Personal Statement: Participated in a Nasa Space Camp Essay

At the age of five, a young boy from India boarded his first flight while travelling from Chennai to Hong Kong. He developed a strong interest in aircrafts. In the year 2008, this young boy from India was inspired when he participated in a NASA space camp. This boy and his friends were awarded the prize of the best junior scientists by Mr Steve Johnson, the Chairman of NASA. The award was given on the basis of fulfilment of various criteria based on various fascinating activities like modelling a rover and constructing a rocket that would travel upwards 250m or above. This boy was none other than me and I enjoyed every second that I spent in the space camp. The NASA space camp was a turning point in my life. My keenness to be involved with aircraft took a definite shape in the form of my wanting to become an astronaut or be involved in Aerospace Engineering. Working in an organisation like NASA as an Aerospace Engineer became my ambition for life. Since then I have been enthusiastic about gaining all kinds of knowledge regarding aviation and aerospace engineering. I also visited ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation, the Indian equivalent of NASA, located in Sriharikota, a place in the southern part of India. Though there was a great deal of difference in the technology used in the space centres in the US and in India, I was able to learn a great deal about Chandarayan, the first successful mission constructed by an Indian as the project director MylswamyAnnadurai gave a detailed explanation about it. By the end of Grade 10, I had understood that if I really wished to take up a career in Aeronautical Engineering I would have to further my horizons of education. The first step that I took to pursue this dream of mine was to take up an international curriculum, the International Baccalaureate in an international, residential school. It is here that I was enabled to do some research regarding the best universities that offered Aerospace Engineering and Aeronautics. I found out that though there are comparatively few universities in India in which the subject is available, the ones that do are the best. I have, since then, been putting in my best to mould myself into a suitable candidate to enter one of these highly-acclaimed universities. I took up Physics, Mathematics, and Information technology in Global Society the basic requirements to pursue Aeronautical Engineering, at the higher level and made the most of the opportunities available. Undeterred by my poor performance initially, primarily due to my weakness in English, I worked hard to become one of the toppers in these subjects in my batch. In the year of my visit to NASA, another significant event took place in my life. Being interested in hockey and having played the game for a few years, I was selected to play in the Under-14 CBSE (the most popular Indian curriculum) South Zone hockey tournament. My success in the game led to my being selected in the All-India Under-14 Hockey team. However, a serious injury prevented my playing any match as part of the team. The game I have picked up since is Badminton which I play well enough to be part of the school team. Besides, I enjoy watching Tamil movies. My other hobbies are playing computer games and listening to m usic. As I have been brought up in a family of politicians, the wish to serve the society is an inherent part of me. My father encourages me to serve the needy and the poor especially on special days like my birthday and Diwali, the festival of lights. Hence, it was with ease that I fulfilled the requirements for acquiring the silver medal of the International Award for Young People and the service activities of CAS. Now I am poised to move ahead in life, gain all the knowledge and skills required to be able to design aircraft and set up my own industry that will cater to my needs and those of my country and countrymen by providing quality infrastructure and employment at a large scale.

Gender Roles in Society Essay

What is gender role? Gender roles can be linked closely to the Bible as the relations between men and women as both intuitive and sensual. Biologically gender is not determined; however, as a result of sexual characteristics of either men or women, it is established socially. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations gender is a central organizing principle of societies, and often governs the processes of production and reproduction, consumption and distribution. Gender issues focus on women and on the relationship between men and women, their roles, access to and control over resources, division of labor, interests and needs. Gender relations influence family well-being, household security, planning, production and many other aspects of life including the way we think or feel according to one’s gender. For this reason the definition of gender role today should be revised and predefined because the meaning it once had is no longer comparable with the Bible. Many countries have experienced huge turmoil and revising of its traditional gender roles within the last generation. These changes in gender roles affect the home, the workplace, and the school, plus they affect all walks of life to some degree. Gender role is a commonly discussed subject in society and many may argue about the true role of a man or a woman. Society and culture are also very important in relation to this subject. This means different societies and cultures may produce children and later, grown men and women, who have quite different views of a man or a woman’s place in the world around them, often determined by their culture’s gender stereotypes. Gender roles are attached to persons according to their gender. So, what are men’s and women’s roles in society? Should they be equal or do they have well defined roles they should play? In this day and age, people like to be intolerant by attempting to make the two sexes equal. Most people feel that it is unfair to say that women can do certain activities better than men and men can do other activities better than women but God actually made men and women differently and has given them different roles in life and society. God has made men and women to fit certain roles He has defined. The Bible talks a lot about God’s roles for men and women. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, talks about Creation and how sin entered the world. When God created everything, it was perfect and good. Right after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, God kicked them out of the perfect place he had made for them called the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:16-19 says: â€Å"To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you shall bring forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. Then to Adam He said, ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread’. This is God’s first example of roles to women and men. It was meant for men to take care of land and work it for food to provide for his family and women would bear children and take care of them and raise them while their husband worked. Again, a man and woman’s role is well defined in a home. They are both made for each other and to grow strong as one. A woman has quite a unique role to fill. She is made as a companion for her husband because without a wife a man is alone and she is the only one who can provide the companionship needs. She should give her husband affection because he needs it just as she needs it also and only she may know the husband in such a way to provide the kind of affection he needs. A wife is there to give physical needs because God made man and woman to rely on one another. Also a woman should bear children for her husband to make a family that they can all love and appreciate. Most mothers spend more time with her children and her influence on their character development is great because they see her the most. Lastly, every woman should be a keeper at home and this requires diligence and the kind of care only women can provide. It is a place of honor among God and His people. â€Å"A woman should be a guard, and ruler and keeper of the affairs of the home† (Prov. 31:13-15). There is nothing wrong with a woman working, as long as it is done in the right way it is honorable. All women, whether married or not, can look to the worthy woman for guidance for living godly lives. In God’s pattern we do not see slavery, but freedom, honor, and true beauty. However, all women shall strive to fulfill their God given roles in their own families, so as to gain honor for themselves, for their families, and for God. In addition, a man’s role in society differs quite differently from a woman. The man is the key to making the family work the way God intended. God puts the responsibility of having a Biblical family on the man. On top of that, men are under a lot of job pressure because of the failing economy which makes it harder to provide for the family. Many men never had a role model in their home. There should be Godly men helping their off springs to become who they ought to be for the glory of God. Men should love their family as Jesus loved the church; he is to also love the members of his family as he loves his body. He is to nourish it. He is to cherish it. He is to take care of it. That’s the way God wants a man to love his family. Eph. 5:23 says, â€Å"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body. † Notice that it didn’t say the head over the wife; it said the head of the wife. It is not dictatorship. A man is not the dictator in the family but the man is to protect and provide for his family. Being a good provider is not enough as men have a spiritual responsibility. They should get their family in church each Sunday and take every opportunity to help them learn about Jesus Christ and to grow in their relationship with Him. Men should obey the word of the Lord and ask the Lord to help him be the man he should be. Many of men have failed to lead their family like they should. However, if he is the man, the father, the kind of husband God wants him to be, and if he lifts his family to be everything God wants them to be, one of these days he will reap a good harvest in his children. However, the shifting of gender roles in the past thirty years has been huge. It has happened so quickly that men and women are still trying to sort out what the new roles and rules mean to them although women are no longer expected to be the keepers of the house, in reality, they are in most families and although men are generally open to the successes enjoyed by the women they share their lives with, some still find it hard to celebrate a woman’s triumphs because they feel it attenuates their own. Even though the Bible clearly states the role of a man and a woman many individuals may argue this because the Bible was written a long time ago and they feel such implications do not apply anymore. Yet, the Bible is the word of God and his word is always right and should be abided by no matter how we may feel. Historically, it is important also to note that cultural differences flourish in the emphasis of one’s gender role and in certain societies such assumption in accepted gender norms can also play some part in the definition of gender identity. It will take time to sort out all the assumptions of the changing gender roles of individuals, but new expectations should result in better lives, better relationships, better schools, and better workplaces.

Organisational Behavioral Disciplines Essay

Before we start, we must first understand what Organizational Behaviour is. Organizational Behaviour is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, group dynamics, and structure have on behaviour within the organizations and its effective use for the purpose of such knowledge towards improving its performance.A multidisciplinary field devoted to understanding individual and group behavior, interpersonal processes, and organizational dynamics. . Organizational behavior is built upon contributions from a number of behavioral disciplines/sciences, this is too understand, manage and predict effectively in a work environment. The first in psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science. Psychology is the science that seeks to measure, explain, and sometimes change the behavior of humans. It is used to improve organizational effectiveness and the work of individual in the organization. This is the learning, perceptions, personality, emotions, training, leadership effectiveness, decision–making, fatigue, boredom, and other factors relevant to working conditions that could impede efficient work performance. More recently, their contributions have been expanded to include, job satisfaction, decision-making processes, performance appraisals, attitude measurement, employee selection techniques, work design, and job stress. Sociology; Sociology studies people in relation to their fellow human beings to improve organizational performance. Some of the areas within Organizational behaviour that have received valuable input from sociologists are group dynamics, design of work teams, organizational culture, formal organization theory and structure, organizational technology, communications, power, and conflict. Social psychology Social psychology blends concepts from both psychology and sociology. It focuses on the influence of the people on one another. One of the major areas under considerable investigation by social psychologists has been, how to implement it and how to reduce barriers to its acceptance. Yet we find social psychologists making significant contributions in the areas of measuring, understanding, and changing attitudes, communication patterns, building trust, the way in which group activities can satisfy individual needs, and group decision-making process. Anthropology Anthropology is the study of societies to learn about human beings and their activities. For instance, anthropologists’ work on cultures and environments has helped us understand differences in fundamental values, attitudes, and behaviour between people in different countries and within different organizations. Much of our current understanding of organizational culture, organizational environments, and differences between national cultures is the result of the work of anthropologists or those using their methods. Political Science Political science studies the behaviour of individuals and groups within a political environment. Specific topics of concern here include the structuring of conflict, allocation of power, and how people manipulate power for individual self-interest. Challenges in Organizational behaviour Similar to the evolution of man and its environment there has been a substantial change in the approach for better productivity within an organization through the brainstorming efforts applied by a business executive /entrepreneur. Understanding organizational behaviour within a corporation and particularly the factors influencing the organizational behaviour of a single entity has become the key to the success of any organization. There is no one single approach to organizational behaviour which is best for all organizations; instead, organizations/companies or businesses must evolve the system which works best for them with the help of effective planning and technological support which changes over time as their current work environment and the individuals within that current work environment similarly. They are seven organizational behaviour current work challenges I have noted: I.One of the major current work challenges of organizational behaviour is finding ways to motivate employees as a way to improve activity. Some of the ways organizations improve productivity within the organization is to empower the employees. When organizations and businesses empower its employees, it gives them a sense of loyalty to the company because they feel like they are part of the success of the business. II.Second of the challenges of organizational behaviour is hiring the right employees for the company. Hiring the right employees for the organization is not only about finding the people with the skills and knowledge that the position requires, but also employees that fit into the organizational culture or can help to improve employee relations. For example, it can be de-motivating to employees if upper management is not open to progressive thoughts and actions that can move the business forward. Hiring a progressive and forward thinking executive manager who also has the experience and knowledge can help to give the employees a new outlook on the company. III.Third of the main challenges of organizational behaviour is how to run a productive organization but also show its employees that it cares about them as well. In other words, it is about helping employees find the right work-life balance. For example, a company that provides an on-site clinic center as an employee benefit or at a reduced cost is one way for the company to show that it cares about its employees both professionally and personally. This can lead to the employees contributing to organizational behaviour and culture in a positive manner. IV.Another example in challenges of organizational behaviour is overcoming ethnic and cultural diversity among employees. Because different employees have different beliefs, opinions and ways of working, it can be challenging for employees to work together because of these differences. Some organizations choose to offer diversity training courses or workshops to help overcome these issues. The point is to illuminate how the diversity of an organization actually makes it better for the different benefits that each of the employees bring to the table. V.It is easy for corporate scandals to reach the public within a short time. Organizations often have policies that facilitate ethical behaviour within the workplace. The challenge for managers is to promote an ethical organizational behaviour and culture such that employees will not put their individual interests ahead of organizational interests. Personal interest is an aspect of organizational behaviour and managers face the task of encouraging group interest over personal interest so as to preserve ethical values. VI.Last but not least, Individual employee problems can be personality conflicts, supervisor issues, personal trauma or company structure oriented. Organizations must learn the cause of the problem and who or what keeps â€Å"fuelling the fire.† If there is no clear trigger, the answer could fall back to insufficient or confusing communications. For example, an employee in a decentralized organization may feel they must answer to multiple supervisors if the chain of command is not communicated clearly. VII.Finally, Information technology plays an integral role in workplace communication. Additionally, workplace communication also influences how people and groups behave in the organization. Although technology brings with it efficiency in collating and disseminating knowledge, it can also alienate individuals such as the elderly within the organization. The challenge here is in finding ways in which technology promotes organizational communication and inclusion rather than exclusion and discrimination. Conclusion Various challenges confront organizations within the context of organizational behaviour. With new challenges arising every day, there’s a need for adaptation in the current work environment. With the use of technology and team building tasks, one can achieve a good working environment leading to a motivated and sustained work force.

Organizational Structure and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Structure and Culture - Essay Example An organization can have an informal or formal structure. A formal structure is presented diagrammatically in an organizational chart. It has positions, responsibilities, tasks, and relations among workers in different departments. An informal structure describes personal or social relations that are not stated in the organizational chart. It provides social satisfaction by helping workers meet their personal objectives. It contains communication channels that distribute information more rapidly than the formal system. An organizational chart can be vertical, horizontal, or rectangular. Informal structures require approval of the management and their techniques are closely monitored for effectiveness. Strong Memorial Hospital at the University of Rochester has a formal organizational structure. The organizational chart is drawn vertically. The chief nursing officer is the overall head of the nursing department. Every department has an associate director, who operates below the chief nursing officer. The nursing body also contains budget managers, recruitment, research department, information systems, and policy management. Staff nurses are at the lowest level and interact with the patients. The hospital has a decentralized system where each department has its own director and workers. These nurses are responsible for the welfare of patients in their departments, which provides client centered care. Staff nurses take care of the patients and provide a welcoming environment for their clients. They interact with patients and obtain information about their preferences and priorities. The hospital also has a patient educational program to educate the patients about their role in health practices (URMC, 2012). The hospital has a computerized information management system. Patient information is stored in the hospital database. Electronic medical records are used to reduce the patient waiting time. Human patient simulator is used by doctors to simulate treatment pract ices for patients. The institution has an information systems manager who oversees flow of information in the hospital. The system is accessible by all departments, which speeds up information sharing. A patient can have different complications which fall under different departments. Doctors and nurses in these departments require full health records for the patient before treatment. The information management system ensures availability of such information for all departments. The hospital has an interpreter service for deaf patients. An interpreter is used to aid communication between the deaf client and the clinicians. This facilitates information exchange for better services. Every clinician in the facility has a corporate email for effective communication within the staff. Face to face communication is used by nurses and doctors to attend to patients. This helps them understand the patient better and provide the requested services. It also helps create a good relationship betwe en the staff and patients. Doctors use notes to pass sensitive information in the presence of the patient. Consultation is done by staff before making important decisions regarding clients. Nurses and doctors hold discussions before performing operations, medication, and other major decisions. Human patient simulators are used during discussions to determine the right treatment process. Researchers hold lengthy discussions regarding their findings before making a conclusive decision. The

Sport, Fitness and Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sport, Fitness and Management - Coursework Example I have also been involved in the planning and preparing of coaching sessions and coaching children at FA Learning in Liverpool County. I have attained a number of sports certifications such as the Level1Certificate Club Coach and Football Club Administration from FA Learning. Question 2: Categorization The first activity, planning and preparing coaching sessions is a sporting activity. This is because it requires sports skills to accomplish. These include knowledge of sports fitness, sports management activities and professional skills relating to sporting in general. Planning coaching sessions requires practical skills. There is also need for knowledge relating to issues such as the intensity of training, the right diet, the time that training will take, breaks in between training and the need to achieve the overall training objectives. Essentially, the planner has to take into consideration knowledge and understanding of the sport, have cognitive skills and generally approach coach ing sessions from a professional perspective (Garland, Malcolm, & Rowe 2000). The second activity, actual coaching of children, is a physical activity. This is because coaching in today’s society demands the physical input and practical participation of the coach. Giving a player the instructions to conduct an activity for instance is not as effective as actually showing them what requires to be done. As such, the coach participates as much as the players in the activities scheduled for a coaching session. This fact can be explained through the transformation of the sports arena from the early 1900 when a swimming instructor, for instance, would guide a swimming session from the sidelines of a pool and would assist a troubled swimmer, without necessary getting into the water, with a long pole. In contrast, today’s swimming instructor is always in a swim suit ready to dive into the water should the need arise. In addition to this, swimming instructors get into the water themselves during training sessions, practically illustrating the body movements necessary (Study Guide 2008). People hold different views towards such activities however. One may view the planning and preparing of coaching sessions as a recreational activity for instance. Coaching of children may be viewed as a sporting or recreational activity. The difference in perception and variance in views relating to these activities can only be explained by the fact that people go through different experiences and posses different interests in life. As such, it is unlikely to achieve a convergence of opinion on sporting issues. Some people for instance believe that the use of technology in refereeing football matches will increase accuracy, reduce disputes and generally enhance the football game. On the other hand, others think that it will deny the game the rawness that makes it so exiting (BBC News 2005). Question 3: Perpectives Scientific perspective Scientific developments have indeed improved planning and preparations of coaching sessions. Technology is significantly employed in football coaching in today’s environment. As such, a coaching planer has to take into consideration the impact that technology will have on coaching sessions and its use in delivering the actual coaching. In football coaching sessions, technology is used in producing simulations of player positions and play strategies and producing statistics on a given play (BBC News 2005).

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility Essay

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility - Essay Example Internal stakeholders in a hospital include the patients, the medical staff and management of the hospital and the board of governors or trustees. External stakeholders are those parties that have minimal often indirect influence on the management of the hospital. External stakeholders may include the relatives of the patients and other potential patients to the hospital. Other external stakeholders include the federal government and other hospital of the same class and category (Lebeer, 2002). The most basic function a medical executive should perform in regard to satisfying al stakeholders is controlling, directing staffing and organizing. For the patients, however, Doctor DoRight has the role of democratizing medical services so that all the patients get equal treatment. Equal treatment encompasses equitable distribution of the hospitals resources. For instance, in the case of organ transplant, hospitals can device methods such as receiving an organ in regard to the severity of th e situation. The board of trustees expects that the medical executive prevents the occurrence of law suits, which may tarnish the name of the hospital and cost it a lot of money, that result from the action of hospital employees. Trustees also expect that the president maintains low labor turnover and an excellent cooperate image is paramount. The staff of the hospital expects respect from patients and fellow staff despite their position. Also, the staff expects fairness in remunerated, and adequate timely pay and a safe, conducive working environment (Lebeer, 2002). Potential customers need to feel welcomed to the hospital hence the need for an operational call centre and an efficient customer service. Recently hospitals have also taken on the craze of advertising their products to potential customers. Though an external stakeholder, the federal government, has a strong influence on the running of hospitals. The governments influence is greater when it comes to the legal obligation s of the hospital. For instance, the government may insist that a hospital only use FDA approved drugs. The government, in America, may also specify the types of procedures that a hospital cannot carry out for instance euthanasia is illegal in most states. Competition between rival hospitals is inevitable, with their current status as potential business entities. However, there are certain procedures that must remain intact so as to maintain peaceful coexistence. For instance, a hospital can seek transfer of a patient to another hospital even if they are competing. Doctor DoRight should ensure that there is no slandering of another hospital by his staff through words or actions (Lebeer, 2002). There are six guiding principles that doctor should adhere to in their disbursement of services. These principles include a) Honesty and truthfulness b) Respect for persons c) Justice d) Autonomy e) Beneficence and f) Non-maleficence. These principles mostly guide doctor patient relationships but can also act as a basis for the actions of medical executives. In trying to satisfy the various stakeholders, the manager of the hospital, may experience conflict of interest when the needs of the two stakeholders clash. A good example of a clash of interest is on the issue of euthanasia. The reality of the effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s is real and devastating. Most patients and families prefer

Mobile Technologies for Increased Productivity Research Paper

Mobile Technologies for Increased Productivity - Research Paper Example The way business is done changes through innovative ways to work, team efficiency and giving better value to the customer. It is against this backdrop that many companies want learn the potential of mobile technology in relation to employee productivity and increased business profitability.  Benefits include ease of communication through networking and connections between the business and its employees, critical suppliers and customers. Twitter, Linkedin, Skype, Whatsup, Facebook and many other social media applications are enable direction between the business and key stakeholders. This connectivity and direct communication is important in shaping the customer experience. The connectivity and direct communication through mobile technology firms get important customer feedback on products and services hence better product development. The marketing aspect of companies benefits greatly from mobile connectivity as potential clients can access advertisements and promotions on their ce ll phones from anywhere in the world. The use of text messages, IVR, and mobile websites can really aid in customizing marketing adverts for specific audiences. A lot of commerce can be achieved by mobile technologies through mobile ticketing, issuance of loyalty cards, vouchers and coupons. A token that is virtual is delivered to a mobile phone and the customer can come with it to the point of sale for value. Customers are also able to conveniently purchase various contents such music, video clips, books.

The drinking age Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The drinking age - Research Paper Example In refute, if they have to illegally get alcohol, they aren’t mature enough to be drinking anyway; Not lowering the age goes against the Constitution that states that people are officially adults at the age of eighteen. In refute, the age limit exists to protect young, undeveloped people from accessing a harmful substance Conclusion: Proposals have been brought up that would educate and license young drinkers, though this would still go against keeping youngsters away from a substance they cannot handle; The drinking age should remain the same as it has already proven to be more effective at keeping people safe Argumentative Essay In 2010 in the United States, one person died approximately every hour as the result of an alcohol-impaired driver; of these drivers, nearly fifteen percent were under the legal drinking age of twenty-one (Bell). It has been in the works for many years to lower the drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen, but many have fought against it.

External Marketing Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

External Marketing Environment - Essay Example A firm is frequently oblivious to the factors that affect its future. A marketer can comprehend the marketing environment through conducting a marketing research. Acquaintance to the environment assists an organization to modify its promotional mix and recognize new opportunities. Lamb et al (2011, p. 110) cite economic, cultural and social, business, legal and political and demographic elements as the constituents of the external marketing environment. Economic Environment There is no more significant component in the external environment affecting marketing than the economic environment. Lamb noted that the affects the operation of a company on both at micro and macro levels. Micro-level refers to the individual company while the macro level implies the broader industry, country or international. i. Supply and Demand When there is the absence of government intervention and control, supply and demand are the basic underlying forces of the economic dimension. Supply refers to the num ber of goods and services sellers and producers are willing to bring to the market at given prices at a given time (Lamb et al., 2011, p. 112). Demand, on the other hand, refers to the number of goods and services the buyers are willing to buy at a given price and time. ... When such a situation occurs, there is either a shortage or a surplus. In a competitive market structure, when a surplus or a shortage occurs, changes occur until equilibrium is restored. In the case of a surplus, the price is usually lowered to meet the demand level in the short run. In the long run, either the supply will decrease, as the quantities offered are decreased by some firms making production cuts or by other firms going out of business. When a shortage occurs, a company must carefully assess whether this condition id temporary or is actually a market need not being satisfied. ii. The Market and Exchange In every market economy there is a way for the market equilibrium price and quantity to be achieved. The mechanism for doing this by bridging the gap between supply and demand is the marketplace itself. Marketplace bridges the gap between what is produced and what is consumed, making the right quantity available to meet the market need (Lamb et al, 2011, p., 113) iii. Gen eral Economic Change The economic conditions in a country and the state of national economy change over time. Movements and fluctuations in the economy often follow patterns and have been described as business cycles (Lamb et al, 2011, p. 113). These cycles historically have consisted of four stages which include recession, prosperity, depression, and recovery. Cultural and social Environment In reference to Lamb et al (2011, p. 114), the cultural-social environment is replicated in the other four major environments external to the organization’s marketing mix.  

The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy Essay Example for Free

The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy Essay In chapter seven of The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy uses Rahels encounter of the Wisdom Exercise Notebooks to underlie many recurring themes throughout the novel. Through setting, imagery, and symbolism, Roy is able to further establish the impact of neglect and abandonment on the Ipe family relationships, and on Indias traditional society as a whole. The passage is set in Pappachis study, which is created as a metaphor for Indian society at the time. India, experiencing all the post-colonial social influences of the West, is amidst a social and political revolution heavily defined by the central caste system. Pappachi, a stereotypical capitalist devotee, followed a career in entomology-classifying his mounted butterflies and moths in the same way he categorizes humans by status. His study used to be his hub of career achievements and a sanctuary for Western knowledge; essentially it was his attestation of superiority. Over time the records of his progress, further represented by his leather-bound set of The Insect Wealth of India, rot as burrowing Silverfish reduce the books from organized information into yellow lace. His attributes are insignificant now. Roys elaborated image of the abandoned setting as rank with fungus and disuse parallels the corruption and failure of India in its current social state. The diction in the word rank, however, suggests a double entendre with the more direct denotation of the word referring to status and class. It is as if Roy is blaming the state of the study on the social injustice of society. The once beautiful, delicate butterflies and moths are a perfect example of the small things in society that are often disregarded, or merely used to the advantage of the more powerful big things. Captured and confined, the insects have eventually disintegrated into small heaps of iridescent dust that powdered the bottom of their glass display cases. The luminous quality associated with the diction in the word iridescent and the passive tone in the word powdered remind the reader of their past splendor. Having undermined and forgotten the insects for too long, the pins that had impaled them are left naked. The laws that once kept Indias social order are now merely empty restrictions, subjected to a population rid of its beauty and innocence. The artificial connotation of neon-green hula hoop is compared to a saints discarded halo-the oppressed saint of the people. This theme of Indias social structure is continued through the imagery of the column of shining black ants. When describing the ants, Roys allusion to the line of mincing chorus girls in a Busby Berkeley musical hints at Berkeleys renowned parade of faces technique in which he individualized each chorus girl with the tribute of an esteemed close-up. The buffed and beautiful procession is given similar qualities to the butterflies and moths, but this time the ants are recognized individually and equally-representing the powerful upcoming communist parade of Indias lower class. The way in which Rahel interacts with the study describes her role in her family, and in society. Rahels clear footprints against the dust of the floor contrast her vivid presence with her grandfathers forgotten past. Her highlighted path leading from the door to the table (dragged to the bookshelf) to the stool (dragged to the table and lifted on to it) marks her organized determination in recovering her own past. Her initial lack of size and shape in her life shows how her lack of participation in Indias social battle allows her to maintain her a clean, carefree outlook on life. However, when it becomes clear that she is searching for something, the half-moons under her eyes are noticed and the team of trolls is waiting on her horizon. The half-moons suggest her weariness in searching for purpose in her life. The negative connotation of trolls foreshadows the adverse future consequences of the size and shape that her life does eventually acquire. The current uncertainty of that size and shape is shown through her arbitrary collection of items (a smooth seashell, a spiky one, a plastic case for contact lenses, an orange pipette, a silver crucifix). The lack of focus in her life is partly related to her separation from Estha. On his return, Rahel once again reveals the hidden things from the past that she tried to forget. The main object, Baby Kochammas rosary, is a symbol for Baby Kochammas dead dream of winning love. As each greedy bead grabbed its share of sun it casts a contrasting dark shadow, much in the same way Rahel views Baby Kochamas selfish lifestyle as having drained the rest of the family of their happiness and well being. By stealing it, she was punishing Baby Kochamma. While revisiting the past, Rahel also encounters something else. The Wisdom Exercise Notebooks her mother, Ammu, had given them were tattered but still intact. Ammu, like Rahel, had had the idea of hiding the past, and denying its influence on the future. Estha, although remaining speechless, has a significant impact on further establishing the themes of rejection and negligence. Consumed by the thoughts of trains, a metaphor for abandonment, Estha makes an Estha-shaped Hole in the Universe. Estha is merely a walking shadow of life. Much like the rosary, he blocked the light; he is present in the world only by his contrast to life itself. Estha is the embodiment of the idea of death of dreams. Since his childhood, his visions have been lucid but he has lacked control over his life in the same way his handwriting showed signs of struggle for control over the errant, self-willed pencil. Life has objectified him and his once inimitable relationship with Rahel, treating the twins as library books-stories to simply be borrowed and returned. He is angry at life for abandoning him, for straying from its expected course, and most of all for not letting him go-for keeping him pinned down like the empty spaces of the once beautiful butterflies and moths. The passage explores many of the prominent themes evaluating Indias social society throughout The God of Small Things. On a more internal note, it further establishes the complex relationship of Estha and Rahel as they uncover the past and face its inevitable impact on the future. Although stolen and hidden for many years, the past, as Rahel realizes, is still here. It always will be, reminding them of the love and life they had, of the mistakes and dreams they lost, and of the challenges they still face.

Essay on Human Resource Management in Kentucky Fried Chicken

Essay on Human Resource Management in Kentucky Fried Chicken Kentucky Fried Chicken is the largest fast food chicken operator, and franchiser in the world. Colonel Sanders has become a world-known figure by marketing his finger lickin good fried chicken. The restaurants cover a large percentage of the United States market in terms of sales. Every day, millions of diners are served at KFC, featuring the Colonels finger lickin good special recipe fried chicken. (About us) KFC knows that their employees are at the center of their success. Developing a successful employee training program and effective retention strategies will determine the success of the company and whether the company can deliver a more consistent customer experience. The KFC Corporation is based in Louisville, Kentucky and was founded by Harland Sanders in 1932. Sanders was born on a farm in Indiana in the 1890s. Following the death of his father in 1896, Sanders mother was forced to work two jobs to support the family. In order to help his mother, Sanders learned to cook for his brother and sister at the young age of six. By the age of fifteen he had worked a variety of jobs, including painter and railroad fireman. In 1920 Sanders opened a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky and he began to cook for his family and the occasional customer in a back room of the service station. It was then that he invented whats called home meal replacement selling complete meals to busy, time-strapped families. He called it, Sunday Dinner, Seven Days a Week' (Colonel Harland Sanders). Sanders enjoyed cooking the food his mother had taught him for travelers. Rather than coming in for service for their cars, people began coming in specifically for his food. Demand for his cooking rose and eventually he expanded his up and coming business by moving across the street to a facility with a restaurant, a motel, and a gas station. The restaurant was named Sanders Court Cafà © and was so successful that in 1935 the Governor granted Sanders the title of honorable Kentucky Colonel in recognition of his contribution to the states cuisine. (KFC Corporation) Colonel Sanders was always experimenting with his food at his restaurant. He originally prepared his chicken in an iron skillet, which took an average of thirty minutes to do, which was to long for restaurant operations. During the late 1930s the Colonel went to a demonstration of a new gizmo, the pressure cooker. He purchased a pressure cooker and made a few adjustments. After a lot of experimenting with cooking time, pressure, shortening temperature and level, Eureka! The Colonel had found a way to fry chicken quickly, under pressure, and come out with the best chicken hed ever tasted, and what weve come to know as Kentucky Fried Chicken was born (The pressure cooker). On a daily basis more than twelve million diners visit a KFC restaurant on 109 countries and territories around the world. (About us) KFCs product specialty is fried chicken that is served in various forms and is made with the Original Recipe. KFC standards for quality start with the use of the famous bucket. The paper bucket is used for its large sized orders and helps to keep the chicken crispy by wicking away moisture. The Original Recipe, which remains a trade secret, is made from a blend of eleven herbs and spices that Colonel Sanders was able to perfect. Portions of the secret recipe are mixed in different parts of the United States but the complete hand written copy is kept in a vault at the corporate headquarters. Nutrition has been a big concern for KFC because its main products are fried. In recent years KFC has made changes and now offers a variety of menu items that are low in fat for customers that prefer lower calorie choices. To assist customers, KFC has posted a nutrition guide on their website providing customers detailed information about their ingredient choices and nutrition values. They have al so introduced grilled items that offer fewer fat grams and less sodium than the Original Recipe, all without sacrificing the great taste of KFC products. (Nutrition) KFCs training and development strategies focus on effective management and building customer relations, as well as providing high quality products, and maintaining cleanliness of their restaurant. In the beginning, the companys strategies were not very successful. The company has made changes to its strategy by focusing on giving more career opportunities for people related to business, management, and other professional area of study. The principle development and training strategies are as follows: 1) Urge the employees to get closer to the customer by adopting a very friendly behavior to them to make decisions from market back. So the first principle is to create the customer focus goal. 2) The firm also keeps in touch with the latest trends and changing technological innovations for its market and to keep a continuous change as a way of life. Adding new ideas and taste in its meals, making more deals for attracting the customers and many other small policies are adopted for this purpose. 3) Market orientation was another area of priority by the management team to generate extra effectiveness in the global market. A friendly atmosphere with the customers is very important to give them confidence for putting their suggestions in the suggestion box for getting an idea of the likes and dislikes of their valuable customers. 4) The management team communicates very effectively and learns how to create an innovative atmosphere and a better understanding with the various cultures of the globe. As people belonging in different areas and cultures have different taste. So the main principle here is not to create a strong uniform brand image but also to serve the best interest of different customers in different locations. 5) Making a market plan and providing effective training to the employees is also an important strategy for the development of the corporation in overseas locations. While training and educating the employees, human resource planning, reward system and cultural definitions were given for international operations to the management team, which further hired and trained new staff from the local countries where the new branch is to establish. This also improves international political economic relations as opening new markets in outside country and ensuring new jobs facilities for the nationals of that country played a very important role in building customer relations and getting into the cultural taste of the natives. (Training and Development Strategies) Historically, the fast food industry has not been seen as the most effective way to build a career, especially for those individuals that are starting at the bottom of the ladder. KFC is working hard to overcome this perception. During the late 1990s, KFC launched a new employee incentive program as part of a three million dollar reorganization of its corporate field operations. The program was intended to show general managers that they play an essential role in the success or failure of KFC. The managers were taken to the corporate headquarters for three days of meetings and seminars. The company believed that a great way to develop great teams is to focus on the restaurant leaders. The changes stemmed from a survey that was conducted and revealed that managers wanted more support from corporate headquarters, they want to know that they are valued' (KFC initiates). The new program emphasized on developing a closer relationship with individual stores and a stronger focus on training and hiring practices, all with the intent of providing better customer service and a better working environment that will reduce turnovers. Jackie Trujillo, chairman of Harman Management, said, They are right on target, if you are going to succeed in this industry, you have got to get people to buy into the program, because who waits on customers? Where does everything happen? If you dont have everybody buying into that, youre not going to make everyone happy' (KFC initiates). For 2010, KFC has again refocused its corporate goals and is now putting special efforts on making their employees feel valued. This is apparent in the way employees treat each other, and is also accomplished through the companys reward package. The program offers all employees bonuses through a variety of schemes. The employees are rated in two performance measures, customer satisfaction and operational basics. The bonuses are also based on sales made as a restaurant and are paid in form of retail vouchers, with some vouchers valued at over $400.00 per employee each quarter. The bonuses are meant to create energy and encourage employee engagement with the goals of the restaurant. Managers and senior staffs can also earn cash bonuses depending on how they score on a balance scorecard. Misty Reich, vice-president HR at KFC UK and Ireland, says: the aim is to use the bonuses to create an ownership mentality among KFC employees (KFC keeps staff). KFC also considers career progression wi thin the company to depend on the bonuses offered. By conducting in-depth review of the restaurants staffs twice a year, the company can decide which of them has the ability to move forward in the organization. (KFC keeps staff) In order to generate profits and achieve long term success, businesses need to build a workplace that attracts, engages, and retains the best employees. A company culture describes how an employee thinks and feels about the company. It effects how employees respond and handle themselves in the work place. At KFC the company culture is a result of the companys vision and values. Our aim is to put a smile on peoples faces around the world and gives every customer a special experience on each occasion (Human resources). These values are as follows: 1) Believe in all people: We trust in positive intentions and believe everyone has the potential to make a difference. We actively seek diversity in others to expand our thinking and make the best decision. We coach and support every individual to grow to their full capability. 2) We are customer maniacs: Customers rule. Every customer sees it, feels it and knows it in every restaurant. We make sure we have great Restaurant General Managers who build great teams. 100% CHAMPS with a Yes Attitude is the expectation. 3) Go for breakthrough: We begin by asking ourselves What can I do NOW to get breakthrough results in my piece of Yum! Our intentionality drives step change thinking. We imagine how big something can be and work future-back, going full out with positive energy and personal accountability to make it happen. 4) Build know how: We grow by being avid learners, pursuing knowledge and best practice inside and outside our company. We seek truth over harmony every step of the way. We consistently drive outstanding execution by scaling our learning into process and tools around what matters most. Breakthroughs come when we get people with knowledge thinking creatively. 5) Take the hill teamwork: We team together to drive action versus activity. We discuss the un-discussable, always promoting healthy debate and healthy decisions. Our relationships allow us to ask the earth of each other. We make specific verbal contracts to get big things done with urgency and excellence. 6) Recognize! Recognize! Recognize: We attract and retain the best people and inspire greatness by being world famous for recognition. We love celebrating the achievement of others and have lots of fun doing it! (Human resources) Building employee capability is an important strategy at KFC. A company is only as good as its employees and KFC believes that their employees should be rewarded for the dedication and large portions of their lives they invest into the company. At KFC all employees receive initial training which covers food safety, business familiarization and online testing. The elements of the training are web based and virtual reality classrooms that are used to develop champions. After commencing employment team members continue to further their training through a program called CHAMPS. CHAMPS stand for the six universal areas of customer expectations: Cleanliness, Hospitality, Accuracy, Maintenance, Product quality, and Speed. The training is both face to face and web based. The web based program provides consistent and up-to-date information. The face to face program provides opportunity for cross-training within the restaurant so that employees continue to develop new skills. The blended train ing is estimated to require 41% less hours per learner than in-restaurant training programs. (Human resources) KFC has grown to be the largest quick service restaurant and has been proven to be a successful business enterprise with more than 11,000 restaurants in 109 countries around the world. (About us) KFC understand that their employees are at the center of their success. Through structured employee training and effective retention strategies the company can deliver a more consistent customer experience. The training, development, and retention of the right people are the key ingredients to the secret recipe that result in the long term success of KFC.

Red Bulls Marketing Strategy

Red Bulls Marketing Strategy All big brands around the world are now shifting towards the phenomenon of globalization. A product is no more confined to geographical boundaries. Globalisation calls for global marketing strategies being implemented around the world to resonate the brands identity and its image to target customers. A synonymous marketing strategy is cost-effective and this is the strategy applied by many big companies around the world. However, experts also say that this is not always a wise strategy because consumer behaviour around the world varies from culture to culture and from nation to nation. For instance, an American consumer will react and respond differently as compared to a Nepalese consumer. Thus, while implementing global marketing strategies, a wiser move would be to tweak it, customise it, and to relate it with the local consumer behaviour. Similarly, few international big names in Nepal have only implemented their global strategies and are not probably exploiting the huge potential they have. One such case is that of Red Bull in Nepal. Since the entrance of this drink in Nepal, it has done well enough to survive in the Nepalese market as compared to some of the other energy drink brands. Red Bull has implemented its global marketing strategy such as unconventional method without really evaluating its effects on the customer loyalty in Nepal. Thus, the question still remains whether the customer loyalty is influenced by Red Bull in Nepal that uses global unconventional marketing strategies. Statement of problem Red Bulls marketing strategy around the world is to use unconventional strategies that involve guerilla stunts and buzz generating tactics to communicate to their customers. Guerilla marketing is based on below-the-line (BTL) activities where brand recall is created through events and stunts that are mostly related to sports (X-games), parties, adventure and music. The sports Red Bull supports are ones that are not popular in Nepal. Formula one and X-games are not really popular. Similarly, Red Bull does a lot of promotional events at discotheque to enhance its brand. But this is not applicable in Nepalese situation because we dont have any such type of place. This is where the problem lies for Red Bull in Nepal. Like everywhere, the strategy depends on unconventional marketing which is not applicable and does not relate to the Nepalese culture and tradition. For example, how many people in Nepal would be interested in free style football? Hence, if they conduct a sports event based on free style football, still many people who are unrelated to these events will not consider joining there. Also, the idea of X-games that involve moto (motorcycle racing), skiing (ski big air, skier cross), snowboarding, snowmobile, Inline skating, skateboarding, and car racing are not played in Nepal. Thus, any event based on these games would be absolutely useless here. We do not have well organised night clubs and discotheques, as already described. These areas are the best places where most of Red Bulls promotions and selling would take place around the world. Red Bull also conducts a lot of its adventurous events around the world in deserts and mountainous areas. In these contexts, security is the prime issue. One would also argue Red Bull should use above-the-line (ATL) methods of promotions (e.g. television, print and radio) to communicate to a larger audience. The bottomline here is that Red Bull Nepal is not considering the local culture and consumer behavior and is blind ly implementing its global marketing strategies to communicate with its customers. That is why the current research has been done to find out the effectiveness of Red Bulls global unconventional marketing strategy, for example BTL method, in customer loyalty in Nepal. Aim and Objectives Aim The current research was conducted to find out the effectiveness of Red Bulls global unconventional marketing strategy (e.g. BTL strategy) in customer loyalty in Nepal. Objectives To analyse the situation of consumers in energy drink Do they consume energy drink? Are they aware of energy drinks available in markets? Do they prefer any energy drinks? To analyse the factors that affect potential target market of Red Bull in Nepal. Do gender, age-groups, marital status and income of consumers have any effect on Red Bull market in Nepal? Analysis of the Red Bull brand in customer loyalty What consumers think about Red Bull quality? Why consumers think Red Bull was unique among drinks? What consumers think about Red Bull brand? Will Red Bull consumers keep on purchasing it on future? Will Red Bull non-consumers consider purchasing it on future? To analyse the effectiveness of Red Bulls marketing strategy in customer loyalty in Nepal? Will sampling affect customer loyalty? Will promotion events affect customer loyalty? Any suggestion in enhancing customer loyalty? Justification of the study At the end of this study, our research will help understand the effectiveness of Red Bulls global unconventional marketing strategy (e.g. BTL strategy) in customer loyalty in Nepal. In addition, this study will be important to analyse the Red Bull brand in customer loyalty. A detailed report would be generated regarding consumer behavior, preferences, attitudes, reactions, lifestyles, and characteristics which would help us prepare an in-depth analysis on our research objectives. An exciting prospect of this project would be to find out to what extent Red Bull possesses the ability to reach markets and reach consumers as using unconventional marketing strategies limits their reach and opportunities. Lastly, the study will generate recommendations that will be crucial in Red Bull marketing strategy in future. Scope of the study The study comprises of conducting a research in different parts of Kathmandu targeting individuals and groups (principally university and college students, celebrities and media related persons) falling into our target criteria in order to find out the effectiveness of Red Bulls unconventional marketing in Nepal. The research also involves interviews with industry experts to gain their viewpoints and comments on the matter which was important to understand about Red Bull markets in this country. CHAPTER-2 LITERATURE REVIEW Unconventional marketing In the corporate world, the term marketing simply refers to activities carried out by organizations or individuals in order to generate awareness capture interest and boost sales. There are mainly two strategies to generate marketing, for example conventional and unconventional marketing. The first, conventional marketing, a traditional marketing technique, mainly refers to the use of media or ATL activities for the purpose of promoting the brand. These conventional methods comprise of television advertisements, print advertisements in newspapers, magazines, broadcasts on radios, billboards or hoardings and other sources of media. Unlike conventional marketing, the unconventional marketing refers to all those forms of marketing that require lower budgets and more time, imagination, creativity and a lot of energy rather than monetary support. Compared to conventional marketing that lacks an interaction between the organization and the end user, unconventional strategy is more interact ive with customers and gets them really engaged with the activity itself. Examples involve public interceptions, random giveaways or free sampling, and publicity stunt (PR). Unconventional marketing is synonymously used as guerrilla marketing, buzz marketing, public relation tactics, viral marketing, social media, BTL in various literatures. This marketing campaign is principally interactive with consumers who are unexpectedly targeted in unexpected places. Therefore, this campaign is aimed at generating buzz and viral marketing via a unique, engaging and thought-provoking ideology (Romane Knight, The Best Guerrilla Marketing Strategies, http://marketingnotesja.hubpages.com/hub/The-Best-Guerrilla-Marketing-Strategies (Blog), accessed on 21 September 2012). While both forms of marketing result in increased awareness, persuasion and education of the brand, unconventional marketing helps build a bond between the brand and the customer. The Exforsys Inc. website (2011) states that unconventional marketing is an experiential marketing which appeals to the emotions. The customer develops an emotional attachment to a brand, product, person, or idea. Therefore, unconventional marketing greatly enhance the customer interaction in order to gain valuable insights and consequently enhance loyalty. Customer loyalty When a company or a business organisation is opened, it is aimed to generate and retain a loyal customer who would continuously attach with the company in the context of its long-term cost-effective business. The ideology of retaining a long term relationship with brand loyal, i.e. the customer who has the continuous requirement of the same product is called customer loyalty. Customers will leave the company or organisation if it is not aimed at curomer loyalty. Various explanations have been found regarding customer loyalty in literatures. Sivadas and Baker-Prewitt (2000) said there is an increasing recognition that the ultimate objective of customer satisfaction measurement should be customer loyalty. Anton (1996) described satisfaction is positively associated with repurchase intentions, likelihood of recommending a product or service, loyalty and profitability. In 1997, Guiltinan, Paul and Madden (1997) said that satisfied customers are more likely to be repeat (and even become l oyal) customers (Guiltinan, Paul and Madden 1997). While these statements indicate that customer satisfaction is one of the factors of customer loyalty, customer dissatisfaction does not always lead to a reduction in loyalty. For example, even dissatisfied, some customers may be loyal because they dont expect to get any better service even if they did change (Reichheld 1996). In addition to customer satisfaction, brand loyalty may be another factor which may play in customer loyalty. Sometimes, customers can also feel a sense of loyalty and emotional attachment to a particular brand (Fournier 1998). However, the relationship of the brand with a customer is a two-way process in which it is not concerned how a customer feels to a particular brand, and this association is just preference or proclivity (Peppers and Rogers 2004). Customer Acquisition The assurance phase Customer Development The education bonding phase Customer Commitment The sales phase Customer Retention The continuation activity phase Customer Loyalty Cycle Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction S2 S1 S3 S4 Figure 1: Customer Loyalty Cycle as a Business Model used by the Scuba Schools International (SSI) Dive Centres. They acquire students and convert them into loyal customers. S1: Step 1, S2: Step 2, S3: Step 3 and S4: Step 4 (Adapted from http://divessi-indo.com/acquisition/systems.php, accessed on 24 September, 2012). Finally, price may be one of the determining factors of customer loyalty (Fisher 2001). For example, good pricing is an important factor in encouraging customer loyalty (Abratt and Russell 1999). In contrast, if a customer is loyal to a brand, he/she will not care of future price changes (Clark et al. 1995) indicating price may not play a role in customer loyalty. While customer loyalty depends on different factors, the process of customer loyalty is not an easy task in business. The process of customer loyalty can be achieved in 4 steps (Figure 1). The first step is called the assurance phase in which customer is acquired via different marketing or business strategy. Then, customers are made satisfied and then, they are given different trainings and education programs to keep them bonded. This is the education and bonding phase and is the second step of customer loyalty. Again, the customers are made satisfied and customers make commitment in the sales phase or third phase. The satisfaction to customers is continued and customers will stick to the same brand or the same company in the continuation and activity phase. This is quite important to keep the customers retention. The cycle is repeated followed by customer satisfaction. Therefore, customer satisfaction may be one of the important factors in customer loyalty (Figure 1). Measuring marketing effectiveness Companies spend billions of dollars annually on marketing. Because of increasingly competitive markets, firms strive to produce higher and higher profits. This leads to calls for justifying the marketing expenditures (Rust et al 2004). Powell (2002) states that marketing effectiveness is the quality of how marketers perform their marketing activities in order to optimize their expenditures and achieve both short and long term goals. The difference between marketing effectiveness and efficiency is explained by Rust et.al (2004) as they state for example, that price promotions may be efficient in delivering short-term revenues and cash flows but ineffective in the long run if it is destroying profitability and brand equity in the long run. Figure 2: The Chain of Marketing Productivity (Adapted from Journal of Marketing 2004, vol. 68, pp. 76-89). The Chain of Marketing Productivity is a conceptual context that can be utilized for evaluating marketing effectiveness (Figure 2). This model explains the effects of certain marketing actions of a firm on its position and standing in the market. Rust et al (2004) believe that every firm must have a business model which is used to track the effectiveness of marketing expenditures in influencing the knowledge, beliefs and emotions of the customers that ultimately leads to purchase behaviours. They stress on the fact that marketing efforts such as advertising and product improvements help in building long term assets such as brand equity. These long term assets are leveraged to deliver profitability in the short run. Customer thoughts, beliefs and feelings that lead to purchase behaviours are usually measured through non-financial measures such as attitudes and behavioural intentions. These non-financial measures drive financial performance measures like sales, profits and stock values in the short and long runs (Rust et al 2004). Behaviours Hoyer and Macinnis (2009) states that consumer behaviour reflects the sum of all consumer decisions from acquisition to disposition of goods, services and experiences. Behaviour of the consumers is a dynamic process reflecting acquisition, usage and disposition activities. The questions of what, why, how, when and how much to acquire, use and dispose a particular offering can have a major impact on how strategies for marketing and communications are developed. In order to produce, communicate and provide appropriate goods and services, marketers need rich insights on consumer behaviours and what they value (Hoyer Macinnis, 2009). Marketing efforts such as communications and promotions have a long term impact on consumer behaviour. In recent years, consumers have become more price- and promotion-sensitive over the time because there is a lot of information and choice available to them. This is why more and more companies are attempting to influence consumer behaviours through marketing efforts such as promotions and communications (Mela, Gupta Lehman, 1997). Sales Revenue Sales revenue numbers are the most objective measures of marketing effectiveness. Financial benefits, such as sales, from particular marketing efforts are assessed in numerous ways. One traditional method is the Return on Investment (ROI) which is the relative return that is obtained from the required expenditure. Financial impacts like these affect the firms financial position in terms of profit and cash flow. However, these methods are controversial and ineffective if relied upon solely. This is because most of marketing efforts are played out in the long run; there effects cannot be observed in the short run, while methods such as ROI only assess short term effectiveness of marketing efforts. A better usage of such methods must incorporate future cash flows so as to predict and determine the long run marketing effectiveness (Rust et al 2004). Brand Equity Brand equity is a relatively new concept which has developed from the past two decades as core marketing concept. It suggests that brand value can be derived from the discounted cash flows received from the sale of products/services as a result of associations of the brand with those products/services (Rust et al 2004). Rust et al. (2004) further cite Tybout and Carpenter on the enormous brand equity of Home Depot which was the US$84 billion in 1999. This shows that even though there may be a short-term divide between ROI and marketing efforts, it may not be completely ineffective due long laSting value offered through brand equity. Elements of brand equity such as customer lifetime value, brand awareness, associations and recognition can be determined by recognizing prevailing perceptions regarding the brand and functional as well as emotional value propositions that the brand provides (Dunn Halsall, 2009). The impact on customers and resultant developments in valuable assets such as brand and customer equity influence a brands market share and revenue, hence, enhancing its competitive position in the market. Long term benefits of these assets can increase customer responsiveness to brands and its extensions, willingness to pay premiums, referrals, increased usage rates, lower after sales support costs, customer retention and loyalty. All of these factors reflect a larger market share to be enjoyed by the brand with guaranteed greater profitability (Rust et al 2004). There is a wealth of means to measure market effectiveness. Methods to evaluate marketing tactics and impact of marketing expenditures provide the necessary tools to affect the practice of management and to bring further credibility to marketers. From an accounting standpoint, marketing productivity must be categorized into modifications in financial assets as well as intangible assets such as brand equity (Rust et al 2004) . Red Bull-History Red Bull is a popular energy drink that had been manufactured since the early 1962 by the TC Pharmaceutical Co., in Thailand by Chaleo Yoovidhya. The name of the company was subsequently changed into Red Bull Beverage Co. Ltd. It was introduced into the Europe by the Austrian guy Dietrich Mateschitz, who found out that one of the Thai energy drink called Krating Daeng (Thai: Red Bull) was good at soothing the Jetlag. He finally realized that the Asia has a wide potential market for Energy Drinks and there was no such kind of product available in the West or the Europe. In 1984, he established an Austrian company called Red Bull GmbH that sold about a million cans in 1987. Consequently the sale was expanded to other countries like the UK, Germany, Switzerland and others (http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/red-bull-gmbh-history/). Throughout the world, it is the leader in the energy drinks market and has about 70% of the market share and has annual sales of billion dollar s (Data Monitor, Red Bull GmbH, 2004). Red Bull-Branding When introduced to the markets of the world, very few believed in the successful potentiality of Red Bull as a brand and product. The mere concept of energy drink was brought into inception by Red Bull and most believed that such a confined product category of energy drink was not required when you had other options such as tea or coffee as energy boosters. Beardwood (2010) remarked that Red Bull might be a slightly safer alternative to alcohol. Although there are negative assumptions related to Red Bull brand, it has now become the leading energy drink manufacturer around the world. Regani in 2006 believes that the soul reason of the success of Red Bull in marketing is due to its audacity to think out of the box and its trend setters rather than followers (Regani (2006). Red Bull-The brand While considering Red Bull as a brand, it reflects energy, enthusiasm, active life, trend setters, adventurous and everything that is about youth and its whereabouts. When a person is found to consuming Red Bull, the image created in mind is a cool and trendy one and that is the kind of positioning they have achieved as a brand. All brand managers at Red Bull maintain that the positioning of Red Bull will never change no matter what the situation is, as that is what Red Bull, as a brand has thrived on. Red Bull is more about the brand than the product itself. According to Gschwandtner (2004), it is not Red Bulls sales strategy that helps it sell like hot cakes around the world, but it is its innovative branding strategy that has helped it become the number one energy drink name of the world. Red Bull-Marketing strategy across the world Red Bull as a brand is rebellious in nature and it certainly proves the kind of unconventional marketing strategy it has chosen. They absolutely refuse to advertise and use some of the conventional modes of promotions such as billboards, banner advertisements, taxicab holograms and blimp in a way that many brands would opt to do. Even their TV spots are very different from others. Played only on niche channels, they are merely sketches of a mysterious Austrian artiest that tries to amuse the audience more rather than educating them. They completely pursue unconventional marketing techniques to build the brand that majorly includes buzz generating tactics, event-based marketing, hiring brand ambassadors, supporting student projects, free sampling and others. Rather than going on mass, Red Bull targets underground style with BTL activities. It aims to produce viral buzz by paying college going students, disc jockey (DJ)s and young opinion leaders to host events and parties where the drink can be served. These are the sort of parties Red Bull encourages its ambassador to lead or organise as it aims to associate its brand with such events. Therefore, strong Red Bull branding can be observed at club, cafà © and discotheque where young crowds are mostly present. Red Bull does not spend on advertising and flashy celebrity endorsement. They hire hip youngsters, students and unconventional sports athletes to endorse their brand and promote it. These not only cost less but are also more effective as they are closest to the target market and know the required consumer behaviors. Besides that Red Bull organize and sponsor extreme sports events like the X-games and freestyle football which against complements their strategy of unconventional marketing. Campaigns Their campaigns are mostly based on organizing events that are associated with the brand. These events usually include unconventional sports, parties, student based events and exhibitions. They use such events to heavily brand their product using all kinds of aesthetics and tools. Plus, they also sample at these events to generate product trial and to let their target consumer experience the functionality of Red Bull. Their most recent campaign was the world tour of free style biking champion Kenny Belaey who was taken to all Red Bull operating countries where he performed stunts at different schools, colleges and universities. This event was used to build an impression for Red Bull as an adventurous, outrageous and unique brand. Sampling was also conducted at all stunt venues. Before the tour of Kenny Belaey, Red Bull organized the Free Style footballing competition all around the world where youngsters flaunted some cheeky skills to win the major prize of going to the World Cup in South Africa. Publicity stunt/buzz generating tactics The main motive of Red Bull behind using unconventional and unique marketing strategies is to generate or create people talking about them that gradually support to promote them. They aim to create a buzz through their events that is why they do not prefer using the conventional modes of communication (e.g. TV, radio and print media). Red Bull aims to create a viral fever through its events where people are amazed by the activities they perform and talk about it. The message spreads like wild fire that is the thing each Red Bull brand manager or brand ambassador targets in all its operating countries. Main motive is to do something so outrageous and unique, that people keep talking about it. Therefore, the brand is both getting the required mileage and developing a customer base for itself. A small example of how Red Bull tried to generate a buzz was the high jump that their hired athlete attempted from the tallest buildings in all the Red Bull operating countries. Media was invited to the stunt and heavy Red Bull branding was exhibited. There was great hype and anticipation because of such an outrageous attempt being made by a person. People kept talking about it and there was a certain buzz about this stunt. The venues for the stunt were heavily branded with Red Bull aesthetics to demonstrate that it is Red Bull who owns the event. The stunts were successfully completed in all Red Bull operating countries with the media heavily publishing it on TV, print and radio. The amazing factor was achieved as people were talking about it and this was exactly what Red Bull wanted to achieve with this stunt. In this context, it might not be selling the product through these stunts but it is actually developing the brand as an adventurous and unique one and also that it is creatin g a buzz about Red Bull which is basically the target and aim of the Red Bull brand manager or ambassador at the closing of the event. Endorsements Red Bull does not really rely on celebrity endorsement as that is not its style. What it does is acquiring sports teams around the world and supporting them as its official sponsor. The following endorsements are currently made by this brand: Red Bull is the official sponsor of all X-games conducted around the world. This endorsement complements their marketing strategy of being unconventional. All venues and player dresses are Red Bull branded and heavy sampling is done at these events. Red Bull has acquired two football teams around the world. One plays in the Major League Soccer in the United States of America and is known as the New York Red Bulls (http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/), accessed on 25 September, 2012). The other one is in the Austrian Football League and is known as Red Bull Salzburg (http://www.austria-salzburg.at/, accessed on 25 September, 2012). Both the teams have their kits branded with Red Bull. Red Bull Salzburg even have their stadium named after Red Bull and is called the Red Bull Arena. One can easily notice the heavy branding of Red Bull at the stadium. This is an effective plan that involves the heavy media coverage of football all over the world. Red Bull owns a Formula One team which has been doing incredibly well since the acquisition took place (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/5/10796.html, accessed on 25 September, 2012). The car and the drivers dress are completely branded with Red Bull logos. This is again a very effective because Formula One racing gets a lot of coverage around the world and gives Red Bull the required mileage in its target audience. Red Bull endorses the major stars in unconventional sports and gaming. A stand out example is Kenny Belaey who has been supported by Red Bull throughout his career as a free style biker (http://www.tribalzine.com/?Kenny-Belaey-after-the-success-of, accessed on 25 September, 2012). Sampling through brand ambassadors Another strategy of the marketing by Red Bull is the contract with brand ambassadors at schools, colleges and universities to represent the brand at social events and hangouts. These brand ambassadors are given cartoon/s of Red Bull to sample at parties and spots where Red Bull might be needed. These situations occur when students are in mental or physical stress due to various reasons, for examples sports events or time of academic examinations. The idea is to hire cool college going students to represent the brand amongst its intended target market. Another promotional strategy is involved in educating consumers. Red Bull organises travel in by its staffs in a car that carries large cans of Red Bull. The Red Bull staffs target those individuals who lack energy and wishes of energy. Then, the staffs give a free can of Red Bull to these people. This strategy seems to be successful during the introduction of Red Bull into public. Red Bull-Establishment in Nepal and structure Red Bull was finally launched in Nepal in 2002 and since it has been a leader in the market with relatively lesser competition. Red Bull was brought to Nepal by S.M. Chawla Company that only handled distribution of Red Bull initially. When the headquarters in Dubai assessed the sales in Nepal, they decided to officially start their operations in an office of their own. In 2004, Red Bull Nepal was established with three functional departments namely Marketing, Sales and Finance. Red Bull is currently being operated in Kathmandu with the Asian head office being in the United Arab Emirates (Figure 3). It has set up its premises in all three cities where distribution and marketing operations are executed. The current organizational structure of Red Bull Nepal is shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 : The current organizational structure of Red Bull Nepal. Marketing The current organizational structure of Red Bull Nepal is governed by Asian Head Office. This office primarily plans and executes BTL promotional activities for Red Bull. Understanding the consumer need and coming up with activities to fulfill them is one of their most important tasks. Pre- and Post- event communications of all promotional activities are also taken care of by this office. Each city has one marketing head and three Student Brand Managers hired from popular universities to work as a team. Marketing department also handles communication via social media like Facebook and others. Sports and Events This is a dedicated team that plans around the year activities based on sports and other functional events. Red Bull conducts all its marketing through guerilla style and that is why this department has its special importance. They primarily plan and execute accompanied by collaboration with the marketing department. Finance Finance Department consists of a precise and dedicated full-time team member. The finance team distributes the budget for executing the marketing activities. This department also looks after the wage control system. The team also maintains and keeps track record of monthly sales. This department submits the monthly reports of sales performance to the head office in Dubai. Communication This department handles all the pre- and post-event communication of Red Bull events and activities through all media that include TV, print, radio and social media. This strategy is similar to the idea of communication in unconventional marketing of Red Bull brand to its audience. This department actively stays in touch with people in the media to disseminate news about everything that Red Bull is doing not just in

Obesity in America Essay -- Health Diet Nutrition

Obesity is on the rise, and it is becoming more and more of a national health concern. It effects more than 1/3 of the population, and an additional 1/3 is overweight. With obesity becoming more and more of a problem each year, the American population is going to suffer from a catastrophic health emergency. What is obesity? Obesity is a heath condition where the subject has an abnormally large amount of fat for their height. A person who has a body mass index of over 30 is classified obese by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Who does obesity affect? Obesity affects 1/3 of all classes of Americans. However, the highest percentage of obese people per captain can be found in the lower class. The lower class typically eats more cheap, highly processed, high-calorie foods. What causes obesity? Overweight and obesity result from an energy imbalance. This involves eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity. High calorie foods are more easily available today than ever before. Americans have also never had a less active lifestyle. What action can be taken? I b...

International Elements of Saddam Hussein’s Conflicted Iraq: Shifting Allies, Resolute Foes :: Essays Papers

International Elements of Saddam Hussein’s Conflicted Iraq: Shifting Allies, Resolute Foes The Iraqi state has undergone significant change since Saddam Hussein’s rise to power in 1979. As with most nations, global international relations have played a formative role in Iraqi decision-making, just as Hussein’s oft-presumptuous initiatives have affected other nations’ relationships with Iraq. It is widely acknowledged that Hussein has systematically violated the human rights of many Iraqi citizens. In this sense, the current U.N. and U.S. military pressure on Iraq has a viable humanitarian platform in addition to economic motives. However, as war looms progressively nearer, it is advisable to evaluate the efficacy of comparable past efforts in order to make prudent decisions for the future. In the pursuit of a more acute comprehension of Iraqi international relations, this paper traces the political history of modern-day Iraq with an emphasis on foreign relations as influenced by Saddam Hussein’s leadership. The modern Iraqi state had its beginnings as part of the massive Ottoman Empire. Iraq did not exist as a state under Ottoman rule; rather, where modern Iraq is now, there were three â€Å"vilayets,† the districts of Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul. Due to the sprawling nature of the Ottoman Empire, coupled with a somewhat tenuous conquest, the vilayets had a remarkable amount of administrative and economic autonomy. The three areas actually had less in common with each other than with other regions well through the middle of the nineteenth century. Basra had strong relations with the Gulf and India, Baghdad was a critical link for Syria and Iran, and Mosul was closely tied to Anatolia and Aleppo (Farouk-Sluglett & Sluglett, 2). However, the second half of the nineteenth century saw Istanbul taking a more passionate interest in exerting greater control over even its most inaccessible territories. Through an amalgam of new Ottoman laws and administrative arrangements, known as the â€Å"Tanzimat,† common reforms and practices were established for all three Iraqi vilayets. The Tanzimat had the predictable effect of increasing cross-wilayet homogeneity. Simultaneously, European commercial interest in the region was rising rapidly. Most notably, Great Britain’s commercial activity in the area skyrocketed during this period. The economic trajectory of the region responded in a gradual shift from the pattern of a subsistence economy toward an export-oriented economy, a trend that was not to be short-lived.

Development of an Enterprise Resource Planning System Essay

Riordan Manufacturing Inc. is a global plastics manufacturer that was founded in 1991 and employs 550 people. They have since expanded to three locations in the U. S. and one in China. Due to these expansions the company is now experiencing communication and processing issues. Each system needs to be connected to the others in order to improve the tracking and productivity as well as communication between systems. We have been asked to develop a plan to implement a system to connect all of the people and locations into one enterprise system that will give the company access to information from any location at any time. This document covers our plan to achieve this goal for Riordan Manufacturing Inc. Statement of Scope and Goals Riordan Manufacturing has requested that an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) be developed and used in the San Jose, California; Albany, Georgia; Pontiac, Michigan; and Hangzhou, China offices. The goal of this ERP project is to stream line the manufacturing, distribution, and inventory management systems across all plants and to use only one system. The newly proposed system will give Riordan Manufacturing a wealth of opportunity to grow its business and sustain the customers that it has already. The new system will assist the company in obtaining the goals that it has set forth with in its missions statement by providing solutions for its customers. Each of the four Riordan Manufacturing offices is utilizing different software programs to manage their manufacturing, distribution, and inventory. This type of environments provides very little functionality. The efficiency of this is also overwhelming because each plant in essence is not communicating with each other over one system. All of this makes it difficult to track accurately inventory, generate meaningful reports, respond to the information requests from stakeholders, and to make important decisions. Riordan Manufacturing needs an integrated solution that will provide real-time access to data for reporting, inventory, and distribution. The scope of the project is as follows: * A document that identifies specific modeling of the software that the company wishes to be implemented across the board as well as its dates for execution and go live plan. Detailed project plan to monitor and track the progress of the implementation * A communication plan so that status, upcoming events, milestones, and other general information can be shared with the project team as well as the stakeholders. * Risk assessment in order to identify any issues that may arise through out the project and have a contingency plan established before these issues arise. * An easy to use end user environment will be implemented. * All modules of the ERP system will be tested prior to implementation * End users will be trained in the use of the system and all modules before implementation. Technical and end user documentation will be created and finalized before implementation. * Process and procedural documentation will be created and finalized before implementation * All maintenance and support responsibilities will be assigned to those who will manage after implementation We will also hold a post implementation meetings and have evaluate the project implementation prior to the close of the project (Apollo Group, 2012). Support Measures for Success We believe it is important to track success in steps. We will be using Microsoft Project as a project management tool. This will give us the ability to track costs, labor, time and resources to ensure that the project is going as planned and also to know if there are any issues in any of these areas. Our goal is to bring the project in on time and within budget while still meeting all of the requirements for a successful implementation. Success is an ongoing goal and the focus of measure needs to be taken even after the project has been completed to unsure that choices made during the implementation still producing profit. Changes made need to be made during the support phase if additional functionality is needed. Adding more locations or applications to the system may also require altering the measurement standards of success. Summary of Project Feasibility To determine the feasibility of this project a number of factors must be considered, the first being the economic feasibility. Economic feasibility takes into consideration the overall cost of implementation and maintenance of the ERP system. It asks the questions of rather there be any cost savings through implementation of an ERP? Can be ERP increase the revenue for Riordan? And over time, will investment into the ERP decrease (O’Brien & Marakas, 2009)? In general, it must justify that the overall cost of the ERP give an adequate return of investment (ROI) back to Riordan (Motiwalla & Thompson, 2009). Next operational feasibility is looking at rather Riordan’s infrastructure can currently handle the demands of an ERP system. Then if not, changes are going to have to be made to those systems some that the implemented ERP can operate successfully. Also, it looks at the proposed ERP and rather it fits the business model of Riordan (O’Brien & Marakas, 2009). Finally, technical feasibility has to be looked at, to determine if current technology can solve the problems address by Riordan (Motiwalla & Thompson, 2009). Proposed Systems Requirements List Some of the system requirements needed to improve the functionality of Riordan’s raw material and finished product tracking process are as follows (O’Brien & Marakas, 2009): * Unify the process at all facilities to track raw material coming into them. So purchasing can order material in a more efficient manner. * Unify the process at all facilities to monitor the production levels at each plant so management and sales can plan future strategies. * Unify the process at all facilities to give real-time inventory control so management can better plan and coordinate inventory control. Determination of Requirements The aspects that will ensure the information required for this project is gathered successfully are: knowing who should be involved, what questions to ask, formulating a plan, and deciding on the method of delivery. Every stakeholder needs to be identified and contacted for needed user requirements. Once the stakeholders have been identified creating a list of questions needing to be answered will assist in planning and determining the delivery method. Stakeholders can review the questions prior to their monthly stakeholder meeting. The different types of deliveries are system observation, interviews, questionnaires, document review, or Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions. Information gathering techniques will be used to determine the users’ needs. Based on these needs the appropriate ERP system can be designed and implemented. The following techniques will be used to gather information needed on the current process; system observation, interviews, questionnaires, document review, and Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions. Because much of the manufacturing, distribution, and inventory management are gathered through manual process, a system observation and interviews will be handled all at once to document the entire process and system throughout each location. Observing system usage will give great insight into who is using the system and how they are using it. System observation includes manual processes such as comparing shipping documents to scheduled orders receiving report. Stakeholders to be contacted for requirements will be limited to the following roles with Riordan Manufacturing; member of order shipping team, member of sales department, member of manufacturing team, truck drivers, shipping area supervisor, member of receiving area team, receiving clerk, and inventory clerk. A questionnaire is a cost-effective way of gathering additional supporting information. This method of gathering requirements will be used for truck drivers because they are on the road. The use of an online format for the questionnaires to be completed will be the most successful. During the system observation, interview, and questionnaire phase a list of current documents used will be compiled. These examples will be reviewed for information needed for the proposed ERP system. Prototyping Another popular method uses documentation but at a high level and combines with a process of rapid design and testing of a working model of a solution. This method is called prototyping. This method is very beneficial because it allows the users and stakeholders to see how their requirements will be used to produce the system process. Taking the high level requirements and turning it into a user interface that is visual to the user and is a working prototype to see how it will flow. This allows for interaction and can turn some requirements into different solutions and determine which requirements are mandatory and which ones are going to be optional. It provides a more real feel for what the system process will look like and allows for visual confirmation that this is what the company is looking for (Owens, 2009). List of Confirmed Requirements As it stands now the companies most sophisticated location is the San Jose office. The ERP that is residing in that location should be adapted throughout each other location. Along with this the installation of a VoIP system which will allow for a more flowing form of vocal communication between the company and its customers. It also allows the sales team or anyone who is outside the office to connect and accept phone calls even when not on site. All of the locations should have a software upgrade from the current to Microsoft Office 2010. Access points should be installed so that each department see’s only the information that is necessary for their use. This access should only be granted through the technical IT staff after being approved by their specific supervisor. All of the operating systems should be upgraded to Windows 7 because of the smooth use with all of its programs. Reporting should be done either using SQL or Microsoft Access to allow for customized reporting and integration of reports made for each department (Apollo Group, 2012).