Positive Consequences Essay Example for Free

Positive Consequences Essay Ethnocentrism is the practice of judging other cultures in the context of one’s own culture. By using the standards of a certain culture to assess other cultures, ethnocentric people often make hasty and offensive generalizations about people whose cultural backgrounds differ from theirs. Racial stereotypes and the usage of scapegoats are two negative effects of ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism A common mistake that occurs in the study of other cultures is the tendency to critically judge the culture being studied using the standards of one’s own culture. In doing so, the researcher imposes the assumptions and perspectives of his or her own culture on everything that he or she encounters about the culture that he or she is studying. The researcher eventually starts to dismiss facts that may appear different or strange to him or her as â€Å"bad,† â€Å"dumb,† â€Å"pagan,† â€Å"primitive,† etc. The end result is that the researcher unknowingly practices ethnocentrism (NCSU-CHASS, n. d. ). â€Å"Us† against â€Å"Them† Merriam-Webster Online (2008) defined ethnocentrism as a â€Å"(belief that is) characterized or based on the attitude that one’s own group is superior† (Merriam-Webster Online, 2008). Ethnocentrism occurs when people make generalizations about other cultures and customs that are based on their own cultural norms. More often than not, ethnocentric individuals unconsciously use their own culture as a universal yardstick that can accurately judge cultures that are different from theirs. As a result, they come up with erroneous, hurtful and disrespectful assumptions about other people (Culbertson, 2008). Positive Consequences Ethnocentrism satisfies the human psyche’s need for identity and belonging. By claiming that his or her culture is â€Å"superior† over other cultures, a person gains a sense of importance over other people. Ethnocentrism also fosters intarethnic loyalty, which, in turn, leads to the survival of a society. In her article Ethnocentrism and Xenophobia: A Cross-Cultural Study (2001), Elizabeth Cashdan argued that being social animals, humans do not have the capacity to survive on their own. They had to form groups or communities wherein members shared the complex responsibilities needed for survival (Cashdan, 2001). But they also have to compete with other groups or communities, especially for resources. In order to win the competition, a community’s sense of identity must be strong enough to motivate its members to abandon personal interests and work together towards the society’s advancement. As a result, the community survives and even improves (Cashdan, 2001). Negative Consequences Ethnocentrism is the root cause of various misconceptions about people of certain cultures. Ethnocentric individuals often create racist stereotypes about them simply because they regard them as â€Å"inferior† or â€Å"uncivilized. † Below are some examples of racist stereotypes: The Mammy. The mammy is the oldest and the most popular racial stereotype regarding African-American women. She is portrayed as dark-skinned, middle aged, overweight, very religious cheerful and extremely loyal and faithful to the white family she was working for. There is no historical evidence that supports the existence of actual mammies. Further research revealed that this stereotype was created to justify the institution of slavery – the mammy was proof that black women were happy and contented as slaves. In addition, her desexualized nature was intended to conceal sexual relations between white men and black female slaves in pre-Civil War America (Pilgrim, 2000). The Tom. The Tom is the male counterpart of the mammy. He is frequently presented as a hardworking, smiling and dependable black server, usually working as a fieldworker, cook, butler, porter or waiter. Just like the mammy, the Tom’s life revolves around his white masters and their families. Furthermore, the Tom is another racial stereotype that was intended to debunk arguments about the evils of slavery. Nowadays, â€Å"Uncle Tom† has evolved into an expression that is used to criticize a black person who is unreasonably subservient to white people. Lotus Blossom. The Lotus Blossom is one of the most well-known stereotypes attached to Asian women. The term â€Å"Lotus Blossom† refers to a prudish, quiet and submissive Asian woman. But Hollywood took this stereotype to a higher level by featuring Asian women who are prudish, quiet and submissive, but at the same time, eager to please white men. Consequently, movies such as â€Å"Street Fighter† and â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† often pair white actors with Asian actresses (Dugong, n. d. ). Dragon Lady. Akin to the Lotus Blossom, the Dragon Lady is also physically stunning. However, the latter uses her sexuality to get what she wants. Aside from having the ability to seduce men, the Dragon Lady also has superior physical strength and martial arts skills. It is believed that she â€Å"has the power to hypnotize her male rivals, gain trust by seducing them, and when they least expect it, she rids of them through sabotage or backstabbing† (Dugong, n. d. ). As a result, this stereotype projected the misconception that Asian women are avaricious and not trustworthy (Dugong, n. d. ). Scapegoats The usage of scapegoats is another detrimental effect of ethnocentrism. Some people and or organizations unjustly blame other people or groups for the occurrence of certain problems. The targets, in turn, receive rejection and even outright persecution from parties that the perpetrators have managed to influence. The Holocaust is a classic example of using other people as scapegoats. Adolf Hitler got himself into power by constantly blaming the Jews for Germany’s economic, political and social instability after World War I. Conclusion There is a saying that prejudice is the idle man’s substitute for thinking. This byword is very much applicable in ethnocentrism. Instead of taking the time to really know other cultures, some people would rather judge them negatively simply because they are different from their culture. True, attacking other cultures unfairly may be cathartic. But doing so also exposes ethnocentric individuals as insecure people who put other people down to make themselves look and feel good.

Complement Products Of 2kg Milo Marketing Essay

Complement Products Of 2kg Milo Marketing Essay Nestles commitment to providing quality products to Malaysians dates back almost 100 years ago. Nestle began in Malaysia in 1912 as the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Penang and later, growth and expansion made a move to Kuala Lumpur necessarily in 1939.Since 1962, with its first factory in Petaling Jaya, Nestle Malaysia now manufactures its products in 7 factories and operates from its head office in Mutiara Damansara.   The Company was publicly listed on the KLSE (now known as Bursa Malaysia Berhad) on 13 December, 1989. Today, the Company employs more than 5000 employees, manufactures and markets more than 300 Halal products in Malaysia. Its brand name such has MILO ®, NESCAFe ®, MAGGI ®, NESPRAY ®Ã‚  and KIT KAT ®Ã‚  have become trusted household names and enjoyed for generations. Nestle Malaysia was the first to voluntarily request for Halal Certification of all its food products when it was first introduced in 1996. This does not imply that Nestle products in Malaysia were not halal prior to that.The certified Halal status for all Nestle Malaysia products provides assurance that Nestle products are manufactured, imported and distributed under the strictest hygienic and sanitary condition in accordance to the Islamic faith. As part of journey towards healthiness, Nestle, through its vision of Nourishing Malaysia, continues to invest in RD, innovate further and renovate existing products to ensure they are more nutritious and healthier by reducing salt, sugar, and fats content to complement the Governments efforts via the 10-Year National Plan of Action for Nutrition to create a healthier Malaysian society. Nestle reaches out to the community everyday and in multitude ways. From helping single mothers to underprivileged children, nourishing budding athletes to mentoring programmes, and bringing nutrition awareness through various activities Nestle is firmly committed to its promise of Nourishing Malaysia. Today, as it continues growing with the nation, Nestle actively seeks avenues in which it can promote healthy lifestyles and wellness in Malaysia as part of its promise of Good Food, Good Life. 1.2Product brand line Nestle Company has introduced many types of products into the market with different brands. The products include junior foods, milk, breakfast cereals, hot cereals, creamers, beverages, coffee, culinary products, chilled dairy, ice-cream, confectionary and chocolate, health science and performance nutrition. The junior food is known as Cerelac. The milk products are Everyday, Lactogen 3, Mom Me, Nan Grow 3, Nan Ha 3, Nan Kid 4, Nespray Cergas, Nespray Full Cream, Nestle Low Fat Milk and Omega Plus Adult Milk. The types of breakfast cereals include Cookie Crisp, Corn Flakes, Fitnesse, Honey Stars, Koko Krunch, Koko Krunch Duo, Milo Cereals and Multi Grain Cheerios. The hot cereals are Nestum Mixed Cereal and Nesvita 3 in 1 Cereal Drinks. The creamer is known as Coffee-Mate. The beverages are Milo with different kinds of packing, Milo Sejuk and Nestea. The brand name of coffee is Nescafe. Maggi 2-Minute Noodles, Maggi culinary sauces, Maggi flavour solutions, Maggi Mi Goreng, Maggi recipe solution and Maggi Soakable are the culinary products of Nestle Company. While the chilled dairy includes Bliss, Fat Free Yogurt, Natural Set Yogurt and Smooth and Fruity Yogurt. The health science products are Nutren Fibre, Nutren Junior, Nutren Optimum, Nutren Untuk Diabetik, Peptamen and Peptamen Junior. The performance nutrition products are Powerbar Beverage System, Powerbar Gel, Powerbar Performance Bar, Powerbar ProteinPlus and Powerbar Triple Threat. 1.3Product introduction A package of 2 Kg Milo is a milk beverage with chocolate and malt. Milo is very popular in Philippines and Malaysia, where the brand name issynonymous with chocolate flavoured drinks, Malaysians were said to be the worlds largest consumers of Milo. This is becauseMilo was once used as a nutrient supplement when it was first introduced in thecountry, and has thus gained a reputation as a must-have drink for the elder andthe younger generations. Milo manufactured in Malaysia is made to dissolve wellin hot water to produce a smooth hot chocolate drink, or with ice added for a colddrink. A package of 2 Kg Milo in Malaysia is served in coffee shop and mamak stalls offering different versions such as Milo Dinosaur, a cup of Milo with an extra spoonful of powdered undisclosed Milo added to it, Milo Godzilla, a cup of Milo with ice cream or topped with whipped cream and the combination of Milo with Nescafe powdered coffee called Neslo. Besides, a package of 2 Kg Milo can consume in many others way. It can added to hot or cold milk to give it a malt chocolate flavour and extra texture. When combined with cold milk, it retains the gritty texture of itsraw state. Milo can be stirred into steamed milk or hot water to create somethingsimilar to hot chocolate or cocoa. Sugar can be added to the Milo beverage, butmany people enjoy it without the addition of sweeteners, appreciating it for its subtle chocolate flavour. Another popular use is to sprinkle it on ice cream, especiallyvanilla ice cream. Moreover, Milo can also be sprinkled on breakfast cereals. 1.4A package of 2Kg Milo as a normal goods A package of 2 Kg Milo is categorized as a normal good because as individual receives more income, they tend to increases their purchases on this product. As income rises, consumers shift to purchase their initial preferred brand which is normal good and decrease their demand for the inferior good. The income of each consumer will affect the demand of 2 Kg Milo. When the income of consumersincreases, the purchasing power of consumer will increase as well and thus they will buy more units of the Milo beverage. As a result, its demand will increase. This indicates that the income of consumers influences the demand of Milo beverage and determines that Milo 2kg pack is normal good. 1.5.1Complement products of 2Kg Milo Complement goods are the goods that must be used together or simultaneously. One of the complement products of Milo is sweetened beverage creamer. It is a creamy and tasty milk product prepared from dairy cows milk, refined sugar, milk fat and vegetable oil.  Ã‚  It is filled with vitamins A, D, and B1 and is ideal to use in making beverages and foods to enhance the taste and smoothness. People usually add some sweetened beverage creamer into Milo beverage and it makes the Milo tastes sweet and enhances the aroma of Milo. In term of complement goods, an increase in the price of one good will cause a decrease in the demand for the other good. Therefore, if the price of Milo increases, the demand for sweetened beverage creamer will decrease or vice versa. Another complement product of Milo is cream cracker. A cream cracker is a flat, dry, crunchy biscuit and is light brown in colour usually square savoury biscuit. They are made from wheat flour and yeast. Most of the people dip the cream cracker into the Milo beverage before putting it into their mouths. Since it is complement good of Milo, the increase or decrease of price of Milo will has impact on the demand of cream cracker. So, if the price of Milo decreases, the demand of cream cracker will increase. 1.5.2 Substitute products of 2Kg Milo A package of 2 Kg Milo has its substitute products or competitors. The most famous substitute products of Milo drinks are Vico and Ovaltine. According to the law of demand, when the price of a product is higher than the substitutes, consumer will buy more units of substitutes. However, Milo which has higher price than its substitutes, Vico and Ovaltine, actually has better sales than them. This is surprising because it is not following the law of demand. This clearly shows how much effort Milos company has put in to build up the reputation and confidence from the consumers. 1.6Market structure A package of 2 kg Milo is a coco-based beverage in monopolistic competition market. In this market, coco-based beverage has the characteristics of many sellers and buyers, differentiated product, price makers and spend money in advertisements to convince consumers. Other than Milo, there are many sellers in this market such as Vico and Ovaltine because of the easy market entry and leads to the increase in the number of competitors which will compete with Milo. Therefore, the company spends a large amount of money in differentiating itself from competitors which are also selling similar products. Its effort can be seen in the product of 2 kg Milo. Milo is action packed with the natural goodness of malt, skimmed milk and cocoa and improved with ACTIGEN-E, a unique combination of 8 vitamins and 4 minerals, which helps in optimal release of energy from food. Therefore, this product is popular among elder and younger generation. As a monopolistic competitive firm, Milo is a price maker company that set its own price for its products. Milo charges higher prices compared to its competitors because it develops varied products by recognizing different types of chocolate beverage. For example, Milo with PROTOMALT contains malt extract which is a mixture of different types of carbohydrates that provides energy and nutrients the body needswhich is safe to be consumed by consumers from different ages.Therefore, the products are sold at higher prices for the unique benefits of products and the cost of producing it. In addition, Milo also spends money in advertisements to convince their consumers. Every year, it will advertise its products in different channels such as newspaper, television and internet. By promoting its products through advertisements, Milo has attracted new customers bases who do not know its products well before and promote its unique formula and benefits of their products to the consumers. Part 2 In the market, the price of 2kg pack Milo is RM31.29 while the price of one of its competitors, Vico is RM30.79. The price of Milo is slightly higher than Vico. There are three main reasons why Milo selling price are higher than Vico, which are the effort on advertisements, different taste and preference and the production and cost of Milo. First and foremost, to make Milo more well-known and to increase the demand of Milo all over Malaysia, Milo make a lot of promotion compare to the competitors, Vico. However, Vico make less effort on advertising its product. Milo makes sure that the advertisements are attractive through all the possible media. Milo makes promotion and advertising through television, internet, newspaper, radio station and leaflets. These promotion activities cost a lot. For example, advertisement of a mother give her children a cup of Milo beverage before going to school will charge with high energy and get enthusiasm. It is effective because many buyers spend money to buy Milo since the advertisements have successfully attracted their attention. Milo firm need to pay extra cost for its advertising cost to sell more Milo. Therefore, the price of Milo is higher compare to Vico. Another reason why Milo can sell higher price compare to Vico is because of the taste and preference. Milo is one of the most recognizable brands in Malaysia. Milo brings the nostalgic taste compare to Vico. Milo captures all the features and nutritional benefits of Vico. Milo contains PPROTOMALT, a malt extract found only in Milo, but not Vico. PROTOMALT provides complex carbohydrates, a good source of energy for a balanced diet. Furthermore, Milo has constantly improved the nutritional values of Milo by making it more wholesome and nutritious while ensuring that every delicious mug of Milo delivers the same energy goodness. Moreover, the production and cost of Milo differentiated it from its competitors, Vico. To produce one product, the firm need a good raw material. For Milo, it needs to get raw material such as cocoa from cocoa supplier. If the supplier increases the cocoa price, it will also affect the price of Milo because the Milos cost of production will increase. In Malaysia, Milo needs to import cocoa. The suppliers for basic ingredients like cocoa can increase price resulting in high price for Milo in comparison with Vico. Hence, Milo is a beverage for everyone which suitable for all income level since the price that set by the company is affordable. Although the price of Milo is slightly higher compare to its competitor, Vico, it does not affect the market demand of Milo. Instead, Milo is very competitive since the price is high in quality and most of the consumer does consume the beverage for the taste and preference not the matter of price. Part 3 Firm Advantages Differentiated Products Milos company runs in monopolistic competition market where Milo is a differentiated product. Milo is said to be differentiated from other competitive product because Milo is actually different enough compared to other substitutes although they are similar. As mentioned previously, Milo do contains PROTOMALT and ANTIGEN-E which are not available in the substitutes. This is what makes Milo so different compared to other coco drinks. Besides that, because of doing a lot of advertisement, its green-coloured package is widely recognised in the society compared to other coco drinks. Therefore, even Milo is slightly more expensive than the competitors, Milo is still the primary choice of most consumers. Engagement in advertisement In accordance to what is mentioned above, Milos company does advertisement very frequently in every form of mass media to promote Milo. Because of this, Milo became very well-known to every consumer in the market. The engagement also strengthens Milos differentiation in the market as consumers know how special Milo is compared to other substitutes. Furthermore, consumers will be fed with information of the special features of Milo in terms of how Milo affects ones energy level and health and what special nutrition Milo contains and even special offers. This ensures the consumers are kept informed on every new features and breakthrough of Milo so that they will continue their support toward Milo. As a result, this indirectly maintained or even improved the sales of Milo. Firm Disadvantages High Expenses Milos company has quite high expenses to operate in monopolistic competition market. A big portion of expenses are actually used in marketing and advertising as they are always renewing and revising their contents in advertisements. The work to come out with new advertisement needs cost as well. Besides that, the cost in researching new formula for enhancement of Milos taste and healthiness could not be neglected as well. Apart from that, costs of designing and implementing new appearance of packages have also contributed a lot in the total expenditure. Yet, these expenses could not be ignored as the company need to ensure Milos differentiation within the market or other competitive companies might take over their status in the market. Threat of competitors One of the characteristics of monopolistic competition market is the entry and exit of new firms are free. Therefore, Milos company which operates in this market will face many competitors and each of them will somehow have their own special features in their respective product. Because of that, Milos company will need to put extra effort to maintain its status in the market and not being replaced by the other competitive companies. They need to always revise and come out with new features install in Milo. For example, they have just come out with a new feature called the Milo Sejuk, which consumers can straight away mix cold water into the Milo powder instead of hot water. Consumer Advantages Informational advertisements Milo, a product from monopolistic competition market, is often being seen on advertisements from television, radio and signboards. Because of the regular advertisements made by the company, consumers are always kept informed on the uniqueness of Milo, likely the types of ingredients used, instead of other substitutes. Therefore, consumers always know the benefits they will probably get after purchasing Milo, either benefits on health or implicit benefits. Therefore, consumers need not to worry on the quality of Milo and can have full confidence on it. Enjoy new features As consumers of Milo in monopolistic competition market, they can enjoy frequent update from Milo in terms of the products features. As mentioned above, Milos company who faces many competitive forces needs to always revise and renew Milos feature. As a result, this actually gives consumers an opportunity to enjoy more new features from Milo. For example, when Milo is added with new nutrition, consumers enjoy the healthier Milo. When Milo Sejuk is introduced, consumers enjoy more convenience in consuming Milo. Consumer Disadvantages High price Because of the nature of monopolistic competition market, Milo which is categorised in this market is sold in a relatively higher price. As mentioned, Milos company has put many efforts to ensure the excellence of its product in many aspects, such as the nutritional value, recognisable packaging and most importantly the informational advertisements and these uses a lot of money. Therefore, Milos company has no choice but to increase the prices of Milo to cover the expenses made in the production of Milo. Part 4 Our research product Milo was introduced in Malaysia in 1950 and has won the affection of many Malaysians. Milo 2kg is Malaysians much-loved beverage. Milo 2kg is not just an ordinary coco malt drink. It contains PROTOMALT, a malted barley extract that supplies complex carbohydrates, the preferred, recommended source of energy in a balanced diet. It also has a good part of the nutrients naturally present in barley. Milo 2kg contain nutritional icon on each pack reinforces the nutritional properties that consumer can get from every cup of nutritious and great-tasting Milo. Milo 2kg packaging is the most direct and largest communication vehicle that the organization had with the most impressions they can deliver. Its distinguishes its product through easily recognizable packaging which is its green colour packaging. The firm also makes some effort in the advertisement to convince the consumer or potential consumer to purchase and consume their product. Advertising such as creates a creative slogan in order to make sure consumer will remember Milo. Example of slogan is Buy Milo 2kg free 200g. To make Milo 2kg more interesting to buy, the firm adds some cereal. The cereal will increase the cost of production and at the same time, the price of Milo will also increase. That is why quality factor can affect the price of Milo. After our research for the assignment, we found that the assignment was useful for us. From the assignment, we know more about four market structures. Our research product, Milo 2kg pack, had certainly assist us for a better understanding on the monopolistic competition market. We knew that monopolistic competition market is a market which is characterized by many small sellers, a differentiated product and easy market entry and exist. We understand that the many-sellers condition is met when each firm is so small relative to the total market that its pricing decisions have a negligible effect on the market price. We comprehend that when a product is differentiated, buyers are not indifferent as to which sellers product they buy. Besides, we knew that different kind of product will have distinguished level of demand from the communities. If a product has a high demand, it will attract other producer to produce the same or even better product. As a result, there will be a lot of compe titors and competition. All the producers will make their product popular and more favourable. 26_01b Economic Profit Normal Profit26_01a Our empirical findings in this research had fulfilled our expectations regarding economics. In the short run, Milos company in monopolistic competition able to make economic profits, but in the long run these will be competed away and the Milos company will only be able to make normal profit. In the short run and long run, Milos company will maximise their profit by maximization rule where marginal cost equal to marginal revenue (MC =MR). In the short run, price (Demand Curve) is exceeding the ATC (Average Total Cost ) curve and Milos company can make economic profit. However, in the long run, new firms will be attracted into the industry by the economic profits. The entry of new firms leads to an  increase  in the supply of differentiated products, which causes Milos company market demand curve to shift to the  left.   As the entry of the market increases, Milos company demand curve will continue shifting to the left until it is tangent to the average total cost curve at the profit maximizing level of output. At this point, Milos company economic profits are zero, and there is no longer any incentive for new firms to enter the market. Thus, in the long-run, the competition brought about by the entry of new firms will cause each firm in a monopolistic competitive market to earn normal profits. If we intend to establish a company, we will choose monopoly market which is large in size, to enter. We choose monopoly market because monopoly is a market structure characterize by single seller, others are impossible to entry our market, a unique product and most importantly, we will be the price makers. Firstly, in monopoly, a single firm is the industry. This is because we will be the only one producer or seller exists for a product. Because of single firm in the industry, we will produce output at lower per unit cost than two or more firms. Our monopoly firm will provides the total supply of a product in a given market. For example, we can run as the only Mexican Food in Kampar area. Secondly, there are barriers to entry into monopoly market that prevent competition. In comparison to prefect competition, there are no constrains to prevent new firms from entering an industry. Barriers such as legal barriers, economies of scale, network good and ownership of an essential resource. These barriers are so high that prevent any other firm from entering the market we chosen that is monopoly market. This will certainly give us incumbent advantages. We will earn normal profit in the short run too. Next, we will have a unique product. A unique product means there are no close substitutes for the monopolists product. Thus, we face little or no competition. In reality, however, there are few, if any, products that have no close substitutes. Lastly, we will be the price makers. Price makers means we will have to power to control the price. Sometimes, we as a seller can charge different customers, different prices, for the same good or service when the cost of providing the good or services does not differ among customers. We choose monopoly market because the price discrimination is possible only with monopoly or where members of a small group of firms follow identical pricing policies. In a conclusion, we will choose monopoly market as monopoly is a market structure characterize by single seller, others are impossible to entry our market, a unique product and most importantly, we will be the price makers.

Fixed and Discretionary Trusts Test

Fixed and Discretionary Trusts Test Consider whether the different tests for certainty of objects applicable to fixed trusts and discretionary trusts are appropriate. The tests for certainty of objects differ depending on whether there is a fixed trust or a discretionary trust. This essay will consider whether the different tests applicable to fixed trusts and discretionary trusts are appropriate. Initially, the complete list test applied to both types of trusts. According to this test, the trust is void unless it is possible, at the time it is created, to draw up a complete list of the class. In a fixed trust, the beneficiaries and their shares are identified in the trust instrument. The trustees have a duty to distribute the trust property according to the precise allocation made by the settlor. It is therefore necessary, for the trustees to draw up a list of all the members of the class, before division of the trust property occurs. If they are unable to establish every member of the class, the trust will be void. It can be argued that the complete list test applicable to fixed trusts is appropriate and the courts are justified in taking a strict and demanding approach. The strictness and necessity of the test best ensures compliance with the settlors intention. One may argue that the â€Å"is or is not† test should apply to fixed trusts. However, this test would not be required in fixed trusts where the beneficiaries have already been identified in the trust instrument. Hence, there is no need for the trustees to exercise their discretion in determining whether or not someone is a member of the class. Furthermore, the number of beneficiaries is more likely to be limited with fixed trusts, compared with discretionary trusts. The complete list test was also previously applicable to discretionary tests. However, this is no longer the case since McPhail v Doulton. In McPhail, the trustees were given an absolute discretion to apply the income for the benefit of employees and ex-employees of the company, and their relatives and dependants. This was estimated at a very large number and so it almost impossible to satisfy the complete list test. Hence, it would have been void as a discretionary trust. In order to avoid this, it was held to be a power of appointment, and so valid under the â€Å"is or is not† test. The House of Lords found that a discretionary trust had been created. However, they changed the test for discretionary trusts to the â€Å"is or is not† test. The test is whether it can be said with certainty that any potential claimant is or is not a member of the class. There were two different views expressed in the House of Lords regarding the appropriate test for discretionary trusts. On the one hand, it was argued that the complete list test was the appropriate test because the trustees would need to consider every possible member of a class before exercising their discretion. If the trustees are in default, the court would have to distribute the trust property equally between the members of the class. In order to do so, they would need to draw up a complete list of the class. However, the majority judgement, given by Lord Wilberforce, argued that it is not sensible or realistic to imagine a settlor to ask the trustees to consider every single member. If the settlor had intended the trustees to consider every member of the class, and, for each member to receive an equal amount, he would have stated it in the trust instrument. The fact that he did not state this, and allowed the trustees to exercise their discretion, suggests that he did not intend equal distribution of income. This reflects the aim of discretionary trusts, which is to allow trustees to use their discretion in deciding who should benefit under the trust, and in what proportions. Therefore, all the settlor expects, is that the trustees carry out an appropriate survey of the class, so there is no need to be draw a complete list. Furthermore, where the court has to distribute the money, it is not necessary to divide the money equally, because each person would get a small amount, which is not what the settlor intended. Hence, we can see that the complete list test might be appropriate in cases involving discretionary trusts concerning small family trusts. In such cases, it will be feasible for the trustees to draw up a list of the members of the class, as there will be a small number of beneficiaries involved. Therefore, it will be necessary for the trustees to consider all the members of the class before exercising their discretion. On the other hand, the complete test is too strict and inflexible in cases involving large discretionary trusts. The test would make such trusts void for lack of certainty due to the number of beneficiaries involved which would make it almost impossible to draw up a complete list. Furthermore, there will be costs in drawing up the class. The final amount each member of the class will receive would be so small as to not be of any use to a member. Thus, the complete list test would not best give effect to the intentions of the settlor. Hence, it would be more practical and appropriate to use the ‘is or is not test in such cases. However, this test is easier to state than to apply. This is illustrated by the fact that McPhail was sent back to the High Court in order to determine whether the terms â€Å"relatives† and â€Å"dependants† made the trust void for conceptual uncertainty. Although the trust was upheld, the judges gave very different views. Stamp L.J. took the literal approach that the â€Å"is or is not† test could only be satisfied if it could be said of every potential claimant that they were or, were not, within the class. On the other hand, Sachs L.J. decided that the class test is only concerned with conceptual certainty and not evidential certainty. He also thought that the burden of proof was on the person claiming to be within the class. This might be disadvantageous to individuals who cannot prove their entitlement. Megaw L.J. adopted a middle position. He held that conceptual certainty alone is insufficient and that some degree of evidential certainty is required. Thus, Re Bayden illustrates the difficulty in applying the ‘is or is not test to discretionary trusts. However, the fact that this matter has not arisen in any later cases suggests that it has not been a practical problem. It can be argued that the â€Å"is or is not† test is inappropriate to use as a test for discretionary trusts. This is because the same test is also used in powers of appointment, and since powers and trusts are different from each other, their tests should not be the same. This may be justified on the basis that the â€Å"is or is not† test is more flexible and appropriate, than the complete list test, in cases involving large discretionary trusts. Using the complete list test would invalidate large discretionary trusts on the basis that a complete list cannot be provided. This would clearly not provide a satisfactory result. Therefore, it is suggested that the complete list test is appropriate in fixed trusts since it best ensures compliance with the settlors intentions. Similarly, whilst the â€Å"is or is not† test is probably not the ideal test to apply in discretionary trusts, it is more appropriate than the complete list test used in fixed trusts. Question 2 In his will, Colin leaves  £100,000 to the Hillingbridge Tennis Club, an unincorporated association, to enable it to build an extension to its existing pavilion. The money is paid to Morris, the treasurer of the club, who puts it into a specially opened bank account, which he calls the Extension Account. Soon afterwards, the club is wound up. Discuss Colin left  £100,000 to Hillingbridge Tennis Club to be used for the building of an extension to the pavilion. However, this purpose can no longer be carried out since the club is wound up. There will be a dispute as to who gets the  £100,000. In order to solve this dispute, it will be necessary to work out how the money was held by the club. An unincorporated association has no legal personality and so it is not a legal entity that can hold money. This means that the club cannot be a beneficiary. Hence, a gift to it cannot take effect as a gift on trust for the associations purposes as it offends the beneficiary principle. Furthermore, it is unlikely that the sports club is a charitable association, and so the money cannot take effect as a purpose trust since, such trusts are usually void. The money was paid to the treasurer of the club, Morris, who holds legal title of it. However there is much controversy as to what the basis on which the money is held. The courts have struggled for ways to determine this. Colin left the money to the club for a particular purpose. Therefore, one approach is that the money is held under a Re Denley purpose trust. Under the Re Denley principle, the terms of the trust are stipulated by the donor and the unincorporated association has to use the money in accordance with those terms. In Re Denley, it was held that where a trust is expressed in the form of a purpose, it may still be deemed valid if it can be said to be for the direct or indirect benefit of one or more ascertainable individuals.† Thus, if it is held to be a Re Denley purpose trust, although the members of the club are not beneficiaries, they will have sufficient locus standi to overcome the beneficiary principle, and to enforce the trust. This is only possible in ‘inward looking associations where the performance of the purpose of the trust will benefit the members, who are identifiable persons. It can be argued that the building of the extension to the pavilion will benefit the members since they will need to contribute less money towards the construction of the extension. The building of an extension will also improve the facilities in the club and the members of the club will financially benefit from this. In Re Denley it was not possible to uphold the gift on the basis of the contract holding theory because the gift was not made to an association. However, in our case, the club is as unincorporated association and so the money may have been held in accordance with the contract holding theory. This is the standard approach to the problem of property holding in unincorporated associations. Under the contract holding theory, the money will be considered as a gift to the members subject to their contractual rights and liabilities towards one another. Hence, the trust cannot be subject to the terms stipulated by Colin. It will be subject to the terms of the contract between the members who, collectively, can decide what to do with it. They may use the money according to the purpose for which it was given but are not required to do so. Thus, in Re Lipinski, money left by the testator was, prima facie, subject to the stipulated terms. However, it was held that the gift could be upheld under the contract holding theory provided that the stipulated purpose was an expression of the motive of the gift rather than a binding purpose. This could be the approach adopted here so that the purpose stipulated by Colin is considered to be only a motive. The club did give effect to Colins stipulation as Morris had put the money into a specially opened bank account, which he calls the ‘Extension Account. It may be assumed from its name that the money in the account was to be used in building the extension. However, it is unlikely that the money was used to build the extension since the club wound up soon afterwards. Therefore, in Re Reechers, it was held that a gift to an unincorporated association would have taken effect under the contract holding theory, if it had remained in existence. The gift would have been valid as an accretion under the contract holding theory. Therefore, when an unincorporated association own funds, for ordinary everyday use, there is an assumption that the money is held on contract holding theory and, the gift is an accretion to those funds. This may be applied to the case here if the money in the ‘special account is held to be the ordinary funds of an association. This is unlikely to be the case since it may also be argued that the building of an extension is an ordinary use of funds. Alternatively, it may be argued that this is trivial since, according to the contract holding theory, the money belongs to the members, who may do whatever they want with it. The contract holding theory overcomes the beneficiary principle because although none of the members own a share, collectively, they own the club. Therefore, together, the members can change the terms of the contract, or make any other changes to it, and this is sufficient to satisfy the beneficiary principle. The contract holding theory also overcomes the objection based on perpetuity because the members can collectively access the property and dispose of it, in accordance with the terms of the contract between them. What happens to the money upon dissolution of the club depends on whether the money is held on a Re Denley purpose trust or the contract holding theory. If the money is held on a Re Denley purpose trust, then on the dissolution of the club, the trust will fail and the money will be put on a resulting trust for Colins estate. Colin left the money in his will to the club and the fact that it has been given to Morris implies that Colin is dead. In Re West Sussex, the court assumed that the money was held on trust to carry out the purposes of the association and when it failed, the property was held on a resulting trust to the people who contributed in proportion to their contribution. However, the trust in Re West Essex was not described as a Re Denley trust. On the other hand, in Re Bucks Constabulary Fund, the court reached a different conclusion although the facts were similar to Re West Sussex. It was held that on the dissolution of the Friendly Society the money was to go the members. The decision in Re Bucks reflects the approach adopted today. Therefore, it is likely that the gift will be upheld under the contract holding theory and so the money will go to the members who own it collectively. The club has always been in the ownership of the members, and so it is the contract between them, which determines what happens to the money. Providing that the contract between the members does not prohibit it, the members can divide the money equally between themselves. As the matter concerns the contract between members, there can be no resulting trust since, such trusts only occur in equity. It is likely that the members of the unincorporated association are alive. Hence, the doctrine of bona vacantia will not apply here. Bibliography Burrough v Philcox (1840) 5 My Cr 72 IRC v Broadway Cottages Trust [1955] Ch 20 Neville Estates v Madden [1963] Ch 832 McPhail v Doulton [1971] AC 424 Re West Sussex Constabulary Fund [1971] Ch 1 Re Reechers WT [1972] Ch 526 Re Badens DT (No 2) [1973] Ch 9 Re Lipinskis WT [1976] Ch 235 Re Bucks Constabulary Fund [1978] 2 All ER 571 OT Computers v First National Tricity Finance [2003] EWHC 1010 Haley McMurty, Equity Trusts, (Sweet Maxwell, 2006) at p.52, p.142 Watt, Trusts,(Oxford University Press, 2006) at p. 82 Kevin Boone, The K-Zone http://www.kevinboone.com/lawglos_CertaintyOfObjects.html

Analyzing User Requirements by the Unified Process and Total Quality Management :: essays research papers

Analyzing User Requirements by the Unified Process and Total Quality Management Summary A successful project demands a correct and thorough requirements analysis. This paper proposes a refined requirements workflow, TQM/UP, to analyze requirements systematically. This workflow integrates five management and statistical analysis tools of Total Quality Management (TQM)—Affinity diagram, Tree diagram, Brainstorming, Pareto analysis and Process Decision Program Chart (PDPC)—into the Unified Process (UP) and helps the team to analyze requirements in a more efficient way. The guidelines I provide are based on my own experiences in an IT company, Interlancer, Limited which is briefly introduced at the latter part of this paper. Educator & practitioner summary I would like to thank all of the people at UL for their support and input during this project. I give special thanks to my project advisor, Mr. John Noonan, for his support and guidance. I would also like to thank my girlfriend, for her enduring support over the past several weeks. Contents Summary 1 Educator & practitioner summary 2 1 Introduction 5 2 What are Requirements? 5 3 Capturing Requirements by UP 6 3.1 What is UP? 7 3.1.1 UP is Use-Case Driven 7 3.1.2 UP is Architecture-Centric 8 3.1.3 UP is Iterative and Incremental 8 3.2 The Life of UP 8 3.3 The Role of Requirements in the Software Life Cycle 10 3.4 Requirements Workflow in UP 10 4 A Refined Requirements Workflow: TQM/UP 13 4.1 Introduction of TQM Tools 13 4.1.1 Affinity diagram 13 4.1.2 Tree diagram 13 4.1.3 Brainstorming 13 4.1.4 Pareto analysis 14 4.1.5 Process Decision Program Chart (PDPC) 14 4.2 TQM/UP 14 4.2.1 How to Analyze the Problem? 14 4.2.2 How to Understand Stakeholder Needs? 17 4.2.3 How to Define the System? 18 4.2.4 How to Manage the Scope of the System? 19 4.2.5 How to Refine the System Definition? 20 5 A real world case: Interlancer, Limited 21 5.1 A brief introduction of Interlancer 21 5.2 TQM/UP in Interlancer 22 5.2.1 Analyze the Problem 22 5.2.2 Understand Stakeholder Needs 24 5.2.3 Define the System 27 5.2.4 Manage the Scope of the System 27 5.2.5 Refine the System Definition 28 6 Conclusion 30 Appendix: Glossary of Terms 31 List of illustrations 32 List of tables 32 References 33 1 Introduction Requirements analysis of a software system is one of the most crucial steps in the software development process. Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. has pointed out that no other part of the work so cripples the resulting system if done wrong and no other part is more difficult to rectify later than requirements analysis. The potential impact of errors in requirements is substantial: †¢ The resulting software may not satisfy users’ real needs.

Enlightenment and Emancipation :: essays research papers

Enlightenment and Emancipation Richard Wagner’s essays, â€Å"Judaism in Music† and â€Å"What is German† does not just cast aside the ideology of Jewish emancipation as stated by Christian Wilhelm von Dohm in â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews†. Instead, Richard Wagner’s essays outline the struggles with the legacy of the Enlightenment and lead him to promote theories of culture and regeneration that would rewrite those of prior Enlightenment visionaries, making those people of Jewish descent seen as humans before Jews. One of the more noticeable themes surrounding Jewish culture is perhaps their dealings with money. As a result of being forced out of the trades and regular channels of commerce during the 12th and 13th centuries, money lending became the main livelihood of the Jews in Germany in the 18th century. Dohm argued that "the true reasons for [the Jews'] shortcomings" could be traced to the "oppression from which [they] still suffer" and the restrictions and limitations placed upon them throughout their history. He proposed that better treatment would reform them and their customs and lead ultimately to their assimilation into the outside world. As stated in Dohm’s â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews,† Dohm expresses how even those Jews with sufficient amounts of money were not allowed to use any of it for self benefit. If a Jew was given permission to reside in a German state, his place of residence would be subject to a heavy tax to be repaid each year. Each child birthed to the Jew would increase the amount of his taxes. Many of the Jewish business dealings were marked with these unfair burdens. In â€Å"Judaism in Music,† Wagner explains that it makes no sense to talk about Jewish emancipation, while the Jews already rule them because money is a central power. Jews, in his mentality, are the very symbol of capitalism. â€Å"†¦[T]he Jew in truth is already more than emancipate: he rules, and will rule, so long as Money remains the power before which all our doings and our dealings lose their force.† I agree with Dohm in this aspect of his arguments. Enlightenment and Emancipation :: essays research papers Enlightenment and Emancipation Richard Wagner’s essays, â€Å"Judaism in Music† and â€Å"What is German† does not just cast aside the ideology of Jewish emancipation as stated by Christian Wilhelm von Dohm in â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews†. Instead, Richard Wagner’s essays outline the struggles with the legacy of the Enlightenment and lead him to promote theories of culture and regeneration that would rewrite those of prior Enlightenment visionaries, making those people of Jewish descent seen as humans before Jews. One of the more noticeable themes surrounding Jewish culture is perhaps their dealings with money. As a result of being forced out of the trades and regular channels of commerce during the 12th and 13th centuries, money lending became the main livelihood of the Jews in Germany in the 18th century. Dohm argued that "the true reasons for [the Jews'] shortcomings" could be traced to the "oppression from which [they] still suffer" and the restrictions and limitations placed upon them throughout their history. He proposed that better treatment would reform them and their customs and lead ultimately to their assimilation into the outside world. As stated in Dohm’s â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews,† Dohm expresses how even those Jews with sufficient amounts of money were not allowed to use any of it for self benefit. If a Jew was given permission to reside in a German state, his place of residence would be subject to a heavy tax to be repaid each year. Each child birthed to the Jew would increase the amount of his taxes. Many of the Jewish business dealings were marked with these unfair burdens. In â€Å"Judaism in Music,† Wagner explains that it makes no sense to talk about Jewish emancipation, while the Jews already rule them because money is a central power. Jews, in his mentality, are the very symbol of capitalism. â€Å"†¦[T]he Jew in truth is already more than emancipate: he rules, and will rule, so long as Money remains the power before which all our doings and our dealings lose their force.† I agree with Dohm in this aspect of his arguments.

Explore the ways in which Collins presents the relationships between men and women in The Moonstone Essay

Explore the ways in which Collins presents the relationships between men and women in The Moonstone. Do male or female characters have more influence in the novel? In this essay I will explore the relationships between male and female characters in the novel ‘The Moonstone’. This essay will evaluate all of the key characters, from the annoyingly religious Miss Clack to the caring and loving Gabriel Betteredge. I will explore the characters personality and decipher whether male or female characters have more influence in the novel. The book is split into eight narratives written by different characters to show what each character is thinking and to give different perspectives as the events unfold. This technique also adds tension as certain secrets are hidden from individuals so not everyone knows the whole truth. Out of the eight narratives only one is written by a woman (Drusilla Clack) whilst all the others are written by male characters. The female characters in the novel are all very atypical, as they stand up for themselves and do not just give way. This was uncommon in the Victorian era as women had few rights and were not expected to be hot tempered. Miss Rachel, a young lady born into a rich family, acts in an unlady-like manner at certain points in the story, especially when she refuses to give information on what she knows about the diamond. Betteredge, one of the characters who knows Rachel Verinder best, said that he could â€Å"Call to mind, in her childhood, more than one occasion when the good little soul took the blame, and suffered the punishment, for some fault committed by a playfellow whom she loved†. This aspect of Rachel’s character and personality is shown many times in the novel, for instance, when she refuses to talk about the diamond for Franklin Blake’s reputation would be shattered if she spoke. This gives the reader the impression that Rachel values her friends and family and she is a women of her word. This adds suspense to the novel and greatly effects the plot as if she had revealed what she knew then Franklin Blake would have been arrested and would not have had a chance of defending himself, resulting in the Moonstone never being found and Godfrey Ablewhite getting away, with no consequences. In the book the majority of the discoveries are made by men, although this is because the female characters already knew the truth; they just hadn’t revealed it. One of the cases of this happening is when Franklin Blake deciphers the code to find Rosanna Spearmen’s chest. This held many secrets which Rosanna had kept silent about for a long time. This effects the outcome of the novel, as since Rosanna kept quite over her love of Franklin Blake, the truth of the moonstone being revealed is delayed, giving time for the events at London to unfold. The reader really gets the impression of Rosannas love of Mr Franklin Blake from this act, of saving his reputation, even though holding these secrets could be argued to be a massive factor of her eventual suicide. Despite this, Franklin never really notices Rosanna Spearman; this is probably due to the fact that in his eyes she is just a housemaid with a lumpy shoulder. Social class is outlined here, with the rich Franklin Blake and the poor Rosanna Spearman. The different social classes were more prominent in Victorian times and Collins also uses class in his other novels such as the woman in white, where Walter Hartright and Laura Fairlie fall in love, but due to Walter’s low social class, they separate. When Rosanna dies, it could be suggested that Ezra Jennings is introduced to replace her, as these two characters are very similar in personality and are both rejected by most members of society. They are also both attracted to Mr Franklin Blake in different ways; Rosanna has an undying love for him, and Ezra asks himself â€Å"What is the secret of the attraction that there is for me in this man?†. Both characters also had rough upbringings, as Rosanna was a thief as a child and Ezra was beaten and was mistreated mercilessly by his family. Ezra Jennings is also addicted to Opium, as â€Å"for ten years past I have suffered from an incurable internal complaint†. His addiction to the drug led to his painful and horrific nights, and Opium also destroyed his nervous system. Wilkie Collins probably introduced Ezra Jennings as a character which he could relate to, as Collins himself was addicted to Opium, which is probably why the drug plays such a significant part in the book. Collins believed he had an imaginary friend named ‘Ghost Wilkie’ and often hallucinated in his sleep. His other novels have opium in them, so his way of relating to his addiction was to put it into his books. Opium plays a significant part in the book, as Ezra uses it in his experiment to discover who took the diamond. The reader feels uncertainty when the book dapples in the secret world of Opium as most readers would not have tried it and therefore do not know how powerful it is and what it can do. Gabriel Betteredge often talks about which side of Mr Franklin Blake’s character is shining through, and believes it to be due to all of Franklin’s foreign training (Betteredge usually relates his strict character to Franklin’s German side, his poeticness to his French side, and his bravery to his English side). This gives Mr Franklin Blake no distinct character. This gives you the impression that Gabriel Betteredge is very stereotypically British, supporting his country and almost believing that the English are superior to others. Godfrey Ablewhite however, has a very different character which is hidden from the public view. He tries to get across the image of a hardworking gentleman who dedicates his life to the many women’s charities he patronizes, when he is actually a man swallowed in debt and trying to rob people of their riches to pay it off. His debt was one of the key reasons why he asked to marry Rachel Verinder, as he thought that he would inherit enough money to pay off the debt; however that did not turn out to be the case. When Rachel asked for the marriage to be cancelled, Godfrey did not try to put up any resistance, as he knew that he would not receive the inheritance he had hoped for. Godfrey also gets engaged to another woman, but the marriage is broken off for similar reasons. At the end of the book, Godfrey is in disguise as a sailor with a dark complexion when he tries to get the Moonstone from the bank. This is symbolism as it outlines the fact that he is leading a double life, and he has a dark complexion as Betteredge and Franklin immediately suspected the Indians of stealing the diamond. Their immediate suspicion of the Indians affects the plot greatly as it means that Godfrey Ablewhite has time to hide the diamond without being suspected, as all eyes were on the Indians. The view the public have of him is different to what he is actually like, and if it had not been for Mr Matthew Bruff, the marriage might not have been called off. Miss Clack often swoons at the sight of Mr Godfrey Ablewhite; this is because she believes he is a hardworking Christian, and refers to him as â€Å"gifted† and â€Å"wonderful†. It is therefore no surprise that she is shocked when she, by chance, hears Godfrey’s proposal to Rachel. It is here that he admits that his, â€Å"Charitable business is an unendurable nuisance† and that if â€Å"I see a Ladies’ committee now, I wish myself at the uttermost ends of the earth†. Miss Clack is highly offended by this, as she is a member of ‘The Mothers Small Clothes Conversion Society’, but she dismisses this out of hand as being a slip of the tongue in the heat of the moment. Miss Clack’s personality is very different to the other female characters in the book, as she is a character of a certain type of hypocrite. She never leaves without her Christian pamphlets and she often tries to spread her faith through these tracts. She may be doing this to turn more people Christian, or she may just be doing this as it is in her sphere of power and it makes her feel as though she has more influence on society. A perfect example of Miss Clack’s character is when she visits Lady Verinder and Rachel, but upon realising that Lady Verinder’s doctor is trying to use medication to treat Lady Verinder instead of praying to god and waiting for him to perform a miracle, she spreads religious books of her choice around the Verinder’s house. She believes that this act did not make her a nuisance, but instead, a â€Å"True Christian†. Miss Clack has a very different opinion of herself compared to what other people think of her. Even the kind and loving Gabriel Betteredge, who has a good word to say about almost everyone, does not take well to Miss Clack. Before handing over the job of narrating to her, he asks the reader to â€Å"Just do me the favour of not believing a word she says, if she speaks of your humble servant†. This shows that she is believed to not be a teller of truths, and Betteredge is pre-warning the reader of what to prepare for. We believe what Betteredge says and not Miss Clack as he has shown himself to be an honourable character, worthy of the readers trust. Our decision to believe him and not Miss Clack is also influenced by other characters, as Franklin Blake often refers to him as â€Å"a dear old friend†, so others characters have respect for him as well. In the story, female characters do not reveal what they know straight away. This adds suspense to the story, as you have to wait a long time for the secret which will put together a new piece of the puzzle. A good example of this is Rosanna’s letter to Mr Franklin Blake, explaining where the chest is hidden, and inside the chest is Rosanna’s narrative which explains events before and after Rachel Verinder’s 18th birthday party leading up to Rosanna’s suicide told through her point of view. The letter’s opening is delayed however, as Limping Lucy refuses to give it to anyone other than Franklin Blake himself. This lets the events at London unfold, and the case of the Moonstone is put on hold for a short period. Limping Lucy is Rosanna Spearman’s only friend, and was understandably angry at Franklin as she believed that he forced Rosanna into suicide. Limping Lucy has a severe limp in her left foot, and this may be one of the reasons why she and Rosanna are so good friends, as they both have physical deformities and are rejected by most members of society. I believe that female characters have more influence on the plot of the novel due to their actions which are gradually revealed to the reader. Superficially, male characters seem to have a larger role in the discovery of the secrets behind the moonstone but this is because they are only just digging in to what the female characters already know. The fact that male characters have almost all of the narrations add to the secrecy of the novel and also reinforces the point of male character seemingly having more influence and control of the plot, when all they are doing is discovering what is beneath the surface of an apparently settled world in the novel.

How To Buy A Brand New Car Essay

Buying a brand new car is one of the most important financial decisions a person can make in his life. Due to all the car models and makes available these days, buying a car is almost like buying candy from a store. There is always something that will fit your whims and fancies. Unfortunately, a car costs much more than candy and therefore, extra precautions are necessary when deciding upon what kind of car to buy.   This is why it is important for a person to draw up a personal selection process for buying a car that will cater to his specific needs and capabilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First of all, a person on the market for a car should start by feeding his eyes. Look around you and observe what other people are driving. Do a search car models that catch your eye on the internet and see what the car reviews have to say about it. Print out your top 5 choices for narrowing down the list.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, check your finances and put a spending cap on your purchasing power. A mid priced brand new vehicle will function just as well, if not better than a high priced model. After all, the way a car functions all depends upon the way the owner maintains the car and not how much the owner spent to purchase the car.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Third, go showroom shopping. I would advise that you go only to the manufacturer’s outlet in your city rather than going to Honest Sam’s Car dealer. This is so that you can avail of various discounts and a full range of after sales services that only the manufacturer can offer you. With all the car scams out there, it is best to err on the side of caution. After all, you will be plunking down thousands of dollars on something that should last at least twenty years in service to you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fourth, make sure to bring a passenger along for the test drive. The person can be a friend or even an independent car mechanic. The job of this person will be to help you look over the finer details of the car during the test drive. Remember, the comfort of the passenger matters too. The mechanic will be there to help you spot potential problems in car maintenance in the future and help you decide upon whether or not the car maintenance will be something your finances can deal with in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fifth, don’t let the showroom sales pitches get to you. These people need to move their cars. They work on a commission basis. The more cars they sell, the better for their pockets. Keep in mind that you have to be comfortable with the purchase decision you will be making. Having any emotional connection with the highly friendly sales staff should not influence your decision. After test driving your short list of cars, sleep on the decision. Consult people whom you know drive the cars you are considering to buy. What problems have they had so far? How much is maintenance costing them monthly and yearly?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lastly, make the final decision based upon all the technical and practical data you have gathered. Go purchase the car and start enjoying the freedom that owning a brand new car has to offer.