions of the test for a number of people. If you wish to discuss general things which you do regularly, then you will need the current simple. Folks attend colleges or universities for a great deal of different factors. IELTS is among the most recognized examinations around the world. You may take my online IELTS Writing Practice Test anywhere on earth and find a score, corrections, and feedback in only two days. Below you'll find all you will need to accomplish a high score in IELTS Writing Task 2. My online IELTS Writing Practice Test will demonstrate how to improve by an entire band score in only two days. Writing requires a large academic vocabulary. Studying hard is excellent, but don't neglect to study smart. Train every one of the 4 regions of the exam (Speaking, Reading, Listening and Writing), even if you're excellent at a number of them. For that reason, it's better to think while writing too, not merely afterwards.

Indian Marketing Environment Free Essays

string(77) " less as they save resources to fund the higher education of their children\." Indian Marketing Environment Indian Marketing Environment For Global marketers India is not just a single country, it is further divided into tow different countries. India and Bharat. India is looked and appreciated by the whole world. We will write a custom essay sample on Indian Marketing Environment or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is growing at the second fastest rate, Its a outsourcing hub, skilled workforce, Nuclear and space power and everything to become a world power. On the other hand, Bharat invovles poverty, Illetracy at high levels, Corruption, Mismanagement, Violnce between releigions and like that. So in this way whosoever desires to enter in the indian market must realize both the faces of this country. They should realize the serious challenges of doing business here like segmenting the market properly, Understanding country’s social and cultural issues, getting through government beaurocracy and understading economic and political situation. There have been bunch of examples of companies who have tried to enter in Indian markets without taking care of these issues and have failed badly. Now before understanding Indian Marketing Environment, it is important to understand what is Marketing Environment. Marekting Environment consist of factors and forces outside or inside the organzation that affect its business in the market. The marketing environment is divided into tow different environments. 1) Micro Environment: It consist of factors lose to the company that have a direct impact on the organization strategy. This includes company’s suppliers, distributors, customers and competitors. 2) Macro Environment: It consists of larger societal forces. And these are beyond the control of the organization. These shape the characteristics of the opportunities and threats facing a company. For example, Economic, Cultural, Political, Demographic and Technological. Demographics Environment It is the study of the peoplein terms of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, and location. Demographic characteristics strongly affect buying behaviour. The current population of India is 1. 18 billion and it is the seond most populous country in the world next to China. And it is being projected that by 2010, it will overtake china with 1. 53 billion. Obviously that’s not a good news but for marketers there lies lots of opportunities. Fast growth of population accompanied with rising income means expanidng markets. And among this 1. 18 billion population, more than 50% are below 25 years of age. and hat is the reason why why tere is tough ompetition in the area of soft drinks, networking sites, stylish mobile handsets, job portals and all. Estimated in 2008, around 71% population lives in rural areas even after so much migration to urban cities and that is the reason why low cost brands have started targeting rural cummunityites. They put Camps, Haat in melas to promote their products. Literacy rate, as estimated in 2009, for men it was 76. 9% and for women it was 54. 5%, thoug there is still wide gender disparity, but it has been observed that growth in women literacy rate is more than men’s. So women is another big target for marketers. Specially for home based products, as we know women is the chief person to select them for her home. Now, In India diffrent behaviour of diffrent age group has been observed which is mentioned below. Adolescents: The new-age teens are marketers delight. They do no earn but they are fond of spending. They spend lavishly on clothes, eating out, latest gadgets and are very keen t keep up with their friends in terms of possessions and lifestyles. They do not feel guilty of spending their parents money and put pressure on their parents to shell out money for them. They feel they need to have a life of their own, and it should not be denied to them just because they are not earning. Youth: The current youngsters are growing in a more media-influenced, brand conscious world thn their parents. Companies have to take their messages to the places where these youngsters frequent, whether on the internet, in a cricket stadium, or television. They do not mind information reaching them but they will reserve their right to make their choices. They know what they want from their lives and the product or servies they buy. They hate to be persuaded and influenced. therefore companies would do well to leave them alone to make thier choices. They create their own website, make movie with their own webcam, post their thoughts, pictures and writing online. Since they are sure about what they want, they prefer customized products and services. Companies are realizing that they have to provide something unique and deeply personal to in thier loyalty. People between 35 to 45: People in this age group are settled in their professions and have toddlers and growing children in thier home. The exert themselves in their profession because they realize that their career is likely to take off at this stage. They put in long hours at office and they have to juggle endlessly between their responsibilities as spouses and parents and growing responsibilities at work. Parents may be staying with them or they may be living in different city. Income of the people rises at a good rate and they are good spenders. Some of them may be buying their nfirst car while most of them thinking of upgrading their cars. They are also open to new gadgets for themselves and for households. People in this age group want to live a good life and are constantly on a buying spree to improve their lifestyles. They dress well, dine out frequently, and look for opportunities to go on holidays. These days they are also keen to buy new houses very early in thier lives. They also plan to retire early, and they plan thier finances accrodingly. People Between 45 to 60: Some people in this age group are at the peak of their careers while some others are struggling to keep thier jobs. Children beome major priority for people in this age group. They spend less as they save resources to fund the higher education of their children. You read "Indian Marketing Environment" in category "Papers" They are also worried about their own future and make a last-ditch efforts to put a retirement plan in place. People above 60: People in this age group live on a steady income. Some of them live with thier grown-up children and are part of their household. They do not spend much on themselves. Their family looks after their requirements. Most of their money spent on buying gifts for their children and grand children. They have to spend a substantial part of their earnings on health-related issues and domestic help. Political Environment The political-Legal environment of a country is influenced by political structures and organizations, political stability, government’s interventions, constitutional provisions, government’s attitude, foreign policy. Businesses feel helpless in countries where contracts cannot be enforced by the judiciary of the land or it takes excessive timein the judicial proceedings. Governments will need to provide an environment in which businesses can flourish. In turn, government needs businesses because the marketplace generates taxes. In this way government and businesses need each other. Also every aspect of marketing mix is subject to laws and restrictions. As in any part of the world, political influence is highly essential to start a business in India. Especially if you are planning to start a multi billion business, some sort of political patronage is an absolute necessity. Not only for safeguarding the interest of the company but even to begin the process of getting the required sanctions, one requires hold in the high echelons of politics and administrative circles. Indian society is highly plural. It is the biggest democracy in the world with multi party political system. During the last couple of decades, India has opened its market to world. It has absolutely become an open global market. Banking sector, Insurance sector and all fields of industrial and business are now open for multi national investment. Of course there are many obstructions to cross. And mostly all issues can overcome and establish business if you have the political patronage. India has a plural political system. With numerous political parties, national level and state level, it is very difficult to get a consensus among all parties for starting any business. Also these political parties have patronage of many factors, caste, creed and ideologies. There are political parties with left centric communist ideologies; they are totally against direct foreign investments. But other parties, who are main ruling coalition partners, have right centric ideologies and open for foreign investments. In most of the states, mostly local political parties are ruling. Political parties require financial patronage from big business establishments. Many constituent states have realized the need for foreign investments in their state for a growth oriented economic situation. Hence the climate has changed a lot in India. So many privileges are offered to entrepreneurs to start business. With all these facilities, still political patronage is a must to start a business in India. Even after establishing the business, for a proper running of the business, political help is essential. It is mainly to sort out issues related to local taxes, labor problems and many such issues affecting the normal working of the companies. Some exapmles in which the government interfere has changed the way people did business †¢ India food items need to put Green dot for all vegetarian items and a Red dot for all non-vegetarian items. All the packaged products need to have MRP(Maximum Retail price) on their package. †¢ Auto industries had to introduce expensive emission control in thier car-Euro II compliance †¢ Public transport in delhi like autorickshaws and buses have to use only CNG in place of Petrol or Diesel. †¢ Introduction of VAT in Delhi †¢ RB I various guidelines to credit cards companies †¢ Introduction of 3G technology †¢ And very recently, India has asked RIM (Research in Motion), maker of Blackberry, to install its server in India for tracking its messenger enterprise mail services. nd if they don’t do so, there services will be banned, which will affect their business in India. Social-Cultural Factors Social factors influence the products people buy, the prices they are willing to pay, the effectivness of speific promotions and how, when and where people purchase products. They change gradually and some changes will be imperceptible if not watched closely. That is the reason why it is most difficult variable for marketing managers to forecast, influence and integrate into marketing plans. One thing India faces no competition is its varied culture and heritage. It has great diversity in cultural practices, languages, customs and traditions. In india people before starting a new business consult astrologers. Supersition are a part of life like they avoid eating non-vegetarian on Tuesdays due to some releigious reasons. People here consider cows a holy animal and it is worshipped and this is the reason behind failure of KFC in India in 1997 when they inroduced Beef items in their Menu. Values: A value is a strongly held and enduring belief. In India a person’s values are key determinants of what is important and not important to him, how he reacts in a particular situation and how he behaves in a social situations. Today educated Indian consumer do not tolerate ineffective products and sloppy behaviour of marketers. He has become more inquisitive, discriminating and demanding. Comapnies should learn to expect tough customers. Time Starved Customers: Today many customers place value of non-material accomplishments, such as having control over their lives, and being able to take a day off when they want. As work life gets longer andstressful, people are spending their leisure time recuperating. Casual Frdiays and Home offices are further blurring the boundaries between work and leisure. People will increasinly place more value on time than money. Multiple Lifestyles: Today People lead multiple lifestyles. They choose products and services that meet diverse needs and interests rather than conform to traditional streotypes. A person can be a teacher and also a a gourmet, fitness enthusiast and so many other things. Each of these lifestyles is associated with different products and services and is a otential customer for companies. This has increased the complexities of consumer’s buying habits. A person may go on holidays to exotic holiday locations and may spend a fortune to travel, but may dine in very ordinary restaurants. Changing structures of Families: The growth in the number of working women means an increase in dual-income families. These families have greter household income but less time for family activities. More working women has meant an inreasing demand for time-savng devices and products, particularly for th kitchen. It is being discovered that cost is more prominent in deisions made by women, whereas quality is relativly more important to men. This will have important influence when comapnies design marketing mixes for products where the women is prime decision maker. Some examples hwo this factor has affected the market: †¢ Hindustan Unilever limited markets different blends of tea under the same brand name to address the regional preferences of consumers. †¢ Gits India specialized in supplying gourmet mixes to housewives, knows the taste well of North South India. MTV facebook, CNN, Discovery has completly changed the values of Indian consumers. †¢ Automobiles Insurance companies potrays themselves as a family product in their advertisements. Natural Environment Natural environment includes factors such as seasonal variations, climatic differences, soil conditions and natural terrain. In consumer markets, the natural environment affects companies because of the differences in the nature of products bought by consumers due to variations in seasons and climate. In difficult terrains like hilly areas, it is difficult and expensive to get products to the customers.. It becomes more expensive to build distribution channels for companies whose target markets are geographically disperse. There are so many environmental issues in India for example Extinction of Tigers, Pollution in urban cities, Water shortages, Deforestation etc. So a company raising even a single issue could do well here. How can we forget to mention Idea’s initiative to save paper by usine mobile phones. Its outstanding advertisements promotional campaigns has really catched our attention. Government also doing thier best to save our environment like PUC(Pollution under control) is must for all the ehicles, soap industry must have to increase its biodegrability, strict laws against killing tigers, encouraging use of solar energy in big government head offices. Technological Environment Technology is practically everywhere today-it has changed the way we prepare food, we buy our clothes, and we build our homes. It has changed the way we send our posts, we take our exams, w e fill up our forms and the way we resort to comfort and entertainment. Computers, the most visible impact of technology have come a long way from being huge machines locked up in a room to tiny palmtops with more features added everyday. It has all the functions of a calculator, a music player, a home theatre, a video camera and practically a better tool than a pen and a sheet of paper. With more features and functions, computers have led to loss of jobs for millions. In this context, we can look at the impact of technology, especially computers, in the Indian context. Cloud computing, Voice over internet, online social involvement, 3G technology, E-banking are some of the remarkable technological improvements that has changed the lifestyles of Indian consumers. Today companies offering outdated or obsolete technology couldn’t survive. People are demanding up-to-date gadgets and gizmos. And this is something learned very well by Nokia in India, which introduces new and innovative handsets every month. In case of banking transactions, Earleir people used to go to banks for each transactions. Then they start doing it over the internet at home or offices and today they are demanding banking on the move i. e. on thier mobile phones. Also IT sector has made india one the biggest outsourcing hub in the world. So basically if a company wants to survive and stay ahead in India market, it needs to keep developing new products through its R. Econmic Environment The economic environment can have a major impact on businesses by affecting patters of Demand and Supply. Companies need to monitor these indicators to survive in the market. Income of Indian consumer has increased and now they are more and more high standard of living products. That is the reason why Harley Davidson, Porshe has set up thier showrooms here. After inflation next issue is Infation which is rising at constant speed increase in prices of fuel, Food items has really impacted producers here. How to cite Indian Marketing Environment, Papers

Rise And Fall Of An Inner Prodigy Essays - Two Kinds,

Rise And Fall Of An Inner Prodigy Rise and Fall of an Inner Prodigy An ?angry and powerful? girl glares back at Jing-Mei in the bathroom mirror (Tan 1066). The girl is her newly discovered prodigy: a force that comes from within that could potentially empower her to unlimited heights of personal growth and success. Unfortunately, Jing-Mei, the daughter in Amy Tan's ?Two Kinds?, only allows her will to manifest into a weapon of ?won'ts? to lash out at her mother with (Tan 1066). She does not think to create goals of her own because her only drive is to prove her mother wrong, act out in hurtful ways, and sell herself short in the process. Jing-Mei is determined to prove to her mother, self, and family that her mother has no right to have pride and faith in her. After bragging to her sister about how her daughter plays the piano day and night, Jing-Mei's mother and piano teacher, Mr. Chong, arrange to have her perform at a talent show. Paving the way for her mother's shame and her own embarrassment, Jing-Mei does not apply herself to practicing and memorizing the piece she is to perform. The night of her performance, she is so taken with how pretty she looks that she forgets she can't possibly do well. She is even ?surprised when . . . [she] hit the first wrong note? (Tan 1070). Even though Jing-Mei is embarrassed and ashamed, her lasting impression is her mother's devastated expression and damaged pride. Jing-Mei, sacrificing of her own pride, succeeds in proving her mother wrong to all. Jing-Mei utilizes her will and perseverance as a weapon to hurt her mother with. After the recital, Jing-Mei ?[feels] disappointed? (Tan 1071). She wants her mother to react and ?start shouting, so that so that [she] . . . could blame her [mother] for her misery? (Tan 1071). Her mother silently retreats to her bedroom, leaving Jing-Mei holding her own shame. For two days, nothing is mentioned about piano practice or the recital. Jing-Mei assumes that she will never have to play the piano again. She is shocked when her mother demands that she stops watching television and to go practice the piano. Jing-Mei summons up her ?inner-prodigy? to loudly and adamantly refuse. Her Mother abruptly shuts off the television and drags her to the piano bench and sits her down. Crying and staring up at her mother, she ?could sense her [mother's] anger rising to its breaking point . . . [she] remembered the babies . . . [her mother] had lost in China . . . ?then I wish I were dead, like them!'? (Tan 1071). Jing-Mei knows this hostile reference will hurt her mother more than anything else will. Her mother painfully gives up and Jing-Mei never has to play the piano again. Putting so much effort into not fulfilling her mother's dreams, Jing-Mei does not have the time to realize that any thought should be put into creating her own dreams. So short sighted is her vision, that she does not realize how her actions are detrimental to her own approach to life. Jing-Mei quickly discovers many ways to not invest much effort into what she perceives as her mother's dreams. Mr. Chong, who is deaf, watches her fingers play the notes. Jing-Mei is clever and sees a window of opportunity in the discovery that Mr. Chong's eyes are not much better than his ears. She plays in tempo while hitting wrong notes because she knows she can get away with it. This is the beginning of a lifetime of bad habits and selling herself short. Jing-Mei does not realize that a window of opportunity to not succeed in her mother's dreams is only a hindrance of her own goals by creating a negative habit and mindset. Thirty-something Jing-Mei finally sees and regrets the mindset she stubbornly clings to. The choice has always been hers to decide who she will become and what goals she will dream and pursue. Her only goal is to disappoint her mother. Jing-Mei limits herself by acting on what she won't do instead of what she will do. Her actions lay the foundation for a negative mindset that is

Parallel Structure for ACT English Grammar Rule

Parallel Structure for ACT English Grammar Rule SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Parallel structure is a grammar rule that is often referenced yet often misunderstood. After reading this article, you’ll comprehend parallel structure and be able to correctly answer ACT English questions that test your knowledge of parallel structure. Because you will most likely see parallel structure questions on the ACT, let’s learn this rule and raise your ACT English score. In this post, I'll do the following: Explain parallel structure. Detail the types of parallel structure questions on the ACT English section. Offer strategies to correctly answer parallel structure questions. Provide additional practice questions to test you on what you've learned. What Is Parallel Structure? Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words for two or more words or ideas in a sentence. Using parallel structure shows that the words or ideas have the same level of importance and makes the sentence easier to understand. The basic parallel structure rule is that the things in a list should be in the same grammatical form. If you're listing three things, the construction of that list should benoun, noun, noun,orverb, verb, verb,orgerund, gerund, gerund,etc. Any inconsistency within the list is an error in parallel structure. Here's an example of a sentence with an error in parallel structure: LeBron James often dunks, steals, and blocking the basketball. The sentence is listing three things that LeBron James does with the basketball. The first two things are verbs. The last thing, "blocking," is in the gerund form. A gerund is a verb that acts like a noun and ends in "ing." All three things should be in the same grammatical form. To correct the error in parallel structure, the last item in the list should be in the verb form, too. Here's what the sentence looks life after it's corrected: LeBron James often dunks, steals, and blocks the basketball. Now all the items on the list match. Excellent! So how does the ACT English section test your knowledge of parallel structure? Parallel Structure on the ACT There are two primary types of parallel structure questions that appear in ACT English. Parallelism Type #1: Lists The example from above was a parallel structure list sentence. Generally, in list questions, three things are listed and you have to verify that all the items in the list are in the same grammatical form. This is another "list" sentence that contains a parallel structure error: Martin Luther King is admired for his courage, his dedication, and being intelligent. Can you recognize the parallel structure error? The first two items are nouns, traits that people admire in MLK. In the last item, "being intelligent," the word "being" is a gerund and "intelligent" is an adjective that describes MLK. We want all three items in the list to have the same construction. After fixing the parallel structure error, this is our sentence: Martin Luther King is admired for his courage, his dedication, and his intelligence. All of the list items are in the same form. The sentence reads better and the structure is parallel. Let's go over some tips for how to figure out parallel structure list questions on the ACT. ACT English Strategy To correctly answer parallel structure list questions, first identify that there is a list of items. Usually the list will look like this: x, y, and z. Make sure that the commas are separating items in a list and are not just separating clauses. Once you have identified the list, determine whether the items in the list are as consistent with the other items in the list as possible. How do we do that? Break down each item in the list by identifying the parts of speech of the words and make sure that all the items match. We want each item to be in the same grammatical form. After breaking down the list items, there should be no inconsistencies. Once we fixed our previous example sentence, the items in the list included "courage" (noun), "dedication" (noun), and "intelligence" (noun). While the list questions are relatively basic, there's a second type of parallel structure question that can be a bit more challenging. ParallelismType #2: Phrases Parallel structure phrase questions are slightly more complicated than list questions, but they follow the same principle. The parallel structure rule regarding phrases is that the construction of a phrase on one side of a conjunction must match the construction of the phrase on the other side of the conjunction as closely as possible. Definition of a Conjunction Conjunctions are words that connect phrases or clauses. Examples of common conjunctions includeand, or, but,andso.Some of you may be familiar with the acronym FANBOYS. It stands for For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. Those are all conjunctions. Additionally, there are correlative conjunctions, also known as word pairs. Literally, these words come in pairs. The items correlative conjunctions compare follow each half of the word pair. Examples of word pairs include either...or, not only...but also, as...as, and both...and. Conjunctions!! Example Sentences Now that we know the rule and the definition of a conjunction, we can learn how this rule should be applied. This is a sentence with a parallel structure error: The ACT English section challenges students and frustration is found in them. There are two items in the sentence: the two things that the ACT English section does. The two items are connected by the conjunction "and." Let's break down each item by the parts of speech of the words in each item. The first item, "challenges students," is VERB+ NOUN. The second item that follows the conjunction is "frustration is found in them." That phrase's construction is NOUN + VERB + ADJECTIVE + PREPOSITION + PRONOUN. Even if you struggle identifying the parts of speech of certain words, you should be able to immediately recognize that the phrases are not consistent and the sentence has a parallel structure error. So how do we correct the sentence? We change the wording in the phrase following "and" to match the VERB + NOUN construction of the first phrase. This is the corrected version of the sentence: The ACT English section challenges students and frustrates them. The corrected sentence should appear more consistent and read better to you. Now the phrases have the same construction and there's no longer a parallel structure error. Also, it's perfectly acceptable to use a pronoun in the place of a noun as long as the pronoun has a clear antecedent. In case there's any lingering confusion, let's go over another example: Kanye West displays both reprehensible behavior at awards showsandon late night talk shows behaving bizarrely. The two items in the sentence are two things that Kanye West displays. Those things are connected by the word pair "both..and." Again, let's break down the parts of speech of the words in those things. Phrase #1 is "reprehensible behavior at awards shows," and "reprehensible"=ADJECTIVE, "behavior"=NOUN, and "at awards shows"=PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE. The basic construction of phrase #1 is ADJECTIVE + NOUN + PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE. Phrase #2 is "on late night talk shows behaving bizarrely." What is the construction of phrase #2? Well, "on late night talk shows"=PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE, "behaving"=GERUND, and "bizarrely"=ADVERB. The construction of phrase #2 is PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE + GERUND + ADVERB. We want the constructions of the phrases to match as closely as possible. Think about how you could change the sentence to fix the parallel structure error. Here's the corrected version of the sentence: Kanye West displays both reprehensible behavior at awards shows and bizarre behavior on late night talk shows. I changed phrase #2 to match the construction of phrase #1. Both phrases are now in the form of ADJECTIVE + NOUN + PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE. Check it out: "bizarre"=ADJECTIVE, "behavior"=NOUN, and "on late night talk shows"=PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE.Success! The constructions of the phrases match and the sentence is easier to understand. ACT EnglishStrategy If you see a conjunction connecting or comparing two items, identify the items. Then, break down the words in each item by their parts of speech and determine each phrase's construction. Make sure that the phrases are parallel. The construction of the phrases should match as closely as possible. Also, a preposition used on one side of a conjunction or word pair must appear on the other side. Look at this example with a parallel structure error: The mixed martial artist was complimented not only for his tenacity but also in his technique. In the above sentences, the prepositions "for" and "in" correspond with "complimented." The sentence is saying that the mixed martial artist was "complimented for" this and "complimented in" that. Hopefully, your knowledge of idioms would tell you that it's incorrect to use the expression "complimented in." Even if you weren't aware of the idiom error, to keep the sentence consistent and follow parallel structure rules, use the same preposition before and after "but also." This is how the sentence should look: The mixed martial artist was complimented not only for his tenacity but also for his technique. Let's apply these strategies and our knowledge of parallel structure to actual examples from the ACT English section. Actual ACT Examples Look at the following question from a real ACT and determine if there is an error in parallel structure. As a young woman, she wrote of pining for a valentine and of visiting the Chinese museum in Boston. F. NO CHANGE G. visiting to H. of her visiting to J. of her visiting at Explanation: There is nothing grammatically incorrect within the phrase "of visiting." Let's look at the phrase's function within the sentence. It follows the conjunction "and," and it's one of two things that she wrote about. For the sentence to be parallel in structure, the phrases before and after the conjunction should have as close to the same construction as possible. Phrase #1 is "of pining." After breaking down the words in the phrase, we can determine that the construction of that phrase is "OF" + GERUND. Phrase #2, "of visiting," also has the construction "OF" + GERUND. The phrases are parallel. The answer is F. If you're wondering why I didn't include "for a valentine" and "the Chinese museum in Boston," those phrases just provide descriptive information about what she pined for and where she visited; they do not alter the basic construction of the sentence. Here's another parallel structure phrase question from an ACT. Others, salt-encrusted, "sleep" in ancient caverns, waking after centuries to feed and to be bred. A. NO CHANGE B. for breeding C. to breed D. breeding Explanation: There's nothing wrong within the phrase "to be bred," but what's the phrase's function within the sentence? It's one of two listed reasons why the others wake after centuries. The reasons are connected by the conjunction "and." Reason #1 is "to feed." The construction of that phrase is simply an INFINITIVE ("to" + verb). Reason #2's construction is INFINITIVE + PAST PARTICIPLE. Even if you were unsure of the part of speech of "bred," you should notice that the construction of reason #2 is inconsistent with that of reason #1. To make the phrases parallel, reason #2 should be in the infinitive form. The answer is C. Here are some general tips to help you correctly answer parallel structure questions on the ACT. General Strategies for Parallel Structure SAT Writing Questions #1: Any Word or Phrase Underlined Within a List Indicates a Possible Error in Parallel Structure When you see a list of items, make sure that all those items are in the same grammatical form. #2: Make Sure Phrases that Appear Before and After Conjunctions are Parallel The "phrase" parallel structure questions tend to be more difficult. Common conjunctions and correlative conjunctions (word pairs) include and, but, not only...but also, so...that, at once...and, both...and, either...or, as...as #3: Break Down the Construction of Items Within a List or Phrase Identify the parts of speech of words within a list or phrases that precede and succeed a conjunction. Make sure the construction of the items matches as closely as possible. I've created some realistic practice problems to test you on your knowledge of parallel structure. Additional Practice Apply what you've learned in this article to help answer the following realistic ACT parallel structure questions. 1. More than twice as many people inhabit Nigeria as Ethiopia. A. NO CHANGE B. as in Ethiopia C. than Ethiopia D. as inhabit Ethiopia 2. Unsurprisingly, the diligent student completed his homework punctually, studied the material thoroughly, and his presentations were delivered well. A. NO CHANGE B. his presentations were well delivered C. delivered his presentations well. D. his delivery was good on his presentations. 3. Greg reached his dream not only of having a family but also of becoming a successful entrepreneur. A. NO CHANGE B. to become C. becoming D. became 4. Before leaving your house on the morning of the ACT, make sure you have pencils, a snack, and remembering a calculator. A. NO CHANGE B. a calculator C. to remember a calculator D. have had remembered a calculator 5. Because Matt does not get enough sleep, he has difficulty focusing and to stay alert. A. NO CHANGE B. stays C. staying D. OMIT the underlined portion Answers: 1. D, 2. C, 3. A, 4. B, 5. C What's Next? I commend you for putting in the effort to improve your ACT scores. Your investment should pay off. As you continue to study for the ACT English section, make sure you check out this post on 5 critical concepts to ace ACT English. Also, I highly recommend that you read this article about commas on the ACT. For those of you wondering whether the SAT or ACT is better for you, review this thorough breakdown of SAT Writing vs. ACT English. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

4 Ways That Business Writing Courses Can Improve Your Grammar

4 Ways That Business Writing Courses Can Improve Your Grammar Even the best writers the ones who make six figures writing for the most prestigious magazines and websites slip up with their grammar; though, fortunately for them, they have full-time editors who catch those rare mistakes. But for the hard-working business employee who is juggling six different projects at once, sitting down for long hours of proofreading the kind of intense refining process that a professional writer undergoes is simply not practical. But the hard truth is that in the business world impeccable writing skills is a must, whether you're writing marketing pitches, internal reports, or a proposal. That's where business writing courses come in. Writing courses can improve your awareness of grammar, for example, to such a degree that your work does not require much proofreading. Before you know it, you become a grammar master who instantly knows the answers to common grammar conundrums like these four: 1. Affect vs. Effect Possibly one of the most common errors in business writing (or any writing, for that matter) is the confusion over using "affect" or "effect." Fortunately, the usage follows a simple rule. If you memorize it, this grammar pitfall will never trouble you again. "Affect" is a verb. "Effect" is a noun. Example: The presentation affected my understanding of sales. However, if you try to phrase the sentence this way, "The presentation had an effect on my sales," you are no longer using the verb "affect." You've switched to the verb "had." The word "effect" is a noun because it is the thing that the presentation "had." 2. Sink, Sank, and Then I Sunk - Help! This is another example of confusing verb tenses. In an email your colleague writes, "Our profits sunk last quarter, but that company's earnings also sunk." With the verb "to sink," the present tense is "sink." The past tense is "sank," and the past participle is "sunk," which is always paired with the auxiliary verb "had." Your colleague is using the past participle instead of using the past tense. The correct version: "Our profits sank last quarter, but that company's earnings also sank." 3. Should I Use "Shall" or "Will?" This is a situational problem. If you are using "shall" in the third person i.e. he shall complete that report then it obliges the subject of the sentence to perform the verb. In other words, it is a command. It's like when your mother says, "You shall clean your room," in a very authoritative tone. However, if you're using "shall" in the first person, there is no sense of obligation. It means simply that you intend to do that action sometime in the future: "I shall go to the cafeteria today." When you use the word "will" in the first person I will complete this spreadsheet it expresses a sense of determination. It is meant to convey your strong desire to do whatever is necessary to complete the task. But when you use "will" in the third person i.e. he will leave work early today it simply indicates that the person will do something in the future. 4. I "Sit," But She "Set" An easy way to remember when to use "sit" or "set" is to ask this question, "Is someone placing an object somewhere?" If the answer is yes, you use "set." For example, someone wants to bring some indoor plants into the office. They ask you where to put them. You would use the transitive verb "set" which always requires a direct object: "Set them on the window sill." If there is no direct object involved if no one is placing anything anywhere and you're just talking about people being in a location you would use "sit": "He sits at the conference table." This also applies to nouns that are not being moved by anyone i.e. The computer sits on the table. But if Bob comes over and moves the computer to the table, you would say, "Bob set the computer on the table." All of our business writing courses include instructor review of your individual grammar issues, resources, and correction strategies. Improve your grammar so that you spend less time proofreading and more time working. Not sure which course is right for you?