Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Essay Example for Free

Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Essay The role, treatment, disadvantages, and sacrifices of women in their societies are vital themes in both Federico LOrcas The House Of Bernarda Alba and Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House. In Federico LOrcas The House Of Bernarda Alba, to start with, all characters that appear on stage are females, and men are merely talked about. In Ibsens A Dolls House the protagonist is Nora, a woman who gets treated by her husband as though she were a little girl. At the time when Federico LOrca and Henrik Ibsen wrote their plays, it was normal for women to get treated as anything but equal to men. Women were expected by men and by their society to do nothing more than stay at home, cook for their family, get children, and then take care of their children as well. Although Ibsen and LOrca wrote these plays several decades apart, since Ibsen wrote his play at the turn of the century in Norway and LOrca wrote his in 1930s Spain, the expectations of women were pretty much the same. It was not normal for women to receive an education, let alone a good one, and women were not allowed to vote. In A Dolls House there are three female characters: Nora, Mrs. Linde, and the maid working for Nora. All of these women have to sacrifice something and have disadvantages, simply because they are women. Every character in The House Of Bernarda Alba has to suffer because they are women. Spanish tradition in the 1930s forces them all to isolate themselves from the outer world for eight years of their lives. In The House Of Bernarda Alba, Bernarda Alba and all of her daughters have to mourn the death of their father. This is Spanish tradition, and so they all have to live in their house for eight years, completely isolated from the rest of society. They may only wear black, even in the scorching heat of southern Spain. This already shows how harshly women were treated. Bernarda Alba and her daughters are forced to isolate themselves from the outside world completely, whether they want to or not, because of tradition. The eight women are forced to give up eight years of their lives in which they may do nothing but mourn. Also, the fact that a woman has to kill her own child when she gets pregnant, and is then hunted down by the whole town and killed herself, shows how women were viewed and treated. Also, a woman could often not decide who she wanted to marry, and when a women got married it was often just nothing more than a business deal, and the feelings of the woman were completely ignored.

Christianity, Reform and Freedom in Method Essay -- Religion History E

I feel like I need to begin my methodological introduction with graffiti. Graffiti that says: "Bercovitch Bites," or "Foster Rules," or even "Stop Elitist Historicists." Nothing particularly original -- just a few key phrases that capture the frustration I have felt while researching New Historicism and more particularly, its application to texts. Somehow, graffiti -- the unscholarly domain of angry teenagers armed with cans of spray paint -- echoes my reaction to the scholars in this field who seem to be writing only for other scholars, thus excluding those of us who, fascinated with the ideas expressed, would like to learn about the method and topic by simply picking up a book or article. As I understand it, the whole idea of New Historicist criticism is to enlighten the readers of a text further about that text. Enlighten, educate, teach or inform -- however you put it -- this kind of criticism should be inclusive, not exclusive. The heavy use of jargon and obscure references by t hese critics serves as a "locked gate" that only allows those with the proper credentials a "key" to get in. Within the context of the text I have chosen (A Narrative of the Life and Travels of Mrs. Nancy Prince, by Nancy Prince) this elitist approach seems incongruous simply because of the facts surrounding its author and publication. This is a text written by a primarily self-educated woman who felt very strongly about using her knowledge and abilities in a "hands-on" manner to help and "enlighten" others. Ultimately, she wrote about her experiences to put food on her table, not to impress her colleagues. In any case, for the purposes of this paper, I will attempt to explain what I think New Historicism is and how I intend to use the theories beh... ...iticism. Online. 5 April, 1998. Available: http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/hopkins_guide_to_literary_theory/entries/new_historicism.html Cogan, Frances. All-American Girl: The Ideal of Real Womanhood in Mid-Nineteenth Century America. Athens: U of Georgia P, 1989. Epstein, Leslie. The Politics of Domesticity: Women, Evangelism and Temperance in Nineteenth Century America. Middletown: Wesleyan UP, 1981. Howe, Daniel. "The Evangelical Movement and Political Culture in the North during the Second Party System." The Journal of American History 77 (March 1991): 1216-1239. Newton, Judith. "History as Usual? Feminism and the 'New Historicism.'" The New Historicism. Ed. H. Aram Veeser. New York: Routledge, 1989. 152. Prince, Nancy. A Black Woman's Odyssey through Russia and Jamaica: The Narrative of Nancy Prince. New York: Markus Wiener Publishing, 1990.

Affirmative Action: Preferential Treatment Essay

During the college process, students are advised in multiple ways on how to properly present themselves to draw the appeal of colleges. Whether it is by highlighting their awards, accomplishments or talents, students are constantly working on improving their resume. They were told that with good grades, extracurricular activities, and heart-warming essays that they would find success in being admitted into a prestigious university. However, there are various other factors that determine whether one is accepted or denied. An important and often scrutinized factor is the use of affirmative action in admissions. While affirmative action should not hold the weight it does in admissions currently, it seems that people are unaware of the other preferential treatments given to certain students. Afï ¬ rmative action in favor of underrepresented minorities has been a controversial topic debated and scrutinized by scholars, the media, and the public for many years. Two other preferential admissions programs have been less controversial but in widespread use; one involving giving an admissions boost to applicants with athletic skills and the other one to children of alumni, commonly known as â€Å"legacies†. As these various categories suggest, entry into selective institutions of higher education has never been decided purely on academic criteria—before or after minority afï ¬ rmative action came into effect. As the term â€Å"affirmative action† encompasses the ideal that institutions promote diversity and growth by including historically excluded groups in their admissions, legacy admissions and athletic admissions are considered â€Å"affirmative†. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) They do originate from very different motivations, but they bring non-academic criteria that impact the admissions process. Therefore, by attaching the label â€Å"afï ¬ rmative action† to legacy and athletic admissions, it is deliberately underscoring the fact that minorities are not the only social group to benefit from such a policy. Supporters of affirmative action claim that minority students, generally speaking, start out at a disadvantage in their college or job application process. They usually come from lower income families and, in turn, have fewer opportunities than those who go to private school. Some inner city youths had grown up in environments filled with crime, violence, and discouragement. Genuine, hard-working minority students are every bit as capable as white students, but because of these disadvantages, they may not have the same paper qualifications. Affirmative action evens the playing field a bit. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) Nonetheless, it was designed to end discrimination and unfair treatment of employees/students based on color, but it in effect does the opposite. Whites who work harder and/or are more qualified can be passed over strictly because they are white. Contrary to many stereotypes, many minorities fall into the middle or upper class, and many whites live in poverty. (Fletcher) Unfortunately, the way things are set up now, a poverty-stricken white student who uses discipline and hard work to become the best he can be can be passed over by a rich minority student who doesn’t put in much effort at all. Supporters also claim that some stereotypes may never be broken without affirmative action. For decades blacks were considered less capable than whites. It took affirmative action to give blacks the opportunity to show they are every bit as capable. However, if you were to ask Colin Powell, Barack Obama, or Oprah Winfrey how they got to where they today, I doubt they would respond with affirmative action. (Fletcher) It sets the idea that a minority cannot achieve full potential without the help of affirmative action and undermines their own abilities. Another claim supporters of affirmative use is that it draws people to places they would never have gone elsewise, bringing under-privileged students to Ivy League institution. But if a student is admitted on a lower basis, he will have less incentive to do well or have the inability to keep up with the work. Why work for that 4.0 GPA when he got in with sub-par grades? In this way, affirmative action is likened to students who are given a boost for being â€Å"legacies†, having a parent(s) attend the school previously. A survey conducted by H. M. Breland found that afï ¬ rmative action for children of alumni is practiced widely at both public and private institutions (Howell and Turner 325-351). A later survey conducted by Daniel Golden (2003) revealed that 23 percent of freshmen enrolled at Notre Dame were the children of alumni, with corresponding ï ¬ gures of 14 percent at Penn, 13 percent at Harvard, 11 percent at Princeton, and 11 percent at the University of Virgini a (Howell and Turner 325-351). These numbers seem to be relatively modest; however, they belie the relatively small amount of applicants legacies hold. When documenting the number of applicants, it is easily seen that children of alumni benefit from greater admissions rates. According to studies by William G. Bowen and Derek Bok (1998), legacies had a two to one admissions advantage over non-legacies. Likewise, Cameron Howell and Sarah E. Turner (2004) document a similar advantage at the University of Virginia, where only 32 percent of regular applicants were admitted compared with 57 percent of alumni children. As a result, the freshman class of 2002 was 7 percent legacy, compared with 3 percent African American, even though the state is 20 percent black. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) The unfairness that follows legacy admissions is what many feel towards affirmative action as well. By giving blacks/Hispanics an obvious advantage in the admissions process, it breeds resentment and underestimation of them. In the same way legacies are generalized as â€Å"dumb rich kids†, recipients of affirmative action are seen as undeserving. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) It seems to say that they wouldn’t have been able to be admitted into the school elsewise, thus increasing the pressure put onto these students. The consequences translate to students being unable to handle the workload. By turning away highly qualified Asian/white students in favor of less qualified black/Hispanic students, it is not fair for either race. According to Dr. Richard Sander, Professor of Law at UCLA, blacks are two and a half times more likely than whites not to graduate and are four times more likely to fail the bar exam on the first try. (Fletcher) To fulfill their thirst for diversity, colleges often recruit students from below the median. As a result, they are ill equipped to handle the pressures of such a rigorous school and have a smaller chance of graduating. It is not to say that affirmative action is not needed. A homogenous population would make for an unproductive and unmoving student body. Diversity is needed for growth and experiences that differ. In this way, you can see the clear advantage of affirmative action over legacy admissions. Despite affirmative action being flawed, the advantage is at least given to, who is supposed to be, the disadvantaged party. Legacy admissions should have no place in the college admissions world. It is giving an advantage to students who are probably are not in great need of it if their parents attended a prestigious university Supporters of legacy admissions claim that donations from alumni contribute to building renovations and technological upgrades, as well as supporting financial aid programs for many financially disadvantaged students. (Golden) Legacy students are also thought to better understand the sense of tradition of the university and embody the values that the university has traditiona lly supported. That sounds good, but how true is it? Three elite schools that are big on legacy preferences – Harvard, Princeton, and Yale – rank near the bottom when it comes to the percentage of students from poorer families they have, according to Professor Jerome Karabel in his book The Chosen: The Hidden History of Admission and Exclusion at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. (Steinberg) Good students from poor families are often deprived of admission because of the legacy tradition — they are less frequently helped by the additional funds that the legacy tradition brings to the school. Contrary to what legacy defenders argue, it is doubtful that dropping legacy preferences has any significant impact on donations to a university. Texas A&M and the University of Georgia are among the large universities that have abandoned legacy preferences and neither has suffered a detectable decline in support. (Howell and Turner 325-351) In addition, Massey and Mooney found that, â€Å"In schools with a stronger commitment to legacy admissions, the children of alumni were more likely to drop out. Ironically, the only evidence we find of a skills mismatch is for the children of alumni. The greater the gap between a legacy student’s SAT and the institutional average SAT, the lower the grades he or she earned, though the effect size was modest. (99-117) They compared the number of hours studied per week, the â€Å"psychological performance burden† reported by students, grades earned by students through the end of their sophomore year, and the likelihood of students dropping out of school by spring of their junior year. The study concluded that legacies who were given a greater admissions bonus earned lower grades once admitted, a fact which surprised many, including some admissions officials. (99-117) However, although affirmative action and legacy treatment are both found to be large non-academic factors in the college admissions process, athletic skill is one often overlooked and not discussed. It is common knowledge that the number of students who excel in both academics and athletics is too small for schools to fill spots with only student athletes who meet usual admissions standards. Athletes were shown to have had a 48% better chance of admission than regular students with similar academic achievements in high school and similar standardized test score in studies done during 1999. In comparison, â€Å"legacies,† bore only a 25% better chance of admission and minorities stood only an 18% better chance of admission. (Ferris, Finster, and McDonald 555-575) The simplest method to view the different standards used for recruited athletes is to acknowledge the statistics of Division I athletes in â€Å"high profile† sports, such as football and basketball at public universities. These students have SAT scores that average almost 250 points than their non-athletic counterparts. While not as extreme, athletes participating in other sports such as golf, tennis, and swimming average about 100 points less than regular students on standardized test scores. (Dolinsky) The way that a majority of these student athletes gain admissions is through â€Å"special admit† programs designed by the school to accept a group of applicants who do not meet the standard criteria. From 2003 to 2006, more than half of the â€Å"special admits† scholarship athletes at San Diego State University had lower standardized test scores and high school GPAs than other admitted students. In the San Diego State admissions process, students with insufficient credentials may be accepted based on other factors such as socioeconomic background, local residency, and other special talents. However, between fall 2003 and spring 2006, of the 248 â€Å"special admit† students admitted by San Diego State, only 105 were given admission intentionally. The rest of the students granted admission had been the result of various processing errors and of those 105 that were given intentional admission, they were all athletes. (Ferris, Finster, and McDonald 555-575) If there is one thing that is clear, it is that the preferential treatment given to athletes in the admissions process does have its consequences. One potential consequence of admitting student athletes with academic credentials below their peers is the risk of academic underperformance by these athletes. (Dolinsky) Similar to those shown with students of affirmative action, statistics are clear in showcasing that athletes are underperforming once they arrive on college campuses. Recently, as more athletes got into schools through advantages in the admissions process, their collegiate GPAs began to suffer, with a majority of athletes placing in the bottom quarter of their classes. In contrast, only 9% of athletes finish in the top third of their class. (Espenshade, Chung, and Walling 1422–1446) To further exhibit the correlation between preferential treatment in the admissions process and academic underperformance, a study shows that student athletes generally choose so-called â€Å"easy† majors—such as social sciences—rather than the â€Å"harder† majors such as math, science, and engineering. One argument for explaining academic underperformance, other than the fact that athletes arrive at college with noticeably lower academic credentials, is that student athletes face the rigors and responsibilities of playing a sport, practicing, and trying to divide time between athletics and academics. However, this argument may have little merit as statistics show that an analogous group to student athletes—students who participate in several extracurricular activities—do not underperform at the level of student athletes. (Dolinsky) Although this analogy may not account for different types of students who are athletes as compared to those students who are heavily involved on campus, the comparison tends to show that the time that athletes spend with their respective sports does not prove, in itself, to be a clear reason for academic underperformance. Additionally student athletes already receive a multitude of benefits not given to normal students. Often times, they are given priority registration, extra tutoring, and even separate housing. With the benefit of these extra luxuries, athletes should be able to properly their manage their time to balance academics and their sport. It is not difficult to see the correlation between underperformance at the high school level and underperformance at the college level. Nor is it difficult to see the correlation between the admission of athletes having below-average test scores and high school GPAs and underperformance at the college level. Perhaps this is an unfair stereotype, but there is a reason that this stereotype exists and there is evidence to back it up. What is the price that is paid? One example is Dexter Manley, former professional football player for the Washington Redskins. Manley testified in front of the United States Senate that he could not read, despite being admitted and staying at Oklahoma State University for four years. (Espenshade, Chung, and Walling 1422–1446) By admitting students who are not qualified to handle the workload of an undergraduate institution, the ones that are hurt the most are some of the ones who â€Å"benefit.† Through each of these policies, certain students are given a â€Å"pull† in the college admissions office over other students. In comparison, these three programs are very similar in how they offer students an advantage in the system. Each program requires that you fulfill a certain requirement, which is the basis for their policy. They are all affirmative action policies that factor in something non-academic into your rejection or acceptance. With racial affirmative action being the most controversial and widely discussed, it has seemed that the other two have slipped underneath the radar. All three contribute to a discrepancy in the student body that will continue to grow unless awareness is created. Although in a perfect world, students wouldn’t have to worry about such factors, we live in a society where the slightest differences can make or break you. Whatever the effects of afï ¬ rmative action in raising or lowering the odds of academic success, the students should be aware and know exactly what they are going to get themselves into. Works Cited Dolinsky, Anna. â€Å"Affirmative Action for Athletes? Jan 12, 2001.† The Yale Herald. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Espenshade, Thomas J., Chung, Chang Y. and Walling, Joan L., Admission Preferences for Minority Students, Athletes, and Legacies at Elite Universities. Social Science Quarterly, No. 85 (2004): 1422–1446. Ferris, Eric, Finster, Mark and McDonald, David. â€Å"Academic Fit of Student-Athletes: An Analysis of Ncaa Division I-A Graduation Rates.† Research in Higher Education Vol. 45. No. 6 (Sep., 2004): pp. 555-575. Fletcher, Michael A. â€Å"Washingtonpost.com: Affirmative Action Special Report.† Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis. The Washington Post, 18 June 1998. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Golden, Daniel. â€Å"The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition.† CLassroomEdition.com. The Wall Street Journal, Apr. 2003. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Howell, Cameron. and Turner, Sarah E. â€Å"Legacies in Black and White: The Racial Composition of the Legacy Pool.† Research in Higher Education Vol. 45. No. 4 (Jun., 2004): pp. 325-351 Massey, Douglas S., and Mooney, Margarita. â€Å"The Effects of America’s Three Affirmative Action Programs on Academic Performance.† Social Problems Vol. 54. No. 1 (February 2007): pp. 99-117 Steinberg, Jacques. â€Å"‘Affirmative Action for the Rich’ – NYTimes.com.† College Admissions Advice – The Choice Blog – NYTimes.com. The New York Times, 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. .

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Thesis: Technology, such as texting, while driving is unsafe and can be a hazard to teen drivers and others. In the Knox News opinion column, there was an article found titled â€Å"Twits texting, tweeting behind the wheel.† The author of this article, Ina Hughs, is arguing that texting, MP3 players, and other electronic devices are unsafe to use when behind the wheel. She is writing to inform teenagers and other drivers about the dangers of driving while texting. Even though Hughes makes some excellent points in her column, she may not be the most qualified person to be writing about the dangers of texting and how tempting it may be. Hughes indeed has a cell phone, but she had the texting enabled on her phone so she does not text with it. The only information that she gets that makes her qualified to write this article would be the fact that her eleven-year-old grandson just got a cell phone. Even with this information, it still does not qualify her since her grandson cannot drive. She did though get facts from reliable magazines and researchers to back her up. Hughs’ format of her article shows a lot about whom she is and her qualifications. Just about every paragraph she either has some sort of statistical evidence or an example of why texting and driving is bad. She does not have any real connection to the audience she is trying to address. The author uses logos a lot in this text to support her many claims as to driving while texting. One thing she mentions is, â€Å"according to the New York Times, one in five drivers admits to texting while driving on a somewhat regular basis, and they say they won’t stop because they are ‘literally addicted.’† This claim reinforces her purpose of texting while driving by giving statistical evidence of why it is so dangerous. So many people do it. â€Å"According to research, every time you get a text, tweet, instant message, or call, ‘your brain squirts out a little dopamine- the pleasure chemical- and left to our own devices, we spin out of control.

Unique Quotes for Birthday Cake Messages

Unique Quotes for Birthday Cake Messages So you’re in charge of the birthday cake, and you need a short, sweet sentiment that befits the occasion and personality of your guest of honor. But before you get frustrated trying to come up with something unique, here’s a quick slice of history to go with a helpful sampling of birthday messages to follow. According to historians, the very first mention of a birthday celebration is in reference to the day of the coronation of a new Egyptian pharaoh, who was believed to be reborn that day as a god. That tradition made its way to the Greeks who baked special moon-shaped cakes and adorned them with candles that would glow like the moon in honor of the lunar goddess Artemis. And the smoke from the candle would act as the vehicle carrying their (make a wish) and prayers to their gods in the sky. Most likely inspired by the Greeks, the ancient Romans were baking birthday cakes to celebrate famous public figures and to honor the 50th birthdays of friends and family. By the 1400s, German bakeries were offering birthday cakes, and by the 1700s, they were celebrating Kinderfesten, annual birthdays for children with a candle added for each year of life. Birthday cakes were too expensive for most people until the early 1800s. Then, new leavening agents became available, such as baking soda and bak ing powder, which made baking affordable and easier than ever before. So whether you are baking a cake from scratch or a box, or you’re getting one from a bakery, here are some quotes for the icing on the top. They’re from a general (George Patton); statesman (Benjamin Disraeli); businessmen (Bernard M. Baruch, Henry Ford), media executive (Oprah Winfrey); philosopher (Richard Cumberland); painter (Pablo Picasso), singers/musicians (Cora Harvey Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon); actors (Clint Eastwood, Frances McDormand); filmmaker (Lula Buà ±uel), cartoonist (Charles Schulz), humorist/comedians (Art Buchwald, Groucho Marx); poets (Emily Dickinson, Alexander Pope, William Shakespeare); and many writers (Betty Friedan, Franz Kafka, George Meredith, W.B. Pitkin, Jean-Paul Richter, Anthony Robbins, George Sand, Dr. Seuss, Gertrude Stein, Jonathan Swift, Booth Tarkington). Copy these quotes with attribution, or use them as a starting point to help inspire a genius â€Å"happy birthday† message of your own. Anonymous Turning 30 is a piece of cake. Cora Harvey Armstrong Inside every older person is a younger person - wondering what the hell happened.​ Bernard M. Baruch Old age is 15 years older than I am. Art Buchwald The best things in life arent things. Luis Buà ±uel Age is something that doesnt matter, unless you are a cheese. Richard Cumberland It is better to wear out than to rust out. Emily Dickinson We turn not older with years, but newer every day. Benjamin Disraeli Life is too short to be small. Clint Eastwood Aging can be fun if you lay back and enjoy it. Henry Ford Anyone who keeps learning stays young. Aretha Franklin Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift. Betty Friedan Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength. Franz Kafka Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. Irish Proverb The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune. John Lennon Count your age by friends, not years. Groucho Marx Getting older is no problem. You just have to live long enough. Frances McDormand With aging, you earn the right to be loyal to yourself. George Meredith Dont just count your years, make your years count. George Patton Live for something rather than die for nothing. Pablo Picasso Youth has no age. W.B. Pitkin Life begins at 40. Alexander Pope Count each birthday with a grateful mind. Jean Paul Richter Birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. Anthony Robbins Live with passion. George Sand Try to keep your soul young and quivering right up to old age. Charles Schulz Once youre over the hill, you begin to pick up speed. Dr. Seuss aka Theodor Seuss Geisel There is no one alive who is you-er than you! William Shakespeare With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come. Gertrude Stein We are always the same age inside. Jonathan Swift May you live all the days of your life. Booth Tarkington Cherish all your happy moments; they make a fine cushion for old age. Oprah Winfrey The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.

Books About African American Women and Feminist Theory

Books About African American Women and Feminist Theory Feminism in the 1960s and 1970s made a difference in the life of women in the United States, but the womens movement is often remembered as being too white. Many black feminists responded to the womens liberation movement and the cries of sisterhood with writings that critically analyzed the second wave of feminism or provided missing pieces of the puzzle. Here is a list of five important books about African-American feminism: Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by bell hooks (1981)The important feminist writer bell hooks responds to racism in the second-wave feminist movement and sexism in the Civil Rights movement. All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave edited by Gloria T. Hull, Patricia Bell Scott and Barbara Smith   (1982)Racism, the feminist â€Å"sisterhood,† myths about women, Black consciousness, history, literature and theory combine in this interdisciplinary anthology. In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker (1983)A collection of nearly 20 years of Alice Walkers writing about the civil rights and peace movements, feminist theory, families, white society, black writers and the â€Å"womanist† tradition. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde (1984)An eye-opening collection about feminism, transformation, anger, sexism and identity from the marvelous poet Audre Lorde. Words of Fire: An Ant hology of African-American Feminist Thought edited by Beverly Guy-Sheftall   (1995)This collection includes the philosophies of black women from the 1830s through the turn of the 21st century. Sojourner Truth, Ida Wells-Barnett, Angela Davis, Pauli Murray and Alice Walker are just a few of the writers included.

Internet Companies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Internet Companies - Case Study Example It has accorded both parties with increased cost-efficiency and has allowed greater expansion of business scope (PC Week, 1999). By means of more dovetailed customer centric approaches, competitive advantage has been redefined. For instance, data from consumers are being garnered by online vendors to be able to more effectively cater to their needs. The substantial information permits these entities to design high impact promotional strategies. E-trading has been effectual in leveraging on price (Munk, 1999). The notable availability and the ease of e-trading have been the features that lead to its acceptance and increasing popularity. Moreover, this suggests being very cost-efficient, obviating the need for overhead attributed to rent and labor. Cutthroat competition in brick and mortar businesses and the big fixed expenses have welcomed online trading (PC Week, 1999). The wide range of offerings in both products and service are welcomed and has won the loyalty of customers. The information that they have garnered from consumers online have also allowed sellers to optimize on cost. Another benefit has been the fact that it permits them to save much time (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). It is for these reasons that sellers have seriously considered setting up online stores, resulting in the establishment of cybershops and many more of this kind (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). ... These entities are involved with software, printed news, magazines, music, and film. Varied industries have also gone into the online retailing bandwagon in lieu of these benefits (Leong, 1999). The current study aims to describe the promotion and marketing differentiators of online companies that are utilized by online vendors which the consumers patronize. The following sub problems shall be addressed in the research: 1) What are the drivers of carrying out an online purchase' 2) How do consumers assess online sellers with which they have dealt with in terms of the following strategies: a) Ease of clicking a button rather than dialing a website number b) Varied products c) Wide market networks and synergistic partnerships d) Selling more digital instead of physical offerings e) Projecting oneself to be a well-renowned global brand f) Maintaining a good, long-term relationship with its on-line clients g) Having attractive promotional offers 3) Among these promotion strategies, which will garner significant correlations with consumer satisfaction in general' Review of Related Literature Online Strategies and Competitive Advantage Strategic frameworks have been integrated of late, especially those focusing on crises or situations with markedly high uncertainty. The ultimate goal was to avoid impending failure in such difficult circumstances (Urban, Carter, Gaskin, & Mucha, 1986). Conventionally, those who have become successful early on allow their long-term survival; in contrast, those who have failed in the beginning are likely to close shop early on. Such victory causes organization to uphold strategic HR practices (of