Manguru is an online platform that allows users to post and share cultural manners from their own cultures and other cultures. It provides deep insights into the contexts and practical uses of manners in different regions. Based on this user-generated content and feedback, the platform creates short "do's and don'ts" guides for business etiquette in specific regions. This allows businesspeople to appropriately conduct themselves when interacting with other cultures. The platform aims to foster understanding between cultures by facilitating the sharing of cultural knowledge and experiences between users from around the world.

1. SHARE, INTERACT, RESPECT,CONNECT
YOUR GUIDE IN BUSINESS MANNERS DO’S AND DON’TS
Bidbook version 14.5.2012
By Marco de Groen

2. =
MANNERS GURU = GUIDE
Manguru is an online platform that allows users to post and share manners of
their own and of other cultures with business users from all over the world.
It can be useful to know about manners when you are travelling, doing
business abroad or are researching different cultures.
The platform transcends existing references on manners because it does not
only describe manners generically. It gives deep insights in the contexts and
practical use of manners and related manners. Based on all this information a
do’s and don’ts list is created for each catagory of manners in a certain region.
Therefore by using this platform you will never act inappropriate when dealing
with other cultures as a businessman.
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3. Why read this bidbook?
•To show that this platform could be a great Marketing tool for you or your agency!
•Find and convince cultural experts and professionals from all over the world to join this platform
•To find investors and sponsors to help me realize this platform or maintain it
•A holy bible for myself as creator and for others, but also to guard the true values of this platform
•To inform whoever is interested in this platform with the key values and information of the platform
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4. Manners? UNDERTONE
What are manners and how are they STORIES
connected to culture? UNDERTONE
In this small infographic I would like to show
you how everything is linked together. RELATED
MANNERS
MANNERS
Key factors in manners are: ETIQUETTES
•Country
•Region REGION
•Ethnicity COUNTRY TRADITIONS
•Religion
•Traditions
Connected to them are also the job function of ETHNICITY
a person and the age of a person. CULTURE
These key factors together are the culture of
a person.
Which means that manners and culture are
joined in each other.
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5. Scope
The platform will be a cross media tool that allows business people with
different cultural backgrounds to understand each other better but also to get
more interaction between each other concerning manners.
Target group
Chinese business people and Dutch business people
Target group motivation
Chinese business people: worldwide, many traditions and manners, biggest import and
export country Personal motivation: My wife is Chinese
Dutch business people: strategic position in Europe, economically strong, experienced
traders Personal motivation: My own Dutch roots
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6. Proposition
Who are we?
Manguru is an online platform that allows users to post and share manners of their own and of
other cultures with users from Holland and China.
For who?
The sub target group of this platform will be the business people from both countries, since they
have the biggest profits with this platform.
Why?
There is a strong need for more unique information with insights in key factors such as country,
region, ethnic group, religion and tradition that can be provided by natives only. This information
needs to be provided anytime, anywhere, short, simple and easy at one central place online.
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7. Proposition
What do they need?
Deeper information on manners provided by experts and natives with different social layers from
either Holland or China.
What do we offer?
An online platform that is easy accessible anytime and anywhere.
Where manners are shared by natives and discussed by them with other users and experts.
Allowing users to understand and respect different cultures more and better. The eventual data
produced on the platform is stored and reused into clear and short datasheets, which can be used
by users while travelling or as a marketing tool. Also moderators (who consist of cultural experts)
will create custom made do’s and don’ts lists for each catagory of manners that are located in a
certain region of Holland or China. This will allow business people to get a fast, clear and short
total overview of what are currently the main trends on manners at the location where they are or
going to be.
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8. Proposition
Competition
There is much competition in analogue and digital way. Only the main issue is that these
competitors offer information that is too general, too long and most of the time not provided by
natives. Their websites and books make it hard to share the information fast en everywhere.
Also when people read a long book they will only remember parts of the manners which is a shame
of the time spend on reading it. Another thing is that people reading a book will also decide
themselve what is most important to them, this while experts could not make that choice for them.
This is where Manguru steps in.
Why are we different?
Thanks to our user generated content (from natives) and feedback from experts, professionals
and other users from different social layers on manners we can offer trustworthy information with
unique insights. With one central point of information Manguru also offers users the
opportunity to form a community, which will create a better band between different cultures.
This will lead to better understand and respect for each other’s manners and culture. And since the
data on the platform is stored in a unique way users can make use of statistics, infographics and
short do’s and don’ts lists provided by the platform.
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9. USE CASE MANGURU
HOW DOES IT WORK?
LOOKING FOR
SELF PROMOTION PROMOTE HIS CULTURE, COMPANY, JOB TO GET A BETTER NETWORK LOOKING FOR
OR UNDERSTANDING SET THINGS STRAIGHT OR EARN MONEY AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES DO AND DONTS
(About manners)
HAS KNOWLEDGE AND NEEDS KNOWLEDGE AND IS LOOKING
WANTS TO SHARE IT FOR A PLACE TO GET IT, FAST AND EASY
VISIT WEBSITE
CULTURAL
BUSINESS
EXPERT
MAN
OR NATIVE
BECOME
MEMBER
BUSINESSMAN PAYS
EXPERT GETS FREE
PER DOWNLOAD
ACCESS AS MODERATOR
POST MANNER WILL MAKE HIM GET THE USE INFO WILL MAKE HIM GET UNDERSTANDED
MAKE LIST RIGHT ESSENTIAL INFO AND LISTS BETTER, MORE RESPECT, MORE BUSINESS
FOR EACH POST THEY MAKE THEY
GET MONEY.
SHARE HIS SHARE HIS CRUCIAL TO SHARE WITH OTHERS. IN ORDER
LOOKING FOR KNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCES
INTERACTION TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND DEPTH INFO
A GOOD PLACE TO
ADVERTISE
THIS WILL MAKE HIM GET
MORE CLIENTS, RESPECT
AND UNDERSTANDING EXPERT IS PAYED POST NEW LOOKING FOR
USER PAYS BUT
REWARDS CAN EARN MONEY BACK BY MANNER/ A GIFT, MARKETING
SHARING HIS EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE DATA, OR INFO
COMPANY OR WEBSHOP
CAN PAY TO ADD A LINK AT
A MATCHING MANNER OR POST
ADD COMMENTS
ADD RANKING KNOWLEDGE
ADD LOCATIONS ALL DATA
ADD TAGS IS STORED
TIPS/LINKS ADD LINKS IN DATABASE
ADD TIPS
SHARE ONLINE RESPECT
COMPANY UNDERSTANDING
OR WEBSHOP NEW PRODUCT
IS MADE OUT
OF DATA
BENEFITS FOR EXPERTS BUYER OF
BUSINESSMAN, COMPANIES PRODUCTS
DATA CAN BE USED TO MAKE
DATASHEETS OR BUSINESS GIFTS OR WEBSITE USER
BUSINESS MAN 8

10. GROWTH NEEDS UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NATIVES
INTERACTION WITH EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONALS
DATASHEETS USED AS A MARKETING TOOL
A SHORT DO’S AND DON’TS LIST ON DEMAND
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
SHORT-TERM URGENCY OF NEEDS URGENCY OF NEEDS LONG-TERM
ORIENTED ORIENTED
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
GOOD AND FAST ACCESS BUILD UP A NETWORK
INFORMATION THEY TRUST GET A BETTER BOND WITH EACHOTHER
DONT LOOK LIKE A FOOL RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING
ENRICH THEMSELVES A CULTURAL HERITAGE
PROTECTION ON PRIVACY MORE AND BETTER BUSINESS
DO’S AND DON’TS
MANNERS
QUESTIONS ANSWERED
INTERACTIONS WITH CULTURES
BASIC NEEDS ONLINE INFORMATION, ANYTIME ANYWHERE 9

11. Super short introduction
•An online platform that will open a door to information that has never been seen or published before!
•Insight information about manners, projected in manner posts and do’s and don’ts lists
•User generated content
•Content provided by experts and professionals, and people with different social backgrounds in society
•Users from the same or from a different cultures can interact with each other on the community
•Thanks to this interaction the users will get more respect and understanding for each other
•Users will be able to find and build up a network for both personal and business use
Why this platform?
•Manners from different cultures have never been shared along with the interesting insights
•These insights are only known by people who are very familiar with the culture or raised in it
•There is a strong need for more deeper and detailed information about manners
•Key factors in this information are: Country, Region, Ethnic group, Religion, Job function and age
•These key factors make it very hard to map and list the manners in a linear way, this platform can!
•There is a strong need for a community about manners where people can interact
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12. The platform, what?
•Online! In the shape of a responsive website
•Post a question or a manner, done by users
•A club (the users) of selected professionals, experts, business people and culture freaks
•Together they share, interact and make content which only they can use!
•The platform will become an community and online meeting point
•A database will store all information by tags given by the users
•The information will be re-used for do’s and don’ts lists, statistics, infographics, marketing, business gifts
•Work opportunities, people always need advice, translators, experts, meetings and workshops
The platform, online
•Online you can connect with business people and experts from all over the world
•Connection is made quite easy, anytime and anywhere online
•The boundaries for visitors are low, so it is very easy to visit
•Privacy is no problem on this platform since you are known by your username only
•Easy to connect to social media like Twitter and Facebook to make it a cross media platform
•One central place online which makes it more easy to find for users
•Log in can be done by PC, smart phones and tablets
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13. Why this platform is better then the rest
•It is online so easy to access anywhere!
•People with different social backgrounds can interact, this is crucial for good info.
•Its not a one way train, information is shared, discussed and commented
•The users know what they are talking about, only people with the right knowledge
•The platform is connected closely to social media, its of this modern time
•Young and old people can be connected, which is good for the future
•The manners can be mapped and structured thanks to the tags, this is unique
•Privacy data is respected and will be protected also with the use of usernames
•Users need to have a certain knowledge with manners to be on the platform
•Users need to put in effort to join, therefore they will be more committed/helpfull
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14. Focus
To make this platform interesting for businessman and for investors a good
filtering of information needs to be done. This will make you get a good focus on
information that matters. To get this filtering and focus the following will be done:
•Target group is businessman, experts and professionals only
•Only country regions that are interesting for business will be displayed and handled
•A GPS tracker will show you the data of your current location or where you are going
•Do’s and don’ts are made by experts
•Ranking done by businessman and experts based on experiences
•Data and do’s and don’ts is sorted and listed on country, region and catagory
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15. Who? The stakeholders (users)
•Business people (in Holland and China)
•Professionals
•Experts
•Cultural interested people
•Investors and sponsors
What is in it for them? In general
• Unique content supplied, ranked, shared and discussed by the users themselves
• Tagged and mapped content which makes it very easy to use the content
• Content with a very high amusement factor but also easy to learn and understand
• One central point where people can share and gather for manners
• Respect and understanding between different cultures
• Enrich themselves
• Build up a network with contacts
• Get content which is reliable
• Create a cultural heritage for themselves and other generations
• Be able to use the content and create new products of it
only they can since they are the users (they have the privilege)
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16. What is in it for them? Each group
Target groups
•Business people: Do’s and don’ts, Networking, Job possibilities, Interesting data
•Professionals: Job possibilities, Networking, Be able to distinct themselves
•Experts: Job possibilities, More knowledge, Networking, Be able to distinct themselves
•Cultural interested people: Share experiences, Get more understanding
Partners
•Investors and sponsors: Get useful data, Be able to advertise more specific
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17. Personas, who will visit this platform?
•Who would visit this platform and why would they?
•The personas are related to experts, businessman and cultural
interested people
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18. Businessman - Event Agency
Running a business that has international ambition
PERSONA
Mark van der Broek - Director
Age: 30-65
“I would love to do business in China but before I will I would
like to browse through the most important manners that are
related with doing business in Hong Kong”
The Situation
Mark is the director of an event agency that keeps itself busy with creating the perfect event for your
company from a to z. Cause of his great succes in Holland he wants to expand to China since he heard
that the market there is very interesting for his agency. But since he has no experience at all with doing
business there he would like to know more about the manners in China to make a good first impression.
He knows that the cultural differences are very big so short study of the manners and habits there is an
absolute must for him. Books and websites provide good information but he finds them too complicated
and general. He would like to do business specifically in Hongkong and because of that he wants as many
manners and habits as possible as soon as possible.
Key Characteristics Goals Questions Influencers
• Is interested in culture • Know more about Chinese manners • Where to find the right information that really • Clients Relations
• Loves to make a good impression • Build up good reliable relations in China matters? • Embassy
• Is very creative with his business • Have a good image for his agency • How to find information which is reliable and • His staff
• Don’t look like a fool when he is in China comes from the people there? • Attitude
Expectations • Where to get specific do’s and don’ts, fast, • Time
• Good business in China Current knowledge easy and clear? • References
• Build up a network there • Know how the pass his business card • Is there information about manners that I can • Location
• Get clients that will come back • Knows when to bow use for my agency to make it more successfull?
• Open a new office there • Knows not to rush with business there 17

19. Chinese Investor - Dragon Invest (own business)
Is the owner of his own investment foundation and is looking for projects in Holland to invest in
PERSONA
Fenson Lim - Owner/Director
Age: 28-65
“I am looking for some great innovations in Holland to invest my
money in. But I have never done business in Holland before so I
dont know how to contact them and what is common there when
doing business. I would like to know more about that a.s.a.p.”
The Situation
Investing in Dutch innovations is something that I find very interesting. This because Holland is one of the
leading countries in online innovations and I have very high interest in that. Unfortunately I have only been
investing in projects around China. I am very interested and excited to make this big step to Europe but I
do not want to look like a newbie from China. Knowing more about Holland their manners and traditions is
very important to me. Also I would like to know a few words in Dutch so I can show my respect to the
Dutch people. Since I am a very busy man I do not have all the time of the world to prepare myself with
these matters. Doing a long study is not an option for me, I am looking for one general place where I can
go with all my questions about manners and traditions in Holland.
Key Characteristics Goals Questions Influencers
• Is very traditional • Not look like a fool or newbie in Holland • Is there one general place to find information • Family
• Status is important to him • Find contacts in Holland that can help him about manners that is useful for me personal? • Network
• Does not trust people easily • Get information about manners fast and easy • Is there a place where I can have interaction • Knowledge
• Share some of his own traditions about manners with others? • Attitude
Expectations • Can I make my network grow by sharing my • Image
• Learn fast and easy Current knowledge manners online? • Effort
• Find the information that matters • Doing business in China • Will others respect me more if I know about • Help
• Learn some words of Dutch language • Manners and traditions in China their manners and traditions?
• Expant his network • Knowledge English, Chinese, Japan, Vietnam • Would people like to know information about 18
• Knows about banking and investing Chinese manners that only I could know?

20. Culture lover - Lecturer at university
Loves the Asian culture and lectures about it for many years at a university
PERSONA
Bart Jongmans - Lecturer
Age: 30-65
“I love the Asian culture and travel there a lot, I read books, go
to fairs and join communities from Asia. I would love to share
my knowledge and opineon about Chinese manners and learn
more about it from locals so I can teach this to my class”
The Situation
I am a lecturer with a passion for the Asian culture. I am trying to pass this passion over my students by
keeping up to date with all cultural aspects from Asia. Having some good contacts in Asia would be a great
asset for me personally and as a lecturer. I have seen all books, websites and other information sources. I
am now looking for a way to get more unique information that you cannot find in these books. Information
that will make my classes more interesting and spectacular. But also I just love to know more about all
these manners and traditions. It would be great for me to place my questions about my manners
somewhere and having people respond to them. Most of my questions can only be answered by locals.
Maybe I could also share my own personal view on things or share my Dutch manners with Asians.
Key Characteristics Goals Questions Influencers
• Loves the Asian culture • Get more insight information from locals • Are the fackts that I know about manners • University
• Knows how to translate information • Build up new relations correct or is there more behind the story? • His Students
• Gets many input from his students • Be a better lecturer with great insights • How to find information which is reliable and • Free time
• Share his passion about Asian culture comes from locals? • Attitude
Expectations • Are people interested in my personal view and • Contacts
• More unique information Current knowledge opinion? • Friends
• Find some contacts to share information • Knows general manners and traditions in Asia • Are there people that can teach me more to • Travelling
• Give his opinion on manners • Knows a lot about Dutch culture improve me as a lecturer in Asian manners?
• Grow as a lecturer • Knows how to translate information to people
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21. Cultural Expert China - Chamber of commerce Holland
Works as an advisor for companies who would like to do business in China
PERSONA
Lee Nah - Advisor
Age: 28-65
“Doing business in China and being successful depends on
many different factors. But also your personality and attitude is
important. I would like to share my personal knowledge about
this somewhere since this if often not known or forgotten”
The Situation
As an advisor for the chamber of commerce in Holland I have helped many agencies with setting up their
business in China. A lot of times agencies become very successful but also many times a lot dont. This is
because of their lack of knowledge for manners and traditions in China. As a Chinese who is raised very
traditional by my parents I know many specific information about manners and traditions in China and
where they come from. But also I know the differences in each region and the storied behind them. As an
advisor I do not have the time and possibility to keep tell every agency about all these specific manners
and traditions for each region all the time over and over again. The perfect solution for me would be one
general place where I can easily put these manners and answers online. In this way I can help everyone in
one time and it could also be a nice place to promote myself and the chamber of commerce.
Key Characteristics Goals Questions Influencers
• Has Chinese roots • Share her personal knowledge • How to promote myself and get a bigger • Family
• Knows much about doing business • Help more people in one time network for the chamber of commerce? • Her job
• Many possibilities as an advisor • Promote herself and her function • Can people find the right specific information • Knowledge
• Create a cultural heritage for China online and use it while doing business? • Attitude
Expectations • Can I get more respect for us Chinese when I • Experiences
• More respect and understanding Current knowledge post my knowledge online somewhere? • Contacts
• One place to share specific information • Personal experience cause of her roots • How to make people understand us Chinese • Roots
• Get more agencies in her network • Knows manners and traditions better in a short amount of time?
• More appreciation for her job • Knows mandarin and cantonese • Can people from different cultures talk about 20
• Knows the importance of rank and status their manners online to get more understanding?

22. Image Consultant - At “image” (own business)
Works as an image consultant for agencies that do business all over the world
PERSONA
Tracy Groothuis - Owner/Director
Age: 28-65
“I can give every person get the best possible image tips
whether he wants to do business, work in hospitality or needs it
for personal reasons. I want to promote myself and show my
knowledge and expertise to others on this matter”
The Situation
Being an image consultant is a very unique and intense job. Manners and traditions are always changing
and are different in each region. I have to keep up with the latest trends all the time in order to be up to
date when I teach others about these manners. I put all my time and effort in my job as an image consult-
ant and this is what I do for a living. Promoting myself is very difficult since there is a lot of competition but
also many places to advertise. I am looking for a way to promote myself more and to show people how
well I am up to date compared to others. Also I have many personal experiece that you will not find that
easy in for example a book. Also I would like to find other image consultants to share experiences and to
help each other out on some problems. Together we could form a group online to help people that are
interested in this kind of service. In this way we can promote ourselves, build a network and earn respect.
Key Characteristics Goals Questions Influencers
• Has general knowledge on manners • Share her personal knowledge/experience • How can I use the internet to promote myself • Competitors
• Personal experiences • Promote herself very specific and the right way more and let people know about me? • Network
• Knows a variety of image techniques • Get a network of clients and other consultants • Is it possible to know more details about • Knowledge
• Answer questions to others manners from peope themselves? • Attitude
Expectations • Can I get more business by sharing my • Image
• Get more appreciation Current knowledge knowledge online? • Effort
• Know more about certain manners • Image • How can I learn more without travelling around • Help
• Share knowledge with others • Manners and traditions worldwide general the world to find out myself?
• Expant her network online • Knowledge English, Dutch, French, German • I am interested if my information is true and if it 21
• Clothing advisor has been useful for people who used it

23. The value of contributing
•Create a cultural heritage
•Be part of the select club that can use the information but also can learn from each other
•Build up a network and identify yourself
•Enrich yourself and others
•Make people aware of the power and use that are connected to manners
•Change peoples insights and state of mind towards each other
•Improve communication, respect and understanding for each other
•Find people with the same interests
•Get a up to date do’s and don’ts list for each region and catagory in countries
Value for users
•Users can promote themselves and show their knowledge
•Only the users can profit of the shared content and its information, they have a privilege
•Users from Holland and China can interact to clear out questions and problems
•New relations,work and business can be started and made on the platform
•Information out of different social layers will give a very detailed and valuable perspective
•Networks can be shared and used from each other
•A club/community will be formed which allows users to enrich each other in many ways
•A bridge will be build between countries and their culture
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24. So how does it all connect?
•On the next page you will see a conceptual model
•Please read form left to right and from up to down
•Questions? Then please ask at Twitter or info@marcodegroen.com
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25. QUESTION
A USER POSTS A MESSAGE ABOUT MANNERS
CONCEPTUAL MODEL
Post/Type message Message must be manner
or tradition related
Man or Woman
User uses... For the post
Selected by himself -Stories Post needs
from his own background
-Experiences content and context
Connected to or someone else his background
Family and friends -Education Is connected to
-Way he is raised Consists
Might include
of
LTURE N T ENT
CU CO NTEXT
Register/Log in
Info connected
FIRST
CO
Register/Log in -Actions
-Country Post may consist of
to user profile
FIRST -Culture
Text, Photo’s or Video’s -Language
-Region -Time
Traditions Join or help -Objects
and -Ethnicity to create FILLED IN BY USER -History
-Job function
Manners -Religion community -Location
-Behavior
-Age -Circumstances
BY POSTING Data connected to -Environment
-Job each post -Language
-Contacts Will structure
-Work and map posts
TAGS/ I N
-At home
-Opportunities
TA
-At work
-Insight information Find and connect to
other users of different
NETWORK -Username
N I TY/ G
DA
cultures or the same
FO
MU
-Age SOCIAL MEDIA
R -Job function
M
-Country In user
OU
CRUCIAL
CO
-Learn
Have the opportunity for:
-Region account NEEDED
and each
P
Understanding -Ethnic group DATA
and
-Share
-Interaction post All combined together =
-Comment -Religion
Respect Unique data and information
-Discuss -Catagory
-Content
Insight information
-Eating
-Greeting
Usefull and
-Entering House Data can be reshared
-Unique information usable for Catagory subjects
-Manners
-Gathered
-Heritage of culture in different new shapes like:
Cultural interested people -Etc. -Ranked
-Valuable information Business people Do’s and don’ts
-Shared
Experts An application
Investors Thanks to users -Discussed
Stakeholders -Feedback Articles
and community
-Mapped E-mails
INFORMATION AVAILABLE -Structured Social Media
People in different social layers
Suppliers
can give useful various information ONLY FOR USERS -Tagged Business gifts
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26. Website prototype, look and feel
•On the first pages you will see some wireframes of the platform
•On the remaning pages you will see some screens of the platform
•Questions? Then please ask at Twitter or info@marcodegroen.com
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