Apple Inc Marketing Case Study Marketing Essay

Apple Inc Marketing Case Study Marketing Essay Apple was founded by Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs in 1976. The company was founded by releasing the first successful mass-produced personal computer. Steve Wozniak designed the Apple I design was his addition to the success of Apple. Steve Jobs recognized the potential market for the personal computer. Their combined talents created the successful start of the company. The technology market is fast paced and Apple has shown growth and innovation to stay at the forefront of this market. The company has expanded from the Apple I and desktop computers to mobile computers, PDAs, MP3 players, and most recently the mobile phone market. Innovation has been a key role in the success of Apple As a business strategy, Apple leverages its ability, through the design and development of its own operating system, hardware, and many software applications and technologies, to bring to its customers around the world compelling new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative industrial design. This strategy has worked well for the company since it first opened. Apple has been able to create brand strength by focusing on a limited number of products ensuring that they are high quality. They have focused on their innovative strength playing up the release of their product by keeping them behind closed doors and when ready Steve Jobs announces and demonstrates the product which creates an excitement in consumers waiting to see what the latest and greatest technology will be. Apple has also built a customer loyalty not seen in its competition. With the recent releasing of the i products, iMac, iPod, iTouch, and iPhone loyal consumers have been referred to as icustomers due to their loyalty to the brand. Apple has used the i product to create a Halo effect for its other products. Using the lower cost products like iPods to show the ease-of-use and high quality of products that Apple produces to create a selling point for higher end products like their desktops. The Apple Company has also created partnerships with their competitors which has strengthened the company. Rather than use time researching and developing some products like Google maps and YouTube, Apple has incorporated the already market saturated applications in their products. The time and funds are better served researching and developing the next product that will wow the market. Apples overall financial standing is forward moving and shows good growth. Net income has constantly increased each year with an average 38.1% growth over the past three years. In 2004 Apple eliminated the $300 million of long-term debt it had outstanding resulting in no long-term debt reported from 2003 to 2007. This debt was eliminated without funding reduction in other areas of the company. Strategic Weaknesses Apple is the market share leader for MP3 players and smart phones, but is far below the market shares of its competitors in computers. Apple held only 8.5% of the market share in the second quarter of 2008 compared to Dell Inc at 31.9% and Hewlett-Packard at 25.3%. In 2007 Apple held only 6.4% of the market compared to Dell Inc at 27.9% and Hewlett-Packard at 25.8%. Apples sales have been made up of an average of 46% of their total net sales from 2004 to 2007. When the market share dropped in 2007 sales still increase for the overall but was due to increases in iPod sales and other music-related products and services that had significant increases that year. The low market share in 2007 can be explained by the economic recession. Consumers in a weak economy look towards the less expensive options available which shifts the market towards Apples competitors Dell and Hewlett-Packard. Apples products do have some degree of cannibalization. Each product line has offering for different cost based markets and the differentiation of products has started to blur. iPods serve a low price market, iTouch serve a midrange market and the computers represent a high price market. The technology market fluctuates very strongly with the economy, so with a down turning economy iPods would cannibalize the sales of the iTouch product. iPhones also incorporate a music player eliminating the need for both the mobile phone and music player. Still sales of each item have shown an overall growth each year in the market with exception to computers. Below is a table representing the percent increase of sales that Apple has in desktops and laptops. The overall growth percentage of sales has fluctuated but comparing years with similar percentages of growth, 2005 and 2007 show that laptops have cannibalized desktops. In 2005 desktop sales had a 35.5% growth by units from the prior year and laptops only increase by 7.3%. In 2007 desktops growth per units sold was only 10.3% and laptops increased 33.8% from the prior year. Apple will see a common trend for iPods in relationship to iPhones and other products that incorporate music players in future years. % Unit Sale Increase from Prior Year 2007 2006 2005 2004 Desktops 10.3% -3.5% 35.5% -8.1% Laptops 33.8% 29.8% 7.3% 24.8% Total Macintosh 24.7% 4.5% 27.4% 8.4% Another weakness Apple has is issues that have surrounded new product releases. In 2001 when the first iPod was released it was criticized for its short battery life which lead to lawsuit filed for misrepresenting the battery life. Again in 2005 with the release of the Nano customers complained about the devices reporting that they would freeze up, stop functioning, and that the products casing was very susceptible to scratches. Despite the poor product releases the iPods consumers still found the product to be a quality product and iPods still held the top market share of MP3s. In 2007 the second generation of iPhone was released and the price was lowered to $399. This was described as larger-than-normal price drop in a short period of time and had consumers speculating that Apple had unfair pricing. These issues that Apple has faced with product releases show that there is a flaw in Apples research and development process. If Apple was to experience a recall on its products or cont inues to have issues like these for its new products their products will no longer be seen as high quality and will create a fear in consumers to wait to purchase Apple products until they know that it doesnt have any issues. The final weakness that Apple has is its reliance on Steve Jobs as CEO. It wasnt until Steve Jobs returned with his expanded role with Apple that it started showing consistency in the forward successful movement to achieve the companys strategic objectives. Between 1981 and 1997 Apple was under the direction of six different chief executive officers. In 1997 Steve Jobs was given an expanded role and in 2000 became the official CEO. Starting in 1997 Steve Jobs made many changes including, a new board of directors, initiated aggressive advertising campaign, created an alliance with Microsoft ending their legal dispute, start an e-commerce for consumer direct sales, and releasing the iMAC a product for the lower-end consumer market. After 2000 and the official announcement that Steve Jobs would be Apples CEO he continued to expand on the successes releasing the iPod which opened up the music industry to the company and many additional opportunities over the next years. Apple needs a lea der like Steve Jobs to keep the company on a forward moving path using its strategic plan. The other CEOs that Apple has had have not been able implement the strategic plan like Steve Jobs who co-founded the company. Recommendations Apples low market share exists due to its higher price and software compatibility. In 1997 Steve Jobs started to close the software compatibility gap by creating an alliance with Microsoft who agreed to make Windows available to Mac users. Apple will not reduce its price, at least not enough to compete with Dell or Hewlett-Packard, the products price is part of the brand image as a quality and innovative product. I would recommend Apple attempt to keep their market share at 8% or higher for the computer market. To achieve this Apple should use smaller price reductions that would not effect product perception. Other than price reduction the only way for Apple to increase market share would be to create a new innovative product related to the computer market. Pretty much, Apple and Dell are the only ones in this industry making money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. We make it by innovation. Steve Jobs In relation to Apples products and the potential for cannibalization between them I would recommend research and development of a software product that can allow you to share files, music, and applications between the products. Currently Apple offers MobileMe for a $99/year fee for a service that can be accessed through applications on a consumers iPhone, iTouch, or Mac that provides 20 GB of off site storage. Verse this option that is competing with free versions like DropBox I am recommending a wireless sync between products so files can be moved quickly and conveniently between the products with a simple touch. Moving music, presentations, or pictures between the devices with easy would help build value in owning multiple products in similar markets. My next recommendation would be to assess Apples research and development process. The release problems that Apple has experienced show an effect on sales and effect the high quality brand name that Apple has worked hard at maintaining. Currently Apple only uses 3% of net sales for research and development. I would suggest taking more time and using more funds in necessary to ensure that the products they release will not continue to this trend of negative product releases. My last recommendation would be to lay the ground work for Steve Jobs replacement. I would recommended using someone already working for Apple that understands the strategic plan and foster a mentorship for this person for a few years to create a smooth transition. I would recommend if a all possible for Steve Jobs to not just exit the company but remain in an advisor position as part of the companys board to ensure that his successor remains on track to achieve the strategic objectives that have make Apple a successful company. Comments/Observations/Questions Amazon opening Droid application store Apple announced a few days ago, Bertrand Serlet, a senior software engineer at the company since the return of Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs in 1997 and a main architect of the Mac operating system was leaving Apple 2007 around the same year of the iPod release and iTV Apple dropped Computers from company name.

Indias Potential As An Investment Goldmine Economics Essay

India is poised in the universe scenario as a strong emerging market in all Fieldss. It being a strong emerging market besides contributes to the fact that it is a moneymaking market for investings. For the past few old ages India has been accomplishing a steady growing which is due to the huge potency it has for development in every sector. Investings in India have been on a steady rise. The aim of this paper is to foreground the factors that can assist do India the Global Investment Hub in the close hereafter. Every sector in the state has a figure of chances for investings that offer profitable returns. Therefore India is on its manner to go the preferable market for planetary investors to put in the hereafter.India: The Future Investing HubIntroductionFor the last decennary India has created its grade in the universe fiscal markets as a stable and emerging market for puting. Right from positive marks such as the upward tendency of the stock exchanges, addition in foreign direct investings, lifting GDP, increasing gold monetary values to lifting real property values. India is traveling up on the list of topographic points most desired by investors. There are many favourable factors lending to this scenario. The ordinances regulating investings by aliens have been relaxed and the procedure for doing investings have been simplified. With a big country and the range for many new and on-going undertakings India is poised at place to offer huge chances to investors while offering moneymaking returns on their investings. Sectors such as cars, banking, instruction, IT, substructure, oil and gas, power, existent estate, and telecom are active in the state with many on-going undertakings and with a range for farther investings. Over the past 5 old ages, India has been systematically accomplishing and mean growing rate of 8 per centum and has made its topographic point in the fastest turning economic systems in the universe. Figure: India ‘s GDP Growth Rate The economic lag that had its clasp on the whole universe had lesser impact on India owing majorly to its strong fiscal basicss and authorities intercession. The strong growing has been propelled by certain factors such as dining domestic market, foreign exchange militias which have been steadily turning, increasing exports, and FDI. These factors have led investors to believe and set their trust into India for puting intents. The GDP estimation for the current twelvemonth stoping March 2010, had declined to 7.5 per centum after the impact of the lag, but India on its manner to recovery still has the possible to accomplish its targeted 8 per centum growing. India has the 3rd largest stock of foreign militias among the emerging economic systems, foregrounding the fact that the economic system is on a steady way of growing. Figure: Foreign Exchange Reserves Figure: FDI Inflows in India India is likely to see the largest growing in its portion of foreign investing and go the universe leader for investing in fabrication in the following 5 old ages ( Beginning: KPMG Worldwide Survey, 2008 ) In the capital markets India has been a preferable emerging market for foreign capital influxs. Foreign Institutional Investors made a record investing in the Indian equity markets of the melody of USD 17.2 billion[ 1 ]in 2007. The Indian stock market has emerged as an of import index all around the universe and has many investors keen due to the high returns it offers. Over the last 5 old ages the Sensex has offered returns of over 19 per centum. Figure: Returns – Sensex V. Global IndexsProfitable Sectors for Investing in IndiaThe image of India has changed from merely being a pool of cheap labour to a beginning of high quality human potency. Along with this image what has besides changed are the houses and investors willing to put in India. This rush in undertakings and investings into assorted sectors of the Indian economic system has led to their rapid growing. Despite of this fact these sectors still hold a immense potency of development and offering returns. Therefore there are still a batch of chances of investing into these sectors on a big every bit good as little graduated table. These sectors have the possible to portrait India as a major investing hub. Let us now look at some of these sectors, their investing attraction and the concern potency they possess.Car and Auto Parts SectorIndia is one of the largest markets in the universe for two Wheelers and commercial vehicles, therefore being such a big universe market India already has a big figure of foreign participants runing in the state. Slowly more and more participants are happening it moneymaking to put up their ain fabrication workss in India or to come in the Indian markets through a Joint Venture ( JV ) to acquire a portion of the pie. For illustration, Renault the celebrated Gallic car shaper has entered into JV with Mahindra to acquire its autos into India, Fiat has entered into a JV with TATA to acquire its ain autos into the state. Fiat and Mercedes are besides sing the option of puting up a fabrication works in India to give a encouragement to its operations. The growing of the car sector will besides give a push to the car parts market in India which presently has 500 organized participants and over 5000 unorganised participants who operate and depend on the car industry. With the car sector on a rise over the past few old ages and India traversing the grade of 10 million vehicles in 2006-07, the hereafter of puting in this sector is profitable. In the on-going auto-expo in New Delhi, Audi, the German Car maker was quoted as stating ‘India does non hold big volumes, but it is the market for the hereafter and is bound to emerge as a major growing Centre in the Asia Pacific part in the following decennary. ‘[ 2 ] There are many factors which are lending to the growing of this sector: Easy funding in the signifier of loans and growing in buying power is driving the rider auto market. Change in the mentality of consumers i.e. consumers believe that autos should be replaced in a few old ages has led to the decrease in replacing rhythm therefore driving the gross revenues of rider autos. Global sourcing of constituents from India is expected to travel up to USD 20 billion by 2016.[ 3 ] The automotive industry is expected to increase to a size of USD 120-159 billion by 2016. It is expected to offer a Compound Annual Growth Rate ( CAGR ) of 13 per centum, which will pull a batch of investings.Information Technology SectorThe information engineering sector has evolved unusually over the past decennary. Its portion of part in the Indian GDP has risen to 5.5 per centum in 2008-09. The package and services sector has generated big employment chances. It has risen direct employment from degrees of 0.19 million in FY 98 to 2 million in FY 08. The Indirect occupation creative activity by this sector is estimated to be around 8 million. India ‘s exports account for over 64 per centum of the overall IT gross, it is expected to increase farther to degrees of 40.8 billion in FY 09.[ 4 ] The IT sector is estimated to value about USD 75 billion in 2010. It offers a CAGR to the melody of 23.2 per centum, therefore supplying benefits for investing. Many foreign participants in this section have already made their move in the Indian market to harvest the benefits of the rampant development. Global participants such as Microsoft, IBM, Cap Gemini, Accenture, Oracle and SAP have set up their offices in India and have put in heavy investings. Along with planetary participants many Indian big leagues such as Infosys, TCS are successfully taking the market. Investing is being to a great extent carried out in invention and research and development. Many companies are puting up dedicated research installations to fuel newer research and develop better and efficient merchandises. India ‘s extended pool of attorneies experienced in paralegal services and patents besides add to the advantage of development in this sector. India is besides the favorite market for outsourcing in this sector. The current market in this field is estimated to be USD 26 – 28 Billion worldwide. India is expected to hold a portion of about USD 13 – 15 Billion by 2013.InfrastructureSignificant investings are being made in the substructure sector. Many building companies are dining in India. Development undertakings such as airdrome buildings, development for Commonwealth Games 2010, building of overpasss, metro rail undertaking, monorail, industries, and other development undertakings have made India a major investing hub in substructure. The Planning Commission in its 11th five twelvemonth program from 2007 – 2012, has proposed an outgo of USD 507 billion on infrastructural activities in India. The private sector is expected to lend 25 per centum of this outgo. The outgo in the 11th five twelvemonth program on substructure has risen 125 per centum as compared to the 10th five twelvemonth program. Foreign participants such as Widmann AG, Mitsubishi Corporation, Siemens, Alstom etc. hold already made their grade in India. With such high marks of investing India is an attractive finish for puting in substructure in the close hereafter with huge growing and return possible. The authorities of India is stressing on Public Private Partnerships ( PPP ) in order to portion the brunt of the monolithic outgo, but this in a manner has opened up big possible investing chances for companies to put in India. Large substructure investings are being carried out in the undermentioned Fieldss: Electricity coevals: 70,000 MW of coevals capacity is to be added, a batch of investing is being put into non conventional beginnings of energy. Roadss: new national main roads, rural roads are being constructed. New stamps are being raised for the same and undertakings on Build Operate Transfer ( BOT ) footing are being introduced. Airports: building of 35 non tube airdromes, and universe category airdromes in metro metropoliss.Oil and Gas Sector100 per centum FDI topic to sectorial policy ordinance except in refineries owned by national oil companies.Constitutes 15 per centum of India ‘s GDP.[ 5 ] Caters to 45 per centum of India ‘s energy demand. India is one of the largest petroleum importers and consumers in the universe. This sector is wholly unfastened for planetary participants to come in, therefore showing a huge potency for investing. Foreign participants who are already present in the Indian market include British Petroleum, Shell, BG Group, Chevron and Total. Many new undertakings are in the grapevine and are waiting for the sufficient investing to come in. For illustration, the HPCL started refinery in Punjab could non continue work because of deficiency of enterprises, as non much investing was being put in. The undertaking picked up gait one time LN Mittal led Mittal Energy Pvt. Ltd. decided to put in the refinery. Undertakings such as bing refinery enlargements new refinery buildings puting up of new retail mercantile establishments for crude oil sale laying of cross state grapevines for gas and crude oil transit keep big potency for investing.PowerInvestings ( Xth program ) USD 72 billion Investings ( XIth program ) EstimateUSD 150 billionTransmission Network Capacity ( XIth program ) Estimate37,150 MWRegulatory100 per centum FDI allowed in all sections including tradingOutstanding participantsNTPC, Powergrid, ABB, Alstom, Siemens, GMR, Adani GroupForeign participantsBP, BG Group, Shell, Chevron, TotalThe power sector offers a batch of chances for investing. Major alterations are being adopted for power coevals, as investing is being made into hydro power coevals, natural gas based workss, and old existing workss are being redeveloped to accommodate the modern times. The authorities aims at illuming up the whole state, i.e. supplying electricity to all by 2015 therefore the transmittal web is being extended to supply for rural electrification.[ 6 ] Besides denationalization of electricity distribution in many parts of the state has led to heavy investings by private sector houses. Rural electrification provides a big range for investing as less than 50 per centum of rural families receive electricity.Retail SectorIndia is the 2nd most attractive retail finish worldwide.[ 7 ] Current FDI policies allow 100 per centum foreign investing merely in sweeping cash-n-carry and 51 per centum in single-brand retailingRetail industry was estimated at USD 330 billion in FY07. The unorganised market in retail is far greater in India, but the portion of the organized market is lifting and is expected to lift to 9.6 per centum by FY12. India is the fifth largest retail finish worldwide. The retail industry is expected to lift to an estimated degree of USD 618 billion in FY12. It provides for an attractive CAGR of 13 per centum. Foreign participants such as Levis Strauss, Wal-mart, Nike, Marks and Spencers etc. have set up their shops in India and see it as a primary market for their operations. Further chances Opportunity: Retail franchises have being turning at over 60 per centum over the past 3 old ages, and are expected to turn further. Growth in hypermarkets and supermarkets in India is estimated at 50 per centum CAGR and 30 per centum for convenience shops in the period of 2006-11E. The retail roar is get downing to make the smaller towns. As the growing of the retail sector seeps down to the smaller towns the part of this sector will lift and lend to the overall development of the part.Real EstateThe existent estate in India has been on a steady rise with belongings and land rates increasing of all time steadily. India offers many puting options to foreigner and local investors. The real property sector contributes about 5 – 6 per centum to the GDP. The factors lending to the rush in the real property sector can be classified as: Turning population Rising income degrees Urbanization Rapid growing in the IT sector The sector is expected to increase from USD 57 billion in 2007 to USD 105 billion in FY 12. The investings in this sector offer a CAGR of 12.8 per centum. The planetary participants runing in the Indian market are Emmar, Rakeen, Dishman Spires etc. Opportunity in the sector: Residential: lifting population and urbanisation will take to a demand for newer lodging. Commercial: the demand for commercial infinite is lifting led by newer companies in the IT and Banking sector. Retail: newer shopping promenades and retail mercantile establishments will besides drive the real property monetary values. SEZs: Particular Economic Zones are coming up and pulling farther investings.Travel and TourismThe travel and touristry industry of any state has an of import function to play, providing to the tourers who come to see the state. India has been ranked among the top five tourer finishs out of 167 states. Tourism contributes 2.3 per centum to India ‘s GDP i.e. 28.1 billion.[ 8 ] India is expected to hold about 10 million tourers in 2010. Investings of about USD 11.41 billion are expected in the cordial reception sector in the following 2 old ages. 40 major hotel trade names have their presence in India. The industry is expected to turn up to USD 60.5 billion by 2018, offering a CAGR of 8 per centum. Major hotel trade names present in India are Shangri-La, Emaar MGF, Starwood Hotels, Hilton, Park Hotels, Accor. Opportunity for Investing: The budget allocated for touristry has been increased. The authorities provides for five twelvemonth revenue enhancement vacation for two, three and four star hotels in the National Capital Region ( NCR ) . Commonwealth games in NCR provide a great chance for investings in the cordial reception sector. Increased domestic travel has created a high demand for mid section budget hotels. Medical attention bundles that combine stay with yoga and spas attract tourers and have become a extremely profitable investing.Banking and Financial ServicesThe banking sector has grown multi creases in India pulling many world-wide Bankss to setup their subdivisions in India. Many Indian Bankss have besides ridden on the success narrative of the banking sector. The recent economic lag which led to the prostration of many Bankss worldwide did non impact the banking scene of India to a great extent because of the strong basicss. The recognition extended by Indian Bankss grew 25.3 per centum at the terminal of FY 08.[ 9 ] Common Fund industry at the terminal of 2008 valued USD 130 billion. India stands as one of the fastest life insurance markets in the universe with a growing of 36 per centum in 2008. Opportunities in the Sector Entire banking assets to increase to USD 1 Trillion. SME Finance, Agri and Rural Finance, Institutional Finance and Project Finance offer a great chance for puting. Life insurance market is expected to turn with a CAGR of 35 per centum over the following 3 old ages to USD 80 – 100 billion.[ 10 ] Health, motor, and unit linked insurance besides offer a great potency. Private Equity, Venture Capital, Structured Finance, Real Estate Finance, Leveraged Finance are other emerging option for puting.EducationEducation in India holds a great potency to develop as an investing chance. The move towards denationalization of instruction has led to heavy investings in this field. Government outgo on instruction has grown at a CAGR of 11.6 per centum to UDS 29.5 billion in FY07. Merely 2 per centum of schools in India are IT enabled, therefore supplying an investing chance to follow information communicating engineering in schools. Opportunity in the SectorRegulatory Framework for Foreign Direct Investment[ 11 ]Figure: Regulatory Framework for Foreign Direct Investment The automatic path requires no anterior blessing from any regulative organic structure prior to registering but merely after, it needs interaction with the RBI though an authorised trader or banker. FDI in sectors necessitating anterior blessing by the Government is categorized under Approval path. The blessing is granted by the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, and Foreign Investment Promotion Board ( FIPB ) .Portfolio Investment for FIIsFIIs and NRIs registered with SEBI can put through portfolio strategies. FIIs can buy/sell securities on stock exchanges in those sectors which are non restricted. They can put up to 30 per centum of its portfolio in debt instruments. If a FII declares itself to be a 100 per centum debt FII it can do its full investing in debt or other eligible instruments.Tax Incentives that Drive Investment in IndiaSEZsA unit puting up operations in SEZ can bask income revenue enhancement vacation for a period of 15 old ages from the poin in clip it begins to fabricate its merchandise or starts operations.Export Oriented Units ( EOUs )Enterprises in Export Processing Zones ( EPZ ) or Free Trade Zones ( FTZ ) or Software Technology Park ( STP ) are eligible to 100 per centum tax write-off on the net incomes from exports for 10 back-to-back old ages.Commercial Production or Refining of Mineral Oil100 percent revenue enhancement vacation for projects engaged in commercial production of mineral oil for the first 7 old ages.In House Research and DevelopmentA tax write-off of one and a half clip of the outgo incurred on the scientific research.Tax Holidays for Infrastructure ProjectsUndertakings engaged in substructure undertakings ar e entitled to a 10 twelvemonth revenue enhancement vacation.Tax Holidays for Power UndertakingsFirms engaged with power undertakings are entitled to a revenue enhancement vacation of 10 old ages. These revenue enhancement inducements pull heavy investings in these sectors as they prove to be good. These revenue enhancement inducements provide higher returns for the houses engaged in the undertakings. They prove to be good for the authorities every bit good, as they help in the puting up of industries in backward countries and aid in their development.DecisionIndia has a huge potency to pull investings from assorted beginnings in different sectors. The conditions present in India such as revenue enhancement inducements, authorities enterprises have a positive impact on investings. The stableness that India has shown in the clip of economic lag has raised the trust of the investors in the Indian economic system. With many undertakings in the grapevine India has to offer a big range for investings. Foreign influxs have over the old ages brought in big sums of hard currency militias in the state and the favourable conditions are expected to raise the degrees even more. Therefore India over the following few old ages has the possible to pull major investings and go a planetary investing hub. Its trusty image and invariably lifting GDP besides contribute to the procedure of India going a moneymaking market for investing.

Symptoms And Symptoms Of A Long Day - 1558 Words

After a long day, you look forward to reaching the section of your home where a luscious bed covered with a comforter and pillows is calling your name. Finally, there it is the location in which you will be lying in for the hours to come. As you lay there, you slowly begin to relax your muscles until your breathing pattern alters. Eyes closed, chest motioning up and down in a consistent rhythm, you peacefully fall asleep in a matter of minutes until your mind wanders in your sleep and begins to form images, piecing together aspects of everyday life to form its own story line. A change in mood occurs as your surroundings become darker and ominous, usually accompanied by a threatening figure full of danger and discomfort. Something†¦show more content†¦When the body is unable to make any movement during this time, it can be frightening for the person experiencing the abnormality of the sleep phenomenon. While sleeping, people undergo stages of sleep that differentiate during e ach phase. They are divided into 4 to 5 stages and are as follows: Stage one is the lightest level, is known as a transitional state, and is characterized as physically nodding away, being able to hear surroundings, and can easily reorient to what was going around prior to the urge of falling asleep. The time span that a person usually remains in this cycle ranges from five to ten minutes; Stage two consists of slower breaths, a less tense body, and modification of body temperature. This phase takes place after the ten minutes, but within 25 minutes after sleep has occurred. In the third stage, an individual is in a deep sleep, experiences slow brain wave activity with short, spontaneous bursts of increased activity. If the individual is abruptly awakened at this time, they will be disoriented and unfamiliar with their surroundings. The fourth stage is the deepest level of sleep, no separate burst of brain activity, night terrors and bed wetting occurs, and this is when repair and r ejuvenation takes place. In the fifth stage, active sleep also known as REM is where dreaming occurs. It experiences the most brain activity, the body is temporarily

According to Arp and Johnson, “Literary fiction plunges...

According to Arp and Johnson, â€Å"Literary fiction plunges us, through the author’s imaginative vision and artistic ability, more deeply into the real world, enabling us to understand life’s difficulties and to empathize with others.† In the story The Metamorphosis by Kafka he uses his genius imaginative vision and artistic ability, making us understand and feel empathy toward his main character, Gregor. Kafka uses a tremendous amount of symbolism and metaphors to get us to feel the mood in the story and in general life’s difficulties. In the story, Gregor wakes up on a rainy day to go to work and when he tries to get up he notices he has been transformed into a bug. Although, the story isn’t about real world aspects and social views you can†¦show more content†¦Once Gregor is turned into this cockroach, his family is tested and fails to show the love and loyalty a family should indeed give each other no matter what. That’s when th e empathy is at full throttle. Gregor is completely rejected and abandoned by his family, not even a word spoken to him from the people that pretended to love him and Kafka shows this truth that there is no such thing as unconditional love. Gregor’s family does not try to help him but instead they feel ashamed and try to hide him. They do not think of his feelings or how much he has done for them, instead they want to get rid of him, â€Å"We must try to get rid of it† (500) said the sister, â€Å"She’s right a thousand times over† (500) the father said to himself. Gregor did not deserve, nor do they ever explain why it happened; he seemed like the perfect brother and son, supporting them financially and physically. Which gave me this notion, â€Å"Everything happens for a reason†; even though Gregor ends up dying he was killing himself in the story as a human to feed, pay and give to his parents and his sister when they did not even deserve it. Hi s family could not function without him and when Gregor is turned they finally have to shift to supporting themselves. Kafka shows such vulnerability to events way beyond our control. The fact that Gregor becomes alienated from his family, isolated in this dark room and with such mistreatment from the people who are