Business Culture in Italy

Doing business abroad introduces international business people to differences in approaches to business, business etiquette and protocol. Although these may not be crucial to business proceedings they should not be dismissed as unnecessary. Cross cultural awareness can enhance the potential of the international business person's trip considerably. Let us look at a brief example: There are two business people each planning on doing business in Italy. Both have similar proposals. One ignores the possible impact of culture and concentrates their efforts on the business proposal. The other also invests time and energy in the proposal but in addition realises that doing business in Italy is a lot different to doing business in the UK or USA. They look into the business etiquette of Italy, the way in which meetings are conducted and negotiation styles. Nine times out of ten the latter of the two will have the advantage. They will be able to tailor their proposal and demeanour to gel better with the Italian way. In addition, they would endear themselves to the Italian hosts. This guide to doing business in Italy is designed as a brief introduction to areas business people should take into consideration before travelling to Italy. Doing Business – Etiquette Good manners and courtesy are prized qualities in Italy. When doing business in Italy ensure your conduct is always polished. There are etiquettes and protocols for many social and business situations, however, it is important to remember that Italians rate considerateness above behavioural formulas. When meeting and departing always shake hands. This is valid for both individuals and groups. After doing business in Italy for a period of time and building relationships do not be surprised if you are embraced when being met. This indicates the relationship has reached an intimate level. When doing business in Italy you will notice that little personal space is left between people when interacting. In addition, Italians are a tactile people. Moving away or keeping your distance may be interpreted as cold and unfriendly. If you are familiar with Italian, use the polite ‘lei' form until a relationship is established, then use the more informal ‘tu' form. When doing business in Italy, address people using ‘Signor' (m) or ‘Signora' (f) followed by their surname. ‘Dottore' (m) or ‘Dottoressa' (f) is used for those who have graduated. When doing business in Italy, dress to impress. It is no coincidence that Versace, Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana are all Italian fashion houses. Italians like to make an impression with their clothes. What you wear speaks volumes about the kind of person you are. Doing Business – Punctuality Italians are usually relaxed around issues relating to time. Being late with a good reason will not have any negative consequences. However, deliberate lateness is considered sloppy and taking people's time for granted is simply rude. When doing business in Italy err on the side of caution and aim to be punctual. Doing Business – Business Entertaining Hospitality plays a key role in Italian business culture. Invitations to lunch and dinner are to be expected when doing business there. At such occasions a small exclusive group will usually be present. Each attendee will have a particular interest in your visit. If you plan to host a meal, ask the most senior Italian contact who you should invite. Dining does have certain protocol in Italy. However, do not place too much emphasis on this as more time would be spent worrying about etiquette mistakes than enjoying the experience. Major etiquette tips are that the most honoured guest sits at the middle of the table or on the right of the host; the host always pays; pass dishes to the left; keep your knife in the right hand and fork in the left and do not answer phone calls at the table. Doing Business – Meeting and Negotiations Italians prefer to do business with someone they know. When doing business in Italy, use contacts and networks to introduce you before proceeding to set up meetings. To arrange a meeting write, in Italian, first. Follow this up with a phone call, fax or e-mail. The best time for meetings is between 10 – 11 a. m. and after 3 p. m. Avoid August as most businesses will run on skeleton staff due to holidays. Negotiations can be slow. Demonstrating a sense of urgency is seen as a sign of weakness. At the beginning of a meeting avoid business and concentrate on some small talk. Topics of discussion could include Italian culture, food, wine and football (soccer). Italians will take away proposals and analyse them carefully. Be sure to offer as much information as possible in written form for them to take away. A known Italian tactic is to dramatically change demands at the eleventh hour to unsettle or test the flexibility of their counterparts. Remain firm. Location: Southern Europe, bordering Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3. 2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km Capital: Rome Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south Population: 58,057,477 (July 2004 est. ) Ethnic Make-up: Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) Religions: predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community Government: republic The Italian Language Italian is the official language of Italy, and 93% of population are native Italian speakers. Around 50% of population speak a regional dialect as mother tongue. Many dialects are mutually unintelligible and thus considered by linguists as separate languages, but are not officially recognised. Friulian, one of these dialects, is spoken by 600,000 people in the north east of Italy, which is 1% of the entire population. Other northern minority languages include Ladin, Slovene, German, which enjoys equal recognition with Italian in the province of Alto-Adige, and French, which is legally recognised in the Alpine region of the Val d'Aosta. Albanian is spoken by 0. 2% of the population, mainly in the southern part of Italy, as too are Croatian and Greek. Catalan is spoken in one city, Alghero, on the island of Sardinia, by around 0. 07% of the population. On the rest of the island, Sardinian is spoken by over 1m, which comes to 1. 7% of the Italian population.

Power Gained by Deception

Hoe From Cornelius Usual to Kim Gong-UN, power gained by deception-by controlling the thinking style of the people, and power gained by physical or military force are two things that have always been a part of the world's politics through history. According to Citadel (Bibb† political deception may have a close relationship to and Impact on military operations† (page 2). These two Ideas both give the least positive ambiance, but they have never left the hands of the leaders of mankind.In a world where both methods† of gaining political authority exist, it is more appropriate to define the relationship between the two, than to compare and prove which is actually â€Å"better. † Deception and force have a chronological relationship: In the political aspect, the most effective way to gain what you want is by deception, and force is a necessity that follows to maintain the deception from dying out. Almost every major influence between societies- the so-called â⠂¬Å"mind war† that has happened through history expresses this relationship's definition.The Philippines, for instance, was conquered by the Spanish explorers for nearly 300 years. The long triumph of this colonization was not Like the other cases where the westerners' technological advancement caused the victory, but It was the huge Impact of Charlatanry that threw the rather innocent natives Into the traps of the Spanish. The Foolproof were not forced to refrain from fighting back, but they sincerely believed that they shouldn't.Shockproof (1990) wrote, â€Å"Using religious dogmas, they were able to convince the indigenous people, which they considered uncivilized and in need of guidance. (p. 83). Stopping the historical story here would make readers understand the power of deception, but the entire process of Spanish colonization did not work by deception only. The Spanish set strict rules for the natives to follow and implied punishments for anyone who went against it.Th e power of force is implied in this dictatorial colonization, and these rules were simply to make sure that the Filipinos stay inside the net of false beliefs. A lot of the native leaders were at flirts against the Integration of an unfamiliar society and the Influx of a belief they have never heard of, but It was the military strength they saw In the Spanish army that led them to stay low and eventually believe what they were told to believe. What could have happened if Spanish did not have the technology to create a sense of forceful power, a sense of position authority?The native would have not found the exotic idea credible, and sooner or later, would have abandoned the belief. Due to the fact that there was technological superiority, the power of force functioning alone would work and bring minimal results in the start, but it will definitely not last long because forcing them to obey by force would eventually lead the natives to fight back because they would know their rights to do so, and this belief would most likely be based on their own set of beliefs, their own, undisturbed source of Influence.Thus, it is generally agreeable that the power of psychological control Is Indomitable, but that fact does not Imply that the power of deception can stand on Its own. Another great example of a society ailing under deception, and being stuck â€Å"wealth the deception† with a power gained by military force would be North Korea, the home controlled by the well-known that their leader is the top of everything, and their â€Å"father† with the ultimate power.This may bring up a lot of political theory, but dictatorship, in its most basic sense, is a leader's deceiving of his people that everything should be done under his orders. Going back to the stated example, many would believe that the North Korean government's controlling of its people's minds is what kept the dictatorship, and the people's democracy' clear and stable, but it is actually the c ountry strict implementation of its laws and its isolation with other nations and other cultures that did the work.In November of 2013, a rumor, with evidence good enough to reach the front page of a South Korean newspaper, spread that 80 North Koreans were executed in front of the public for several reasons: possession of Christian bibles, distributing pornography and quite shockingly, even watching for watching Korean TV shows and dramas. All these various actions lead to the North Koreans introduction to the different thoughts and ideologies, especially the idea of capitalism.To stop these from happening, or to keep the deception functioning properly, North Korea had to use the dictator's authority to hold public executions in different parts of the country, so that nobody will even try to gain access to new ideas, and stay in what they believe right now. The system of North Korea is in fact, the perfect example of the relationship of the power of deception and power of force. It is quite inferable that with one of these two missing, the result would never be the name and Kim Gong-UN would not be the superior leader of North Korea which he is right now.For argument's sake, if North Korea lost all its military strength and the power to force people to follow, sooner people will be accessed to new ideas, and then they will realize that what their country has believed is not quite ideal, and the deception, the tool that functioned as the frame of North Koreans dictatorship may blur out and eventually shatter. Machiavelli quoted, â€Å"Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception†.He emphasizes the point that winning by deception is indeed better than winning by force in politics, which this paper tries to address wrong. Sun TTS wrote that, â€Å"All warfare is based on deception. (Book 1, 18)†, which means that these two cannot be divided and as we see from history and that they must coexist. One point that argues to Machiavellian q uote is that deception does not last for so long, and things are to be revealed sooner or later, but it is the force that extends the time of the â€Å"revelation†, thus making the deception more effective.

Building and Managing Systems Essay

JetBlue and WestJet: A Tale of Two IS Projects The time had come for both JetBlue and WestJet to upgrade their reservation systems. Each carrier had started out using a system designed for smaller start-up airlines, and both needed more processing power to deal with a far greater volume of customers. They also needed features like the ability to link prices and seat inventories to other airlines with whom they cooperated. Both JetBlue and WestJet contracted with Sabre Holdings, one of the most widely used airline IT providers, to upgrade their airline reservation systems, The difference between WestJet and JetBlue’s implementation of Sabre’s SabreSonic CSS reservation system illustrates the dangers inherent in any large-scale IT overhaul. It also serves as yet another reminder of how successfully planning for and implementing new technology is just as valuable as the technology itself. Sabre’s newest system, SabreSonic CSS, performs a broad array of services for any airline. It sells seats, collects payments, allows customers to shop for flights on the airline’s Web site, and provides an interface for communication with reservation agents. Customers can  use it to access airport kiosks, select specific seats, check their bags, board, rebook, and receive refunds for flight cancellations. All of the data generated by these transactions are stored centrally within the system. JetBlue selected SabreSonic CSS over its legacy system developed by Sabre rival Navitaire, and WestJet was upgrading from an older Sabre reservation sy stem of its own. The first of the two airlines to implement SabreSonic CSS was WestJet. When WestJet went live with the new system in October 2009, customers struggled to place reservations, and the WestJet Web site crashed repeatedly. WestJet’s call centers were also overwhelmed, and customers experienced slowdowns at airports. For a company that built its business on the strength of good customer service, this was a nightmare. How did WestJet allow this to happen? The critical issue was the transfer of WestJet’s 840,000 files containing data on transactions for past WestJet customers who had already purchased flights, from WestJet’s old reservation system servers in Calgary to Sabre servers in Oklahoma. The migration required WestJet agents to go through complex steps to process the data. WestJet had not anticipated the transfer time  required to move the files and failed to reduce its passenger loads on flights operating immediately after the changeover. Hundreds of thousands of bookings for future flights that were made before the changeover were Essentials of Management Information Systems, Tenth Edition, by Kenneth C. Laudon and Jane P. Laudon. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2013 by Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN 1-269-41688-X In recent years, the airline industry has seen several low-cost, high-efficiency carriers rise to prominence using a recipe of extremely competitive fares and outstanding customer service. Two examples of this business model in action are JetBlue and WestJet. Both companies were founded within the past two decades and have quickly grown into industry powerhouses. But when these companies need to make sweeping IT upgrades, their relationships with customers and their brands can be tarnished if things go awry. In 2009, both airlines upgraded their airline reservation systems, and one of the two learned this lesson the hard way. JetBlue was incorporated in 1998 and founded in 1999 by David Neeleman. The company is headquartered in Queens, New York and flies to 63 destinations in 21  states and eleven countries in the Caribbean, South America and Latin America. JetBlue’s goal has been to provide low-cost travel along with unique amenities like TV in every seat, and its heavy reliance on information technology throughout the business was a critical factor in achieving that goal. JetBlue met with early success and continued to grow at a rapid pace, consistently rank ing at the top of customer satisfaction surveys for U. S. airlines. Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, WestJet was founded by a group of airline industry veterans in 1996, including Neeleman, who left to start JetBlue shortly thereafter. The company began with approximately 40 employees and three aircraft. Today, the company has 7,800 employees and operates 420 flights per day to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Earlier in this decade, WestJet underwent rapid expansion spurred by its early success and began adding more Canadian destinations and then U. S. cities for its flights. By 2010, WestJet held nearly 40 percent of the Canadian airline market, with Air Canada dropping to 55 percent. JetBlue is slightly bigger, with 167 aircraft in use compared to WestJet’s 88, but both have used the same  low-cost, good-service formula that brought profitability in the notoriously treacherous airline marketplace. The rapid growth of each airline rendered their existing information systems obsolete, including their airline reservation systems. Upgrading reservations systems carries special risks. From a customer perspective, only one of two things can happen: Either th e airline successfully completes its overhaul and the customer notices no difference in the ability to book flights, or the implementation is botched, angering customers and damaging the airline’s brand. Chapter 11: Building Information Systems and Managing Projects handle these problems. JetBlue ended up using its backup site several times. JetBlue had the advantage of seeing WestJet begin its implementation months before, so it was able to avoid many of the pitfalls that WestJet endured. But JetBlue had also experienced similar customer service debacles in the past. In February 2007, JetBlue tried to operate flights during a blizzard when all other major airlines had already canceled their flights. This turned out to be a poor decision, as the weather conditions prevented the  flights from taking off and passengers were stranded for as long as ten hours. JetBlue had to continue canceling flights for days afterwards, reaching a total of 1,100 flights canceled and a loss of $30 million. JetBlue management realized in the wake of the crisis that the airline’s IT infrastructure, although sufficient to deal with normal day-to-day conditions, was not robust enough to handle a cr isis of this magnitude. This experience, coupled with the observation of WestJet’s struggles when implementing its new system, motivated JetBlue’s cautious approach to its own IT implementation. Sabre had to adjust the flights using the new system. This delay provoked a deluge of customer dissatisfaction, a rarity for WestJet. In addition to the increase in customer complaint calls, customers also took to the Internet to express their displeasure. Angry flyers expressed outrage on Facebook and flooded WestJet’s site, causing the repeated crashes. WestJet quickly offered an apology to customers on its site once it came back up, explaining why the errors had occurred. WestJet employees had trained with the new system for acombined 150,000 hours prior to the upgrade, but WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer explained that the company â€Å"encounter(ed) some problems in the live environment that simply did not appear in the test environment,† foremost among them the issues surrounding the massive file transfer. WestJet’s latest earnings reports show that the company weathered the storm successfully, remained profitable, and ranks just below JetBlue and Southwest in airline customer satisfaction. Neverthless, the incident forced the airline to slow down its rollout of a frequent flyer program, as well as code-sharing planswith other airlines, such as American Airlines and Cathay Pacific. These plans allow one airline to sell flights under its own name on aircraft operated by other airlines. In contrast, JetBlue learned from WestJet’s mistakes, and built a backup Web site to prepare for the worst case scenario. The company also hired 500 temporary call center workers to manage potential spikes in customer service calls. WestJet also ended up hiring temporary offshore call center workers, but only after the problem had gotten out of hand. JetBlue made sure to switch its files over to Sabre’s servers on a Friday night, because Saturday flight traffic is typically very low. JetBlue also sold smaller numbers of seats on the flights that did take off that day. JetBlue experienced a few glitches—call wait times increased and not all airport kiosks and ticket printers came online right away. In addition, JetBlue needs to add some booking functions. But compared to what WestJet endured, the company was extremely well prepared to 403 Essentials of Management Information Systems, Tenth Edition, by Kenneth C. Laudon and Jane P. Laudon. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2013 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Palestine israeli conflict for international relations class Research Paper

Palestine israeli conflict for international relations class - Research Paper Example The common thing in both perspectives of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict is that the main reason is on the issue of land and there are serious consequences that accompany the conflict. There has been loss of land, loss of lives and immigration of the people from their ancestral lands in order to obtain safety in other countries. The research on international relations relate to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. The research paper examines the conflict from a Palestinian perspective. The research will conduct an analysis of the cause of the conflict, which constitute the factors that led to the start of the fight. The history of the conflict helps in understanding the causes, effects, interventions, and future of the conflict. The two parties could just have easily settled their conflicts amicably, but this has not been the case. Both territories have seen the need for continuing to fight a war that started way before they existed. The help from outside parties in trying to arbitrate the conflict have further pushed the countries into further and more serious measures of dealing with the conflict. There are several impacts that have resulted from the conflict. Israel, for example, has become a highly militarized country, with every gender from the teenage years becoming full soldiers. It is a rite of passage for the children to become soldiers when they reach a certain age. For the Palestinians, the oppression they have suffered at the hands of the Israelis has made them have a lot of hate and distrust for the Israelites. The Palestinians also do not have trust in the external parties who have had a history of favoring the Israelites over them when it came to the conflict. The Palestinians further blame outside forces for heavily contributing to the fight. From the Palestinian perspective, the Palestinians are the wronged party, and they would not concede to the Israelites. They want revenge and

Singapore Airline Industries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Singapore Airline Industries - Research Paper Example These two policies have to be adapted to produce excellent services for an airline. Research has shown that poor services in the airline industry result from social, technological human factors and not technology. The Human Resource contributes highly to ensuring the airline has customer-centric, learning-oriented workforce that adapts to changes. The airline industry is competitive, safety sensitive, and there raised technology (Holloway, 1998). It is thus necessary to ensure the organization’s employees are competent enough. The Singapore airlines adopt this by strictly checking on the staff. Staff training, development, and aim to reach the highest performance standards are what makes Singapore Airlines stand. Singapore airline has a training center, opened in January 1993 and located at Singapore. It is the hub of airlines’ training programs. It offers pieces of training of the cabin crew, flight crew commercial and IT training. This paper covers how Singapore airli nes use Human Resource concepts or methods to perform internal and external recruitment and staffing. Flight crew training at the Singapore training center The Singapore Flying College (SFL) conducts basic flying pieces of training, also called ab-initio training (Heracleous, et al. 2009). These services provided for Singapore Airlines, Singapore airline cargo, and Silk Air cadet pilots. They issued with an Air Transport Pilot License with the instrument rating. Initial ab-initio training takes place in Singapore at Seletar airport. The intermediate and final phases of 15 months carried out at Jandakok (a branch of the college). In Seletar, Cessna 152 planes used while Cessna 172s planes used in jandakot Three-quarters of the flying training had done in Western Australia while all the ground training done in Singapore. Cadet pilots trained at the college of Singapore, Jandakot, Western Australia and Maroochydore, Queensland. Cadet pilots proceed to Advanced Flight Training (AFT) at Maroochydore in Australia for basic flight training where they train on the Learjet 45 for three months (Heracleous et al, 2009). A Learjet 45 is a high-performance jet with a twin engine. Cadets finish 70 flight hours in the leaser 45 and other exams then proceed to Singapore airlines Flight crew training center for specialized training. The Flight Crew training center has seven simulators that replicate cockpits of aircrafts operated by Singapore Airlines (Heracleous & Wirtz, 2010, p.45). They can also simulate the various motions of flight. The center contains a cabin evacuation trainer who trains the crew on how to deal with emergencies and procedures of evacuation in case of one. They check the biennial proficiency for all pilots. Safety training carried out where firefighting and life raft boarding drills administered to pilots and cabin crew. There is also training of the safety pool that can stimulate waves, water evacuation training, a series of fire-fighting drills and six -door training. First- aid training takes place at the center at this stage. Ground studies This is where classroom studies take place. The method majorly used is the Computer-based training (CBT). A team of qualified instructors gives technical instructions about the aircraft systems and performance.

Critique summary of a research study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique summary of a research study - Essay Example The purpose of the study was further described in the background section which clarified that delirium is a rather common occurrence in frail older adults and there is a need for the development of an understanding concerning the factors which influence recovery. The paper further suggests that the results from this study can be used to influence care management and other procedures at hospitals in order to improve the detection and recovery process. The methods section of the study shows that the research conducted concerning the selection and identification of the patients was excellent. The researchers went to great lengths to get the data they needed about the patients. The patient sampling all had baseline mobility and could certainly show increased dependence for care services if their conditions worsened somehow and this was an important factor for this study. Procedures for the study included an interview at the time of admission to the hospital and a follow-up interview after six months which gave the patients further questions to answer. The primary strength of the study is that it leads to conclusive results which allow hospital managers and working staff to use this study as a part of their operational guidelines. For example, knowing that frailty and a poor diagnosis can lead to worse outcomes, caregivers can be aware that a patient who is frail may have problems such as delirium in tow with other medical conditions. Similarly, the study can also raise the importance of recognizing delirium as a possible cause for the problems faced by a patient. The weakness which is present in the study (which was also acknowledged by the scientists conducting the study) is that the sample size was very small to draw overall general conclusions which are universally applicable. The sample size of 77 of which only 50 could be found after six months is surely too

Problems of Managing Joint Ventures in China Essay

Problems of Managing Joint Ventures in China - Essay Example The enterprises are busy in making their products and services more and more attractive for the consumers all around the world. They make changes in their products and services in order to meet the requirements of their culture and society. The cultural changes, throughout the world, act as a strong challenge to the enterprises. Efficient cross culture management can guarantee flourishing worldwide operation of international enterprises in the multi-culture and region. The worldwide business dealings are also flourishing in Chinese enterprises. Chinese enterprises have made it an aim to progress and make their name all around the world. Chinese enterprises are making progress in their fields of expertise to promote their abilities and talents throughout the world market. Foreign companies have been working in China for many years, frequently by joint ventures with local firms and usually in the more developed coastal areas. Nowadays, however, Government is now developing the areas with poor infrastructure and encouraging investment in those areas. The poor infrastructure, illiterate public and employers with less knowledge about market economy concepts made it very difficult for the firms existing there and even for th e firms making joint ventures to progress. In the central Shaanxi province, fifty four interviews were planned with the managers in twenty four join ventures clearly shows the prospective hazard in the way of a thriving join venture. As Chinese market is becoming the centre of attention of more and more foreign investors the pitfalls of Chinese market, management and hurdles in its way to success are given proper thought and suggestions are made to solve these problems (Ahlstrom et al. 2003; Beamish, 1993; Child, 1994; Goodall and Warner, 1999; Peng, 2000). It is already known that in the previous twenty five years, almost 85 percent foreign firms, located in China, are sited along the Coastal belt of China (SSB, various years). Since late 1990s, the Chinese government is busy in the developmental process of the areas with weak infrastructure and poor growth rate in order to get rid of the local regional differences. "The Great Western Development Strategy (xibu da kaifa)" was commenced in 1999 with a motive to encourage local and international investment in the country. It was a categorical effort to increase investment in those regions of China, mainly in need but least likely to attract support on their own. U nder its persuasion, an increasing number of foreign firms and joint ventures entered in the underdeveloped hinterland. In 2002, 31,822 foreign ventures had been set up in China's 18 interior districts and one municipality (SSB, 2003, p.678). All the regions carry some importance. In the same way, China's interior is of great importance, without development of those regions China wouldn't be able to progress in the international market. All facilities and technologies must be equally provided in the underdeveloped regions. For this reason, under the 7th Five Year Plan (FYP) (1981-1985), China's economies were separated in to three regions, namely, the Eastern region, the middle region and the Western region (Linge and Forbes, 1990, p.68 and Chen, 2000, pp.9-10; Wei. 2000, p. 1). Traditionally, the Middle and the Western areas have been considered as one large part, the interior (Chen, 2000, p. 10 and Wei, 2000, p. 1). As stated in the 7th Five Year

Russia's Most Important Economic Sectors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Russia's Most Important Economic Sectors - Essay Example Shortly after liberty, the new Russian government announced a much more determined program of political and economic reformation. The agenda included an alteration of the financial system from the values of state planning which is the basic and administrative direction to the well agreed market-based economics. As result â€Å"The economic decline bottomed out in mid-2009 and the economy began to grow in the third quarter of 2009† (Economy – Overview n.d.). On the other side, Russia’s financial growth was still focused mainly in a few sectors. The advantages of growth were not widely dispersed throughout the society. Over one-third of the people of the Russian Federation sustained to live below the poverty line. According to some study it is very clear that Russia’s long term challenges are inadequate workplace, corruption, complexity in accessing capital for smaller – non energy companies, and deprived infrastructure in need of huge investments. Ru ssia ranks ninth as the largest economy of the world: it contributes to the sixth place by purchasing power. The country has abundance of the petroleum, oil and natural gas. The country is also the store house of rare and precious metals. Despite the setbacks faced by the other countries in the erstwhile Soviet Union, Russia managed to be in a good position in the world’s economy. The main sectors of the Russian economy are energy, natural resources, agriculture, industry and manufacturing. Energy Sector: One error of the energy business is its construction, which is subjected by government-backed monopoly and distinguished by inequity next to private businesses, small family operators and global players. State-owned company such as Gazprom or Rosneft, as well as several confidential companies with close links to the supporting leadership such as Gennady Timchenko’s Novatek, has privileged admission to licences, upstream assets, tax exception etc. Foreign investors are able to function in Russia only if they set up good functioning relationships with member of the controlling clans. The quickest way to be honored projects and contract in Russia is to present those clans stake in reputable international companies. The energy sector also endures from poor value of administration. Since the rein of Vladimir Putin and his associates to power in 2000, activities to important positions in the Russian establishment, as well as the energy industry, have been made according to certain criterion: individual loyalty and the capability to manage cash flows Natural Resources Including Coal, Gas, Oil, Timber and Metals Sectors: Russia may contain as much as 35% of the world's supply of natural gas. It has proven reserves nearly twice that of Iran, the number two spot holder. Its reserves of oil are debated, but the US Geologic Survey estimates that they may be as high as 25% of the world's oil. The US Department of Energy states: "Russia is also the world's la rgest exporter of natural gas, the second largest oil exporter, and the third largest energy consumer" (Russian Resources 2010). The vast gas, oil, coal, and timber raw materials of Siberia and the Russian Far East create Russia rich in mineral deposits. On the other hand, most such resources are positioned in remote and climatically adverse

Muke analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Muke analysis - Essay Example The two of them therefore head west with no money and desperate to make ends meet. Out of anxiety on how to survive, James engages himself with drugs. The book goes on to explain the ins and outs in the drug world and the effects of greed on the main character, James. James showed a great deal of greed among all the characters in the novel. He clearly wanted a lot of things which lead him into making bad decisions. First of all, he involved himself with drugs when things went south for him and Kate. He chose the wrong path of drug dealing since it seemed to him that it could be of much worth than any other job out there that was availed to him. He could not care about endangering himself. In addition to this, James proved his greediness in how he supplied the marijuana to his customers (D’Souza 18). As much as what he did was all for his coming baby, he still did it with self-indulgence and always made sure he could get more than enough. Another evidence of greed is revealed to us when James and Mason fronted Russell around two pounds when they sold him the drugs. Russell did not say a word about it probably due to his rather long time friendship to them (D’Souza 97). Also, James always agreed to help out greedy people for example, Darren, whose business collapsed in Thailand. Darren Rudd was in a major mess, that he even went to jail and this made him loose a lot of his assets like his cars, his farm and much more. It is clear that greed drove James into making bad decisions that totally changed his life. He was now in an illegal world that didn’t make anyone close to him feel safe, especially Kate and their

Jeep Grand Cherokee Essay Example for Free

Jeep Grand Cherokee Essay Jeep Grand Cherokee is an American car. This kind of cars is survivors favorite things in VALS types. Survivors live narrowly focused lives. They are accustomed to use their familiar things, cant accept new things quickly. Therefore Jeep brand which has more than 70 years history and born for war can satisfy the sense of survivors security. At the same time, survivors are cautious customers. Just in time, the design philosophy of Jeep-safety, comfortable, power, meet their requirements. Jeep brand is their best choice. The price of brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee starts from 39,895 dollars, this price level is medium-high. It’s expensive, but the price is not higher than Mercedes-Benz SUVs and BMW X5. For this reason Jeep Grand Cherokee is not a rich status symbol. However Jeep Grand Cherokee absolutely present a kind of personal character, its a symbol of recalcitrant man. SUVs are trendy because of better vision, more capacious space. On this basis, Jeep Grand Cherokee obtain better fuel economy by using new V6 engine. Increased back space make it more suitable for family, through the change of interior atmosphere let Jeep Grand Cherokee has become home up. Still powerful cross-country performance and improve highway playability let it drive up full of fun. Grand Cherokee try to attract more people to choose as family car. Hence, if you want to have fun with family in weekend, you can’t miss this car.Jeep Grand Cherokee is not offbeat no matter on speed or safety, but it can find balance in both. Jeep Grand Cherokee is a domestic car. It’s more appropriate survivors who like familiar brand and proud of owning American car even products. 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee use headline for: You’ll need to find a different excuse for being late to work. This headline really attract office worker. This press Jeep Grand Cherokee is comfortable and has fun to drive. Comfortable is the other most important reason for choose American car. Grand Cherokee shows this characteristics of the incisively and vividly. The seat not only soft and comfortable, and let any shape people drive this big car can find the most suitable for their own driving posture. Jeep own a pure cross-country blood, this SUV retains its essence and enhance the characteristics of adapting road. This advertising didn’t use celebrity charm and use model. It’s just a  picture about Grand Cherokee run in snow. This picture foil masculine, at the same time correspond subtitle: When you enhance the legendary Jeep brand capability with a Selec-Terrain system, snow doesn’t stand a chance. This advertising posted on Reader magazines whose readers have own-opinion. Overall this advertising conveys adventure emotional approach and express it’s comfortable and has fun with driving. It’s impressive and attractive advertising.

The Co-operative Group: Financial Auditing Analysis

The Co-operative Group: Financial Auditing Analysis Pak Liu Background knowledge, evolution from origin and ethical issues Ever since the establishment of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in 1844 together with the subsequent major merger incurred within its expansion period during 2000 to 2012. The Co-operative Group, colloquially known as the Co-op, has been burgeoning for the last 17 decades, contingent upon the Rochdale principle which espouses dividend returns to members. Pending between its 172-years life up till now, it had metamorphosed the core business from a solely wholesale operation to an 85%-engrossing food retail within the conglomerate; affiliating no longer with just the struggling lower income groups, but the more prosperous middle class. The sagacious quality possessed by previous chief directors to overlook the impact initiated by multiple-grocers buy to the retail market in the 1940s, in corporation with numerous business disposals and replacements, set cornerstones for the introduction of the Co-op brand in 2007. It has effortlessly entitled itself as the largest consumer co-operative in the UK. The businesss long-term economic scale, involving over 70,000 employees across the wide geographical spread of 4,500 locations within the UK, is sustained by the 8 million members who are democratically engaged in determining the co-operatives operational strategies via voting. Quoted from Co-ops annual report in 2007, Voting for corporate members is in proportion to trade with the society. Each individual member has one vote in the appropriate region of the society and each region has voting rights calculated on the same basis as a corporate member. Historically, the merger with UKs second largest co-operative, the United Co-operatives on 16th February 2007 was concurred by the majority. The degree of influence members that is delegated can sometimes protract the implementation of proposals such as the Policy and Programme for Post War Development, published by the Co-operative Wholesale Society in 1944. In the meantime, members loyalty is bolstered through the incentivised dividend scheme; in the last quarter of 2016, approximately 15 million pounds were returned to members. However, potential member outflow is expected during the year of 2017, since the Group is unable to pay dividend until 2018. Even though the food retailing business is presently the largest division of the group, nevertheless its profitability and market share dwindled between the 1970s and 1980s, partially but prominently because of inflation leading to more affordable importations. Conjointly due to the inefficient national distribution network in the early 20th century, the Coventry National Contribution Centre is now served as the solution to which; resulting a huge preconceived transportation cost which discouraged purchases. It was further exacerbated by the paucity of preparations to accustom its shifted association with the middle-class customers. Inferior to externality, redevelopment projects during the 1970s devastated 18,000 stores to be closed since employees were moved from terraces to purpose-built estates, so a redundant provision of co-op stores was observed in certain areas. Until 2015, the Group had converted their focus on the 2,500 convenience stores; an extraneous 200 convenience stores were added to the fixed asset account utilising the fund from liquidating 100 supermarkets. The remaining 25% of the business is encompassed with sectors concerning funeral-care, banking, legal service, electrical products sale and joint-ventures such as insurance service and travel agency. An excessive 900 funeral homes, whilst some continue to use their own brands, had contributed a revenue of  £399 million in 2015 and positioned the funeral-care sector as the largest funeral director in the UK. During Co-ops expansion period, the funeral-care sector was appraised to have optimistic performance abreast with the Co-operative Pharmacy, which was soaring to become the third largest pharmacy group in the UK. Unfortunately, the investigation stretching back to 2008 exposing the  £1.5 billion capital blackhole in the Co-operative Banks account had arose a financial crisis in years of 2013 and 2014 for the Group. In purpose to reduce its debt level, the entire 800 Co-operative Pharmacy branches were sold to the Bestway Group for a substantial  £620 million. Other former businesses underwent disposal, serving to either minimise debt level or simply eliminate non-profitable divisions include the milk processing and distribution division Associated Co-operative Creameries (ACC) and the Co-operative Motor Group. Until recently, the Co-operative Travel also announced the intention to sell its 30% stake in the joint venture with Thomas Cook, putting the 100-years trade to an end. Barry Tootells scandal, resigned Banks executive, of failing to exercise due skill, care and diligence in managing the firm was calamitous to Co-ops reputation, which was once sabotaged because 38 Co-op stores in Sussex disappointed the fire safety requirements in 2007. From attempting to restore its long-established ethical image to becoming a Fairtrade champion, many initiatives have been commencing including providing nutritional information on Co-ops branded food, environmentally friendly household products productions, raising awareness of animal welfare standards and investment into generating renewable energy. Whereas the partnership between Miles Smith and the Co-operative Insurance will be continued. On the other hand, the national legal service provider founded in Bristol in 2006, furnishes a broad coverage of services straddling domestic and matrimonial law, testamentary constitution and related probate and conveyancing, as well as employment law and personal injury. Meanwhile, the Co-op Electrical is the pioneer in selling extended warranty insurance products at cost price. It also offers delivery service with a guaranteed timeslot of 60 minutes, confirmed on the day of delivery via SMS. KPMG had been the Co-operative Groups auditor for the previous 40 years until 2015. A profuse amount of audit fee of  £700,000 was paid, excluding the extraneous  £1.2 million consulting fee which involves a particular  £500,000 for tax planning.

Rajasthan tourist destination

Rajasthan tourist destination The promotion of Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination 1. Introduction In order to accomplish the aims and objectives, this piece of work focused on the promotion of Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination in the world. The vital idea behind the selection of this topic is to discuss the importance of heritage tourism. Tourism plays an important role in the socio-economic development of any country. It is also one of the major sources to earn foreign exchange, and generating employment for urban as well as rural public. This chapter have 6 parts. Background of the study Background to the study: Tourism industry in India is on a great boom at the moment. India has a great potential to be a major tourist destination in the world. It’s the second highest foreign exchange earning industry and government gave travel and tourism industry an export status. Indian tour and travel industry is one of the most profitable industries in the country. During the year 2006, four million tourists visited India and spent US$8.9 billion (Economy watch, 2006). The buoyancy in the Indian tourism industry can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the tremendous growth in the Indian economy, because of that the disposable income of the middle-class increased to expend on their recreation. Secondly, the IT sector in the country by which India famous as an IT hub in the world. Which attract people globally for business trips. Thirdly, the aggressive advertising campaign â€Å"Incredible India† by the tourism ministry of India also changes the image of India worldwide. Tourism industry also provides employment to millions of people directly and indirectly in the country. Which help the society and solve the big issues of unemployment in the country. Estimates of 20 million people are directly employed by this sector in the country currently. According to the above lines Rajasthan the north-west state of India is very popular among the national and international visitors. The royally palaces and forts, endless golden desert, hardworki ng and colourful people make the state more exciting to visit. Besides all this, Probably India is the only country which offers various categories of tourism. These include history tourism, adventure tourism, medical (Ayurvade and other) tourism, eco tourism, culture tourism, rural tourism, religious/pilgrimage tourism, spiritual tourism and beach tourism etc (I love India, 2007) Justification of the study: Heritage tourism is now big business. In economic and entrepreneurial terms, it is one of the major success stories of recent years. At a time of declining Industrial activity and rising unemployment in any society, heritage tourism has provided an alternative form of enterprise, creating jobs and generating wealth for local economies (Herbert, 1995). Tourism in India has the potential to do wonder in this upcoming industry of profit as well as fun. Rajasthan the largest state, and one of the most eminent tourist destinations, which is famous for its pictureqous natural beauty and wonderful construction. Rajasthan are usual attractions for first time visitors (Mintel, 2008). The outlook for travel industry in India looks extremely bright. â€Å"Conde Nast† rank India 6th amongst the top 10 tourist destination in the annual â€Å"Reader’s Award† in 2004, which was 9th a year before. The magazine ranked Raj Vilas, in Jaipur (Rajasthan) as 3rd in the overseas leisure hotel category for Asia (Business Standard, 2004). The JBIC (Japan Bank of International Cooperation) rank her 5th most attractive investment destination. The report â€Å"Indian Tourism Industry Analysis† provides an insight into the Indian tourism market. According to the report, India is one of the most potential tourism markets in the world. India expected to see 10million international tourist by 2010, which was 5million in 2007. Andhra Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan are the leading tourist destinations in the country (Bharat Book Bureau, 2004) Aims and Objectives: To critically assess the opportunities to promote Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination Objectives Evaluate the potential of Rajasthan’s heritage to develop as tourist destination. Critically evaluate the present tourism promotion system and the government policies on Rajasthan tourism. The development of recommendations for the promotion of Rajasthan as a heritage tourism destination. State profile: The colourful and exotic state of Rajasthan lies in the north-western part of India. It is the largest state (132,150 sq mi) and also knows as the land of kings, the home of Rajputs (Indianhills). Rajasthan is bordered on the west by Pakistan. In the west of state is the Thar Desert and the upland region of Deccan in the eastern part. The Aravalli hills cross the state from north-east to the south-west. The state was formed in 1948 from several former principalities states of Rajputana. Rajasthan is one of the strongholds of the conservative Hindu (75% of the population) then Muslims, Jains and native people (Encyclopaedia). The largest state with 33 districts and a population of 56.47million (2001 census) with a literacy rate of 61.03%, Jaipur is the state’s capital as well as the cultural, financial and trade capital of the state. Rajasthani, Sindhi and Punjabi are the regional languages of the state. Hindi and English also commonly used by people (Answer.com). Heritage is not only the monument or historic buildings, but everything which relate us to the rich past of that particular culture or tradition is heritage. The folk dance and music, souvenir (cloths and jewels), craft work (handicraft like paintings, iron or wood work) and festivals, fairs food and lifestyle are also the part of the rich cultural heritage of any destination. Rajasthan is a state with entirely different visage, the most scenic state of India. The culturally rich state of Rajasthan is popular for its festivals fairs, luxury trains, folk dances/music, arts/crafts and royal legacy in the form of palaces, forts and gardens. It medieval forts and palaces, the very distinctive nomadic desert lifestyle is unique all over the world. A world of colour, splendour and spectacle awaits visitors to India’s largest and the most romantic state. With its wild desert scenery, ancient sandcastle forts, pastel colour cities, dust speckled light and its swathes of scarlet, and marigold textiles (The Independent Asia), which creates Rajasthan one of the most popular tourist destinations in west India. It can be said as; it is the cultural capital of India. There are various popular destinations in Rajasthan but the main tourists attracting cities are Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur. All these cities were the former Princely states, as the result tourist can witness the imperial legacy everywhere in these cities. Here we have the brief panorama of the famous cities and their heritage. 1.5.1 Panorama of the Heritage Cities of Rajasthan: Ajmer Founded in the 7th century by ruler Ajaypal Chauhan. Have a famous fort called â€Å"Ajaimeru† or Invincible hill, lakes gardens and many other visiting places. Ajmer is about 130km south-west from Jaipur is the major religious centre for Muslims. This city is famous for the tomb of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, a medieval Sufi Saint, where pilgrims gather from over the world (India hills.com). 16km from Ajmer, Pushkar a very small town named after the holy lake â€Å"Pushkar†. 400 temples and 52 Ghats around the lake make it a very popular religious centre of Hindu community. The one and only lord Brahma temple is here. Otherwise sleepy town turn into a hub in the annual Pushkar festival in October or November every year (Travel 2 Rajasthan.com) Mount Abu, Rajasthan’s only hill station is home to Dilwara Jain temples known’s for their amazing marble carving. The oldest of the five temples dates to AD 1031. Nikki Lake, sunset point, Achal Garh fort and Guru Shikar the highest point of Rajasthan are the other famous visiting spot in Mount Abu. Chittaurgarh located 70 miles northeast of the City of Udaipur is the home of Chittaur fort India’s largest fort and the ultimate symbol of Rajputs chivalry and pride. The nine-story Vijay Sthambha or Tower of Victory is the most highlighting feature of the fort (Ref J). http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=6hid=5sid=af82485a-215e-4122-a4ff-0942348b33c5%40sessionmgr11 Located on the foothills of a sandstone hillock, the city of Jodhpur seems like an oasis in the vast desert was founded by Rao Jodha Ji (Rathore clan) in 1459. It named after him only. Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan, divided into two parts the old city (which is inside the 10km wall) and new city. Jodhpur is a very popular tourist destination. The city landscape is very pleasing and attractive. The city has lots of attractions in the form of forts, palaces, gardens, temples and lakes. The city is known as â€Å"Sun City† because of its bright and sunny weather throughout the year (Jodhpur India), and also the building were painted in light blue hue. Located at the edge of the endless golden Thar Desert, Jodhpur is a fascinating medieval city known for its amazing architectural splendour, lively culture, brilliant craftsmen, gourmet cuisines and lots of shopping. The city has various attractions in the form of Maharangarh fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mandore gard en, Mahamandir temples and Jaswant Thada the royal cenotaphs. This attracts the domestic and international visitors equally (Palace on wheels). The ‘City of Lakes’ (often referred to as the ‘Venice of the East’) Udaipur is the home to lakes Pichola and Fateh sagar, both are amazingly beautiful for cruise and sunset. The city is also famous for City places and Lake palace (hotel), Sahelion Ki Bari or â€Å"Garden of the Maids of honour†, museum and temples are the other visitors attractions. Marwar festival fall in the spring is also very famous in national and international visitors. The Golden city of Jaisalmer is famous for its fort, havelies, national park and Sam (sand dunes). Nothing else in India is remotely similar to Jaisalmar, with its fort that straight out of an Arabian Night fable. The capital city and the natural gateway to the exotic state Rajasthan, Jaipur popularly known as ‘Pink City’ in the world is the main visitors delight. Founded in 17th century and named after is founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. Jaipur is the cultural, trade and financial capital of Rajasthan. With Delhi and Agra, jaipur is the third important vertex of the ‘Golden Triangle’. Stunning backdrop of ancient forts: Nahargarh, Amer, Jaigarh and Moti Doongari fort. Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Jal Mahal are some well-known landmark palaces in the city with famous Albert hall museum. Significance of tourism to the Indian economy: 2. Literature Review Literature pays a major role in any research or case study. Virtually no research can be done without the benefit of references, whatever the scale or nature of the project will be (Brunt, 1998). Fink (1998:3) believes that literature review is a â€Å"systematic method for identifying, evaluating and interpreting the work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners† Yin (2003) also suggest that evidences for good literature may also come from six sources suck as documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant-observation and physical artefacts. Yin (2003) further suggested that literature review provided all sort of information like data, statistic, graphs and scholar view about the topic. A useful overview of the six major sources considers their comparative strength and weaknesses. You should immediately note that no signal source is highly complementary, and a good case study will therefore desire to use as many sources as possible. A good literature review is not just a description of previous work; it also appraises, compares and contrasts it with other relevant work, and with the authors own work (Brown, 2006). Literature review is the section which will provide reference, if followed up, will widen your knowledge and stimulate independent thought (Altinay el at, 2008:25). Hart (1998) explained the importance of literature review by suggesting that â€Å"without it you will not acquire an understanding of your topic, of what has already been done on it, how it has been researched, and what they key issues are† (Hart, 1998:1). At this point of report the critical review of the available literature is important in order to achieve above mention aims and objectives. In order to get main aim which to promote Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination, number of academic Books related on heritage tourism and development will help to critically evaluate the prosperous cultural heritage of Rajasthan, which is the first objective of this report. Through this literature the value and significance of the heritage can identified, and it will also help to check the scale of the heritage in Rajasthan. As the new trend of getting information by electronic media like: Television, internet will be a great help, particularly the official tourism websites of Rajasthan or India tourism will provide the latest information on this sector. And also provide information about the recent tourism development promotion, policies and issues. Internet is the best ever, faster and the more efficient information provider these days, and also the information on the sites are more authentic and quick. Daily news papers contain articles, interviews and editorial will give the current updates about tourism industry and its achievement. Editorial column will provide critical analysis of government’s tourism policies and tourism forecast. Leading national and local dailies (Rajasthan Patrika and Danik Bashkar and The Times of India) will show case current events and news on Rajasthan tourism. The official statistics compiled by the government department and public sector agencies provide a valuable source of information (Burnt, 1998). This can provide by the official website, news dailies and journals based on Rajasthan. 2.1 What is Heritage and Heritage Tourism? In 1983 National Heritage Conference defined heritage as: ‘that which a past generation has preserved and handed on to the present and which a significant group of population wishes to hand on to the future’ (Hewison, 1989). Hardy (1988) said most researchers accept that heritage is linked to the past that it represents some sort of inheritance to be passed down to current and future generations, both in terms of cultural traditions and physical artefacts (Dallen et al. 2003:2). These definitions indicate culture choice; its focus on preservation and the fact that some people will adopt a conservationist view of heritage. (Herbert, 1997:8). Heritage is like a gift which is passed by one generation to another in the form of culture, nature, customs which is different and unique from others. Prentice (1993) said heritage can be classified as tangible immovable resources (buildings, natural areas) and tangible movable resources (objects in museums, documents in archives); or intangibles such as values, customers, ceremonies, lifestyles, and including experiences such as festivals, arts and cultural events. Heritage can also classified according to type of attraction (Dallen et al. 2003:3). Oxford English dictionary define heritage (1983) as which has been or may be inherited. That’s mean anything which pass from previous (old) generation to another (new) in the form of physical, cultural, natural and financial or other can be heritage. Tourism is not just an aggregate of merely commercial activities; it is also an ideological framing of history, nature and tradition; a framing that has the power to reshape culture and nature to its own needs said by MacCannell in 1992, (Herbert, 1997:1) The origins of tourism are ancient. Urry (1990) suggested that tourism was known in Imperial Rome with the use of seaside ‘resort’; certainly in medieval times pilgrimages to the Holy Land involved pleasure and sightseeing as well as religious duty. As a concept and a reality, the Grand Tour was established by the late seventeenth century as a component of polite society’s social round (Herbert, 1997:6). Heritage is not just the historic monument or cenotaphs buildings, but all which relate people with the rich past of that particular culture or tradition is heritage. These above lines explain that tourism is nothing recent, by which we can say that it’s a very new concept in the society. Tourism is very old and was present in the different form like seaside or pilgrims. But in 21st century it become more immense and fascination by the media. And tourism is different from leisure because in tourism people go out from there home overnight and stay there and enjoy the place by any reason. It can be religious, medical or just leisure. To show case the historic monuments to handicrafts or artefacts, and allow for community to view and be taught about there great past is heritage tourism. 2.2 Modelling of heritage and heritage tourism This debate reveals that heritage and heritage tourism is complex. To simplify and to make it more clearly the following model is proposed; model of heritage and heritage tourism. Figure 1 This model is approach the behavioural perspective within behavioural geography. It suggests that heritage exists within the two types of environment; ‘phenomenal (unique) and ‘behavioural’ (human behaviour). The previous is an expansion of the normal concept of environment that include natural phenomena and cultural and built environment that have been either altered or created by human activity on the other hand, the behavioural environment is where the social and cultural facts existing within the phenomenal environment are passed through a filter of human values (Dallen et al. 2003:7) According to Kirk (1963), these environments forms on the basis on which decision are made which may, or may not, be acted upon to be translated into action within the phenomenal environment. Heritage tourism experience is in the core of this model, and the key outcome is good experience out of every trips. As the expanded inner section of the model illustrate, the heritage tourism experience is formed within what is labelled here as the â€Å"experimental heritage environment†. The core heritage tourism experience is influence and shaped by mixed elements like supply and demand (of the destination), politics (government policies), authenticity, conservation (of heritage) with in any destination region. How all those element influence each other and by their role they play in heritage tourism experience. The model of heritage tourism clearly gives answer, that heritage and the heritage tourism is very complex and they overlap each other in different environments. And they both (phenomenal and behavioural) affect the destination with other components in the core; economic filter and cultural/societal filter. It is important now to return to the question of a heritage spectrum (range) as advocated earlier by Richards (1996). This concept is very important as it helps to clarify the existence of many types of heritage experiences and heritage landscapes. It purely means that when we talk about tourism experience it has all types of tourism with its landscapes types and heritage attractions. The heritage spectrum model suggest that the heritage landscapes pass through a multiplicity of setting ranging from the natural and immaculate to then built urban and artificial heritage landscapes. The model also shows that heritage tourism has common characteristics of ecotourism (nature based) on the left side and urban tourism (theme perks) and cultural tourism (viewing cultural heritage, architecture) in the right side and middle respectively. The following model also demonstrates that the tourism types (eco-tourism, cultural-tourism and urban-tourism) should not be viewed as mutually exclusive as overlaps most certainly exist. Because of this reality the model refers to heritage tourism as an overlapping concept. Types of tourism in heritage tourism overlap each other but also give types of landscapes and type of heritage attractions separately. In which ecotourism give natural and rural types of landscape if visiting national parks in the type of heritage attraction. 2.3 Value and significance of heritage The focus of value shifts to the significance people place on heritage. Hall and McArthur (1993) identified four interrelated areas of significance in heritage: economic, social, political and scientific significance. Economic significance: Heritage is not cheap! Restoring a property maintaining it, installing necessary facilities (i.e. toilets and drinking water) and establishing and running an interpretive programme can easily cost twice as much (Dallen, 2003:143). Zeppel and Hall (1992) believe heritage is preserved because of the value it offers in terms of expenditures, of visitors to site (Dallen, 2003:13). Tourism is big business and really in demand. People have started paying these days for outdoor fun, and if the destinations have potential they will not think twice to visit there. Rajasthan heritage have the potential to attract the tourist all over and generate foreign exchange. Social significance: this refers to the private and collective identity that people and society have with ‘their’ heritage. That’s what local person and community think about their heritage, and how they value to it. The people of Rajasthan feel pride on is rich and colourful cultural heritage. A social ethics will often be the driving force to consider preservation in the first instance (Dallen, 2003:13). Political significance: As Hall and McArthur note, heritage by definition is political, in terms of reinforcing what is conserved, how heritage is told, and placing the wishes of private owners of heritage into conflict with government or public interests. In the words of Johnson (1999:187), ‘heritage tourism is not just a set of commercial transactions, but the ideological framing of history and identity’. Politics is in its very essence about power, and heritage by its very nature is apolitical phenomenon, since history is always told from the perspective of winners of wars and people in positions of power (Hall 1994, 97, 2000), (Dallen, 2003:257). The history of Rajasthan is all about war and warriors. Politic is all over the place in Rajasthan. Even though in literature, arts and crafts there are a pinch of politic. Scientific significance: many national parks and protected forest areas may contain genetic material and ecosystems (flora and fauna) that will be useful to medicine and research work. They also provide habitats for rare and endangered species. There is also an educative part to heritage-providing visitors with information about the living history, culture, and people of areas (Dallen, 2003:13). Not only the national parks, protected forest and wildlife’s had their scientific significance in the heritage of Rajasthan, but the agrological site as well. The site of Indus valley civilisation in Indian sub-continent is very important for the study of river valley human history. The Harappa civilisation considers one of the oldest civilisations on earth. 2.4 Scales of Heritage Heritage is not homogeneous (uniform); it exists in different level and scales, namely world, national, local and personal (Graham et al. 2000; Swarbrooke 1994; Timothy 1997). Given model illustrates these scales of heritage tourism experience, suggesting that they are all linked by the notion of ‘shared heritage’ (Dallen, 2003:14). Heritage is very heterogeneous (varied); it can be different in one destination. And if the destination is in India the probability is much because India is a very diverse country with the birth place of many cultures and civilisation. Rajasthan which is the largest and the most colourful state is also not an exception in is cultural heritage. World: Timothy (1997) noted that world scale heritage attraction draw large masses of tourists from many countries. How ever, for most foreign tourist, these sites themselves are likely to be only a small part of more extensive itinerary. For example visiting a historic agrological site of Harappa visitor can witness the life and culture of that era. Visiting an international heritage attraction is a way of appreciating universal civilisation and achieving some degree of human unity (Moulin 1991). The idea to conserve our heritage came first in the early 1970s by UN’s environment programme and UNESCO’s Man Biosphere Programme. National: ‘Through time, certain heritage features came to symbolise a society’s shared recollection (Lowenthal 1975:12). Foe example the Holy town of Pushkar is a symbol (pilgrim) of Hindu community and Ajmer is for Muslims in Rajasthan. On this level, historical monuments often represent durable national ideals, and national pride can be an important stimulus of preserving the built environment in western societies (Lowenthal 1975; Timothy 1997) these type of historic site can be pride of any society like Taj Mahal is a pride for each and every Indian. Local: Lowenthal (1979:554) noted that the local level, communities need familiar land marks so that they can remain in touch with their own collective pasts in a rapidly changing world. There are many sites which are not very popular but they still have their local importance like, The nine-story Vijay Sthambha or Tower of Victory is the most highlighting feature of Chitturghar fort is the memorial of their local hero’s, women and children who sacrifice their lives for the motherland. For visitors it just a memorial tower but the significance for the local were very different, it very important for them. ‘Memorials erected in memory of a community‘s earliest pioneer efforts, or a local historical museum can provide an important experience for local to which outsiders may not be able to relate’ (Timothy 1997:752). Personal: Lowenthal (1979) asserted that modern-day destination of historic relics has deepened people’s sense of nostalgia for the past. A search for root and historical identity and an increased appreciation for one culture and family legacy are evidence of this phenomenon. Timothy said (1997) of the four type of scale of heritage here personal heritage has received the least attention in the literature and hence is least understood. Personal scale of heritage is very private. For example family reunions travel to historic or religious place, cultural and vocational interest is another form of personal scale of heritage. The attachments with family houses or souvenirs are perfect example of personal scale of heritage. 2.5 What is Marketing and Destination Marketing ‘Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirement profitably’ define by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, CIM UK. And the other hand the American Marketing Association ‘Marketing (management) is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational objectives’ (Seaton et al.1999:6). As per Adcock remark ‘The right product, in the right place, at the right time, at the right price’. The most influential and dominant word of 21th century is marketing or if said like this, that everything is saleable if the packaging is good i.e. the right product marketed at the right place at the right time (season) with a right price (in compression to competitors) is marketing by Adcock. It means that marketing is not only selling or advertising, but also to promote the brand value and quality to the customers. And also build a connection between the producer and customers. The aim of marketing for an organisation is to achieve profit or other objective. Marketing is not only important for the manufacturing or production industries, but equally necessary for the promotion of hospitality and tourism industry to achieve desire goal. A social and managerial process by which individual and groups obtain what they need and what through creating and exchanging products a nd value with others is called marketing (Kilter, P 2003). Destination marketing: Seaton (1999:351) said that the destination marketing is the spirit land of tourism marketing. The destination has the internal connection to all the other industries (stakeholders) in the tourism sector like transport, hotels and attractions. Destination management is not just managing the physical product (i.e. the venue, hotels, transport system, visitor attractions) but also very much to do with building companies reputation and teamwork across the destination, its also has an important component to play in creating understanding and recognition across the community for the economic importance of the conference, trade and events sector (Davidson et al. 2006:35). Marketing is the process of planning and execute and the promotion of the product of achieve the desire goal and objective in terms of profit and brand success. Like the same theory functioning behind the destination management or tourism marketing management. Destination marketing management show case the destination as product and highlights to get profit out of it heritage and culture. Benefits of destination management Marketing Mix: ‘Kotler (1984:68) define it as ‘The mixture of controllable marketing variables that the firm uses to pursue the sought level of sale in the target market’. The marketing mix is the most primary concepts of marketing (Seaton, 1999; Holloway, 1992; Middleton, 2001), it show how important all the four variable (4Ps) that comprise the marketing mix for any business prospect or destination. Marketing mix is the most controllable element of any marketing plan (Davidson et al. 2006:84). These marketing mixes are categories in 4Ps- product, price, place and promotion (Hollway et al., 1992:28). But Booms and Bitner (1982) added three more ‘service Ps’ to service (hospitality and tourism industry) marketing namely, People, Process and Physical Evidence. So altogether there are 7Ps for the hospitality and tourism industry. What are they and how they help the marketing managers to get their targets, are examine below: Product: Median (1984) suggested that in tourism, Attraction of the destination, facilities and accessbility are three main compnents of product marketinh mix. Meidan, A. (1984) The Marketing of Tourism, The Service Industries Journal, Vol. 4, No.3, pp: 166 – 186 Example-The Yahoo Finance, (2009) Information about the KFC outlets [online] [24th April 2009] The Linked In, (2009) what is YUM Brands [online] [24th April 2009] http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/Rajasthan/Naturopathy.aspx Rajasthan Tours,http://www.tour2rajasthan.com/rajasthan-tourism.html abt raj cul, stste, history http://www.iloveindia.com/economy-of-india/tourism-industry.html visit 4th July 2009 http://www.economywatch.com/business-and-economy/tourism-industry.html visit 4 July 2009 http://www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/Indian-Tourism-Industry-An

Essay --

Brenda Fitzgerald Delatorre Lynda Peterson ENG 102 16 November 2013 Are Video Games Good for You? In today’s society, gaming has become a popular tool used by all generations, and research shows that the gaming industry has caused positive outcomes for those that utilize them. Gaming has been blamed for when situations occur, such as in-school violence, grades, lack of social relationships, and language. There are many people that play these games. These individuals are of all diversities. On the other hand, it has been researched and discovered that these games can help with autism, hand-eye coordination, and even problem solving skills. Research is constantly conducted to weigh the positive and negative aspects of the gaming world. Some schools refuse to allow students to use computers; however, some rely solely on computers. Some families do not even have technology in their homes. This is an individual choice that is made dependent on values, beliefs, and family make-up. One should not be judged just because of the games they play. That would be something tha t could be considered profiling. Some play for leisure, some play for peace of mind, some play for educational purposes. Everyone has their own reasoning. Video games are talked about in a derogatory fashion for many reasons. Some of those reasons include childhood obesity, decreased social interaction, increased violence, and lack of academic success. These topics, along with many others, are prime examples as to why some parents and teachers are not advocates for these games. When there are school shootings, there is most often mention of the student being a gamer. On another note, these games depict women in a negative form. These women are fully devel... ...it. In conclusion, there is really no right or wrong answer to this question. When you research it online, there are more results that lean toward the good in these games versus those which are negative. Can these games cause some individuals to just go mentally disturbed? Absolutely! Should we place one hundred percent blame on these games for the wrongdoings by any human being? Absolutely not! The gamer has choices, as anyone else in life. It is a matter of self-discipline, pride, and common sense. Gaming has been such a positive source to so many. As long as it is encouraged and used in the right mindset, society will be okay. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/07/video-games-good-for-us_n_4164723.html http://www.businessinsider.com/heath-benefits-of-video-games-2013-9#a-driving-game-improved-memory-and-focus-in-older-adults-1 And the textbook

church times :: essays research papers

It was a cold winter's day that > > >> > >>> > > Sunday. The parking lot to the > > >> > >>> > > church was filling up quickly. > > >> > >>> > > I noticed as I got out of my > > >> > >>> > > car that fellow church members > > >> > >>> > > were whispering among themselves > > >> > >>> > > as they walked to the church. > > >> > >>> > > > > >> > >>> > > As I got closer I saw a man > > >> > >>> > > leaned up against the wall > > >> > >>> > > outside the church. He was > > >> > >>> > > almost laying down as if he > > >> > >>> > > was asleep. He had on a long > > >> > >>> > > trench coat that was almost > > >> > >>> > > in shreds and a hat topped > > >> > >>> > > his head, pulled down so you > > >> > >>> > > could not see his face. > > >> > >>> > > > > >> > >>> > > He wore shoes that looked 30 > > >> > >>> > > years old, too small for his > > >> > >>> > > feet with holes all over them, > > >> > >>> > > his toes stuck out. I assumed > > >> > >>> > > this man was homeless, and > > >> > >>> > > asleep, so I walked on by > > >> > >>> > > through the doors of the > > >> > >>> > > church. > > >> > >>> > > > > >> > >>> > > We all fellowship for a few > > >> > >>> > > minutes, and someone brought > > >> > >>> > > up the man laying outside. > > >> > >>> > > People snickered and gossiped > > >> > >>> > > but no one bothered to ask him > > >> > >>> > > to come in, including me. > > >> > >>> > > > > >> > >>> > > A few moments later church > > >> > >>> > > began. We all waited for > > >> > >>> > > the Preacher to take his

Revolutionizing an Industry’s Supply Chain Model

Revolutionizing an Industry’s Supply Chain Model for Competitive Advantage Crocs is one of leading manufacturer and the fastest growing company in the footwear industry. While it sold its first shoe in 2003, it has reported revenue of $143 million in the second quarter of 2007. This phenomenal double digit compounding growth rate is because of its policies over its product and supply chain; eventually leading to competitive advantages over its competitors.The case opens up with a brief discussion of how Crocs came into existence at the very first place. Skipping ahead to the crucial part, the founders of Crocs (whom then were not founders yet) discovered the foam clog shoes that one of them was wearing to be very comfortable, odorless and not slippery. They thought it was likeable and marketable; thus, they decided to start the shoe company only using the foam clog. Unexpectedly it was a huge hit and words of mouth expended the customer base.With the uncontrollable increase in demand, the founders had to hire a professional to manage their company. This professional is Ronald Synder, a college friend of theirs, who was already an executive in an electronic company. With his help, Crocs has grown astoundingly over the next few years as I have discussed previously. With arrival of Ronald Synder, one of the first things he did was purchase foam creation plant in order to have control over the production.He then launched the company products worldwide and increased efforts on marketing in a very early stage. These successive attempts have significantly increased the sales revenue eventually. However, these were not his best moves that led to double digit compounding growth over the next few years. With the increase in growing demand, Ronald Synder not only acquired other plants at different locations but also agreed to increase risk with its contracted manufacturers. Such is in the case of their contracted manufacturer in China.His approach of meeting demand is different from a traditional approach in that he is determined to response even before there is an actual change in the market. Thus, when he is able to pick up signs of growing demand for a specific product, he will the product into assembly even before orders are received. That way, products always meet demand in a timely manner. This flexibility in supply chain has revolutionized the whole industry and the way things are done. In addition, this flexibility in supply chain has also given Crocs a major competitive advantage over its competitors.

Ethics and Global Business Essay

Skyscrapers, malls, restaurants, hotels, resorts, city lights, busy highways, and booming businesses—- without a doubt, China has already blossomed from a sleeping nation into an economic giant. From a country that once resisted the global market, it now thrives as one of the leaders in world economy. In fact, China comes in with the second largest Gross Domestic Product last 2008 with a total amount of $7. 8 trillion (Guthrue, 2006, p. 7). This makes this country one of the fastest growing nations in the world. This great stride is the result of Deng Xiaoping’s vision and effort for economic reform. Over the past 30 years, globalization helped tore down the trade barriers which in turn, expanded the People’s Republic’s investment, businesses, and knowledge. The effects of globalization in China are simply staggering. In fact, it is even impossible to imagine that some 25 to 30 years ago; this country is known only for its history of political and economic problems escorted by social turmoil and fragmentation (Guthrue, 2006, p. 7). China’s path towards economic reform began during the late 70’s when its government started to adapt a more pragmatic action to its numerous political as well as socioeconomic dilemmas. This different perspective resulted in the decrease of its socialist ideology in the country’s economic policy. During this time, the government focused its attention in economic productivity by introducing new management methods in its industrial, agricultural, financial, fiscal, as well as labor sector. In 1984, China’s idea of people’s commune was eventually eliminated after its 25-year existence. Private ownership of agricultural and industrial production assets were declared legal, while workers were encouraged to find private employment. Apart from this, small enterprises and businesses in rural areas also came in by the numbers. This resulted in increased competition as well as an increase in trading (Guthrue, 2006, p. 7). These small steps helped this country prepare for its great leap forward. China’s economic growth finally came in when the government decided to fully integrate its economy with the international market. Efforts were then made to make several Chinese regions open for foreign investments. Incentives and favors on taxes, patents, as well as contracts were passed as a way of attracting international investors. Although the government’s efforts to draw foreign investors were on full force, its bureaucratic issues such as political corruption and social fragmentation caused its vision for economic reform to slow down. Inflation eventually surged in which then caused the country to lag behind considerably. By the early 1990s, China regained its momentum as its leader Deng Xiapong suggested various pronouncements geared towards reinventing and renewing the country’s goal for economic reform. This marked China’s growth to become one of the world’s economic giants. The following years saw how this country quest to improvement not only its economy but also administrative system. By 2003, the government proposed several policies and amendments to address its ever changing economic system. Legislators also placed in a new emphasis on balancing the income distribution in both urban and rural areas, reducing unemployment rate, improving equity, while at the same time protecting its natural resources. In 2005, the government approved a five-year economic program which is geared towards creating a â€Å"harmonious society†. This program ultimately calls for a 45 percent growth in its Gross Domestic Product as well as a 20 percent decrease in its energy consumption by the year 2010. Apart from this, the program also underlined the importance of an improved education, social security, as well as medical care system (Guthrue, 2006, p. 7). From the 70’s up to the present, China’s efforts to development their economy allowed them rank as the second largest GDP in terms of Purchasing Power Parity and the third largest when it comes to Industrial Output (Guthrue, 2006, p. 7). Indeed, globalization allowed this country to create important developments as well rapid progress. However, the country’s growth in economic dominance does not only create benefits, but it also creates threats to the country’s culture, tradition, and way of life. Although globalization brings many benefits and advances, it also brings with it several consequences that must be properly addressed. In the paper Urban Development in Global Periphery, Sanjoy Chakravorty (2003) explained that globalization has two varied elements. This includes economic globalization which refers to the â€Å"integration of markets† and ideological globalization which refers to the â€Å"political idea that underlie the spread of market, trade, and democracy† (Chakravorty, 2003, p. 357). While economic globalization can be effectively used to improve and development a country’s economic status; ideological globalization on the other hand, can have a relative detriment to the county’s culture and way of life. One of the staggering consequences of globalizations in China is the threat of losing its identity. Chakravorty (2003), explains that globalization is a homogenizing process (Chakravorty, 2003, p. 361). This creates not only an economic but also a cultural mark that leads a country to adapt the values, taste, and even identity of the dominating global economy. Some scholars even refer to this as the â€Å"Mcdonaldization† or the â€Å"Cocacolonization† of a nation’s cultural identity and value. Although patronizing foreign products can help the economy, there is also this underlying threat that such products may cause the people to forget their own and ultimately adopt the values that the foreign products brings. In the case of China, a country that was once known for its rich culture, the Great Wall, fascinating dynasties, and many more, may become replaced by foreign logos of McDonald’s, KFC, and Coca-Cola. Inequality is also an important issue that must be considered along with globalization. As technology and foreign businesses continue to spread, it is also very likely that the gap between the rich and poor will become wider. Although globalization played an important role in decreasing poverty, this same thing may also create a bigger gap between the haves and have-nots. This is because the income gaps between skilled workers and non-skilled workers will continue to grow despairingly large. This is especially true for China. The income inequality becomes much more prominent due to the huge gain enjoyed by its upper crust (Seeking Alpha, 2007). Human right is another globalization issue that must be carefully considered. Although globalization has exacerbated poverty in many parts of China, it is still important to take note that most of the laborers in this country receive below the minimum wage. The pressures of globalization can lead to labor exploitation especially in rural regions. In this situation, the women and the children are always the first victims. Most women become laborers in a sweatshop setting while receiving a low salary. Children on the other hand are forced to work in factories. The human issues regarding globalization become even worst as the laborers are often subjected in sweat shop settings. Oftentimes, the workers are exposed to an environment which is hazardous to their health. Most of the workers also lack the basic health and accident benefits. Indeed, globalization has delivered the world its promises of economic development and growth. However, it is also essential to remember and consider the ugly side of this phenomenon. Inequality, human rights, and even the threat of losing national and ethic identity are just some of the many consequences of globalization. Although resolving these issues all at once may be a far cry, it can still be addressed through effective and good governance. Education and awareness regarding the consequences of globalization must also be implemented and disseminated. References Chakravorty, Sanjoy (2003). Urban development in the global periphery: The consequences of economic and ideological Globalization. The Annals of Regional Science 37, p. 357-367 Guthrie, Douglas (2006). China and globalization: the social, economic and political transformation of Chinese society. CRC pres, p 1-398. Seeking Alpha (2007). Why Globalization Is Boosting Inequality in Developing Nations. Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://seekingalpha. com/article/36616-why-globalization-is-boosting-inequality-in-developing-nations.

Online Mba Programs Versus Traditional Bricks and Mortar

Online MBA Programs versus On-site Programs Andrew Cortez Ashford Managerial Marketing BUS 620 Sharif Muhammad October 23, 2011 Online MBA Programs versus On-site Programs With unemployment rates at an all time high combined with the increasing costs associated with traditional brick and mortar schools, online education is by far one of the fastest growing and thriving industries. As younger students are attempting to pursue traditional higher education, they are realizing that the costs are not only increasing daily, but the programs are longer in duration and often not a better education than the online line programs. Those who have lost their jobs and need an edge over other unemployed candidates are finding that a B. A degree alone is often not enough and that in fact an MBA degree could greatly improve their chances as being more appealing to employers who have few jobs to offer to an overwhelming number of applicants. Those who do have jobs are often concerned about the stability of that job and this group is also is also looking towards those higher degree’s as to remain competitive and viable for their current jobs or for future jobs that may offer them more stability. This group typically has high work demands and as a result, they have to weigh their options when it comes to returning to school to obtain that MBA. The number of college level distance learning classes offered online continues to increase as they offer greater scheduling flexibility to students, they appeal to students who like to work independently, and allow colleges to increase enrollment without building new classrooms (Werhner, 2010, p. 310). Understanding fully what your goals are, as well as what limits you may have will help to determine the right direction for a student. The following will include a marketing plan that will assist in demonstrating the advantages of perusing an online MBA program as a viable and preferred alternative to an on-site MBA Program. 1. Company Overview: San Diego Higher Education (SDHE) is an online, for Profit Company that focuses on online education with the purpose serving its students as a viable method of obtaining an MBA degree via web-based courses through an accredited university. With the SDHE online MBA program, you can have the skills and experience you need to increase your chances for success by taking on the most complex leadership roles. SDHE has been assisting San Diego residents in obtaining an MBA degree using the online medium since 2007. The company had initially targeted low income and or unemployed individuals, but it has expanded its offerings with the intent to grow towards all segments. Beyond practical skills, the program is also designed to foster thought leadership, innovation, and corporate social responsibility on a multinational, multicultural scale; SDHE is headquartered in San Diego California. Key Leaders of the company: Tanner C. Dean-CEO †¢ Jeffery S. Anderson-CFO †¢ Scott R. Howard-COO †¢ Andrew Cortez-CMO Key Service Offerings: Online MBA programs with a specialization in Finance, Healthcare Marketing, Project Management, Human Resources, Information Technology, Global Management and Accounting. 2. Executive Summary of Marketing Plan: As the economy has continued to decline and unemployment has continued to increase, the need for affordable and accessible online educational optio ns have increased. The use of on-line instructional delivery methods by non-traditional adult learners continues to grow as technological and societal changes have enabled and encouraged this growth. The purpose of this marketing plan is to review recent marketing strategies with respect to how adults learn and tie that strategy into a discussion based upon a review of the suitability of, satisfaction with, and preference towards on-line instruction among adults. Some areas for improvement are discovered and recommendations are provided based upon these reviews (McGlone, 2011, p. 1-9). It is expected that our marketing efforts need realignment as to become more relevant to all types of students. Where as our initial marketing plan was very narrow, the market has since completely opened up and we now are in a position expand our offerings to larger audience. We will propose to re-brand and redirect our SDHE as to appeal to a much broader demographic segment. The ultimate goal is to convince potential students that SDHE is a viable higher education institution that exceeds the offerings of our competitors while maintaining a lower cost for an MBA degree. Our niche is that we are in fact a smaller institution and can therefore offer a more customized program in which students do not feel as though they are just a source of revenue for our company; they will feel as though they are receiving critical and accessible services that they will not receive from the larger institutions. 1. Description of Target Market: Demographic Segment: Male/Females between the ages of 22-45+ who have an understudy degree, income 35K-80K per year. Psychographic Segment: Looking towards individuals who come from industries that have been most impacted by economy, such as real estate, banking, construction. , retail, home improvement, pharmaceuticals, marketing, cell phone, and automotive industries (Rampell, 2009). Geographic Segment: Target for this particular marketing plan should include California, Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Idaho and Louisiana as these states have been hit hardest by the recession (Kiser, 2010). Out of these states we need to look at specific demographics of these states as to assure that they are in alignment with our Demographic Segment, if they may be eliminated. . Description of Competitors: University of Phoenix: The University of Phoenix is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association-access to campus-based and online libraries; academic advising; mentoring; tutoring; financial aid office-MBA (concentrations include: Accounting, e-Business, Global Management, Health Care Mana gement, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Technology Management); joint MS in Nursing with MBA in Health Care Management. Every University of Phoenix faculty must have a Masters or Doctorate degree. No classroom attendance, the curriculum is completely online. Strayer University: Strayer University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education-access to campus-based and online libraries; career development assistance; academic advising; tutoring; financial aid advising-MBA (available concentrations: Acquisition, Human Resource Management, Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management). Baker online: Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association through Baker College-access to campus-based and online libraries; career counseling and placement assistance; academic advising-MBA (available concentrations: Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Finance, General Business, Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, Industrial Management, International Business, Leadership Studies, Marketing) Columbia Southern University: Distance Education Training Council (DETC) – Online library with 24-7 librarian services, academic and financial aid advising, and student services-General concentration, optional concentrations (E-Business and Technology, Finance, Health Management, Hospitality and Tourism, Human Resource Management, International Management, Marketing, Project Management, Public Administration, Sport Management). 3. 0 Description of Product or Services: SDHES’S MBA program refines the existing skills that the students already posses. Through our unique 18 month program students can complete the entire program and earn their MBA. The program will provide a solid understanding in all areas of business, from the fundamentals to specializations in Finance, Healthcare Marketing, Project Management, Human Resources, Information Technology, Global Management and Accounting. The specializations will give students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge by focusing on their specific areas of interest. The entire program is online and students are designed for the busy schedules of its students. . Marketing Budget: This particular budget is for a twelve month re-launch and re-branding of its current offerings as to expand our current customer base. The amount required for this is $960K and the break down of expenses is as follows: †¢ $120K-Website update to include up to date and current functionality. †¢ $600k- Media to include social media campaign (Banner ads/email blasts/news letters) to correspond with Bil lboard, television and print add. †¢ $120K- Marketing items to include flyers, inserts, sales brochures and misc. ollateral as deemed per region. †¢ $60K- PR to include press releases, public appearances etc. †¢ $60K- Outreach to local business, to include employment agencies. Outreach will be a more grass roots approach to specific communities. 5. Description and Location: Online academics can open itself to a much larger market segment as the virtual classrooms are much larger than a traditional class room. Because the MBA program would be completely online it is available to anyone with the technology of a computer and internet service. Internet/ web site searches are the key locations where potential students will initially look for our product; this is why so much of the budget will be spent on website design and functionality. Distribution channels such as face book and Google banners will be used. Street teams will be used at trade fairs, conventions and job fairs. We will also offer larger corporations incentives to post information on their internal websites advertising educational resources to their employee’s. Mall Media will also be used to advertise; larger regional malls can have up to 1 million + in monthly foot traffic, this medium is often more effective than traditional billboards as the customer is walking slowly and more likely to see our advertisement. 6. Pricing: Identifying the pricing the appropriate pricing category for our program should be very easy as we will remain competitive but we will still remain on the lower side. With so many online schools that currently in operation, potential students do have several options available. Because we are in a tough economic climate, pricing is more crucial than in previous years. Yes, benefits and features are extremely important as well, which is why will not be the lowest but will be towards the bottom from a pricing perspective. We will also offer discounts to certain corporation whom we will be partnering up with and in addition we will be offering a military discount as well. The current pricing range for online MBA programs range anywhere from 60k to 20k and so our pricing will at about 30K for the program, not including course materials, technology fee’s etc. This competition oriented method of pricing will make us very appealing to our potential students, while still allowing us as a company to remain profitable. 7. Summary and Implementation: In order to maximize new student enrollment we must stay ahead of the competition. We are an online school and so our online presence needs to be the area of most focus, from a marketing perspective. Our website needs to be as intuitive and easy to navigate as possible; it must draw the customers in and connect with them. This being said, an overall marketing campaign that is in line with the new website is essential. We must remain focused, within this campaign, on the ease and accessibility that our online MBA can provide them with all while being priced very competitively. Our efforts must be geared towards the quality of the education as we will be compared side by side to our direct competitors, our demographics are very computer savvy and so it is important that we remain a viable option through a flawless reputation. We shall also be strategic with the timing of the implementation of this marketing plan by researching unemployment trends to help us to determine timing (probably at the in December and January). In addition; we want to want to make sure that we are capturing the fresh graduates and so the months of April-June are months to focus on as well. This re-launch is something to be very excited about. We need internal by in from all departments. With flawless execution this marketing plan has the potential to increase our bottom line profits by up to 20% over last year. References Kiser, G. (2010, March 23). The Cities Hit Hardest by the Recession: Brookings Institution [Business]. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2010/03/23/the-cities-hit-hardest-by_n_509744. tml#s75345&title=1_Cape_Coral McGlone, J. R. (2011). Adult Learning Styles and Online Educational Preference [Journal]. Research in Higher Education Journal, 12, 1,9. Rampell, C. (2009, January 26). Layoffs Spread to More Sectors of the Economy [Money Matters]. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/01/27/business/economy/27layoffs. html Werhner, M. J. (2010). A Comparis on of the Performance of Online versus Traditional On-Campus Earth Science Students on Identical Exams []. Journal of Geoscience Education, 58(5), 310-313.