Fitbit Marketing Plan free essay sample

FitBit is dedicated to helping people live healthier and more active lives. The company aims to create innovative, inspiring products and online services that combine the power of new technologies to make people more aware of their diets, daily activities and motivate them to do more exercises. FitBit is a wireless health and sleep tracker. The company’s goal is to provide a unique product, rich features at a highly competitive price. Target segmentation includes athletes, students, professionals and other groups in Australia. The product will be distributed to most of the electronic specialty stores and online. The tiny device will help people taking advantage of their lives by offering different functions. The primary marketing objective is to increase the brand awareness in the Australian pedometer market and achieve an impressive sales performance. Contents Executive Summary15 Offer description1 External environment factors analysis2 Macro- environment2 Political2 Economical2 Social changes2 Technology3 Legal requirements3 Environmental3 Micro environment analysis4 Threat of new competition4 Threat of substitute products or services4 Bargaining power of customers4 Bargaining power of suppliers4 Intensity of competitive rivalry4 Analysis of competition5 SWOT Analysis5 Value Chain Analysis5 Analysis of target market7 Customer’s needs analysis7 Target segmentation9 Perceptual Map of Positioning11 Marketing Objectives12 Marketing Strategies12 Product Strategy12 Positioning12 Pricing Strategy12 Place/ Distribution13 Offer description The FitBit Ultra is a wireless track device that records people’s daily activity including steps walked and floors climbed. We will write a custom essay sample on Fitbit Marketing Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is well designed which is almost the same size as a flash disk and it can be comfortably clips onto a belt, clothes or keep in the pocket. It is so light and small that it can be barely noticed when you wear all day. The FitBit Ultra offers the following fantastic features: * Only one button, easy to operate * Pedometer records steps taken, distances traveled and stairs climbed * The device can calculate the calories consumed * Sleep mode can analyze the length of actual sleeping time * All the data recorded can be synched with the computer automatically within 15 feet * The software supports both Mac and PC Data can be uploaded to the online account and visualized clearly in the format of diagrams * Intake calories can be uploaded manually for a more accurate analyze * Performance can be shared with friends through social network * Long life battery can last for over one week without charging * Sell for only $99 each External environment factors analysis Macro- environment Political Australia is a member of APEC and WTO and also has free trade agreements with United States, ASEAN countries, New Zealand and some European countries. It has positive trading policies with different countries and the trades between countries are in favorable conditions. Therefore, bringing FitBit into Australia would be feasible and there will be a large amount of prospects in the market. FitBit as an innovative product which is designed to improve the health quality of local people shall be warmly welcomed by the Australian government. Economical The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Australia increased 0. 4% in the last quarter of 2011, with typical inflation of 2-3% in 2010 and unemployment rate increased to 5. 2% in February of 2012. In Australia, sales tax rate is 10% and Corporate Tax rate is 30%. The tax rates of Australia seem to be feasible for the FitBit to operate in this market. Because of low unemployment rate in Australia which is approximate to 5. 2%, it would be a barrier for the FitBit to employ some skilled staff. Therefore, it is crucial for the human resource department to take different strategies to recruit skilled and experienced employees. Social changes There is an increasingly demand for health products and services in as Australian government spending on healthcare is projected to rise from 4. % of GDP in 2009-10 to 7. 1% in 2049-50. Expected technological advancements in health products are likely to contribute to greater spending on health. The FitBit as a technological health device shall greatly meet local consumer’s needs. Technology The number of Australian households using computers and accessing the internet has significantly increased during past a few years. In 2008-09, nearly six million Australian households (72%) had internet access. There are nearly 10 million Facebook users in Australia which takes almost half of the population. Latest information about products and services can be spread quickly through the social network, which means the FitBit can use it to increase the brand awareness. Legal requirements Australian’s international trade activities are regulated by TRIPS and WTO settlements. Intellectual property is an integral part of global trade which is paid enough attention by the Australian government. In 2009-10, value of intellectual property reached $170 billion. Therefore, FitBit as an innovative product and its crucial technology will be well protected by the local government. Environmental Australian government issued carbon tax aiming to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide. The FitBit could indirectly contribute to the environment protection by encouraging people to walk instead of driving car to some short distance places. Micro environment analysis Threat of new competition There might be some barriers such as government policies, high costs of entry, promotion or hire skilled employees. Threat of substitute products or services Competitors within the industry could offer better designed devices with more functions. For example, IPod Nano can play radio and music. Bargaining power of customers FitBit buyer’s power is strong which they demand lower price and better service from the provider, knowing they can switch to another company. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers are most powerful when switching costs is high, especially when the products have few or no substitutes. Intensity of competitive rivalry FitBit has high competitive rivals in the retail industry such as Apple, Tech4O, Omron and so on. FitBit and its rivals compete among themselves on price, quality, product and place.

Marijuana In Detail Essays - Neurochemistry, Medicine, Cannabis

Marijuana In Detail "Marijuana causes long-term changes in the brain similar to those seen with other drugs of abuse . . ." Back in the 1970s, animal experiments led to groundless fears that marijuana blew holes in brain tissue. The experiments organisations like NIDA now fund are more sophisticated but the controversy still rages. George Koob, an addiction researcher from The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, claims the new message from the animals is simple: "The more we discover about the neurobiology of addiction the more common elements we're seeing between THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the main active ingredient in cannabis) and other drugs of abuse." And for Koob, one of these newly discovered "common elements" is marijauna's ability to trigger chemical changes in the brain that lead to strong withdrawal symptoms. In humans, some researchers claim to see clear evidence of insomnia, anxiety and even flu-like symptoms in heavy cannabis users who abstain. But if there's a consensus, it's that symptoms are mild and variable. By contrast, Koob's rats are shivering wrecks. Does this mean marijuana is more addictive than we think? Not a bit of it, says Roger Pertwee, a university pharmacologist and president of the Cannabinoid Research Society. That's because those symptoms aren't so much observed as manufactured. The animals are injected with high doses of THC, then injected with a second chemical to block cannabis receptors in the brain. Without the block, the sharp withdrawal symptoms can't be seen because cannabis clears so slowly that even heavily doped rats are likely to experience a gentle wind down. Another debate rages over animal studies into the short-term effects of marijuana on brain chemistry. Heroin, cocaine, alcohol and nicotine all trigger a surge in the chemical dopamine in a small midbrain structure called the nucleus accumbens. Many researchers regard this as a hallmark of an addictive substance. Last year, experiments showed that cannabis presses the same dopamine button in rats, leading to claims that the drug must be more addictive than previously thought. To critics, it is just another example of those old exaggerated fears. What nobody tells you, says John Morgan, a pharmacologist at City University of New York Medical School, is that rats don't like cannabis. It's easy for them to get hooked on heroin or cocaine -- but not marijuana. Nor, Morgan claims, are researchers exactly open about awkward observations, such as the fact that there are plenty of nonaddictive drugs that stimulate dopamine in the brain. It's easy to understand why biologists want to find simple chemical traits that are shared by all addictive drugs. Unfortunately, the differences are as important as the similarities when it comes to weighing the relative risks and pleasures involved in taking drugs. And subjectively at least, the intense rush of cocaine and orgasm-like high of heroin have little in common with dope's subtler effects. A compound related to the active ingredient in marijuana may be accumulating in the spinal fluid of people with schizophrenia. This might explain why many sufferers smoke pot. Many researchers blame schizophrenia on an overactive dopamine system in the brain. Daniele Piomelli and colleagues at the University of California at Irvine already knew that making rats? dopamine receptors hyperactive caused a surge in anandamide, a lipid that binds to the same receptors in the brain as marijuana. Now Piomelli?s group has examined cerebrospinal fluid from 10 schizophrenic patients, taken for diagnostic purposes at the Medical College of Hannover in Germany. They found that fluid from schizophrenic patients had on average twice as much anandamide as fluid from people who didn?t have schizophrenia (NeuroReport, vol 10, p 1665). One explanation for the higher levels in schizophrenics is that the brain is attempting to compensate for a hyperactive dopamine system. ?It?s the brain?s response to bring this dopamine activity down,? says Piomelli. But the brain cannot keep the amount of anandamide high enough to lower dopamine levels, he says. This might also explain why schizophrenics often smoke marijuana. The drug?s active agent, THC, and anandamide both bind to the same receptor, so patients might be treating themselves, he says. But because pot does not act selectively in the brain, Piomelli does not consider it a useful treatment for schizophrenia. ?I don?t think the patient wants to be high,? he says. ?I think the patient wants to feel better.? One weakness in the data so far is that five of the patients were taking medication for their symptoms and three others were using marijuana daily. The effects of these drugs on endogenous cannabinoid levels is not known. ?It is

Jimmy Carter Essays - Soviet UnionUnited States Relations

Jimmy Carter Essays - Soviet UnionUnited States Relations Jimmy Carter The President of Peace Jimmy Carter was born October 1, 1924, in the small farming town of Plains, Georgia, and grew up in the nearby community of Archery. His father, James Earl Carter, Sr., was a farmer and businessman; his mother, Lillian Gordy, a registered nurse. He was educated in the Plains public schools, attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. On July 7, 1946, he married Rosalynn Smith. When his father died in 1953, he resigned a naval commission and returned to Plains. He became involved in the affairs of the community, serving as chairman of the county school board and the first president of the Georgia Planning Association. In 1962 he won election to the Georgia Senate. He lost his first gubernatorial campaign in 1966, but won the next election, becoming Georgias 76th governor on January 12, 1971. He was the Democratic National Committee campaign chairman for the 1974 c ongressional elections (Hochman html). After only serving one term as governor of Georgia he announced his candidacy for president of the United States on December 12, 1974. He won his partys nomination on the first ballot at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, and was elected the 39th president of the United States on November 2, 1976. During his presidency, Jimmy Carter made many important foreign policy accomplishments, including the Panama Canal treaties, the Diplomatic relations with China, and the Salt II treaty with the Soviet Union. Jimmy Carters first foreign policy accomplishment, and by the United States citizens, the most popular, were the Panama Canal treaties. After more than eighty years after the first official ocean-to-ocean transit of the Panama Canal, the United States and Panama embarked on a partnership for the management, operation and defense of the Panama Canal. Under two treaties signed in a ceremony at the OAS headquarters in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 1977, the canal would be operated by the United States until the turn of the century under arrangements designed to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The treaties were approved by Panama in a plebiscite on October 23, 1977, and the United States Senate gave its advice and consent to their ratification in March and April 1978. The new treaties went into effect October 1, 1979 (Yahoo.com). The new treaties, passed under the Carter administration and Panamas head of state Omar Torrijos would give Panama full control of the canal on December 31, 1999, at 12:00 midnight. All of the canals assets would also be turned over to Panama (Lycos.com). The ratification of the Panama Canal treaties was an important step involving a decrease in Third World hostility toward the United States (Dumbrell 212). Carter and his advisors agreed even before the inauguration that the canal negotiations should be an immediate priority. If the United States did not successfully complete negotiations, which had been going on since the Johnson administration, the government of Panama might create conflict in the zone that would require drastic American action (Hargrove 123). Another of President Jimmy Carters foreign policy accomplishments was his normalizing relations with the Peoples Republic of China. Over the winter of 1977-1978 Carter cultivated relations with Chinese officials in Washington, and solicited an official invitation to visit China himself. However the president pulled back after his advisor Mondale stated that it was too much to ask the senate to handle the Panama Canal treaties and any new agreements with China at the same time. President Carter was thus told not to be explicit about normalization, and that his visit to China was inconclusive. In the Spring of 1978 president Carter decided that the Secretary of State Vance would visit China. Vance would visit China but would not be authorized to negotiate about normalization because Carter was afraid it might hurt developing relations with Russia and Japan. The United States and the Soviet Union were beginning to negotiate a S.A.L.T. (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) treaty, and Presi dent Carter was determined not to delay any SALT negotiations. Vance was not authorized to negotiate in China, but did a good job of laying the groundwork for

Expert Interview with Jerry Bernhart About Digital Marketing

Expert Interview with Jerry Bernhart About Digital Marketing Jerry Bernhart, Digital and Multichannel Marketing Recruiter of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, is also the author of Careers in eCommerce and Digital Marketing. He is one of the industry’s leaders and has an acute understanding of the field, which adds to his expertise. Jerry talked with us about hiring trends, digital marketing and the changing market, along with some tips for the job seeker. He shares valuable advice to anyone looking into the digital marketing field. Are there any important factors/trends in hiring that job candidates should know but often overlook?Many digital marketing candidates who are just getting into the field want to be all things to all people. You can’t know it all, and most of the search assignments I receive from employers who are looking for more junior-level talent have a specific need or a specific business problem to solve. They should try to specialize in one thing, get really good at it and then start thinking about addi ng to their knowledge base.How did you get into this niche of recruiting?I started out as a recruiter in direct marketing some 25 years ago. Moving into digital marketing and eCommerce was a natural transition for me because it’s all about marketing direct to the consumer.What are employers really looking for?Companies have never faced so much uncertainty and risk. In the space of only a few months, they can slip from market leader to follower. The ability to deal with major changes in the workplace, complete projects with very little direction, endure stress, handle multiple priorities – these are among the competencies that employers look for in all professionals, regardless of the industry they’re in. But this applies especially to digital marketing. What might have been considered a crazy idea one day might be the next day’s most anticipated experiment. Companies can test new ideas and try out new features on websites and get almost instantaneous resu lts. All businesses want their marketers to be adaptable, but in digital marketing that’s especially important because the only thing that doesn’t change is†¦well, change. Expect change to be the norm. Learn to adapt and you will stay a step ahead.What advice do you have for the frustrated job seeker?Network, network, network! One of the beauties of digital technology is that candidates these days have many more avenues for networking than their predecessors did just five years ago. Also, be open when it comes to location. There are plenty of excellent opportunities in places outside of the major metro areas. If you limit your search to a specific geographic area, expect fewer opportunities.How has the job market changed over the past 10 years or so, and where do you see it going in the next few years?The hiring process has been stretched out a lot. Ten years ago, my average search, from the initial call from the employer to the candidate’s first day on the job, usually didn’t last more than two months. Now, three months is the norm. Part of that is because employers have become much more selective. Many are looking for that â€Å"purple squirrel,† and some would just as soon let a position remain empty if they can’t find it.What does a digital marketing job candidate need to stand out?Attitude is number one. Employers want to hire a candidate who is going to be self-motivated. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you don’t show passion or enthusiasm, you won’t get very far!How should a candidate handle multiple job offers?It’s difficult to give a blanket response to that. Depends on the offers, depends on the timing, depends on a lot of things. Everyone’s situation is different. But multiple offers are a good thing because it gives you a choice. You need to have good negotiation skills to navigate through them. I take a very dim view towards accepting counter-offers.How hav e you seen the role of women in this industry change?It’s changed a great deal. In digital marketing in general, I work with as many women now as I do with men, although men still dominate the more senior-level eCommerce roles. I’m placing more women into technical positions than I ever have before, and they’re also representing an increasing percentage of the candidates I place in the corner office, like VPs and CMOs. In fact, I’ve placed TWO women into CMO roles just this year, more than during any year in the past!

Monetary Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Monetary Economics - Essay Example Monetary Economic growth is generally thought of as one-dimensional and is measured by increase in income. Monetary Economic development involves structural and functional changes and appropriate system of money supply. In the absence of effective measures of the latter however, states of development are estimated by the growth of income. Ordinarily, levels of income and rates of increase are given on a per capita basis, to approximate measures of efficiency and welfare (Shin, 2005, 1117). There are broadly three periods in the early history of monetary economic thought. The first is the period of early industrialisation in Europe, the second is the period of industrial revolution in England, i.e. the period from about 1775 to 1832, and the third period falls in the third quarter of the nineteenth century when other countries like Germany and the United States began to catch up with Britain and finally overtook it as the leading industrial power of the world. But monetary economic development as a discipline comprising systematic and scientific study may be said to have developed over the last few decades (Hahn, 2001). According to Malthus, as long as the wage level is above a certain minimum w0/ population tend to grow very rapidly. Since the actual w never rises above w0/ any short-run increase of the wage is sufficient to provoke a large enough upsurge in population to bring the wage down to a minimum level. Thus, if once the whole world were inhabited, population would increase in an arithmetic ratio as resources do, and not show a tendency of increasing in a geometric ratio, and then there would be progress. But this progress would consist of a proportional increase in the total quantity of capital and the total number of workers. There would be no increase in the standard of living since by hypothesis, every increase in the living standards, i.e.

Students must demonstrate the ability to identify, assemble, and Research Paper

Students must demonstrate the ability to identify, assemble, and disseminate extant information relating to a topic in - Research Paper Example 205). Majority of Americans, whether supporters of the Republicans, the Democrats or Independent candidates, have repeatedly put into perspective the religious beliefs, values, and principles of political contenders in the run up to the country’s elections. For instance, religious affiliations of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Bill Clinton, George Bush, John F. Kennedy, William Howard, Ronald Reagan, and Barrack Obama among others played significant part in view of their chances to clinch the presidency. While most of these candidates were purportedly Christians going by the official membership, American electorates also considered a number of them Muslims, deists, or even atheists (Newport, p. 205). In essence, religious affiliations always became subject of scrutiny and criticism during political campaigns and had significant impact in the candidate’s ability to articulate his plans and schema for the country and citizens. Controversies that surrounded Mitt Romney ’s religious affiliations played a role in his shocking loss to President Obama. Review of Literature Religious affiliations of political candidates have boosted or narrowed down their chances to clinch the presidency and other political positions in the United States. ... Even political parties have been subject of scrutiny as far as religion is concerned. In essence, most allegations lack substantial proof and attestation. Various scholars have attested to the issue of religious belief and affiliation especially during campaign periods in America. According to Fisher and Koch (2004, p. 62), Roman Catholics emerged as the most preferred religious affiliation by most presidents. However, their book The Entrepreneurial College President, indicate a huge disparity in terms of the chances that a Roman Catholic presidential candidate has to become an effective president of the Unites States. Hence, there is serious underrepresentation of the Roman Catholics by considering the number of effective presidents they ever produced since the country attained its political independence. In their analysis, a meager 24.5 percent indicated preference for a Roman Catholic president (Fisher & Koch, p. 62). The trend is more shocking when one considers the Baptist presi dential representation. Apparently, Americans who subscribe to the Baptist denomination constitute a skimpy 16.3 percent of the entire population. The mainstream Protestant denominations such as the Lutheran, the Methodist, and Presbyterian are surprisingly overrepresented despite their minimal frequency in the entire country’s population. According to Fischer and James, the Presbyterian Church constitutes less than 3 percent (precisely 2.7 percent) yet it enjoys massive representation in the overall presidency outlook (Fisher & Koch, p. 62). However, the study indicated no preference for a Muslim president notwithstanding realism of the religion constituting a significant percentage of the

The Philosophy of Confucius Essay Example for Free

The Philosophy of Confucius Essay For my essay I have decided to analyze the philosophy of Confucius as seen in The Analects or Lunyu ( ). I will be focusing primarily on what I have found to be the key components underlying Confucian ethics; Filial Piety (Xiao) (? ), Ritual Propriety (Li) (? ) and Authoritative Conduct (Ren) (? ). These three moral concepts are integral aspects of Confucian role ethics; they develop as a counterpart to western philosophy such as Immanuel Kant’s ethics of duty and have remained to this day sound and honourable ideologies that people should live their lives in accordance with. Confucianism has had the most the most prevalent influence on Chinese society for nearly two thousand years (c100BC-1900AD), it affected all aspects of Chinese life; education, politics and personal conduct in both one’s private and public affairs. It became the paramount school of thought and later significant philosophies such as Daoism and Legalism would take their lead from Confucianism. The Chinese government made Confucianism the official state philosophy but that is not to say didn’t fall out of favour over the last two thousand years; from c.200-600AD there was a severe decline in followers as a result of the emergence of Buddhism and Daoism but Confucianism was fully revived by 700AD. In 1100s came Neo-Confucianism, innovated by Zhu-Xi, focussing more on Li and aspects of human nature and in the 1900s Confucianism fell out of favour with western beliefs such as communism. However all government opposition to communism ended by 1977 and Confucianism is now being embraced again in both eastern and western cultures. Confucius is known to the Chinese as ‘Kung Fu-tzu’ ( ) which has been Latinized by Europeans to Confucius. He was born in 551BC amidst the chaos of political instability and constant warring of the Zhou era into a poor family of the lower nobility. Throughout his life he made numerous attempts to gain an office with a prominent ruler willing to implement his concepts, after failing to do so he dedicated his life to teaching and accumulated an impressive amount of disciples, including Mencius and Xunzi. Confucius’ followers took it upon themselves to document and formulate their own interpretations of his interactions and teachings as Confucius never wrote anything down himself. These records of Confucius’ philosophy can now be found in The Analects which has been translated into many languages and sold millions of copies around the world. Xiao or the notion of Filial Piety is probably the most definitive sentiment associated with Confucianism. Xiao is usually highlighted by western interpreters as it does not comply with western values and for this reason was not used as a starting point for promoting Confucianism in the western world. Confucius discusses Xiao in the context of identifying states of order and disorder in society. In a time of constant warfare Confucius conceded that this a social behaviour was due to a lack of Xiao, in The Analects Confucius tells us that a man with filial piety is unlikely to revolt in society or defy the authority of his superiors; â€Å"A man filial to his parents, a good brother, yet apt to go against his superiors – few are like that! †. Confucius gives numerous definitions of Xiao to different students he explains that Xiao is the root of moral excellence. Like a plant, Xiao has to take place at the beginning of one’s life in order for it to flourish; â€Å"The gentleman operates at the root. When the root is firm, then the Way may proceed†. Confucius emphasized that it was imperative for people to develop this notion of Xiao in which younger generations were obliged develop emotional immediacy to their next of kin, an element of devotion was expected. Confucius put great importance in conducting numerous rituals for varying occasions; he found it essential to the well-being of society. Religious activity was geared toward the worshipping of ancestors. When an elder died the children of the deceased were expected to undertake a three year mourning period in which they completed altered their living conditions to bear minimum and did not partake in any social conventions such as work or celebratory events; â€Å"When a gentleman is mourning, he gets no pleasure from eating sweet foods, finds no joy in listening to music, and feels no comfort in his place of dwelling. This is why he gives up these things† Many considered three years to be an excessive period of time as we see when Zai Wo asks Confucius if he can limit the mourning period to one year and Confucius considers him perverse, he explains that only after being fully tended to for three years can one leave their parents’ bosom, parents alter their lives to accommodate the birth and raising of a child regardless of social convention. Similarly in Chinese culture it is thought that when a person dies they enter the spirit world in which they are once again rendered â€Å"new-borns† and need the care and devotion of their descendents to begin life there. It is reciprocity between generations, an exchange of unconditional loyalty and love. Xiao is initially established in these undertakings. Ritual propriety or Li involves perfecting the art of self-governing and restraint, it refers to the secular functions of everyday life such as all formal conduct, from table manners to patterns of greeting and leave-taking, to graduations, weddings, funerals, from gestures of deference to ancestral sacrifices . Li is the mechanism by which one conveys their respect and gratuity to their elders and superiors; it also encompasses how one should act social in order to earn respect and honour in return. It is appropriate behaviour in the sense that it promotes and enhances relationships in a community. This was essential as the social context of the Chinese was focussed on communal living, therefore Confucius tries to instruct people on how to live harmoniously with their families. Everything one says and does is brought into consideration under the concept of ritual propriety; â€Å"Look at nothing in defiance of ritual, listen to nothing in defiance of ritual, speak of nothing in defiance of ritual, never stir hand or foot in defiance of ritual†. The aesthetic aspect of Confucius is not to understand morality and judge but rather become more skilful in engaging the people around you in your endeavours, everyone has a role in society and they must uphold it. Devoting yourself to ritual is not the same as shunning your own desires and emotions; it’s the ability to reconcile one’s own desires amicably within the social context you are occupying. In the Analects Confucius explains that by curbing our own personal agendas we can learn to appreciate the conventions of society which allows it to function harmoniously, he also stresses that with age and experience one can only truly gain this appreciation; â€Å"When I attained the age of fifteen, I became bent on study. At thirty I was a confirmed student. At, nought could move me from my course. At fifty, I comprehended the will and decrees of heaven. At sixty, my ears were attuned (to them). At seventy, I could follow my hearts desires without overstepping the lines of rectitude†. Confucius also stressed the importance of sincerity, he felt that without possessing a genuine interest in the well-being of others whatever ceremonial manners one undertook it would signify nothing. He felt that rites should not be looked upon simply as conventions by which we did things but they should be practiced with complete reverence and honesty; â€Å"He sacrificed to the dead as if they were present. He sacrificed to the spirits as if the spirits were present. The Master said, ‘I consider my not being present at the sacrifice as though there were no sacrifice’ In the tenth book of The Analects we are effectively given the portrait of how one contending with Li should behave. The examples are given under the pretence of Confucius as a person himself and how he conducted himself. They give us direction as how to act appropriately and â€Å"how to serve the spirits to bring about good fortune†. Each passage gives shows us a different scenario and Confucius’ exemplary behaviour in that context, a few examples are; â€Å"While eating he would not converse, and having retired for the night he would not talk†, â€Å"In asking after the well-being of a friend in another state, he would bow twice before sending the messenger on his way†, â€Å"In sleeping he did not assume the posture of a corpse, and when at home alone, he did not kneel in a formal posture as though entertaining guests† and â€Å" On meeting someone in mourning dress, even those on intimate terms, he would invariably take on a solemn appearance. On meeting someone wearing a ceremonial cap or someone who is blind, even though they were frequent acquaintances, he would invariably pay his respects†. These passages made Confucius the epitome of courtliness and personal decorum for succeeding generations of Chinese officials. The final focal point of Confucianism is Ren or Authoritative conduct, references to Ren appear over one hundred times in the Analects. Ren is comprised of two elements, a person and the number two, emphasizing how our own person can only be cultivated through interactions with other people as Herbert Fingarette states; â€Å"For Confucius, unless there are at least two human beings, there can be no human beings†. Ren consists of five basic virtues; seriousness, generosity, sincerity, diligence and kindness. It is the basis of Confucian political theory, he felt that if a ruler lacked Ren it would effectively be impossible for his subjects to act humanely, he believed that people who had this mastered moral excellence inherent to Ren should be put into positions of political power; â€Å"The Master said; If people are proper in personal conduct, others will follow suit without need of command. But if they are not proper, even when they command, others will not obey†. Confucius felt that the political intuitions in his era had completely lost their legitimacy, he felt that this was due to tyrannical behaviour in the sense that those in control lacked certain attributes such as Ren, vital to successfully ruling and were not worthy of the positions they held. We can observe through Confucius the idea that a ruler, whether good or bad has an  effectively contagious effect on his subjects and if he lacks the necessary qualities that deem him worthy to rule, his subjects will similarly lack the qualities that enable them to serve efficiently, everyone most uphold their truthful role in society to achieve harmonious functioning; â€Å"Good government consists of the ruler being a ruler, the minister being a minister, the father being a father, and the son being a son†. To cultivate one’s Ren one might look to Confucius’ ethics of reciprocity and perhaps his most famous teaching of all time, the golden rule which has been taken since the time of Confucius been included as part of numerous different religions and ideologies such as Christianity; â€Å"Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself. † Interestingly, unlike Mencius and Xunzi, Confucius did not seem overly concerned about the root of human nature and whether we are innately good or bad but he did say â€Å"Human Beings are similar in their natural tendencies, but vary greatly by virtue of their habits†, implying that Confucius perceived all men to be born with intrinsic value that can be shaped or moulded by study and practice. After reading and analysing The Analects of Confucius I think it’s clearly that it is the three components of Xiao, Li and Ren that are most predominant in his philosophy but that is not to say there weren’t other valuable concepts that are crucial to Confucianism such as Xin (? ) and Yi (? ) but they are beyond the scope of this essay. Confucius Bibliography -Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press Dawson, M. M (1915). The ethics of Confucius: the sayings of the master and his disciples upon the conduct of the superior man. US: Putnam Riegel, J. (2006). Confucius. Available: http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/confucius/. Last accessed 5/12/11. Ames, R. Hall, D. , (1987), Thinking Through Confucius. Albany: SUNY Press.. Slingerland, E. G (2003). Confucius analects: with selections from traditional commentaries. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing -Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. 51 Name: Shauna O’Mahony Date: 07/11/11 Module: Chinese Philosophy (PH2023) Essay title: Philosophy of Confucius. Word Count: 2,285 [ 1 ]. Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press (1. 1) [ 2 ]. Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press (1. 2) [ 3 ]. Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press (17. 21) [ 4 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. pg51 [ 5 ]. Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press (12. 1) [ 6 ]. Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press (2. 4) [ 7 ]. Watson, B (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia: Columbia University Press (3. 12) [ 8 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. Random House Publishing Group. pg51 [ 9 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (10. 10) [ 10 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (10. 15) [ 11 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (10. 24) [ 12 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (10. 25) [ 13 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. Pg 48 [ 14 ]. Confucius, Ames, R.T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (13. 6) [ 15 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (12. 11) [ 16 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (15. 24) [ 17 ]. Confucius, Ames, R. T, Rosemont, H (1999). The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation. : Random House Publishing Group. (17. 2).