The ULTIMATE Guide to KDP How to Succeed on Kindle Direct Publishing

The ULTIMATE Guide to KDP How to Succeed on Kindle Direct Publishing The Ultimate Guide to KDP: How to Succeed on Kindle Direct Publishing What do Andy Weir and Luke Jennings have in common? Not much - at least until self-publishing through Amazon changed their lives. Jennings, with his Booker Prize nomination, already belonged in the writerly mainstream. Weir, on the other hand, wrote code before he ever wrote novels, learning C as a teenager to work with combustion researchers.Since then, both have released books through Amazon’s self-publishing platform, Kindle Direct Publishing. Jennings’ novella, Codename Villanelle, became the basis for the acclaimed BBC thriller Killing Eve. Weir, meanwhile, saw his first novel, The Martian, turned into a Matt Damon blockbuster by the same name.Amazon turned a journalist and a programmer into international publishing sensations. Want to succeed on KDP like they did? Let’s take a look at everything you’d need to do to make this powerful sales platform work for you. Before we're done, we'll turn the killer book you wrote into a self-published bestseller . How do you turn the book you wrote into a self-published bestseller? How to sell ebooks on AmazonYou’re here because you want to sell as many copies of your book as possible. You might think that’s easier said than done. But truthfully, the formula behind making book sales is simple: Traffic x Conversion = Sales.Traffic gets eyeballs on your book, while conversion turns those gawkers into buyers. On its own, traffic does nothing for your bottom line. Every internet-user in California could find your book page in the same afternoon, but their 18 million clicks will only frustrate you if none of those virtual window-shoppers turns into an actual shopper. On the flip side, you might have a book page so bewitching that everyone who finds it compulsively mashes the orange buy button. But if only three people ever stumble on your page, your black-magic conversion rate still only nets you three sales.Both factors go into making sales. But on Amazon specifically, conversion is more important. You see, Amazon, on top of being a search engine, is also a book recommendation tool. It makes and sends book suggestions to users based on their browsing and shopping history. Most huge Amazon success stories happened because, at some point, Amazon started marketing their book for them. So how can you get them to do the same for your book?Well, Amazon has the same goal as you: selling books. The more books they sell to its users, the happier they'll be. So when their algorithms have a choice between promoting two books with a similar sales history, Amazon will naturally favor the one with greater on-page conversion. They know the extra traffic they send to that book page will turn into more sales than the other book.As a result, one of the worst things that can happen to an author on Amazon is to get a lot of traffic with very poor conversion. This will immediately flag the book to Amazon's algorithms as a "loser," and it'll never get recommended.So in short, on Amazon, conversion is even more important than traffic which is why you must, first and foremost, focus on optimizing your KDP book's Amazon product pages.Optimizing your KDP book’s Amazon product pageNow, let’s talk about how you get the sky-scraping conversion rate of your dreams. Youà ¢â‚¬â„¢ll need an Amazon product page that tempts viewers into hitting â€Å"Buy now with 1-Click.† Remember that workplace cliche about dressing for the job you want and not the job you have? While we don’t recommend aping your boss’s favorite suit, this principle does apply to maximizing conversion on your product page.To be a bestseller, your book should look like a bestseller. That means dressing your words up in the right packaging, so they seem worthy of book club adulation and blogosphere hype. To achieve that, you’ll need to optimize your product page with three things:A polished cover;A punchy description; andBook reviews.As a bonus, set up an author page on Amazon Central with a bio that tells your story as engagingly as possible.1. Create a polished coverSay I'm a bookworm shopping for my next read. As a huge fan of Ender’s Game, I want something in the same vein, so browse around the Kindle Store. Do you know how many books there are in that Military Science Fiction category? More than 20,000.A lot of these might be self-published, but a good number of them also come from traditional publishing companies. These industry behemoths have four-figure design budgets and will producing pixel-perfect book covers. 3. Leverage your existing audienceThis one’s pretty obvious. If you have an existing audience - whether that’s a sizable mailing list, thousands of Twitter followers, or a horde of disciples who follow you wherever you go - let them know about your book.Unless, and we can’t stress this enough, your existing audience doesn’t read in your genre. Make sure you don’t t pollute your Also Boughts!4. Cross-promote with other authorsA great way to reach new readers is to cross-promote with other authors.   Plenty of indie authors do that through newsletter swaps: you promote their new release to your mailing list, and they do the same for you when you launch your book.Of course, this only works if you have a mailing list. So if you don’t, you know what you should do next.5. AdvertiseAnother sure-fire to reach new readers? Leverage the three main advertising platforms that have proven successful for authors selling their books:Facebook advertising : take our free course here;Amazon advertising: yep, we also have a free course for those;Bookbub advertising: I’ll let you guess where this link will take you.Amazon ads can be pretty effective at providing a solid baseline of sales - even at full-price. But Facebook and BookBub will work much, much better if your book is discounted (or free), and they are also a lot easier to scale.If this is your first time publishing a book, don’t worry: you don’t need to do all these things. You just need to plan your launch well, and try at least some of these tactics.And remember, if you want an experienced professional to help you along the way, we’ve handpicked specialist book marketers on Reedsy who do just that. So don’t hesitate to get in touch and ask them for a quote!Have you joined the ranks of indie authors publishing through KDP? What do you wish you’d known before you started? Tell us about your experiences or drop some pearls of wisdom be low!

buy custom Allegory essay

buy custom Allegory essay Allegory of the cave and the giver are two works of art that are attributed to Plato and Lowry. In the allegory of the cave, Plato brings out the idea of general operation of human being. To him, human being has the ability to think and utter words without necessarily being aware of what is going on in his surroundings. He compares human beings to people who have been jailed inside a cave, and they are not able to turn and look at what is in their surroundings (Lawrence, 18). In the cave also, there exists puppeteers, but the prisoners can only hear the sounds produced by the puppeteers yet they cannot see who is producing the sound. There is, therefore, a possibility that such prisoners will not be able to make out the reality from appearance. For them the walls around them are real, but they are not aware of the reality outside their sight. Discussion Plato, in the allegory of the cave, tries to justify the fact that human beings may have perceived knowledge of various things. It will not be right for them to justify that what they see is equivalent to what they perceive. Lowry, on the other hand, in his work of art, The Giver, analyses the nature of the society. It depicts the extent to which the society takes control over the total life of an individual (Flora and Taylor, 224). Decisions that an individual should make are all made by the elders. This decision includes who to marry and the job that one is to undertake. The author explains the nature of the society using an actor named Jona, who has been chosen a profession of becoming the receiver. There are various similarities and differences that are figured out from the two stories. Both Plato and Lowry have expounded on the events that surround the society at large. They talk of the control that the society has on its people. According to Plato human beings are being controlled inside a cave. This act makes them to only be aware of the walls that surround them. When shadows pass by, they perceive that they have seen the reality yet this is not true. For Lowry, the society takes full control of its people. From birth to death, everything that one engages in is to be chosen to them by the society (Lawrence, 134). In both novels, rules and orders are portrayed as having negative impacts on the populace. The are used to snatch freedom, ability to make personal decisions, and independence of each and every person in the society. According to Lowry, the society has put down rules that are used to guide an individual on various decisions that they are undertaking. Those rules imp rison one to a career that he has been chosen for. In Platos novel, the society is likened to a prisoner, who has been placed in a cave. He has no ability to make his own decisions and is not able to make out the reality from the perceived truth. Both the authors have different meanings of how the society can be blindfolded from knowing the truth. For Lowry, it is done through the use of rules that have been laid down in the society, which every individual has to follow, while in the allegory of the cave, one is imprisoned in a cave, where he cannot turn the neck and therefore, is not able to distinguish the reality from the perceived nature. They are living in comfort, but are ignorant of the realities in the world. In both pieces of art, the stories of the reality are told through the use of objects. In the allegory of the cave, the author uses prisoners who are imprisoned in a cave, while in the giver; the author uses a person called Jona with whom the society has to make all the decisions regarding his life. Their main aim is to enlighten the society on the evils that are being perpetrated by those in power. They are aiming at enlightening the society on the necessity of having freedom from all forms of injustices being carried in the society. The theme of suffering is brought out in both the allegory of the cave and the giver. The society has been imprisoned by the rules set by the society. They cannot make their own decisions hence have to undertake what the society has chosen for them. The same applies to the prisoners in the cave, they have been imprisoned and have to follow rules and regulations set according to the law (Flora and Taylor, 987). The difference that comes between the two pieces of art is that though they undergo both physical and emotional suffering, there is a difference in the nature of their suffering. The prisoners are in a cave and they cannot turn their necks to see what is going on in the society they are living in, while those imprisoned by the law of the society in the giver are able to learn from the mistakes that are in the society (Lawrence, 78). At the back of the cave, there exist puppeteers, who are casting shadows on the walls where the prisoners think they are perceiving reality. The allegory of the cave also brings out the reality that people may think that they are living in the truth while the reality is that they are not living in any truth at all. According to Plato, the prisoners thought that the shadows were true images of a book, but the reality was that they had not seen a book at all. In the giver, the society has been imprisoned by the set laws and they follow without questioning. In the process of living they realize that there are so many mistakes that the society has made and they try to search for the real truth (Flora and Taylor, 675). Both pieces of art also describe how freedom can be attained. In the allegory of the cave, freedom can only be obtained through the release of the prisoners from the cave. Their release will make them turn their necks and see the truth. They will be able to see the objects that are being tuned to produce various sounds as opposed to their hearing of sounds produced by unseen objects. In the giver, freedom can only be attained when an individual has in the process of following the rules set by the society, been able to learn from the mistakes of the past and seek a new beginning. Conclusion The two pieces of art speaks to the reality in the world today. Most people are suffering from rules and regulations set down in the society with the main aim of imprisoning those who adhere to them. There are some societies depicted by the giver who in the process of following the rules have realized the truth and are in the process of building up a new nation (Lawrence, 185). Imprisonment occurs in various sectors of the society, ranging from the economy and political nature of the society. Change of leadership in the society is what at most times individuals use to gain freedom. To Lowry therefore, it is essential for the citizens to critically analyze the events in the surrounding so as to make a choice on whether they need to be changed. In the allegory of the cave, Plato puts out clearly the fact that people need to come out of the cave they are in if they are to get their freedom. Buy custom Allegory essay

The concept of semiotics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The concept of semiotics - Essay Example Semiotics, also regarded as semiotic study is the study of signs and processes related to signs, indications, symbolism, communication and other aspects of understanding human language and their behaviour. The study closely resembles with the aspects of linguistics that largely deals with the study and understanding of language in a more precise manner. The study is often categories in three diverse branches which comprise semantics, pragmatics and syntactic among others. The branch of semantics deals with depicting the relationship between signs and the things they might refer to. Subsequently, pragmatics includes the relationship amid the signs and sign-using agents. Correspondingly, the branch of syntactic deals with the study of the relationship amid signs in formal structure. It is believed that the study of semiotics is quite vital in the aspects of understanding human culture and behaviour on the basis of their communication (Eco, 1979). Semiotics has become an important part of contemporary business. It is implemented in various domains of business today with the intention to enhance the operations of the business. Semiotics in business examines the nature, characteristics as well as information with the aim to organise various crucial activities. It has been observed that semiotics in organisations treats the business unit as an information system where information of various types are created, processed and stored so that it could be used in future context. Among the various use of semiotics in business, its role in branding and advertising department is quite vital. Unlike conventional forms of research which deals with the buying habits of the customers, semiotics in the domain of business advertising seek

Physical Activity Basketball Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Physical Activity Basketball - Essay Example One of the physical activities that I think is beneficial for keeping the balance between the mind and the body is basketball. It has a lot of advantages that I have learned myself personally when I became a member of a basketball team in high school. My experience as a member of the team has shaped me into the kind of person I am today. Physically and mentally, basketball made me become a stronger and healthier person since this game does not only require one to be endure the pains of running and keeping up with the other players, but the mental skills of calculating distances and strategies in order to win the game. It demands passion, team work, and trust in oneself as well as the other members of the team. I have been playing basketball for at least seven years now and I find it to be a unique sport. Through my experience over the years, I have found that my mind has become more mature and so have my skills. By participating in basketball matches since I was eleven, I have found that practice is not the only key to winning a game. By studying the other team’s strengths and identifying their weaknesses, we gain more advantage over winning the game. Although basketball requires learning several physical skills, players’ should also train and hone its mental skills since the game demands analytical skills as well. As Gladwell and Crawford argue, physical activities require imagination, creativity as well as  flexibility rather than blindly following textbook knowledge. Like any other amateur players, basketball superstars started as any other basketball enthusiast who simply loves the sport. The only difference is that these superstars were humble enough to admit their we aknesses that they used it on their advantage. They worked hard to further develop their strengths and worked even harder to overcome their weaknesses. In The Physical Genius, Malcolm Gladwell shares the secret of how   Michael Jordan, the lord of basketball

The Film A Whale of a Ride Essay Example for Free

The Film A Whale of a Ride Essay The film â€Å"Whale Rider† took me on a whale of an emotional ride. Though there is a recurrent and overarching feeling of â€Å"great-whale-in-the-sea† calm, strength and beauty, there is a strong undercurrent of emotional turmoil, with which each of the main characters struggle. Each experiences an Eriksonian/Psychosocial crisis: At 12 years old, the main character, Paikea â€Å"Pai,† has successfully navigated through Erikson’s first four stages. She exhibits much industry over inferiority, with more skills and competence than her peers. Riding her bicycle, she passes a bus full of boys, she beats hemi in a taiaha (fighting stick) challenge, she’s always a lead in local cultural performances, and her writing earns her a prestigious award. Pai’s struggle is in the Identity vs. Identity/Role Confusion stage. She wants so much to become the leader that she feels called to be, and is obviously equipped to be, but her father, and Maori tribe tradition, doesn’t allow a female to be chief/leader. She’s torn between her desire to lead, and her Paka’s and tribe’s refusal to allow her to lead. At one point, she nearly leaves for Europe with her father, before being called back to stay on the island by the whales. Pai stays true to her â€Å"true† self, and her virtue is fidelity. ï‚ · Grandfather, Koro (a.k.a. Paka), experiences Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair. He’s obviously been very generative in raising Pai to be such an amazing young lady. However, due to his Maori tradition â€Å"blinders,† he begins to stagnate, because he won’t allow Pai to continue on her path to leadership. Along with his slide from generativity to stagnation, he moves from integrity to despair, despairing that as much as he wants it, and as hard as he’s working for it, a new Maori leader/chief escapes him. It’s not until the end of the story that Koro breaks free from his â€Å"inside-the-box† thinking, stagnation and despair, and embraces Pai as a gifted leader, saying to her â€Å"wise leader, forgive me. I am but a fledgling new to flight.† Now that’s generativity and integrity in action! It’s  uplifting to see Koro regain his caring and wisdom. Like Koro, grandmother, Nani, experiences Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair. But unlike him, makes much more of an effort to stay in generativity and integrity. She slips into despair, only when it seems that stubborn Koro m ight never accept Pai, or any of his children, as they are, for who they are. This is when Nani leaves him, bringing Pai along with her. She possesses all of Erikson’s stages’ virtues, especially love, care and wisdom. Pai’s father, Porourangi, experiences Identity vs. Identity/Role Confusion, and Intimacy vs. Isolation. He affirms his identity as an artist based in Europe, in the face of Koro’s challenge that he should be leading, or at least staying with and supporting, his people. After obviously sharing deep intimacy with his wife, he found new love with a woman in Europe, with whom he fathered another child. It was clear that Porourangi shared intimacy and understanding with Pai, despite the fact that they lived so far apart. He also shared a love-hate intimacy with Koro, apparent in their greeting embrace, followed by their angry dispute. Uncle Rawiri, also experiences Identity vs. Identity/Role Confusion, and Intimacy vs. Isolation. He initially assumes the identity of his dead-beat friends: a â€Å"live-for-today† slacker. He seeks intimacy with his girlfriend, and to a lesser degree, with his buddies. When Pai asks him for help learning taiaha, Rawiri begins to recreate his identity as a strong, fit, Maori tribesman. He even starts jogging on the beach! In addition to establishing a stronger identity, he builds upon his intimacy with Pai, and gains generativity and integrity as he teaches her and helps her along. Koro’s parenting pattern seems to be a mix of Authoritative and Authoritarian Parenting (page 264). Based upon how well-adjusted Pai is at the age of 12, it’s apparent that Koro and Nani use plenty of authoritative parenting. However, when it came to Pai’s stepping out of the Maori traditional â€Å"box,† Koro took a much more authoritarian approach, disciplining Pai harshly, and giving her no opportunity to discuss her opinion or emotions. Part of Koro’s punishment was his aloofness and withholding of affection. Since Pai was likely more used to Koro’s and Nani’s authoritative approach, it must have been that much more difficult for her to bear Koro’s authoritarian  parenting. I appreciate that Pai reaches a stage of Kohlberg’s Three Levels and Six Stages of Moral Reasoning (page 336), that’s beyond her years. While most 12-year-olds would function in Level 2, Stage 3: â€Å"good girl† and â€Å"nice boy,† and some in Level 2, Stage 4: â€Å"law and order,† Pai achieves the morality of Level 3, Stage 5: â€Å"social contract,† and Stage 6: â€Å"universal ethical principles.† It would be much easier for her to follow Level 2 moral reasoning, following Koro’s wishes, and staying within the traditional Maori â€Å"good girl† and â€Å"law and order† moral boundaries. But urged on by a passion for her family, people, history and beautiful local sea and island wildlife, she rightfully breaks the Maori social contract and follows universal ethical principles, in order to bring hope and life back to the whales, her family and people. She does so by asserting her leadership, in opposition to Ko ro and her Maori community’s tradition of male leadership. I loved this movie because it was so visually and aurally beautiful, and the characters were passionate and believable. Pai has passion for her family, people, traditions and natural surroundings,. Koro has the same, but is forced to wrestle with the realization that there are no Maori boys or men qualified to lead. It was a joy to see him figure it out in the end, and head out to sea alongside Pai, who was everything he yearned for but couldn’t see that it/she was right in front of him. Nani is an amazing, passionate nurturer, who knows how to, for the most part, run things, while keeping Koro thinking that he’s in charge. Being an artist myself, I appreciated Porourangi’s passion for his art and family though it was obvious why he couldn’t live with Koro. It was fun to see Rawiri’s passion for teaching Pai the â€Å"old ways† carry over to influence him to clean up his own act. I dream of someday positively impacting people with my art, in the face of many voices (often including my own), which say that it’s not practical or possible. So it was encouraging for me to see Pai hold on to her dream and succeed. The scenes that stood out for me were the ones that showed Maori culture: Rawiri, and later, Pai, demonstrating their taiaha skills, Pai’s performances, and the final scenes of boat-launching festivities. I also appreciated the awkward, mostly silent dinner scene after Koro caught Pai taiaha fighting with Hemi, the humorous scenes with the under-achieving boys, and the imaginatively shot and magical  whale-riding scenes.

Comparing Rosalynde and As You Like It :: comparison compare contrast essays

Thomas Lodge's Rosalynde is an unwieldy piece, the romance is thick, heavy, and conventional. Yet when Shakespeare took it in hand, to rework the tangled web of disguise and romance into As You Like It, he changed much of the emphasis, by both altering and adding characters. Rosalynde is a celebration of love; As You Like It, a philosophical discourse on love.. Shakespeare cuts to the chase, eliminating much of the prologue to Rosalynde. We hear of old Sir Roland de Boys (Lodge's John of Bordeaux) only through Orlando's opening speech, not the extended deathbed collection of aphorisms Lodge provides (though this shade of Polonius perhaps influences old Adam's long-winded style). Likewise, the extended ruminations are cut entirely or, for the forest scenes, condensed into tighter dialogue. Lodge's grand tournament, with the jousting prowess of the anonymous Norman (proto-Charles) happens offstage, and we see only a wrestling match. Lodge's usurper favors Rosader after the tournament, but Shakespeare's Frederick spurns Orlando for his parentage and Oliver plots more quickly against his brother, further excising the plot-perambulations of the source and removing the months of tension and reconciliation that plague Saladin and Rosader. But Shakespeare also takes care to lighten his villains, more in the spirit of a playful comedy than Lodge's sometimes grim pastoral. His Charles is relatively innocent, deceived by Oliver rather than entering willingly into his pay (as the Norman does with Saladin). Oliver, in turn, is not such a relentless foe as Saladin: he has no cronies to assist in binding up Orlando, he does not so mistreat his brother before us as happens in Lodge's pastoral. Even the usurper Duke, Torismond/Frederick, does not exile his own daughter in Shakespeare's play (only remonstrating her with "You are a fool"). And he is not killed in battle at the end of the play, but rather converted to a holy life, in much the same fate that Lodge's Saladin plans for himself in remorse ("[I shall] wend my way to the Holy Land, to end my years in as many virtues, as I have spent my youth in wicked vanities." (p.273)). In contrast, Shakespeare darkens his heroes: they are not all the blithe, pastoral folk Lodge paints. Celia's single "Is it not a foul bird that defiles its own nest?" (p. 245) early in Rosalynde becomes Celia's more extended harangue at the end of IV.

Gap Outsourcing in China

Companies want to utilize modern infrastructure and focus on their core strengths hill other professional firms handle their other business processes (Lathering, 2007: 2). The textile Industry has been a fundamental driving force In China's economy for many years. Outsourcing production to the Chinese manufacturers has become popular among other foreign firms in the recent past (Earns, 2006: 362). This is especially because the textile industry is a labor intensive industry and firms prefer to outsource In China since It has large pool of cheap labor.The World Bank report of 2006 Indicated some of the most suitable locations to Invest In china which re; the south east Coastal provinces, the Pearl river delta province of Gudgeon, all special economic zones and the province of Fijian (Yuan, 2008: 20). Pestle analysis is a technique used to assist corporations in understanding the external environment In which they operate In the present and future. It helps an organization to assess th e macroeconomic conditions surrounding it in order to make a business decision.It works more efficiently when used in conjunction with risk analysis, SOOT analysis, and urgency grid. Expert knowledge of the organization and its external surrounding Is also Important in pestle analysis. The word PESTLE was coined from political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, legal, and environment factors that affect an organization. The main aim of conducting PESTLE analysis is to help in the analysis of the external environment and its effect on the organization (Institute of leadership & management 2007:23).In pestle analysis, we consider each of the external factors and how it is likely to impact on the organization. Political factors: The government plays a major role in growth of businesses through policy formulations. These policies can affect an organization both positively and negatively. Although policies existing In China favor exports to China, sourcing remains the best tool to g ain entry into the market. It is further renown for its low cost sourcing. Gap Inc. Should consider the existing government policies and assess whether or not they favor the textile industry.Social factors: Most of the Chinese working class lack global business experience due to socialism mode of governance where the government provided almost everything especially in the past. Gap should aim to build good legislations with both the local and international governments. It should also use sourcing as a means to penetrate the Chinese market. The composition of a country population has major effects on the performance of a business (Center & Edmonds, 2002: 40). Outsourcing also requires high level of trust since It involves sharing financial information and actual transfer of cash (Chining, 2009:127).Economic factors: China's economy is more advantaged in comparison with most other developing I OFF countries. I Nils Is primarily Owe to Its tidally to allover Nell quality products Tanat meet he standards that are required by legislation and consumers in the European countries. It also provides ideal environment to source consumer products. The textile industry is also on the road to recovery due to the policy for revitalization plans for the textile industry which was passed in 2009 Just after China regained economic growth.This has seen the textile industry overcome numerous difficulties and make new development (China textile network company, 2009: 4). However, China's market is characterized by risks and GAP Company should maintain flexibility and diversity when dealing with sourcing. Teaming up with local companies in China would help Gap in cost cutting. It would also aid with the knowledge on the domestic market as they would rather assists as partners rather than competitors (The outsourcing institute 2005).Legal factors: The Chinese legal system does not adequately protect the IP rights. The outsourcing company should therefore understand the extent to whi ch patents and trade secrets can be protected (Kennedy & Clark, 2006: 1). Gap Company should therefore ensure that their legal rights are protected. Technology: IT professionals graduating each year from China are approximately 200000, providing a strong technically skilled population. China is rapidly emerging as one of the world's leading supplier in offshore software outsourcing due to its remarkable development rate.Its aim is to outshine India and become the dominant competitor (Shine technologies 2008). Gap Inc. Should take advantage of this emerging strength and go ahead to outsource its textile manufacturing services in China as well as looking into ways to benefit from China's current software strengths since for any company to succeed in the modern market, it has to utilize highly advanced technology. Environmental factors: China has a developed IT structure, networks, and infrastructure. It has massive telecommunication expansions making it more suitable for an industry g rowth.China also has the advantage of having a large pool of inexpensive skilled labor. Companies can benefit from the China market by taking advantage of and cut costs that are up to approximately 50-60% (Shine technologies, 2008). However, the textile industry in China has constantly been on the spotlight due to its massive negative effects on the environment. Prices of clothing and fabric imported to the U. S have been falling ever since 1995. The Chinese textile companies have been known to cut costs of production by dumping wastes into rivers causing massive pollution. U.S retail textile industry on the other hand is struggling to prevent environmental issues that have caused them consumer backlash in the past. The textile industry in China is one of the dirtiest industries in the country. Heavy metals and carcinogens contain high levels of organic materials causing much damage to the environment. Gap therefore should consider this as a drawback when opting to outsource in Chin a nice this pollution may eventually lead to emergence of social movements that will rise against environmental degradation by textile industries leading to considerable reduction in sales.

Cosi Lewis Nowra Essay

Lewis Nowra’s semi autobiographical play ‘Cosi’ is a touching yet biting portrayal of human relationships in a Melbourne mental institute, where the patients are astracised by society. Throughout the play Lewis Nowra illustrates each and every character that suffers with a mental illness as normal people with a desire to do or think things different to others from the society of the 1970s. Throughout the play Nowra poses a question, can anybody be classified as insane? When there is insanity all around us. The play they are to perform ‘Cosi fan Tutte’ is a play about love and fidelity which becomes a topic of disagreement of the cast. Act 1 Scene 3 addresses love and fidelity & Confusion with reality & illusion With Nowra’s intelligent use of dramatic techniques such as Characterization, Dialogue & Symbolism to present his central ideas within ‘Cosi’. ‘Cosi’ is a dramatic play written by Lewis Nowra, which is set in the early 1970s in the midst of the Vietnam War. The inmates in the asylum are to performance of Mozart’s opera ‘Cosi fan Tutte’ as a therapeutic technique to the patients and is directed by an insecure university graduate Lewis, who brings the patients together and becomes as involved into the play as every other member of the cast and gets labelled as ‘one of them’ by society outside the asylum. In act 1 scene 3 moments after the toilets in the theatre have been a result of Doug’s pyromaniac problem. The cast re assemble and continue on with the play, during the play Ruth is confused between reality & illusion and the number of steps she needs to take in each scene â€Å"I was wondering where you wanted me to walk and how many steps? † Nowra canvases Ruth’s confusion between reality and illusion through to the audience with the use of characterization, amplifying Ruth’s obsessive disorder through to us the audience in a way where we get a sense of understanding on the obsessive-ness in Ruth’s character and her disorder. The theme of love and fidelity demonstrates individual’s ideas throughout the play ‘Cosi’. Notably we see Nowra canvas the idea of love & fidelity through dramatic techniques within each characters dialogue & characterization such as Lewis, Lucy, Julie, Nick & Roy. Lewis’s changing attitude towards love throughout the play becomes a pivotal turning point for Lewis & Lucy’s relationship. As time goes on we definitely see Lewis becoming more compassionate and warm and Lucy showing her true colours towards their relationship. Lucy without a doubt becomes somewhat shallow and expresses that she sees love as out dated and unimportant in modern day society. Julie questions Lewis on his relationship with Lucy â€Å"You two are into free love? † â€Å"Does she play around? † â€Å"You trust her? †, Julie thinks against love & fidelity and thinks men are useless referring to her knowledge learnt from studying Mozart’s ‘Cosi fan Tutte’. Lewis’s thoughts of love and fidelity are antithetical of his actions with Julie later in the play, to have love we must trust. Throughout Act 1 scene 3 in ‘Cosi’ Lewis Nowra canvases symbols within many factors. A large factor produced as a symbol through the whole play is the burnt out theatre which they rehearse in. This theatre is a symbol of them escaping the reality in which the patients & Lewis are as equal to each other. Society outside the asylum portrays Lewis as ‘insane’ for working with ‘mad people’. The burnt texture of the theatre is also a symbol for the patient’s reality as being excluded from reality as being excluded from reality outside the asylum â€Å"Cosi allows you a chance to do something successful at least once in your dismal life† Roy ironically says to Henry whose life if not much different to his own, but society still labels them as ‘insane’. The coffee mugs in which Ruth and Julie are to use as props in the play is a symbolic technique Nowra applied, â€Å"I can live with illusion as long as I know its illusion, but this coffee is not real, is it? † Ruth’s confusion and reality is illustrated within the coffee as being coffee cups with no coffee is also a metaphor for the patients in the mental asylum, â€Å"An illusion of reality†. Lewis Nowra not only wrote a play containing aspects such as love & fidelity & illusion vs. eality but through the use of dramatic techniques like characterization, dialogue & symbolism throughout characters such as Lewis, Julie, Roy, Lucy & Nick in act 1 scene 3 and the rest of the play, but to give the audience a broader understanding on the plays meaning, but we also question although the play was set in the 70s, this era was experimental with ‘free love’ the reality is without fidelity, love is anything but a meaning. We still hold old fashioned values about love. The aspect the audience gain from another message from Nowra’s ideas expressed throughout the text & dramatic techniques is the frequently noticeable question, are the people in the asylum really mad? When there is insanity all around us. Society labels these people as ‘insane’ when they are no different to each and every one of us, only with different desires to some. The only people who should be classified â€Å"insane† are those who classify insaneness in another.

Some or Any for Absolute Beginners to English

Some or Any for Absolute Beginners to English The use of some and any is rather challenging for absolute beginner English learners. You will need to be especially careful and model many times when introducing some and any. Repeating students mistakes while accenting the mistaken word is especially helpful as the student will be prompted to change his / her response. Practicing some and any also offers a perfect opportunity to review the use of there is and there are to introduce countable and uncountable nouns. You will need to bring in some illustrations of both countable and uncountable objects. I find a picture of a living room with many objects helpful. Part I: Introducing Some and Any With Countable Objects Prepare the lesson by writing Some and a number such as 4 at the top of the board. Under these headings, add a list of the countable and uncountable objects that you have introduced - or will be introducing - during the lesson. This will help students recognize the concept of countable and uncountable. Teacher: ​(Take an illustration or picture that contains many objects.) Are there any oranges in this picture? Yes, there are some oranges in that picture. (Model any and some by accenting any and some in the question and response. This use of accenting differing words with your intonation helps students learn that any is used in the question form and some in a positive statement.) Teacher: (Repeat with several different countable objects.)  Are there any  glasses in this picture? Yes, there are some  glasses in that picture. Teacher: Are there any  glasses in this picture? No, there arent ​any  glasses in that picture. There are  some apples. (Repeat with several different countable objects.) Teacher: Paolo, are there any books in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there are some books in that picture. Continue this exercise around the room with each of the students. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said. Part II: Introducing Some and Any With Uncountable Objects (At this point you might want to point out the list you have written on the board.) Teacher: (Take an illustration or picture that contains an uncountable object such as water.) Is there any  water in this picture? Yes, there is some  water in that picture. Teacher: (Take an illustration or picture that contains an uncountable object such as water.) Is there  any  cheese in this picture? Yes, there is some  cheese in that picture. Teacher: Paolo, is there any cheese in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there is some cheese in that picture. Continue this exercise around the room with each of the students. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said. Part III: Students ask questions Teacher: (Hand out the various images to the students, you can also make a game out of this by turning over the images and having students choose one from the pile.) Teacher: Paolo, ask Susan a question. Student(s): Is there any water in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there is some water in that picture. OR No, there isnt any water in that picture. Student(s): Are there any oranges in this picture? Student(s): Yes, there are some oranges in that picture. OR No, there arent any oranges in that picture. Teacher: (Continue around the room - make sure to repeat students incorrect sentences accenting the mistake so that they may correct themselves.)

5 Key Tips for How to Potty Train a Puppy Effectively

5 Key Tips for How to Potty Train a Puppy Effectively SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Potty training a puppy is a sometimes messy, but ultimately rewarding process. And with a little know-how and a regular potty routine, you'll be able to get your pup on the right track and keep both your pup and your home happy, comfortable, and clean. So let's look at the ins and outs of how to potty train a puppy: creating a proper potty training routine, setting a potty schedule, and reacting when the inevitable accident occurs. How to Potty Train a Puppy: The Fundamentals Helping your puppy develop trustworthy potty behavior is a crucial part of taking in a new fluffy family member. And it's best to start as soon as possible so that you can establish good behavior early on. Always remember that your new puppy will come to you completely ignorant of the rules and proper protocol of the house. You're teaching behavioral guidelines from the ground up. It's your job to teach your pup where and when mealtimes happen, where and when bedtime and playtime happens, and, of course, where and when to go to potty. So don't be surprised (or angry!) if the first thing your pup tries to do when it comes home is urinate on the carpet- your pup just doesn't know the lay of the land yet. To teach your new puppy the rules of the house, you'll want to give plenty of guided opportunities for the behavior you want to see and also interrupt and redirect any unwanted behavior. Applying this to potty habits, you'll need to guide and provide your dog with opportunities to eliminate in the right places and interrupt unwanted elimination whenever you see it. Though accidents will happen, proper potty training is about minimizing them whenever possible. So not only should you give opportunities for your dog to perform the desired behavior (in this case pottying in the right places), but reasons for your dog to do so. Dogs repeat behaviors that have rewarded them in the past, and they develop routines just like people do. Your job is to make pottying in the right place more rewarding to your dog than pottying in undesirable locations. If they get rewards for going where you want them to go and nothing for doing it anywhere else, then they're going to keep pottying in the "right" places so they can keep those rewards coming! Now that we've covered the basics, let's go into more depth about exactly how to potty train a dog. #1: Prepare Your Home for Potty Training a Puppy Before you even bring your new puppy home, there are a few things you'll need to purchase to make potty training go as smoothly as possible. When it comes to house training you'll need three things for your new pup: containment, a designated bathroom area, and a reward. Containment Dogs are naturally averse to soiling their den-space. Ultimately, your goal is to teach your dog that the whole house is you and your pup's extra large den. To start this process, keep your puppy contained indoors or in your direct line of sight at all times. You'll need to restrict your puppy's free movement around the house so that you can prevent any accidents from occurring (and any bad habits from forming). As your dog gets older and more trustworthy, you can extend this free play time until your dog is free to roam the house most of the time. Containment can be a dog crate, a baby gate to contain the puppy in a particular room or area, or a puppy den/playpen. You might even use multiple types of containment depending on the time of day. For example, you may use a crate at night during bedtime and a puppy playpen during the day. As long as the space is limited and your puppy spends a good deal of time there, your pup will start to feel like that space is their den area. The more at home your pup feels in a space, the more reluctant they'll be to soil it. Bathroom Area You're really teaching your pup two different concepts when you potty train them: where to go to the bathroom, and where not to go to the bathroom. Teaching your dog where to go to the bathroom is much simpler than teaching them the ten thousand places not to go. Your dog will start to understand where to go potty if you take your pup to the same spot for every potty break. If you're using a wee mat, then always keep the mat in the same place and bring your puppy there for each bathroom break. If you're teaching your pup to go potty outside, always bring your pup (on a leash!) to the same spot each and every time. Wherever you choose to take them, this will soon become their "bathroom spot." And they'll soon learn that it's time to go potty whenever you lead them there. Reward Nothing says "job well done" better than a reward! For potty training purposes, praise, treats, and gentle pats act as rewards of good elimination behavior. In the first few weeks of house training, try to give your pup both praise and a dog treat for every successful elimination. As your pup gets older and more used to eliminating in the right place, you can start giving treats less often. But always remember to congratulate your pup every time! #2: Use a Cue Word to Show Your Puppy When to Potty To help your pup know what to do during potty breaks, it's best to connect the act with a cue word or phrase. That way, your pup will learn that the cue word means it's time to go. And, eventually, you'll also be able to ask your pup to go potty on command. The phrase or word can be anything you'd like it to be, such as "go potty" or "do your business." So long as it's a phrase you don't use in normal conversation, any phrase will work. Begin the process by saying the phrase just as your dog is starting to eliminate. (Note: say the cue gently enough that your pup doesn't get startled or distracted and stop!) Use the cue word every single time your pup eliminates in the right spot. Once you feel that your pup has connected the cue word with the action of eliminating (usually after 2 or 3 days), begin saying the cue word just as your pup starts to get into "potty position," but before your pup starts to actually eliminate. You're shifting the phrase to cue the behavior just before it occurs. That way, your dog will learn that the cue word means it's time to eliminate. Once you feel confident that your pup knows the cue acts as a command to eliminate (usually after a week or two of repetition), give the cue word before your pup even gets into position. Now you're signaling to your dog: "it's time to go!" even before they've thought of doing it themselves. If your pup doesn't eliminate on cue (or make an attempt to eliminate), then take a step back in the process and try again. Eventually, they'll connect the phrase with the command to potty. #3: Rely on Positive Reinforcement When Housebreaking a Puppy Lets talk a little more about rewards- positive reinforcement is a major part of how to potty train a puppy. As we've mentioned, dogs will quickly learn to repeat any behavior that results in a reward, which is a technique known as "positive reinforcement." If always going to the bathroom in the proper place gets your pup a reward (and eliminating inside never does), then your pup is going to want to start pottying in the proper place. With positive reinforcement, both consistency and timing are key. You'll want to praise and reward your pup every time you see the desired behavior, exactly when the behavior occurs. If you don't time the reward properly, your pup might believe the reward is connected to a separate behavior. For instance, if you give a reward too late, your puppy might think it's being rewarded for stopping peeing or stepping away from the potty area, rather than for eliminating in the right spot. Because timing for positive reinforcement is so crucial, it's a good idea to connect a word or a sound with a desired behavior (and its subsequent reward). That way, your dog knows it's being rewarded for the correct behavior and not something else. For example, if you say the word "yes!" or use another consistent noise like a clicker and then always give your dog a treat, your dog will connect the sound to the reward. Then, you can use that connection between "positive noise" and "reward" during potty training. While your dog is eliminating, use the "reward" sound to let your dog know that that particular behavior is the one that's being rewarded. That way, your pup still connects the proper behavior to the reward, even if it takes you an extra second or two to give your puppy the treat. By combining your go-potty cue word with your positive-reward signal, your potty training routine will eventually look like this: "Go potty!" *dog eliminates* "Yes!" *treat* #4: Set a Potty Training Schedule For the first few weeks, expect to take your puppy to go potty upwards of 10 to 15 times a day. When to take your puppy to go potty: First thing in the morning Immediately after each meal Immediately after your pup wakes up from a nap Regularly throughout the day and evening (every hour to every few hours) Right before bed What does it mean to take your puppy out "regularly" during the day? Begin by taking your puppy to the same designated potty area once every hour. Whether this is to a specific spot outside or to a wee mat, keep the location consistent to help acclimate your pup to going in a specific place. (Special note: avoid setting a loud timer to remind yourself to take your puppy out- your puppy will likely start associating the sound with potty time and it could lead to some accidents in the house if you're not careful!) Always wait until your pup has eliminated before going back inside. There will be a lot of "waiting around" time for both you and your pup during the first few weeks of potty training and you'll just have to be patient. Sometimes your pup will be reluctant to pee outside or on the wee mat for any number of reasons, and you may want to give up and just go inside. But it's very common that a puppy will spend 5 or 10 minutes doing nothing outside and then come straight inside and pee on the floor (argh!). So patience is the key to success. Eventually, your puppy will learn that eliminating in the right place (and doing so quickly!) brings a quicker reward. For every month, increase the time between outings by an hour. So you'll go from one to two hours, then three, and four, and so on, up to a maximum time of eight hours between bathroom breaks. If you notice that your pup is having more accidents or is otherwise signaling to go outside, go back the previous schedule and reduce the time between potty trips. As a general rule of thumb, puppies can hold their bladders for about an hour for every one month of age, up to eight hours. So a two-month-old puppy can hold its bladder for about two hours and a five-month-old puppy can hold its bladder for about five hours. No puppy (or grown dog) should be expected to hold its bladder for more than eight hours unless it's overnight. Do take note that this rule mostly applies to medium and larger breed dogs (over 30 lbs). Small dogs simply can't hold their bladders as long as larger dogs can, and this applies extra for puppies. So if you have a small breed puppy, subtract an hour or two from the estimate. A five-month-old Chihuahua puppy, for example, can reasonably hold its bladder for three to four hours. For the first three or four months- or even longer for smaller breeds- you'll also likely need to take your puppy outside or to the wee mat in the middle of the night or very early in the morning (think 4 or 5 AM). Small puppies just can't last the whole night without needing a bathroom break or soiling their sleeping area. So, even though it's annoying to have to get up in the middle of the night, you must do so for your pup. For the sake of your puppy (and your house) always respond promptly to your puppy's signals to go outside. #5: Give Your Puppy Free Play Time After your pup has eliminated in the proper place, you can allow 15 - 90 minutes of free, un-contained time (depending on how old your puppy is and how long your pup can hold its bladder). Make sure you keep your eyes on your puppy during this time to help prevent any accidents. After free time is over, invite your pup to go into the puppy den or contained area until it's time for the next potty break. "Free play" time should be only a fraction of as long as your puppy can reasonable hold its bladder. So if your puppy can only last for an hour until the next potty break, let free play time be a maximum of 15 minutes. If your pup can last four hours, let free play time be 50 or 60 minutes. Just because your pup can last for four hours between potty breaks doesn't mean it wants to unless confined to a space it's reluctant to soil. So don't invite temptation for your pup to eliminate in the house by allowing your puppy too much free time. Establishing a regular potty routine with your pup will help minimize accidents, as will learning how to interpret your dog's signals. It's common for dogs to circle, sniff at the ground, move to a corner of a room, whine, or scratch at doors to signal that they're about to relieve themselves or to indicate that they want to go outside. You'll have to figure out your own dog's personal signals and keep a sharp eye out. #6: Deal With House Training Accidents Calmly Accidents will inevitably happen while house training a puppy, so don't get too discouraged. And knowing how to properly handle and move on from potty training accidents is just as important as teaching the correct behavior. If you catch your puppy going to the bathroom where it shouldn't, interrupt the behavior as quickly as you can. Clap your hands, give a small cry, or say an "uh-un!" command to stop the dog from continuing. Your goal isn't to punish or frighten your dog, merely to stop the behavior. Immediately take your puppy to the designated "potty area" to finish, and give praise and a treat as normal when the deed is done. If you find evidence of a potty accident after the fact and don't catch your pup in the act, simply clean up the mess as soon as possible and move on. Make sure to use a bio-enzyme cleaner to remove any traces of pheromones or other odors in order to prevent your pup from targeting the same spot over and over. Although it can be frustrating to have a puppy who has accidents or to find urine or feces in corners of your home, never punish your dog retroactively. Dogs don't understand the connection between their earlier behavior and a later punishment. Dogs only understand a correction if you catch them in the act of doing something wrong and you interrupt that wrong behavior. So don't yell at your puppy, try to make them feel "guilty," or bring them over to the accident area to "confront" the mess; these actions won't have any positive effect on your pup's potty training and will only upset and confuse your dog. So, instead of yelling at your dog, take accidents as an indicator that you need to more carefully monitor your puppy's schedule and behavior. Your dog may need to go out a little more often than you had thought or need a smaller space when restricted so that they won't want to soil their "den" area. How Long Until a Dog Is Fully Potty Trained? House training is a long process and many trainers say that a dog is only considered "fully potty trained" if the dog has gone more than a year without having an accident indoors. For some dogs, it can take upwards of two or three years to reach this point. But most dogs are reasonably well potty trained by 12 to 18 months. And larger breed dogs (80 lbs+) tend to pick up on potty training faster than smaller dogs. If your puppy starts to have a higher number of accidents than before, take a step back in your potty training. Regression is common, so don't get discouraged if it happens. So if you'd been waiting four hours between potty breaks for your four-month-old puppy, then go back to three hours between breaks. Potty training isn't a race and each puppy will be different. Be patient with your pup and with yourself and you'll get there in the end. How to Potty Train a Puppy: 6 Steps When housebreaking a puppy, follow these guidelines: #1: Give your puppy a contained home space and a specific bathroom space.#2: Use a cue word to indicate to your dog that it's time to potty.#3: Set a clear potty training schedule.#4: Use treats and positive reinforcement to encourage your dog's progress.#5: Give your puppy a little free play time but not so much that their tempted to potty inside.#6: Interrupt dogs who are going to the bathroom in the house, but don't punish them retroactively. This guide covers all the basics of how to potty train a puppy, but don't hesitate to ask at your local pet store or doggy day care (or even dog park) if you have more questions!

Summarize Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Summarize - Research Paper Example The service provided by the company is still unique but over the years it has received significant popularity in the cities in which the company operates. The car sharing service provided by the company is economically feasible and the rationale behind the service is also encouraged by the environmentalists and the users alike. According to a survey conducted in the year 2006, it was found out that one-third of the users of the company either sold out their vehicle or gave up the idea of acquiring their own vehicle. In this manner the company met its objective of reducing the number of car owners. One of the objectives of the company is to reduce the amount of pollution that results from harmful emissions from car use. By providing a vehicle to a subscriber for a limited period of time, the company succeeds in its objective of discouraging prolonged usage of cars. In this way harmful emissions can be reduced and the overall pollution in the environment can be slowed down. The company provides the car sharing service in the following manner. The subscriber is required to reserve a vehicle at a specified station of the company either in person or by making a call. The subscriber is also required to specify the time when the car would be needed.

Charles Tangs Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Charles Tangs Leadership - Essay Example These theories seek to describe what makes a good leader and are formulated to determine characteristics that organizations should look out for while scouting for a leader. This study considers that it is only by incorporating several of these theories that an effective model can be built one capable of predicting an effective leader. In this study, an effective leader is considered as one capable of motivating and enabling others to attain organizationally relevant goals (Kerr & Jermier, 1978). Organizationally relevant goals refer to productivity, social integration, optimal levels of continuous learning as well as goals and ethical means to achieve. An effective leadership must have natural cues separate from the regular people. In this case, this model considers the dictates of the trait theory as well placed. The trait theory holds that individuals inherit certain qualities that spell their ability to be leaders (Judge, Bono, Ilies & Gerhardt, 2002.p.770). In this case, openness to experience is considered a relevant trait. Openness to experience includes active imagination, aesthetic sensitivity, awareness of one’s feelings, accepting variety and willingness to learn. The other pertinent trait in defining an effective leader is interpersonal relations. ... The path-goal theory is a development of Robert House and holds that a leader’s conduct is contingent to the contentment, enthusiasm and performance of his/her subordinates (Wofford & Liska, 1993.p.865). In this regard, a leader must have the ability to determine subordinate’s abilities and needs and thence implore on ways and means of complementing the abilities and compensating for deficiencies (Mumford et al 2007). In this regard, the model identifies that an effective leader must be open to experience, develop interpersonal skills, be task oriented and engage in improving employees as defined by the task-goal theory. Putting your philosophy to a test, evaluate Charles Tang’s leadership. Charles Tang passes as an effective leader. This is arrived at by weighing his practice against the discussed model of effective leaderships. Firstly, Tang appears as a leader who is open to experience. Tang’s leadership approach has been informed by past experiences as a student in China and later a student and employee of Intel in the West (Barling et al 1996). Unlike most Chinese managers, Tang was more open, and encouraged employees to oppose his position as he believed it is through consensus that potent solutions can be attained (House et al 2004). Secondly, being â€Å"externally Chinese† made him aware of the likely pitfalls in being authoritative as he had grown up under this system or approach to leadership (Gerstner & Day, 1997). Besides openness to experience Tang demonstrates a strong orientation to tasks. At the moment, Tang is aware of the challenge ahead which is ensuring optimal performance of his employees. To ensure this, he tasks himself with