The Dairy Industry Of Pakistan Marketing Essay

The Dairy Industry Of Pakistan Marketing Essay The dairy industry of Pakistan is a very competitive industry and has huge potential. Unfortunately, dairy processors in Pakistan still have miles to cover before they can exploit full benefits of this industry. The milk production of the country has not been up to the mark and as a result the demand for dairy products outweighs the supply. Traditionally, people living in urban areas preferred to consume fresh milk delivered to their homes by Gawallas. However with the passage of time, as people became more and more health conscious there was a shift towards the consumption of UHT milk and its demand has been increasing ever since. In the UHT milk segment, firms like Nestle Pakistan Limited and Engro Foods Limited have emerged as leading market players. These firms with their bundle of financial resources have made huge investments in getting state of the art technology, manpower and strengthening their promotion efforts. Despite the fact that local dairy processing industries have b een able to match the quality standards of Nestle and Engro to a greater extent, these firms lack in their marketing efforts. Noon Pakistan Limited is one such firm which is being effected due to poor marketing efforts and has not been able to reap the benefits of the industry in which it operates. Noon Pakistan Limited is a venture of the Noon Family and has been marketing its products under the brand name of Nurpur. The firm enjoys market leadership in the category of butter. Initially when the firm launched its UHT milk the market response was good. However with the passage of time, the brand performance of Nurpur UHT milk has deteriorated due to mismanagement of marketing efforts. While management claims that they are able to sell whatever they produce, the market survey results prove that the prevailing performance of the brand has not been up to the mark. The firm relies on the selling concept which is a short term approach and little emphasis is being given to the concept of brand building. It is the need of the hour that Noon Pakistan Limited adopts a long term strategic approach if it wants to secure its position in the market for years to come. To study the issue being faced by Noon Pakistan Limited, a rigorous Literature review was conducted followed by interviews with employees of the firm, retailers and consumer surveys. Financial analysis and comparison with Nestle and Engro was done. Even though Noon Pakistan Limited does not match the financial strength of its competitors, there are many ways in which the firm can improve its position in the market. The first step in building strong brands is to ensure that the brand has a high salience. The brand should have top of the mind recall and recognition. Unfortunately the survey results analyzed using SPSS software proved that Nurpur milk is not the first brand which comes to the mind when a consumer wants to purchase UHT milk. Majority of the respondents could not even recall any advertisements of Nurpur milk. A major proportion of the respondents also highlighted the fact that Nurpur milk was occasionally short in the market. The results of the retailer interviews also prove that Noon Pakistan Limited has to improve its trade promotion schemes as majority of the retailers were not satisfied with current distribution practices of the company. The retailers highlighted the fact that the company should improve its promotion activities so that consumers start demanding Nurpur milk. Companies such as Noon Pak Limited, those fail to expand, eventually move to the phase out or withdrawal stage. This is because expansion ensures the continuity of profitability, brands, innovation and progress. It also creates employment opportunities and contributes to the growth of economy by improving the GDP. Noon Pakistan Limited however is not expanding and considering the intense competitive environment that prevails in the dairy industry, if they fail to expand in future; the company might have to face a stark fortune of a complete phase out and therefore should start redesigning their marketing and management strategies accordingly. Due to weak financial resources, Noon Pakistan Limited should utilize alternative strategies to maintain its position in the market. The firm needs to invest in consumer promotion activities like in store sampling and taste trials. The firm also needs to focus on its BTL activities in order to strengthen the perceptual positioning of the brand in consumer mind. The firm needs to revise its payment policies with retailers and start providing goods on a credit basis to those retailers who have a good reputation in the market. In short, Noon Pakistan Limited should revise its current practices and operations. The firm should let go its old concept of selling and instead focus on building the equity of its brands if it wants to strengthen its position in the market for the future. 2.0 Introduction 2.1 The Noon Group The Noon Group of Companies is being managed by the Noon family. The group has qualified and experienced professionals. The Noon Group of Pakistan strives to improve its profitability and safeguard its stakeholders interest while maintaining highest quality standards and serving the community1 The Noon Group of Companies has various business ventures and Noon Pakistan Limited is one such profitable venture of the Group. Apart from Noon Pakistan Limited a brief description of the other business ventures are as follows:- 1. Noon Sugar Mills Limited This venture was incorporated in 1964 and manufactures white sugar. Initial crushing capacity was 1500 MT of sugarcane which has been increased to 4000 MT over the passage of time.2 2. Pioneer Cement Limited Pioneer Cement Limited was incorporated in 1985 with a total investment of Rs.2660 million and production capacity of 630000 tons per annum. The plant is situated in Chenki, Khushab.3 3. Noon International Private Limited Noon International Private Limited is a trading company which was established in 1972. The company employs 43 people including a team of 15 professional sales engineers. This firm represents various international companies of repute in Pakistan and markets their equipment in the fields of textile, power generation, sugar, fertilizer, chemical, steel, cement, food and milling4 4. Textile Technics Private Limited Incorporated in 2004 with a total investment of Rs 100 million, Textile Technics is a joint venture between M/S Blue Reed of Spain and Noon International Private Limited. The project has a production capacity of 22000 meters of reed per annum5 5. Textile Services Textile Services was established in 1994 and provides services to over 200 customers of Sulzer Textile Projectile Weaving Machines. The company employs 32 people and provides training, technical service and spare parts for clients6 2.2 Noon Pakistan Limited Incorporated in 1966 with a total investment of 553 million, Noon Pakistan Limited produces various products namely Butter, Cheese, UHT milk, HCLF, Pasteurized milk, Flavored milk, Juices, Water, Desi ghee, Honey and Jam. Installed capacity of the plant is 72000 Liters/2 shifts and there are 700 employees. Noon Pakistan Limited has been marketing its products under the brand name of Nurpur. The plant is located in Bhalwal, Sargodha while the head office is situated in Lahore7 The year 2011 was a challenging year for Noon Pakistan Limited. Energy Crisis, security situation coupled with devastating floods had exerted significant pressure on the economy and cost of living. Higher inflationary trends continued impacting their key products particularly related to fresh milk when shortages led to a cost increase of 16% compared to last year. Additionally, higher growth of their products led to severe filling capacity constraints and the market demand could not be met fully. Due to reduced buying power, trend in the market is changing fast as consumers are looking for cheaper products in small packages. Therefore the management at Noon Pakistan Limited has made plans to reassess the market requirements and also further improve their production efficiency8 2.3 Vision The vision statement of Noon Pakistan Limited is as follows:- Our vision at Nurpur is to be a transformative force in our community and world at large and to serve as a model of a sustainable business alternative that nurtures social and economic well being in an environmentally sensitive manner9 2.4 Mission The mission statement of Noon Pakistan Limited is as follows:- Nurpur is committed to supplying the consumer and customer with the finest, high quality products and to be a leading industry in healthy and nutritious products. Nurpur supports these goals with a corporate philosophy of adhering to the highest ethical conduct in all its business dealings, treatment of its employees, and social and environmental policies10 2.5 Core Values At Noon Pakistan Limited, consumers are at the forefront of everything they do. The core values of the company include the generation of Ideas that can be constantly challenged to develop next generation solutions, to conduct business openly and fairly while competing fiercely at the same time, to encourage teamwork with individual flairs, to set tough goals that can be challenged and beaten, to value preservation of the environment and ensure sustainability of organic agriculture, to value mutually supportive relationships among members of local and global communities11 2.6 Awards and Certifications Noon Pakistan Limited has won many prestigious awards and certifications which are First dairy company in Pakistan to be certified under ISO 22000:2005, Brand of the year award (2006-07) in the category of Butter, Brand of the year award (2007-08) in category of Butter, Cheese and flavored milk and Brand of the year award (2008-09) in the category of Butter12 2.7 The Purchase Department To study the operations of the Purchase Department, two interviews were conducted with the Purchase Manager. The findings of the interviews have been utilized to describe the function of the Purchase Department. The purchase department is responsible for purchasing all materials required by the head office and plant other then milk which is purchased at the milk collection centre in Bhalwal. Materials which are purchased by the department range from ordinary items like office and plant stationary to complex materials like Flavors, Spare parts for plant equipment and transportation vehicles, Chemicals, Fuel and everything related to the manufacturing process, Logistics and day to day operations. Demand for requisition comes from the factory and approval has to be given by the Managing Director. The purchase department currently has 4-5 employees. The department uses a manual system of keeping records and storing files. The purchase department always keeps 3 copies of requisitions and delivery challans. One copy is sent to the plant, one copy is maintained with the purchase department and one copy is kept by the Purchase Manager. The major suppliers of Noon Pakistan Limited are SMC, Sitara Che micals , Jason Foods and Danisco. Payments to suppliers are made either on cash or credit through the head office. Credit terms depend on contacts and relations with suppliers and can range from 15 days up to a month. According to the Purchase Manager, Noon Pakistan Limited believes in maintaining healthy relations with Suppliers and this is one of the key strengths of the department The Purchase Manager also stated that in case of materials needed from local suppliers, the purchase department is given no time and purchase has to be made immediately. However when imported materials are required from foreign suppliers, the Purchase department is informed in advance as shipping takes time. There is no fixed pattern of purchases made throughout the year and it all depends on plant and market requirements. The quality of materials purchased is checked at the plant and if there are defects the merchandise is returned to the supplier.13 2.9 The Marketing Department To study the operations of the Marketing Department of the firm, two interviews were conducted with the Marketing Manager. Marketing research activities are outsourced. The Marketing Department purchases monthly reports from different marketing research agencies like AC Nielson and Tetra Pak. In this way the marketing department stays in touch with the latest trends and competitor activities. Some of the agencies with which the marketing department works are SABB Marketing, Time and Space, Orient, HRK Communications, Aura Communications, TOPAZ Communications and ADZ Communications. These agencies prepare designs of print ads and commercials. The brand manager discusses the various designs with the Marketing Manager and after making necessary amendments and recommendations approval is given to Marketing agencies. The Marketing Strategy of Noon Pakistan Limited is Differentiation strategy. However the strategy to be adopted for each brand depends on the market performance and competitor activities. Since UHT milk is difficult to differentiate, the current strategy being adopted is to position it as a milk which is enriched with vitamins needed for healthy growth and development. The target market of UHT milk is Housewives and working females as well as males. Different SKUs are being used to target different Socio Economic Classes like the 1000ml pack is targeted for SEC-A while the 200ml and 250ml packs are targeted towards low income households. The main competitor brands of Nurpur Milk are Olpers, Milk Pak, Good Milk and Haleeb. The marketing department does not go for an offensive strategy because Nestle and Engro are huge giants with bundle of resources. Noon Pakistan Limited can be classified as an Analyzer because it is operating both in a stable and dynamic market. Another reason for not adopting an offensive strategy is that volumes are low. The main weakness of the Marketing Department is that very little attention is being paid towards building brand equity. The department is focusing on increasing sales which is a short term approach rather than focusing on building their brands 14 2.10 Organizational Chart of the Marketing Department Figure 3 Organizational Chart(Marketing Department) Source: Internal Company Documents The Brand Manager is responsible for dealing with various Marketing Agencies and reports to the Marketing Manager. The Marketing Manager reports to the General Manager of Sales and Marketing15 2.11 The Sales Department Two interviews were conducted with the Sales Analyst of the firm to get insights regarding the operations of the Sales Department. The organizational structure of the Sales Department comprises of the General Manager of Sales and Marketing, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Area Sales Manager, Field Managers and Sales Officers. Territories have been assigned according to location and comprises of Central Zone, Southern Punjab zone and Northern zone which includes RWL/AJK, Hazara belt and Pakhtoon.K belt. The process of forecasting yearly sales is that last years closing sales are doubled and the amount is set as the Sales Target for the next year. There are more than 280 distributors all over the country and each Sales Officer has to monitor and look after three to four distributors. If targets set in the year 2012 are met, the entire Sales Team will go on a vacation to Dubai on the companys expenses. Noon Pakistan Limited has also started exporting its products to countries like England, Kenya and Afghanistan.16 2.12 Marketing Mix of Nurpur UHT milk Nurpur UHT milk has been positioned as a milk which is enriched with vitamins needed for healthy growth and development.17 The milk is packed in Tetra Aseptic Packaging which allows long lasting storage and shelf space. Currently three SKUs are available in the market which are 200ml, 250ml and 1000ml. Initially the pricing policy adopted for Nurpur milk was market penetration pricing, which means prices were low compared to competing brands. Recently the pricing policy has been changed and now the pricing policy is competitive pricing policy as shown :- Product Packing Unit/Ctn Retailer Margin Trade Price Consumer Price 1.UHT MILK Ctns Units Ctns Units 1000ml 12 6.09% 1018 84.83 1080 90 200ml 24 4.35% 391 16.29 408 17 250ml 27 5.97% 586 21.7 621 23 Table 3 Price List of Nurpur UHT milk Source: Company Internal Documents Due to low volumes produced the company has adopted the policy of selective distribution. The company offers various discounts to retailers to push their products into the market18 . The indirect distribution channel being used is shown below:- Figure 5 Distribution Channel Source: Company Internal Documents 2.13 SWOT Analysis Strengths Market leadership in selected product categories Strong and Experienced Sales Team Strong Supplier relationship Brand Loyal Customers Strict adherence to Quality Standards First dairy company in Pakistan to be certified under ISO 22000:2005 Weaknesses Weak coordination among departments No emphasis on building brand equity No formal HR Department Centralized Decision Making No policy of recruiting fresh blood Selective Distribution Opportunities Exporting products to foreign countries Increased demand for dairy products due to urbanization and increasing population Ensuring availability in untapped markets Launching innovative products for health conscious consumers Going for backward integration Threats Reliance on few suppliers Rising prices of sugar Rising prices of oil increasing transportation expenses Energy and Power Crises Procurement of Quality Milk as milk production fluctuates Rising Inflation decreasing purchasing power of consumers 3.0 Literature Review Pakistan has been classified as the third largest milk producing and consuming country in the world. There is a huge potential for liquid dairy products because 94% of the total population still consumes unpackaged milk. Dairy Processors in Pakistan are coming up with innovative products. An example is Tea Creamer which has been quite successful because drinking milk with tea accounts for 32% of total milk consumption in Pakistan. Consumption by low income consumers in developing markets is forecast to increase by from about 70 billion liters in 2011 to 80 billion liters in 2014 and many of these consumers are expected to switch in coming years from drinking loose milk to packaged milk19 According to Tetra Pak, global consumption of liquid dairy products is set to rise by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.9% in 2011-2014, accelerating from 2.5% growth in 2008-2011, led by buoyant demand in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Asia, Latin America and Africa are all expected to record higher growth rates in consumption in 2011-2014 than in 2008-2011. Asia is forecast to consolidate its position as the worlds biggest market for liquid dairy and dairy alternatives, while Latin America is forecast to overtake Western Europe as the worlds second biggest market by 2014, the research shows. Demand in Asia-Pacific is forecast to rise by 4.6% (CAGR) in 2011-2014 to some 165.3 billion liters20 The research shows that there is a huge potential for dairy processors and demand for dairy products especially UHT milk is likely to go up in future years to come. This demand for dairy products will not only exist in Pakistan but also in developing countries abroad. The demand for milk in neighboring countries also provides huge opportunities for dairy processors and they can expand their operations in those countries by either exporting their products or setting up plants. This research by Tetra Pak provides sound evidence that the future for dairy processors is bright if they can overcome certain issues of availability, quality of milk and reduce operating expenses. Pakistans milk and dairy products industry has already reached $26 billion as of March 2012. Engro is the market leader in the UHT milk segment with a share of over 44%21 A major issue being faced by the dairy industry of Pakistan is that the total production of milk in the country is not fulfilling domestic needs. While human population and consumption per capita has been increasing at the rate of 3% annually, milk production in the country is not increasing at the same pace22 In Pakistan, Buffalos are the main source of milk production with a contribution of 66%, followed by Cows with a contribution of 32% and Goats and Sheep which contribute 2% of the total milk produced. The major Buffalo breeds are Nilli-Ravi and Kundhi, while Sahiwal and Red Sindhi are dominant cow breeds. A majority of small holding farmers, who fulfill 90% of the total milk requirements of the country are not linked to the formal dairy market. The reasons which have been attributed to low productivity of animals are low genetic life of cattle, delay in puberty, scarcity of feed resources, high disease incidence, disorganized marketing system and traditional farming practices. The low production of milk in the country places a huge burden on dairy processors and in the year 2008-09, dry milk products worth Rs. 1.1 Billion had to be imported due to shortfall of milk production23 This article provides information regarding the major sources of milk in the country. It also clearly indicates a major issue being faced by dairy processors in the supply chain, which is procuring quality milk for further processing. Milk is the major raw material for dairy processors and insufficient milk production means that dairy processors have to operate with constrained capacity and cannot expand into new markets to meet future demands of milk. As the article highlights that not only is the productivity of animals low but majority of farmers do not have access to the formal dairy market. In Pakistan, 97% of milk produced is consumed by producers in far flung areas and only 3% is being processed and marketed through formal channels. Demand for milk is present not only in Pakistan but neighboring countries like Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Philippines which can be harnessed to advantage. Apart from bacteria of tuberculosis and hepatitis that naturally occur in milk, the Gawala adds many more impurities specially contaminated water for milk dilution. Other impurities like ice slab, soda bicarbonate, and formalin are added to prevent the milk from intense weather. Improper marketing channel is one of the major constraints being faced by the dairy sector. The informal private sector comprises of various agents in the supply chain each performing specialized roles. These comprise of producers, collectors, middlemen, processors, traders and consumers. Seasonal fluctuation hampers milk production and consumption in Pakistan. Milk production is maximum in the months from January to April due to availability of green fodder and reaches minimum in months of May to August. Alternatively milk consumption is high during summers and low in winters. Cold storage facilities are limited in Pakistan due to high cost of operations and shortage of electricity. Dairy processors like Nestle are looking at options to reduce or eliminate their reliance on small farmers due to milk adulteration and delays in getting the quantity of milk which hampers production. Dairy processors should vertically integrate their activities by Corporate Farming and offer additional services and support to medium and large farmers in order to get bulk quantities of milk from them24 This article highlights that opportunities exist for dairy processors to export their products in neighboring countries. It also explains how milk is collected and various contaminations which are added to raw milk. Procuring bulk quantities of milk is a big issue for dairy processors and their viable options are to reduce their dependence on small farmers. The constraint of seasonal fluctuation and ensuring quality standards is also a prime concern for dairy processors since all these factors hamper production and ultimately sales. The milk marketing chain in Pakistan can be classified into an informal marketing chain and a formal marketing chain. The informal milk marketing chain is highly unorganized and milk is delivered under unhygienic conditions. The formal marketing chain on the other hand is more organized and utilizes Cold Storage Tanks to deliver milk from collection centers to processing units25 The informal marketing chain provides the end consumer with low price dairy products at the cost of poor quality standards and unhygienic conditions. The formal marketing chain on the other hand is more conscious towards meeting health standards. However consumers also have to pay more for purchasing their products26 The demand drivers of the dairy industry include increased spending on healthy dairy, increasing nuclear families and working women, increase in demand for functional dairy, organized retail and private label penetration, changing demographics and rise in disposable incomes and increasing urbanization. The challenges being faced by the dairy industry are that milk productivity is still too low, R D is low, human resource challenges have to be addressed, supply chain hindrances have to be minimized and quality standards need to be improved27 The processing of UHT milk involves six steps. In the 1st step fresh milk from cows enters into the UHT process at 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit and contains 50 kinds of bacteria most of which are harmful to health. In the 2nd step the milk flows through pipes in which the temperature gets hotter and hotter until it reaches a holding tank and bacteria gets killed as the milk flows through the pipes. In the 3rd step the milk is heated to 278 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 seconds which kills 99.9 % of the bacteria. In the 4th step the milk is quickly cooled down to 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit which preserves essential nutrients and vitamins. In the 5th step the UHT milk is packed in Tetra packing within seconds to prevent bacteria from entering again in closed pipes and tanks. Finally in the last and 6th step the packed UHT milk is ready to be transported28 Tetra Pak is the pioneer in aseptic packaging. In this type of packaging the product and the package are sterilized separately and then combined and sealed in a sterile atmosphere29 The reason why dairy processors like Noon Pakistan Limited use Tetra Packages is because it allows products to be stored for up to a year without refrigeration which increases shelf life of milk. Branding is one of those marketing concepts which has immense importance since times immemorial. This is because it is the distinguishing feature between various goods and services. Customers perceive a concept of brand as something with which they can easily associate attributes of a product and to build a strong trust over time. This in turn results in brand equity which is long lasting and is a result of effective marketing efforts on the part of management of the company. With the advent of technology and trends of packaged products, branding is no more a source of identification of a product but way more than that. It is now used for building emotional attachments to both the companies and the products. Apart from the mere identification of the product there are other attributes of branding such as customers involvement, stress on higher quality and standards and other intangible attributes which are related to the brand name and in particular its symbol. Branding helps in creat ing images in the minds of consumers so that they can be ensured that their product is unique and different from the rest. Therefore, it can be said that a brand can only be recognized as a strong entity if it continues to provide attributes that it has been promising and are provided consistently. This shows the importance, growth and need for branding a product and service in recent times. This is because initially, consumers associated the brand with something that can be used for identification purposes only. However, now we can see that branding is way beyond that and is concerned with perceptual positioning of a product more than a distinguishing feature alone. Also a brand can emerge as a strong and well established brand only if the consumers are able to experience consistent delivery of attributes that have been promised by the company. Therefore, no brand can survive in the market if it is unable to fulfill its brand promise and this is a new phenomenon towards which we are seeing a paradigm shift in the market30 The concept of brand awareness is all related to the mind of the consumer. If a brand has a strong presence in the mind of the consumer he is said to be aware of it31 . It is also defined as a measure of the percentage of the target market that is aware of the brand name32 In order to create brand awareness in the mind of consumers33 ,companies can take use of advertising by marketing their product again and again which will create a few competitive advantages to them. For example: Brand familiarity Name familiarity will prove commitment to the brand If a brand isnt recalled during the point of purchase it is of no use and brand salience ensures that Brand awareness will be the most durable intangible asset According to Aaker, companies can generate brand awareness through two steps by firstly broadening the sales base and then by improving their skills beyond the regular mediums of advertisement34 . There are several ways to measure the brand awareness of a company and these attributes are described below: Brand Recognition: Brand recognition in simplest terms refers to the brand identification when consumers are provided with merely a cue about the brand prior to the actual exposure. This means, that this brand can be easily differentiated from others based on previous knowledge about the brand35 Brand Recall: Brand recall basically refers to the aptitude of the consumer for remembering the brand from the minds memory when provided with category of a product or any other cue36 Top of mind Brand: The brand which is named by the consumer first when provided with the product category or classification is known as top of mind brand37 Dominant Brand: When asked from the consumers, if a brand name is recalled by the majority of the respondents then that brand is said to be the dominant brand38 Therefore from the above research it can be analyzed quite easily the significance of the brand awareness. A brand which is able to achieve maximum brand equity and becomes a dominant brand can undoubtedly become the largest market share holder amongst the competitors. Building brand awareness however, is a challenge that is faced by the companies and they need to make their marketing efforts strong in order to ensure that among a huge pool of consumers, the brand awareness of their brand is most dominant as it will provide both economical and perceptual benefits to the compa

Recognizing the Fireside Poets

Poetry characterized by its metrical form is one of the most well-liked forms of literature. It served as a creative expression of one’s thoughts and emotions. There are poems that became famous and had been preserved and past down through generations. The American poetry had established its own identity from British poetry by varying the rhythms, forms, diction and tone. During the 1600 the history of American poetry formally began. During that time poems were mostly written and based on the British language standard. First there are the Puritan and Satirical poets that dominated earlier the American literature.Later they were replaced by Revolutionary Era Poets and even African American poets. When the 19th century arrived there was optimism for major achievement in poetry. During this time the Fireside poet’s goals and works emerged and made significant impact in the world of American poetry. The Fireside poets later were recognized as the first group of American poe ts that had successfully competed British poets in terms of popularity. Fireside Poets: Goals and Works Who were these so called â€Å"Fireside poets† and why are they called in that name?The Fireside Poets are composed of five persons namely Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878), James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) and lastly John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892). They are given this title of Fireside Poets because most of them have used the image of the hearth or the fireplace where the family gathered together to read stories and learn their poems. The goal of the Fireside Poets is to create poems that were based on traditions but can also be of equal level in terms of quality, breadth and creativity of content to that of the British poetry.Their poems are highly notable for wisdom and flexibility in lines and themes. They preferred conventional forms over experimentation in poetic styles and had often used American legends, scenes of American life and even politics as themes in their poems. The careful attention given to rhymes or the strict metrical rhythm made their works popular for memorization and recitation activities in schools and even at homes. Among the five Fireside Poets the most popular then was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. One of his well known compositions is the Song of Hiawatha. Aside from these he was also a well known translator in several languages.He became the first American to be honored with a bust at Westminster Abbey’s Poet Corner. Second to him was William Cullen Bryant who became famous for his work entitled Thanatopis, a poem that recognized death as the great equalizer of life. He worked as a lawyer and editor of New York Evening Post. Third is James Russell Lowell known for Biglow Papers, included among the American tradition of long satirical poems. Next one was Oliver Wendell Holmes a medical doctor that composed the poems Old Ironsides and The C hambered Nautilus. Lastly was John Greenleaf Whittier known for his poems Snow Bound and Legends of New England. ConclusionThe Fireside Poet’s greatest ambition was to be able to carve out their names, established their identity and be of equal to their British counterparts. Their poems have been a lasting legacy among the collections of American poetry. Although they are traditionalist they had been the first to made significant contributions in the area of American poetry. They have been able to use their poems to fight for a cause, portray the way of life or cultures, and share their imaginations and experiences to their readers. The Fireside Poets no longer exist but their compositions continue to live and inspire the new generation of poets.

Service Organization

One gets good friends and a good wife by the grace of God! Friendship to sprout and grow properly needs certain favorable situations. However my friendship with my guests of the day for this special brunch happened and developed under strange circumstances. God brought them together and united them in prison; in the barracks; in the common ward! How indeed does destiny work, when it decides to do something for the welfare of an individual! They were all young – more or less of equal age. Like any youngster, they too wished to get rich quickly. Is it possible to become so by doing sundry jobs or working in road-side eateries?No, not at all! So they had the holy beginning of their career by taking to pick-pocketing; then they switched over to chain-snatching; but all efforts proved futile–even house-breaking proved to be of no avail, for they could not attain the reasonable standard of living. They wished to do something fruitful and result-oriented – definitely, f or that, they picked up the latest in the line–stealing cars! Indeed they did brisk business and promptly landed in jail – for identical crimes! Destiny chased them again! Coming and going out of the jail became their routine, and their friendship deepened.But they were waiting for the rare opportunity, when they all would be out of the jail at the same time. Destiny obliged them again! When all of them were out of the jail, they decided, â€Å"The time has arrived for us to strike big! Enough of local cars! † Their eyes fell on a Mercedes car, but their patch of bad luck had just commenced – call it their inexperience or the reverse gear for their luck! The first Mercedes they stole belonged to the Chief Secretary of Home Department.. The police — If they will, they have the ability to recover a stolen needle also.Within four hours of the theft, the Chief Secretary was comfortably seated in the air-conditional comfort of his own car – and o ur friends in the jail-cell, badly beaten and bruised! They went through a quick trial and were promptly awarded three years rigorous imprisonment! It was during this period that I got an opportunity to interact with them. I was the volunteer with a Service Organization, that looked after the mental health of the prison inmates and somehow I took instant liking for these four friends. I am good at teaching spirituality to others, and listening to my counseling, they got an opportunity to think deep!. â€Å"On release from the prison, we should also live like any other citizen of the country by giving up the path of crime†. Of late, they had heard of many such stories of ‘transformation’– A gold-smuggler of international repute in that line for two decades after completing his five year jail sentence, bought a plot of land at Mumbai, and started the legitimate profession of building, buying, and selling residential/commercial flats. He then earned so much m oney within two years that he deeply regretted, â€Å"Why I wasted decades of my life in gold- smuggling! This line is more lucrative than gold-smuggling†, he emphatically opined!Each of the four friends had some ‘hard-earned’ savings securely deposited in a foreign bank, notorious for maintaining the secrecy of its important clientele. They all decided to be businessmen by buying shops in a row in a shopping centre, and engage in different trades! Grocery, Electrical Appliances, Photo Studio and Bakery– the plans to open these four shops were finalized. After establishing the businesses, all of them would marry and lead the respectable life of house-holders. They would lead an ideal life, remain good friends, excellent neighbors, and live like members of one family.They discussed and agreed on several such high ideals of life and living. But they imposed a strict condition on themselves. They will never enter into a day-to- day discussion about business m atters. Exactly after one year, they will review the matter – whether they should continue in business or revert to the old profession! They would pursue that vocation which would be more profit-giving and more happiness-providing! Presently what they decided was: They should live with mutual co-operation. They should remain honest among themselves. But, nobody should interfere in the other’s business dealings!â€Å"How soon would you come again? † the Jail Superintendent asked them good-humouredly, on the day of their release from the jail. â€Å"Respected Sir, let this be our last meeting behind the bars. Thank you for your co-operation. Please bless us,† said the friends in unison. On the day of their release, I had a heart to heart talk with them. I will invite them for a treat, exactly after one year to know about their moral ascendancy, and today’s brunch was the result of that gentleman promise! They walked out to their freedom. They bought four shops in a row, in a suburb of Mumbai.On an auspicious day, Grocery shop of Rex, Electrical Appliances shop of Alex, Photo Studio of Tom and Bakery of Sam were opened. From day one, they did reasonable business. But sometimes, when they recalled the adventures of their past-lives, they felt tempted by their old profession. But, according to the mutual understanding, they had to carry on and push the business-cart, at least for one year. After about a month, Rex thought that Alex was doing brisk business. â€Å"If I continue to live with honest dealings for one year, what if I forget my past expertise! † he feared.â€Å"I must do something to at least maintain the level of that expertise,† he surmised! But, suddenly he remembered about the promise he made to his friends to remain honest for one year! But Rex failed to control his mind! â€Å"I must do something. This is the question of my future† – Rex had arrived at a decision! When Alex was not in h is shop, bidding his time, Rex was on his action plan. A copper wire connected Alex’s electrical meter with that of Rex. He had to drill a small hole through the thick wall separating their shops. He did it so efficiently and the concealed wiring was done so nicely that nobody could notice it.From that instant, Alex owned electrical bill of Rex. â€Å"I now save about fifty dollars a month,† he surmised. He was overjoyed! In the third month, when Sam purchased a second-hand car, it set Alex thinking! He too didn’t want to forget his past skills for his secure future! Sam used to park his car at a particular place. Alex dug a tunnel in his shop and the mouth of the subterraneous passage he created, opened right below the petrol tank of the car. He drilled a hole to the petrol tank and fixed a rubber pipe that brought the petrol directly into the waiting container at his shop.He made perfect arrangements for opening and closing the petrol-donating hole of the tank . As soon as Sam parked his car, Alex profited by a liter of petrol daily – gain of about 75 dollars a month. Alex was happy thus! In the fourth month, when Tom got his new telephone connection, Sam thought on similar lines. He lost no time to react. Keenly intelligent as he was, he quickly fixed the ‘pair’ for his newly acquired ‘instrument’, only through Tom’s authorized telephone connection. Since he had the telephone facility now, he renewed his contacts with some of his old friends at distant cities.Of course, he kept his instrument at a secret and a sound-proof corner that he specially created in his shop for the purpose. In the sixth month, Tom was restless. He felt a sense of insecurity even in his dreams! He felt, â€Å"All my friends are progressing and I am left far behind! † He knew the habit of his gluttonous friend Rex. He used to drink a liter of milk and lots of curd daily. A milkman brought milk for him very early in th e morning at 5†² O clock in a special can. He would keep the can on an elevated stand, press the door bell, and disappear into the darkness. Tom purchased an identical can.Everyday, he used to keep his can ready and one liter of water. He replaced this can with the original can of the milkman by pouring one liter of milk in his can. This he did in seconds! There was visible glow on the countenance of Tom—of course, by drinking 30 liters of fresh milk a month, at the cost his dear friend Rex! A year rolled by! The time had now arrived for their annual meeting at my house. I had made excellent reparations for the brunch at their request. All of them had made the joint request that I must serve them that tasteless dal and hard wheat cakes, which they used to eat in the jail!They had eaten so much of it, their internal organs could never forget the taste of that prison stuff! I had to make special arrangements by requesting another jail-bird(since released) who was in the co oking department in the prison I initiated their discussion. Who would give the account of his honest living for the last one year? Then, thus spoke Rex, â€Å"Tom is the youngest amongst us. We are all like his elder brothers. Let us hear his honest thoughts. His views– Tom dear, please speak first. † Tom was overwhelmed to hear the loving words of Rex for the trust he enjoyed with his friends! â€Å"Did I cheat such divine friends?† thought Tom, and he could control himself no more! Tears gushed down from his eyes. In an instant, Tom lay prostrate at the feet of Rex. He gave a detailed account of his misdeed, sobbing intermittently. He gave a solemn promise that he would remain honest at all times and at all costs. Looking at the never ending torrent of tears, Rex, Alex, and Sam–all of them confessed to their crimes and unleashed an uncontrollable crying session! Competition in rhythmic crying! Then Tom owned the difficult responsibility of controlling them! I too lent a helping hand to Tom, to console them! Thereafter, they ate the jail-like stuff, like gluttons!From that day onwards, they really commenced living an honest life–The telephone wire was cut; the meter wire was pulled out; the tunnel was filled with sand; the milk remained unadulterated! â€Å"What is there in the life of crime? If you wish to earn money and become prosperous, enter into business activity†, they used to advise their former prison-inmates since released. Yes, Rex, Alex, Tom & Sam are leading an honest life. They are counted amongst the rich businessmen now. They don’t brag about their rags to riches story. They don’t discuss money matters with anyone at all! For, none of them is paying income tax!

Racial Profiling And The United States - 1111 Words

Though it seems that racism is an issue that was dealt with back in the 1950’s, with the likes of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, etc., the issue lives on indefinitely. The issue remains due to the fact that crimes affiliated with certain races in recent times. These include the cartel drug deals in Mexico along with the infamous 9/11 world trade center attacks. Events like these have led to police brutality on these individuals solely based on the ethnicity they possess. Racial profiling can be said to be synonymous with stereotypes. In fact, as Gross states, â€Å"In 1999, 81 percent of surveyors in a national poll agreed that racial profiling was an issue in the United States. â€Å"From Samuel R. Gross, â€Å"Racial Profiling Under Attack†, (June 2002): 1413. However, there is no end in sight, 16 years later, and the United States is still the same. On September 11, 2001 America was in shock because of the events that occurred that morning to their beloved world tr ade center twin buildings. The deaths and injuries caused the people to automatically hate those that were responsible, Al Qaida members. This group is notorious for their dislike of American lifestyles. From then on Americans would go on to keep a close eye on these individuals and people that looked like them. That same year in the United States â€Å"58 percent favored Arabs to undergo more lengthy security measures. â€Å"From Samuel R. Gross, â€Å"Racial Profiling Under Attack†, (June 2002): 1413. Furthermore, around the United StatesShow MoreRelatedRacial Profiling : The United States Essay1326 Words   |  6 PagesRacial Profiling The United States of America, a country founded on diversity, remains ingrained with hypocritical ideas with respect to its very foundations of freedom and independence. America shows no mercy in the prejudice actions towards its minorities. The United States of America contributes greatly towards the injustice of minorities and giving privilege towards its â€Å"native† people yet not all â€Å"natives† are greatly loved in the country as Neil Foley, author of Becoming Hispanic: MexicanRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1348 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s world we deal with multiple cases of racial profiling seemingly on a daily basis. Turn on the television, check the internet, or simply have a discussion with someone and you’ll hear about it. Racial Profiling describes discriminatory practices by law enforcement officials who target people for suspicion of crime based on their ethnicity, race, origin, or religion. The term first came about during the War on Drugs in the 1970’s and 1980’s when law enforcement were accused of pullingRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1465 Words   |  6 PagesRacial Profiling Racial Profiling is just what it is. Targeting individuals for suspicion of a violation determined by the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Race and location are the supreme characteristics law enforcement visually examine when engaging in this type of profiling. African-American males are the primary victims of racial profiling in the United States. The phrase â€Å"driving while black† derive from African Americans protesting that they are pulled over by policeRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1657 Words   |  7 PagesThe 11th of September, 2001 was a momentous day in American history. 19 members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 United Airlines Flight 175, and crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Hijackers crashed the third plane into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth jet, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Penn sylvania. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on 9/11 due to the terrorist attacks onRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1160 Words   |  5 Pagesby police and many other people for committing crimes. This is called racial profiling, and it is an issue going on around us. Some considers racial profiling a new phenomenon, and it is important to examine it because it is a foundational aspect of law and law enforcement in the United States. Glover in the book Racial Profiling: Research, Racism, and Resistance defines racial profiling in contemporary times â€Å"as the use of racial and or ethnic status as the determinant factor in decision to stop motoristRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States2227 Words   |  9 Pagessociety. This is the mind frame of the average American in the United States. Every African American individual in this country who has traveled, walked to the store at night or simply going shopping, either knowingly or unknowingly has been a victim of some type of racial profiling. People need to realize that racial profiling happens very often to innocent people that are targeted based on race and sometimes religion. Racial profiling can be defined as when an individual is stopped or detained becauseRead MoreRacial Profiling A nd The United States1949 Words   |  8 Pages Racial Profiling Post 9/11 Rusat Ramgopal CRJBS 101 John Jay College Professor Gary Wright August 4, 2016 Racial Profiling Post 9/11 On September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers associated with the terrorist group Al-Qaeda attacked the United States. They flew two planes into the World Trade Center and also attacked the Pentagon resulting inRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States2903 Words   |  12 PagesRacial profiling still exists in America. Racial profiling refers to law enforcement strategies and practices that single out individuals as objects of suspicion solely on the basis of mainly their race. Prejudice and racial profiling of law enforcement is responsible for many false arrests, convictions, and countless deaths of blacks in the United States. This is one of the main difficulties of life and obstacles minorities have to face in their life because for one they are a minority and twoRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States944 Words   |  4 Pages Ever Since being forced to the united states as slaves blacks have been exposed to racism and legal discrimination citizens of African descent in the United States living threw things like Jim crow laws which were laws set to legally separate blacks like they were lesser to white citizens, or dealing acts of terror by groups like the KKK or other racist whites. And most importantly going through slavery which heavily set blacks back. Black men as a whole in society are believed to have the toughestRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1883 Words   |  8 PagesRacial profiling remains a dormant issue in the United States. It is the act of the authority, mostly, police officers linking minority status to criminal behaviour (Glover, 2007). Several police officers in the United States target specific groups because they don’t display characteristics of typical Caucasian individuals (Glover, 2007). To put history into context, before 9/11, not many police officers profil ed individuals based on their ethnic backgrounds but after the attack, there was an increase