Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Second Conjugation Italian Verbs - Conjugating Italian Ere Verbs
Second Conjugation Italian Verbs - Conjugating Italian Ere Verbs The infinitives of all regular verbs in Italian end in ââ¬âare, ââ¬âere, or ââ¬âire and are referred to as first, second, or third conjugation verbs, respectively. In English the infinitive (linfinito) consists of to verb. amare to loveà à à temere to fearà à à sentire to hear Verbs with infinitives ending in ââ¬âere are called second conjugation, or ââ¬âere, verbs. The present tense of a regular ââ¬âere verb is formed by dropping the infinitive ending ââ¬âere and adding the appropriate endings to the resulting stem. There is a different ending for each person. Characteristics of the Second Conjugation The à «passato remotoà » (historical past) of the second conjugation verbs has two diverse forms of the first and third person singular and third person plural:io temetti/temeiegli temette/temà ©essi temettero/temeronoio vendetti/vendeiegli vendette/vendà ©essi vendettero/venderonoNote! In standard usage the forms ââ¬âetti, ââ¬âette, and ââ¬âettero are preferred. The majority of verbs whose root ends in t though, such as battere, potere, and riflettere, take the endings ââ¬âei, ââ¬âà © and ââ¬âerono.battereio batteiegli battà ©essi batteronopotereio poteiegli potà ©essi poteronoriflettereio rifletteiegli riflettà ©essi rifletteronoThe verbs fare and dire are considered second conjugation verbs (because they are derived from two third conjugation Latin verbs- facere and dicere) as well as all verbs ending in ââ¬âarre (trarre), ââ¬âorre (porre), and ââ¬âurre (tradurre).Verbs ending in ââ¬âcere (vincere), ââ¬âgere (scorgere), or ââ¬â scere (conoscere) have a particular phonetic rule. C, g, and sc of the root maintains the soft sound of the infinitive before the declinations that start with e or i. They take the hard sound before the declinations that begin with a or o: vinceretu vinciche egli vincaspargeretu spargiche egli spargaconosceretu conosciche egli conoscaconosciutocresceretu cresciche egli crescacresciutoMany irregular verbs ending in ââ¬âcere (piacere, dispiace, giacere, nuocere, tacere) maintain the soft sound by inserting an i before declinations that begin with a or o; if the verb has a regular past participle ending in ââ¬âuto, an i is also added:nuocereio nuocciotu nuociessi nuocciononuociutopiacereio piacciotu piaciessi piaccionopiaciutogiacereio giacciotu giaciessi giaccionogiaciutoVerbs ending in ââ¬âgnere are regular and maintain the i of the declinations iamo (indicative and present subjunctive) and iate (present subjunctive):spegnerenoi spegniamoche voi spegniateVerbs ending in ââ¬âiere drop the i of the root before declinations that start with i:compieretu compinoi compiamo
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Timeline of the Viking Age
Timeline of the Viking Age This Viking timeline is a part of the About.com Guide to the Viking Age. 793: Norwegians attack Lindisfarne monastery, England795: Norwegians run assaults on monasteries in Scotland and Ireland799: St. Philibert Monastery (France) sacked800: Norwegians settle Faroe Islands810: Danes under King Godfred attack Frisia 814: Charlemagne dies834: Danes attack Dorestad, now in the Netherlands841: Norwegians over winter in Ireland850: Longphorts established in Ireland 850: Danes spend first winter in England852: Danes spend first winter in Frankia853: Norwegian Olaf the White established as king at Dublin865: Danish Great Army arrives in East Anglia866: Norwegian Harald Finehair subjugates Scottish Isles870: Danes rule over one half of England880s: Norwegian Sigurd the Mighty moves into the Scottish mainland873: Ingolf Arnason founds Reykjavik, Iceland 902: Vikings expelled from Ireland917: Vikings retake Dublin930-980: First Norse invaders in England become established as settlers954: Eirik Bloodaxe dies and Vikings lose control of York959: Danelaw established98 0-1050: Newly established Norwegian and Danish kings launch attacks on England 985: Norse farmers led by Erik the Red settle Greenland 1000: Leif Erikson finds North America 1014: Vikings defeated at Clontarf by Brian Boru1016: Danish King Cnut named king of England, Denmark and Norway1035: Cnut dies1066: Norman Harald Hardrada dies at Stamford Bridge This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to the Viking Age and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. See the Viking Age Bibliography for sources.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Personal Learning Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Personal Learning Journal - Essay Example ce, for the tasks assigned to our group, we first determined all the realistic objectives to be achieved as recommended by Hammond, Keenye and Raiffa (2006). Through our leader, we identified the strengths and weaknesses of each team member which guided in the allocation of tasks based on the capabilities of each individual. This not only made the team more effective but also made everyone enjoy their tasks. This experience provided an opportunity for me to apply the Rational Model. Rational Decision-Making Model involves a cognitive process where each step follows a logical order from the step before. Being a cognitive process meant that we had to think through and weigh up and to compare in order to get the best possible results. The six steps in this model start with defining the problem, then identifying the decision criteria, allocating weights to the criteria, developing the alternatives, evaluating the alternatives and finally, selecting the best alternative (Eisenhardt, 1989) . However, the Rational Model assumes that the decision maker has a consistent system of preferences and is aware of all alternatives. The outcome will be completely rational and there will be no time constraints. This model clearly analyzes the experience of distribution of tasks within a group. As much as possible, our leader was well informed about all the team members because of the consultations that made him aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each member, thus helping in the easy and logical distribution of tasks. Another experience involves the forks challenge undertaken during lecture time. The game required us to model up a tall structure using forks. With a time span of 15 minutes, it was a difficult task. We conflicted on whether to build a square or triangle structure causing us to sub-divide into two smaller groups. However, after sometime, we realized that we could not come up with the tallest model without being united. Eventually, our group won, having agreed in
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Google+ report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Google+ report - Essay Example An extension of this is co-branding, which is networking in a way, but with brands and organizations that share the values of Pedal Forward, and which can propel Pedal Forwards own brand awareness too. For instance, Pedal Forward can co-brand with an organic food company that has national traction, or a cosmetics brand that focuses on natural ingredients such as The Body Shop, to raise awareness about Pedal Forwards own campaign in Google+. The idea here is to align the co-branding strategy with what Pedal Forward wants to achieve, and what it stands for (Leap, 2012). Another recommendation is for Pedal Forward to utilize Google+ Hangouts to connect with its fan base in real time, and to then capture that real-time interaction and post it on the Google+ page of Pedal Forward so that a larger population of fans can keep viewing that Hangout session after the event, for their benefit. A Google+ Hangout allows for Pedal Forward to interact via text and via video with a group of followers about a specific topic, say bamboo bike trails, and then capture that interaction for later posting. This is a great idea to do on a regular basis, as a way to stay relevant and connect meaningfully with the audience The idea is for Pedal Forward to try and stay fresh and relevant while reaching out to other pages and communities to increase visibility and to engage existing and new fans. Related recommendations along this line of thinking include setting up hooks from Google+ and from Pedal Forwards website to other social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twit ter, Instagram Pinterest, and Kickstarter, to broaden the social media reach of the campaign (Leap 2012). The idea of being able to broadcast Google+ Hangout sessions is great, and something that can differentiate the platform from other platforms such as Facebook. One way Google+ can further improve on this is to hook up these Hangout
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Pharaphrasing the Purple Hibiscus Essay Example for Free
Pharaphrasing the Purple Hibiscus Essay Kambili and Jaja both come of age in Purple Hibiscus as a result of their experiences. The book opens with Jaja rebelling against his devout Catholic father by skipping communion on Palm Sunday, an important religious holiday. The following chapters detail the events that culminate in Jajaââ¬â¢s defiance. The book is narrated by Kambili three years after this incident. Since she has been stunted by the severe punishments of her father, Kambili barely speaks. Her narration is striking because it can be concluded that she finds her own voice throughout this ordeal. Both Kambili and Jaja take steps towards adulthood by overcoming adversity and being exposed to new thoughts. Part of growing up is building your own identity by choosing which paths to follow. In Enugu, the only path Kambili and Jaja are allowed to follow is Papa. He writes out schedules and severely punishes them when they stray. When Kambili and Jaja visit their Aunty Ifeoma in Nsukka, they are astonished by what they find. Though her home is small and devoid of luxuries, there is love and respect. Her children Amaka and Obiora are allowed to question authority and choose their own paths. Obiora, though he is three years younger than Jaja, is articulate and protective. He has been initiated into Igbo culture by performing a rite of manhood. Jaja was not allowed to participate and is ashamed that he is lagging behind his cousin. In Nsukka, Jaja is encouraged to rethink his allegiances and make his own decisions. Aunty Ifeoma encourages Kambili to reconsider her stance on Papa-Nnukwu. As she has been taught by Papa, her grandfather is a heathen. But when she searches his face, she sees no signs of godliness. After witnessing his innocence ritual, Kambili questions the absolute rule of her father. Both Kambili and Jaja take major steps towards adulthood by claiming their individuality. Religion There is a contrast between Father Benedict and Father Amadi. Priest at Papaââ¬â¢s beloved St. Agnes, Father Benedict is a white man from England who conducts his masses according to European custom. Papa adheres to Father Benedictââ¬â¢s style, banishing every trace of his own Nigerian heritage. Papa uses his faith to justify abusing his children. Religion alone is not to blame. Papa represents the wave of fundamentalism in Nigeria that corrupts faith. Father Amadi, on the other hand, is an African priest who blends Catholicism with Igbo traditions. He believes that faith is both simpler and more complex than what Father Benedict preaches. Father Amadi is a modern African man who is culturally-conscious but influenced by the colonial history of his country. He is not a moral absolutist like Papa and his God. Religion, when wielded by someone gentle, can be a positive force, as it is in Kambiliââ¬â¢s life. Papa-Nnukwu is a traditionalist. He follows the rituals of his ancestors and believes in a pantheistic model of religion. Though both his son and daughter converted to Catholicism, Papa-Nnukwu held on to his roots. When Kambili witnesses his morning ritual, she realizes that their faiths are not as different as they appear. Kambiliââ¬â¢s faith extends beyond the boundaries of one religion. She revels in the beauty of nature, her family, her prayer, and the Bible. When she witnesses the miracle at Aokpe, Kambiliââ¬â¢s devotion is confirmed. Aunty Ifeoma agrees that God was present even though she did not see the apparition. God is all around Kambili and her family, and can take the form of a smile. The individualistic nature of faith is explored in Purple Hibiscus. Kambili tempers her devotion with a reverence for her ancestors. Jaja and Amaka end up rejecting their faith because it is inexorably linked to Papa and colonialism, respectively. Colonialism Colonialism is a complex topic in Nigeria. For Papa-Nnukwu, colonialism is an evil force that enslaved the Igbo people and eradicated his traditions. For Papa, colonialism is responsible for his access to higher education and grace. For Father Amadi, it has resulted in his faith but he sees no reason that the old and new ways canââ¬â¢t coexist. Father Amadi represents modern Nigeria in the global world. Papa is a product of a colonialist education. He was schooled by missionaries and studied in English. The wisdom he takes back to Nigeria is largely informed by those who have colonized his country. He abandons the traditions of his ancestors and chooses to speak primarily in British-accented English in public. His large estate is filled with western luxuries like satellite TV and music. Amaka assumes that Kambili follows American pop stars while she listens to musicians who embrace their African heritage. But the trappings of Papaââ¬â¢s success are hollow. The children are not allowed to watch television. His home, modernized up to Western standards, is for appearances only. There is emptiness in his home just as his accent is falsified in front of whites. Over the course of the novel, both Kambili and Jaja must come to terms with the lingering after-effects of colonialism in their own lives. They both adjust to life outside their fatherââ¬â¢s grasp by embracing or accepting traditional ways. Nigerian Politics Both Kambili and the nation are on the cusp of dramatic changes. The political climate of Nigeria and the internal drama of the Achike family are intertwined. After Nigeria declared independence from Britain in 1960, a cycle of violent coups and military dictatorship led to civil war, which led to a new cycle of bloody unrest. Even democracy is hindered by the wide-spread corruption in the government. In Purple Hibiscus, there is a coup that culminates in military rule. Papa and his paper, the Standard, are critical of the corruption that is ushered in by a leader who is not elected by the people. Ironically, Papa is a self-righteous dictator in his own home. He is wrathful towards his children when they stray from his chosen path for them. In the wake of Ade Cokerââ¬â¢s death, Papa beats Kambili so severely she is hospitalized in critical condition. Both in Nigeria and in the home, violence begets violence. Kambili and Jaja are kept away from the unrest at first. They witness protests, deadly roadblocks, and harassment from the safety of their car. But when they arrive in Nsukka, they are thrust into political debate. Obiora says the university is a microcosm for Nigeria ââ¬â ruled by one man with all the power. Pay has been withheld from the professors and light and power are shut off frequently. Medical workers and technicians go on strike and food prices rise. There are rumors that the sole administrator is misdirecting funds intended for the university. This is a parallel to what is happening in the country at large. Kambili and Jaja now understand firsthand the struggle of their cousins. The personal becomes political, and vice versa. Silence Several characters are gripped with silence throughout the novel. Kambili suffers the most, unable to speak more than rehearsed platitudes without stuttering or coughing. Her silence is a product of the abuse that she endures at the hands of her father. Kambili does not allow herself to tell the truth about her situation at home. When her classmates taunt her for being a backyard snob, she does not explain that she does not socialize out of fear. She is not allowed to dally after school lest she be late and beaten. She finally learns how to speak her mind when she is taunted continuously be her cousin Amaka. Aunty Ifeoma encourages her to defend herself and only then can Amaka and Kambili begin their friendship. Kambili begins to speak more confidently, laugh and even sing. The titles of the second and fourth section are Speaking With Our Spirits and A Different Silence. Kambili and Jaja communicate through their eyes, not able to utter the ugly truth of their situation. Mama, like her daughter, cannot speak freely in her own home. Only with Aunty Ifeoma can she behave authentically. The silence that falls upon Enugu after Papa is murdered is, as the title suggests, different. There is hopelessness to this silence like the one that existed when Papa was alive. But it is an honest silence. Mama and Kambili know the truth and there is nothing more that can be said. Jajaââ¬â¢s silence betrays a hardness that has taken hold of him in prison. There is nothing he can say that will end the torment he experiences. The tapes that Aunty Ifeoma sends with her childrenââ¬â¢s voices are the only respite he has. Silence is also used as punishment. When Kambili and Jaja arrive in Nsukka for Easter, Jaja refuses to speak to his father when he calls. After the years of silence that he has imposed upon his children, they use it as a weapon against him. The government also silences Ade Coker by murdering him after he prints a damning story in the Standard. When soldiers raid Aunty Ifeomaââ¬â¢s flat, they are trying to silence her sympathies with the rioting students through intimidation. Silence is a type of violence. Domestic Violence On several occasions, Papa beats his wife and children. Each time, he is provoked by an action that he deems immoral. When Mama does not want to visit with Father Benedict because she is ill, Papa beats her and she miscarries. When Kambili and Jaja share a home with a heathen, boiling water is poured on their feet because they have walked in sin. For owning a painting of Papa-Nnukwu, Kambili is kicked until she is hospitalized. Papa rationalizes the violence he inflicts on his family, saying it is for their own good. The beatings have rendered his children mute. Kambili and Jaja are both wise beyond their years and also not allowed to reach adulthood, as maturity often comes with questioning authority. When Ade Coker jokes that his children are too quiet, Papa does not laugh. They have a fear of God. Really, Kambili and Jaja are afraid of their father. Beating them has the opposite effect. They choose the right path because they are afraid of the repercussions. They are not encouraged to grow and to succeed, only threatened with failure when they do not. This takes a toll on Jaja especially, who is ashamed that he is so far behind Obiora in both intelligence and protecting his family. He ends up equating religion with punishment and rejects his faith. There is an underlying sexism at work in the abuse. When Mama tells Kambili she is pregnant, she mentions that she miscarried several times after Kambili was born. Within the narrative of the novel, Mama loses two pregnancies at Papaââ¬â¢s hands. The other miscarriages may have been caused by these beatings as well. When she miscarries, Papa makes the children say special novenas for their motherââ¬â¢s forgiveness. Even though he is to blame, he insinuates it is Mamaââ¬â¢s fault. Mama believes that she cannot exist outside of her marriage. She dismisses Aunty Ifeomaââ¬â¢s ideas that life begins after marriage as ââ¬Å"university talk.â⬠Mama has not been liberated and withstands the abuse because she believes it is just. Ultimately, she poisons Papa because she can see no other way out. The abuse has repressed her to the point that she must resort to murder to escape. Nature/Environment The bookââ¬â¢s namesake flower is a representation of freedom and hope. Jaja is drawn to the unusual purple hibiscus, bred by a botanist friend of Aunty Ifeoma. Aunty Ifeoma has created something new by bringing the natural world together with intelligence. For Jaja, the flower is hope that something new can be created. He longs to break free of his Papaââ¬â¢s rule. He takes a stalk of the purple hibiscus home with him, and plants it in their garden. He also takes home the insight he learns from Nsukka. As both blossom, so too do Jaja and his rebellion. Kambiliââ¬â¢s shifting attitudes toward nature signify her stage of transformation. During one of the first times she showers at Nsukka, Kambili finds an earthworm in the tub. Rather than coexisting with it, she removes it to the toilet. When Father Amadi takes her to have her hair plaited, she watches a determined snail repeatedly crawl out of a basket. She identifies with the snail as she has tried to crawl out of Enugu and her fate. Later, when she bathes with water scented with the sky, she leaves the worm alone. She acknowledges that God can be found anywhere and she appreciates its determination. In the opening of the book, Kambili daydreams while looking at the several fruit and flower trees in her yard. This same yard, a signifier of wealth, leaves her open for taunts of ââ¬Å"snobâ⬠at school. But here she fixates on the beauty of the trees. When she returns from Nsukka after her mother has miscarried, Kambili is sickened by the rotting tree fruit. The rot symbolizes the sickness in the Achike household but also that Kambili is seeing her home with new eyes. Like the trees, she is trapped behind tall walls. Weather also plays a role in the novel. When Ade Coker dies, there are heavy rains. After Palm Sunday, a violent wind uproots several trees and makes the satellite dish crash to the ground. Rain and wind reflect the drama that unfolds in the Achikesââ¬â¢ lives. Mama tells Kambili that a mixture of rain and sun is Godââ¬â¢s indecision on what to bring. Just as there can be both rain and sun at the same time, there are good and evil intertwined. In nature, Kambili gleans that there are no absolutes. Papa is neither all good or all bad, her faith does not have to be either Catholic or traditionalist, and she can challenge her parents while still being a good child. * 1-310-919-0950 * Log In | * Sign Up * 1) Five major issues explored in purple hibiscus are; domestic violence, oppression, religion, education and love. 2a) Adichie uses a narrative point of view to explore the theme of domestic violence. The book is narrated in the first person by a 15 year old who is directly affected by domestic violence. Because of her young age she is quiet honest and this allows her to paint a great picture to the audience of the brutal abuse that Eugene bestows upon his family. This is as a result of her sensitive, intelligent and observant nature. 2b) Oppression is explored through narrative point of view. Adichie uses the point of view of Kambili to show the audience how oppressed the country is not only in the Achike household but the whole of Nigeria. Again Kambiliââ¬â¢s honesty and good descriptions help to give the readers an idea as of how oppressed the country and Eugeneââ¬â¢s household really is. 2c) Adichie uses narrative point of view to explore the theme of religion. She uses this because Kambili the narrator is exposed to different kinds of religion, such as, fanatic Catholics, liberated Catholics and Traditionalists. Again, it is Kambiliââ¬â¢s observant nature that helps to give the readers a good idea of what all of the practices are like. Kambiliââ¬â¢s narration is also used to show the great impact that religion has on life. 2d) Education is also explored through narration. In the narration Kambili has an encounter with her father and Kambiliââ¬â¢s fatherââ¬â¢s past gives us an idea of how important he thinks education is. 2e) Love is also explored through narration. Although Kambili is a 15 year old through her narration we are able to see that she loves father Amadi. The love however is immature in because they have known each other for a very short time. Although the love narrated is not very mature it is still love. Adichie uses narration to show the audience that Kambili is in love and Adichie uses her narration to give us some hints of this love. 3a) Adichie bring out [continues]
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Dishonesty in The Great Gatsby Essay -- The Great Gatsby Essays
Lies are a treacherous thing, yet everyone tells a few lies during their lifetime. Deceit surrounds us all the time; even when one reads classic literature. For example, F. Scott Fitzgerald makes dishonesty a major theme in his novel The Great Gatsby. The falsehoods told by the characters in this novel leads to inevitable tragedy when the truth is revealed. Jay Gatsby, one of the main characters in the novel, fails to realize that when one tells a lie, it comes back to bite you. For example, he initially tells his neighbor, and potential friend Nick, that he had inherited his redundant sums of money from his family. One night, the night Gatsby reunites with Daisy, he and Nick are admiring his substantial house. During the conversation, Gatsby slips out, ââ¬Å"It took me just three years to earn the money that bought itâ⬠(Fitzgerald 90). By this, one can see Gatsby lie about how he acquired the wealth he has. When Nick questions his inheritance of the money, Gatsby automatically stutters with another lie- that he lost his family fortune in the panic of the war and had to earn all the money again by himself. Gatsby may have not realized he let this lie slide out from under him due to the rush of emotions connected with the reunion of his long lost love. Nevertheless, he did lie to Nick about his past, along with many other people , including Daisy. When he and his love first meet, he lies to her and comes off as a rich, stable man, she would be lucky to fall in love with. This is not the case, however. He is not as innocent as to have just inherit the wealth he gloats. Fitzgerald states, ââ¬Å"He might have despised himself, for he had certainly taken her under false pretenses. I donââ¬â¢t mean that he had traded his phantom millions,... ...of events, leading to many deaths. On the other hand, because Gatsby was lying and deceiving people to try to reach a goal, should his actions be considered ambitious? Since Tom and Daisy were not truly in love, and simply did not want to hurt the other, should their actions be considered thoughtful? Maybe there is a good intention behind the lies, but never a good outcome. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. 1925. New York: Charles Scribnerââ¬â¢s Sons, 2004. Print. Hermanson, Casie E. "An overview of The Great Gatsby." Literature Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. Sutton, Brian. "Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby." Explicator 59.1 (Fall 2000): 37-39. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Linda Pavlovski. Vol. 157. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
New England Soup Company: Business Overview Essay
On January 11, 1991, William Kolander, president of the New England Soup Company of Boston, Massachusetts, was reviewing a research report he had received from a Boston-based research house. The report presented the findings of a study on the firmââ¬â¢s new formulation of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder brand of canned soup. The study had also been sent to the firmââ¬â¢s sales manager, Kirk George, and the production manager, Edward Corey. A meeting was scheduled for January 12 with the research firm and the New England Soup Company management. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the research findings and to make decisions concerning Kolanderââ¬â¢s product offerings. The Company The New England Soup Company was a small firm that produced and distributed a line of specialty canned soup products to both the institutional and retail markets. Approximately 62 percent of their 1990 sales volume went to the institutional market ($68,526), and 38 percent went to the retail market ($42,102). The company was founded by William Kolander in 1957. Kolanderââ¬â¢s father was a successful owner of several restaurants in the Boston area that were famous for their chowder. The young Kolander convinced his father in 1956 that there was a market to sell the chowder to local institutions (restaurants, hospitals, etc.) in the New England area, and he developed a canned chowder under his fatherââ¬â¢s supervision. Production facilities were acquired in the same year. After losses in the first few years, the business turned profitable in 1960. At this time, Kolander decided to enter the retail market with Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder brand. Both the institutional and retail business grew rapidly during the 1960ââ¬â¢s, as did the firmââ¬â¢s profitability. Expanded production facilities were built in 1968, and two additional specialty soup lines were introduced in 1970. These lines experienced limited success at retail but were reasonably profitable in the institutional market. Current Situation The last five years had been a period of level and then declining sales for Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder (1987 -6943 cases, 1988 ââ¬â 5676 cases, 1989 ââ¬â 5101à cases, and 19901 ââ¬â 4900 cases). Kolander attributed this decline in sales to the market entry of two new canned chowders in 1986 and 1987 (see Appendix A). The new competitors were Fishermanââ¬â¢s Delight Chowder and Cape Cod Chowder. Both brands were produced locally and appeared very similar in formulation to Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder. Both of the new competitors had entered the market with a somewhat lower selling price than the Kolanderââ¬â¢s brand. Distributors were also attracted by the slightly higher margins plus the desire to carry a competitive alternative to Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder. Several large retailers had advertised the Fishermanââ¬â¢s Delight brand as a ââ¬Å"weekly specialâ⬠at 43 cents per can. Management Objective Kolander recognized that the firm faced a serious competitive threat from the two new brand entries. While there were several long-term issues he was considering, his immediate concern was one of developing a competitive strategy to counter the sales decline of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder. Specifically, he wanted to recover the lost distribution of the brand and switch customers from competitive brands back to the Kolanderââ¬â¢s brand. This was to be accomplished within the next 12 months. While increased distribution outside the current market area was a possibility, Kolanderââ¬â¢s immediate objective was to improve the market position of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder at retail within the New England are. Estimated from 1989 company records. The Research Project In October 1989, Kolander contacted a local research firm. After a number of meetings, the research firm recommended that a series of group interviews be conducted with current users of the two competitive chowder brands in order to explore reasons for the product usage, reactions to the brands, and perceived product differences. Through group sessions of this nature, the research firm believed that the cause of declining sales of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder could be established and potential solutions identified. The resultsà of the group sessions suggested that an important proportion of the competitive canned chowder users preferred a chowder that was thicker and creamier than the current Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder brand formulation. Of the former Kowlanderââ¬â¢s Chowder users, the desire for a creamier formulation was the predominant reason for switching. Many of these chowder users had switched to either Fishermanââ¬â¢s Delight or Cape Cod Chowder. Based on these findings, the research firm recommended that further research be conducted to evaluate changing Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder to a creamier formulation. For purposes of the test, it was recommended that two creamier formulations be developed, a ââ¬Å"creamyâ⬠version and an ââ¬Å"extra creamyâ⬠version. These two new formulations would be evaluated in a taste test along with Kolanderââ¬â¢s current chowder plus the two competitive brands. After several meetings on specific aspects of the proposed research design, Kolander decided to approve the project. Appendix B presents the results of this study. Case Question Focusing on the retail market, what product line does the research suggest Kolander should produce? Guidelines for 3-Slide Submission Slide 1: Analyze the data in Table 1 and make a product line recommendation Slide 2: Evaluate the focus group and the taste test and judge the quality of data from each Slide 3: What would you have done differently if you had guided the research process for this problem? APPENDIX A: New England Soup Company, Audit of Retail Food Outlets (Tables from the Report) Fifty retail food outlets in the New England market area have been audited annually since 1975. These are deemed representative of the potential distribution outlets of canned soups for the New England Soup Company. APPENDIX B: Evaluation of Two New Formulations of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Canned Chowder Research Objectives To evaluate the preference for two new chowder formulations among users of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder, Cape Cod Chowder, and Fishermanââ¬â¢s Delight Chowder. Research Design and Procedure Two hundred male (n=100) and female (n=100) canned chowder users were selected from four geographic locations representative of the New England market area. The subjects were selected using a probability sampling procedure involving a telephone-administered qualifying questionnaire. Eachà subject was paid $5 for participating in the test. The subjects came to one of four test locations (local churches). They were tested individually in 30-minute sessions. Subjects were brought into the testing room and seated at stalls. An instruction sheet explained that the subject was to evaluate several samples of chowder, that the test would consist of three parts, and that they would be required to taste a total of 15 cups of chowder. Normal taste-testing procedures were followed. The first part involved tasting five samples of chowder and ranking them from ââ¬Å"most preferredâ⬠to ââ¬Å"least preferredâ⬠. The five chowders were Kolanderââ¬â¢s regular chowder, Fishermanââ¬â¢s Delight, Kolanderââ¬â¢s creamy (version 1), Cape Cod, and Kolanderââ¬â¢s extra creamy (version 2). The second and third parts of the test involved tasting five samples again. The samples had different code letters and the subjects were not told the samples were identical to the previous five. After tasting the five samples, the subjects were again asked to rank order the five samples. For each subject, the test procedure resulted in three preference orderings of the five chowder samples. The preference orderings were combined to form a composite ordering for each subject, a procedure that resulted in a more reliable measure of each subjectââ¬â¢s true preference ordering. Results The data set consisted of 200 preference orderings of the five chowders. Table 1 presents 20 preference orderings which are representative of the entire data set. The difference between male and female preference orderings was not statistically significant. The data set was analyzed by calculating the average rank order of each chowder and scaling the chowders on a five-point scale ranging from most preferred (1) to least preferred (5). Table 2 presents the results of this analysis. Recommendation and Discussion Recommendation: Change the current Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder formulation to theà version 1ââ¬âââ¬Å"creamyâ⬠ââ¬â formulation and develop a new label which makes this change conspicuous at point of purchase. The table 2 results clearly indicate that the current Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder formulation and the ââ¬Å"extra creamyâ⬠formulation ranked significantly (.05 level of significance) lower than the two competitorsââ¬â¢ brands and the ââ¬Å"creamyâ⬠formulation. These findings suggest that the market position of Kolanderââ¬â¢s Chowder can be improved by a formulation change to the ââ¬Å"creamyâ⬠version, which ranks higher than the two competitors and should recapture a significant share of sales lost to the Cape Cod and Fishermanââ¬â¢s Delight brands.
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