Monday, April 20, 2020

The Creative and Powerful Brand Positioning of an Audi Advertisement Essay Example

The Creative and Powerful Brand Positioning of an Audi Advertisement: Essay The consumer car industry is always brimming with competition. Cars are a unique consumer good, in that, people develop a strong attachment to their cars. After all, it is like living in a home away from home when one is travelling in one’s car. For this reason, car manufacturers tap into deep-rooted psychological hooks and insecurities to impress their brand image on customers. We can witness in all car advertisements how marketers try to tap into a car user’s psychology to create brand equity. The same is true of the ad chosen for this essay. It is a 30 second Audi commercial accessible at . This essay will argue that the ad is brilliant in conception, optimal in its audio-visual expression and delivers a powerful message to the audience. The ad runs for a mere 30 seconds but it encompasses layers of meaning and connotations. Using four car keys as the only props, the ad illustrates or interprets the meaning of the logo of Audi. The four inter-locked circles that form a chain is Audi’s logo and it is reminiscent somewhat of the Olympic Games logo. These days, marketers do not look to specify the technical attributes of a car, but instead use attractive captions and images to create a feel-good response from the potential customer. This observation can be extended to the Audi ad, for in its brief time span, it does not address core specifications. Instead it talks about generalized perceptions and popular impressions of Audi and its competitors. We will write a custom essay sample on The Creative and Powerful Brand Positioning of an Audi Advertisement: specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Creative and Powerful Brand Positioning of an Audi Advertisement: specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Creative and Powerful Brand Positioning of an Audi Advertisement: specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer What the ad competently achieves is to convert the logo into an emblem. Lexically, a logo is a graphic illustration of a company’s name or brand. It need not stand for a deeper meaning. On the other hand, an emblem is like a talisman. It encompasses or represents a set of values and virtues. In this sense, the ad succeeds in showcasing the logo of the Audi as an emblem. Whenever people come across the logo in the future, these added meanings to it will come to mind for the audience. By associating strong ideas behind the ubiquitous logo of the brand, a strong relationship between visual perception and emotional recall of the symbol is achieved. The key to successful advertising is to tap into and manipulate the emotional response of the audience. In this regard, the Audi ad is quite outstanding. Another smart feature of the ad is how it attacks several competing brands in one swift stroke. In as little a time as 30 seconds, major competitors to Audi, including Mercedes, BMW, etc are painted as deficient. Each of these major brands are shown to be one dimensional. For example, one is synonymous with ‘safety’, the other is equated to ‘comfort’, yet another with ‘sportiness’ and the fourth with ‘design’. However, if a consumer wants all these features bundled into their car then Audi is the way to go, the ad suggests. This is brilliant idea from the creators of the ad. Using a minimal of actors, props or costs, the ad makes a big statement. If good advertisement is all about making maximum impact with minimum expenditure of resources, then the Audi ad qualifies as a superlative example. The ad is an excellent example of making every second count. These days, car manufacturers are attempting to find ever more engaging or glamorous dressing up for new models as the competition is very intense. Every second must be made to count and there is no time to be wasted. The key here is to make the message interesting while also being informative. The ad in discussion is satisfactory on these counts. The ad fits perfectly with the broader marketing philosophy adopted by Audi. The company has been a pioneer in exploring marketing niches in emerging media. In many ways its multi-pronged marketing strategy target audiences through television and Internet. In fact, the luxury car brand was a pioneer in making video ad campaigns on internet-connected TVs in the UK. Its campaigns, which are handled by WPP media agency and MediaCom, had made available â€Å"an Audi channel through connected TVs, with content similar to that on the Audi.tv website.† (â€Å"Audi Blazes Trail in,† 2011, p. 3) Such an integrated marketing approach is typical of Audi’s marketing culture, which is always trying to identify novel ways to launch vehicles. The ad being discussed is similar in spirit and effect to that of its A7 Sportback model campaign. The latter successful campaign was captioned ‘Imagination meets Engineering’. It would not be out of place to adapt the same ca ption to the chosen ad as well. The best way to gauge the effectiveness of these ads is by looking at the revenues and market share they’ve helped to grow. In the UK, for example, thanks in large to these successful ad campaigns, new registrations for Q1 2011 rose by 4.9%. Likewise, the market share too rose by 5.9%. (â€Å"Audi Blazes Trail in,† 2011, p. 3) Hence, the Audi ad is brilliant in conception, optimal in its audio-visual expression and delivers a powerful message to the audience. It satisfies this assessment through several measures. First, though the ad runs for only 30 seconds it packs layers of meaning and symbolisms. Likewise, the ad is able to convert the logo into an emblem. It also cleverly attacks several other competing brands within the short duration. Also, the ad is an excellent illustration of making every second count. And, finally, the ad is consistent with the broader marketing vision of the company. Works Cited â€Å"Audi Blazes Trail in UK Internet-TV Advertising.† Marketing 20 Apr. 2011: 3. What Do You Want in a Car? Audi Commercial. Web. 8 February. 2014.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

How to Become a Respiratory Therapist

How to Become a Respiratory Therapist For patients who struggle with the most essential thing in the world- breathing- respiratory therapists can be literal lifesavers. The Day-to-DayRespiratory therapists work directly with patients of all ages to manage chronic respiratory conditions like bronchitis, sleep apnea, asthma, and emphysema. They also work with patients who have had heart attacks, infants who were born prematurely, and other patients who suffer from breathing issues. On an emergency basis, respiratory therapists might also treat victims of shock, heart attacks, or drowning to restart breathing after sudden distress.Respiratory therapists typically practice under the supervision of physicians, and work with doctors, nurses, and patients to create and execute respiratory treatment plans. Therapists also handle specialized medical equipment like ventilators and artificial airways for patients who can’t breathe on their own. Respiratory therapists also educate patients on long-term care and managing chron ic conditions. Most of these therapists (about 75%) work in hospitals, but they can also be found in sleep clinics, patient home care, diagnostic laboratories, emergency care centers, eldercare facilities, and other healthcare centers.For more on what it’s like to be a respiratory therapist, check out these videos:Be Something Amazing – Respiratory TherapistWalk in My Shoes: Hospital CEO Turns Respiratory Therapist for a DayLife and Breath- A Presentation of the Respiratory Therapy Career  The RequirementsRespiratory therapists need to have at least an associate’s degree from an accredited respiratory therapy program. Many respiratory therapists also go on to get their bachelor’s or master’s degree in the field. They can get certification via multiple-choice exams offered by The National Board for Respiratory Care- and although this is technically voluntary, at this point 49 states require some form of licensing or certification. Be sure to check your own state to see what’s required of respiratory therapists.The SkillsThe respiratory therapy field calls for a number of special skills and knowledge bases, including:Attention to detailCritical thinkingPatient evaluationAnatomy and physiology (especially cardiopulmonary physiology and pathophysiology)Disease managementMedical technologyThe PayPer the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for respiratory therapists is $56,730, or $27.27 per hour. According to PayScale, the field has a â€Å"very strong† job satisfaction rating among surveyed therapists.The OutlookAs with so many Allied Health careers, the respiratory therapy field is expanding, and will continue to do so. The BLS  expects that the job will grow by at least 12% by 2024, which is faster than average.Interested? APPLY HERE

Friday, February 28, 2020

Groups and Teams in the Contemporary Organizations Essay

Groups and Teams in the Contemporary Organizations - Essay Example It has also made the top management realize that if proper undertakings within these domains are made, there is no doubt that the groups and teams would bring in more success and higher profits. The only shortcoming, however, lies in the ideology that these groups and teams have a number of different problems, all of which will be mentioned within the length of this paper. This paper takes a concise look at how the groups and teams in the contemporary business world have played their quintessential role and what these roles have meant to the different business quarters, not to forget the grave issues which have surfaced for quite a period of time now. The groups and teams within the aegis of an organization have meant that the company accepts that shared efforts are important in order to have goals achieved and objectives accomplished, for the sake of the said company. This is a reality that has dawned upon the modern day organizations because these organizations have understood the ideology of team formation and how these can bring success for the sake of the whole company. The formation of teams within an organization signifies the need for a collective thought that can envision success domains within a short-term time period or a duration that is geared to meet the needs and challenges within the long run. However one thing is certain – the organization by now has understood the premise of having groups and teams within its aegis, which will essentially play a very solid role at convincing its own people that individual efforts are not worth and that groups and teams would bring about more sanity and be strengthening effects for the sake of the company.  

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Political Cartoons act as a catalyst for social and political change Essay

Political Cartoons act as a catalyst for social and political change - Essay Example Such matters are best addressed using these cartoons. Others cases here cartoons are used is to make request, exposing inhuman actions, immorality, and pushing for change (Heckel & Kvetensky 20). There different types of cartoons used to address different issues in the political environment. Each and every category of cartoon has its own complexity in getting the verbal and the visual meaning in them. Multi-genre study helps in the production of this sign as well as comprehending the, presentational, organization, and orientation aspect of this expressions. In this case, visual and verbal interrelations become different because each one of them has been fixed in their own complexities. But in real sense there is always a language between them and within them as well as some imagery or metaphor or in the aim of making the subject to have a hidden meaning. It is the duty of the reader to differentiate them in principle terms, making some combination of ideas, and ultimately getting the hidden information in the cartoon (Freud 67). The paper’s main focus is to give an over view about the political cartoons, this uses and categories. This is because different cartoons are used to deriver different information to different target groups. Different imageries are used as well in the aim of coding the information to the required complexity and for the appropriateness in delivering the intended information (Giora 470). Both the qualitative and quantitative research methodologies are important in conducting a research. This is in the aim of coming up with a solid conclusions which is reliable for further analytical studies. Observation is the most suitable method in coming up with a detailed out come because almost all the inclusion in this review are revolving in an about cartoon images. It incorporated both the past and the present records as far as the subject is concerned, as well as other relevant records (Hudak 780). Animal

Friday, January 31, 2020

Hewlett Packard Swot Analysis Essay Example for Free

Hewlett Packard Swot Analysis Essay The Hewlett-Packard and Compaq merger decision case study provided many points necessary in the understanding of why these two companies would undergo a risky business venture. Compaq was a company that began successfully with record setting financial statements, but in an attempt to expand its market, threatened company stability. With the acquisition of Tandem Computer and Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq experienced decreased revenues resulting in their inability to fully recover. In a competitive information technology market, HP was one of the industry leaders. Due to a failure to be proactive to market changes, HP grew stagnant and looked to reinvent company strategies through newly appointed President/CEO Carly Fiorina. Competitive advantages for both HP and Compaq included imaging and printing segment and high performance PC technology respectively. Management’s reasons for the merger included their assumption that together, HP and Compaq would be able to replicate and overtake competitors. Oppositions to the merger included a decrease in shareholder interests, a reduction of focus for company core competencies, and an unprofitable future. Several financial advisors and industry analysts were in agreement that the proposed merger would not be in the best interests of either company. Despite the uncertainties, information gathered and forecasts projected were in favor of the merger, which resulted in shareholder approval and the merger of Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Computer. SWOT Analysis In researching Hewlett-Packard’s present-day company position, a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted. Strengths found include HP’s strong market position internationally and on the domestic end, a successful growth throughout large acquisitions, and a considerable brand value. HP currently has a 28.6% market share in the United States of America while internationally they stand at 17.7%. As the current number one leader in PC sales, HP has a solid market position. Although the strengths are allowing HP to maintain market position, there are also weaknesses present in all companies. Compared to other companies in the same industry, Hewlett-Packard lacks significant software product and management consulting services. As a result, Hewlett-Packard’s weakness is its weak market segment integration. HP is able to answer consumer demand when it comes to PC technology and imaging and printing software, but they fall short in t he software product creation and consulting services to combine with their successful departments of PC technology and imaging and printing services. As Hewlett-Packard continues to grow and seek an increase in market position, opportunities surface. A spin-off of the PC technology business, entering the cloud computing market, and expanding imaging and printing solutions portfolio are opportunities HP has going forward. In placing more emphasis on the PC technology aspect of the company, HP may find that this venture will become as profitable as the imaging and printing department in the long-run. With the announcement of this spin-off, their share of US PC shipment increased from 25.4% to 28.9%. This positive reaction from consumers is an early indicator of possible success as a result of placing resources to build up the PC technology department. Cloud computing is a fairly new concept in which resources and software are delivered through a network, mainly over the Internet. As this is market quickly growing in demand, HP’s introduction of HP Cloud Assure is a great opportunity for future prosperity. With success comes o pportunities of threats, and Hewlett-Packard is no exception. With projected decrease in information technology (IT) in the near future, an increase in demand for non PC devices, and competitors with more diversified portfolios, HP’s threats are numerous. Industry analysts have projected a decrease of IT in upcoming quarters which will decrease HP’s profitability. HP has already witnessed a decrease in consumer spending during last quarter’s back-to-school spending. If analyst projections prove to be true, changes will quickly need to be made. As more and more consumers are entering the non PC device era, HP is losing a segment of the market with their inability to provide products for this demand. HP’s more diversified competitors such as Dell and Samsung are able to easily capture the demand for these tablets. Future of the Company Through the case study, present-day SWOT analysis, and outside research conducted on Hewlett-Packard, the group has concluded that the company will remain constant, but unless strategies are implemented to answer more consumer demands, they may lose market share. New CEO Meg Whitman has a technology visionary that will shift HP’s focus to answering consumer demands. Her leadership capabilities and projections for company future are a desirable mix for a company to achieve sustainable future relevance. With the implementation of HP Cloud Assure, a new venture capitalizing on the growing consumer interest of cloud computing, HP is already adapting to answering the demands of consumers. As long as the company continues to anticipate and provide the products and services desired, sustainability will be maintained. Questions 1. What are the strategic challenges that HP is facing? Strategic challenges: Cost- reduction initiatives that included â€Å"difficult but necessary voluntary- severance programs† and manufacturing consolidations. â€Å"Unacceptably high expense growth† contributed to a decline in earnings from operations and net earnings. HP had a weak macroeconomic environment and competitive price pressures that led to slumping sales. Management was unable to keep pace of the changing market conditions which were a key contributor. HP management failed to follow Dell’s lead in adopting a low- cost, Internet based direct sales channel to offset its reliance on the retail channel. * Accelerating growth in existing businesses * Streamlining the existing decentralized operating model to fuel growth opportunities * Implementing a â€Å"total customer experience† approach * Taking advantage of HP’s strong balance sheet and cash generation capability to fund new growth initiatives * Leveraging HP’s market position * Creating e- services ecosystems and placing HP at the center 2. Is the proposed merger likely to address these challenges? Benefits from the merger included personal systems, improved economics, and innovation. HP management believed that the combined company would have a lower cost structure due to economies of scale. HP would also be able to leverage Compaq’s progress in developing a direct sales channel, yielding a more flexible distribution model. Complementary leadership in key markets: Compaq’s strength in industry standard servers, coupled with HP’s Linus and UNIX offerings, would result in an industry- leading product line spanning the entire server category. By adding HP’s strength in high- end storage, the combined company would be the industry leader in both the enterprise storage segment and the fastest growing sub-segment storage area networks. Doubling HP’s sales force, the merger would allow HP to increase account coverage and better compete for important customer engagements around the world. IT Services: Strengthened Business Provides Critical Mass in Key Growth Market- Management believed the merger would significantly strengthen HP and Compaq’s combined services business for several reasons. Financial Benefits- As predicted the merger would yield $2.5 billion in annual cost saving by mid-2004. Yes, we do believe the proposed merger is likely to address the challenges HP faces. 3. How do you interpret the market’s reaction to the proposal deal? We interpret the market’s reaction to the proposed deal to be negative. Just two months of the Merger announcement, HP’s share price trailed the preannouncement level by 27%, representing a loss of $12.3 billion of market share value at the same time comparable companies increased 9.9%. 4. If you were a shareholder of HP, how would you vote on the deal? If we were shareholders of HP, we would vote against the deal. It is obvious the company is losing a great deal of money at the same time other companies in the same industry are making money. The merger is not looking out for the best interest of the shareholders so we would not vote for the merger. Sources Bloomberg Businessweek http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-12/hewlett-packard-gains-pc-market-share-after-mulling-spinoff.html CNN Money http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/02/07/8250437/index.htm http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/22/technology/hp_ceo_fired/index.htm Hewlett-Packard Website http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/090331xa.html Hewlett-Packard Case Study â€Å"Hewlett-Packard – Compaq: The Merger Decision† Marketing Research http://www.marketingresearch.com/marketing/swot-analysis-hewlett-packard Jennifer Brown Synopsis The process of completing this assignment has helped me discover how to view business decisions in a more analytical way. When approaching this one it seemed overwhelming at first. I began pulling outside sources and background information that helped me gain a better understanding of the project at hand. That extra research was very useful in explaining what the companies were going through and giving different perspectives as to why. I was able to apply what I have learned in my accounting classes when the case study and articles referred to financial ratios and provided financial reports. That was helpful when trying to answer the questions assigned. Working with a group was also beneficial because there were several times my group members made great points that I may have missed working alone. Our group has met several times since the project has been assigned. I have been present at each meeting. Before we met the first time we decided we would read the case study in full to have an understanding of what we would need to do. Our first meeting we discussed the case study and our stance on what HP should do. We also discussed the questions within the case study and started our outline for our power point. Outside of the meeting I researched articles to gain background information. Our group had several more meetings at which we outlined our strategy report and assigned each person a portion of the report. When we were finished with our portion we would submit it to the rest of the group for proofreading. Everybody completed their task as set and we came together as a group and finalized the report. I, as well as the other members of the group, contributed to the makeup and layout of both the strategy report and the power point. Charnele Hodge Synopsis Being that this has been my first time in a group doing a strategy report on a company, I took away a few key elements. I have learned, understood, and properly used the purpose of a SWOT Analysis. I know this form of analysis will be used in my future endeavors, so I know it will be very beneficial to me. Also, I learned while in a group setting how to effectively achieve a SWOT Analysis to inform and persuade others to understand and see our point-of-view on our particular position. As a Business Management major, this group project has helped me realize that in not every group setting, that there needs to be a set leader. In my group, I felt that everyone meshed well with each other and there was not a constant need for someone to be in charge. Every group member knew what was at stake and that being at meetings and pulling her part in the group was essential. My individual contribution to the group was making sure that I gave my opinion on the different positions that we would be taking on the SWOT Analysis. I made it my individual objective to make sure that I pulled my part in completing each and every task that I volunteered to work on, that it was done properly, as well as completed on time. Being a Business Management major, I believe I helped bring balance among my other peers that are majoring in different genres in the college of business. I took a more realistic, rational approach to the group, in who would be better fit for particular objectives. Sakina Middleton Synopsis Conducting a strategy report required using resources from all aspects of my undergraduate studies. I was able to read the Hewlett-Packard and Compaq merger decision and understand the different aspects used to compile the information. In utilizing marketing concepts, I was able to conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of Hewlett-Packard’s present company structure. My management background allowed for an understanding of company decisions made, such as whether to undergo a merger. Finally, the accounting knowledge I have acquired thus far has enabled me to read and comprehend the many financial statements used to decide which options should be made based on the factual numbers provided. Overall, my primary takeaway was my ability to read, comprehend, and analyze a case study regarding two merging companies with the knowledge and education provided by Savannah State University’s College of Business Administration. Throughout this project I was able to increase my ability to problem solve in a group of my colleagues. No one group is perfect, but the communication skills I have acquired allowed me to handle all situations appropriately and in a timely fashion. For this strategy report, I was responsible for arranging all group meetings regarding the collection and accumulation of information for the paper. I was the initiator of correspondence and also the channel of delivery for every member’s designated portion of the paper. My personal contribution includes the compilation on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the present-day company Hewlett-Packard. I was also responsible for the editing of the final paper. Summer Wilcox Synopsis In March 2002, Hewlett- Packard’s current CEO and president, Carleton Firiona announced the acquiring of HP’s rival company, Compaq Computer. The merging of the two companies was designed to put Hewlett- Packard/Compaq in a position to challenge one of its top leaders in the industry, IBM. The merger was also designed to create a global technology powerhouse that would provide consumers with products and services demanded by profitable enterprise customers. After reading over the case, I started to feel like the merger was not going to be a success. The merger presented itself to be too risky. Although Hewlett Packard was aiming to become the industry’s leader by expanding into new markets, the idea of the merger just didn’t seem to look out for the best interest of the company. Management felt that HP and Compaq needed to improve their whole business structure to effectively compete with Dell which was the industry’s leader. They also felt that HP and Compaq’s leadership would complement each other in key markets such as the enterprise storage segment and storage area networks, and by having a broader portfolio of products and services. Management believed that HP and Compaq had a weak combination of products and services, and merging would strengthen that area. While some thought that the merger would be a success to Hewlett- Packard, there were some who were against it. Among those few were the director and son of HP cofounder William Hewlett, Walter Hewlett. Walter Hewlett was HP’s second largest shareholder and had a very powerful, important voting privilege of HP. Walter was against the merger for 4 main reasons. He felt the proposed merger would be worse, the integration risk of the proposed merger would be substantial, the financial impact on HP’s stockholders would remain negative, and the position of the company would not improve. I agree with opposing the merger of HP and Compaq. They knew from the beginning stages that the merger was going to be risky. Shareholders would lose and ample amount of value on their shares. Stockholders would get a very small amount of the combined company’s contribution to earnings. The merger would drown the stockholder’s interest in the imaging and printing business which is the most profitable of HP already. The merger would not improve the position of the company. Furthermore, HP had no experience with handling a merger of that size. All HP had to do was invest and focus more on the printing and imaging part of the company. The printing and imaging varied in low-end printers and supplies to commercial printing solutions. Instead of taking such a risky acquisition, they could have focused on something that proved already successful for the business. My contribution to the overall strategy report was to research where HP stands now. I also found official documents filed by both HP and Compaq to the SEC about the planned merger. The documents further explained forward- looking statements, assumptions, uncertainties, and risk of the planned merger between the two companies.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Effects of Alcohol and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay -- Alcohol Alcohol

Effects of Alcohol and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Works Cited Missing Alcohol plays a major role in society today. It is constantly being in our minds through advertisements, whether its commercials or billboards, holidays, or even just at the popular social scene. Alcohol is consumed for many purposes, such as celebrations, to increase romance, out of boredom, or a way to relax. Alcohol is a drug that is depended upon by the majority of our society. Nonetheless, alcohol has very damaging effects, not only does it cause self-inflicted diseases resembling alcoholism or cirrhosis of the liver, but it harms unborn fetuses as well. Many women drink alcohol when they do not even know that they are pregnant yet. Alcohol can cause disorders such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, FAS, is a congenital disorder which is characterized by a variety of physical and behavioral traits that result from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The term Fetal Alcohol Effects, FAE, indicates that alcohol is being considered as one of the possible causes of a patient's birth defects. In other words, FAE is a less severe form of FAS. Both FAS and FAE are the results of the use of teratogens, which are nongenetic influences that can potentially complicate fetal development.(Harris, p.85)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  FAS is due to the mother's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol in the woman's bloodstream circulates to the fetus via the placenta. There, the alcohol intrudes with the ability of the fetus to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen and nourishment for normal development in the brain and other body organs. The critical time for alcohol teratogenicity is around the time of conception. Effects of FAS/FAE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although alcohol is the only cause of FAS, there are unfortunately numerous effects. Infants with FAS may have a weak sucking response and an irregular sucking pattern early in life. Some doctors describe them as distracted and fatigued when sucking. Withdrawal symptoms such as prolonged twitching, jitteriness, sweating, and hyperactivity have also been reported in infants exhibited to alcohol before birth. (Timberlake and Birch, p.1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the leading known causes of mental retardation in the United States. Mental retardation is usually mild to mode... ...st be an increase in the number of women who abstain from alcohol during their pregnancies. To reach that goal further research needs to continue. There must be an improvement in public health surveillance methods, a refinement in methods used for identifying children who have been affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, a demonstration in the effectiveness of primary prevention programs, and an investigation on the effectiveness of secondary intervention strategies, such as foster-care placement and special education strategies.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, p.4)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not all women who drink during pregnancy will have an infant with FAS or FAE, but if there is a 40-50% risk of harming the fetus, why chance it? Women should be more careful when drinking, because drinking often leads to sex even if it is not planned. The best prevention for FAS/FAE is to either abstain from sexual intercourse while consuming alcohol, or abstain from alcohol while planning a pregnancy. Therefore sexual partners should use birth control. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects are fully preventable and the responsibility lies within the role of being parents.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Spss Regression

Simple Linear Regression in SPSS 1. STAT 314 Ten Corvettes between 1 and 6 years old were randomly selected from last year’s sales records in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The following data were obtained, where x denotes age, in years, and y denotes sales price, in hundreds of dollars. x y a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. 6 125 6 115 6 130 4 160 2 219 5 150 4 190 5 163 1 260 2 260 Graph the data in a scatterplot to determine if there is a possible linear relationship. Compute and interpret the linear correlation coefficient, r. Determine the regression equation for the data.Graph the regression equation and the data points. Identify outliers and potential influential observations. Compute and interpret the coefficient of determination, r2. Obtain the residuals and create a residual plot. Decide whether it is reasonable to consider that the assumptions for regression analysis are met by the variables in questions. At the 5% significance level, do the data provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the slope of the population regression line is not 0 and, hence, that age is useful as a predictor of sales price for Corvettes? Obtain and interpret a 95% confidence interval for the slope, ? of the population regression line that relates age to sales price for Corvettes. Obtain a point estimate for the mean sales price of all 4-year-old Corvettes. Determine a 95% confidence interval for the mean sales price of all 4-year-old Corvettes. Find the predicted sales price of Jack Smith’s 4-year-old Corvette. Determine a 95% prediction interval for the sales price of Jack Smith’s 4-year-old Corvette. Note that the following steps are not required for all analyses†¦only perform the necessary steps to complete your problem. Use the above steps as a guide to the correct SPSS steps. 1.Enter the age values into one variable and the corresponding sales price values into another variable (see figure, below). 2. Select Graphs ? Legacy Dialogs ? Scatte r/Dot†¦ (select Simple then click the Define button) with the Y Axis variable (Price) and the X Axis variable (Age) entered (see figures, below). Click â€Å"Titles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to enter a descriptive title for your graph, and click â€Å"Continue†. Click â€Å"OK†. Your output should look similar to the figure below. a. Graph the data in a scatterplot to determine if there is a possible linear relationship. The points seem to follow a somewhat linear pattern with a negative slope. . Select Analyze ? Correlate ? Bivariate†¦ (see figure, below). 4. Select â€Å"Age† and â€Å"Price† as the variables, select â€Å"Pearson† as the correlation coefficient, and click â€Å" â€Å"OK† (see the left figure, below). b. Compute and interpret the linear correlation coefficient, r. The correlation coefficient is –0. 9679 (see the right figure, above). This value of r suggests a strong negative linear correlation since the value is n egative and close to –1. Since the above value of r suggests a strong negative linear correlation, the data points should be clustered closely about a negatively sloping regression line.This is consistent with the graph obtained above. Therefore, since we see a strong negative linear relationship between Age and Price, linear regression analysis can continue. 5. Since we eventually want to predict the price of 4-year-old Corvettes (parts j–m), enter the number â€Å"4† in the â€Å"Age† variable column of the data window after the last row. Enter a â€Å". † for the corresponding â€Å"Price† variable value (this lets SPSS know that we want a prediction for this value and not to include the value in any other computations) (see left figure, below). . Select Analyze ? Regression ? Linear†¦ (see right figure, above). 7. Select â€Å"Price† as the dependent variable and â€Å"Age† as the independent variable (see upperleft fi gure, below). Click â€Å"Statistics†, select â€Å"Estimates† and â€Å"Confidence Intervals† for the regression coefficients, select â€Å"Model fit† to obtain r2, and click â€Å"Continue† (see upper-right figure, below). Click â€Å"Plots†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , select â€Å"Normal Probability Plot† of the residuals, and click â€Å"Continue† (see lower-left figure, below).Click â€Å"Save†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , select â€Å"Unstandardized† predicted values, select â€Å"Unstandardized† and â€Å"Studentized† residuals, select â€Å"Mean† (to obtain a confidence interval†¦output in the Data Window) and â€Å"Individual† (to obtain a prediction interval†¦output in the Data Window) at the 95% level (or whatever level the problem requires), and click â€Å"Continue† (see lower-right figure, below). Click â€Å"OK†. The output from this procedure is extensive and will be shown in parts in th e following answers. c. Determine the regression equation for the data. From above, the regression equation is: Price = 29160. 1942 – (2790. 2913)(Age). 8.From within the output window, double-click on the scatterplot to enter Chart Editor mode. From the â€Å"Elements† menu, select â€Å"Fit Line at Total†. Click the close box. Now your scatterplot displays the linear regression line computed above. Graph the regression equation and the data points. d. e. Identify outliers and potential influential observations. There do not appear to be any points that lie far from the cluster of data points or far from the regression line; thus there are no possible outliers or influential observations. f. Compute and interpret the coefficient of determination, r2. The coefficient of determination is 0. 368; therefore, about 93. 68% of the variation in the price data is explained by age. The regression equation appears to be very useful for making predictions since the value of r 2 is close to 1. 9. The residuals and standardized values (as well as the predicted values, the confidence interval endpoints, and the prediction interval endpoints) can be found in the data window. 10. To create a residual plot, select Graphs ? Legacy Dialogs ? Scatter/Dot†¦ (Simple) with the residuals (RES_1) as the Y Axis variable and Age as the X Axis variable. Click â€Å"Titles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to enter â€Å"Residual Plot† as the title for your graph, and click â€Å"Continue†.Click â€Å"OK†. Double-click the resulting graph in the output window, select â€Å"Options† ? â€Å"Y Axis Reference Line†, select the â€Å"Reference Line† tab in the properties window, add position of line â€Å"0†, and click â€Å"Apply†. Click the close box to exit the chart editor (see left plot, below). 11. To create a studentized residual plot (what the textbook calls a standardized residual plot), select Graphs ? Legacy Dialogs ? Scatter/Dot†¦ (Simple) with the studentized residuals (SRES_1) as the Y Axis variable and Age as the X Axis variable. Click â€Å"Titles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to enter â€Å"Studentized Residual Plot† as the title for your graph, and click â€Å"Continue†.Click â€Å"OK†. Double-click the resulting graph in the output window, select â€Å"Options† ? â€Å"Y Axis Reference Line†, select the â€Å"Reference Line† tab in the properties window, add position of line â€Å"0†, and click â€Å"Apply†. If 2 and/or -2 are in the range covered by the y-axis, repeat the last steps to add a reference line at â€Å"2† and â€Å"-2† (see right plot, above); any points that are not between these lines are considered potential outliers. If 3 and/or -3 are in the range covered by the y-axis, repeat the last steps to add a reference line at â€Å"3† and â€Å"-3†; any points that are beyond these lines are considered ou tliers. 2. To assess the normality of the residuals, consult the P-P Plot from the regression output. g. Obtain the residuals and create a residual plot. Decide whether it is reasonable to consider that the assumptions for regression analysis are met by the variables in questions. The residual plot shows a random scatter of the points (independence) with a constant spread (constant variance). The studentized residual plot shows a random scatter of the points (independence) with a constant spread (constant variance) with no values beyond the  ±2 standard deviation reference lines (no outliers).The normal probability plot of the residuals shows the points close to a diagonal line; therefore, the residuals appear to be approximately normally distributed. Thus, the assumptions for regression analysis appear to be met. h. At the 10% significance level, do the data provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the slope of the population regression line is not 0 and, hence, that age is u seful as a predictor of sales price for Corvettes? Step 1: Hypotheses H 0 : ! = 0 (Age is not a useful predictor of price. ) H a : ! † 0 (Age is a useful predictor of price. ) Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Significance Level ! 0. 05 Critical Value(s) and Rejection Region(s) Reject the null hypothesis if p-value ? 0. 05. Test Statistic (choose either the T-test method or the F-test method†¦not both) T = –10. 8873, and p-value = 0. 00000448 Step 5: Step 6: F = 118. 5330, and p-value = 0. 00000448 Conclusion Since p-value = 0. 00000448 ? 0. 05, we shall reject the null hypothesis. State conclusion in words At the ! = 0. 05 level of significance, there exists enough evidence to conclude that the slope of the population regression line is not zero and, hence, that age is useful as a predictor of price for Corvettes. . Obtain and interpret a 95% confidence interval for the slope, ? , of the population regression line that relates age to sales price for Corvettes. We are 95% co nfident that the slope of the true regression line is somewhere between –3381. 2946 and –2199. 2880. In other words, we are 95% confident that for every year older Corvettes get, their average price decreases somewhere between $3,381. 2946 and $2,199. 2880. j. Obtain a point estimate for the mean sales price of all 4-year-old Corvettes. The point estimate (PRE_1) is 17999. 0291 dollars ($17,999. 0291). k.Determine a 95% confidence interval for the mean sales price of all 4-year-old Corvettes. We are 95% confident that the mean sales price of all four-year-old Corvettes is somewhere between $16,958. 4604 (LMCI_1) and $19,039. 5978 (UMCI_1). l. Find the predicted sales price of Jack Smith’s selected 4-year-old Corvette. The predicted sales price is 17999. 0291 dollars ($17,999. 0291). m. Determine a 95% prediction interval for the sales price of Jack Smith’s 4-year-old Corvette. We are 95% certain that the individual sales price of Jack Smith? s Corvette wi ll be somewhere between $14,552. 9173 (LICI_1) and $21,445. 1410 (UICI_1).