Inidividualism in the Early Modern Period

â€Å"Individualism and the Early Modern Period† For much of the world, the Early Modern period (from about 1500-1700) was a revolutionary time, marked by political, scientific and literary transitions. Politically, nations began to resist outside rule and establish their own national languages. Scientifically, the idea of a heliocentric universe (rather than a geocentric one) began to gain favor as Polish astronomer Nicolas Copernicus challenged tradition and church doctrine. In Europe, the invention of printing brought about a literary explosion.Books and texts could be mass-produced, making them much more affordable. Suddenly, one did not have to be of a certain socioeconomic status to have access to books. Writers saw the incredible potential of printing and ran with it, incorporating newly-available vernacular languages into their writing. The printing press opened up a world of seemingly endless possibility. The Early Modern period was marked by a resistance to (and some times rejection of) the status quo. Traditions were challenged, questioned, and sometimes abandoned.It was this heady atmosphere that gave rise to individualism. Individualism The American Heritage Dictionary defines individualism as â€Å"a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual. † The Early Modern period represents a shift in emphasis from the group dynamic (most notably the church) to the worth of the individual person. The thoughts, desires, goals and value of the individual gained significantly in importance, and one of the areas in which this shift is most readily apparent is in the world of literature.Niccolo Machiavelli was not necessarily revered as a writer during his lifetime, but from a literary standpoint, he was definitely a man of his time, and he illustrates this in his 1513 work, The Prince. Machiavelli and The Prince Machiavelli grew up during the peaceful Italian Renaissance, as Florence was becoming one of the leading cities in the areas of art and philosophy rather than placing an emphasis on military might and political savvy. Consequently, when King Charles VIII of France invaded Italy, the Florentines offered little resistance.Machiavelli, who became an employee of the Florentine Republic in 1498, helped his fellow citizens form a militia to avoid a similar defeat. It didn’t help; Spain invaded in 1512, and the Florentines again failed to offer much resistance. Machiavelli began writing his book, The Prince, the year after the Spanish invasion. The book, which is still reviled in some circles, is a treatment of the use of power to create, control, and protect a principality. It illustrates Machiavelli’s belief that Florence needed a strong ruler to avoid any more humiliating defeats.The Prince and Individualism The author’s approach to individualism is quite straightforward. In The Prince, Machiavelli writes of the need for a ruler who is unafraid to use his powe r to advance his own causes. The ruler, according to Machiavelli, was to be cruel when necessary, deceitful when warranted, and willing to use terror to keep people in line (including his own). The author uses historical examples to illustrate his belief that a ruler establishes his strength by first establishing ironclad control over his own people — by force, if necessary. Had Moses, Cyrus, Theseus and Romulus been unarmed,† he writes, â€Å"they would not have had their institutions respected by the people for very long. † (Machiavelli, p. 1505) Machiavelli’s view on individualism is hard and fast; the individual – that is, the prince – comes first, above all others. Machiavelli also uses tone to great effect in The Prince. The author did not seem to consider his book to be a piece of literature. Rather, he intended for it to be a how-to guide for an effective ruler.His formal tone is apparent right away in his opening â€Å"Dedicatory Le tter,† in which he states his qualifications for writing such a treatise (Machiavelli knew Pope Alexander VI, King Louis XII, and Girolamo Savonarola among others, and considered himself eminently qualified to speak to the proper uses of power): â€Å"I have not found among my possessions anything I cherish more or value so much as my knowledge of the accomplishments of great men, which I learned through long experience in contemporary affairs and continuous study of antiquity. (p. 1503) Here, too, does Machiavelli’s approach to individualism show through; he is telling the new prince that his thoughts and ideas matter, and that they should be taken seriously if not heeded outright. Machiavelli vs. Other Early Individualist Authors Although Machiavelli probably would not be considered on the same literary plane as William Shakespeare or Petrarch, it is instructive to compare their differing approaches to individualism.Shakespeare, though known primarily as a playwright , was also the author or more than 150 sonnets. In them, Shakespeare approaches individualism in a much different way than Machiavelli, focusing on the importance of emotion. His â€Å"Sonnets† focuses on love, sexual desire, and finally, heartbreak. Petrarch’s â€Å"Canonziere† also places emphasis on the feelings of the individual. Canonziere† is a love poem in which the narrator sings praises of the love of his life, Laura, lamenting her death, and holds out hope for a reunion after he himself passes away. Machiavelli’s view on individualism is starkly different from Shakespeare, Petrarch, and other individualistic authors of his day, but in its own way, it is just as representative of the times. What can The Prince offer us?While few current world leaders would want to be referred to as Machiavellian (a term now used to describe ruthless, unscrupulous behavior), many leaders have followed some of the teachings of The Prince, whether knowingly or not. Even our own leaders seem to heed Machiavelli’s advice on promise keeping – the idea that it is acceptable to break a promise if keeping it places one at a disadvantage. Nearly five hundred years after The Prince was published, its approach to individualism still resonates today.

Lord Of The Flies Description Essays - English-language Films, Films

Lord Of The Flies Description Essays - English-language Films, Films Lord Of The Flies Description Setting The story takes place on an island somewhere in the ocean. The island is described by the author as tropical and boat shaped. Along the coast there are sandy beaches followed by a variety of vegetation and creepers. There are also the orchards, which rise up to the treeless and rocky and rugged mountain ridge which extends out of the ocean. Judging from the predicament and dialogue in this story the date in which it takes place is probably the mid 1900's during World War II. The mood created in this story is very complex and rapidly changing. It changes from that of a scary, recessive mood to a light, and cheery one. The way in which the story is written the mood can change literally from chapter to chapter. In the beginning it starts out light and happy and as the novel progresses and the boys start to battle, it starts to become dark and savage. Characters Jack is red-headed and thin he is also introduced as the leader of the boys' choir. To his dismay he loses the election for leader and he becomes the head hunter and is also in charge of maintaining the signal fire. As the story progresses he and his hunters begin to slack-off and abandon their duties in caring for the fire. In the end Jack and his hunters leave Ralph and start their own tribe on the rocky side of the island. Ralph is a tall, blond and is one of the oldest boys on the island. In the beginning of the story he is pictured as the leader of the boys when he blows the conch shell to call the first assembly. During the course of the story he tries to maintain the structure of their civilization and is continually forced to compete with Jack for approval from the boys. Piggy is a fat, asthmatic boy with bad vision. Throughout the story his weaknesses are preyed upon by the other boys much like that of the pigs on the island, thus the name. But despite his appearance, Ralph begins to depend upon Piggy for intellectual and spiritual guidance. Do to his vision, Piggy had unusually thick glasses, which was a benefit to the others on the island, and aided in the lighting of the signal fire and in the roasting of the pigs. Simon was a skinny, silent boy with black hair. He was neither liked nor hated and was abnormally silent throughout the story. The way he is portrayed in the story it is as if he were always contemplating life and his situation on the island. Aside from thinking, Simon also does the necessary chores and obeys all commands from his superiors. Exposition The story starts with a large group of boys crawl on to the beach of a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Their plane was been shot down, and World War II has begun to take place. The boys figure that civilization, as they know it, may no longer exist. Ralph is elected as the leader of the group and Jack decides to be the hunter and provide food for the group. The boys explore the island. They find that it is hard to believe that they're really on their own but their adventuring proves their suspicion. While adventuring Jack's first try at slaying a wild boar fails. Rising Action Another assembly is had and they talk about the need for hunters. One of the smaller boys, says he fears a horrid beast that he saw in the vast jungle. The fear of the beast, of the dark, and of what is unknown about the island begins to affect the boys' ways of thinking. Ralph makes an executive decision and convinces everyone that they need a signal fire to aid in their being rescued. Starting a fire is impossible until they use Piggy's glasses, they are so thick they act as a magnifying glass, igniting the tinder. To Ralph's dismay the boys begin to abandon the fire to play, finding it hard work keeping the fire going. Their fears of the terrifying beast grow worse when the twins, Sam and Eric, see the beast once again. This is

Lizzie Borden essays

Lizzie Borden essays The Lizzie Borden case has mystified and fascinated those interested in crime forover on hundred years. Very few cases in American history have attracted as much attention as the hatchet murders of Andrew J. Borden and his wife, Abby Borden. The bloodiness of the acts in an otherwise respectable late nineteenth century domestic setting is startling. Along with the gruesome nature of the crimes is the unexpected character of the accused, not a hatchet-wielding maniac, but a church-going, Sunday-school-teaching, respectable, spinster-daughter, charged with parricide, the murder of parents, a crime worthy of Classical Greek tragedy. This is a murder case in which the accused is found not guilty for the violent and bloody murders of two people. There were the unusual circumstances considering that it was an era of swift justice, of vast newspaper coverage, evidence that was almost entirely circumstantial, passionately divided public opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the accused, in competent prosecution, and acquittal. Not much is described of Lizzie Andrew Borden's childhood. On March 1, 1851, Emma Lenora Borden was born to Andrew and Sarah Borden, and on July 19, 1860, Lizzie had arrived. While Lizzie was at the young age of two, Sarah died of uterine congestion. In 1865, Andrew Borden wed Abby Durfee-a short, shy, obese woman who had been a spinster until the age of 36. Abby's family were not as well off as the Bordens. Lizzie suffered from psychomotor epilepsy, a strange seizure of the temporal lobe that has one distinct symptom: a "black-out" in which the patients carry out their actions in a dream state, aware of every action without knowing what they are doing. Lizzie Borden seemed to have two entirely different personalities: the good daughter (a member of the Congressional Church, and a brilliant (conversationalist), and the bad daughter (deeply resentful of the patriarchy). These two personalities could be explained by t...

Economic concepts assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic concepts - Assignment Example It is easy to identify, recognize and account for the explicit cost because these costs are documented in the company’s statement. Additionally, physical objects and money based transactions are usually involved in explicit costs (Arnold, 2008). Implicit cost: Implicit costs are also known as implied costs, economic costs, or notational costs. It is directly opposite to the explicit cost. Implicit costs are not actually exposed or accounted as costs. Implicit costs are commonly explained as opportunity costs or the loss of an opportunity in a specified time or condition. Implicit costs are usually related with the intangibles assets and often cannot be traced or documented. These costs include: waste of potential opportunities, wastage of time, and profit wastage. Implicit costs give up the potential paybacks and agreements in a certain transaction of business. Just place, an implicit cost is the loss of a potential profits or assets that did not come about (Gartner, 2009). QU ESTION # 2 U shape cost curve: It is a representation of how the average cost for manufacturing a single unit changes over with the passage of time. The average cost of manufacturing per unit is high in the beginning and decreases as overall production increases. It is because of the fact that the same fixed cost is shared by more units or product. However, if the marginal cost of producing one more unit increases the overall cost again starts to increase because of the diminishing returns. Hence, when it is plotted on a chart, the cost curve seems like the letter U and for this reason is known as U shaped cost curve (Leamer, 2009). Long run cost curve: The long run cost curve is also called cost function in the microeconomic theory. It relates the cost of production to the amount of production and shows the implications of the long run decisions and proceedings on the cost of production of the company. The long run cost curve is the combination of several short run average cost cur ves and is generally U shaped because of the law of diminishing returns (Mankiw, 2009). Average cost curve: The average cost or unit cost is identified by dividing the total cost of production to total number of units produced in the company. An average cost can vary with passage of time with the increase or decrease in the cost of production. The average cost curve is also U shaped because of the fixed cost being shared by increasing products and at the same time marginal cost increasing because of the diminishing returns (Wessels, 2000). QUESTION # 3 Law of diminishing return: This concept of economics stating that, as the quantity of new input (workers, materials, etc.) increases, the marginal product of an added input at same position will be less than the marginal product of the preceding input. For example, consider a plant that uses manual workers to manufacture its items for consumption. If every other factors of production stay constant, at one stage each added worker will give less output then the preceding worker. When this stage is confronted then each extra worker will give less and less returns. If new workers are continuously added, the factory will in the end turn out to be so crowded that added workers in point of fact reduce the competence of the other workers, lessening the production of the plant. Another general example of law of diminishing returns is described as follow: If the population of the city increased then per capita income is decreased. And

Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Global Warming - Essay Example The solution is through the concerted efforts of various nations to help each other deal with this environmental trouble in one accord. There are international treaties or agreements that have been made by various nations to help lessen and remedy the damage done by global warming to the environment. Two international and multilateral agreements, the Montreal Protocol of 1987 and Kyoto Protocol of 1998, pay much attention to the damaging effect of world activities to the atmosphere. As cited by Morissette (1989): Its formulation was a response to a growing international consensus on the need to protect stratospheric ozone from depletion by CFCs. The Montreal Protocol is a landmark agreement in that it is the first international treaty for mitigating a global atmospheric problem before serious environmental impacts have been conclusively detected. Upon the agreement of the various countries that participated in the formation and agreement to the Montreal Protocol, the battle against global warming further developed as time went by, and with new concerns. This eventually led to a new agreement known as the Kyoto Protocol.   The  Kyoto Protocol of 1998  is an international treaty deliberated to communicate nations collectively to decrease  global warming,  and to deal with the effects of temperature increases that are inevitable after more than a century of heavy industrialization. Manne and Richels (1998) exposited that this was â€Å"to reduce their aggregate anthropogenic carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by at least 5 percent below 1990 levels in the commitment period 2008 to 2012.† (p.2). The nations that approve of the Kyoto Protocol concur to decrease emissions of six greenhouse gases that increase the problems of global warming. These nations are also permitted to utilize emissions trading to reach their obligations if they maintain or increase their greenhouse gas emissions. All of these activities

Measure the warehouse efftiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Measure the warehouse efftiency - Essay Example MRP will provide you with the ability to be pro-active rather than re-active in the management of your inventory levels and material flow (Inventory Solutions Logistics Corp). has developed for production, inventory, staffing, etc. It sets the quantity of each end item to be completed in each week of a short-range planning horizon. A Master Production Schedule is the master of all schedules.It is a plan for future production of end items. The Master Production Schedule gives production, planning, purchasing, and top management the information needed to plan and control the manufacturing operation. The application ties overall business planning and forecasting to detail operations through the Master Production Schedule. A bill of materials or bill of material (abbreviated "BOM") describes a product in terms of its assemblies, sub-assemblies, and basic parts. Basically consisting of a list of parts, a BOM is an essential part of the design and manufacture of any product. top level, BOM describing a list of components and sub-assemblies. Take a PC, for example: the top level BOM might list the shipping box, manual, packaging, packaging labels and the actual PC. The BOM for the PC itself is referenced in the top level BOM and would contain its own list of sub-assemblies like power supply, motherboard, case, etc. This increasing levThis increasing level of detail continues for all sub-assemblies until it reaches its constituent parts (like resistors or processors), or modules that are out of the scope of the BOM (like the parts that make up a fan that is brought in as a module from another manufacturer). BOMs are important, since without a basic knowledge of how many parts a product needs, there is no way of knowing how many units of that part you need to buy. A bill of material can define products as they are designed, as they are manufactured, as they are ordered, as they are built, or as they are maintained. There are different types of bills of materials dependent upon the discipline that generates them and the purpose for which they are intended. It is important to ensure the type of bill of material that you have and its intended use prior to working with a bill of material. 3. Part Lead Times A lead time is the period of time between the initiation of any process of production and the completion of that process. Thus the lead time associated with ordering a new car from a manufacturer may be anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months. In industry, lead time reduction is an important part of lean manufacturing. An MRP calculates Lead time quite efficiently. The other functionalities include 1.

Motorcycle - Bajaj Auto Essay Example for Free

Motorcycle Bajaj Auto Essay The research project was undertaken to study the consumer preferences towards 150 cc motorcycles in Ludhiana city. Consumer is said to be the pivot around which the entire business activities revolve and thus it is necessary to know that how individuals make decisions. Primary data were collected from a sample of 120 respondents which was taken from the service centers of the motorcycle outlets. The factors leading to need arousal for 150 cc motorcycles were identified as availability of better pick up and elegant appearance. The main source of information about the motorcycle has been the media both print and electronic. The  decision to purchase a particular brand of motorcycle was mostly made by the customer himself. The important factors considered while purchasing a motorcycle were pick up, styling and fuel efficiency. Bajaj Pulsar provides highest satisfaction in case of pick up, comfort, after sales service and maintenance cost whereas TVS Apache provides highest satisfaction in case of appearance/design and mileage. 2 CERTIFICATE Certified that this project report â€Å"STUDY OF CONSUMER PREFERENCES TOWARDS 150CC MOTORCYCLES IN LUDHIANA CITY† is the bonafide work of â€Å" HARPINDER SINGH†. Who carried out the project work under my supervision. (Dr.MEENAL CHAUHAN) 3 CONTENTS Chapter Topic Page I INTRODUCTION 5 II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 13 III OBJECTIVES OF STUDY 17 IV RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 18 ANALYSIS FINDINGS LIMITATIONS 20 48 49 V SUMMARY 50 ANNEXURES 53 REFERNCES 56 4 CHAPTER -1 INTRODUCTION Customers today are more informed and demanding than ever. They know quality service, when they get it and they are not afraid of taking their business elsewhere if they don’t get it. Refusals to acknowledge this reality can spell failure/rejection by the one who holds the purse strings and the key to profits. Satisfaction of customer needs, in fact, provides a rationale for the firm’s  existence. Therefore customer behavior lies at the heart of modern marketing and its knowledge is vital for a firm’s existence, growth and success. An understanding of the motives underlying the consumer behaviour helps a firm to seek better and more effective way to satisfy customers. Consumer behaviour is the behaviour that a consumer displays in searching for; purchasing, using, evaluating and disposing of products and services that he expects will satisfy his needs. It helps marketers know that how an individual makes decision to spend his available resources (money, time, and effort) on consumption related items. However consumer behavior is a complex system where there is an interaction of various social, economic and psychological factors. All these factors affect the purchase decision of the buyer and his perception about different products. Purchase behaviour involves two types of purchases: trial purchases (the exploratory phase in which consumer attempts to evaluate a product through direct use) and repeat purchases which usually signify that the product meets with consumer’s approval and that the consumer is willing to use it again. Moreover, purchase behaviour incorporates all the activities that human being  indulges in his role of consumer, from the time when he feels a state of deprivation (need arousal) to that point of time when he obtains a means of need satisfaction 5 (purchase) and finally to the point of time when he has used this means for a suitability long period of time to judge the level of satisfaction it provides (post purchase evaluation). Satisfaction of consumer needs is one of the main objectives of manufacturers and marketers. The company that really understands how the customer responds to different product features, prices and advertising appeals has an enormous advantage over its competitors. In today’s era of competition, a stage has reached that it is necessary to know the perceptions, needs and preferences of the target market and to incorporate the desired features in the product to be sold to the consumer. Although, it is not easy to say which customer will go for which features of the product, yet marketers do make efforts to know the features for which most of the people of a particular segment of society look for. A successful marketer is the one who effectively develops and produces brands that are of value to the consumer and who effectively presents these products and brands to the consumer in an  appealing and persuasive way. The need to travel is as old as man himself. As the requirement for basic personal transportation came to the forefront, two wheelers came into picture. In the past, selling a scooter was not a problem for their manufactures. Consumer’s choice was limited and the demarcation clear, but as more and more companies jumped into fray and churned out quite a number of models, the consumer who till now didn’t have much of a choice, became demanding and knowledgeable. Thus it became necessary for the producers and sellers to understand the perception,  attitudes and preferences of their target markets and to load their scooters with features that added value to the product. Scooter as a product falls in the category of consumer durables i. e. it serves many uses, requires more personal selling, service and sellers guarantee as compared to consumer non-durables. In today’s society there is sufficient 6 disposable/discretionary income with large number of people to be in the market for a durable at one time or the other. Also, the consumer attitudes have changed and awareness has grown due to communication explosion. Today, two wheeler industry caters to the changing demands of the  consumers. The consumer’s decision to purchase or reject a product is the moment of final truth for the marketer. Consumer is hard to please and very discriminating. He is very judicious in making choices. The purchase of any product by him depends on the value of product to him. 1. 1 Two Wheeler Industry Automobile industry, as a whole contributes a significant chunk in the gross national income of the country. Faced with a public transport system, which is woefully inadequate, inefficient and undependable, the Indian customer is being increasingly forced to personal means of transportation. Private cars are ruled out for general public because of their high cost of operation and maintenance; bicycles have the disadvantage of being slow and having low load bearing capacity, hence two wheelers have been the choice of middle class families because of their comparatively low price, low running cost and easy parking ability. The two wheeler industry has shown a steep growth in the recent years, even The two wheelers have moved out of the realms of the college going student and entered the corporate offices also. With the ever-increasing prices of fuel, two wheelers offer a cheaper option than the four wheelers. The two wheelers have also emerged as a viable option to take pressure off the public transport system, which has been dwindling with every passing day. For ages Indian buyer had limited choice as one had to wait for several months to get a Bajaj scooter, however today the scenario has changed with over 50 models available to the Indian consumer. These models keep every need of the Indian consumer in mind. 7 Table1:MarketShares(09-10) Scooters % Market share Honda MSI 62. 8 TVS 28. 0 Bajaj 2. 5 Kinetic 6. 7 Motorcycles % Market share Hero Honda 45. 8 Bajaj 32. 4 TVS 14. 9 Yamaha 3. 8 Honda MSI 1. 8 LML Kinetic 0. 1 Royal Enfield 0. 4 Majestic Suzuki Motorcycle India 0. 7 Mopeds % Market share TVS 92. 6 Majestic 2. 0 Kinetic 5. 4 Source: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) 1. 1. 1 Production of Two Wheelers The production of two wheelers has merely reflected the way the market has developed over the recent years. Here is a brief look about the production trend of two wheelers including scooters, motorcycles and mopeds in the country based on the data provided by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). 8 Table 2: Productions of Two Wheelers (Figures in 000) Year Scooters Motorcycles Mopeds Total 2005-06 938 2906 427 4271 2006-07 848 3876 352 5076 2007-08 935 4355 332 5623 2008-09 987 5194 348 6530 2009-10 1020 6201 380 7601 Source: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) (2009-10) Table 1. 2 shows that production for two wheelers have increased for the last five years. The two wheeler industry has experienced an accelerating thrust for the last 5 years. As table shows production of two wheelers which was 42. 71 lakhs in 2005-06 has increased to 76. 01 lakhs in 2009-10. 1. 2 THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY BOOM The Indian two wheeler industry has been undergoing a massive change. The population explosion, the transition from scooters to motorcycles, from 2-stroke engines to 4-stroke, from smaller engines to bigger ones everything seems to be happening at the same time. The growth of the segment has been significant in the last 10 years particularly when the consumer preference has shifted from scooters to motorcycles and from 2-stroke to 4-stroke engines. 9 All this has been an outcome of a steady rise in the level of individual income, a change in the mind-set brought about by the spread of education and pervasiveness of media, a growing need for personalized transport among the  members of all age-groups, etc. No more is a vehicle treated as just a commodity but has become an integral part of ones personality. It is then only natural that everything else associated with this industry should change too. The demand for motorcycles has been influenced by a number of factors over the past five years. The key demand drivers for the growth of the motorcycle industry are as follows:Inadequate public transportation system, especially in the semi-urban and rural areas; Increased availability of cheap consumer financing in the past 3-4 years; Increasing availability of fuel-efficient and low-maintenance models. Increasing urbanization, which creates a need for personal transportation Changes in the demographic profile; Difference between two wheeler and passenger car prices, which makes two wheelers the entry-level vehicle; Steady increase in per capita income over the past five years; and Increasing number of models with different features to satisfy diverse consumer needs. The Indian two wheeler industry has undergone a significant change over the past 10 years with the preference changing from scooters and mopeds to motorcycles. The scooters segment was the largest till FY1998, accounting for  around 42% of the two wheeler sales (motorcycles and mopeds accounted for 37% and 21 % of the market respectively, that year). However, the motorcycles segment that had witnessed high growth (since FY1994) became larger than the scooter 10 segment in terms of market share for the first time in FY1999. Between FY1996 and 9MFY2009, the motorcycles segment more than doubled its share of the two wheeler industry to 79% even as the market shares of scooters and mopeds stood lower at 16% and 5%, respectively. While scooter sales declined sharply by 28% in FY2005, motorcycle sales reported a healthy growth of 20%, indicating a clear  shift in consumer preference. This shift, which continues, has been prompted by two major factors: change in the countrys demographic profile, and technological advancements. In an effort to satisfy the distinct needs of consumers, producers are identifying emerging consumer preferences and developing new models. For instance, motorcycles with engine capacity over 150 cc, is a segment that has witnessed significant new product launches and hence, become more competitive. The indigenously launched Pulsar 150 had met with success on its launch and thereafter, a host of models have been launched in this segment by various players. While Bajaj Auto launched the Pulsar (150 and 180 cc) with digital twin spark technology (DTSi) that offers a powerful engine and fuel efficiency of 125 cc models, model launches by other players include LMLs Graptor/Beamer, HMSIs Unicorn besides the HHMLs CBZ (improved version launched in 2007-08) and TVS Fiero F2. The products in this segment cater for style conscious consumers. Quite a few players are developing models combining features such as higher engine capacity with optimum mix of power and performance, and superior styling. However, the extent of shift to these products would depend on the  positioning of such products in terms of price. 1. 3Need of the study 11 The study makes significant contributions to consumer preferences concerned with 150 cc motorcycles. Various attributes, affecting purchase of 150 cc motorcycles have been identified and the existing prominent brands of 150 cc motorcycles have been compared on the basis of various attributes. These findings will be useful for both students as well as teachers of the subject. The study will have great implications from marketer’s point of view in sales strategy formulation. Knowledge of the factors, considered important by the consumer would be helpful to the marketers for adopting more efficient manufacturing tools. | Analysis of the post purchase feelings of 150 cc motorcycles respondents and the interpretations thereof, together with the findings of the factors determining the brand preferences can be helpful to both manufacturers as well as dealers of 150 cc motorcycles thereby enabling them to meet the requirements of the market more effectively and efficiently. CHAPTER-2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE A brief review of the literature is of immense importance with respect to any research. It is essential for understanding the scope and spectrum of research  objectives. Various aspects of consumer preference like consumer satisfaction, impact of various attributes on purchase behavior, consumer perception, and consumer dissatisfaction are measured. 12 . Dhar and Sherman (1996) examined the effect of common and unique features in consumer choice. They said that consumer choice often involved a comparison among the available alternatives. It was proposed that attractiveness of the choice set could be enhanced or reduced by altering features, which appeared unique. Chernev (1997) examined the effect of common features on brand choice and moderating role of attribute importance. It was argued that when brand attributes differed in importance, common features were likely to enhance consumer preferences for the option with the best value on the most important attribute, thus further polarizing brands’ choice shares. In contrast when attributes were similar in importance, common features were likely to have an opposite effect, equalizing brand shares. Thus, when attributes had equal importance, adding a common feature to a pair of options leads to an equalization of choice shares, whereas, when attributes differed in importance, common features  enhanced the choice share of the option with the best value on the most important attribute, leading to a further polarization of brands’ choice shares. Dhar et al (1999) suggested that the construction of both similarity and preference judgments could be captured by a feature-matching model that allowed for shifts in the relative weights assigned to the various features of the alternatives being compared. An application of this model was that engaging in one comparative process (e. g. , similarity) can influence the relative weight assigned to the features that were considered in a second comparative judgment (e. g. , preference). The effect of engaging in an initial comparison task on subsequent 13 preference judgments was tested for stimulus-based choice sets. The results on choice deferral and choice satisfaction were consistent with the notion that engaging in similarity/dissimilarity comparisons altered the relative weight assigned to common and unique features for the two alternatives. Heilman et al (2000) examined how brand preferences and response to marketing activity evolved for consumers new to a market. They developed a theoretical framework that began with a consumer’s first-ever purchase in a  product category and described subsequent purchases as components of sequential stages. The theory was based on the notion that choices made by the consumer new to a market were driven by two competing forces: consumers’ desire to collect information about alternatives and their aversion to trying risky ones. The results showed the importance of accounting for product experience and learning when studying the dynamic choice processes of consumers new to a market. Ofir and Simonson (2001) in their study found that the customer evaluations of quality and satisfaction were critical inputs in development of marketing strategies. Given the increasingly common practice of asking such evaluations, buyers of products and services often knew in advance that they subsequently would be asked to provide their evaluations. In a series of field and laboratory studies, the author demonstrated that expecting to be evaluated leads to less favorable quality and satisfaction evaluations and reduces customer’s willingness to purchase and recommend the evaluated services. The negative bias of expected evaluations was observed when actual quality was either low or high, and it persisted even when buyers were told explicitly to consider both the positive  and negative aspects. Tamizhselvan and Vijayakumar (2002) analyzed the significance of personal characteristics of consumers in determining the brand preference for soft 14 drinks in Coimbatore district. The study also identified the factors considered important in buying behavior, the reasons of brand preferred by the consumers and the factors considered in the frequency of buying. It was concluded that the personal characteristics like sex, age, marital status, occupation, monthly income and expenditure, type of family and size of family had a significant influence on brand preference and buying behavior of the consumers. Bhattacharya and Sen (2003) tried to determine why and under what conditions consumers entered into strong, committed and meaningful relationships with certain companies, became champions of these companies and their products. The authors proposed that strong consumer-company relationships often resulted from consumers’ identification with those companies, which helped them to satisfy one or more important self-definitional needs. Aggarwal (2005) stated that when consumers formed relationships with brands, they use norms of interpersonal relationships as a guide in their brand assessments. Two relationship types were examined: exchange relationships in which benefits were given to others to get something back and communal relationships in which benefits were given to show concern for other’s needs. The conceptual model proposed that an adherence to or a violation of these relationship norms influenced the appraisal of the specific marketing action and also the overall brand evaluations. Erdem and Swait (2006) examined the role of brand credibility (trustworthiness and expertise) on brand choice and consideration across multiple product categories that vary in regard potential uncertainty about attributes and  associated information acquisition costs and perceived risks of consumption. It was found that brand credibility increased probability of inclusion of a brand in the consideration set, as well as brand choice conditional on consideration. It was also 15 found that although credibility impacts brand choice and consideration set formation more and through more constructs in contexts with high uncertainty and sensitivity to such uncertainty, credibility effects were present in all categories. Finally, the results indicated that trustworthiness, rather than expertise, affected consumer choice and brand consideration more. Simonson (2007) examined the basic assumptions underlying individual marketing and presented a process model of customers’ responses to customized offers. The model addressed (1) preference development (2) evaluation of customized offers (3) likelihood of purchasing the customized offers and (4) maintenance of relationships with one-to-one marketers. The analysis leaded to specific propositions regarding determinants of customers’ responses to customized offers. The author also discussed future research directions and managerial implications. It can be concluded that many studies have been done to study the various  factors related to impact of various attributes on purchase behavior, consumer perception, customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction, etc. A study is required to identify the attributes considered while purchasing and compare selected brands on basis of these attributes. CHAPTER-3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:- The present study aims at evaluating factors of 150 cc motorcycles affecting their purchase and on the basis of these factors to give suggestions to the brands to 16 improve the market share of their respective products. More specifically, objectives of study are: 1. To identify the attributes considered while purchasing the selected brands of  150 cc motorcycles. 2. To compare selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles on basis of attributes. 3. To study the consumer preferences towards the 150 cc Motor Cycles. 4. To study the factors that influences the purchase of 150 cc motorcycle. 5. To determine the need of purchase of 150 cc motorcycle CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY :- MATERIALS AND METHODS The present chapter describes the research methodology of the study. In order to satisfy the objectives, this chapter explains in detail the research methodology which is divided into five sections: Section 4. 1 deals with research framework; Section 4. 2 deals with population and sample selection; Section 4. 3 17 deals with data collection; Section 4. 4 deals with analysis of data and Section 4. 5 deals with limitations of the study. 4. 1 Research Framework The present study is based on the objectives of identifying the attributes considered while purchasing the selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles and to compare selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles on basis of these attributes in the city of Ludhiana. The study uses both primary and secondary information. The research design for the present study is descriptive. The motorcycles available for  the study are Bajaj Pulsar, Hero Honda CBZ, Honda Unicorn and TVS Apache. As it is clear from the objectives of the study, the study was divided into two parts i. e. to identify the attributes considered while purchasing the selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles and then to compare selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles on basis of these attributes. For both the objectives of the study, primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire. Then in order to arrive at the results proper statistical tools were used on the information collected from the respondents. 4. 2 Population and Sample Selection. ThepopulationofthestudyincludesthepersonsinLudhianacitywho owned a 150 cc motorcycle. For meeting the first objective, list of dealers dealing in 150 cc motorcycles in Ludhiana was prepared. Sample was collected in two stages. In the first stage, two dealers each of the four companies in the city were selected randomly from the available list of dealers for four companies. In the second stage of sample selection, service centers of each of the selected dealers 18 were visited. At each service center, 15 respondents were contacted. The sample size was 120. The following dealers were selected: 1. Bajaj Pulsar. ?Dada Bajaj, Savitiri Complex, Dholewal Chowk, Ludhiana ?Impact Bajaj, Sherpur Chowk, GT Road By Pass, Ludhiana 2. Hero Honda CBZ/Achiver ?Nihal Singh Motors, Ferozepur Road, Ludhiana ?Stan Wheels (P) Ltd. , G T Road, Near Sherpur Chowk, Ludhiana 3. TVS Apache ?Gulzar Trading Company, Dholewal, Ludhiana ?TVS Gulzar, Near Aarti Chowk, Ludhiana 4. Honda Unicorn ?Sarvpriya Autos Pvt. Ltd. , Ferozepur Road, Ludhiana ?Pioneer Honda, G T Road, Dholewal, Ludhiana 4. 3 Data Collection Keeping in view the objectives of this study, both primary and secondary data were required. A structured and non-disguised questionnaire was prepared for  collecting primary information from the customers. Questionnaire is shown in Annexure-I. Questions were asked relating to their income, occupation, about factors which were considered by the respondents while purchasing a motor bike, 19 about factors influencing them to purchase, rating of different brands of 150 cc motorcycles and satisfaction level from the various motorcycles. The questions asked were multiple choice and open ended. Five points scale was used. For classification of attributes the following points were used: most important (MI), important (I), neutral (N), unimportant (UI) and most unimportant (M. U. I). Secondary data was collected from various journals /magazines, websites and dealers regarding the market performance of these motorcycles. 4. 4 Data Analysis The data collected with the help of questionnaires were analyzed with the help of percentages, means, weighted mean scores etc. In order to find importance given to various attributes of a 150 cc motorcycles by the buyer at the time of purchase, weighted mean scores were calculated and each attribute was ranked on the basis of weighted mean scores. Mean score was calculated for the questions asked on a 5-point scale. In the  5-point scale the respondents were asked to indicate their degree of importance they showed for various attributes related to the 150 cc motorcycles from most important to most unimportant. Scores were assigned from 1 to 5 for the degree of importance (1 for most important, 2 for important, 3 for neutral, 4 for unimportant and 5 for most unimportant). Frequencies were multiplied with their respective weights and aggregate values were found out. Mean score was calculated using the formula: Mean score = ? wifn/n i = 1 to 5 n = 30 for each brand respondents 20 where, wi = Weight attached for degree of importance  fn = Associated frequency n = Number of respondents. If the mean score was more than the middle point of the scale, it was concluded that the respondents by and large tend to agree with the statement. 21 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION This chapter contains the results and discussion of the primary data collected from the respondents. The study is conducted to identify the attributes considered while purchasing the selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles and to compare selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles on basis of these attributes. This chapter is divided into four sections: Section 4. 4. 1 deals with demographic profile of the respondents; Section 4. 4. 2 deals with identification of the attributes considered while purchasing the selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles; Section 4. 4. 3 deals with Satisfaction from selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles on the basis of various attributes. 4. 4. 1 Demographic profile of the respondents The demographic profile of the respondents has been classified on the basis of age, occupation, education and family income. 4. 4. 1. 1 Classification on the basis of age Age of a person is considered as an important factor in decision making and choice made by the person. The respondents were classified into four different age groups. The age classification of the respondents is given in Table 4. 4. 1. 1 22 Table 4. 4. 1. 1: Age wise distribution of respondents Age Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ TVS Apache Honda Unicorn Total Below 25 14 11 15 13 53 25-35 13 13 11 10 47 35-45 3 6 4 5 18 Above 45 0 0 0 2 2 Total 30 30 30 30 120 14 13 3 0 11 13 6 0 15 11 4 0 13 10 5 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ /Ach iever TVS Apache Honda Unicorn Age wise distribution of respondents Below 25 25-35 35-45 Above 45. ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION: On the overall most of the respondents i.e. 53 were below the age of 25 and about 47 in the age group of 25-35 and rest above 35. If we analyze for each motorcycle separately, it was seen that around 75% of motorcycle users in case of Bajaj Pulsar and Hero Honda CBZ and around 70% in case of Honda Unicorn and TVS Apache were below the age of 30 which eventually means that a major chunk of the motorcycle market includes youth only. 23 4. 4. 1. 2 Classification on the basis of occupation The respondents were surveyed about their occupation as it plays an important role in the purchase behaviour and affects consumer’s preferences. The  classification according to occupation is shown in Table 4. 4. 1. 2. Table 4. 4. 1. 2: Occupation wise distribution of respondents Occupation category Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ TVS Apache Honda Unicorn Total Student 20 19 21 17 77 Business 6 6 6 7 25 Profession 3 4 3 6 16 Others 1 1 0 0 2 Total 30 30 30 30 120 ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION: 24 As regards the occupation profile of the 150 cc motorcycle owners, there was not much difference between the four motorcycles. The student community dominates in all the four brands (about 70%), while the ratio business to profession is around 2:1 on average. 4. 4. 1. 3 Classification on the basis of education level The educational qualification also effects the behavior of a person as it shows how informed a choice was made while buying something. Also it is generally assumed that qualification is directly related to the kind of job a person is engaged in. Therefore, the respondents were classified according to educational qualifications in Table 4. 4. 1. 3. Table 4. 4. 1. 3: Education wise distribution of respondents EDUCATION Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ TVS Apache Honda Unicorn Total Under-Gradua te 16 20 18 15 69 Graduate 7 4 6 7 24 Post-graduate 4 2 3 4 13. Professional 3 4 3 4 14 TOTAL 30 30 30 30 120 25 16 7 4 3 20 4 2 4 18 6 3 3 15 7 4 4 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ/ Achiever TVS Apache Honda Unicorn Education wise distribution of respondents Under-Graduate Graduate Post-graduate Professional ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION: As regards to education characteristic, it is seen that most of the respondents are either undergraduates or graduates. This fact is in conjunction with the fact that a major chunk of 150 cc motorcycle owners belong to the age group of below 25 and are mostly students 4. 4. 1. 4. Classification on the basis of family income. One of the most important factors influencing the consumer preferences is the income of the respondents. The income determines the choice of a respondent particularly in brand selection and the brand personality that a person associates 26 with himself. The classification of respondents according to their family income is given in table 4. 4. 1. Table 4. 4. 1. 4: Income wise distribution of respondents Family Income Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ TVS Apache Honda Unicorn TOTAL Below 1,50,000 3 2 2 3 10 1,50,000-2,00 ,000 9 9 10 8 36 2,00,000-2,50 ,000 14 13 10 13 50 Above 2,50,000 4 6 8 6 24 27 3 9. 14 4 2 9 13 6 2 10 10 8 3 8 13 6 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Bajaj Pulsar Hero Honda CBZ/ Achiever TVS Apache Honda Unicorn Income wise distribution of respondents Below 1,50,000 1,50,000-2,00,000 2,00,000-2,50,000 Above 2,50,000 ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION: The maximum percentage of respondents (around 60%) are in the higher income groups i. e. above 2,00,000, about 30% of the respondents fall in 150000-200000, nearly 42% in 200000-250000 , and the highest income group above 2,50,000 accounts for about 1/5th of the respondents . 28 4. 4. 2 Identification of the attributes considered while purchasing the  selected brands of 150 cc motorcycles. This section deals with identification of the various factors, affecting preferences of the 150 cc motorcycle respondents. Preferences of respondents were identified by studying the various attributes of 150 cc motorcycle, which affected the purchase decision of the respondents and also by studying the post purchase satisfaction of the 150 cc motorcycle respondents. The decision to buy any product is influenced by a number of factors. The factors might be those, arousing need for the 150 cc motorcycle. Various influencers might have affected the purchase decision of resp.