E-commerce and Interactive Communications Methods :: E-Commerce Design Essays

IRS No Longer Sending Paper Tax Forms

IRS No Longer Sending Paper Tax Forms They express the main things sure in life are demise and charges. That may be valid. Be that as it may, the manner in which you pay your assessments is unquestionably evolving. Key Takeaways The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) authoritatively quit mailing yearly government form structures to singular citizens toward the finish of 2010.The IRS assessed at the time that the change would, truth be told, spare citizens over $10 million every year in printing, postage, and handling costs.Paper tax documents and guidelines can at present be requested from the IRS or got up IRS help focuses or taking an interest post workplaces and open libraries.Electronic recording or â€Å"efiling† is currently the transcendent strategy for recording expense forms, with more than 56 million citizens having arranged and efiled their bureaucratic assessment forms since the IRS quit mailing paper tax documents in 2011 The Internal Revenue Service declared that it will no longer mail out paper tax documents to Americans, powerful 2011. The move is intended to spare everyones most loved government organization a little money - about $10 million per year. With the proceeded with development in electronic documenting and to help decrease costs, the IRS will no longer mail paper charge bundles that ordinarily show up in January of every year, the organization said in a postcard sent to citizens. The IRS will set aside cash by not printing and mail the thick, 44-page parcel of data, charge tables and Form 1040s. In the event that you dont need to record electronically, here are your alternatives for getting paper tax documents: Sign onto IRS.gov, where you can download and print the most recent assessment forms.Drop by your neighborhood IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.Go to your nearby mail station or library on the off chance that they partake in the government charge items program.After Jan. 1, you can likewise dial the IRS cost free hotline and request that they mail you the desk work. The number is (800) 829-3676. The IRS has been urging citizens to record electronically for a considerable length of time. Around 96 million citizens recorded electronically in 2010, and another 20 million presented their structures to the IRS through expert assessment preparers, as per the office. By correlation, just about 11.5 million citizens who recorded paper tax documents had gotten them via the post office. Electronic Filing Now Dominates Figures discharged by the IRS in 2019 show that the agency’s 2011 choice to â€Å"go paperless† was an insightful and mainstream one. As per the IRS, the quantity of expense forms that are documented electronically-efiled-has developed each year since. Before the finish of May 2019, for instance, in excess of 127,939,000 million assessment forms for Tax Year 2018 had been efiled. Citizens who self-get ready and efile their own expense forms have kept on developing. In 2019 (for Tax Year 2018), more than 56,214,000 million citizens have arranged and efiled their government expense forms themselves as of May 2019. Furthermore, as of May 2019, more than 86,965,000 million citizens had gotten quicker government charge discounts by means of direct bank stores into financial balances through electronic bank moves (EBT). The normal duty discount got by direct store was $2,868. The choice to record assessment forms electronically has really been around for a long time. The act of efiling started in 1986 as a little test program in 1968, when just 5 expense IRS-chose charge preparers from Cincinnati, Raleigh Durham, and Phoenix consented to partake. From that point forward, efile has developed to get typical, serving a large number of citizens consistently. Refreshed by Robert Longley

Which Payment Provider to Choose for Your Online Business

Which Payment Provider to Choose for Your Online Business © Shutterstock.com | City of AngelsIn this article, you will discover 1) an introduction to payment providers, 2) the importance of selecting a payment provider for your online business, 3) a step-by-step process for selecting a payment provider for your business, and 4) payment providers comparison.INTRODUCTION TO PAYMENT PROVIDERSWhat is online payment?An online payment is processed electronically over a computer network, usually the internet.As a business owner who conducts business online, you would surely have felt the need to use a payment method that is secure and reassuring. Online payment is the perfect answer. Every day, more and more businesses are adding online payment as a viable option apart from traditional cash and check transactions.Components of online paymentsPayment Gateways: A payment gateway is an e-commerce service that accepts the various payment requests from your website and channels it to the payment processor for processing. Payment gateways bring in a lo t of security features for your customers, like data encryption, and ensures that data is securely exchanged both between the customer and the merchant and between the merchant and the payment processor.Payment Processors: As the name suggests, a payment processor validates customers bank accounts, credit or debit cards, checks to see if there is a sufficient balance, and authorizes the transactions. Once transactions are authorized, the funds are debited from the customers account and transferred back to the payment gateway.Payment Service or Payment System: A payment service or a payment system is a service offered by payment providers that allows the customer to choose from different types of payment gateways. Credit cards have historically been the most preferred form of payment. However, other types of payment methods, such as smartcards, are gaining popularity.Payment Provider: A payment provider (also known as a payment service provider) is a company that manages all the serv ices related to online payment, like payment gateways and payment processors. A typical payment provider is simultaneously connected to several banks, cards and payment networks. Payment providers can be classified into three types:Distributors: A distributor is a payment provider that supports multiple online payment methods via a single interface.Collectors: A collector is similar in function to a distributor. However, collectors additionally collect payouts on your behalf without setting commission rates or fees.Aggregators: An aggregator supports multiple online payment methods via a single interface, collects payouts and contracts with banks or financial institutions.Merchant Account: A merchant account is a specialized account used to receive funds from online transactions via credit card or debit card. A merchant account often utilizes the services of payment processors, independent sales organizations and member service providers to perform transactions.How online transactio ns workOnce you have decided to sell your goods online, you will first need to hook up with a merchant account, although services like PayPal negate their use. Next, you will need to set up an account with a payment service provider. The final step is to set up your web page and connect it to an online payment service by placing a button or a simple hyperlink that your customer can press/click on to initiate online payment. While some websites incorporate the payment form in their web pages, others redirect it to their service providers website.Trusted online payment providersThere is an unending list of payment providers available. However, when you consider the most trusted ones, this list narrows down quite a bit. Below are some of the most widely-used online payment providers.Authorize.Net: With a customer base of over 400,000 and growing, Authorize.Net is one of the worlds leading payment providers. This service allows you to receive payments in the form of electronic checks an d credit cards. The Setup fee is a very nominal USD $49, with an additional USD $29 gateway fee chargeable every month.PayPal: A venture of the famous Elon Musk, PayPal is a very popular payment provider. The service allows both credit card and debit card transactions. However, the best part is that PayPal is entirely free there is no set-up charge, no gateway fee and no other monthly charges.SecurePay.com: SecurePay.com accepts mobile payments, has an online shopping cart set up and offers electronic check services. Fees are charged per transaction.Alipay: Alipay is a third party online payment provider founded by Jack Ma of Alibaba.com. Alipay does not charge any transaction fees and has the added advantage of an escrow service, which allows you to verify if your customers are actually happy with the product, before they release the payment.BitPay: With an increasing global presence, BitPay is one of the largest Bitcoin-based payment providers. BitPay has, over the last couple of years, partnered with multinational giants like Microsoft, NewEgg, TigerDirect, and Warner Bros.THE IMPORTANCE OF SELECTING A PAYMENT PROVIDER FOR YOUR ONLINE BUSINESSWhy do you need a payment provider at all?An online business is virtually impossible to conduct without the assistance of a payment provider. There are a few key reasons why you will need to use the services of a proficient payment provider.To meet and exceed customer expectations: Your customers are only human they always favor buying things from a site that makes it easy for them to pay. An online payment option is vital in the sense that customers view it as one of the easiest and most comfortable modes of payment. A website with an online payment method is always seen as up-to-the-minute and customer-friendly.To increase processing speed: It is undeniable that an online payment system significantly enhances payment processing speed. Online payments are far quicker than manual payment methods you dont have to wai t for the check to turn up and then for it to clear at the bank. Adopting an online payment option will deliver the payment to your account in a matter of a few seconds, thus enhancing cash It also secures your transactions by sending immediate confirmation messages. In addition, having an online payment option lets you know immediately that the customer has a sufficient bank balance, unlike manual transactions where checks may bounce later on.To simplify payment transactions: Online payment systems greatly simplify the transaction process. It doesnt require you to go to your bank to deposit the check, nor does it require you to manually record all payment transactions. All online transactions are automatically processed and all transactions are recorded and available for perusal on demand. You are also not required to handle or store any information pertaining to your customers credit and debit cards.A STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS FOR SELECTING A PAYMENT PROVIDER FOR YOUR BUSINESSBelow, we describe in detail, the steps you need to take to select the payment provider that works best for your business.Step 1: Understand what restrictions you have depending on what platform you use (is the payment gateway supported on  your ecommerce platform?).Since there are so many options in payment providers available, it becomes necessary to peruse and understand which ones are supported on your ecommerce platform. But its not enough that the payment system is supported on your platform you will need to browse through various additional features, like plug-ins, to decide on what payment provider to finally settle.Step 2: Select between Shopping Carts vs. Merchant Accounts.There are a lot of things to consider and know about how your ecommerce platform is structured before you can really decide what credit card payment options you are able to offer your customers. However, it is safe to state here that a merchant account is absolutely necessary for you to accept online payments. E ven though your website host is most likely to provide you some in-built shopping cart options, these alone arent enough for you to accept payments without a compatible merchant account.Your best bet might be to consider an all-in-one payment system, e.g., PayPal. These systems allow you to have both a shopping cart and a merchant account as part of a comprehensive plan. This virtually eliminates the need to have separate accounts, and since you will be paying for all the options as a single package, it saves you money too.Step 3: Understand the difference between payment gateways and merchant accounts, and define for your business whether you want to have payment gateways, merchant accounts or an all-in-one system.As a start-up seller, ready to go online, you will need to understand the basics of ecommerce and use your knowledge to set up a shop. It is important to understand the differences between payment gateways, payment processors and merchant accounts. You can then use your a cquired knowledge to analyze what works best for your business payment gateways with merchant accounts, or an all-in-one system.There are several options available on the market for payment gateways and payment processors they offer different features and options and have varying monthly rates, transaction costs and other charges.Step 4: Determine how you want your checkout to work.At this stage, you will want to think of a checkout strategy that works with your type of business and especially, the kind of customer base you plan to target. It may be beneficial for you to have your customers enter their payment details directly on your website. In that case, you will have to follow the following steps:Provide a payment form on your site. This is possibly one of the simplest ways to accept payment. However, this is also one of the least secure payment methods. So, in order to safely use this system, you will need to put a lot of security measures in place, which will, of course, not be cost efficient over the long term.Use iFrame or redirect. A better and more secure way of using a checkout form on your website is to encase it in a secure iFrame within your payment webpage. Another secure way would be to redirect the customer to a securely hosted payment page.Use a secure payment gateway. A secure payment gateway allows you to still use your own payment form on your website, but it channels the payment details through a secure route to the payment gateways own server.There are several types of payment gateways:Type 1 Hosted Payment GatewaysType 2 Pro / Self-Hosted Payment GatewaysType 3 API / Non-Hosted Payment Gateways Payments at Merchant’s siteType 4 Local Bank IntegrationType 5 Direct Payment GatewayType 6 â€" Platform-Based Payment Gateway SolutionsStep 5: Select the payment provider that supports specific payment methods you want to have for your business.There are various criteria that can help you settle on a payment provider, but it is mostly for your customers, whose needs you have to consider before you make that decision. So, based on your customers preferences and more importantly, their geographical location, you would have to decide whether it would be better to go for niche payment methods or stick to conventional ones like Visa and MasterCard. It is important to understand your customers needs or you will end up losing valuable sales prospects. Some payment methods that you can incorporate into your ecommerce platform are:Cash on DeliveryChecksCredit CardsDebit CardsDirect DebitsE-WalletsGift / Loyalty CardsInvoicesMobile Carrier BillingPrepaid CardsSpecialsStep 6: Select a payment provider based on what countries and in what currency (transaction and settlement currencies) your online business will be active.When dealing with global customers, it is important to understand that people prefer to pay in the currency of their country, and do not usually like to go through the hassles of having to convert to dollars or Euros, etc. when making a payment. It is always a big advantage if you are able to offer to your customers the option to pay in their own currencies. Also, its always better to have more than one payment option to offer your customers, especially if you are catering to a global audience.There are two things to base your selection of a payment provider on, when dealing with global customers:Base it on countries an online payment provider supports (Geographical Region Compatibility)Base it on currencies an online payment provider supports (Currency Compatibility)transaction currency this is the ability of your payment provider to accept various currencies like USD, Euro, GBP, Yen, etc.settlement currency this refers to the setting up of bank accounts in all the countries where you intend to operate, so as to facilitate acceptance of multiple currencies. Making such efforts to set up various settlement currency options will allow you to receive payment from your payment provider and route it to the applicable bank accounts, so that there is no need for any currency conversion.Step 7: Select your payment provider based on the fee system (fixed vs. variable) and given your budget.Fee Structure: Fees can be of the following types:Monthly feeFixed fee (per transaction)Variable fee (as a percentage of each transaction)Extra fee for chargebacks and international credit card transactions.To understand in detail what fee structure works best for you, it would be best for you to do some research online.Volume of Purchases (Volume Support): It is important to analyze beforehand what kind of purchase volumes you can expect for your ecommerce platform. Sales volumes are an essential factor in deciding what payment system would be best suited for your business. It is important to state here that in the case of most payment providers, the percentage fee charged decreases with an increase in the number of transactions.Recurring Payment Support: While most payment provider s support recurring payments, a few such as PayPal and Google Wallet do not support it. Also, most third-party software installed on your ecommerce platform arent likely to support recurring payments either. If your platform provides options such as automatic membership fees renewal, it is best to opt for a payment provider that provides recurring payment support.Step 8: Research security, compliance and anti-fraud features.It is imperative to add sound security features to your ecommerce platform so that fraudulent transactions are negated. A good, albeit underrated, feature would be to add 3D Secure to your website. It prevents fraudulent transactions from occurring and is a boon, especially when you have customers from the UK and Scandinavian countries.Also, if you are in a high-risk business, it would be your best bet to research the market for payment providers that specialize in high-risk payment processing.Last but not the least, you need to make sure that your payment provid er is PCI compliant. A non-PCI compliant payment provider can be dangerous to your business.PAYMENT PROVIDERS COMPARISONPaypalHow much does it cost? PayPal starts at 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.How does it work? One of the most popular payment processors, PayPal offers perks, such as a free card reader to enable mobile devices to accept card payments. Plus, with increasing monthly sales volumes, PayPal reduces the percentage of per-transaction fees. PayPal also offers Advanced and Pro plans with added features to woo your customers.Authorize.netHow much does it cost? net has a $99 setup fee and costs you $20 per month plus $0.10 per transaction and $0.25 per settled batch.How does it work? If yours is a high-volume business, then it would make sense to go for Authorize.net. The payment plan is standard for all customers. Authorize.net also offers a mobile app for receiving payments, but does not offer a card reader, unlike PayPal. The setup fee is one-time only and monthly fees areIntuit GoPaymentHow much does it cost? Intuit GoPayment starts at 2.75% per transaction. There is also a cheaper option of only $0.50 per transaction with zero monthly fees.How does it work? Intuit GoPayment allows integration with QuickBooks to simplify accounting and transaction management. It offers cheaper options for customers who make high dollar transactions.Comparison of Online Payment GatewaysPrice: While payment gateways like BeanStream, Dwolla, SagePay, Stripe, WePay and PayPal (regular) do not charge any monthly fees at all, certain gateways with enhanced features like PayPal Pro, Chargify and Authorize.net do charge monthly fees.Currency Support: PayPal supports up to 20 currency types, SagePay supports 19, while Stripe supports five.Top Ecommerce Platforms and Shopping Cart SoftwareSome of the top ecommerce platforms and shopping carts are Shopify, Volusion, Bigcommerce, LemonStand, SquareSpace and 3DCart. Of these, Shopify is the most popular. Shopify offers a free trial, starts from only $14.00, is SEO-friendly, has an app store and offline store, and provides round-the-clock support.

Essay about Gay Marriage and the Government - 1712 Words

In recent years, the debate over same-sex marriage has grown into a nationwide controversy, reverberating into the halls of congress, at the white house, in dozens of state and legislature and courtrooms, and in the rhetoric of election campaigns at both the national and state levels. As the debate rages on, the American religious community remains deeply divided over the issue, and over the morality of homosexuality. The debate has grown from an issue that occasionally arose in a few states to a national and even worldwide controversy. Moreover, the battle over whether or not gay and lesbians should be allowed to wed shows no signs of abating. In the last year alone, three states have banned same-sex marriage and four states have†¦show more content†¦Beyond wanting to uphold the legal principles of nondiscrimination and equal treatment, supporters say that there are very practical reasons behind the fight for marriage equity. They point out that homosexual couples who have been together for years often find themselves without the basic rights enjoyed by many heterosexual couples who legally marry- from the sharing of health and pension benefits to hospital visitation rights. The same-sex debate is not only an American phenomenon. Many countries, especially Europe, have dealt with the issue as well. Since 2001, seven nations- the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, and Norway- have legalized gay marriage. On the other hand, opponents of legalizing same-sex marriage have consistently outnumbered supporters, although by varying margins at different points in time, for instance, in 2004, just after Massachusetts became the first state to allow gay marriage, a joint survey by the Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People Press found that about twice as many Americans opposed legalization same-sex marriages (60%) as supported it (29%). More recently, an April 2009 survey found that same-sex stood at 54%, with 35% supporting the rights of gay and lesbians. Ask anyone, they will all tell you they are in favor of equal rights for homosexuals. Just name the situation. They will all say, yes, gaysShow MoreRelatedGay Marriage : A Negative Effect On Society And How The Government Deals With It957 Words   |  4 PagesCarlos Ulloa Political Science 3346 Professor Chounlamountry November 29 2015 Gay Marriage My topic is about gay marriage and how is really has a negative effect on society and how the government deals with it. As society and our government goes through changes people of certain groups don’t really let us move on and develop as a nation of diversity. These people have a name and they belong to the cultural lag group which doesn’t let us move forward because for there way of thinking By having theRead MoreMarriage is the most powerful way for couples to show their love. 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Whether same-sex couples should be given the right to marry or even if same-sex couples should be given rights at all, this has been a contentious discussion which creates division and disunity throughout the country. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Gay marriage has been legalized in 17 states. But only 19 of 194 countries allow for gay marriage. Statistics sho w more than half the country supports Gay MarriageRead MoreGay Marriage: Pros and Cons1152 Words   |  5 PagesMarriage Is Not Equal For All Gay Marriages Mikaela Acosta â€Æ' Gay marriage has been subject to taboo because our society has this conformed and learned version of marriage; marriage is only held between a man and a woman. Although this is more common today to hear of gay couples, in the first couple centuries in America this was almost unacceptable to general society. Beginning in 2001 was when gay marriage began to become much more widespread starting in Canada, Norway, Belgium, ArgentinaRead MoreSame Sex Marriage and Politics in the U.S. Essay800 Words   |  4 PagesSex Marriage has become a major issue in the United States. There are variations in opinions concerning the topic. The main concern is should same sex marriage be allowed or declared unconstitutional. Plenty of conservatives are completely against gay marriage and many of liberals are fighting for equal treatment. Many controversies and arguments have developed from this issue. There are many reasons why gay marriage should be legal or illegal. The people who oppose same sex marriage or also

Comparing The Hebrew Or Israelite s ( Hoi ) And The...

The Hebrew or Israelite’s (HoI) book of Genesis (2.5-3) and the Pandora Myth in the Greek poet Hesiod’s Work and Days both include the creation of Men and Women. In each of these works, this creation plays a significant role in showing the relationship between human beings and gods (or God) in that culture. The order of creation (Man Vs Women) indicates the importance one sex has over the other. In the book of Genesis (2.5-3) and Work and Days, Men are created before women towards the beginning of creation. However, the basis on why women are created indicates the importance of women in HoI and Greek cultures. In the book of Genesis (2.5-3) woman is created to be a companion for the lonely man, but plays an important role helping humans become more human like. In contrast, the story of Work and Days tells us women are created to punish man and are the root of all evil. The process in how women are created also indicates their importance within these cultures. In Genesis , the woman is created from a man’s rib, while in Work and Days the woman is created out of clay and the â€Å"gifts† of many gods. Lastly, how the gods (or God) treats man, preceding creation, may also indicate some insight to their relationships. In Genesis, we see God worry for man’s well being, while in Works and Days man is being punished for something they didn’t do. Both Genesis and Work and Days have similar orders of creation for both men and women. Preceding the creation of heaven and earth, the

Tennyson Close Analysis Free Essays

Tennyson was published in 1830 and is the text I have chosen to do closely analyze. The subject matter of the poem was taken from one of Shakespearean plays titled â€Å"Measure for Measure†, and the line: â€Å"Marina in the mooted grange,† gave Tennyson the inspiration to write of a young woman waiting for her lover. The two texts share a common theme of abandonment, as in Shakespearean play the young woman is also diligently awaiting the return of her lover Angelo after his desertion upon discovering her loss of dowry. We will write a custom essay sample on Tennyson Close Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Similarly to Shakespearean text, Marianne lacks action or any narrative movement, the entire poem serving as an extended depiction of the melancholy isolation a young woman experiences whilst pining for her vacant lover. The language, meter, format and tone of the poem contribute to the inherent themes of isolation, death and decay, which I will closely examine in this close reading exercise. Unlike some of Tennyson other works such as Ulysses, Marianne doesn’t have a dramatic monologue although it does feature a refrain. This method isolates Marina from us, and the poem being written in a third person lyrical narrative makes the title guru unable to linguistically control her own poem. The refrain is the only part within the poem in which Marina is able to speak out directly to the reader as well as the only form of dialogue: in the first stanza, line’s 9-12 â€Å"My life is dreary/He cometh not’ she said:/She said, ‘l am areaway, areaway, I would that I were dead! Her desperation is evident to the reader, and ‘she said’ being written in past tense is significant since we are left wondering of her fate as a result of her misery. The refrain undergoes minor changes throughout the poem, giving a small fragment of pope to both the reader and Marina who is stuck in a monotonous cycle of despair. In the second, third and fourth stanza she alternates between ‘day, night and light’, in the final 9-12 lines of the stanza, emphasizes that nothing really changes s ince her feelings of being ‘areaway continue regardless of the time of day. In the final stanza, in the 9-12th lines, the refrain changes dramatically from the continuous and unchanging refrain the reader had become accustomed to. Marina now Weeps’ instead of ‘says’ and asks ‘God’ to end her misery, thus the plea is no longer a wish but a prayer and an appeal, signifying the end to all hope. She is now sure that ‘he’ will never return and her recognition of this show that she accepts it. The use of the pronoun ‘he’ in the refrain is interesting. We never learn ‘his’ name or of his existence therefore his presence in the poem is very ambiguous. It could be that Marina is just waiting for a lover who has deserted her, or that ‘he’ could be symbolic of a male dominant society that doesn’t help her. The refrain shapes majority of the poem as it allows the reader to understand Marina’s feelings, whereas the language and the setting only serve as a metaphor for her internal anguish and isolation. Although the poem is static, meaning it involves no action, the pathetic fallacy and personification of the setting is a reflection of Marina’s psychological decay as well as the world that she inhibits. In the first stanza, from lines 1 to 7, Marina’s surroundings are described as ‘blackest’, ‘rusted’, ‘broken’, Weeded and worn’, and ‘lonely. Everything that is man-made is in a state of decay, symbolic for Marina’s personal deteriorating and dissatisfaction of men. The iambic tetrameter, which sets the rhythmic, repetitive tone of the poem, is constantly interrupted by the refrain at he end of each stanza, symbolic to how Marianne can never feel at ease and is always in a state of psychological unrest. The three four-line rhyme units pattern of ABA CDC BEEF entrap the reader, since the E and F essentially remain the same in each stanza, which parallels with Marina’s own entrapment. Words such as ‘shrieks and ‘cricked’ in the sixth stanza between on line 2 and 5, are Tennyson use of onomatopoeia to further involve the reader in how Marina is feeling by using harsh and penetrating sounds. Through close analysis there are signs of hope Marina instills in us for both her fate and the return of her lover. In the first stanza on line 6, it is described that ‘unlisted was the clinking latch’ emphasizing her hope for his return, and in the second stanza on line 8, when she ‘glanced athwart the gloaming flats,’ although the use of ‘gloaming’ is a morbid foreshadowing, Marina watches her surroundings as if she is waiting for a soldier to return from the battlefield and into her open arms. But as Marina deteriorates and hope fails her, so does the language in the poem. In the sixth stanza between lines 6 and 8, Marina descends into madness as her house becomes haunted by ‘old faces, glimmered thro’ the doors, [old toasters, trod the upper floors, [old voices called her from without. ‘ The use of past tense with ‘glimmered’ and ‘called’ signifies that Marianne is still living in the past, as her libido flows backwards. She remembers happier times because she is haunted, and the psychological reversions as well as physical deterioration move in parallel order, creating overwhelming sense of degeneration and loss. In the last stanza, the sparrow’s chirrup on the roof, [the slow clock ticking,’ this first and second line stood out. ‘The sparrow is symbolic because it is a sign of impending death, in Christian homeboys the sparrow was seen as offering made by person without any means. As for the ‘slow clock ticking, this can be interpreted for the lack of time and the poem’s constant circular motion before reaching its climax in the final stanza. However, because the clock is about to come to a halt it could also have the double meaning for Marina’s impending death. Another literary symbol that Tennyson uses to draw up on Marina’s yearning for her lover is the polar tree. The polar tree is a classic symbol of the renegade lover and his broken promise; it can be interpreted as a phallic symbol since it provides he only break in the otherwise barren and flat landscape. Within classic mythology the poplar tree is used in the text Metamorphoses, where Ovid describes how None, deserted by Paris, addresses the poplar on which Paris has carved his promise not to desert her. This interpretation is relevant to the reoccurring theme of abandonment and isolation within the poem. In the fourth stanza, the fifth line introduces the poplar tree as the ‘Hard by a poplar shook alleyway’s silver-green with gnarled bark also making it’s existence sound temperamental and deteriorating through the use of ‘gnarled bark and ‘silver-green’, these adjectives making it unappealing in the mind of the reader. Marina lusts for the company of her previous lover, so when she sees the gusty shadow sway,’ in the following fourth line of the fifth stanza, this is the remainder of the sexual dominance her lover had over her and his absence in her life which has been replaced by this desolate tree. The fact that she is still pining over his vacancy shows that he still holds power over her and is able to manipulate her, which could be said of women in society being under the control of men during Tennyson time. The poplar tree’s isolation haunts Marina even in sleep, because it eternally serves as a remainder of the one who will never come. Death is also a prominent motif throughout the poem, as ‘dead’ is repeated in the last line of every stanza in the refrain. In the climaxing, last stanza of the poem, Tennyson wrote on the sixth line ‘but she loathed the hour/When the thick-mooted sunbeam lay, this phrase is emphasized by the caesura directly prior to it, and the comparatively period lacking punctuation which follows. The words thick and ‘lay give the reader the impression that Marina’s world is coated in dust, suggesting that it is morality which weighs her down since her life is bleak and oppressive. This idea is further emphasized by the day drawing to a close when Tennyson wrote in the last stanza on the 8th line, ‘and the Dallas sloping toward his western bower. The imagery here is suggestive of the sun setting and her moving towards Angelo since the connotation of light has to do with living and mortality. The ending of the day, and the drawing of the poem can be interpreted as the ending of Marina’s own life. In conclusion, much of Tennyson formation of the character Marina can be seen as a projectio n of his own psychological issues. His powerful use of imagery and pathetic fallacy illustrates the struggle Marina faces between life and death as she diligently awaits her lovers return. How to cite Tennyson Close Analysis, Papers

Ronald McDonalds Goes to China Research Paper Example

Ronald McDonalds Goes to China Paper McDonalds entered Hong Kong in 1975 and Beijing only in 1992. After about seven years, there were already 235 McDonalds restaurants across China and in Hong Kong there were 158 franchises as of 1999 (Watson, 2000). Today, there are already about 200 outlets and more than 10,000 staff in Hong Kong (McDonalds HK, 2007) while in Beijing there are 90 outlets some of which are offer 24-hour service (CEN, 2006). The entry of McDonalds in China, although the country is known for its rich, deep-rooted culture, has become successful primarily because of the changing lifestyles of the people themselves along with the changing characteristics of the countrys demographics. This case study identifies the problems McDonalds in China is facing and recommends possible solutions to the problems identified. Problem Identification McDonalds is faced on the issues on how to stay competitive in the fast food industry and on how to take advantage of the many opportunities available for them. If McDonalds does not take advantage of these opportunities, its competitors are likely to grab such opportunities. According to Watson (2000), China is currently experiencing changes with its demographic characteristics such as changing family system, lifestyles, family values, aging population, and rising incomes. Due to these opportunities. China has become more attractive to other fast food companies that the number of fast food restaurants as well as the intensity of competition in the country is increasing. We will write a custom essay sample on Ronald McDonalds Goes to China specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ronald McDonalds Goes to China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ronald McDonalds Goes to China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There is the KFC, Pizza Hut, Mos Burger, California Beef Noodle King, Starbucks, Yoshinoya, and recently, Burger King. All of them have their own market segments and have their own way of attracting customers. Burger King for instance had already entered the Chinese market in 2005 (AP, 2005) and can be expected to expand across China in the next few years. Burger King has many similarities with McDonalds from the quality of service to the quality of products as well as with the ability to attract customers. Additionally, Burger King also knows how to innovate and differentiate products from that of the competitors (e. g. patties are grilled thus the taste of its burgers is distinguishable from that of other brands). Another problem is that the taste of McDonalds beef patties does not appeal to the Chinese adults (Watson, 2000). This means that the adult segment of McDonalds market eat there not because they like the taste of the foods but because of the popularity associated with it and the comfort especially the children and teenage customers find at every McDonalds restaurants. Burger King, McDonalds number one competitor in the United States which has been proven to have better tasting burgers than McDonalds, may soon become a big threat to McDonalds if McDonalds will not give careful attention in improving the taste of its burgers to suit the taste preferences of the Chinese. Identification of Options or Alternatives McDonalds may implement one or a combination of the following alternatives: Intensify its communication and marketing efforts to ensure that McDonalds remains attractive to the younger consumers, making up with the loss made due to the unattractiveness of McDonalds burger to adults. McDonalds definitely has competitive advantage over its competitors due to its popularity and strong brand identity which was developed through its strong marketing and communication tools. This particular strength of McDonalds can be further utilized in order to sustain its competitive advantage. However, this alternative requires McDonalds to allot additional budget for its marketing strategies. Instead of allocating additional financial support for promotions and marketing, McDonalds may opt to allocate budget for research and development in order for the company to innovate and improve the taste of its burger patties; that is, integrate Chinese taste preferences with the American burger. McDonalds should conduct research to determine the specific taste of burgers that Chinese adults want and to alter the recipe of its traditional American burger patty. In other words, although Chinese customers are now embracing American foods, it will be better if they can still get to eat the Chinese way even at McDonalds. McDonalds must focus on product innovation. According to Nonaka (1991, p. 25) innovation means â€Å"to recreate the world according to a particular vision or ideal†. If McDonalds is really aiming to localize the company, it must then become serious in offering products with tastes that will be appreciated by the Chinese consumers.. McDonalds is a food company thus, its focus must primarily be on the taste of its products and not only on providing customers the experience of eating in a friendly restaurant. McDonalds may expand its operation by opening new outlets to be able to broaden its market reach and ensure that McDonalds has presence in all possible strategic locations. This alternative addresses the opportunities available for McDonalds; however, it does not really solve the second problem identified above.