Mental Health Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mental Health Article Analysis - Essay Example ly childhood has direct bearing on development factors later in the child’s life; as a result, more research is needed to investigate the interrelationship between these variables. The study found that boys indicated more statistically significant levels of later life external mal-adaptations than girls (d = 0.35 vs d = 0.03). The reasons for this occurrence may be because of biological issues related to gender, or that girls tend towards internalization of problems instead of externalization. Other arguments were that, â€Å"the reasons were not seeing differences is that were looking in the wrong place, and that girls have other problems..such as depression and anxiety.† While the researchers also acknowledge that the studies may not adequately account for genetic factors, they contend that there is a clear environmental correlation between insecure maternal attachment and later day externalization of maladaptive behavior. The parent’s mental health is also another variable that must be investigated as it may possibly contribute to the external behaviors. It seems that future research must investigate the underlining causes of insecure parental attachment. The research seems to predominantly place the agency on the child when it seems that the emphasis should be on everything except this variable. It’s also possible that these external behaviors are not direct an aspect of insecure attachment, but merely

Painting And Sculpture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Painting And Sculpture - Term Paper Example The essay "Painting And Sculpture" talks about the contemporary theme, as well as the modern theme for the museum and paintings along with the sculptures regarding the theme, are placed in combination. In the opening ceremony of the museum, there are certain paintings which will be shown in exhibition. Some paintings show contemporary theme and some paintings show modern theme. In the exhibition photographic paintings, abstract are paintings and the paintings depicting the symbolism, political and emotions are displayed in the exhibition, while similar strategy is followed regarding the sculptures. Metallic, wooden, fiber glass, glass and plastic sculptures are displayed at various locations. In the exhibition paintings of William Kentridge are displayed in which political and poetic designs are shown. In his work apartheid system, colonialism and totalitarianism are shown. His works gives powerful message to viewers. There are also certain modern paintings of Stephen Rodefer are dis played in the opening exhibition in which messages are written. Messages are motivating and based on modern theme. One painting of Pablo Picasso is displayed. The painting shows the affection between mother and child. One painting of Jackson Pollock is displayed. The painting consists of graphic design in which various colors are used however yellow color is mainly used. There are also some sculptures, which also displayed. Sculpture of McClure is displayed; one sculpture is designed in a sitting.

Beauty of Nature Essay Example for Free

Beauty of Nature Essay Nature can bring a lot of beauty into our lives. Nature has a way of affecting our moods and it can force us to change our plans. Nature is responsible for the sun, clouds, rain, and snow. When it is sunny and bright outside, we feel cheerful inside. When it is cloudy and rainy, we often feel gloomy. When there is a beautiful and starry night, the moonlight makes us feel romantic. William Wordsworth in his poem â€Å"Daffodils gives the romantic in nature; the beauty of nature as I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high oer vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Nature can set a sky aflame at sunset or magically transform a familiar landscape into a snow-white wonderland. It can paint a rainbow in the sky, paint beautiful autumn colors on trees, or paint a clump of daffodils in the grass with glow of soft sunlight. When we wake and see a sunrise, when we walk and feel a breeze, when we gaze at the mountains and the splendor of the seas, when we see the earth renew its beauty at each season of the year, and when the stars shine at night, we should be so very thankful to the Lord for giving us all these wonderful and miraculous things. This poetic line substantiates this The whistle of the wind rushing past my face, Looking for the exit so it can leave this place; The branches sway and the leaves begin to fall, I can hear the birds now, sending me their call. When we see the leaves budding on a tree or when a timid flower pushes through the frozen ground, or when we smell the freshness of spring, new  hope will always come to us. Nature is truly an intrinsic part of our lives.

Differences Between Actor Network Theory And Social Construction Sociology Essay

Differences Between Actor Network Theory And Social Construction Sociology Essay Here are few differences between Actor Network Theory and Social construction of technology that I found from various analysts point of view. To start with, I would like to jot down the basic difference between Actor network theory and the theory of social construction of technology. Actor network theory (ANT) considers both technical determinism and social determinism, i.e. it does not stick by the idea that technology shapes the society or the society shapes the technology (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005). Social Construction of technology (SCOT) theory follows the ideas that technology is emerged from the social interaction of social group, which can be called social determinism. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Both of these theories involve participants in process of shaping the network or in shaping the outcome, known as Actors. Actors involved in ANT are humans and non-humans which are treated equally as separation between the two are difficult, as it cannot be said who played the major role. (latour,1997). The actors involved in SCOT are the Relevant Social group which includes people sharing the same interest in shaping the technological artifact (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, 1989). Actors in ANT need to be performing constantly to keep the network flowing without any lag or hick up. SCOT does not follow a strict principle on the performance of the actors or the groups. If a certain relevant social groups involvement or influence is less than the other group, in that case it only brings in a few changes in the outcome of the technological artifact. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Talking about the aim of these theories, ANT is more about how the networks are formed rather than why the y are formed. It does not predict the outcome of the socio-technical artifact at any point. These entities are known as mediators where the input by the actors cannot predict the outcome; rather it multiplies or deletes the input/object passing through network known as tokens or quasi objects. (Wikipedia) Whereas SCOT illustrates how the social surrounding which include RSG and other actors give rise to a particular artifact. Right from the beginning the outcome is predicted or decided. It acts more like an intermediate unlike ANT. It does not really matter if there are changes that come through in the social surrounding while building the artifact, the previously assumed idea of the outcome would still remain the same. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) If we study ANT carefully, the actors involved in it are not just objects but an association of other elements which self constitutes a network. To look like a single point actor, these elements are simplified or Black boxed. That means the network actors are open to new ideas and their contents can be reconsidered (Gidding, 1999). The idea of reconsidering the content does not exist in SCOT. It limits the influence of the RSG once the interpretive flexibility starts to gradually diminish. This causes it to reach the rhetorical closure, thus the alternative idea of a new design is eliminated. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Following the actor, this method in ANT suggest that the actors set their framework and the limits of the network by themselves. Actors in ANT are able to make their presence individually felt by the other actors (Tatnall Burgess, 2002). As discussed earlier, actors can be thought of as a black box, which has many actors hiding one behind other. So basically all the actors can be found at one place or it can be said that all the actors form a single point actor and this effect is known as Punctualisation (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005). When the same method is compared to SCOT, actors are followed who are relevant to the technology and that may lead to another actor who is also relevant to that technology. The process is continued till no new actors pop-up. This causes the interpretation to come to a closure. Both of these theories have a positive and a negative side of their own. The biggest drawback of SCOT is that it ignores the effect of the technology after it has come into existence by social determinism. The technological artifact might have been developed for a particular purpose. But it is hard to expect the end-users to use it the way it is suppose to be used. In that case, it means that the effect of the technology after is has come into existence from a social determinism method, is slowly shaping the society in its own way. That brings us back to technological determinism. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) As we know RSG solves the technical problems, seeking solutions, etc. We do not know who decides the which group are relevant social group and with the same the social interest. It fails to include the groups that have no voice and also the groups that will be affected by the results of technological change and also the groups that have been stamped down and excluded (Prell, Christina, 2009). It also fails to explain the circumstances where one of the relevant social groups seriously disagrees to either to the design or technological system or artifact, etc. There is no explanation on how the theory would handle the disagreements of the groups. Many critiques has pointed out on the same fault of theory that it portrays all the social groups on the same level or sharing equal authority or power. There is a slight fault with the interpretive flexibility once it reaches the closure. It does not look back for further interpretations in the future. (Hard, 1993) Actor-network theory treats humans and non-humans equal. It has been argued by many critics that how can a non-human be assigned to be an agency. For example, a technology can only be identified because we differentiate it from human actors. Technologies do not speak for themselves nor do they exist outside of processes of human assumption. Analytically speaking there is no such non-human actor to be described by ANT. ANT assumes that all actors, which include both humans and non-humans, are equal within the network, and have the same power. This leaves no space for power instability is left. Thus the power struggles within the network. ANT case studies leads to a lot of useless descriptions that seem pointless. (Whittle Spicer, 2005) Another major drawback of ANT it gets very difficult to follow the actors as the researcher would have to get into the depth of the topic for investigating a particular case without knowing where they will lead. As the actors are black-boxed, the researcher is following only one actor and would not know if it would open up further possible investigation. One of other weakness about ANT is that the actors, ANT requires both the actors to be performing constantly to keep the network flowing. Even if one fails, the whole system fails. (learning-theories, 2008) Talking about the strength of SCOT, one of the plus point of SCOT is how it overcomes one problem by finding a better way to adopt the technology. For example. Bicycle. There was a lot of debate on the safety and the way it was built or looked. But then, the eventually they adopted it because of the fact that they were fast when it came to speed. They overlooked the problem by relating it to another better plus point to the technology. To think about it, end of the day we (humans) are the once who are going to use the technology. So doesnt it make more sense that we shape the technology the way we want it? Based on our application we can shape the technology, SCOT is something that does exactly the same. Unlike ANT even if one if the actors fail to perform, the outcome of the system or the technological artifact does not fail. In that case that particular actor or the group will have less influence in the process of making the artifact. (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, 1989) Actor-network theories main strength would be how it overcomes both social and technical determinism. This makes sense in a way because in a particular invention, it is hard to say who played the major role, humans or non-humans. For instance, let us take the example of how the laptop came into existence. If we have a look into it, the invention results from human and technology. The technical aspect of the laptop is achieved by the technical team which in-turn is influenced by the social background. Therefore, what seems to be social is partly technical and what seems to be technical is partly social. (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005) Following the actors might have been criticized in the case of ANT but it has its own positive side too. When compared to SCOT, it does not have to approach each and every actor of the same revelant group. In ANT all the actors act as a single point actor which can be found in the Black box. (Gidding, 1999)

Wanted and Unwanted Sounds and Their Affects on the Psychological and P

Wanted and Unwanted Sounds and Their Affects on the Psychological and Physiological Performance Research Question: How does â€Å"unwanted† sound affect the physiological and psychological performance differently than â€Å"wanted† sound? Thesis statement: â€Å"Wanted† and â€Å"unwanted† sounds have the same physiological effects on the human body but effect its psychological performance differently. Introduction: Sound is a particular auditory impression perceived by the sense of hearing. The presence of unwanted sound is called noise pollution. This unwanted sound can seriously damage and effect physiological and psychological health. For instance, noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, and other harmful effects depending on the level of sound, or how loud it is. Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading causes to heart problems, whereas tinnitus can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times panic attacks. Everything from the sound of an alarm clock in the morning to the sound of an airplane passing by to the sound of your friend screaming at you can cause noise pollution, and leave you effected for a short period, or for the rest of your life. But not all sound is â€Å"unwanted†. Many people listen to music, and go out to clubs and parties without suffering from any of the negative symptoms of â€Å"unwanted† sound. Many people enjoy playing instruments like the piano or the trumpet. â€Å"Wanted† sound, unlike â€Å"unwanted† sound can relief stress, and relaxation and the calming of a person. However on the physiological aspects, â€Å"wanted† sound can be just as harmful as â€Å"unwanted sound†. There are many misconceptions about sound and hearing, and the greatest misconception is about loud sound not being harmful as long as it is wanted. Literature Review: The human body perceives sound through the sensory organ called the ear. Humans have two ears, where sound waves enter and transform into signals that can be perceived as â€Å"hearing†. Hearing is a complicated process. Everything that moves makes a sound. Sound consists of vibrations that travel in waves which enter the ear and are changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The brain interprets the signals as sounds. Sound is measured in decibels (dB), where zero is the lower limit of audibility, and 130... ...cago. 6. Wagman, Richard J. The New Complete Medical and Health Encyclopedia. Volume Two. J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company: Chicago. 7. Wagman, Richard J. The New Complete Medical and Health Encyclopedia. Volume Three. J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company: Chicago. 8. World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Ear† 9. World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Hearing† 10. World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Deafness(Types of hearing loss) 11. Readers Digest. ABC’s of the Human Body: â€Å"The Ear, Nose, and Throat†, pages 208-209 12. Murray, John.Introduction to Human And Social Biology. Little, Brown and Company. 13. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. Ninth Edition:1980, pages 108-109 14. The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. Chicago:1989. Volume 14, pages 455-456. 15. The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. Chicago:1989. Volume 18, pages 599-606. 16. Fay, Thomas H. Noise & Health. The New York Academy of Medicine: 1991. 17. Casa de Maria Research Center. â€Å"Sound Therapy† 18. Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary 19. Carassava, Anthee.Mad About the Noise. Time Magazine: July 27, 1998. 20. Dr. Damluji (Interview). Wanted and Unwanted Sounds and Their Affects on the Psychological and P Wanted and Unwanted Sounds and Their Affects on the Psychological and Physiological Performance Research Question: How does â€Å"unwanted† sound affect the physiological and psychological performance differently than â€Å"wanted† sound? Thesis statement: â€Å"Wanted† and â€Å"unwanted† sounds have the same physiological effects on the human body but effect its psychological performance differently. Introduction: Sound is a particular auditory impression perceived by the sense of hearing. The presence of unwanted sound is called noise pollution. This unwanted sound can seriously damage and effect physiological and psychological health. For instance, noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, and other harmful effects depending on the level of sound, or how loud it is. Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading causes to heart problems, whereas tinnitus can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times panic attacks. Everything from the sound of an alarm clock in the morning to the sound of an airplane passing by to the sound of your friend screaming at you can cause noise pollution, and leave you effected for a short period, or for the rest of your life. But not all sound is â€Å"unwanted†. Many people listen to music, and go out to clubs and parties without suffering from any of the negative symptoms of â€Å"unwanted† sound. Many people enjoy playing instruments like the piano or the trumpet. â€Å"Wanted† sound, unlike â€Å"unwanted† sound can relief stress, and relaxation and the calming of a person. However on the physiological aspects, â€Å"wanted† sound can be just as harmful as â€Å"unwanted sound†. There are many misconceptions about sound and hearing, and the greatest misconception is about loud sound not being harmful as long as it is wanted. Literature Review: The human body perceives sound through the sensory organ called the ear. Humans have two ears, where sound waves enter and transform into signals that can be perceived as â€Å"hearing†. Hearing is a complicated process. Everything that moves makes a sound. Sound consists of vibrations that travel in waves which enter the ear and are changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The brain interprets the signals as sounds. Sound is measured in decibels (dB), where zero is the lower limit of audibility, and 130... ...cago. 6. Wagman, Richard J. The New Complete Medical and Health Encyclopedia. Volume Two. J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company: Chicago. 7. Wagman, Richard J. The New Complete Medical and Health Encyclopedia. Volume Three. J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company: Chicago. 8. World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Ear† 9. World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Hearing† 10. World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Deafness(Types of hearing loss) 11. Readers Digest. ABC’s of the Human Body: â€Å"The Ear, Nose, and Throat†, pages 208-209 12. Murray, John.Introduction to Human And Social Biology. Little, Brown and Company. 13. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. Ninth Edition:1980, pages 108-109 14. The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. Chicago:1989. Volume 14, pages 455-456. 15. The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. Chicago:1989. Volume 18, pages 599-606. 16. Fay, Thomas H. Noise & Health. The New York Academy of Medicine: 1991. 17. Casa de Maria Research Center. â€Å"Sound Therapy† 18. Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary 19. Carassava, Anthee.Mad About the Noise. Time Magazine: July 27, 1998. 20. Dr. Damluji (Interview).

Anna and the King :: essays research papers fc

On the day on of September 6, 1831, the baby Anna Leonowens was born. When she was born she already had lost her father. When Anna was about 3 months her mom had married again. She only married cause she was so poor that they couldn't pay enough to pay food and so they didn't die. Her mother was so poor she and her sister had to sleep under her moms bed in straw mats in a corner. At the age of 15 Anna was forced to marry a soldier or else they would be forced out. She didn't like this soldier and she had been secretly in love with a man named Thomas Owens. Her father wouldn't let him marry Thomas cause they had an arranged marriage already for her. She didn't like it so she solved the problem by running off with a 30 year old man named George Percy Badger. After she ran off she waited until her 18 birthday when Thomas and she got married. They had a good life and the life style fit her perfectly. Then Anna had four children in rapid order. The first two died but the other two lived. She had a son and a daughter. The daughters name was Avis. And the boys name was Louis. The daughter was born in 1854 and the son was born on 1855. And then at the age of 27 Thomas died and she had no money. Unlike her mother she was not going to marry a man the she didn't love because she could have money and survive. So she changed her name and started tell people that she was the daughter of a British officer. By that time she found a job as a school teacher. I think that Anna did the right thing that she went with her love not with what her assigned marriage. I think that it was very good of her to find love not money cause most people back then would do anything to get stuff they want and had money to get it with and she didn't want to do that.

Existing Good or Service Business Proposal Essay

The Thomas Money Service, Inc. is a consumer finance company that has been granting loans and financing since 1940. Within the first five years the company expanded its business when it began â€Å"issuing business loans, business acquisition financing, and commercial real estate loans† (University of Phoenix, 2011, p. 1). By 1946 the company expanded to include equipment financing by creating a subsidiary named Future Growth Inc. (FGI). Due to increased demand in forestry and construction equipment in 1951 FGI purchased a manufacturing company so that the company was able to offer financing as well as their own brand of construction equipment. Over the past 67 years, FGI has held a monopoly on financing and manufacturing construction equipment and has seen only increased profits year after year. FGI has also never had to lay off any of its employees. â€Å"This track record has allowed their stock to grow from $5.00 to $85.60 with stock splits from 1975 to 1998. FGI has never issued bonds, and the present stock value is $35† (University of Phoenix, 2011, p. 1). Unfortunately, with the current economic downturns, natural disasters, and a decline in new-home sales, profits for FGI began to decline by 30% from the previous year. Due to the decline in production, the company was forced to layoff a third of their employees. Even with the current drop in new-home sales, there is still the opportunity for demand to increase as the economy becomes healthy again. Below the author will discuss how to increase revenue. Increase revenue FGI has many opportunities to increase revenue. Increasing revenue is not only dependent on the sales price of the product but also on what the companies expenses include. The company will need to re-evaluate the way it spends money and determine how to reduce outgoing costs. The first step FGI should take is to review its vendor list and communicate with the vendor to  determine the best way to reduce costs while saving the vendor money as well. FGI could request that all parts and supplies be purchased in bulk to cut down on freight charges as well as reach out to other businesses in the area to purchase supplies from the same vendor together. They would share the cost of freight, which would reduce the expense for both companies. Advertising is another expense that FGI needs to focus on. Currently FGI has cut back on its advertising efforts and has decided to only advertise during sporting events. This might not be a productive advertising strategy. It would be more lucrative to advertise in several venues such as direct mail, newspapers, and telephone books. This strategy will get the company name and services to a broader area of customers. Another expense is employee hours, schedules, and benefits that could use an overhaul. Currently FGI was forced to layoff a third of its workforce. The company needs to determine the best way to keep its employees while still saving money for the company. Department heads will need to review and re-evaluate employee schedules and hours to ensure that they are using the employee hours effectively. By re-scheduling and reducing employee hours, FGI will be able to save even more revenue. Benefits are also an expense that is offered by the company, but the company is not required to offer them to its employees. FGI should review and determine if it can continue to offer all of the benefits it currently does. If necessary, FGI could reduce 401k matching, reduce or stop employee bonuses and parties, and finally re-negotiate with insurance companies to find a more cost effective insurance package for the employees. Finally, the most effective way to ensure an increase in revenue is to cut t he sales price of the equipment. The chart below shows that the lower the price, the higher the demand. If FGI were to decrease its prices they would increase sales. Communicating with vendors, upping advertising, re-structuring employee hours and benefits, and cutting prices are all successful ways to increase revenue. Another aspect of increasing revenue that FGI needs to  consider is the spending power of its customers. The economy of the United States is currently on the down turn again, heading back into a recession. The credit market conditions are not very strong; the current unemployment rate is unchanged at 9.1% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The fact that the unemployment rate has had no change means that the economy has not changed. There are no new jobs, which affect the construction industry. People cannot afford to build homes and they cannot apply for loans because their credit history is not strong enough. There is a silver lining for construction companies and equipment companies such as FGI. In 2009, the government created the 2009 Stimulus Package, which included â€Å"$131 billion allocated for construction-related spending† (The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2011, para 1). This stimulus allows for construction companies to bid for upcoming transportation construction jobs. Construction companies will need to upgrade their equipment to newer more efficient equipment that can handle the new workload and conditions. FGI will need to take advantage of the influx in construction equipment purchases by advertising and offering discounts and rebates to all new and current customers. Maximize Profit The concept of marginal cost and marginal revenue is used to determine how much it will cost to produce one more piece of equipment. â€Å"Companies typically look to reach a production equilibrium where marginal cost and marginal revenue are equal. At this point, the company will maximize its profit† (Vitez, 2003-2011). If an imbalance were to occur on either marginal costs or marginal revenue there will be inefficiencies with production. There is a possibility that it could cost the company more to produce the extra piece of equipment than it would profit from. According to Huter â€Å"The quantity that maximizes profit is where marginal profit shifts from positive to negative† (1999-2011). To determine the profit-maximizing quantity it is necessary to know the price, variable costs, marginal revenue, and quantity ordered. Looking at the chart above it is clear that the company is making money off of the maximum of 12 orders. If the order demand were to go from 12 to 13, there is the possibility that it would cost the company more to produce that many than they are able to charge for all 13. With that in mind, the  profit-maximizing quantity would be 13. Suggested Mix of Pricing and Non-Pricing Strategies FGI is no longer the only equipment manufacturing company for customers to choose from. In order for FGI to stay competitive, the company must include a mix of pricing and non-pricing strategies. Non-pricing strategies would include advertising the company as well as any discounts, financing, and warranties the company has to offer. Pricing strategies could include low-interest financing, longer payment terms, warranties, and product bundling. Product bundling could simply state that if a customer not only orders the equipment through FGI but also finances the purchase than they will receive a discount on the total price. According to the Wall Street Journal, â€Å"the Labor Department’s snapshot of the August jobs landscape, cuts in the public sector entirely offset the private sector’s gain of 17,000 positions. Figures from earlier months were lowered, due largely to deeper cuts by government. The unemployment rate remained at 9.1% but is likely to move higher in coming months amid the lackluster pace of job creation†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Reddy, 2011, para 4). Due to the possible economic downturn, FGI must consider a radical change in policy to stay competitive and on top of the market for construction manufacturing equipment. This radical change would be to offer customers the opportunity to rent or lease the construction equipment instead of purchasing it out right. Leasing construction equipment will allow construction companies to save money and will allow FGI to earn income and stand out among its competition. Create or Increase Barriers to Entry It can be difficult to create or increase barriers to entry when there is already competition in place. A few things that FGI could do to increase barriers to entry is to offer customers something that is totally different from the competition. Making the customers want to only purchase from FGI. Those differences would include the ability of the customer to rent the construction equipment for the duration of their contract and increase customer service. Increasing customer service would include offering the customers more options to contact FGI. FGI will need to utilize technology  such as the Internet, Websites, email communication, and QR codes, which allows customers to access company information and discounts. Increase Product Differentiation Product differentiation includes pricing and non-pricing strategies as well as increasing barriers to entry. FGI will need to make their construction equipment stand out from its competitors. In order to stand out, FGI will need to make changes to how it advertises its product, increase offers customers who purchase the equipment, and make the customers experience with FGI unique. Customers want to be excited about spending money, FGI should make their shopping experience exciting and rewarding. Customers who are happy about their purchases will spread the word to other potential customers who will then decide to purchase from FGI over other construction equipment companies. Other Ways to Minimize Costs A few ways to minimize costs for the product includes reducing the amount of employees, which FGI recently did. One way to minimize costs is for FGI to lease their manufacturing centers and financial offices instead of purchasing the buildings. Leasing will reduce costs to FGI because the owner of the buildings will need to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the building and grounds. Reducing spending on supplies and manufacturing equipment is another way to minimize costs. The issue with reducing spending on supplies and is that the supplies could potentially be inferior products which would then make the products that FGI sells inferior. FGI will need to determine if the quality of their product is worth risking so that the company can reduce the cost of producing the equipment. International Trade International trade is beneficial to both the United States and foreign countries because it is the exchange of goods between both countries. â€Å"Trading globally gives consumers and countries the opportunity to be exposed to goods and services not available in their own countries† (Heakal, 2003, para 4). International trade can affect and is affected by each nations political issues. A current example is the Greek economic bail out. The Greek economy is currently in need of another debt bailout to hopefully  turn its economy around. The affect that the European bailout of Greece could have on the United States is that Europe will have less money to spend on American goods, which will then cause trade to decrease. â€Å"If a full default occurred, other troubled countries, notably Spain and Portugal, could also follow suit, leading to a wave of defaults that would severely affect the European zone and could send shockwaves all the way to Wall Street† (Katrandjian, 2011, para 13). As the Global Economy stands now, international trade has not been affected significantly. There is the possibility of international trade being affected if the European economy doesn’t stabilize. With that in mind FGI must consider how the international economy will affect the overhaul of FGI’s current marketing structure. FGI will need to make its products more lucrative for foreign companies to purchase. FGI would need to create a special package offer to foreign companies that includes special incentives such as discounts, extended warranties, and shorter lead times. Conclusion FGI has been a successful company since 1940. With the recent economic hardships and additional competition, FGI has determined that they need to re-evaluate their current marketing and product strategies. To increase profit and market value, FGI will need to revamp their spending, marketing, employee hours and benefits, and reduce the cost of their product. Another aspect of business that FGI needs to focus on is the marginal costs and marginal revenue to maximize profits so that they are not producing too much product that will end up costing them more than it is sold for. FGI has the opportunity to re-strategies their pricing and incentives to draw in more customers as well as increase blocking more companies from entering the construction equipment manufacturing industry. With the current credit markets being at an all time low, FGI will need to adjust their production and extended forecast to meet the potential decrease in sales. The 2009 Stimulus Package offers hope to FGI that sales will increase due to the government projected construction improvements on all Freeways and Highways throughout the country. Reference: Katrandjian, O., (2011) Greek Debt Bailout Could Affect the U.S. Economy. Retrieved September 5, 2011 from http://abcnews.go.com/Business/greek-debt-bailout-affect-us-economy/story?id=13879426 Heakal, R., (2003) What is International Trade? Retrieved September 5, 2011 from http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/112503.asp#ixzz1X6dCaTuv Huter, S., (1999-2011) How to Calculate the Profit Maximizing Quantity. Retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://www.ehow.com/how_6713701_calculate-profit_maximizing-quantity.html Reddy, S., (2011) Job Growth Grinds to a Halt. Retrieved September 4, 2011 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904583204576546220157206548.html The McGraw-Hill Companies (2011) Construction Stimulus Special Section. Retrieved September 4, 2011 from http://construction.com/stimulus/market_sectors/ University of Phoenix, (2011). Thomas Money Service Inc. Scenario [Computer Software]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Simulation, ECO561 website. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011) Employment Situation Summary. Retrieved September 4 , 2011 from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm Vitez, O., (2003-2011) What Is the Relationship Between Marginal Cost and Marginal Revenue? Retrieved August 21, 2011 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-relationship-between-marginal-cost-and-marginal-revenue.htm