Effects of Binge Drinking on College Students - 600 Words

According to Veronica Harper’s Effects of Binge Drinking on College Students College students are more likely to consume alcohol more than people of the same age who are not attending college. Almost half of the college students that consume alcohol are considered binge drinkers (Five drinks in a row at one sitting for a man and four drinks in a row at one sitting for women). Many students believe the use of alcohol is a big part of the college experience, thus can be concluded that the college atmosphere may influence and nurture increased alcohol consumption. The amount of alcohol the student drinks varies according to their age, where they live, and with whom they associate (Harper). As stated in the article, if students begin†¦show more content†¦Personal reasons such as lack of interest in the course subject, higher academic difficulty in college as compared to high school, or dislike of a professor can also affect class performance and are not necessarily associ ated with alcohol consumption. The Reflection of Grades and Use of Alcohol among College Students A study conducted at the University of Berkeley shows the conversion of 1, 250 students in high school becoming a college student at Berkeley into their junior year as stated in this article. They were each given a survey to put them into categories and estimate a cumulative GPA compared to their high school GPA. These students were asked if they encountered any alcohol related problems such as missing a class, falling behind in schoolwork, performing poorly on a test, having a hangover, getting in trouble with the police or campus authorities. As expected, high school GPA was positively associated with college GPA. However, opposing to the popular beliefs, GPA was based on environmental variables and not restricted by the students overall use of alcohol. Other studies shave proved that becoming alcohol reliant has an effect on how long a person is willing to keep up with their educatio nal efforts, but without directly affecting an individual’s GPA. (Elicholty) Bucknell University A study was conducted at Bucknell University. The Core Alcohol study concluded that heavy drinkers are more likely to obtain poorShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Binge Drinking On College Students1290 Words   |  6 Pagescommunicating the evidence that comes from alcoholic abuse in college students. The academic environment has its impact on the undergraduate student at some point or another, it is to some the only way to have fun, unknowingly the impact of binge drinking on their life can negatively affect their future while jeopardizing their career goals at the same time this type of substance abuse is negative. â€Å"The highest ratio of binge drinking can be found on college campuses† (Wechsler and Austin, 1998). There is aRead MoreThe Effects Of Binge Drinking On College Students1139 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effects of Binge Drinking in College Students Binge drinking is when a person has more than four drinks, if female and five if male, in one sitting. While researching texts written about the negative effects of binge drinking in college students, I found articles and scholarly journals written by specialists in this specific field of study. These authors mainly focus on the fact that excessive binge drinking is detrimental to the quality of life and can alter your state of health in a negativeRead MoreThe Effects Of Binge Drinking On College Students Essay1697 Words   |  7 Pagesfor society, and college students are no exception to this problem, especially when it comes to binge drinking. Binge drinking is classified at 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women within 2 hours. According to a study by Ikes, â€Å"more than 40% of college students have engaged in heavy episodic drinking (HED)† or binge drinking (find pg number) and â€Å"19% engage in frequent binge drinking† (Iconis 243). There are very large implications for college students drinking this much alcoholRead MoreThe Effects Of Binge Drinking On College Students Essay825 Words   |  4 PagesBinge Drinking would have various of ways to define what in reality means. As for college students would define it as a way to drink non-stop, just for fun, or excessively drinking until drunk. Binge drinking can be interpreted in a scientific form, like NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL. This typically occurs after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men—in about 2 hours. (National Institute on Alcohol AbuseRead MoreThe Effects Of Binge Drinking On College Students849 Words   |  4 PagesCollege is arguably the single most important transition in an individual’s live which they experience many forms of peer pressure and specific growth patterns. Those individuals fortunate enough to pay for their studies are able to further education far and wide across the globe, not while coming at the cost of many positives stringing some negative. With increased peer pressure and opportunity, some are introduced to a parent’s worst nightmare that being the cause and effects of binge drinkingRead MoreEffects Of Binge Drinking On College Students Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesHenry Wechsler in Getting Serious about Eradicating Binge Drinking, stresses how modern college students think that binge drinking is a norm in college life. I agree with Wechsler that the modern college student thinks binge drinking is normal. In High School, people would binge drink on a regular basis, and that eventually carried over into collegiate life. After being in college for about a month now, I realized that every night students binge drink either at bars, fraternity houses, or tailgatesRead MoreBinge Drinking Among College Students And Its Implications On The Society1462 Words   |  6 PagesBinge Drinking among College Stu dents and Its Implications on the Society Binge drinking is a term used to describe a situation where women drink more than 4 bottles of alcohol in a row and men drink 5 or more bottles of alcohol in a row. It is taking too much alcohol in a short period. Alcohol is a substance that gradually produces an addiction in the body. Many college students use alcohol in recreational activities and parties. The alcohol gradually leads to addiction and causes a decline in theirRead MoreBinge Drinking On College Campuses1459 Words   |  6 PagesMr. Paul October 28, 2014 Binge Drinking On College Campuses Over the past few years, there has been this big debate about whether the drinking age should be lowered to 18 or if it should stay at 21. Those in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 argue that someone who is old enough to serve their country should be allowed to have a drink. Those who are in favor of keeping the minimum legal drinking age at 21 because of consequences regarding psychological developmentRead MoreCause Effect of Binge Drinking Essay1247 Words   |  5 Pagesunplanned sexual activity all have in common? They are all frequent results of binge drinking by college students. On a typical Friday or Saturday night you can find the average college student out drinking and having fun. Normally partying with friends at a party, bar, or club; most of these college students are underage consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, or as its better known, â€Å"binge drinking.†The term binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men and fourRead MoreAccording To â€Å"College Drinking,† Almost Two Out Of Three1388 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to â€Å"College Drinking,† almost two out of three college students engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL or higher (â€Å"College Drinking†). Many parents, guardians, and psychologists believe that college students binge drink because they think drinking is an integral part of their higher education. Similar to peer pressure, college students drink because the rest of the student body drinks. Furthermore

Social Network Marketing Its Effectiveness Free Essays

Introduction The objective of this review is to explore what the research says about social network marketing and its effectiveness. The first wave of internet revolution (web 1. 0) brought consumers e-commerce. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Network Marketing Its Effectiveness or any similar topic only for you Order Now The second wave, Web 2. 0 evolved into a much robust and interactive experience, allowing consumers to participate and share information effectively, Social network media such as Facebook, Tweeters, etc. have grown rapidly. Users are not only teens but also adults. The popularity of smartphones, hand-held tablet computers, computer notebooks also help the increase in popularity of using these sites. For instance, social net work media have replaced e-mails to become the most popular communication tools. To marketing practitioners, this wave of digital revolution cannot be ignored. More than that Web 2. 0 enable consumers to generate content and share. This change is totally different from conventional marketing, in which firms generate content or messages to bombard users and potential users (such as advertising). It is now not a question of whether a company should use digital media, but how they can maximize the benefit from the rise of these new media network. It may not mean that conventional marketing tools such as advertising will be replaced overnight, but social network media should be able to synergize conventional promotional tools. Thus, naturally the question of tracking and measuring social network media and its ROI will be asked, which will be addressed in this paper. The use of social network media in consumer marketing is well established. Its application in education, healthcare, and also in pharmaceutical promotion are also explored. Word of Mouth Marketing To begin with, the concept of word of mouth marketing is explored. Marketers recognized that the conversations among customers are powerful influence of product adoptions (Ryan and Gross 1943; Rogers 1962). Traditionally, marketers develop message to influence selective consumers (who may be early users) and these consumers help propagate the product message to other consumers. More sophisticated marketers will identify influencers in the group of potential consumers (or opinion leaders) and influence them. Thereafter, these opinion leaders can help propagate marketers’ message to other consumers. In web 2. 0 err, consumers will participate in the whole marketing communication process. They will coproduce content to be shared in their chosen network. Hence, Word of Mouth model has evolved from a consumer-to-consumer process in the past to a opinion leader to consumer model, and most recently, a network coproduction model (Figure 1. ) Marketers do not only influence the selective consumers (opinion leaders) in the launch phase, but also have to monitor the process of consumer to consumer messaging. The coproduction model of word of mouth marketing is further depicted by Adrian Palmer and Nicole Koenig-Lewis. In their article â€Å"An experiential, social network-based approach to direct marketing†, the authors proposed a framework of 3 elements of the social network environment – the seller, the customer and the community (Figure 2). In this model, the traditional interface for direct marketings has been between the seller and the customers, represented by the hatched area. With the introduction of the community element, the customer interacts with self-selected communities. Sellers need to interact with selected communities to achieve a variety of benefits, including spreading of positive word of mouth and gathering information about buyers’ needs and preferences. The challenge is how to balance the interest of the sellers, the customers and the community, and this is represented in the overlapping area of the 3 circles. Figure 2. Direct marketing in a social network Success Factors for Social Network Sites Shu-Chuan Chu and Yoojung Kim studied the determinants of consumer engagement in social networking sites (Chu Kim 2011). Based on literature review, the authors identifies 5 determinants – tie strength, homophily, trust, normative and informational interpersonal influence as important antecedent to eWOM behavior in SNSs. Tie Strength Tie strength refers to â€Å"the potency of the bond between members of a network† (Mittal et al. 2008, p. 196). Example of strong tie strength is family members, whereas weak tie strength is colleagues. Strong tie were more likely to be activated for the flow of referral behavior. The hypothesis is that SNS users’ perceived tie strength with their contacts is positively related to their engagement n eWOM behaviors in SNSs. Homophily Homophily refers to the degree to which individuals who interact with one another are congruent or similar in certain attributes (Rogers Bhowmik 1970). The assumption is that people with simailar characteristics, such as age character may come together to form community. Hence, the hypothesis is that SNS users’ perceived homophily with their contacts is positively related to their engagement in eWOM behaviours in SNSs. Trust Trust is defined as ‘a willingness to rely on an exchange partner in whom one has confidence’ (Moorman et al. 1993, p. 82). In todays popular SNS, users share information with their own real network and thus, significantly increase the level of trust. Therefore, the hypothesis is SNS users’ perceived trust in their contacts is positively related to their engagement in eWOM behaviors in SNSs. Normative influence Normative influence refers to the tendency to conform to the expectations of others. It affects attitudes, norms and values (Burnkrant Cousineau 1975). The hypothesis is that SNS users’ susceptibility to normative influences is positively related to their engagement in eWOM behaviors in SNSs. Informational influence Informational influences, on the other and, denote the tendency to accept information from knowledgeable others and be guided in product, brand and store search (Bearden et al. 1989; Deutsch Gerard 1955). The hypothesis is that SNS users’ susceptibility to informational influences is positively related to their engagement in eWOM behaviors in SNSs. These factors were tested in an on-line survey of the college students on their 3 operationalized engagement: opinion seeking, opinion giving and opinion passing. The findings of the study are: Tie strength is positively associated with eWOM behavior. On the other hand, a negative relationship was found between homophily and eWOM in SNSs. Trust is found to be positively impact engagement with eWOM. Normative and informational influences are important for the engagement, but informational influence in opinion giving is not determined. Implications: The results from this study suggest that advertisers must take social relationship factors into account and develop personalized marketing communications strategies to fulfil SNS users’ needs. Insight into Network Co-production of Product Messaging That marketers may not have full control in the product messaging in social etwork marketing, Kozinets, de Valck, Woinicki Wilner studied a mobile phone launch campaign using social network media (blogs) (Kozinets, de Valck, Woinicki Wilner 2010). 83 bloggers were seeded with a new mobile phone and their blogs were monitored for 6 months. The bloggers were selected based on their traffic on their blogs. There is no obligation for the bloggers to write or not write. This study gave detailed analysis of the posts and provide good insight and lessons learnt from a commercial program used in social network media. The study found that bloggers can be categorized based on their character style. For instance, in the study at least 4 types are identified, 1. citizen journalist, 2. loving mother, 3. satirical exhibitionist, and 4. the making-ends-meet professional blogger. Four narrative strategies are identified (Figure 3) – evaluation, embracing, endorsement and explanation. Which strategy to be adopted depends on the blogger’s character, the governing norm in the community and the commercial element in the WOMM. The study found that the motivation for consumers to participate in the co-production of WOM are more complex and culturally embeded, shaped by communal interests and communicative orientations and charged with moral hazard. WOM communicators demonstrate their need to balance inherent commercial-communal tensions while being consistent with the character elements of their ongoing narratives. It is also found that WOMM message and their attendant meanings will be altered by communicators in ways taht are attuned to a range of different individual and communal factors. The managerial implications from the study are the followings. Firstly, managers should pay attention to not only the quantity (so-called amplification by advertising professional), but also quality of the consumer-generated messages. Secondly, consumers that play the role of communicators should be further explored, classified and devloped. Thirdly, managers should proactively explore the norms assococaited with the communication network. Marketer also need to rethink whether some degree of control must be imposed in a WOM campaign. For instance, in the current study, that bloggers are free to write and even disclose their relationship with the firm can generate negative WOM and distrust in the community. More important this study also suggests that managers have an opportunity to encoruage particular narrative stategies that may be ideal for their product. Figure 3 Social Network Marketing vs Traditional Marketing? Studies shown that social network marketing (word of mouth marketing) and traditional marketing work synergistically (Onishi Manchanda 2012; Trusov, Bucklin Pauwels 2008). In a Japanese study, how blogs and advertising interact during product launch in movie and cell phone categories were studied. The study found that advertising will stimulate blogging activities during product pre-launch, and effect is less apparent post launch (Onishi Manchanda 2012). In another study (Trusov, Bucklin Pauwels 2008), electronic word of mouth (eWOM) programs of a social network site were compared with PR programs (media appearance and Events) in terms of the effectiveness in generating new sign-ups. The founding is that eWOM is more effective than media appearance and events. However, it is also observed that eWOM and PR work synergistically. The studies also showed that blogging and eWOM effects are more long-lasting. The effectiveness of Social Media Marketing In the article by Hoffman and Fodor (Hoffman Fodor 2010), the authors attempted to address the ROI metric of social network marketing. As social network sites are now easily measured by search of your brand’s blogs or data mining, quantative measurement seems to be ppssible. Some people may want a simple direct short term sales against direct costs. The authors caution whether this is a suitabke measurement of social network effectiveness. Nevertheless, we know that Social network marketing can substituted traditional marketing. As traditional marketing such as TV advertising is expensive, by allocating a certain amount of promotional budget to digital marketing can definitely reduce cost and achieve more or less same results. Another benefit of social network marketing is the improvement of market research by direct communicating with users and thus, significantly saving the amount of market research costs. To meaningfully measure ROI of social media marketing, the authors suggest to begin with identifying the objectives of a particular social marketing campaign in order to take into consideration of different nature of social network media (figure 4). In short, brand awareness, brand engagement and word of mouth effect can be measured. Figure 4 References: Donna L. Hoffman, Marek Fodor 2010. Can You Measure the ROI of Your Social Media Marketing? MIT Sloan Management Review 52,1(Fall): 41-49. Fue Zeng, Li Huang, Wenyu Dou 2009. Journal of Interactive Advertising 10,1: 1-13. Hirishi Onishi, Puneet Manchanda 2012. Marketing activity, blogging and sales. Intern. J. of Research in Marketing 29: 221-234. Shu-Chuan Chu, Yoojung Kim 2011, Determinants of consumer engagement in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites, International Journal of Advertising 30,1: 47-75. Robert V Kozinets, Kristine de Valck, Andrea C Wojnick and Sarah JS Wilner 2010, Networked Narratives: Understanding Word-of-Mouth Marketing in Online Communities, Journal of Marketing, 74 (March): 71-89. Louise Kelly, Garyle and Judy Drennan 2010, Avoidance of Advertising in Social Networking sites: the Teenage Perspective, Journal of Interactive Advertising, 10, 25(Spring): pp. 16-27. 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Model Strategic Marketing Decision Premises â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Model Strategic Marketing Decision Premises? Answer: Introduction The main rationale behind developing a marketing plan of Clean Force Property Service is to provide with a specific path in marketing. Clean Force Property has a responsibility of rightly cleaning the cities. It includes a wide market and aim consequently to gain market capacity. The marketing goal of the company is to align the broader company objectives. The marketing plan emphasizes on the diverse strategies to increase their customer base. The overall purpose is to acquire marketing share, rising customer consciousness, and building a favourable business image in relation with the marketing planning (Agic, et al 2016). Considering the existing market potential, Clean Force has a customer base in excess of 130 public, private and community sector business services. The already assigned roles allow them in keeping a track of their milestones and communicate with the teams. This eventually helps in managing the expectation of people associated with the organization. Clean Force Prop erty Services serves the metropolitan Melbourne(Clean Force Property Services.2017).They are responsible for cleaning over 100 building in metropolitan Melbourne. There experts are handling the factories, offices, vacated premises and residential (Brightenserv.com.au, 2017). The aim of the report is to analyse the marketing objectives of Clean force Property Services. The marketing plan emphasizes on the diverse strategies to increase their customer base. A product lifecycle analysis helps in understanding the product life and how it affects it. BCG matrix and Ansoff matrix helps in analysing the marketing objective of the company and thereby allows in managing the results in an effective way. These tools are important for analysing the objectives of the company in managing the desired objectives (Broadlex.com.au.2017). Situation analysis The situational analysis put forward the situation that allow in comparing the current situation with the upcoming situation. The purpose of this plan is to manage the current operating conditions. This helps in effective branding process for future market possibilities. This helps in future market expansion and implement an effective strategies (Burford Chan, 2017). A product (or brand or company) lifecycle analysis (PLC) Clean Force Property is committed to provide with a high quality commercial services by meeting the expectations of the customers. They are providing with a friendly cleaning advice. In order to understand the product life cycle, it is recommended to understand the purpose provided by the product. All products go through five stages of the product life cycle (Chaneta, 2014). These stages are as follows: Development, introduction, growth, maturity and decline. Significance In the first stage, the product is been introduced in the market through price skimming or market penetration strategy. The company may use price skimming to evoke product development and advertising costs. The process of Price skimming includes introducing the product at a high price. In such a situation, the customer will buy the product at a high price because no one else offers it. In this way the company can manage the large market. This is a process through which they are able to manage have a chance to introduce their products. The manager working in the company can come up with the extremely low pricing policies in order to grow in market (Doyle, Armenakyan, 2014). Identification Success of the product leads to an exceptional growth. In the initial year the Sales will be extremely high, and the consumers will turn out to be conscious of the product through advertising and promotions. Furthermore, this will increase the market share in order to gain market competencies (Dumitru Caescu, 2013). Function This process helps in managing the function that will come at a time when product sales will persist to amplify, sales. A product can only gain market efficiency if it adopts the effective challenges. It is the last part of a product cycle where the product reaches maturity stage. In this stage the Profits will be more during the maturity stage and the competition will be higher due to entrance of other market players. This will result into a need to lower its prices to gain market efficiency. The Increasing market share is priority during the maturity stage is normally requires discounting (Hildmann Vossebein, 2015). Effects The effects of the changes in the process allow in managing the sales for a particular time-period leading to decline after a saturation point. Clean Force has numerous choices in order to gain competencies: The process of product cycle will allow in Maintaining the product, or stop marketing in order to manage the product. In this way the company will likely to continue selling the product, at a reduced price. There are customers who will buy the product at a lower price with new technology. In this way there are possibilities that the Company will eliminate unprofitable channels in order to manage the effect. Considerations The purpose is to manage the competition from the weaker competitors. The external consideration is important for withdrawal from the market during the decline stage. At this stage, the product life cycle, is not outmoded. This process is important for extending the product life cycle by finding new uses or markets for products. There marketing strategies involve development of a comprehensive plan by focusing over the competitive pricing with high quality of cleaning standard (Kashmiri Mahajan, 2014). A BCG matrix Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix is a four celled matrix. It examines different businesses in its portfolio and related market share and industry growth rates. These two dimensional are used for analysis of SBUs (Strategic Business Units). Or one can say that, it is a relative analysis of business potential and the evaluation of environment (Kitchen Burgmann, 2015). As per the matrix, the business can be classified as high or low depending on the industry growth rate and relative market share. The analysis helps in measuring each SBU. These dimension of business strength, and a relative market share, is indicated by market dominance. Moreover, the key theory underlines the existence of a market share to be achieved due to overall cost leadership (Kozlenkova, Samaha Palmatier, 2014). An Ansoff analysis TheMatrixis used as astrategic planningtool to provide with a framework for future growth and development of the product. This section provides information related to the growth, penetration and market development strategies. These strategies are important for managing the function in the most appropriate way. Growth strategies In the beginning the main purpose is to grow in a diversified way. This will help in promoting the interest of the brand and help in product-marketstrategy as "a joint statement of a product line and the equivalent set of mission. Each and every individual in the team is assigned with a responsibility. The already assigned roles allow them in keeping a track of their milestones and communicate with the teams. Growth is important for a business organization in dealing with tasks. It provides with a wide view to manage the organizational goals (Kumar, Sharma Gupta, 2017). Market penetration The best way to gain competencies is through market penetration in order to gain competitiveness in the market. At this stage, the brand will grow in the existing market by expanding the business. They can moreover focus on expanding market share by developing an effective market penetration strategy. This is based on the existing market and new market. The increasing market scope has a market potential to accomplish the desired task. (Lee, Lee, Lee Lim, 2013). Market development In coming years the company can manage to diversify its functions into the other market. By adopting this strategy, it is possible for the brand to gain market competiveness. These strategies are important on a long term. All these services can be accomplished with the help of (i) Different customer segments, Industrial buyers for a good, new areas or regions about of the country and foreign markets. All these strategies will ultimately help in gaining market competitiveness. A brand can only gain competitiveness by developing effective market development strategies. All these strategies are important for managing the market in the most effective way (Miles, et al 2016). Inproduct developmentstrategy, a company has to come up with new products and services to achieve consistent growth (Miles, et al 2015) .These strategies include extending the product range available into the existing markets. This strategy will however help in managing the business functions in the most appropriate way. These strategies will however help in gaining market contingencies on a long run (Mostafa, 2016). Diversification The diversificationstrategy will help them in growing into a well-established organization. It is largely involved in managing of resources and using them in an effective way. Related Diversification This diversification is based on managing relationship and, potential synergy, among the existing organization and the new product. Unrelated Diversification: In this type of diversification, the products are been diversified into a different type of products that are not related. The conglomerate growth helps in realizing collection of businesses without any relationship to one another. In the given scenario, the company can use a strategy for company growth by starting up acquiring an existing market (Noruzi Zadeh, 2014). principal marketing objectives The principal objective of the brand is to manage the business activities in a bet possible way. The company may use price skimming to evoke product development and advertising costs. The process of Price skimming includes introducing the product at a high price. The competitive pricing strategy will help in gaining competencies. The use of effective market strategies will help in allocation of resources and to manage the factors in the best possible way (O'Donnell, 2014). The possible factor influencing the brand is the promotional functions. Quality services are the aim of the brand in order to gain effectiveness in the market. The brand is known for the effective services that it provides to its customers. The principal here is to gain market effectiveness and to gain brand value. These values are necessary for gaining marketing objectives. In such a competitive scenario, quality management play as an important tool to manage the actions in the wide market. A brand positioning strategy In a competitive market, the primary strategy is to create an effective brand positioning strategy. This strategy helps in managing the business functions in the most appropriate way. The position of brand in the local as well as International market is very important. A brand can only perform well if it is using an effective market positioning strategy. These strategy act as a support for maximizing the overall output Related to an object (Palmatier, Stern, El-Ansary and Anderson, 2016). strategiesmarketing mix The market strategies are important for managing the business activities in a well defined way. The purpose of marketing mix is to manage the function in a best possible way through deployment of busies function (Purves, 2016). The objective of the brand is to come up with an effective pricing strategy. The competitive pricing strategy will help gaining effective market results. Under extreme competition, it will be better for the business organization to deal with the price relate issues. These issues can easily be managed through an effective Price strategy. Prices are important for gaining market effectiveness. This strategy is important in gaining competitive advantage in the market (Roberts, 2005). In the age of globalization, it is important to look after the requirements related to the place. People tend to purchase product that are easily accessible. In coming years, there are possibilities of international expansion (Shankar, Carpenter and Farley, 2012). Advertisement and promotional activities are important for a brand to grow in the local as well as in international market. Framework of marketing metrics Metrics play an important role in decagons related to the market objective. This help in providing an effective brand strategy in order to gain market focus. These market strategies help in attaining an effective market share by evaluating different marketing strategies. These strategies will help in managing the business activities and resource allocation. An increasing number of market strategies, it s becoming evident to apply the most effective market strategy in order to gain competencies (Thomas, et al 2016). It is the best way to understand the total value of the investment. This technique is an effective way to understand the value of the investment made by the company. While comparing with the other competitors, the company has a comparatively lesser market share. It is important to create awareness through the same price strategy. It is suggested to keep a high profit margin probably to continue selling their product at a high price. Conclusion The report is based on the marketing strategies of Clean Forces. Considering the existing market potential, Clean Force has a customer base in excess of 130 public, private and community sector business services. The purpose is to evaluate an effective market related policies helps in discovering the most appropriate way. These changes will help in managing the business activities in order to manage competition. The marketing plan is important for gaining market growth with the help of an effective market plan. It is concluded from the research, that the brand need to up-grade the services in order to create better results. Reference List Agic, E., Agic, E., Cinjarevic, M., Cinjarevic, M., Kurtovic, E., Kurtovic, E., ...Cicic, M. (2016). Strategic marketing patterns and performance implications.European Journal of Marketing,50(12), 2216-2248. Au.issworld.com. (2017).The Power of the Human Touch.Au.issworld.com. Retrieved 30 September 2017, from https://www.au.issworld.com/ Brightenserv.com.au. (2017).Domestic Commercial Cleaning Services in Melbourne | Brightenserv.Brightenserv.com.au. Retrieved 31 August 2017, from https://www.brightenserv.com.au/ Broadlex.com.au. (2017).Broadlex.Broadlex.com.au. Retrieved 31 August 2017, from https://broadlex.com.au/ Burford, M. R., Chan, K. (2017). Refining a strategic marketing course: Is a flipa good fit?.Journal of Strategic Marketing,25(2), 152-163. Chaneta, I. (2014). Strategic marketing planning.International Journal of Marketing and Technology,4(2), 71. Clean Force Property Services. (2017).Cleanforce.com.au. Retrieved 31 August 2017, from https://www.cleanforce.com.au/ Doyle, J. D., Armenakyan, A. (2014). Value-creating mechanisms within the market orientationperformance relationship: a meta-analysis.Journal of Strategic Marketing,22(3), 193-205. Dumitru, I., Caescu, S. C. (2013).The supply chain, a strategic marketing approach.Amfiteatru Economic,15(33), 116. Hildmann, G., Vossebein, U. (2015). The Approach Of Systems Thinking In Strategic Marketing Controlling.Interdisciplinary Management Research,11, 1159-1172. Kashmiri, S., Mahajan, V. (2014).Beating the recession blues: Exploring the link between family ownership, strategic marketing behavior and firm performance during recessions.International Journal of Research in Marketing,31(1), 78-93. Kitchen, P. J., Burgmann, I. (2015). Integrated marketing communication: Making it work at a strategic level.Journal of Business Strategy,36(4), 34-39. Kozlenkova, I. V., Samaha, S. A., Palmatier, R. W. (2014). Resource-based theory in marketing.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,42(1), 1-21. Kumar, V. (2015). Evolution of marketing as a discipline: What has happened and what to look out for.Journal of Marketing,79(1), 1-9. Kumar, V., Sharma, A., Gupta, S. (2017). Accessing the influence of strategic marketing research on generating impact: moderating roles of models, journals, and estimation approaches.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,45(2), 164-185. Lee, K. C., Lee, H., Lee, N., Lim, J. (2013).An agent-based fuzzy cognitive map approach to the strategic marketing planning for industrial firms.Industrial Marketing Management,42(4), 552-563. Miles, M. P., Lewis, G. K., Hall-Phillips, A., Morrish, S. C., Gilmore, A., Kasouf, C. J. (2016). The influence of entrepreneurial marketing processes and entrepreneurial self-efficacy on community vulnerability, risk, and resilience.Journal of Strategic Marketing,24(1), 34-46. Miles, M., Gilmore, A., Harrigan, P., Lewis, G., Sethna, Z. (2015).Exploring entrepreneurial marketing.Journal of Strategic Marketing,23(2), 94-111. Mostafa, R. B. (2016). Value co-creation in industrial cities: a strategic source of competitive advantages.Journal of Strategic Marketing,24(2), 144-167. Noruzi, M. K., Zadeh, M. H. (2014).Studying the Effect of Strategic Marketing on Organizational Performance.Asian Journal of Research in Marketing,3(4), 102-111. O'Donnell, A. (2014). The contribution of networking to small firm marketing.Journal of Small Business Management,52(1), 164-187. Osuagwu, L. (2016). A Model of Strategic Marketing Decision Premises.International Journal of Marketing Studies,8(3), 145. Palmatier, R., Stern, L., El-Ansary, A. and Anderson, E., 2016.Marketing channel strategy. Routledge. Perrott, B., 2005. Towards a manager's model for e-business strategy decisions.Journal of General Management,30(4), pp.73-90. Purves, D., 2016. Rethinking the role of equity.Investment Magazine, (130), p.16. Roberts, J., 2005. Defensive marketing.Harvard business review,83(11), pp.150-157. Shankar, V., Carpenter, G.S. and Farley, J. eds., 2012.Handbook of marketing strategy. Edward Elgar Publishing. Thomas, J., Barraket, J., Ewing, S., MacDonald, T., Mundell, M. and Tucker, J., 2016. Measuring Australia's digital divide: The Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2016. Zikmund, W.G., D'Alessandro, S., Winzar, H., Lowe, B. and Babin, B., 2014.Marketing research. Cengage Learning Australia.

The West Essays - CanadaUnited States Relations, Virtue,

The West The West was a form of society rather than an area. It is the term applied to the region whose social conditions result from the application of older institutions and ideas to the transforming influences of free land. By this application, a new environment is suddenly entered, freedom of opportunity is opened, the cake of custom is broken, and new activities, new lines of growth, new institutions and new ideals, are brought into existence. The wilderness disappears, the West proper passes on to a new frontier and, in the former area, and a new society has emerged from this contact with the backwoods. Gradually this society loses its primitive conditions, and assimilates itself to the type of the older social conditions of the East; but it bears within it enduring and distinguishing survivals of its frontier experience. Decade after decade, West after West, this rebirth of American society had gone on, and left its traces behind it, which reacted on the East. The history of our politi cal institutions, our democracy, is not a history of imitation, of simple borrowing; it is a history of the evolution and adaptation of organs in response to changed environment, a history of the origin of new political species. In this sense, therefore, the West has been a constructive force of the highest significance in our life. The West, as a phase of social organization, began with the Atlantic coast, and passed across the continent. But the colonial tidewater area was in close touch with the Old World, and soon lost its Western aspects. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the newer social conditions appeared along the upper waters of the tributaries of the Atlantic. Here it was that the West took on its distinguishing features, and transmitted frontier traits and ideals to this area in later days. On the coast were the fishermen and skippers, the merchants and planters, with eyes turned toward Europe. Beyond the falls of the rivers were the pioneer farmers, largely of non-English stock, Scotch-Irish and German. They constituted a distinct people, and may be regarded as an expansion of the social and economic life of the middle region into the backcountry of the South. These frontiersmen were the ancestors of Boone, Andrew Jackson, Calhoun, Clay, and Lincoln. Washington and Jefferson were profoundly a ffected by these frontier conditions. The forest clearings have been the seed plots of American character. Here then, is the problem of the West, as it looked to New England leaders of thought in the beginning and at the end of this century. From the first, it was recognized that a new type was growing up beyond the mountains, and that the time would come when the destiny of the nation would be in Western hands. The divergence of these societies became clear in the struggle over the ratification of the federal constitution. The interior agricultural region, the communities that were in debt and desired paper money, opposed the instrument; but the areas of intercourse and property carried the day. The most obvious fact regarding the man of the Western waters is that he had placed himself under influences destructive to many of the gains of civilization. Remote from the opportunity for systematic education, substituting a log hut in the forest clearing for the social comforts of the town, he suffered hard-ships and privations, and reverted in many ways to primitive conditions of life. Engaged in a struggle to subdue the forest, working as an individual, and with little specie or capital, his interests were with the debtor class. At each stage of its advance, the West has favored an expansion of the currency. The pioneer had boundless confidence in the future of his own community, and when seasons of financial contraction and depression occurred, he, who had staked his all on confidence in Western development, and had fought the savage for his home, was inclined to reproach the conservative sections and classes. To explain this antagonism requires more than denunciation of disho nesty, ignorance, and boorishness as fundamental Western traits. Legislation in the United States has had to deal with two distinct social conditions. In some portions of the country there was, and is, an aggregation

The Wilding Of America Book Review Essay Example

The Wilding Of America Book Review Essay Example The Wilding Of America Book Review Paper The Wilding Of America Book Review Paper Essay Topic: Into the Wild Wild The Story is Of a white middle class woman, who was attacked by six black teenagers between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, while jogging in Central Park at night. The teenagers who were allegedly involved displayed signs of happiness, arrogance, and heartless feelings towards the incident; it is because of this that the teenagers received the maximum punishment towards their crimes, however it wasnt until after a confession to that crime from Matins Rexes, in jail for murder and rape, the five teenage boys conviction was overturned. DNA was able to prove the guilt of Rexes and the innocence of the five convicted young black men. In his example of the Central Park Jogger, there was clearly Black Wilding. It was black teenagers who were incarcerated for the crime, but the sigma of black wilding describes how people are so afraid of the stereotypical black male committing a crime against them that they would do anything in order to keep society safe. In this case, they convicted 5 innocent black males, without the proper evidence. The prosecutors and all involved in convicting these 5 males were wilding when they pursued a conviction without complete and proper evidence. Colic Turnbuckle explains his experience with the K people, or sometimes referred to as the Mountain People. They are described as loveless people with food and money as their only concern in life. They are also described as a dying society, since they have abandoned their own humanity. The K people are an example of a Wilding Culture. Cultural Wilding is categorized as that, since people put aside both social and moral bonds that many families are expected to have. They committed the most awful and unthinkable act by a parent, murdering their own child. Turnbuckle uses an example of an K family abandoning their six-year old gather who is starved and locked in her hut by her parents to die. Once this child is dead, the parents take her decomposed remains and dump it to the side like a pile of garbage, without the care for a burial. This form of wilding is defined as being self-centered and acting out behavior, which harms others both directly and indirectly. Instrumental Wilding is the most connected with the American Dream, and has terrible effects on society. Instrumental Wilding is when people ambitiously seek personal gain through a lack of moral restrain. Oliver Stone connected this with the popular movie, Wall Street; the famous line of this film is Greed is Good. This speaks volumes to the views of American cultures and the lengths most people are willing to go to in order to achieve the American dream. A form of legal Wilding is exemplified by the businessman who climbs the ladder of success by stepping on his co-workers to get to the top. Petty Wilding could be compared to minor lying amongst friends and marriages, and political figures. This form of wilding is not illegal but although it could be classified as immoral. Drabber wants to show his reader the effects of wilding acts, small ND large scaled, and are a potential danger to Americas society. Drabber feels that in its degraded form, Wilding encourages unrestrained and sociopath self-interest. L Wilding doesnt have to be a criminal act or a civil act in which laws are broken, but acts in which behavior is not seen as correct and thus deviant to the norms of society. This deviant acts, are labeled as wilding and that in it self is harmful to society. Todays Generation X, or more commonly defined as the millennial generations have a different set Of values than theyre past generations. Kids want to be millionaires rather than having legitimate job. There are willing to do almost anything in order to attain this and thus inevitably leading them to commit crimes where the outcome would be financially beneficial. Drabber describes social wilding when explain ins the great recession in America, and people trying to use their credit cards to achieve those goals of the American Dream. Drabber also uses Deuteriums sociological example of society being lost due to the rise of individualism. Druthers viewed individualism as egotistic and lacking in a shared sense of destiny. He felt that individualism only includes the pursuit of pleasure at the expense of others. 2 Furthermore, declining communities equals a decline in an individuals morality. Immoral actions as mentioned before are not illegal but they are still considered wilding due to a deterring social structure that arises from it. Druthers defines anomie as a failure of colonization. Anomie arises, as societal rules become non-existent. Families, neighborhoods, churches, schools, even the neighborhood watch all make up a community, which create a familiar atmosphere giving people a sense of community. Drabber views American Wilding as a model of our political leaders. Political figures seek and obtain votes through lies and deceit to gain the acceptance of the American people. Although he agrees with many of Deuteriums concepts, he felt that these concepts lack political and economic analysis. Sociologist Karl Marx believes that the American Dream involves self-interest. He felt that people are out for themselves, seeking to be number one. By failing to play a competitive role, people would compromise profits. 3 ultimately, America seeks profits by any means possible. These means may include murder for hire, seeking cheaper labor wages through unethical and legal production overseas, prostitution, illegal drug sales to name a few. This brings into light people like Scott Peterson and the murder of his wife in order to collect the insurance money. 4 This kind of criminal are ruthless and play into the idea of black wilding by setting up the culprits as black people and playing to societies willingness to accept black people as hurtful people. Drabber offers many more examples of Wilding in America. Some examples include reality television; our beloved sports players on steroids, and video games, which display violence and murder as a source of entertainment. One f the biggest games in American culture today is Grand Theft Auto in which all the following games in its series have not only gotten more violent, and have included worse forms of drug related matters, to prostitution, to gangs; the game it selves rewards players to do such acts in order to win. It is this mentality that has spread to younger generations that make kids think these actions are acceptable in society. Drug dealing is a perfect example of trying to attain the American dream by illegal ways. These drug dealers are people who might live next door in a suburban neighborhood, displaying the perfect Emily life. This picture of the perfect family might include expensive cars in the driveway, a beautiful and well-manicured home, expensive clothes, and limitless cash on hand. Drug dealers mentality have been alters to believe that do such acts are the only way they can achieve this because the culture they grew up in did not promote any other ways. Bernie Maddox exemplifies extreme individual wilding, which led to the economy moral collapse. Madams Opinion scheme, which netting him almost 50 billion dollars over decades, made people look further into institutional wilding by mortgage companies. Most of these institutions destroyed the lives of many families. They offered people mortgages that were unaffordable, credit cards at high rates, and supreme car loans. People wanted to live the American dream, and sought expensive methods to obtain their goals. This could be considered a form of systemic wilding. The guilty parties include the banks, brokers, and customers seeking instant gratification. Upper class, middle class and lower class citizens share the same type of greed, the American dream and more commonly to people the effects become the American nightmare. In my opinion, this book was very interesting. I certainly agree with Drubbers opinions and statements made in this book. I found myself interested as soon as I began reading the first chapter. His concept of the American dream, and what society will do to accomplish it, is on point. He begins by describing societys fears and how we allow these fears to take over, without thinking things out clearly. Society believes in and counts on authority to make the right choice. The problem is that our authority lacks in morality, and is leading this society in the same way, with a lack of remorse for our neighbors. It is hopeful that President Obama will continue to inspire pop Of a different kind Of politics, built around community and social justice. Also in my opinion White wilding and the greed these wielders have by doping poor people for their life saving keep minorities at bay. It keeps minorities in a lower socio economic structure in which black wilding comes about. So yes I believe that white wilding leads to black wilding it is inevitable because how are minorities ever to achieve that American dream if they are always stopped by the greed of white wilding. The term Wilding can be defined in a variety of ways. Drabber separates some by describing Economic Wilding, Political Wilding, Institutional Wilding, Criminal and Violent Wilding. These are just a few examples that I feel are gravely present In my society. Wilding is a societal crisis, in which Americans are made immune to its reality. Wilding has been exemplified since the early sasss. As time goes on, the needs of Americans have become greater in scale. Wilding in America is seen today, especially with events going on presently. After reading this book, I was able to relate to many of the examples presented by the sociologists, especially with the need to climb the ladder of success. We would all have the opportunity to achieve our goals, without hurting anyone in the interim.

The Importance of Infrastructure

The Importance of Infrastructure Infrastructure is a term architects, engineers, and urban planners use to describe essential facilities, services, and organizational structures for communal use, most commonly by residents of cities and towns. Politicians often think of infrastructure in terms of how a nation can help corporations move and deliver their goods- water, electricity, sewage, and merchandise are all about movement and delivery via infrastructure. Infra- means below, and sometimes these elements are literally below the ground, like water and natural gas supply systems. In modern environments, infrastructure is thought to be any facility we expect but dont think about because it works for us in the  background, unnoticed- below our radar. The global information infrastructure for communications and internet involves satellites in space- not underground at all, but we rarely think about how that last Tweet got to us so quickly. Infrastructure is not American or exclusive to the United States. For example, engineers in nations across the globe have developed high-tech solutions for flood control- one system that protects an entire community. All countries have infrastructure in some form, which can include these systems: Roads, tunnels, and bridges, including the Interstate Highway SystemMass-transit systems (e.g., trains and rails)Airport runways and control towersTelephone lines and cellphone towersDams and reservoirsHurricane barriersLevees and pumping stationsWaterways, canals, and portsElectrical power lines and connections (i.e., the national power grid)Fire stations and equipmentHospitals, clinics, and emergency response systemsSchoolsLaw enforcement and prisonsSanitation and waste removal facilities for solid waste, wastewater, and hazardous wastePost offices and mail deliveryPublic parks and other types of green infrastructure Infrastructure Definition infrastructure:  The framework of interdependent networks and systems comprising identifiable industries, institutions (including people and procedures), and distribution capabilities that provide a reliable flow of products and services essential to the defense and economic security of the United States, the smooth functioning of governments at all levels, and society as a whole. - Report of the President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection, 1997 Why Infrastructure Is Important We all use these systems, which are often called public works, and we expect them to function for us, but we dont like to pay for them. Many times the cost is hidden in plain view- added taxes to your utility and telephone bill, for example, may help pay for infrastructure. Even teenagers with motorbikes help pay for infrastructure with every gallon of gasoline used. A highway-user tax is added to each gallon of motor fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel, gasohol) sold. This money goes into what is called the Highway Trust Fund in order to pay for repairs and replacement of roads, bridges, and tunnels. Likewise, each airline ticket you buy has a federal excise tax that should be used to maintain the infrastructure needed to support air travel.  Both state and federal governments are allowed to add taxes to certain products and services in order to help pay for the infrastructure that supports them. The infrastructure may begin to crumble if the tax doesnt keep increasing enough. These exci se taxes are consumption taxes that are in addition to your income taxes, which also can be used to pay for infrastructure. Infrastructure is important because we all pay for it and we all use it. Paying for infrastructure can be as complicated as the infrastructure itself. Nevertheless, most people depend on transportation systems and public utilities, which also are essential for the economic vitality of our businesses. As Senator Elizabeth Warren (Dem, MA) famously stated, You built a factory out there? Good for you. But I want to be clear: you moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for; you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate; you were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didnt have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did. - Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 2011 When Infrastructure Fails When natural disasters strike, stable infrastructure is necessary for swift delivery of emergency supplies and medical care. When fires rage in drought-ravaged areas of the U.S. we expect firefighters to be on the scene until the neighborhoods are safe. All countries are not so fortunate. In Haiti, for example, the lack of well-developed infrastructure contributed to the deaths and injuries suffered during and after the earthquake of January 2010. Every citizen should expect to live in comfort and safety. On the most basic level, every community requires access to clean water and sanitary waste disposal. Poorly maintained infrastructure can lead to a devastating loss of life and property. Examples of failed infrastructure in the U.S. include: When the Oroville Dams spillway eroded, thousands of Californians evacuated, 2017Unsafe drinking water from lead supply pipes affected the health of children in Flint, Michigan, 2014Sewer spills during hard rains in Houston, Texas created a public health hazard, 2009The collapse of Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota killed motorists, 2007Failure of the levees and pump stations after Hurricane Katrina flooded communities in New Orleans, Louisiana, 2005 Governments Role in Infrastructure Investing in infrastructure is nothing new for governments. Thousands of years ago, Egyptians built irrigation and transportation systems with dams and canals. Ancient Greeks and Romans built roads and aqueducts that still stand today. The 14th-century Parisian sewers have become tourist destinations. Governments around the world have realized that investing in and maintaining a healthy infrastructure is an important government function. Australias Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development claims that It is an investment that has a multiplier effect throughout the economy, generating lasting economic, social and environmental benefits. In an age of terrorist threats and attacks, the U.S. has stepped up efforts to secure critical infrastructure, extending the list of examples to  systems related to Information and communications, gas and oil production/storage/transportation, and even banking and finance. The list is the subject of an ongoing debate. Critical infrastructures now include national monuments (e.g. Washington Monument), where an attack might cause a large loss of life or adversely affect the nation’s morale. They also include the chemical industry....A fluid definition of what constitutes a critical infrastructure could complicate policymaking and actions. - Congressional Research Service, 2003 In the U.S. the Infrastructure Security Division and the  National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center are part of the Department of Homeland Security. Watchdog groups like the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) keep track of progress and needs by issuing an infrastructure report card every year. Books About Infrastructure Infrastructure: The Book of Everything for the Industrial Landscape by Brian HayesThe Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate AscherMove: How to Rebuild and Reinvent Americas Infrastructure by Rosabeth Moss KanterThe Road Taken: The History and Future of Americas Infrastructure by Henry Petroski Sources President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection, October 1997, pp. B-1 to B-2, PDF at https://fas.org/irp/crs/RL31556.pdf Summary, Critical Infrastructures: What Makes an Infrastructure Critical? Report for Congress, Order Code RL31556, Congressional Research Service (CRS), Updated January 29, 2003, PDF at https://fas.org/irp/crs/RL31556.pdf Infrastructure, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Australian Government, https://infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/ [accessed August 23, 2015] Elizabeth Warren: There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own by Lucy Madison, CBS News, September 22, 2011, cbsnews.com/news/elizabeth-warren-there-is-nobody-in-this-country-who-got-rich-on-his-own/ [accessed March 15, 2017] Highway Trust Fund and Taxes, U.S.Department of Transportation, https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/factsheets/htffs.cfm [accessed December 25, 2017]   Ascher, Kate. The Works: Anatomy of a City. Paperback, Reprint edition, Penguin Books, November 27, 2007. Hayes, Brian. Infrastructure: The Book of Everything for the Industrial Landscape. Paperback, Reprint edition, W. W. Norton Company, September 17, 2006. Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. Move: How to Rebuild and Reinvent Americas Infrastructure. 1 edition, W. W. Norton Company, May 10, 2016. Petroski, Henry. The Road Taken: The History and Future of Americas Infrastructure. Hardcover, Bloomsbury USA, February 16, 2016.

BP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

BP - Essay Example BP publishes a sustainability review report on a regular basis in which it focuses on building a safer as well as a stronger workplace. It does not have any designated Corporate Social Responsibility Officer (CSR) to oversee their CSR activities. The Chairman has the discretionary authority to look after their valuable social activities. In order to address ecological and social concerns, after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill case incident, BP has decided to pay around US$500 million within a period of 10 years towards supporting research activities for betterment of ecosystem in the Gulf region. In order to contribute to people, planet along with focusing on its long-term profitability, BP has decided to focus on ISO 14001:2004 standards for environmental management, which in turn can provide benefit to the people all over the world and can ensure its sustainability (BP plc, â€Å"Sustainability Review†). The company has recorded a huge number of environmental disasters wit h over 8,000 spills of oil, dangerous chemicals as well as gases. The states of Texas and Louisiana have been the worst hit with close to 3,000 cases being reported in those states. There occurred about 550 previous incidents in the Mississippi Canyon near the area where the current Deepwater Horizon disaster is unfolding. In the recent past, two major incidences have been reported in the city of Texas in which an explosion was registered in the major refinery of the company in the year 2005 and oil spill at the Prudhoe Bay. The Texas explosion led to the death of 15 people while at the same time 170 people were severely injured. The root cause of the explosion was found to have been caused by temporary trailers that had been placed close to the volatile units which the company’s top management admitted to have been a measure taken to cut costs. It was further established that poor maintenance of the

Perform a rhetorical analysis of a work of your choosing Essay - 3

Perform a rhetorical analysis of a work of your choosing - Essay Example who plan on getting married to cherish their marriage rather than their wedding day, albeit a cursory glance of the article merely gives the impression of a comic trying to make the audience laugh by relating a personal story. By using informal language, appropriate diction, exclamatory sentences, sentence length, and persuasive appeals, Winchell has successfully conveyed the message she sought to express: weddings are not marriages themselves; they are just preludes to what should actually be given importance. April Winchell, by relating the experiences of her own wedding right at the beginning, lays out her credibility for writing a wedding related article. She was also a bride once and so she is qualified to write about weddings and the feelings of the brides, the brides-to-be being the intended audience: seeing how the name of the website where the article was published is brides.com, it is all but natural to assume that the intended target audience is brides-to-be. Therefore, there is no doubt that, rhetorically, this article is sound when it comes to ethos. Winchell normally resorts to informal language, resorting to slang as well in some cases, as she is not aiming to write to a scholarly audience. Her target audience is made up of people (or brides) who come from average households in America, and who are more comfortable using slang or, at least, conversing very informally. Moreover, the use of informal language by Winchell is quite effective in that through its use Winchell has avoided sounding too â€Å"preachy† even though the main objective of her article is to give advice. The style and tone of the piece comes off very casual and relaxed, as Winchell has chose to write in vernacular, take this excerpt from the article, for example, in which she is describing her dress â€Å"I don’t recall where I got the dress, but I’ll always have the memory of how butt-ugly it was.† It is very apparent here that not only is Winchell using vernacular

Frankenstein - Golden Mean Archetype Essay Example for Free

Frankenstein Golden Mean Archetype Essay Throughout the last few chapters we have been reading, the perspective of our monster has shifted tremendously. At first, we viewed the creature as frightening and menacing. As the story continues, we base our view on the monster due to Victor’s aggressive behavior towards the creature, making us pity the poor monster as he has done nothing wrong; he is just lost in a new world, possibly experiencing culture shock. Now the creature is venturing out into the world, interacting with people other than Victor. â€Å"for I never ventured abroad during daylight, fearful of meeting with the same treatment I had formerly endured in the first village which I entered† (106). After the monster encounters humans, people give the same reaction: fear. The monster comes baring no harm, but in fright, the citizens of the village run from him, scared of what might happen to them. This starts his increasing grudge against the humans. First, Victor rejects his appearance, oblivious to the being on the inside, now, complete strangers are neglecting him. His temper in steadily growing. â€Å"Was man, indeed, at once so powerful, so virtuous and magnificent, yet so vicious and base?† (107). After learning more history from his protectors, the creature is now questioning the characteristic change in man over the course of time. Back then, a creature of his nature might have been accepted, but now he is feared for his sole appearance. These events capture the imbalance in the golden mean because now the monster, once emotionally stable with his existence, is getting too angry and furious with the human race. The monster is now resembling Victor. Although he might not notice it, the monster is showing a strong connection between him and his creator through his actions. Both are seeking revenge and acting out through their anger. Now that the monster has built up the courage to confront the old blind man, by the name of De Lacy, he waits until Felix, Agatha, and Safie have left. He does not want to frighten them. Unfortunately, as he tries to speak with De Lacy, Felix and the others return. Upon Agatha fainting, and Safie running out of fear, â€Å"Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from this father, whose knees I cung; in a transport of fry, he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick† (123-124). The creature viewed the family and his own: his protectors. If they acted that way towards him, surely everyone else would too. Now, the monster’s revenge only increased. Soon enough, the creature is going to snap and lose control of his emotions. There is still some decency inside of the monster though. After witnessing an innocent girl downing, he saves her, despite his arising hate for humans. As a man comes and thinks that the monster is harming the girl, he shoots the creature, who had only tried to help. â€Å"The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind† (130). The spark inside of the monster triggers and rage flows through his body. Anger and revenge seep in and he now despises all human beings. The creature has terminated all tolerance for human beings, due to the everlasting hate he obtains from creatures so very similar to him. The golden mean has been violated extensively through the mistreatment of this poor creature. He has been nothing but joyous towards mankind, but in return he receives hate and pain, literally. The monster has no more patience or hope for the overturning emotions from humans. This eventually develops the motive for William’s murder, confessing to Victor the deviant act of not only the murder, but also of framing Justine.

The Renaissance anf its impact on Society :: essays research papers

The Renaissance and its Impact on Modern Society The Renaissance 1 Abstract The Renaissance is a term that means rebirth. The renaissance marked a renewed interest in many things such as the arts but also brought about change in the areas of class structure; trade; invention and science. These changes have influenced nearly every social class and industrialized society in the modern world. This paper will show how this unique period in our history impacts our society today. The Renaissance 2 Class Structure and Trade Before the Renaissance, power was achieved by birthright, wealth and nobility however; the Renaissance gave birth to the merchant class. Agriculture was a mainstay of wealth and power however, it was quickly becoming less lucrative and many farmers decided to move to cities and take up new occupations. These city-based occupations required the need for increased educational skills such as reading, writing and bookkeeping. Accordingly education became more important, and parents of this emerging merchant class increasingly wanted their children to attend schools and universities. As the merchant class grew, they became increasingly wealthy. Along with this newfound wealth, this emerging merchant class gained power. Power that changed existing class structures and influenced politics. The evolution of the merchant class has developed into the free-trade system used throughout the industrialized world. Furthermore, the merchant class of the Renaissance allowed people not of birthright o r noble blood to gain wealth and ascend to power in both business and politics. Today many of our successful business men and women who came from humble origins and owe their ability to improve themselves through education and the earning of wealth through trade and business to the merchant class of the Renaissance. The Renaissance 3 Invention The Renaissance brought about the first portable clock. Invented in 1410, Filippo Brunelleschi’s spring-driven design clock made it possible to keep track of and manage time outside of the home or village. The evolution of Brunelleschi’s portable clock is our modern day wristwatch. The development of convex and concave lenses during the Renaissance also led to the invention of both the microscope and telescope. Arguably, the most valuable invention of the Renaissance was the moveable type printing press invented by Johann Gutenberg. Prior to Gutenberg’s printing press the copying of books and text was a painstaking, slow process done by hand. The Renaissance’s printing press is the grandfather of our modern day copy machine and computer printer. Science During the Renaissance science made leaps and bounds as well.

The Presidio San Elizario

The Presidio of San Elizario In 1598, the Spanish nobleman, Don Juan De Onate from Zacatecas, Mexico was leading a group of Spanish colonists from Mexico to settle the newly discovered province of New Mexico. The group traveled for weeks across the desert until it reached the banks of the Rio Grande River near the San Elizario area. Soon afterward, Onate proclaimed possession of this area in the name of his King, Phillip II. The small town of San Elizario is named after the French Saint Elcear, the French patron saint of the military.It is one of the oldest communities in the El Paso Area. The community was established during the late 1700’s. A presidio was built in the area in order to protect the Spanish settlers from the attacking Apache and Comanche Indian raiders. The exact date of when the presidio of San Elizario was first built remains a debate between many local historians. One well known area historian, Metz, writes, â€Å"The original presidio was built around 1773 and that the original chapel was built of mostly adobe and some wood, and took approximately 40 years to construct. Most of the work was done by prisoners, some of them Indian, mostly Apache. (254). As noted by an online source, the presidio itself was surrounded by a double wall of adobe measuring 13 feet tall by seven feet wide. Inside were barracks for soldiers and special officer quarters. Also within the fort were family residences, corrals, store rooms, and a small chapel. This small chapel was built in a box pattern reflecting the early â€Å"European colonialism. † (San Elizario). The chapel has gone through major changes throughout its history, yet still remains close to its original location to this day.As historian John O. West notes, the San Elizario Presidio is often mistaken as a mission. However, the presidio of San Elizario was not created to convert the local natives to Christianity, but in fact was created as a fort or presidio to protect the Camino Real an d other area settlements from Apache and Comanche Indian raiders. (19). An online source also notes that the presidio was involved in numerous military engagements and natural disasters which forced its movement many times throughout it’s early history. (Reyes).According to another historian, Douglas Kent Hall, â€Å"The presidio was moved 37 miles up the Rio Grande in 1780 to its current site. † (131). According to another internet source, â€Å"During the early 1830’s the unpredictable Rio Grande River changed course, virtually isolating San Elizario and its surrounding communities as an island in the middle of the Rio Grande. † (San Elizario). After the US-Mexico War of 1846-1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, establishing the Rio Grande River as the boundary between Texas and Mexico.This left San Elizario to become part of what is now the state of Texas. San Elizario is steeped in both Texas, and Hispanic history. Still remaining today, the San Elizario presidio and chapel has moved many times and gone through many changes since its original construction. One online source notes, in 1829, the Rio Grande flooded completely destroying the â€Å"Chapel at San Elizario. † (San Elizario). A different Website points out that the chapel that stands in the same location today was rebuilt in 1882. (Kohut). Another online source notes, the exterior has changed little from its original construction.The main difference was in the change of the front â€Å"facade,† as this added to the, â€Å"early European colonial,† influence on the contemporary construction of the time. A fire destroyed much of the interior of the chapel in 1935. The inside has undergone dramatic changes since then, again reflecting the influence of â€Å"European architectural style. † With â€Å"pressed-tin† covering the original ceiling covers and beams. Several additions have also been made to the exterior of the chapel . For instance, an orchard has been added to the east side of the chapel and the surrounding plaza.More adobe structures have also been added to the surrounding area in order to add to the formality of the area. The formal rectangular patterned streets and building orientation â€Å"reflects the elements of early Spanish colonialism. † In 1944 the chapel was repainted in order to honor the local soldiers who fought overseas in World War II. (San Elizario). A local college student writes in the Borderlands Website that a â€Å"major restoration of the chapel† began in 1993, however much work still needs to be done to the exterior walls of the structure.The Mission Trail Association, which was formed in 1986, has done much work to uphold the heritage of the chapel at San Elizario and other local Missions. Through their hard work, the Socorro and Ysleta missions, along with the San Elizario chapel have retained their beauty and strength through hundreds of years of faith and devotion. (Reyes). With the help of the Mission Trail Association and donations from tourists and local interest in its preservation, the San Elizario chapel can be a monument for many more generations to enjoy. Works Cited Hall, Douglas Kent.Frontier Spirit: Early Churches of the Southwest. New York: Abbeville Press, 1990. Print. Metz, Leon C. El Paso: Guided Through Time. El Paso, Texas: Mangan Books, 1999. Print. West, John O. â€Å"Presidio Chapel San Elceario: San Elizario, Texas, USA. † The Mission Trail: El Paso/Juarez. Ed. Laura Jusso. El Paso, Texas: Sundance Press, 1996. Print. Reyes, Blanca et al. â€Å"Area Missions are Part of Living History. † Borderlands. Web. 22 Jan 2009. â€Å"San Elizario Walking Tour. † El Paso County History. Web. 18 Dec 2009. Kohout, Martin D. â€Å"San Elizario Presidio. † Handbook of Texas Online. Web. 23 Apr 2009.

Treetop Forest

Statement of the problem The packaging team at Treetop Forest is experiencing many problems. Their productivity is decreasing and affecting the rest of the departments negatively. The unsupervised employees are slacking off, are not motivated and are adopting norms that are not fitted with the company. Inventory costs and the risk of damaged stocks are also increasing. The quality of the appearance of the finished products is also decreasing, resulting in a loss in the market share in the industry, hence being unable to compete with other companies. Cause of the problem Social loafing is causing the decrease in productivity in the packaging team. This tendency to withhold physical or intellectual effort when performing a group task[1] represents the slacking behaviours of the employees in that department. The lack of supervision is also one of the main causes of most of the problems stated. The group’s cohesiveness is causing them to behave in similar manners, as additive tasks, even though the behaviours adopted are not in line with the norms of the rest of the company (taking longer breaks etc). Because this department’s location is further than all the other ones, the employees feel isolated and excluded from the company, causing their lack in motivation. The group’s poor performance is causing an overstock which results in high inventory costs and risk of damaged stocks since they have to be stored outside ultimately causing the poor appearance of the finished product which affects the buyer’s decision. It can be assumed that it is a larger group due to the tasks that need to be performed, which affects the group in many ways. In larger groups, friendships develop, participation decreases and disengagement increases resulting in process loss: a group performance difficulty stemming from the problems of motivation and coordination in larger groups. [2] Solutions and Consequences 1. To counteract the social loafing the company should: Increase feelings of indispensability. Doing this within the group would motivate the employees. Increase performance feedback, so that employees will know how to improve themselves as well as knowing what they did well. Reward group performance. Pros: Highly motivated in what they are doing †¢ They would feel belonging to the company since they would know what the company’s goals are. 2. To have a more structured environment, Treetop should hire and train a new supervisor only for the packaging department. Pros: †¢ This solution will decrease inventory costs and increase the production and quality of the finished products. †¢ Effective communication betwe en the other departments to balance the productivity levels Cons: †¢ The salary and training of this new employee will increase the company’s costs. 3. To reduce the overtime costs, limits should be put on the amount of overtime hours an employee is allowed to use, along with a deadline for a specific amount of products. Pros: †¢ This would decrease the overtime salary costs †¢ This would increase productivity due to the fixed goals. †¢ This would decrease the extended break and lunch times. Cons: †¢ Because these goals are imposed, the employees may be reluctant to achieve them. To avoid this situation, the goals could be discussed therefore increasing the probability of their achievement. Recommended Solution It would be recommended to implant supervision since it is the main cause of all the problems the company is faced with and because of the many effects it would have on the situation. The group needs structure and a supervisor would therefore help resolve most problems. Implemented Solution Immediately, communication should be improved between the departments to stop the unbalanced productivity. This would resolve part of the inventory costs problems. Upper management should also put someone in charge of the packaging team. If costs of hiring a new supervisor are too high, an existing supervisor could be given more shifts. Although hiring and training costs are high, the company will benefit from this addition in the long-term. The new supervisor would counteract the social loafing the company is experiencing. The supervisor could be trained to focus on the motivation of his group (rewarding good performances etc). This supervisor is also the one who should limit the employees to a certain amount of overtime hours they are allowed to. The supervisor would reinforce the company’s norms, eventually eliminating the self-imposed ones in the group (longer breaks†¦). The supervisor would also promote group cohesiveness and a pleasant working environment. In the short term, upper management could host a meeting or assembly between all departments to make them feel interrelated and important to the company. This could be a great motivation for the employees. In the long term, group evaluations could be necessary to measure the group’s performance and to see if the actions taken are resolving the problems. ________________________________________ [1] Johns,G, & Saks, A. M. (2008). Organizational Behaviour, 7th edition, Toronto: Addison-Wesley-Longman. [2] Johns,G, & Saks, A. M. (2008). Organizational Behaviour, 7th edition, Toronto: Addison-Wesley-Longman.

Free Essays on Special Management Issues

Special Management Issues The increasing application of Scientific Management principles of work organisations to services is, despite its limitations, inevitable and irreversible’. Discuss. I Introduction From the outset of this essay it is necessary to define the basic principles of Scientific Management in order for the statement to be fully understood and why if at all such a practice is ‘inevitable’ and indeed ‘irreversible’ within a service industry context. The underlying belief that scientific management, or rationalisation= , is able to provide the basis for separating management from the execution of work. ‘The rationalisation of work has the effect of transferring functions of planning, allocation and co-ordination to managers, whilst reinforcing the managerial monopoly of decision-making, motivation and control’. Hales (1994). Taylor (1856-1915) has been referred to as the father of Scientific Management. He believed that management, not labour, was th e cause of and potential solution to problems in the industry. Taylor concluded that workers systematically ‘soldiered’ because they believed that faster work would put them out of a job and because hourly or daily wages destroyed individual incentive. Taylor believed that in order to discourage, and indeed halt, this ‘soldiering’ a ‘mental revolution’ was required. He believed this could be achieved via four vital principles: (1) the development of the best work method, via systematic observation, measurement and analysis; (2) the scientific selection and development of workers; (3) the relating and bringing together of the best work method and the developed and trained worker; (4) the co-operation of managers and non-managers which includes the division of work and the managers responsibility of work. From this five key facets have evolved that lie at the foundation of scientific management. Hales (1994) has summarised these as follows: - sys temat... Free Essays on Special Management Issues Free Essays on Special Management Issues Special Management Issues The increasing application of Scientific Management principles of work organisations to services is, despite its limitations, inevitable and irreversible’. Discuss. I Introduction From the outset of this essay it is necessary to define the basic principles of Scientific Management in order for the statement to be fully understood and why if at all such a practice is ‘inevitable’ and indeed ‘irreversible’ within a service industry context. The underlying belief that scientific management, or rationalisation= , is able to provide the basis for separating management from the execution of work. ‘The rationalisation of work has the effect of transferring functions of planning, allocation and co-ordination to managers, whilst reinforcing the managerial monopoly of decision-making, motivation and control’. Hales (1994). Taylor (1856-1915) has been referred to as the father of Scientific Management. He believed that management, not labour, was th e cause of and potential solution to problems in the industry. Taylor concluded that workers systematically ‘soldiered’ because they believed that faster work would put them out of a job and because hourly or daily wages destroyed individual incentive. Taylor believed that in order to discourage, and indeed halt, this ‘soldiering’ a ‘mental revolution’ was required. He believed this could be achieved via four vital principles: (1) the development of the best work method, via systematic observation, measurement and analysis; (2) the scientific selection and development of workers; (3) the relating and bringing together of the best work method and the developed and trained worker; (4) the co-operation of managers and non-managers which includes the division of work and the managers responsibility of work. From this five key facets have evolved that lie at the foundation of scientific management. Hales (1994) has summarised these as follows: - sys temat...

Adoption Essays - Family Law, Family, Human Development, Free Essays

Adoption Adopting a child is an experience that promises to bring great joy as it changes a couple or individual?s life forever. But what happens if the mother of that child wants to endorse their child? Those are the issues that many adopting parents and birth-right mothers are facing today. Many biological mothers want their child back. There are many concerns for adopting parents to know- that there is the possibly that the birth mother may file for the child. As a birth mother or the adopting parent one must realize consequences that could lay ahead. The legal and social transfer of all parental right, responsibilities, and roles from one parent or parents, usually biological, to a nonbiological parent or parents is the definition of adoption. In such a transfer, adoptive parents accept the same rights and responsibilities as the child?s birth parents would have had, while the child becomes a member of a family that provides the social, emotional, and physical nurturing that children needs to grow up to be healthy, functioning adults. But there are some legal issues or opinions that can lead to a halting backfire in the adoption process. But, as the biological parent(s) and adopting parent(s), they must be ready for the quickly, approaching pros and cons. Throughout the adoption journey, the gardein must be prepared and know what is best for them and their child. There are many positive feedbacks to adoption. Children are in need of adoption because some birth parents are unable or unavailable to provide adequately for the needs of their child. Birth parents may feel they cannot take on the responsibility of an unplanned child because they are too young or because they are financially or emotionally unable to provide proper care. They do not feel ready or able to be good parents. Most adopting parents, although, feel confident that most birth-right mothers will not seize their child back. Chris Intagliata, a mother of two adopted children advises that ? It [is] important to ask yourself what you can handle. If you feel you can handle everything, that?s a good attitude.? Those are important notions adopting parents must do. Most of the time adopting parents can handle the task but some times it backfires when the biological mother or c ouple want the baby back. Statistics show that the vast majority of independent adoptions in California are completed without a hitch; less that 2 percent are even contested. But when an adoption is contested, the anguish felt by both the adoptive and birth parents is unimaginable. Linda Ribordy, a family specialist who represented a birth mother in a legal case says that ?if a birth mother changes her mind, it?s automatic that they get the baby back.? But the adopting parents feel furiously and emotionally different. ?We have no legal status, no legal rights, none,? says Inger Bischofberger. ?But he calls me Mama. The only thing that keeps me going is that I can?t turn my back on him, I can?t just walk away from him because all the grownups in his life have messed up.? Birth mothers shouldn?t gain their child back if they are not financially ready. Usually greed and emotions will stand in there way and they will want their child back. But many children as they grow older question, asking - ?Why me or ?Why did my mom put me up for adoption Sometimes the biological mother might fell that her child will hate her as he/she grows older and never visit her. The birth mother should really think about adoption seriously before putting the child up or before trying to regain their child back. The process is both financially and emotionally critical. The lesson learned in the issue of adoption is not to have a child. Whether it is premarital sex, age, or financial or emotional problems- one must be prepared for the consequences ahead.

Enclosed in attachment. (Psychology) Research Paper

Enclosed in attachment. (Psychology) - Research Paper Example Creative cognition is defined as the approach that is used to explain the role of cognitive processes in the process of creative thinking. The main objective of the science dealing with the creative cognition is to be able to determine the components of the creative process. Through years of study and in depth empirical data analysis, it has been concluded that the process of creative thinking acts on a multitude of different processes. It is not limited to a certain psychological area or component that can be labeled as its own. This conclusion then makes it a challenge to limit the components and mechanisms that are involved in the process of creative cognition (Smith, Ward and Finke, 1995). One of the main issues in the study of creative cognition is the basis of mechanism. One group believes in the evidences pertaining to the fact that creative cognition is based on expertise. On the other hand, an opposing side purports that creative cognitions is based on insight. The aim of the paper is to present an analysis of the two opposing sides on the basis of the available evidences. By being based on expertise, it means that creative cognition is a structured process of psychological and mental activity. This can be considered analogous to a ‘systematic and well-organized’ manner of mental processes that are structured in different aspects (Stemberg, 1999, p.208). Based on the evidences related to the said concept, when the brain is given a particular problem to resolve, the automatic reaction is an analysis based on memory. This can be considered as logical resolutions to different stimuli. For example one issue is tackled, different parts of the brain related to the said issue is activated. This can be related to the popular saying that ‘experience is the best teacher.’ Due to the fact that the brain has stored information related to the issue, processing of the data is more efficient (Gabora,

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 40

Marketing - Essay Example Such beads and jewelry also attract tourists from other countries who come to learn culture and way of life of a group of people. The company will focus on making of quality beads and jewelry which are cheap for locals to buy and attractive to tourists. In order to achieve this, the company will need to purchase various local materials and beads, which will be combined in different colors and proportions to appeal to the customers. The company will be dealing in making of jewelry and beads, which will be used as ornaments, beauty products in the house, decorations in public occasions like weddings and general decorations in offices. The company will need beads shaping machines, firing equipment and a number of workers who will be joining the beads and jewelry to form meaningful shapes and structures. Paints and colors will also be needed to turn the sculptured beads into the desired colors and decorations (Dismore, 15). Market identification is a crucial thing for any business. It is the realization of the different needs of different markets and structuring products so that they can suit every buyer in the market. This phase of business formation is crucial because without good market identification the business will incur loses and eventually fails in operation. The best segmentation technique in the jewelry line of business is the using demographic factors. In this case, an entrepreneur is supposed to consider such factors as age ranges and their concentrations in the market, gender ratios, and its effect in the market, the different ethnic communities in the market, and education levels of the community. Other factors that also need to be considered include the different occupations in the community, the religion and religious views of the community and the income status of the different families in the community (Dismore, 33). This market

Marketing Challenges Faced by Gillette Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Challenges Faced by Gillette - Essay Example As the discussion outlines the engineers in the company went on incorporating further elements of innovation to the Mach3 razor through enhancing the quality dimension of the blades used. It is found that the innovation team at Gillette enhanced the quality of the blades in making them stronger by around three times in regards to stainless steel. Again the alignment of the three blades in the Mach3 razor was done in a fashion as to help the consumers in suffering less of irritation. These quality factors incorporated in the Mach3 razors helped Gillette in gaining enhanced penetration in the new generation male consumer sphere. Amount of irritability in regards to the use of razors was considerably reduced through the incorporation of a separate coating known as ‘Diamond-like Carbon’ coat. This type of coating helped in enhancing the innovative nature of producing blades that would be thinner in nature and yet too stronger. Moreover the key element of innovation studied i n regards to Mach3 razors also reflects testifying the product in regards to a target market based on consumers pertaining to different social and national backgrounds. These people were asked to use both Mach3 and SensorExcel and thereby rate the two types based on certain parameters. Mach3 owing to its innovative capability ranked more to its predecessor SensorExcel thereby reflecting a truly different replacement. Gillette is found to counter a number of marketing challenges both in regards to its advertising and promotional campaign and also in regards to its pricing efforts in relation to the launching of Mach3 in the international market. The advertising campaign taken by the company to launch Mach3 in the international market had to work on a global tone where potential investment of around $200 million was rendered.  

Analysis of Strategic Management at Hotel

Analysis of Strategic Management at Hotel INTRODUCTION Why are some companies successful, while so many other businesses fail? Some organizations may just be lucky. They may have the right mix of products and/or services at the right time. But even if luck leads to success, it probably will not last. Most companies that are highly successful over the long term effectively acquire, develop, and manage resources and capabilities that provide competitive advantages. For example, McDonalds enjoys outstanding brand recognition and a world class operating system. Marriott enjoys these same benefits in the lodging industry. Successful companies have also learned how to develop and manage relationships with a wide range of organizations, groups, and people that have a stake in their firms. The emergence of a fiercely competitive global economy means that firms have to expand their networks of relationships and cooperate with each other to remain competitive. McDonalds investment in Chipotle was a cooperative venture. As Steve Ells, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Chipotle noted, Weve enjoyed our relationship with McDonalds since the beginning and appreciate the support theyve shown in funding Chipotles growth over the last seven years. Still, weve always operated independently, and that wont change as McDonalds Continues to reduce its investment in Chipotle and focuses on its core business. Strategic management is a process through which organizations analyze and learn from their internal and external environments, establish strategic direction, create strategies that are intended to move the organization in that direction, and implement those strategies, all in an effort to satisfy key stakeholders. Stakeholders are groups or individuals who can significantly affect or are significantly affected by an organizations activities. An organization defines who its key stakeholders are, but they typically include customers, employees, and shareholders or owners, among others. Although larger companies tend to use the strategic management process, this process is also a vital part of decision making in smaller companies. Firms practicing strategic planning processes tend to outperform their counterparts that do not. In fact, executives have reported higher levels of satisfaction with strategic management tools and ideas than with most other management tools. Furthermore, 81 percent of companies worldwide reported doing strategic planning. In North America, the figure was even higher (89 percent). Hospitality firms also benefit from strategic planning, as suggested by a recent study of hotels in the United Kingdom, which found that business performance was positively associated with the thoroughness, sophistication, participation, and formality of strategic planning processes. An example of how strategic analysis can help guide business strategy is shown in Starwood Hotels Resorts efforts to launch a new product. This book also recognizes that there is a difference between the strategic planning process and strategic thinking, and that both are a part of effective strategic management. The strategic planning process tends to be a rather rigid and unimaginative process in many organizations. Strategic thinking, however, leads to creative solutions and new ideas like Starwood Hotels launch of the Heavenly Bed. As illustrated in the Heavenly Bed example, a firm that injects strategic thinking into the strategic planning process has the best of both worlds. THE ORIGIN OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT The increasing importance of strategic management may be a result of several trends. Increasing competition in most industries has made it difficult for some companies to compete. Modern and cheaper transportation and communication have led to increasing global trade and awareness. Technological development has led to accelerated changes in the global economy. Regardless of the reasons, the past two decades have seen a surge in interest in strategic management. STRATEGIC THINKING AT STARWOOD The Heavenly Bed, first launched by the Westin brand of Starwood Hotels Resorts, has transformed the bed, a basic feature of any hotel room, into a luxurious object of desire, enhancing the revenues of the chain and leaving many hotel operators to follow suit with copycat linens and custom bedding of their own. The strategic process at Starwood began with consumer analysis and product testing. First, Westin commissioned a study involving 600 business executives who travel frequently. The results showed that 84 percent said a luxurious bed would make a hotel room more attractive to them. What is more, 63 percent said a good night s sleep is the most important service a hotel can provide. Half of those surveyed said they sleep worse in hotels than at home. After testing 50 beds from 35 lodging chains, Westin developed its prototype all white Heavenly Bed with a custom designed pillow top mattress, goose down comforters, five pillows, and three crisp sheets ranging in thread count from 180 to 250. Once the product was designed and tested, the fi rm introduced the bed with a carefully planned marketing strategy. USA Today ran a story on the front page of its business section. The same day, 20 pristine white Heavenly Beds lined Wall Street up to the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. Inside the Stock Exchange, Barry Sternlicht, the then Chairman and CEO of Starwood Hotels Resorts rang the opening bell and threw out hats proclaiming, Work like the devil. Sleep like an angel. Meanwhile, at New York s Grand Central Station, 20 more beds graced one of the rotundas there, and commuters disembarking the trains were invited to try them out. Similar events were staged the same day at 38 locations across the United States, tailored to each city. Savannahs event featured a bed floating on a barge down the river with a landing skydiver. Seattles event took place atop the Space Needle. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Traditional Perspective As the field of strategic management began to emerge in the latter part of the 20th century, scholars borrowed heavily from the field of economics. For some time, economists had been actively studying topics associated with the competitiveness of industries. Industry concentration, diversification, product differentiation, and market power. However, much of the economics research at that time focused on industries as a whole, and some of it even assumed that individual firm differences did not matter. Other fields also influenced early strategic management thought, including marketing, finance, psychology, and management. Academic progress was slow in the beginning, and the large consulting firms began to develop their own models and theories to meet their clients needs. Scholars readily adopted many of these models into their own articles and books. Eventually, a consensus began to build regarding what is included in the strategic management process. The traditional process for developing strategy consists of analyzing the internal and external environments of the company to arrive at organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The results from this situation analysis, as this process is sometimes called, are the basis for developing missions, goals, and strategies. In general, a company should select strategies that (1) take advantage of organizational strengths and environmental opportunities or (2) neutralize or overcome organizational weaknesses and environmental threats. 10 After strategies are formulated, plans for implementing them are established and carried out. Figure 1.1 presents the natural  flow of these activities. The first of these ideas was that the environment is the primary determinant of the best strategy. This is called environmental determinism. According to the deterministic view, good management is associated with determining which strategy will best fit environmental, technical, and human forces at a particular point in time, and then working to carry it out. The most successful organization best adapts to existing forces. Some evidence suggests that the ability to align the skills and other resources of the organization with the needs and demands of the environment can be a source of competitive advantage. 12 However, after a critical review of environmental determinism, a well known researcher once argued: There is a more fundamental conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing analysis: the strategy of a firm cannot be predicted, nor is it predestined; the strategic decisions made by managers cannot be assumed to be the product of deterministic forces in their environments. On the contrary, the very nature of the concept of strategy assumes a human agent who is able to take actions that attempt to distinguish one firm from the competitors. Basically, a large firm may decide not to compete in a given environment. Or, as an alternative, the firm may attempt to influence the environment to make it less hostile and more conducive to organizational success. This process is called enactment, which means that a firm can influence its environment. THE PRINCIPLE OF ENACTMENT The principle of enactment assumes that organizations do not have to submit to existing forces in the environment; they can, in part, create their environments through strategic alliances with stakeholders, investments in leading technologies, advertising, political lobbying, and a variety of other activities. 14 Of course, smaller organizations are somewhat limited in their ability to influence some components of their environments on their own. For example, a small restaurant firm may have a difficult time influencing national government agencies and administrators. However, smaller organizations often band together into trade groups, such as the National Restaurant Association, to influence government policy on pressing issues like minimum wage, immigration policy, and health care costs. Also, they may form alliances with other entities. The Global Hotel Alliance is one example, in which Omni Hotels, Kempinski Hotels Resorts, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, Rydges Hotels Resorts, Marco Polo Group, Dusit Hotels Resorts and Landis Hotels Resorts have joined forces to compete against the mega chains. In addition, even a small firm may be able to exert a powerful influence on its local operating environment. The key to enactment is understanding that a firm does not necessarily have to adapt completely to the forces that exist in its operating environment. It can at least partly influence certain aspects of the environment in which it competes. DELIBERATE STRATEGY VERSUS EMERGENT STRATEGY The traditional school of thought concerning strategy formulation also supported the view that managers respond to the forces discussed thus far by making decisions that are consistent with a preconceived strategy. In other words, strategy is deliberate. Deliberate strategy implies that managers plan to pursue an intended strategic course. In some cases, however, strategy simply emerges from a stream of decisions. Managers learn as they go. An emergent strategy is one that was not planned or intended. According to this perspective, managers learn what will work through a process of trial and error. 16 Supporters of this view argue that organizations that limit themselves to acting on the basis of what is already known or understood will not be sufficiently innovative to create a sustainable competitive advantage. In the first week of launching the Westin Heavenly Bed, 32 guests called to ask where they could buy the bed. A light bulb went on. Westin executives put order cards with a toll free number in every room. Then they started placing catalogs by bedsides and desks and set up a web site. By June of 2004, Westin had sold 20,000 pillows $ 75 for the king sized version and 3,500 bed/bedding combos, at $ 2,965 each, enough to spread the idea throughout Starwood, with the Sheraton, St. Regis, and W lines all turning into retailers. The unanticipated success of the Heavenly Bed has spawned a new business companies that help hotels run their retail arms. Boxport, a spin off of San Francisco based hotel procurer Higgins Purchasing Group, operates web sites and catalogs for several chains that now sell Bedding of this example of emergent strategy, it is not a good idea to reject deliberate strategy either. One of the strongest advocates of learning and emergent strategy recently confessed, We shall get nowhere without emergent learning alongside deliberate planning.Both processes are necessary if an organization is to succeed. When Starwood first launched the concept of the Heavenly Bed in 1999, the strategy was a deliberate effort, but the opportunity to provide retail sales was an unintended outcome, and this unforeseen opportunity led to an emergent and highly successful retail strategy, as the above example shows. EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING In summary, scholars have determined that both adaptation and enactment are important to organizations. They should adapt to environmental forces when the costs of enacting (influencing) the environment exceed the benefits. However, they should be proactive in creating their own opportunities. In addition, organizations should engage in deliberate strategic planning processes, but they should also be willing to make mistakes and learn from them as they chart a strategic course. In other words, strategy should be both deliberate and emergent, and firms should both adapt to and enact their environments, with the situation determining which option to choose. Westin learned these lessons by paying attention to their customers. The Organization as a Bundle of Resources: The Resource Based View In recent years, another perspective on strategy development has gained wide acceptance. The resource based view of the firm has its roots in the work of the earliest strategic management theorists. 20 It grew out of the question, Why do some firms persistently outperform other firms? One of the first competencies identified was general management capability. This led to the proposition that firms with high quality general managers will outperform their rivals. Much research has examined this issue. Clearly, effective leadership is important to organizational performance, but it is diffi cult to specify what makes an effective leader. Also, although leaders are an important source of competence for an organization, they are not the only important resource that makes a difference. Economic thought also influenced development of the resource based view. Nearly two centuries ago, an economist named David Ricardo investigated the advantages of possessing superior resources, especially land. 22 One of Ricardos central propositions was that the farmer with the most fertile land had a sustained performance advantage over other farmers. More recently, another economist, Edith Penrose, expanded on Ricardo s view by noting that various skills and abilities possessed by firms could lead to superior performance. She viewed firms as an administrative framework that coordinated the activities of numerous groups and individuals, and also as a bundle of productive resources. 23 She studied the effects of various skills and abilities possessed by organizations, concluding that a wide range of skills and resources could influence competitive performance. A common thread of reasoning in the distinctive competency literature and the arguments of Ricardo and Penrose is that organizational success can be explained in terms of the resources and capabilities possessed by an organization. Many modern scholars have contributed to this perspective of the firm. According to this view, an organization is a bundle of resources, which fall into the general categories of: Financial resources, including all of the monetary resources from which a firm can draw. Physical resources, such as land, buildings, equipment, locations, and access  to raw materials. Human resources, which pertains to the skills, background, and training of managers and employees, as well as the way they are organized. Organizational knowledge and learning General organizational resources, including the firm s reputation, brand names, patents, contracts, and relationships with external stakeholders. Envisioning the firm as a bundle of resources has broad implications. For example, the most important role of a manager becomes that of acquiring, developing, managing, and discarding resources. Also, much of the research on the resource based perspective has demonstrated that firms can gain competitive advantage through possessing superior resources. Superior resources are those that have value in the market, are possessed by only a small number of firms, and are not easy to substitute. If a particular resource is also costly or impossible to imitate, then  the competitive advantage may be sustainable. A sustainable competitive advantage may lead to higher than average organizational performance over a long period.