Wake Forest University Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores

Wake Forest University is a private research university with an acceptance rate of 29%. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest University is one of the more selective  test-optional  colleges in the country. Nearly all successful applicants have grades that are well above average, and although students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores, the scores of those who do submit tend to be above average. The university is a member of  Phi Beta Kappa  for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, and Wake Forest boasts of its small classes and impressive 11-to-1  student to faculty ratio. Overall, the university provides an unusual balance of a small college academic atmosphere and a large university sports scene. To apply, students can use the  Common Application, Coalition Application, Wake Forest Application, or College Foundation of North Carolina Application. Wake Forest has an Early Decision program that can improve admission chances for students who are sure the university is their top choice school. Considering applying to Wake Forest University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including the average SAT/ACT scores of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Wake Forest University had an acceptance rate of 29%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 29 students were admitted, making Wake Forests admissions process competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 12,937 Percent Admitted 29% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 37% SAT Scores and Requirements Wake Forest has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Wake Forest may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 41% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 650 710 Math 660 760 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted SAT scores to Wake Forest, most fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Wake Forest scored between 650 and 710, while 25% scored below 650 and 25% scored above 710. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 660 and 760, while 25% scored below 660 and 25% scored above 760. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1470 or higher is a competitive score for Wake Forest. Requirements Wake Forest does not require SAT scores for admission. ACT Scores and Requirements Wake Forest has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Wake Forest may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 45% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile Composite 29 33 This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted ACT scores to Wake Forest, most fall within the top 9% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Wake Forest received a composite ACT score between 29 and 33, while 25% scored above 33 and 25% scored below 29. Requirements Wake Forest does not require ACT scores for admission. GPA Wake Forest does not provide data about admitted students high school GPAs; however, in 2018, 74% of Wake Forests incoming freshman class ranked in the top 10% of their high school class. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Wake Forest University Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Wake Forest University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances Wake Forest University, which accepts fewer than a third of applicants,  is selective. However, Wake Forest uses a  holistic admissions  process which is based on much more than numbers. A strong  application essay  and glowing  letters of recommendation  can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful  extracurricular activities  and a  rigorous course schedule. Wake Forest also places emphasis on the interview, which is optional but strongly recommended. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. As you can see, most accepted students had averages in the A range and an SAT score (ERWM)  of 1200 or higher and an ACT score of 26 or higher. Bear in mind that Wake Forest is test-optional, so students with scores outside of the reported range need not submit their scores to Wake Forest. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Wake Forest University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

A Sociological View of Rastafarianism - 3718 Words

Organized religion is a duality between the religion and the church which represents it. Sometimes the representation of the religion is marred and flawed to those who view it because of the bureaucracy contained within. Unknown to those who gaze upon the dissolved morals and values of what is perceived to be the contradiction known as modern religion, it was never intended to be this way. Most religions started off as a sect, a minor detail on the fringes of the society it never wanted to represent. Rastfarianism is such a sect. The differences between Rastafarianism and a normal mainstream religion are numberless, including: no set membership, no authoritative leader, no offices of authority, no trained clergy and no involvement with†¦show more content†¦Rastafarianism was more than a religion to the people of Jamaica, it was a hope. It was their escape from the the rational everyday world. This theodicy of suffering, in which the underprivileged and underrepresented Jamai cans believed, was compensation for the deplorable state in which they found themselves. The Rastafarian way of living and their everyday activities began as a deviant social behavior, but rather was a routinization of the masses into one cohesive unit, following the same general creed under different principles. This point can be seen most specifically in the modern Rastafarian hairstyles. In traditional Rastafarianism most Rastas do not cut their hair but allow it to grow naturally long matted strands or locks. These locks are in accordance with the Leviticus 21:5: They shall not make baldness upon their head (Johnson-Hill 25). But in todays Rastafarianism, their are men who will not grow facial hair or locks in accordance to their position in the work place and in society, but still believe in the faith of and consider themselves a part of the Rastafarian religion. This process of electing points on a subject in which a followers ideas converge with is called electiveShow MoreRe lated A Sociological View of Rastafarianism Essay3688 Words   |  15 Pagesthe religion is marred and flawed to those who view it because of the bureaucracy contained within. Unknown to those who gaze upon the dissolved morals and values of what is perceived to be the contradiction known as modern religion, it was never intended to be this way. Most religions started off as a sect, a minor detail on the fringes of the society it never wanted to represent. Rastfarianism is such a sect. The differences between Rastafarianism and a normal â€Å"mainstream† religion are numberlessRead More Nature in the Rastafarian Consciousness Essay example3436 Words   |  14 PagesNature in the Rastafarian Consciousness Living in harmony with the environment and the laws of Nature is one of the central ideas of Rastafarianism. To live in accordance with the Earth is to live in accordance with Jah; it is incorporated into the morality that is Rastafarian consciousness. The Rastas reverence for nature is influenced by the traditional African religions which are still practiced in Jamaica and which have also influenced Christianity on the island tremendously. Hinduism, tooRead MoreEssay Webers Approach to Religion and Sociology1706 Words   |  7 Pages Webers general approach to sociology is known as verstehen sociology; that human action is directed by meaning and that action can only be understood by appreciating the world-view of the social actor concerned. Since religion is an important component of the social actors world-view, religious beliefs can direct social action, and hence bring about social change. In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Weber explores the relationship between religiousRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesus to survive and thrive This page intentionally left blank Foreword One of the most useful things about Ennis Edmondss Rastafari: From Outcasts to Culture Bearers is that it correctly traces the connection between the emergence of Rastafarianism and the history of resistance and black consciousness that has been part of the Jamaican experience for years. The truth is that there has always been a committed Jamaican counter- culture that celebrates and sees redemption in Africa and rejectsRead MoreSlavery in Latin America vs Us3432 Words   |  14 Pagesabout many changes, with respect to African-Americans and black culture. Those changes had long lasting effects, not only on how blacks view and are viewed in society, but also on how the destruction of our culture influenced our current life-style today in United States and Latin America. Skin color is still an important factor in today’s society, due to the sociological affects from slavery, which started over 500 years ago. After the conquest, Latin America was referred to as the New World,

Travel and Tourism Field Bangkok Field Trip Free Essays

string(213) " Contradicting to his analysis, Angel et al \(2007\) evaluated that the higher density of tourism in a destination, the more favorable people are to tourism development and less worried about the negative impact\." Introduction Tourism is clearly understood as an eminent cause of umpteen changes involving various aspects, consisting of the destination’s economy, politics and culture (Cohen, 2001; Crick, 1994). With these radical changes, local’s hold different attitude towards tourism development and tourists themselves, both positively and negatively. Tourists behavioral, as one aspect leading to the influential of local’s attitude towards tourism, were bought upon by their motivation to travel as well as their origin country and culture. We will write a custom essay sample on Travel and Tourism Field : Bangkok Field Trip or any similar topic only for you Order Now MacCannell (1989) suggests that tourism is a social phenomenon that can be viewed as a stage where human interactions transpire. As for this case study, preeminent focus will be on what motivate tourists to travel, their behavior and interaction towards the locals, as well as how locals response to these behaviors of the tourists and their perception towards them. This study was limited in one specific tourism attraction in Bangkok. Tourism industry is a major economic factor in Thailand. With new shopping malls and hotels built in Bangkok over recent years, international visitors grew over 14 million vacationing in Thailand, ranking 18th most visited country in the world (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 2010). Brief interviews and observation will be focus onto the locals and tourists regard their behavior and interaction in Bangkok. Case study in Bangkok A different sense of space induced upon arrival at the airport, with heightened attention on the objectives of the study trip, eyes were wide open and attempting to spot on materials relevant for the research. During the trip, most of the traveling was done via walking and communication barrier was an obstacle to be tackled during interaction with the locals. In attempt to accomplish the study trip theme, three interviews were conducted with other tourists and eight conducted with the locals, those of known common languages. Interesting responses were given from the locals with different job roles. Culture shock arise while observing their socio cultural environment, specifically on the public response towards the young boy with both arm amputated under the blazing sun begging for money and how locals could dine under severe unhygienic conditions. Observation and experimental test proven local’s attitude towards tourists can easily be manipulated with tipping and money. Many tourists with similarity nationality were spotted in the street of Phetchaburi shopping malls and streets. In aspect of tourism glaze, it was dishearten to watch other tourists with the same nationality to behavior in an unethical manner. Events as such were several wastage of food by the tourists due to the cheap pricing or fondness to try out Thai Cuisines rather than filling up and absurd bargaining by tourists in shopping malls. Literature review Researches and theories of others were studied to apprehend tourism motivation of traveling. Personality and motivation are interrelated, where personality could be divided into psychocentric, as non-adventuresome, and allocentric groups, as adventuresome (Plog, 1974). Dann (1977) and Crompton (1979) both emphasize the importance of â€Å"Push† and â€Å"Pull† factors shaping tourist motivations. Iso-Ahola (1982) suggests tourism motivation consist of extrinsic component, desire to escape the everyday environment, and intrinsic component, desire to acquire psychological rewards through travel in a different environment. Kozak’s (2002) study examines the differences in tourist motivation between nationalities, as well as the destinations. His study discovered four dimensions of travel motivations includes cultural, pleasure or fantasy based, relaxation based and physical motives. Ambro (2005) suggests that when tourists interact in a certain destination for a long duration of time, a kind of place dependency will be developed and may even become part of their identity which develop their avidity to visit the place again With aspect to tourism behavior, Ritter (1987) suggests that different tourist behavior is influenced by different nationality. However, Dann (1993) criticized the use of nationality as a sole discriminating variable for illustrating the dissimilarity found in the tourist’s behavior. Additional variable such as age and gender differences plays a part on different motives and behaviors. Older tourists tend to travel based on relaxation and cultural exploration, whereas younger tourists tend to seek for physical activities and engage in sports when visiting a destination (Cristina. t al, 2008). Conversely Andreu et al (2005) identified that age of a tourist holds no significant influence on travel motivations. As for the gender differences regards to traveling, Andreu et al (2005) suggest that female tourist preferred a stronger escape based and relaxation motives while male tourist preferred more recreation and activity. Following reviews will be the fundamental studies on the local’s perception toward tourism. Mass tourism generates dramatic changes in both physical and cultural environment, impacting on the values and traditional way of life in the local community. These changes force local to be actively involved in the tourism industry of the destination (Getz 1994). Ap et al (1998) claimed that a well-establish relationship between the locals and tourists was prerequisite for a tourist destination to achieve long – term development, yet the attitudes of the local hold highly irregular meanings towards the growth of the destination (Relph, 1976). Milman et al (1988) studied the positive attitudes towards tourists, with employment opportunities, income from taxes and increased quality of life as a positive impact of tourism. Mansfeld (1992) focused the perceptions of the local and examined the negative impacts of tourism. He suggested that locals with higher incomes from tourism hold more positive attitudes towards tourism. Furthermore, Duvall (2002) pinpointed the negative impacts of tourism, which were the high taxes and prices in the destination, no vacation for the locals and long working hours to earn money. Additionally, Jafari (2001) discovered six platforms of tourism, two platforms namely the â€Å"Advocacy† and â€Å"Cautionary† platforms emphasized the positive and negative impacts of tourism, which was supported by the previous studies. Liu et al (1987) analyzed local’s perceptions of the negative impacts of tourism as a function dependent on the ratio between the number of tourists and locals. He claims that with higher ratio of tourists per locals will eventually lead to stronger criticism of tourism and a subsequent increase in opposition to tourism development. Contradicting to his analysis, Angel et al (2007) evaluated that the higher density of tourism in a destination, the more favorable people are to tourism development and less worried about the negative impact. Results and Analysis With limitations and insufficiency of time, three interviews were conducted with other tourist within the street of Phetchaburi, mainly Singaporean and Australian aging from 21 to 33. The general question posted to them was â€Å"What made you choose to travel to this place? The results from these candidates hold different opinions according to their nationality. From the two interviews conducted, both with the same nationality as Singaporean, a couple aging 24 and 25, and a group of three youngsters aging 22 to 25 respectively, similar results shown that their motives to travel was to escape from everyday routine life, to relax and most importantly, shopping. The first interview conducted with the couple also stated that it was their fourth time traveling to Bangkok because they love the place. These groups were classified as psychocentric (Plog, 1974), and were motivated as â€Å"Push† factors in relevance from Dann (1977) and Crompton (1979) studies. Motivated from the extrinsic component (Iso-Ahola, 1982), they seek to escape from everyday life and decided to travel to Bangkok as an option. As for the first interview candidates, the results demonstrated Ambro (2005) study whereas they had treated Bangkok as their â€Å"second home†. On the contrary, results taken from the Australian couple hold different perceptive compared to the first two results. The Australian couple aging 31 and 33, both carrying bulky haversack, mentioned that they were on an adventure to sight Bangkok Grand Palace and Temples. Phetchaburi only served a pit-stop for them and had no interests in shopping, their desire to see and obtain new knowledge from different countries culture and history. In accordant with the motivation concepts, this Australian couple was classified as allocentrics (Plog, 1974), and were motivated as â€Å"Pull† factors in relevance from Dann (1977) and Crompton (1979) studies. Contrasting from the first and second candidates, they were motivated from the intrinsic component (Iso-Ahola, 1982), seeking for new knowledge and experience from traveling where they were unable to achieve back in their country. In respect to the interviews conducted with other tourists, the two different nationalities, Singaporean and Australian, supported Kozak (2002) and Ritter (1987) studies as different nationality reflected different motives and behavior in tourism. Due to the small group sample in this study case, it was prejudiced to confirm the argument between Cristina et al (2008) and Andreu et al (2005), however observations during the trip were partially agreeable with Dann (1993), age and gender plays a role in different motives and behaviors beside nationality. Such observations were spotted in Platinum Mall, where most shoppers were young tourists, mostly females, bargaining on items in shops vendor. From the results of the eight interviews conducted by the locals, six expressed positively while two explained why tourism affected negatively towards the community. Corresponding to (Relph, 1976), these result signifies that not all locals hold the same perception and attitude towards tourism. Questions such as â€Å"What do you think tourism is Bangkok, Why† were posted to the candidates and results were recorded as follows. These six locals who expressed positively towards tourism stated tourism allowed them to make a living and increased their quality of life (Jafari, 2001; Milman et al, 1988). Out of these six locals, one which was the owners of traditional Thai massage centre indicated that locals with higher incomes from tourism hold more positive attitudes towards tourism (Mansfeld, 1992). Two locals, mainly the therapist and the shop vendor expressed negatively. According to the therapist, she stated that their pay was very little with long working hours during peak seasons, very tiring and limited job option as most job availability in the destination caters to the tourists industry (Duvall, 2002). As for the shop vendor, she mentioned tourists bargaining of goods and items created a negative impact towards the businesses in the shopping mall, and would rather to locals as their customer because they do not bargain as much (Jafari, 2001). From the interview with the Restaurant Waiter, the results reflected relevance findings with Angel et al (2007), explained that it’s a everyday norm to see tourists waste their food hence would not mind them doing so. In comparison with 3 of the interviews, conducted by the Shop Vendor, Manicure Practitioner and â€Å"Tuk Tuk† Rider, interesting results collected which demonstrated the inconsistency of local’s perception towards tourism (Relph, 1976). Both Manicure Practitioner and â€Å"Tuk Tuk† Rider preferred tourist customer as they could earn more from them. Notwithstanding in the Shop Vendor’s view as she preferred local customers. No such findings corresponds to Liu et al. (1987) study which local’s perceptions of the negative impacts of tourism as a function dependent on the ratio between the number of tourists and locals Studying both results from other tourists and the locals, as well with observation throughout the trip, various connections were discovered between the tourist and the locals in this case study. Starting off, evidences had pointed out different nationality plays a crucial role onto individual’s motive in traveling, leading to various behaviors. Local’s perceptions towards tourism vary with the tourist’s behavior, which in-turn not only generates â€Å"nationality stereotyping†, but also â€Å"acceptance† towards their behavior. One distinct reason of such â€Å"acceptance† was tourism money. With this â€Å"acceptance† developed with the locals, enhanced service satisfaction was provided towards tourists rather than towards the locals themselves, which resulted high satisfaction level from tourist and eventuate high expenditure of them. There forth some locals attempted to take advantage whereas they tried to hike up prices of services and goods, holding the belief that most tourists would not be mindful of expenditure cost. Frustration occurred for every failed attempt, such examples could be observed from the Shop Vendor and the Taxi Driver. Possibility of such failure roots back to the tourist’s nationality. This relationship not only associates the interactions between tourists and the locals, however evolved through the acceptance of tourist’s behaviors and the level of local’s intention to earn tourism money. Model 1: Overview of the relationship between the Tourists and Locals Model 2: Acceptance and Service level interrelation with Expectancy on earning from tourists Model 1 shows the overview of the relationships between tourists and locals found in this case study as mentioned previously. Model 2 displays a simplified graph, due to the lack of quantitative data collected indicate the higher level of acceptance and service level, the higher expectancy and intention to earn tourism money. Conclusion The theoretical concepts extracted from literature reviews constitute discussion pointers on tourism motivation and behavior, as well as local perception and attitude towards tourism. In conclusion of this study case, the results highlighted the dependence of tourism’s motivation and behavior on nationality. Thus, the results also evidence inconsistency of local’s perception towards tourism. Evaluation of the analysis suggested a relationship between the tourist and the locals from the case study. The relationship indicates the acceptance of tourist’s behavior as an influential component with the level of quality services provided, hence leading to the intention and expectancy on tourism money. The findings of this study display significant meanings and explanation on the inconsistency of local’s perception towards tourism as well as their behavior towards ourism. Due to the location and sample quantity limitations from the study case, questions such as â€Å"does gender contribute to different tourism motivation and behavior† and â€Å"diversification of the relationship suggested from this case study between the tourists and locals in different destination† were yet to be answered. (2213 words) References Andreu, L. , Kozac, M. , Avci, N. , Cifter, N. (2005). Market segmentation by motivations to travel: British tourists visiting Turkey. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 19(1), 1-14. Ambroz, M. (2005). Sociology of Tourism: The basis for the investigation of travelling cultures. Portoroz: Turistica. Angel, B. B. , Jaume, R. N. (2007). Attitudes towards tourism and tourism congestion. JEL Classification, L83, 194-206. Ap, J. Crompton, J. L. (1998). Developing and Testing a Tourism Impact Scale. Journal of Travel Research, 37, 120-130. Cohen, N. , eds. (2001). Ethnic Tourism in Southeast Asia. Bangkok, Thailand: White Lotus Press. Crick, M. (1994). Resplendent Sites, Discordant Voices. Sri Lankans and International Tourism. Switzerland: Harwood Academic Publishers. Cristina, J. , Dwayne, D. 2008). Does nationality, gender and age affect travel motivation? A case of visitors to the Caribbean Island of Barbarbos. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 25(3–4), 398-408. Crompton, J. L. (1979). Motivations for pleasure vacation. Annals of Tourism Research, 6 (1), 408-424. Dann, G. (1977). Anomie, ego-enhancement and tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 4(4), 184-194. Dann, G. ( 1993). Limitation in the use of nationality and country of residence variables. In D. Pearce R. Butler (Eds. ), Tourism research: Critiques and challenges (pp. 88-112). London: Routledge. Duvall, T. (2002). Tourists and locals: the people of Mazatlan, Mexico have many reasons for welcoming visitors. Retrieved from http://www. academia. edu/711646/Analogous_Inequalities_Sources_of_Conversational_Hierarchy_in_Mazatlan_Mexico Getz, D. , 1994, Residents’ Attitudes toward Tourism: A Longitudinal Study in Spey Valley, Scotland, Tourism Management, 15(4), 247-258. Iso-Ahola, S. E. (1982). Toward a social psychological theory of tourism motivation: A rejoinder. Annals of Tourism Research, 9(2), 256-262. Jafari, J. (2001). In Hosts and Guests Re-visited. Smith, V. L. and Brent, M. (Eds. ) Cognizant Communication Corporation. New York. How to cite Travel and Tourism Field : Bangkok Field Trip, Essay examples

Evaluation of Product and Service Quality †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Evaluation of Product and Service Quality. Answer: Introduction: After a meeting with co-managers regarding the evaluation of the business model of our company, we came up with the following strategic vision statement. Vision statement: At Best Deals Electronics our Vision is to be among the most delivering companies in the world- in terms of all the consumer household electronics. We create a wide range of durable and quality products that seeks to meet the demands of the consumers from every perspective, ranging from the television sets, washing machines, driers, cookers and fridges among others. Engaging high professionalism in all the business endeavors to ensure quality customer service delivery, through provision of better products and support services with a sole focus on corporate responsibility to boost the companys image and status (Sang Eze, 2012). References Sang, Q. A., Eze, U. C. (2012). Assessing key factors in consumers evaluation of product and service quality. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 11(4), 415-435.

McDonalds Company Analysis

Overview of the Case McDonald’s, the first food chain known for its strong performance in a very competitive industry is facing stiff competition from other firms. The firm’s breakfast offerings are not as competitive as they were before due to strong performance by products from other market players such as Taco Bell, White Castle, Dunkin Brands Group, Burger King and Starbucks.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on McDonald’s Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These firms have new breakfast products which have been received well by consumers in different areas they are operating in. As a result, these firms’ improved performance in the industry has negatively affected McDonald’s market share (Jargon, 2014, p. 1). McDonald’s poor competitive position can be seen through its declining sales and profit revenues in the past six months. This paper is going to d iscuss the main marketing issues that McDonald’s faces in its operations and how they can be improved to help the firm regain its competitive position in the industry. Key Issues McDonald’s weakening position in the industry is due to its failure to come up with effective marketing strategies that respond to the needs of young consumers. In the past, the firm’s breakfast offerings performed well in the market but it has been losing customers gradually to new firms. Low innovation in the firm has made it difficult for the firm to attract new consumers who are willing to try out the product it sells in the market (Jargon, 2014, p. 2). The firm has also failed to come with an effective product development strategy to help it sell new high quality products that satisfy consumers’ expectations. As a result, this has affected the company’s competitive position in the market because it has failed to keep up with modern market trends that are crucial for i ts long term performance. The firm also needs to improve the relationships it has with its franchisees. They feel that the firm’s marketing strategies are not effective and fresh ideas are needed to help the firm regain its footing in the industry. In addition, they insist that more needs to be done to improve the quality of the firm’s operations in the industry.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main actors that need to be analyzed are: McDonald’s, its competitors and franchisees. McDonald’s has not been able to come up with important strategic changes to help it maintain its market share in the industry. Other fast food firms have developed efficient market processes that are responsive to current consumer trends in the market. Therefore, McDonald’s competitors have been able to institute higher operational standards that position them well in the industry (Jargon, 2104, p. 3). The firm has also been unable to develop beneficial partnerships with its franchisees. They feel that it needs to come up with innovative promotional strategies to attract new customers to sample its products. Definition of the Problem McDonald’s faces various problems such as: a weakening brand, low sales, ineffective promotions and the inability to keep up with its competitors. The main problem the firm needs to address to solve all these issues is its marketing mix functions. The company needs to review the four P’s of the marketing mix which are: products, prices, promotions and place. This will help the firm to improve the value of its internal systems of operations to help it attain high standards of performance in the long run (Bradley, 2010, p. 75). In addition, the firm needs to understand issues related to the quality of service it offers that need to be improved to help it attain its objectives in the industry. This approach will help the firm to focus on priorities to regain its market share in the industry to help it register good performance in the long run. Product improvements and developments are a crucial part of any marketing strategy. McDonald’s needs to carry out research to find out specific types products that customers prefer to consume for breakfast. This approach will enable the firm to stay in touch with its customers to anticipate their needs and expectations by providing products that satisfy them. At the moment, the firm has failed to create appropriate menus that attract customers to make them more willing to try out its product offerings (Bradley, 2010, p. 79).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on McDonald’s Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The pricing of products should be maintained at current levels to make customers have positive perceptions about the quality of products they are purchasing. This requires the firm to develop effective customer relationship management systems that increase the value of its products in the market. Promotional aspects of operations need an overhaul to enable the firm to regain its competitive position in the market. The firm needs to rethink its strategy of offering customers give away products because this is likely to increase its costs of operations in the long run. The current strategy of offering give away products has caused disagreements between the firm and its franchisees, a situation that is likely to have a negative effect on the firm’s operations in the long run. In addition, the firm needs to look at the internal atmosphere in its outlets to find out if it is suitable for consumer’s eating patterns (Rue Byars, 2003, p. 43). It may be compelled to redesign its restaurants to enable them to offer a memorable service experience to customers. Alternative Solutions The firm needs to carr y out market research to find out new products which can be introduced to improve its performance in the industry. The firm needs to test some of its product concepts in some franchises to find out how they are likely to be received by customers. This approach will enable the firm to evaluate how they are likely to perform in the firm in the long run. The main benefit the firm will get out of this strategy is that it will be able to create new revenue streams for its operations and this will help to increase its profits in the industry. The firm will also be in a position to establish relationships with new customers to make them more interested in consuming its products (Rue Byars, 2003, p. 49). However, the main disadvantage associated with such a strategy is that the firm may end up experiencing losses especially if the new products do not appeal to customers’ interest effectively.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The firm needs to improve the quality of service it offers to its customers. It needs to come up with new ways of engaging with its customers to make them understand the benefits they can get from its services. The firm needs to rely more on innovative technology solutions to market its offerings and attract young consumers in the industry. As a result, this will enable the firm to understand new market trends and how they affect its long term operations in the industry (Panda, 2008, p. 37). The benefit of this approach is that the firm will be in a position to satisfy the needs of its customers because it will sell appropriate products that conform to specific market conditions. The disadvantage the firm is likely to experience from this approach is that it may take a long period of time before it yields positive results. Another solution the firm needs to use is to change its promotional strategies. The firm needs to engage with people in their communities to make them have positi ve perception towards its operations. It needs to go out and conduct promotions in schools, colleges and other places to encourage young people to try out some of its breakfast products (Panda, 2008, p. 43). This approach is likely to yield positive results in the long run because the firm will be able to understand how to elicit positive consumer sentiments that favor its products in the market. The advantage of changing its promotional strategy will enable the firm to attract new consumer segments that are willing to sample its products. On the other hand, the main disadvantage associated with this strategy is that it may increase the costs incurred by the firm in its operations. Selected Solution to the Problem New product concepts will enable the firm to regain the market share it has lost to its competitors. The firm should consider using popular accompaniments with its products to make them more appealing to customers. As a result, this will help the firm to increase the value of its brand in the market to take advantage of new opportunities which exist. In addition, the firm needs to develop new menus that attract consumers to make them more interested in various products that are on offer. Customers should be given more consideration when new product concepts are developed to enable them to satisfy their needs and expectations (Salisbury, 2014). This approach will help the firm to increase the value of its brand in the industry making it well prepared to capitalize on various opportunities that exist. The firm needs to differentiate services offered to customers who consume breakfast in its outlets. It needs to come up with new ways of appealing to their lifestyles. Moreover, the firm needs to find out conditions that exist in its restaurants to find out if they satisfy the high standards it has set for itself in its operations. Customers’ perceptions towards a particular product are influenced by the quality of service they get whenever they co nsume it. Therefore, the firm needs to come up with ways of ensuring that its customers have positive experiences whenever they visit its outlets to consume breakfast (Salisbury, 2014). This entails retraining its employees to ensure they offer prompt and high quality services to customers in different outlets. As a result, the firm needs to empower its employees to make them more willing to satisfy customers who visit its restaurants. The firm needs to rebrand its breakfast service offerings to differentiate them from other products that are sold during the day. This approach will help the firm to direct customers’ attention to new quality improvements in its operations that make it stand out in the market. As a result, this will improve customers’ perceptions towards the firm’s products because they will feel that they connect with them on a personal level. The firm needs to use focus strategies to increase the value of its important products in the market. In addition, the firm needs to redefine specific customer segments it will target with its new breakfast products. This will enable the firm to find out specific methods it can use to attract them. Consequently, the firm will be in a position to turn around its operations to by increasing its profit revenues (Vrontis Pavlou, 2008, p. 299). There has been an increase in the number of customers who are interested in consuming healthy diets that have low sugar and fat content. The firm needs to engage young people and make them aware about healthy diets it is going to offer for breakfast as part of its menu. As a result, the firm will be in a position to diversify its product offerings to enable it to attract new customer segments in the industry. In the long term, this will help the firm to increase various sources of incomes for its operations to increase its competitive edge in the industry. Many people are conscious about what they eat due to the high increase in lifestyle diseases which are mainly caused by poor eating habits revenues (Vrontis Pavlou, 2008, p. 301). Therefore, this approach will help the firm to demonstrate that it takes seriously the health and wellbeing of its customers and as a result, it will be in a position to turn around its operations. Expected Results and Rationale for the Solution McDonald’s new product development strategy will help it take advantage of future opportunities in the industry. This will allow the firm to appeal to younger consumers to make them more loyal. As a result, the firm will be in a better position to grow its revenues to overcome the challenges it has been facing in the industry. The firm’s business model will focus more on adapting to market conditions to increase its competitive advantage in the long run. As a result, this will enable the firm to use efficient methods to respond to external market conditions that have caused it to lose its market share to competitors (Marder, 1997, p. 47). Fo r a long time, the firm has focused more on standardizing processes in different markets where its operations are based. However, this strategy will enable the firm to be more flexible in its operations to enable it to achieve higher levels of service excellence in the industry. An effective product development strategy will enable the firm to improve quality perceptions that are associated with its products in the market. As a result, the firm will be in a position to increase the value of its brand in the industry by ensuring that its operations focus more on customer service excellence. More importantly, the firm will be able to institute learning processes that enable its staff to acquire new skills to make them satisfy customers’ needs and expectations (Marder, 1997, p. 52). This will increase revenues obtained by the firm from its operations in the industry. In addition, this will help the firm to share information with its franchisees regarding specific improvements th at need to be made. The rationale for this solution is due to the fact that the firm is losing its competitive edge in the industry. Therefore, this requires the firm to make its external and internal processes more innovative so that it can be well prepared to satisfy the needs of its customers in different markets. In addition, the firm’s current strategy has the potential of causing conflicts with its franchisees who are important stakeholders. As a result, this solution will enable the firm to improve the relationships it has with its stakeholders to ensure that they understand the importance of its new strategies. The firm needs to review the manner in which it conducts its operations by coming up with new ways of engaging young consumers (Kotler Armstrong, 2007, p. 72). As a result, this will enable the firm to develop strong and reliable relationships with them and this will help it attain good long term performance in the long run. Positive and Negative Results The f irm needs to implement effective brand management strategies to safeguard the product life cycle of their current and potential new products in the market. This approach will enable the firm to find out how to regulate the growth of its new products in the market to maintain high levels of interest from consumers. The firm needs to be careful about fads that are driven by high levels of customer excitement which do not last for a long period of time. Therefore, the new product development processes must be guided by information obtained from the targeted customer segments in the market (Kotler Armstrong, 2007, p. 75). This will to find out how its new products are likely to fare in the market in the long run. Therefore, the firm needs to rely on forecasting tools to predict expected changes in consumer behavior that are likely to impact on the performance of new products which are sold in the market. The firm also needs to be careful about becoming complacent in the industry after it starts to register good results from its operations. The firm should institute learning processes that make all employees and other key stakeholders aware about constant trends in the industry that have an impact on its operations. As a result, this approach will help the firm to focus its attention on organizational priorities that affect the manner in which it performs its functions in the industry. Therefore, this will help the firm to come up with proactive solutions to various challenges it is likely to face in the industry in the long run (Kotler Armstrong, 2007, p. 82). Moreover, it is important for the firm to adopt risk management strategies to protect it against situations that are directly caused by poor financial performance. This will increase the stability of its operations in the industry in the long run. Conclusion McDonald’s needs to take urgent measures to protect its market share in the industry. The firm needs to develop new products that can satisfy t he needs of its customers in the industry. In addition, the firm should come up with new service improvements to help its clients obtain high quality services from its operations. This approach will improve the firm’s advantage over its competitors in the industry. References Bradley, N. (2010). Marketing research: Tools and techniques. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Jargon, J. (2014, Apr. 20). McDonald’s faces sharper competition in breakfast battleground. The Wall Street Journal. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (2007). Principles of marketing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Marder, E. (1997). The laws of choice: Predicting customer behavior. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Panda, T.K. (2008). Marketing management. New Delhi, India: Excel Books Rue, L. Byars, L. (2003). Management: Skills and applications. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Salisbury, P. (2014, Feb 20). The globalization of â€Å"fast food†. Behind the brand: McDonald’s. Global Research. Retrieved from https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-globalization-of-fast-food-behind-the-brand-mcdonald-s/25309 Vrontis, D., Pavlou, P. (2008). The external environment and its effect on strategic marketing planning: A case study for McDonald’s. J. International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 3(3/4), 289-307. This case study on McDonald’s Company Analysis was written and submitted by user Liam Richardson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A reaction to rizals life in dapitan essays

A reaction to rizal's life in dapitan essays Jose Rizal, a man with so many accomplishments. Jose Rizal gives all of us inspiration in all the things we do. He is inspires us to be hardworking and diligent, which most of us are not. I am amazed that even though Rizal was in exile, he didnt mind the fact that he was sent to Dapitan to live like a prisoner and yet he still manages to accomplish many things. He has taught the poor Mindanao folk to unite for trading so that they may become independent and free themselves from the Chinese and thus become less exploited, in the sense that he organized a cooperative even in exile. While many people would be in panic, despair or lose hope for any success in their lives because of being exiled Jose Rizal continued to serve his country. This is what made Jose Rizal stand out of the others as a hero to a nation. He was truly a man of action. He always put his countrymen first before him. He truly was a man of action, he did not only looked over the people nor just tell people what to do, he helped them in their everyday work. Rizal was intelligent and yet very humble. Right now I wish that the tree he planted would somehow magically make Rizal appear in this time of ours so that I can praise him for what he did for us. Rizal truly was a person for his countrymen, he truly was a patriot and nationalistic for he never wanted to see his fellow countrymen being oppressed and being exploited. I wish I could go to Dapitan for a glimpse of how our hero lived in Dapitan while being exiled. Last June 19, we celebrated Rizal's 143rd birthday. That's two lifetimes for the average Filipino, quite a long time. But not really so when one thinks about the baluno tree he nurtured and which grows to this day as our living connection to him and when one thinks about the issues he cared about and which continue to challenge us today: health, education, poverty and inequality. It would be such an honor to know more about our hero. ...

Law Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Law Questions - Assignment Example Reliable has accepted too many contracts and must sub-contract the Grocery Inc. renovation to Casual Handyman. Grocery Inc. was not aware of the sub-contract. When Grocery saw the poor work that was being done and that Casual, not Reliable, was doing the work, Grocery applied for a court order to stop Casual from doing any more work (injunction) and then sued Reliable for breach of contract, seeking specific performance of their contract. Reliable argued that it has a right to sub-contract the work or, in the alternative, to walk away from the contracts obligations because of commercial impracticability. Who wins? Explain your answer. Grocery wins the case because the contract involves personal skills by Reliable or its employees. In addition, no natural phenomenon has occurred after the contract to warrant impractability and this means that Reliable has no defense (Cross and Miller, 2011). 3. Jeff is 17 years old and works in the produce department. He made a down payment on a car that he purchased from Steve at a used car lot. Steve assumed that Jeff was over 18 years old and did not ask for proof of age. Six months after the purchase, Jeff lost his job and could no longer make the $200/month payments. Jeff returned the car to Steve and said he wanted to cancel the contract and that he wanted his money back. What are the possible outcomes? Explain your answers. Steve is likely to accept the car and refund the money. This is because no valid contract existed and this further means that there was no consideration for the payment. Steve therefore owes Jeff the money (Cross and Miller, 2011). 4. Grocery Inc. has a written contract with Cereal Inc. to purchase 20 cases of cereal each month at $22/case. The contract does not state the types of cereal or how the 20 cases will be divided among Grocerys stores. After a flood, Cereal suffers extensive water damage to its warehouse and the contents therein. With the exception of Soggy Flakes,

Three Gorges Dam in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Three Gorges Dam in China - Essay Example Even though, Chinese authorities describe the construction of this dam as a landmark, many of the environmentalists questioned such claims. It is a fact that this dam is the blend of social, engineering and economic successes; however the controversies surrounding the construction of this dam are still creating headaches to the Chinese authorities. â€Å"The massive project sets records for number of people displaced (more than 1.2 million), number of cities and towns flooded (13 cities, 140 towns, 1,350 villages), and length of reservoir (more than 600 kilometers)†1. Moreover many of the wild life lost its habitat as a result of the construction of this dam. Ecological problems, high risk of landslides, etc are some other issues raised by the critics of this dam. This paper briefly analyses the history, statistics and the environmental impact this dam has had on the area surrounding its location. â€Å"The Three Gorges Dam spans the Yangtze River at Sandouping, Yichang, Hube i province, China. Construction began in 1993†2. It is the biggest hydroelectric power station in the world at present with a capacity to produce 18200 MW electric powers. It was partly commissioned in 2008 and is expected to be fully operational by 2012. It is expected that the when it is fully operational, its capacity may reach 22500 MW of electric power. This dam was constructed for multipurpose. Even though the major purpose of constructing this dam was to find an answer to the huge energy crisis facing by China, prevention of flood, increasing shipping capacity etc were some other major objectives behind the construction of this dam. The major criticism labelled against hydroelectric power projects all over the world is about the environmental problems such projects can generate. Since Three Gorges Dam is the biggest in its category, the environmental problems produced by it cannot be neglected. As in the cases of other hydroelectric power projects in the world, the envi ronmental impacts of this dam could be more visible as time goes on. The submergence of hundreds of factories, mines and waste dumps, and the presence of massive industrial centres upstream are creating a festering bog of effluent, silt, industrial pollutants and rubbish in the reservoir. Erosion of the reservoir and downstream riverbanks is causing landslides, and threatening one of the world’s biggest fisheries in the East China Sea. The weight of the reservoir's water has many scientists concerned over reservoir-induced seismicity3 Yangtze River is the third biggest river in the world and its coastal areas are highly fertile and heavily populated. â€Å"The world's largest dam will flood over 62,000 acres of farmland, 13 major cities, 140 large, and hundreds of small villages along the river's banks, necessitating the evacuation and relocation of over one million people†4. The wild life around the coastal areas of Yangtze River lost its habitat along with millions o f people. The beautiful landscape which was earlier filled with a variety of agricultural crops, converted into an ocean which may become an ocean of waste as time goes on, as a result of the construction of this dam. â€Å"Water quality in the main reservoir remained stable, but pollution was worsening in tributaries because of high levels of nitrates and phosphates that had already endangered drinking water in some areas†5. In other words, not only the water inside the dam, drinking water sources in the neighbourhood of this dam also could be polluted as result of the construction of this dam. â€Å"According to a CNN article, one billion tons of sewage will flow into the reservoir each year. Pollution in the river itself will increase, as the dam will slow water flow, stopping the river’

Abercrombie & Fitch Positioning Strategy Research Paper

Abercrombie & Fitch Positioning Strategy - Research Paper Example An analysis on Abercrombie & Fitch can show how it has positioned its brand, and how effective the strategy is. This can be done using the four P’s of the marketing mix as noted by Smith, (2013), namely product, promotion, place and price. A look at the product shows that it clearly stands out. There is a lot of competition in the clothing industry, but Abercrombie & Fitch has managed to continue leading in terms of products. This company sells outfits like tank tops, underwear, jeans, fragrances, t-shirts and footwear for the youth and kids only, unlike its rival companies such as American Eagle Outfitters and Gap Inc who stock all types of clothes, footwear and fragrances for everyone. It is a company for young kids between the age of 7-14 year, teens between 14-18 years and also stocks women underwear and loungewear (Joseph, 2013). This is one aspect in the market mix that makes it distinct from the other companies. In addition, as the CEO of the company, Mike Jeffries puts it, his business is for the lovely, the attractive and cool and those who are not overweight. The company’s cloth line is unique in design. ... In fact, most of the people do not get to know about Abercrombie through the television or magazines. Word of mouth from its customers works well for them, and on Abercrombie television, the advertising is done. Of importance to note is their way of advertising, which makes use of sex appeal. This has greatly been condemned religious denominations and human rights organizations, complaining that the company campaigns for pre-marital sex among the youth, especially the young girls. However, the company CEO, Mike Jeffries confidently asserts that he and his team represent healthy sexuality, playful and glorious camaraderie which is usually found in the company’s target market (Joseph, 2013). The company, in early 2003 used its magazine, Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly, to further reach out to existing customers and potential customers. The magazines production was however stopped as people accused the company of promoting soft pornography. The company also advertises its products through its website (Abercrombie. Com) and through its subscription catalogs which have over 400,000 subscribers. Their advertisements all reach out to the young people where they show the ‘effect’ of using the company’s products like perfumes. A good example is the Abercrombie effect advertisement. They also indirectly use negative publicity to promote their products (Joseph, 2013). Price is the other element in the marketing mix. Price is a great determinant on who will buy at a certain company and how much of a product they will buy. When the price of a product is law, more people are likely to purchase it and vice versa (Smith, 2013; Graham, 2013). For Abercrombie & Fitch,

Effectiveness of Product Placement of Cars

Effectiveness of Product Placement of Cars Product placement is a marketing tool where a product is put into a movie scene where it is heard or seen, or its brand name heard (Lehu and Bressoud 2008). This marketing practice has since mushroomed in movies. The communication potential of product placement in the movie is considered as a feasible and attractive branding method (Cowley and Barron 2008). As a marketing strategy, product placement has been regarded for its advantages such as a captive audience (Cowley and Barron 2008); lack of clutter (Belch and Belch, as cited in Lehu and Bressoud 2008); and exposure, frequency, support of other media, source association, cost and recall such as other advertisements (Belch and Belch, as cited in Lehu and Bressoud 2008, p. 92). Among the very first industries to use product placement as a marketing strategy has been the auto industry. Car makers were among the first to use the technique because of the potentially very large audience for a low cost (Parrish, as cited in Cowley and Barron 2008). For the year 2007 alone, total spending for product placement reached $2.9 billion in the United States, with the car and apparel industries claiming the biggest chunk (Pope 2008). British luxury carmaker Aston Martin has been in the business since 1914 and is known for its high-profile product placements in popular films. Aston produces high-end and low-volume cars that fit the companys image of sophistication, elegance, credibility, and glamour. The companys marketing strategy has been closely associated James Bond films. Its relationship with the Bond franchise has been one of the most popular partnerships and has contributed to the companys image worldwide. Starting with Sean Connery in the 1964 Bond installment Goldfinger, Aston has sustained its product placement strategy with the most recent placement of Aston Martin DBS for the 2007 film Casino Royale (Superbrands 2009). Studies have suggested that product placement boosts brand recall and promotes greater brand exposure for a product. In a study by Delorme and Reid (1999), product placement appeared to have influenced the audience to develop familiarity and a sense of belonging associated with the brand shown in the movies. The study also concluded that the context in which the brand appears in the movie is also important for brand exposure and that young people are the most susceptible for product placement. DeLorme and Reid (1999) said that, [They] had grown up with much more marketing and advertising therefore, they expect to encounter brands in present day movies (p. 83). Another study also examined what forms of placement are most effective in boosting brand recall (Sapolsky and Kinney 1994). The researchers found that a combination of visual cues and verbal references to the brand in the scenes of a movie are the most effective and also the most expensive placements. Brand recall is also high when a product appears jointly with a major character or the star in the film and provides it with greater visibility. Companies that have used product placement have reported a boost in sales after movie releases. For instance, Reeses candy experience an escalation of sales by 70 percent when the movie ET: The Extra-Terrestrial after the blockbuster movie was released. Reeses candies were featured in several scenes in the movie. BMW AG also experienced a spike in profits as customers decked the showrooms after the release of the 1996 Bond installment Golden Eye featured its Z3 roadster (Pope 2008). Determining how effective product placements are has been a focus of a study by Morton and Friedman (2002). The researchers explained that the brand performance of a product as a result of product placement strategy could be measured according to different variables: revenues, sales or hits at the official company website. The authors suggest that product placement is an effective type of product promotion. Audience receptivity as a result of product placement is key to achieving sales or profitability objectives or not achieving them entirely. Marketing practitioners and executives should ensure that product placement results to the reflection of greater profitability outcomes. Furthermore, researchers have also concluded that the role of marketing executives is to obtain access to opportunities for product placement and guarantee that the appearance of the product works synergetically with the companys image and market positioning (Morton and Friedman 2002). Research Question and Research Objectives This study aims to investigate how product placement is as a marketing strategy in Aston Martin and evaluate its effectiveness. The central research question for the proposed study is: How effective is product placement as a marketing strategy for luxury carmaker Aston Martin? There are specific sub-questions to the main question, to wit: How is product placement used as a marketing strategy at Aston Martin? What are the perceived benefits of product placement as a marketing strategy? Is it an effective marketing strategy in terms of a) producing brand and company awareness; and b) generating sales for the company? The objectives of this study are: To trace, identify, and describe product placement in the companys history since it first placed Aston Martin DB5 in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger until present. To gather the perceptions of the marketing practitioners at Aston Martin on the benefits of their choice of marketing strategy. To gather the perceptions of the marketing practitioners on how placing Aston Martin cars in movies offers competitive market positioning for the company. To collect information on revenue and sales of Aston Martin cars as a result of product placement. Philosophy of the Research Design and the Methodology to be Used This study will be a qualitative case study research in design. This study follows the qualitative tradition of research and will be guided by a detached social constructionist approach. Qualitative research is characterized by an open research design that is suitable for studies which are small-scale in scope. The social constructionist perspective views the social as the process of articulating individual selves and the world. It is a challenge to the primacy of the individual, in effect, placing relationship, the social, as prior and primary (Stacey 2001, p. 51). This study proposes the case study methodology, which is a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence (Robson 2002, p. 178). The phenomenon to be investigated for this study is product placement as a marketing strategy and how it contributes to positive profitability outcomes. The researcher in a case study uses multiple sources and methods (Yin 1994). Following the multi-method focus of qualitative research, this study proposes to utilize primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data will be gathered by interviews with marketing executives of Aston Martin. Interviews will be necessary in order to understand the reasons behind their decisions on marketing strategy as well as their opinions on how marketing strategies are effective in fueling company growth. Moreover, interviews provide the opportunity to obtain answers by allowing interviewees to explain and build on their responses. Secondary data will be used to triangulate primary data sources. Among the targeted sources of secondary data will be company revenue statistics, company documents, archival material, and news articles that could verify and elaborate on the responses in the interviews.

The Three Flags :: Essays Papers

The Three Flags Whenever I go into my bedroom, I see three large flags. One drapes the stairs and two cover the walls. If I take the time to notice them, I can’t help but smile. These flags are the national coat of arms of Germany; Germany’s greatest state Bavaria; and the national flag of Austria. The three of them serve to remind me of the summer of my junior year. During that summer I went on a class trip to Germany and Austria. These flags have become the greatest souvenirs of the trip. When I returned, I hung them carelessly to avoid finding an appropriate storage place. Now their presence is important for the good memories of that summer that they bring to my mind. I never had the opportunity to travel abroad as a young boy, so the European trip was extremely important to me. It was the first time I was without the supervision of my puritan parents and I remember it as if it were yesterday. All my closest friends from that period in my life were along on the trip. The shared experiences of our lives at school continued that summer, during what was a great adventure for us all. When my present life provides me with a moment to reflect I look at those flags and remember a great experience and great friends. I think not only of Germany, but also of other universities, other colleges, and even boot camps that have become the homes for those who shared my life and shared that summer. It’s difficult to casually walk by those three flags these days and briefly reminisce over the memories they evoke. Too often I find myself staring for a minute, then sitting down in my room to revisit the joy in my mind. I take those opportuni ties to wonder how my good friends are doing off in their lives abroad and even to offer up a prayer for their well being. The people that I went with to Europe that summer and I now share an unbreakable bond. We still reminisce and even those who were only acquaintances at the time have become friends as if forever.