Legalize Gay Marriage Essay - 1495 Words

Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized Just about everyone has an opinion on legally allowing same-sex couples to marry. The arguments range from personal beliefs to what marriage is said to be in the Bible. Why should a couple be forbidden from showing each other along with family and friends that they are fully committed to each other? What place is it for the government to say that said couple is not allowed to commit to the one who truly makes you happy? Why should these people who are willing to be together for better or worse, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer not get the respect, consideration, and benefits that any opposite sex couple are granted? The United States are behind the time as far as this subject is†¦show more content†¦In 1996 President Bill Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which allows states rights to ban same-sex marriages and to refuse to recognize such marriages performed elsewhere. Alaska voters approved an amendment to ban same-sex marriages in 1998. Vermont was the first state to recognize civil unions between same-sex couples in 2000 while that same year Nebraska voted to ban these marriages. Nevada banned same-sex marriages in 2002. November of 2003 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that banning same-sex couples from marrying violates the states constitution and in turn makes gay and lesbian couples â€Å"second class citizens†. In May of 2004 President Bush declared to support the federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages. By May of 2004 same-sex marriages became legal in Massachusetts. While by November of this year thirteen other states including Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Utah all approved the banning of same-sex marriages. Other states began to follow the footsteps of Massachusetts legalizing civil unions as Connecticut did in October of 2005 while Kansas along with Texas followed the count erpart banning marriages that year. New Jersey in December of 2006 decided to legalize civil unions as Alabama, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee,Show MoreRelated To Legalize, or Not to Legalize Gay Marriage Essay1971 Words   |  8 Pagesthese differences, yet Americans still ostracize the gay community as if they were less than human. Currently one specific controversy comes to mind in consideration of gays, and that is gay marriage. The controversies surrounding gay marriage include the legal, religious, and philosophical problems that allowing gay marriage could cause. The United States currently does not recognize gay partnerships as legal marriages, and therefore when gay partners file for a tax refund both partners must markRead MoreWhy Should We Legalize Gay Marriage?811 Words   |  4 PagesWhy should we legalize gay marriage? Or, in other words, why isnt gay marriage legalized already? Same-sex marriage is just about as humane as opposite-sex marr iage. One in ten people are gay. Seems perfectly normal to me. Is it normal to you? And anyway, why dont people like two gays marrying? Lets start out with the facts. The evidence. The nitty-gritty of all this debate. One out of ten people are gay or lesbian. So theres about twenty-eight people in this class, am I right? So thats atRead MoreEssay about Lets Legalize Gay Marriage872 Words   |  4 PagesLet’s Legalize Gay Marriage Gay marriage is a right. Heterosexual couples are allowed to enjoy all the marriage benefits, so why shouldn’t same-sex couples be able to? Why should other people be able to choose who marries who? If a man and a woman get married, no one seems to care. Gay marriage should be legal because it’s an issue of equal rights, it would save society money, and it will increase the chances for foster children to be adopted into loving families. Same-sex marriage is an issueRead MoreLet Us Legalize Gay Marriage Essay881 Words   |  4 Pages Or is it? When the topic of Gay Marriage arises in conversation, the main Anti-Gay point would be that the Bible does not agree with it. [Jones, Michael] Last time I checked, and according to the first amendment, the Bible has no standing power in American law. [Why Would We?] Therefore, the people of the United States should vote Yes on legalizing Gay Marriage. People are being harmed, people are being discriminated against, and by opposing Gay Marriage you are essentially condoning fellowRead MoreGay Marriage: Why Should We Legalize It? Essay1284 Words   |  6 PagesGay Marriage: Why Should We Legalize It? Gay marriage tends to spark many different opinions in the hearts and minds of the citizens of this great nation. This political issue is usually one that would spark a heated debate between even the closest of friends. The subject description typically spurs intense hatred and anger, even. You would more than likely witness numerous signs picketing this issue whether it may be a revised Bible quote deeming it a sin or a sign decked out in the many colorsRead Moreâ€Å"Same-Sex Marriage Should Not Be Legalized† Essay982 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage Should Not Be Legalized†. July 18th 2012. Same-Sex Marriage Should Not Be Legalized. As we know, same-sex marriage has been discussed and argued for a long time. Within the controversial topic of gay rights, there’s no area more controversial than same-sex marriage. And all of us ask ourselves if same-sex marriage should be legal or not. But the fact is that we have to start thinking about it as a moral and religious topic. The government shouldn’t legalize the same-sexRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Must Remain Legal Essay examples1271 Words   |  6 Pagesfive years same-sex marriage has become one of the most controversial issues in the United States, many social activist strive to aid homosexuals and their fight to legalize same-sex marriage. Marriage is a fundamental right not a privilege. Gay men and women should not be discriminated against based on their sexuality. Marriage is a sacred bond between two people that love each other no matter the sex, race, or religion. Everyday homosexuals are treated unfairly; most were born gay and cannot helpRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Issues Controversies Essay example1180 Words   |  5 Pagesnamed gay marriage â€Å"one of the key struggles of our time†. According to the website â€Å"ProCon.org† as of January 6th 2014, 17 states have taken the plunge and legalized same-sex marriage. Marriage is â€Å"one of the basic civil rights of man†. Yet, we are still waiting on 66% of our nation to do the right thing and legalize gay marriage. The ban on gay marriage has deprived gay, lesbian, and bisexuals of many benefits that come with being married. Also, it has been proved that banning gay marriage createdRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal in All States1390 Words   |  5 PagesSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal in All States When you see the word marriage, what do you see or think of? Majorities of Americans will see a man and a woman together. That’s because it is a tradition that marriage is between a man and a woman. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone could marry the love of their life? Unfortunately, same sex marriage is banned in thirty-two states and only legalized in eighteen states. So why can’t gay and lesbian couples marry each other? Same sex marriage is protectedRead More Against Legalizing Homosexual Marriages Essay1293 Words   |  6 PagesAgainst Legalizing Homosexual Marriages The legalized marriage of individuals with the same gender is drawing more attention these days. When asked, most people want to avoid the subject of homosexuality altogether or they have a very strong opinion on it. The debate over whether the United States should allow homosexual couples to marry legally is giving rise to a new social dilemma in our country. This question has courtrooms nervous, churches wavering and equal rights activists angry. Courtrooms

Swot Analysis Mark Emmert - 1721 Words

underhanded activities that occur pervasively throughout the three collegiate divisions. Some such scandals have included the child sex charges brought against the Pennsylvania State University and overall academic misconduct amongst member colleges and universities. This is exactly where the current NCAA president, Mark Emmert is directing his focus: a return to a conservative adherence to the original mission statement, a strict disciplinary strategy against institutional scandals, and an overall modernization of the association. Emmett plans to emphasize leadership of the NCAA in order shift the association away from its capitalistic tendencies (bookshelf.vitalsource.com). Question Three What is the SWOT Analysis? The SWOT analysis is a great way for companies or organizations to determine their brand and product’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In order to more effectively determine these areas, separation of internal and external issues within the company or association is crucial. NCAA SWOT Analysis Strength Analysis As is shown above, the NCAA enjoys a strong brand awareness amongst higher education institutions throughout the United States and Canada. Further, the shift back to the fundamental values of the NCAA is evident in its effort to award scholarship money to both talented and needy college athletes. The NCAA also maintains its member loyalty by closely managing their athletes’ activities apropos of their sports.

Chivalric Songs Essay Research Paper Micro theme free essay sample

Chivalric Songs Essay, Research Paper Micro subject Subject: Courtly songs off differing positions of Chivalry, particularly of Chivalric love. Contrast every bit specifically as possible, the positions on gallantry in one of these braces: # ? s 2 A ; 4, # ? s 6 A ; 7. Courtly vocals, both 2 and 4, contain specific positions on knightly love though their positions differ greatly. From reading both vocals it is obvious that song # 2 centres knightly love around the idolized ( female ) and song # 4 centres knightly love on the lover ( male ) . From song 2 it is clear that to the writer, Bernart, love is paralleled to many things. Love peers: self-honor, fear-rejection, and closeness. In the vocal, the position of knightly award is based on how the lover is affected by the loved and how this shapes him. Within the first stanza love is shown bing joy and self-honor. ? I have joy in it ( love ) , and joy in the flower, and joy in myself, and in my lady most of all? ( lines: 5 A ; 6 ) . We will write a custom essay sample on Chivalric Songs Essay Research Paper Micro theme or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The lay is demoing the felicity that love brings and how that it has a strong consequence on the smitten. In the 3rd stanza the quotation mark, ? ? I can barely maintain myself from running to her ; and I would make it, if I weren? Ts so afraid? ( lines: 22 A ; 23 ) , refers to love doing fear-rejection. The writer feels so strongly about his love that it would injure him to cognize that his love is non accepted or returned. In the last stanza the vocal shows how knightly love can be really close. ? Sweet lady, if merely you would condescend to love me, no 1 will ev Er catch me when I lie? ( lines: 55 56 ) . Sometimes knightly love must be covered up and maintain unknown to anyone. The grounds why can be assumed to be the same as for any immature love today that must be concealed. Song four gets into a wholly different position of chivalric love than song 2. It seems as if the writer, Peire Vidal, centres chivalric love on the lover. The whole vocal points out the facets of the male and what makes him a chivalric lover. Basically, in song four, to be a knightly lover you must be unafraid and good in bed. ? For warrior? s nervus I am deserving Roland and Oliver? ( line13 ) . This quotation mark is one of many within the vocal that point out that knightly love is deemed from award. In this quotation mark the writer is seeking to turn out how he is a maestro of everything, which in bend would do him a really gallant lover. # 8220 ; For I am a knight, and in love I am a maestro of the trade, and of everything that fits when a adult male is with a adult female? ( lines 21 A ; 22 ) . He is doing a point that to be a knightly lover you must be able to delight your lady every bit good as be unafraid. It seems that vocal 2 has a much more romantic attack to chivalric love than song 4 does. The writer of vocal 2 bases knightly love around his lover? in kernel giving himself to delight her. Song 4 on the other manus seems to value being brass and controlling of the lover. This attitude is portrayed to turn out knightly award. Both vocals deliver contrasting messages on what knightly love is ; one based on love and the other on manfulness.

Today, Telecommunications Technology Affects Lives To A Greater Degree

Today, telecommunications technology affects lives to a greater degree than ever before. Communication has evolved over many years from the earliest attempts at verbal communication to the use of sophisticated technology to enhance the ability to communicate effectively with others. Every time a telephone call is made, a television is watched, or a personal computer is used, benefits of telecommunication technologies are being received. The concept of telecommunications may be defined as the transmission of information from one location to another by electronic means. Telecommunications is using electronic systems to communicate. Life is changing constantly and has been changing faster since the rapid advancements in telecommunication. Because of continuing attempts to find better and more efficient ways to communicate, the process of communication has steadily improved. Many of these improvements were made without the use of electronic technology. Human beings' earliest attempts at communication were through nonverbal means such as facial expressions and gesturing. The use of these nonverbal signs, prehistoric people were able to communicate emotions such as fear, anger, and happiness. More specific motions, such as pointing, allowed them to convey more information. Verbal communication probably started with a series of disorganized but meaningful sounds (grunts and snarls). These sounds slowly developed into a system of organized, spoken language that truly allowed humans to share information (Croal 59). Writing, which is the use of symbols to represent language, began with early cave drawings, progressed to picture writings such as hieroglyphics, and finally evolved into the handwritten language we use today (Croal 61). As civilization developed, people found it necessary to communicate their ideas to one another over greater distances. The earliest method of transporting information was to carry it from place to place; but as the development of commerce made speed an essential part, greater effort was expended to increase the rate at which ideas were transmitted (Croal62). The search for rapid transport of information led to the formation of the pony express in 1860 (Cozic 77). Although the pony express required several weeks to carry mail from the East Coast to the West Coast, it was a vast improvement over the earlier methods. The pony express was not the only time humans teamed up with animals to attempt to improve communications. Dogs and pigeons were used to carry messages, especially during wartime . Most, if not all, of the early forms of communication had two significant problems. Both the speed at which information could be effectively communicated and the distance over which information could be sent were severely limited. With the advancements in forms of electronic communication, these problems were solved. It was even before the pony express that a true technological breakthrough was made. In 1844, the first electronic transmission occurred when Samuel Morse developed a system of dots and dashes to symbolize letters of the alphabet. A transmission device called the telegraph was used to send the coded signals over wires. The telegraph was to become the primary method of reliable and rapid communication during the American Civil War. It took quite a few years to link the major cities of America by telegraph wires, but by 1861 the pony express was replaced . Telegraphic communication became a major part of America's business and military history. One of the early telegraph companies, Western Union, became the dominant carrier. Today, Western Union, through the use of modern technology, transmits information twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Actual voice communication over distance finally became possible in 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell held the first telephone conversation with his assistant, Thomas Watson . This alternative to written communication rapidly helped the telephone become the world's most important communication tool. By 1866 the first successful attempt to link Europe and America by undersea cable had been accomplished. This cable was capable of carrying telegraph data only . The telephone today remains a vital tool, and like the telegraph, the telephone is constantly being improved by m odern technology. By 1900, the goal of communication technologists was to find a method of transmitting messages over long distances without the need for wires. That dream became reality in 1901 when Gugliellmo Marconi and two assistants stood on a hill in Newfoundland and listened carefully to their receiver.

Love In Midsummer Nights Dream Essays - Hermia, Demetrius, Egeus

Love In Midsummer Night's Dream Love is something that will never be defined. No one knows what love is. When Egeus describes it as being ?feign?, and ?cunning?, he is, for the most part, corredt. Love can sneak on a person, or a person can sneak up on it. I can back the former from personal experience. Love can be truly cunning, and when it is, it hurts. For example, Hermia and Lysander have to make plans to elope because otherwise they cannot be together because of her father, Theseus. Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius because Theseus likes him better. This makes the love that Lysander and Hermia have for each other hurt more than love already should, and then puts them in danger when they decide to elope. Thus, love can be a problem. One solution to this would be for Lysander to challenge Demetrius to a duel, as was a custom in Shakespeare's days. If Lysander won, then he and Hermia would no longer have to worry about him, and they could be wed. In this however, there is a problem in the solution. Love is one of those things where there is no real ?Gray Area?. Many people know if they are or if they aren't. It's something that just comes. Often at the wrong times, like when it is not returned. Love can be a blessing, though, when it is returned, and can lead to many years of joy and prosperity, as long as the love is respected. Often times though, love is deceitful, and can stop on a dime. There is no solution for that.

Empirical research o n rti in Central Information Essays - India

Empirical research o n rti in Central Information Essays - India empirical research o n rti in Central Information commission Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Chapter I: Introduction PAGEREF _Toc373924028 \h 1 1.Overview PAGEREF _Toc373924029 \h 1 2.Review of Literature PAGEREF _Toc373924030 \h 1 3.Research Questions PAGEREF _Toc373924031 \h 3 4.Hypothesis PAGEREF _Toc373924032 \h 3 5.Objective of Research PAGEREF _Toc373924033 \h 3 6.Rationale of Research PAGEREF _Toc373924036 \h 3 7.Research Methodology and Design PAGEREF _Toc373924037 \h 3 8.Scheme of research PAGEREF _Toc373924038 \h 4 chapter II: Theoretical analysis PAGEREF _Toc373924039 \h 5 chapter III: Empirical analysis PAGEREF _Toc373924040 \h 10 Chapter IV- Recommendations and Suggestions PAGEREF _Toc373924041 \h 12 Bibliography PAGEREF _Toc373924042 \h 13 Annexure I.14 Chapter I: Introduction Overview The Right to Information Act, 2005 came into force after the Freedom of Information Act, 2002 was repealed. This act came in with the basic objective to promote openness, transparency and accountability in administration. In the case of S.P. Gupta v. President of India, the Supreme Court first mentioned that "The right to know, receive and import information has been recognised within the right to freedom of speech and expression. A citizen has a fundamental right to use the best means of imparting and receiving information and as such to have an access to telecasting for the purpose." Thus, the right to information has been considered as a basic feature of the Constitution fundamental right under article 19 (1). Corruption which had taken root at all levels of governance had prevented a clear and uninhibited flow of information from the state to the government. Unlike many other countries (for e.g. UK) which took several years to operationalise the Act post the enactment, India took only a few months to bring it into force. This time was inadequate to change the mindset of the people in Government, create infrastructure, develop new processes and build capacity to deliver information under this Act. Thus, the aim of the paper is to see if there are any shortcomings to the RTI Act and what can be done to mend the loopholes left by the legislature. Review of Literature To make this paper the researcher has used the help of various books, articles and cases to come up with a suitable research and a conclusive answer Books Articles Subhash C. Kashyap , Constitutional Law of India, 3rd Ed, Volume 2, 2008, Wadhwa and Wadhwa , Nagpur . Key Issues and Constraints in implementing the RTI Act, Final Understanding the "Key Issues and Constraints" in implementing the RTI Act, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Final Understanding the "Key Issues and Constraints" in implementing the RTI Act, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Annexure I. RIGHT TO INFORMATION- A STUDY, Orissa Review , Nov ., 2006. http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/Parliament_of_India.pdf . Abhinav Garg , Private schools fall under RTI: Court, Times of India, Published on May 3, 2013, 02.45AM IST, accessed at http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-03/news/39008319_1_ews-quota-private-unaided-schools Press Release by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Amendment to the Right to Information Act, 2005, Accesed at http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=97577 . Guide For Public Authorities, accessed from http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02rti/1_4_2008_IR(Eng).pdf Cases S.P. Gupta v. President AIR 1982 SC 149 Tamil Nadu Road Development Co. Ltd. Vs. Tamil Nadu Information Commission and Anr (2008) 145 CompCas 248(Mad) Ravneet Kaur v. The Christian Medical College AIR 1998 PH 1 D.A.V. College Trust and Management Society and Ors. Vs. Director of Public Instruction and Ors AIR2008P H117 Chandigarh University, Village Gharuan v State of Punjab others AIR 2013 PH 187 Shri Nisa Ahmed Srika and others v. LIC housing Finance Limited and Others CIC/AT/A/2007/0735, 729, 1370 and .CIC/AT/A/2008/1420 Shri Subhash Chandra Aggarwal and Anr v. Indian National Congress/ All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Others CIC/SM/C/2011/001386. Research Questions What is the scope of Public Authority under section 2 (h)? Should political parties be included under the scope of Public authority? Hypothesis The researcher thinks that the scope of public authority can be expanded through interpretation and should be expanded to cover all possible public bodies. Objective of Research To see how the scope of "public authority" is expanding and why there is a need to expand this word. To see why political parties should come within the scope of "Public Authority" Rationale of Research The reason why the researcher took such an endeavour because as much as understanding the efficacy of the Act is essential, an even more essential aspect is

Is aptitude a factor in second language acquisition Essay

Is aptitude a factor in second language acquisition - Essay Example Aptitude is defined as being an inherent ability and a capacity for learning that goes beyond intelligence. It is â€Å"a combination of abilities and other characteristics, whether native or acquired, that are indicative of an individual’s ability to learn or develop proficiency in some particular area if appropriate education or training is provided†. Aptitude is most definitely a factor in second language acquisition (SLA). However, the importance of aptitude is also dependent on a number of other factors. It is one of the many variables which play a part in determining the speed and comprehensiveness in which an individual gains fluency in a second language. Factors such as age, education level, motivation and general intelligence are also fundamental to a person’s ability to acquire a second language. The purpose of this essay is to establish just how great a role aptitude plays in SLA and its relationship to other aspects. In order to ascertain this, I will analyze academic works on the subject, before outlining what these works reveal about the function aptitude has in gaining fluency in a second language. In his article, ‘Aptitude and Second Language Acquisition’, Peter Robinson characterizes second language (L2) learning aptitude as â€Å"strengths individual learners have – relative to their population – in the cognitive abilities information processing draws on during L2 learning and performance in various contexts and at different stages†. According to Robinson, neural differences, underlying abilities and SLA processes lie at a ‘subcomputational, physical’ level.

Ethical Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Theory - Assignment Example The utilitarian theory is applicable in this situation based on several factors. Firstly, it provides an opportunity to evaluate the morality of end of life medical support. Secondly, the value of end of life medical support can be evaluated by listing both the positive and negative outcomes of the issue. Allowing end of life care will give patients autonomy over their health. This is a good thing because everyone should have a viable alternative should the illness become too painful. In addition, they will enhance the management of resources. For example, the death of terminally ill patients will free up health care resources for other patients. However, the arguments made against the practice also offer some interesting and valid information on the issue. Firstly, it is believed that the practice will encourage individuals to commit suicide. Secondly, there is a possibility that doctors would recommend the practice as a means of saving resources. Thirdly, the life of any human bein g is sacred and should not be ended by their decision or through the decisions of other people. A comparison of arguments presented by both parties reveal that the practice will do more good than harm. In addition, contingency measures can be taken to regulate the practice. For example, there should be laws that state the conditions under which it will be acceptable. In addition, the doctors should exercise due diligence and ensure that they give their patients sufficient information to enable them to make informed choices (Yadav, 2006). This may include telling them that exercising their power of self rule may work against their best interests (Savory & Marco, 2009). This places a lot of power on doctors who may have vested interests in seeing the patient choose End of Life Care Support. The major strength of this theory is that it seeks to find the greatest ratio of good to evil. As a result, it supports the practice since it limits the drain of resources for

Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Essay The words, â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark,† (citation) are spoken by Marcellus when Hamlet decides to follow the ghost without paying any heed to the possible repercussions. The appearance of a ghost is itself a bad omen, as on his first spotting of the ghost Horatio foreshadows, â€Å"this bodes some strange eruption to our state† (I. i. 69). It is a problematic phenomenon which portends danger to the state. Through Horatio’s words,† And then it started like a guilty thing / Upon a fearful summons. I have heard/ the cock that is the trumpet of the to the morn†, it is indicated in the play that the ghost might stir turmoil in Denmark. Its supernatural appearance and urgent departure at the end of witching hour signifies malice and nothing good can come out of it. The witching hour according to the Elizabethans is the time of night when supernatural activity occurred and evil is at its apex. The ghost is of Hamlet Sr. who is ruthlessly murdered by his own brother Claudius. Hence another aspect of rottenness in Denmark is the King’s murder. We find out about the murder when the ghost describes the manner of his death in the following words, â€Å"Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, / With juice of cursed hebanon in a vial, / And in the porches of mine ear did pour†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I. v. 62-64). The death of Hamlet Sr. is followed by a hasty marriage between Claudius and Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. It is unnatural for a wife to marry her husband’s brother and that too so soon after his demise. Hamlet is deeply offended and miffed by his mother’s lack of grief. In Elizabethan times, a murder was considered to be the worst of all crimes. Moreover, it was incestuous to marry your sister in law, as it is righteously condemned by Hamlet, She married: O most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! † (I. ii. 156-157). Another mishap is the succession of Claudius as the King of Denmark when Hamlet is rightfully entitled to the throne, and Claudius’ words are just ironic when he says â€Å"†¦ for let the world take note, / You are the most immediate to our throne† (I. ii. 108-109). It should be Hamlets throne after his father’s death, not after Claudius. These events prove to be one blow after another to the natural order of being, destroying the balance, paving the way for absurd events because the very laws of nature are being disobeyed.

Types of Analysis for Strategic Planning

Types of Analysis for Strategic Planning Task 1 Internal Assessment Sometimes, it is something inside the organization that demands a major change. It can be technological change forcing new methods of carrying out its work, Cost efficiency/Performance, Assets condition/Productivity, Organizational culture and image, Organizational structure, Key staff, Operational efficiency, Operational capacity, Brand awareness, Market share and financial resources. External Assessment Sometimes the outside world forces such decisions on the organization. Such forces may include major shifts in the market, big changes in government policy, market competition, distribution methods, and the geography in which you will compete to get result Assumptions We can assume certain alternative that can be true in forming strategy and from which conclusion can be drawn, as the strategy is based on assumptions Priority issues We must address our priority issues. It can be cost of production, service level and delivery, organization and material effectiveness, customer service and friendliness, new product/service innovation and quality RESULT REQUIRED The second step to identify where do we want to be? We must set our mission and objective to reach our goals. Mission/ Vision It can be defined as what the company is to become over set period of time. To be effective the vision must be simple. It must be something that the people within the business can identify easily and it must have tangible impact on the business. Objectives Objectives are concrete goals that the organization seeks to reach, for example, an earnings growth target. The objectives should be challenging but achievable. They also should be measurable so that the company can monitor its progress and make corrections as needed. HOW The third step to find out how will we get there? We should make some strategy and proper programs to reach our goals. Strategic development process is dynamic and continuous. A change in one component can necessitate a change in the entire strategy. As such, the process must be repeated frequently in order to adapt the strategy to environmental changes. Throughout the process the firm may need to cycle back to a previous stage and make adjustments. IMPLEMENTATION The fourth step to define who must do what. Once a strategy is developed it is most important how to implement it and for effective implementation, it needs to be translated into more detailed policies that can be understood at the functional level of the organization. As strategy forms at corporate level, it should be translated into specific policies for functional areas such as marketing, R D, production, Human resources, Information Systems. REVIEWS The final step is to review once implemented, the results of the strategy need to be measured and evaluated, with changes made as required to keep the plan on track. Control systems should be developed and implemented to facilitate this monitoring. Standards of performance are set, the actual performance measured, and appropriate action taken to ensure success. Example: In my previous organization in Dubai, having two divisions, dealing in waterproofing and insulation materials and both were doing well. The management realized scope of further expansion into interior business. The Chairman has three sons. Two of them looking after two divisions and the third just returned from abroad after completing his studies. The company had enough resources, financial, premise etc. to start the new business. The chairman utilized all of the available resources efficiently and started a new interior business. Now I realized that they had followed above strategic planning process to be success and still they are doing well. Task 2 How does one involve stakeholders in the strategic planning process and give examples of what tools you might use to review strategic options. As an organization grows, it becomes more important that all those involved are clear about what the organization is looking to achieve and how it is planning to do it. Each organization should identify those with a legitimate interest in its work (stakeholders) and ensure that there is regular and effective communication with them about the organization. It is therefore worthwhile reviewing who the stakeholders are in the organization because they help to get job done more effectively. Stakeholders may vary according to the nature of the organization but most common can be explained in following diagram. Suppliers Government Customers Organization Bank / Financial Institution Employees Competitors How to engage stakeholders while developing strategy Personal Interviews It can provide quite detailed and rich data on individual behavior and attitudes. Data gathered with this process can help to develop strategy more effectively. Focus Groups Under this method people are selected and invited to meet together to discuss some aspect of a particular product or services which is helpful in making strategic decision. Advertising: It is a form of communication that helps to persuade potential customer to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service. If the strategy is to develop for a new product then view of prospective customer can be obtained by this means. Newspaper inserts: It enables advertiser to target their advertisement to specific geographic market. Mostly it covers local area and strategy planner can get the feedback from relevant stakeholders. Web/Online Surveys One of the most sophisticated and modern method to involve stakeholders in strategy planning process. It’s quick and more accurate and solves the distribution and result collection problems. Conferences: Company can arrange conferences where views can be exchange which will help the planner to form the strategy accordingly. Stakeholders are invited to discuss on a particular topic. Workshop / problem solving meetings: It is like a meeting emphasizing interactions and exchange of information among a usually small number of participants. Newsletters: A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication, generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. For example Company send newsletter to their employees to update their market position and any future development. Annual report: It is a complete report of an organization’s activities throughout the preceding year. It is normally sent to Shareholders and other interested stakeholders informing about the company’s activities and financial performance. It has been observed that individual stakeholders usually may have their own interests which they will ensure are protected and valued. It means that stakeholders can influence negatively or positively the performance of an organization. It is therefore important for an organization to determine which stakeholders can have a positive or negative impact on their organization so that the positive effects are promoted and the negative effects are managed so as to minimize damage. For example employees of an organization will be concerned about their job security and salaries and other benefits and while planning the strategy if they are not involved in planning process they may resist due to some risk, which they don’t want to take but if they are better educated they will help to achieve strategic goal. There are three important tools that can be used to review strategic options. †¢ Suitability †¢ Feasibility †¢ Acceptability Suitability: This is one of the important tools while developing a strategic plan. The planner must ensure that the strategy he is planning, will it be adjusted with the current environment and are we competent enough to face the challenges. Suitability is a decisive factor for assessing the extent to which a proposed strategy fits the situation identified in the strategic analysis, and how it would sustain or improve the competitive position of the organization. Some authors have referred to this as ‘consistency’. Suitability is therefore a useful tool for screening strategies. For example, if a strategy is likely to improve the organization’s competitive standing then we should find out, can we able to resolve the company’s liquidity problems, or decrease dependence on a particular supplier? Feasibility: Whether it can be implemented successfully. The organization must evaluate their resources and at the evaluation stage there are a number of fundamental questions which need to be asked when assessing feasibility. For example: Can the strategy be funded? Are we capable of performing to the required level (e.g., quality level, service level)? Can the necessary market position be achieved, and will the necessary marketing skills be available? Will the required skills at both managerial and operative level are available? Will the technology (both product and process) be available to compete effectively? Can the necessary materials and services be obtained? It is also important to consider all of these questions with respect to the timing of the required changes. Acceptability: Alongside suitability and feasibility, it is the third factor to review strategic options. This can be a difficult area, since acceptability is strongly related to peoples expectations, and therefore the issue of acceptable to whom? Following essential questions need to be asked when assessing Acceptability. Return What will be the effect on capital structure? Profitability analyses (return on capital employed, payback period, discounted cash flow, market valuation, etc.) Risk Will the function of any department, group or individual change significantly? Financial ratio projections; Sensitivity analysis; Decision matrices Stakeholder Expectations Will the organization’s relationship with outside stakeholders (e.g., suppliers, government, unions, and customers) need to change? Needs, power, interest, and predictability of stakeholders. Task 3 Prepare an example SWOT analysis of an organization you know or have studied listing the 4 key (SWOT) elements in a table. Explain how strategic planner will use the analysis in developing the strategy using some of the example elements you have listed. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors, which relates with resources. Opportunities and threats are external factors which relates with environment. SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment and is often used to highlight where a business or organization is and where it could be in the future. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. The following SWOT analysis looks at PRIMARK which is an Irish clothing retailer. The SWOT analysis will give a clear picture of the business environment PRIMARK is operating in at the present time. Strengths: The strengths of a business or organization are positive elements, something they do well and are under their control. The following section will outline main strengths of PRIMARK. A strong brand is an essential strength of PRIMARK as it is recognized and respected. Competitive pricing is a vital element of their overall success, as this keeps them in line with their rivals, if not above them. The lucrative location. mostly on high street adds up PRIMARK strengths due to its accessibility Keeping costs lower than their competitors and keeping the cost advantages helps PRIMARK pass on some of the benefits to consumers. There distribution chain is one of their strengths and links to success. Supplier relationships are strong at PRIMARK, which strengthens their overall performance. Weaknesses: Weaknesses of an organization is things that need to be improved or perform better, which are under their control. Weaknesses are also things that place you behind competitors. This section will present main weaknesses of PRIMARK. They don’t have good advertising technique to tell customers about their business. There limited product line is a major weakness. PRIMARK does not functions wider international market, which has an effect on success, as they do not reach consumers in more `overseas markets. Due to lower price more customer visit in their store but they don’t have enough checkout counters to avoid long queue. Opportunities: Opportunities are external changes, trends or needs that could enhance the business or organization’s strategic position, or which could be of a benefit to them. This section will outline opportunities that PRIMARK is currently facing. Decrease in taxation is an opportunity for them to reduce prices or increase profits. New market opportunities are a way to push them forward. PRIMARK has the opportunity to enter a niche market, gain leading position and therefore boost financial performance. Expanding the product lines by PRIMARK could help them raise sales and increase their product portfolio. They can enjoy benefits from reduction in interest rates so that business costs would come down. Expanding into other markets could be a possibility for them. Threats: Threats are factors which may restrict, damage or put areas of the business or organization at risk. They are the factors which are outside of the companys control. Being aware of the threats and being able to prepare for them makes this section valuable when considering contingency plans and strategies. This section will outline main threats PRIMARK is currently facing. Consumer lifestyle changes could lead to less of a demand for its products. Changes in the way consumers shop and spend and other changing consumer patterns could be a threat to their performance. Being undercut by low-cost imports is a major threat for them. Slow growth and decline of the retail market is a threat to them. Increased competition from overseas is another threat to them as it could lead to lack of interest in their product. The actions of a competitor could be a major threat against PRIMARK, for instance, if they bring in new technology or increase their workforce to meet demand. Price wars between competitors, price cuts and so on could damage profits for them. A slow economy or financial slowdown could have a major impact on their business and profits. PRIMARK could be threatened by the growing power customers have to set the price of their products. Conclusion Given this analysis we come to realize that each organization has its own external and internal problems to handle. The process in which we enable to identify and analyze such problems is by using proper management method of analysis like SWOT. The SWOT analysis is useful in a difficult strategic situation. The strengths are analyzed to reach opportunities and to avoid threats. The search of weaknesses is of importance as it allows the manager to minimize them. It also explains what unique resources you have and what you can offer that makes you stand from the rest. Task 4 Explain the differences between balanced scorecard, scenario planning, cost benefit analysis and sensitivity analysis giving at least one example of where each technique would be most appropriately applied Balance Scorecard The balance scorecard is a performance management tool to measuring whether the smaller-scale operational activities of a company are aligned with its larger- scale objectives in terms of vision and strategy. By focusing not only on financial outcomes but also on the operational, marketing and developments inputs to these, the balance scorecard helps provide a more comprehensive view of a business, which in turn helps organization act in their best long-term interests. It was proposed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in 1996 In the balance scorecard we refer to the several different kinds of balance. For example -The balance between short and the long term. -The balance between four perspectives. The Balance scorecard approach generally has four perspectives: Finance: Return on Investment, Cash flow, Return on capital employed Financial results (quarterly/Yearly) Internal business processes: Process alignment (is the right process in the right department?) Learning and growth Is there the correct level of expertise for the job? Employee turnover Source Businessball.com Job satisfaction Training learning opportunity Customer: Delivery performance to customer Quality performance for customer Customer satisfaction rate Customer percentage of market Customer retention rate Scenario Planning Scenario planning is a method for learning about the future by understanding the nature and impact of the most uncertain and important driving forces affecting our world. It is a group process which encourages knowledge exchange and development of mutual deeper understanding of central issues important to the future of the business. It is a process of visualizing What future conditions or events are probable? What their consequences or effects would be like and how to respond to, or benefit from them. Four aspect should taken into consideration in scenario planning Future scientific capabilities Technological developments The role of business and government Social attitudes The transport for London is having scenario planning about future development like air conditioning in Tube. Cost benefits Analysis The process involves, weighting the total expected costs against the total expected benefits in order to choose the best or most profitable option. It is typically used by governments to evaluate the desirability of a given intervention. It is an analysis of the cost effectiveness of different alternatives in order to see whether the benefits are greater than costs. The costs and benefits of the impacts of an intervention are evaluated in terms of the public’s willingness to pay for them (benefits) or willingness to pay to avoid them (cost) inputs are typically measured in terms of opportunity costs the value in their best alternative use. The guiding principle is to list all parties affected by an intervention and place a monetary value of the effect it has on their welfare as it would be valued by them. Sensitivity Analysis It is a technique for determining the outcome of a decision if a key prediction turns out to be wrong. ‘The Study of how the uncertainty in the output of a model (numerical or otherwise) can be apportioned to different sources of uncertainty in the model input’ Suppose that the manager of an organization just completed a linear programming solution which will have a major impact on the company, such as determining how much to increase the overall production capacity and are about the present the results to the board of directors. How confident are you in the results? How much will the results change if your basic data (e.g. profit per item produced, or availability of a component) is slightly wrong? Will that have a minor impact on your results? Will it give a completely different outcome, or change the outcome only slightly? Bibliography: Primark.co.uk Thompson John L . Strategic Management . 4th Ed Team-based strategic planning By C. Davis Fogg 1994 http://www.netmba.com/strategy/process/ JOHNSON, G., and SCHOLES, K. (1997). Exploring Corporate Strategy, Fourth Edition, Prentice Hall, New York. [Chapter 8] Business dictionary.com Cases in public policy analysis by George M. Guess, Paul G. Farnham Wikipedia.org Practical Optimization: a gentle Introduction – John W. Chinneck, 2000 A Practical guide to using the Balanced scorecard By Nils-Gà ¶ran Olve, Anna Sjà ¶strand, Carl-Johan Petri Businessball.com http://www.well.com/~mb/scenario_planning/ dft.gov.uk Sensitivity analysis in practice by Andrea Saltelli, Stefano Tarantola, Francesca Campolongo

Psychological problems Essay

Early adulthood characterizes a salient developmental phase in the life cycle. There are times, though, when psychological problems begin to appear at this time. Among these key psychological problems include: finding a secure personal identity, making mature intimate relationships, forming up of ideological values looking to the future, identifying a longstanding vocation and realizing one’s bearing. This being a formative period in life, the issue of identity plays a crucial role in sexuality, gender and intimacy. Young adults deal with these elements in more peculiar way. This is because they have energy, hope and idealism that affect the whole society. In the long run, the society plays a major role in affecting the development of young adults. The emotional ups-and-downs tend to drop in early adulthood and become more private and subtler. The young adults are also faced with the desire to have children. This may be because they feel lonely just after college and the fact that they are independent miss closeness to high school and college friends. Some young adults find it difficult to establish mature and intimate relationships. This may be centrally attributed to the way the society defines physical appearance. In this case, for example, an obese young adult may suffer emotionally just because the society relates pleasant appearance to slenderness (especially in women). There exists a presumption that the obese are lazy or glutton. This instills feelings of rejection, depression and shame in the young adult and therefore hampering the making of relationships. The young adults also have a problem with getting to understand their bearing. This is the time you will find them, out of desperation, engaging in alcoholism. According to Boyd, D. & Bee, H. (2006) there exists a correlation between young adult personality and alcohol behavior problems. This however differs for men and women. It is higher in males than females. This is due to shared environmental effects among males. Here some individuals may feel that they are not good enough in the environment they are in because they can’t find job that measure up to their intellectual level. There is also this perception that everyone is doing better than you are in the environment. It is argued that in early adulthood one is likely to suffer from some health problems associated with their psychology (Santrock 2008). In formation on the determinants of health in early adulthood show various transitions necessary to health and later life. Psychological distress causes poor health in early adulthood. The psychological problems may be brought about by the individuals feeling insecure regarding the (1) near future, (2) the long-term plans, life goals, and (3) present accomplishments. When finding a long-lasting vocation become elusive, some individuals feel insecure. For educated individuals who have come to terms with the real life especially in terms of responsibilities experience career stagnation and become extremely insecure. Here they taste the tough, competitive and unforgiving world as they ever imagined. Even with the qualifications they have spent much money and time on are not able to prepare them for this disenchantment. Birren and Schaie (1985) in their book psychology of aging postulates that many individuals after college graduation do not live up to a good standard of living. Many end up in low class houses with roommates instead of having better income to suffice their needs. These substandard living conditions and repetitive work create a lot of anxiety, anger and frustration. They deny feeling like losers and this secrecy intensifies the problem more. Reference: 1. Birren, J. E. , and Schaie, K. W. (Eds. ). (1985). Handbook of the psychology of aging. 2nd Ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. 2. Boyd, D. & Bee, H. (2006). Lifespan Development (4th Ed. ). New York: NY. Allyn and Bacon. 3. Santrock, J. W. (2008) Life-span development (11th Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill. Payne, V. G. , & Isaacs, L. D. (2008). Human motor development: A lifespan approach (6th Ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill.

What were the most important 5 environmental facts that you learned for this semester?

1. Business issues and environmental issues can not be separated. The environmental problems that the world faces today can not be completely resolved unless business world becomes a helping force in resolving them. Business world has the social responsibility to help resolve the environmental issues. It is inevitable to indulge corporate world in solving the issues of environment since they are one of the major contributors of the environmental problems in the first place, because industrialization and other forms of product production are caused by human activity. . There is a strong relationship between environmental protection and corporate competitiveness. Hoffman presented two schools of thought: a. the win- win perspective b. the win- lose perspective. Surely, there are disadvantages of environmental protection to the companies’ sense of competitiveness however those environmental programs can also open up to many opportunities and new ideas to these companies. Business should always be more than profit. 3. Environmental issues and problems are sometimes lamented and perceive as a market failure. The issue is sometimes selfishly approach by the corporate world for the purpose of only regulatory compliance. For them, environmental issues are unwanted constraining factors that restrict them to gain more profit. 4. The concept of environmental responsibility challenges the corporations to handle and consume the material resources wisely. The limited choices challenge the business world to be more creative in designing products that will conform to the standards of environmentalism. According to Hoffman, different challenges in developing new products, processes and raw materials in the face of environmental demands are within industries today. 5. Recycling sometimes uses more energy than it saves which make it a questionable environmental strategy. It is more cost effective to look for new products in nature than in the artificial and costly laboratory environment (Hoffman p. 21). That’s why resources must be creatively seek in nature itself without compromising its destruction. In the next 3 years how will you use what you learned in those chapters 1,2,3,4,5 ? As a social responsible individual, it is significant to always reconsider the issues of environment before establishing a business. As for me, business must take into account environmental concerns in addition to business’ and economic progress. One of the values a company should live by is to fulfill their human responsibility to protect the environment for future consumption. The further destruction of the environment if not stop must be prevented. As an educated person who has given the opportunity to learn on how to cope with environmental issues in the corporate world, I have a greater responsibility to adhere to the governmental or internal regulations for the protection of the environment. As for my company, I will create new innovated products derived from environmental activities. I believed that handling environmental issues or concerns are a matter of perspective. It can be viewed as something beneficial that may create many opportunities for business people such as the managers to work on various kinds of environmental strategy. I will indulge myself to environmental activities that will help me acquire knowledge that I could impose to my future employees. Environmental issues must not be taken as a threat to the company’s sense of competitiveness but rather it must be approach in a manner that it will open many opportunities. Environmental as Hoffman stresses should not be regarded as restrictions for market development. Definitely, my business framework and one of my business ethical standards will be a proponent of environmental conservation. Employees and people who will consume my products should be aware as well. If we were to do the class over what information would you like to see included? Almost all the information that a business student needs in regards to the relationship of environmental issues and corporate world has been discussed. However, I would like the class to discuss more on the issues of world ecosystem as capital assets for economic progress. It is significant in my own opinion to further discuss the vital services of ecosystem including the production and innovation of goods to motivate business minded people to indulge themselves in environmental concerns. Also the class should help the future business minded people in terms of fundamental steps in decision making in choosing the best products to establish that will conform to the state’s environmental programs.

Analytical Essay Sample on Global Business Management

Analytical Essay Sample on Global Business Management Global business management can be defined as the interaction of people from different cultures, societies, and various backgrounds in undertaking various business activities with the aim of achieving their goals for example earning profits from their investments. Because of invention of advanced technology the world has increasingly become a village and as a result global business is the modern form of business in this 21st century. Because of globalization there have been great disregard to national borders, governments have lower hand in controlling the flow of their economies and MNC’s are now not restricted to only one particular country as it was before. The reality and existence of globalization can be witnessed when patterns of trade are considered, for example the general level of imports and exports in several countries have magnificently increased over the past few years. Also globalization have led to significant increase in production of business services for example firms dealing with Just-in-Time (JIT) ideas have led to customers getting information .e.g. of accounting and auditing conveniently. Also due to globalization financial systems organizations have now been integrated and they work as one unit thus enhancing the chances of conducting business globally for example through the use of Credit Cards and the existence of flexible exchange control systems in many countries. It is therefore important to identify different approaches to global business management which can be employed in a business setting of management across cultures and across a diverse workforce in a global setting. Globalization is also now vividly evident because of the way people migrate from one country to another without much difficulty, for example different countries have relaxed their stringent traveling rules to allow ample time for business activities to be undertaken. It is also critical to look into how respective managers can maximize the practical applications of these approaches to Multi-National Companies (MNCs) such as Coca Cola Company. International Business management practice is the greatest concept that must be understood clearly by all managers and Chief Executives Officers of MNC’s before going global. It is the process of applying management concepts and techniques in multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. This process is influenced by new technologies, improved communication and transportation systems. It involves identifying the suitable approaches to going global and understanding all the advantages and disadvantages of each approach before going global in any business undertaking. Any company may invest in another country and there are different approaches that a manager can employ depending on the factors that the respective organizations are considering, for example; the cost of entering the new market, existing policies in the country of choice, the rate of technology, foreign currency exchange rate control systems among others. According to John Tomlinson in globalization and culture he argues that, globalization lies at the heart of modern culture and cultural practices lies at the heart of globalization. He says that business globalization has led firms that operate and invest in a global scale to transform patterns of trade and shape the interactions between them for example through mergers. Under this case that we want to create subsidiaries and invest in the UK, Africa, and China as a senior manager, I can recommend the following strategies of entering the market to be suitable; The first approach to be considered is that of exporting and depends on a number of factors that includes the following; the available resources that a firm is capable of spending, the size of the company, if the company posses any past export experience and expertise or it is trying it for the first time, conditions of conducting business in the selected abroad market and products nature for example if the products are perishable or durable. Under exporting there are two methods namely; direct exporting and Indirect exporting. Direct exporting involves the producer of the products or services dealing directly with a buyer in the foreign country and often regarded as the difficult method of entry because the owner or the exporter of the product is entirely responsible for the business undertaking for example researching the suitable market for the products and establishing the suitable distribution channels to be used. Therefore this method requires much attention in terms of management and the resources to be used in the entire exporting process. It is also arguably the best method because the exporter may benefit from reaping maximum profits and may enjoy long-term growth thus the company can maintain its base in those countries. Under direct exporting I may choose to use modes such as agents and distributors, domestic sales representatives, overseas sales office or subsidiary. Such methods have various advantages that will help my company exploit the host markets, for example agents and distributors are familiar with the market, there are existing business contacts and sales people are always dedicated to the customers thus can boost business activities in these host countries that is UK, Africa and China. Under indirect exporting an exporter can access foreign market free from risks of doing it directly. It involves the use of independent organizations within the exporters domestic markets. It can be done through various ways, for example, a domestic based export merchants, who take the title of the goods and sells them in those countries abroad, domestic based export agents who sell and market the goods on behalf of the exporter and co-operative organizations who act on behalf of the producers. I can prefer the use of one of the above methods of entry because of the following advantages; communication is very much easy because the exporting company is domestically based and the risks of investing are much lower than coming up with full market in the host country. This approach might be cumbersome to undertake because the cost of getting links with agents thus taking long time to establish a market. An example here is that to export companys product to various countries e.g. in China or UK and identify merchants and agents to market my products Another approach of entering the new market and it will help in opening of branches in the UK, Africa and China is a method of entry called relationship based partnership and comprises of the following; Joint venture partnership whereby it can be defined as a partnership created by one or more companies with a view to carry out a business together. They contribute equally to the business and agree to share any profits in a certain percent in the course of the business. Such a business is referred to as equity joint venture and it is favorable because there is sharing of risk and loses. There is also contract joint venture which involves creation of new firms in which foreign and local investors share ownership and control. Generally joint ventures are common where government conditions demand so in order to ensure control, nationalism and reduced re-patriation of profits. It will be an ideal situation if the company that am working for is still young and wish to exploit other markets for their products since it require fewer resources. However, it has potential problems and includes sharing of profits, employment issues, market coverage and decision making due to different long-term interest in partners. Another relationship based partnership that I can use is licensing method of entry, whereby they can be termed as contracts in which a foreign licensor provides a local license with access to know-how in exchange for financial compensation. I can prefer to use this method because it presents an opportunity to entering markets that may have been otherwise closed to exports and also it will not require my company to have substantial capital investments in the host market horizon that is UK, Africa and China. However, I may be faced with problems like loosing production control of my company’s products. Also still under relationship based partnership I will suggest that my company consider franchising as a method of entry. Franchising involves one partner called franchisor licensing trademarks and established methods of entry to a party called a franchisee in swap for a recurring compensation. A good example that illustrates this method is that of the Coca-Cola Company selling its syrup together with the rights to use its trademark and name to other independent bottlers. I can recommend this method of entry to my company because it is easy to start the business abroad, there is room for rapid expansion, there is stable offering of the same products for a long time and therefore will attract customers and most of the time franchisors offer training for free that is always not offered to individuals setting up their businesses. Strategic alliance method of entry can also be employed under relationship based partnership in going international which involves formal partnership between two or more parties to undertake a common business with the view of attaining same objective but the parties involved always remains independent to each other. Business resources to be shared may include common distribution, channel, knowledge, products or expertise. I can prefer this method because of the following advantages; there are low research and development costs, getting access to partner’s capital, new markets for the products of the company and quick time in marketing the products, there is sharing of distribution channels and tapping the other partners advanced technology and intellectual property among others. An example here is the coca cola Company reaching an agreement with any producers of drinks to market and distribute their products on their behalf. Another approach that I will consider before opening subsidiaries in the UK, Africa and China is referred to as direct investment method of entry. Directing investments entails setting up manufacturing facilities although it requires heavy capital and management dedication. It can also be carried out through acquisition and this involves purchasing of already existing foreign investments that will include existing experience workforce, management structures, local knowledge and the existing contacts in the market and the government. Although direct investment method is expensive and difficult to start should it succeed the company will enjoy good returns and will establish strong market base in its new market. An example here is that as am manager I will open a subsidiary of my company in Africa may be Sudan or in Somalia. This will be a viable project since I will have explored new markets in Africa and thus broaden the market share as well as make profits for the company and also e stablish a long-term economic market. After successfully identifying and setting the subsidiaries in the UK, Africa, and China I will embark on managing the investments. I will therefore appoint competent local managers in their respective countries that is, a Briton in the UK, a Chinese in China and an African in Africa. Research now days indicate that products associated with local people in a country tends to be selling unlike those days when people will go for products associated with foreigners. I believe that with the management being the local people it will be easier for marketing purposes since the locals will be motivated to buy the products of the company in the basis that they are promoting their own fellow citizens and hence their standard of living. For example certain African countries do not like foreigners in managing their business activities for example a case in which recently in Zimbabwe the whites were being forcefully ejected out of their farms and other businesses. The local people will always feel respected when one of their own is doing the management job and that will lead to success of the subsidiaries started. Another case to show that the locals in Africa have developed a negative attitude towards foreigners is when the local residents in Kenya boycotted to buy Delamere products when the owner was accused of murder. In fact they demonstrated and demanded that the business be changed to local owners. Another good example is that, in China history shows that they are very conservative people and will always promote local investors rather than foreigners. It is for these reason that I will prefer the local people to be managers in order to attract more customers and hence success of the company. Conclusion: We can therefore conclude that globalization has led to prosperity to all and the main ingredient to it has been international marketing which have been employed by firms in order to increase their market share and profits. Due to modernization and advancement in technology, most businesses are beginning to explore international markets for better profits and opportunities. In the recent past, trading activities has become increasingly global in some way because of the need to gather and increase the company’s financial bases. Advancement in technology including communication efficiency and better international relations has contributed to the promotion of the international trade. Competition has however become a great challenge to the success of global business management but most companies are rising to the challenge. To take advantage of the world being global village and to achieve greater investments and better market opportunities in the international market, it is necessary that primary and secondary market research is done to ensure that information regarding the target markets in countries desired is obtained.

13 Rules You Need to Know to Have a Successful Work-Life Balance

13 Rules You Need to Know to Have a Successful  Work-Life Balance A career is nothing if not a series of learning curves- as a student, as a new worker, as a new employee, as an employee with new responsibilities. No matter how many years you’ve been working, or how far you’ve gotten in your field, there’s always plenty to learn. (Don’t believe the hype about old dogs and new tricks.) But not all of those lessons need to be learned the hard way! Here are 12 lessons to keep in mind as you move through your career. 1. Happiness is as important as any other part of your career.Okay, maybe it’s slightly less important than having a paycheck- having a roof over one’s head and life’s basic necessities do outweigh most things. But otherwise, life is definitely too short to stay in a job that makes you totally miserable. If you feel uncomfortable with what you’re asked to do, or have a terrible boss, or can’t stand your work environment- those are all major red flags that you should be doing so mething else, or at least somewhere else.2. Mistakes are not fatal.If you’re a heart surgeon or an airline pilot, then yes, there are more important stakes here. But for most of us, mistakes happen, and then we move on. That’s not to say there are no consequences- there usually are. But sometimes things will just go wrong at work, and all you can do is work on overcoming them and move on.3. No job is worth your health.If you’re so stressed out that you’re not eating, or wake up every night at 4 a.m. after having the same stress nightmare about your inbox, then that’s not a sustainable career plan. If you’re sick and miserable, you’re not going to perform at your best. Then you’re even more sick and miserable†¦and on and on. That is not a cycle that will help you reach any of your career goals.4. Be open to new opportunities.Even if you’re relatively content in your job, or aren’t interested in a job hunt righ t now, don’t close yourself off to other opportunities. Keep your networking relationships current, and make sure your resume is updated periodically to reflect your current experience and skills, because you just never know when an opportunity might come along.5. Don’t sweat the everyday things.This is especially important if you’re still starting out in your career. Things like setting up meetings, making presentations, sending an email to a group of people- these can seem like daunting tasks, fraught with all kinds of room for public mistakes. But really, they’re just tasks. Do as good a job as you can, and move on. If you make a mistake, learn from it and make sure you apply that the next time.6. Don’t be a lone wolf.Ultimately, your career is about you. But without team members or colleagues helping you along the way (even if it’s just doing their own jobs so you can do theirs), you’re not going to make a ton of progress. Plus, y ou never know what you can learn from others. It’s important to make connections with the people you see and work with every day.7. You control your destiny.Business writer Francisco Marconi sees this as a variation on â€Å"you’re on your own,† but I prefer to think of it is each of us being our own best advocate. You set your goals, you decide what’s right for you, and you are the one who gets to make bottom-line decisions about your career. If you just drift along, letting everyone else define your career, you can end up in a spot where you’re unhappy about your job, or regretful of chances you didn’t take. So make sure that you’re setting goals that will make you feel fulfilled, and do everything you can to meet those milestones along the way.8. Failure is not the end.It certainly doesn’t feel great to fall short of expectations (yours or others’), but sometimes failure is what you need to either a) teach a valuable lesson about how you’re doing things; or b) helping you realize that you should be doing something else. Some of the most successful people have failed, and rather than let that define their careers, they took the painful lesson and moved forward. Even if you’re fired, it’s not necessarily the death of your career. There’s always something to be learned in failure, which you can then apply toward being more successful in your career.9. Cultivate outside interests.If you find yourself working long hours, sacrificing personal time to answer emails after hours, and basically living and breathing your job, that’s a shortcut to burnout. Outside of work, set aside time for hobbies and interests. Doing things that are creative, or give you an outlet, can actually make you a better worker. You could be building creative or problem solving skills that might very well come in handy at work at some point. Or it might just relax you, and give your brain some d own time so that you can come back to work happier and more refreshed, and ready to tackle the issues of the day.10. Find a de-stressing method that works for you.Whether it’s five minutes of desk yoga, or basic meditation exercises, you will need a way to calm workday stresses at some point. Even if you love your job with a passion, it’s important to have coping mechanisms in place for when things don’t go 100% well, or when days are extra busy.11. Move outside your zone sometimes.Doing things that are new, or which you’re not very good at (yet) can be scary. It’s much easier to keep doing what you know, and improving at things you’re already familiar with. But what happens if the job you’re really good at doing is eliminated, or you find out that you need new skills to move forward in your career? It’s important to branch out and be good at different things, even if you don’t plan to use them. For example, if youâ€⠄¢re great at writing emails or explaining things in writing, but lousy at presenting, sign up for a public speaking class. Target those weak areas so that you can convert them into a strength.12. Disconnect sometimes.Put the phone down. Shut off the iPad. Set up some screen-free time with your favorite people. Part of the reason people are more stressed than ever is that we’re attached (often quite literally) to our devices, letting work encroach on down time. Sometimes you need to take the active step of eliminating these distractions, and that requires saying no to technology every so often. It can also help at work as well, if you set an email-and-phone-free hour to work on a project that’s been lagging, or you have a meeting where no one’s multitasking on their phone or tablet while you talk.13. Never stop building your network.Meeting people in your field, or following influential people on social media, is one of the most important things you can do for l ong-term career health. You never know when opportunities might come through these folks, or when information you learned from them can come in handy. Plus, it’s nice to have a support network, whether it’s personal or professional. Think of it as professional gardening: sometimes it can be tedious to water and fertilize your plants (if you’re not green-thumb-inclined, like I’m not), but if you stick with it you have grown something that you can continue to appreciate and enjoy.If there are other lessons you’ve learned along the way, please share away! We’d love to hear what’s worked for you.

In the presence of horizontal product differentiation, there is a Essay - 1

In the presence of horizontal product differentiation, there is a tension between the desire to weaken price competition and the desire for increased market share - Essay Example A product has many dimensions and attributes such as technical and quality standards, design and service characteristics. An important distinction to be considered in product differentiation is horizontal and vertical differentiation. Vertical product differentiation is â€Å"where a firm’s product differs from its rival’s products in respect to quality† (Jobber, 2004, p. 145), whereas in horizontal product differentiation, the firm tends to differentiate its products in terms of features, while maintaining the same quality. The costs of products that are produced with horizontal differences do not vary to a great extent, as the production processes are similar for these products and hence it is common for these products to have the same price. However, this differs from the customer’s perspectives. The availability of a larger variety of products will increase the chances of the customer finding the product that closely meets his requirements and hence can increase his surplus. Moreover, horizontal product differentiation will enable the firms to sell its products to new customers, by meeting their needs and this will lead to the overall growth of the company (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2006). Horizontal product differentiation has made it possible for a firm to produce different products of roughly the same quality with a difference in the list of features. This will lead to the production of new products with no increase in marginal costs. It is imperative to note that the presence of horizontal product differentiation has led to the conflict between the objective of weakening the price competition and the objective of increasing the market share. This is made clear by applying the spatial concept of Hotelling model to the concept of product differentiation (Hotelling, 1929). The price that a customer is willing to pay for a

Tata Steel in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Tata Steel in India - Research Paper Example Tata Steel is recognized as India’s first Iron and Steel company, having been founded in the year 1907 during the British colonial era. (Indicus Analytics, 2009) Tata Steel operates as part of the Tata Group, allowing it to pursue integrated supply and distribution facilities to automotive manufacturing, heavy industry, and consumer goods production within the conglomerate’s structure. (Economy Watch, 2010) Tata Steel competes with a large number of different Iron and Steel companies within India’s domestic economy and internationally, including the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), Arcelor-Mittal, POSCO, Hindustan Steel, JSW Steel, and other companies. The Indian Government has pursued a policy of progressively opening India’s local economy to foreign competition, and there is currently no levy or tax restriction on the import and export of iron and steel products. (India Ministry of Steel, 2009) The consequence of this is considered to be increased compet ition in the sector, and lower prices, particularly as set by Chinese steel producers for export. China produced over 10 times the steel capacity of India, at 567 million metric tons in 2009 compared to 56.1 million metric tons produced by India in the same period. (India Ministry of Steel, 2010) Nevertheless, Tata Steel has produced a corporate strategy to meet these competitive challenges, and this includes sustainability policies directed at the greater welfare of workers, the environment, and community. Tata Steel and Economic Conditions in India Tata Steel states publicly that â€Å"the primary purpose of a business is to improve the quality of life of people.† (Tata Steel, 2011) This tenet constitutes the cornerstone of the company’s sustainability policy and represents the wider mandate held by corporate management on behalf of stakeholders. In India, there is a need for social and economic development that uplifts people out of poverty. One of the main processe s that enable individuals to improve their living condition in the modern, globalized economy is the possession of a professional, well-paying job. Another factor is the level of education that an individual receives in the formative years of development. Education is recognized as vital to the long-term sustainability of business and industry, as well as being one of the main constituents of what is required of a good employee. As India’s economic development needs change on a national level from addressing the dire threats of the poverty situation of the post-colonial era through socialist policies to supporting the booming economy expanding at a rate of 8% to 10% annually in the 21st century through progressive market policies, it should be expected that the sustainability policies at Tata Steel are also updated and analyzed by management teams to reflect the changing requirements of the communities themselves that are being served.

Law enforcement, alcohol and drug awareness, personal safety, domestic Essay

Law enforcement, alcohol and drug awareness, personal safety, domestic violence, traffic violations - Essay Example Should you have an encounter with the police it is important that you are polite as possible, be respectful though the situation may be stressful, and answer only when asked to do so. It is best to keep your hands visible at all times so that the policeman has no reason to feel threatened. Remain in your vehicle unless asked to exit. It is likely the encounter will go smoothly and the problem will be resolved without complication if you are complying with the law. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is prohibited in all fifty states, with legal limits defined as .10 in 42 states and .08 in eight states, including Florida. If you are caught driving while intoxicated you will be arrested and if it is your first offense you will likely spend time on probation, with various fines and community service. For second and third offenses your chances of being incarcerated are high, with prison a possibility. Being caught with illegal drugs is another serious offense that you will be arrested and jailed for, and depending on the schedule of narcotic you will be fined and imprisoned. Narcotics can also include those prescribed and it is possible to be arrested for driving while intoxicated even if you are only taking over the counter medication. Any substance that causes an altered consciousness such as sleepiness or drowsiness should not be taken when you are planning to drive. As an international student you will have the same rights as American citizens regarding personal safety and should contact law enforcement if you experience a threatening situation. It is important that you do not react with violence in any situation and that if you are part of a violent or physical confrontation you contact law enforcement and do not attempt to handle the matter yourself. "Washington State University - Office of International Students & Scholars." Washington State University -

What Crime Has Been Comitted Essay Example for Free

What Crime Has Been Comitted Essay The purpose of this report is to sum up the court case of Rixon Vs Star City PTY LTD (2001 september). Mr Brian Rixon is the Appellant and Star City Pty Ltd (formerly Sydney Harbour Casino Pty Ltd) is the Respondent. Mr Rixon is suing Star City for battery, assult and unlawful arrest. What crime has beem commited? Include a defention of this crime. In this particulular case of Brian Rixon vs Star City PTY LTD, battery, assult and unlawful arrest were alegedely commited, these offences fall under tort law. A tort can be defined as a civil wrong. Battery can be defined as; direct intentional or neglective conduct that causes contact with the body of another without consent. While in criminal law this conduct is also known as assault, in civil actions a distinction is made between battery that invoves a threat of contact without assault. Brian Rixon had been made the subject of an exclusion order issued under the Casino Control Act (which meant that he could not return to the casino). However Mr Rixon did not abide to these terms and once again entered the casino. As a result of this an employee of the respondent approached Mr Rixon in the casino, placed his hand on Mr Rixon, spun him around informed him that; as an excluded person, he was required to follow him to an interview room. Mr Rixon was held in this room for approximately an hour and a half before police arrived; during which time he claimed he suffered stress and anxiety. Indentify the defenda nts and what plea they used. The defendants in this particular case are Star City PTY LTD. They had decided to plea not guilty and defended there employes decision to remove Mr Rixon from the casino as he was violating the casino control act. Outline the arguments they used in there case The defendants used the following arguments in there defence: Defence against assualt- Proof of assault requires proof of an intention to create in another person an apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact. If the assault lies in creating an apprehension of impending contact, proof of the assault does not require proof of an intention to follow it up or carry it through. However Mr Ross (Casino Inspector) placed his hand on Mr Rixons shoulder without using any degree of force and said Are you Brian Rixon? which leads to conclusion that Mr Ross had no intention of creating in Mr Rixon an apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive conduct Defence against battery- forms of conduct, long held to be acceptable, is touching a person for the purpose of engaging his attention, though of course using no greater degree of physical contact than is reasonably necessary in the circumstances for that purpose. Defence against false imprisonment/wrongfully accused-Any of the people in charge of the casino, the agent of the casino operator or the casino employee who knew that a person, the subject of an exclusion order, was in the casino premises must remove the person from the casino or cause the person to be removed from the casino. Or detain the subject until the authorities arrive to initiate protocol. Identify the Plaintiff The plaintiff In this particular c ase is Brian Rixon. Outline the arguments of the plaintiff. These arguments were used by the Plaintiff: Assault- The appellant Mr Rixon claimed that he was assaulted by the government inspector Ross. Mr Rixon claims that the inspector grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around while he was playing poker. He said that it hurt his shoulder and neck. Battery- The appellant Mr Rixon claimed that the inspector had grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. This was not acceptable to him and he felt that it violated his security. Quote from her Honour The law cannot draw the line between different degrees of violence, and therefore totally prohibits the first and lowest stage of it; every mans person being sacred, and no other having a right to meddle with it, in any the slightest manner. †. False imprisonment/ wrongfully accused- The plaintiff claimed that he was wrongfully accused and did not deserve to be imprisoned. He also claimed that was in false imprisonment and that they had no right to keep him at the casino. In what court was the case heard? Was the case heard only by a judge or a judge and jury? Why? This particular case was held in district court infront of a judge- judicial officer: Balla ADCJ. This case was only presented in front of judge and not in front of a jury because it is not a criminal case it is a civil case. State the verdict and punishment handed down. Do you think this decision was fair why? / why not? The decision made by judge Balla was that the appeal would be dimmised with cost. The trial Judge rejected Mr Rixons case in battery on the basis that the touching lacked the requisite anger or hostile attitude to be considered as battery. Therefore her Honour dismissed the appeal. The trial Judge rejected the case in assault by finding that the actions of the defendants employee lacked `the requisite intention in relation to assault. Her honour rejected Mr Rixons account of being grabbed or spun round, her Honours finding that Mr Ross placed his hand on Mr Rixons shoulder without using any degree of force and said Are you Brian Rixon? This led her to conclude that Mr Ross had no intention of creating in Mr Rixon an apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive conduct. Therefore her Honour dismissed the appeal. The trial judge rejected the case in False imprisonment and wrongfully accused. The detention of Mr Rixon was made on reasonable grounds and that no more force was used than was proper in the circumstances. Her Honour said that Mr Rixons evidence established that he was informed of the reasons for the detention and that the police were notified immediately of the detention. Mr Rixon was not detained for any longer than was reasonable to enable a police officer to attend at the casino premises. Furthermore Mr Rixon was subject to an exclusion order. By entering the premise he violated the exclusion order and was detained while the police were notified. The staffs at Star City were just following protocol. Therefore her Honour dismissed the appeal. I believe that the verdict for this case was fair as Mr Rixon was out of line and did not need to sue on such an unworthy matter. The staffs at Star City Casino were simply doing their jobs as instructed. The judge did give the matter thoughtful revision and came to an accurate decision.

Essay --

At the beginning, Nick Carraway, the protagonist, gives his backstory. He recently moved into a house he rented in West Egg, which is a district in long island. It is full of â€Å"new rich† (people who recently got their money.) East Egg, however, is full of people who were born rich. The people that live in these places are the same, but different. Nick lives near a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby. He lives in a huge mansion and is always throwing awesome parties. Nick goes to a dinner with his cousin from East Egg, Daisy, and her husband Tom Buchanan. At the dinner, Nick meets Jordan Baker, a pro golfer. Tom leaves the room for a phone call. The call is from his lover, Myrtle Wilson. Jordan leaves because she has a golf tournament the next day, and Daisy and Tom suggest that Nick and Jordan get into a relationship together. Nick goes home to see Gatsby outside staring a green dock light. Later, Tom and Nick are riding a train to New York, but Tom forces Nick to get off with him to the valley of ashes. He is going to George Wilson’s garage to see Myrtle Wilson. Tom brings her and Tom to an apartment he keeps just for his affair in New York. There they have a â€Å"party† with Myrtle’s sister, Catherine, and the McKees. They discuss rumors about Gatsby and get drunk. Tom gives Myrtle a dog. Later, she starts to talk about Daisy, and Tom gets angry and tells her to stop talking about her. She continues so she breaks her nose. Later, Nick is home when one of Gatsby’s servants brings him an invitation to his party. Nick goes to the party where he sees that Jordan is also there. While there, they hear people discussing Gatsby’s background and what they have heard. They try looking for Gatsby, but run into a man reading books in Gatsby’s libra... ... sees Gatsby outside of Daisy’s house. He tells Nick that Daisy was driving and he’s waiting to see if Tom is going to hurt Daisy. The next day, before Nick goes to work, he goes to Gatsby and finds out that he was at the Buchanan’s all night and nothing happened. Nick stays to talk with Gatsby about his love for Daisy. One of Gatsby’s servants tells him he wants to drain the pool, but Gatsby intends to use it soon. Nick later explains that when Wilson found out about Myrtle’s accident, he thought the other car belonged to her lover. So he tried to find out who owns the car. He knows that Tom knows whose car it is. Later, he shows up at Gatsby’s mansion. Gatsby is in his pool, on a raft, looking at the sky, when Wilson shoots him and then shoots himself. Nick shows up and sees Gatsby dead. For the funeral, Nick tries to get people to the funeral but nobody will go.

Environmental Protection and Sustainability

Introduction In the past 25 years, international passenger aviation has experienced a threefold increase. It is expected that the aviation sector will continue to see similar growth over the next 25 years (Walker & Cook, 2009). Due to the rapid expansion of the aviation sector, there has been a growing concern for environmental issues in airline operations, especially in terms of energy and environmental sustainability (Agarwal, 2010). The focus on sustainability and environmental protection is due to the environmental consequences of contemporary aviation, especially the contribution of aviation to global climate change (Upham, 2003). With the recognition of the harmful effects of aviation on the environment, experts predict that â€Å"environmental factors will increasingly limit the expansion of air travel and the social benefit that it brings† (Green, 2003, p.281). Meridiana concurs that it is important to consider sustainability and environmental protection in aviation. It recognises the importance of green aviation and puts a lot of value on protecting the environment. In line with this, the company manages its activities in compliance with national and EU environmental regulations. As proof of its commitment, it has been awarded certification of its Quality System in compliance with UNI EN ISO 9001:2008 regulation for air quality. SGS Italia SpA has certified the compliance of the company’s activities involving the design and supply of services on board of domestic, international, and intercontinental flights (Meridiana, 2009). Recently, Meridiana joined the Association of European Airlines (AEA), which represents Europe’s major airlines. The AEA influences its members at the industry and institutional level in order to achieve goals that benefit the airline industry. One of the main thrusts of the AEA is to shape a more sustainable and competitive arena (AEA, 2013). Meridiana’s membership in the AEA shows that it is committed towards achi eving sustainability in the aviation sector. Marketing Mix Despite its success in some areas of the domestic market, the company has experienced heavy losses in recent years. With its ageing fleet, subscale international network, and its dependence in the domestic market, the company is facing very stiff competition from some of Europe’s leading low cost carriers (CAPA, 2013). Taking these into consideration, Meridiana has to improve its current marketing mix in order to increase sales and remain competitive. Effective marketing strategies can have a significant influence on society; thus, it is important for the company to apply the appropriate marketing mix to achieve their objectives.ProductMeridiana’s major strength is its competitively priced business class seats for long haul destinations, targeted at leisure travellers. As a medium service carrier, it offers elements of both full service and low cost carrier. For example, it provides food and drinks like full service carriers but its price range is comparable to low cost airlines. Meridiana should utilise this mix and use it as a competitive advantage. The airline needs to focus on its domestic flights and its short/medium haul destinations in Europe. The current marketing strategy fails to reach out to the business community. Their marketing strategy should emphasise services for both holiday/leisure and business purposes. The company should target SMEs and become the airline of choice for small and medium-sized companies. This can be done by offering discounts and incentives for companies who want to purchase multiple seats or flights.PriceMeridiana needs to use a competitive pricing scheme to attract customers. Its price point should be not too high from low cost carriers, but lower than traditional networked airlines. Although low cost carriers have lower prices, Meridiana should differentiate its slightly higher price point by offering better customer service. The aim is to have a mid-range price point, which can attract middle class consumers and SMEs.PlaceMeridiana has been highly successful in Sardinia and Sicily. The company should replicate its success by building stronger presence in other parts of Italy and in key international airline hubs such as London, Dubai, Beijing, Singapore, Narita, Paris, and New York. This can be achieved by improving airport check-in services and making their internet reservations website more attractive and easy to use.PromotionAs a hybrid airline, Meridiana operates both as a low cost carrier and a network airline (Sansonetti, 2010). It needs to be highly competitive by keeping it unit costs down. This can be achieved by enhancing its internet and social media channels. Meridiana should upgrade its website to make it more attractive and user-friendly. It should improve its tie-ups with hotels, resorts, car rentals, and other tourist services to attract more customers.PeopleMeridiana should improve its services to customers in order to attract more consumers and gain more customer loya lty. Excellent customer service can be a competitive edge, especially when low cost carriers offer cheaper rates. Meridiana should also highlight their people and the value of customer service in their marketing strategies.ProcessMeridiana should ensure that its online reservations are always efficient and that customers can easily access the airline through phone or email. The airline’s systems should be designed for the benefit of customers. Physical Evidence Meridiana should also ensure that its flights are always on time; its planes are spotless; and its service crew are highly efficient. Its check-in and guest lounges in airports should be clean and the services of both ground crew and in-flight staff should be excellent.Promotional MixMeridiana should focus on tapping customers from the mid-market socio-economic segment and business people, especially from SMEs. The elements of the promotional mix must integrate different strategies. It should use a combination of vario us promotional strategies, particularly, advertising, public relations, sales promotions, and internet/online promotions. The integration of different promotional tactics will aid in achieving a more successful result. Advertising should be enhanced in traditional channels such as television, print, and radio in order to target domestic consumers in areas where Meridiana is not the market leader (i.e. Milan, Turin, Naples, Marconi, Rome, and Verona). To increase presence in international markets, the airline should advertise in popular travel magazines and international cable channels (i.e. BBC, CNN, NHK, etc.). In terms of public relations, the airline should improve its relationship with Italian businesses and local government. It should also improve its public image by doing CSR activities and being more active in environmental protection. The company should emphasise their support for green aviation and sustainability in the airline industry. Meridiana should also launch sales p romotions on its ticket prices. It should conduct seat sales in which the flight fare is a fraction of its original price but customers can avail of the ticket only for a limited period. For example, the seat sale gives an 80% discount on ticket prices for 50 seats in the plane and the sale will be ongoing for 3-5 days only. Meridiana should also prioritise internet/online promotions and strengthen its social media presence. The airline should improve its advertisement and tie-ups with online travel sites such as Expedia, Kayak, and Orbitz. It should also effectively make use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Meridiana should advertise in these sites and encourage customer feedback through social media. The company can also utilise viral advertising by putting very creative and highly memorable adverts in YouTube or other video sharing sites. References Agarwal, R. (2010). Sustainable (Green) Aviation: Challenges and Opportunities. SAE International Journal of Aerospace. 2(1), p.1-20. Anna Aero. (2013). Meridiana fly and Air Italy complete merger, as Meridiana turns 50 under new CEO; combined fleet shrinks for S13. Available: http://www.anna.aero/2013/06/19/meridiana-fly-and-air-italy-complete-merger-as-meridiana-turns-50-under-new-ceo/. Last accessed 12th January 2014. Association of European Airlines (AEA). 2013). AEA welcomes Meridiana as new airline member. Available: http://files.aea.be/News/PR/Pr13-036.pdf. Last accessed 15th January 2014. CAPA Centre for Aviation. (2013). Meridiana: how to escape the impact of loss-making Italian airlinesAvailable: http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/meridiana-how-to-escape-the-impact-of-loss-making-italian-airlines-120241. Last accessed 12th January 2014. Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). (2013). Marketing and the 7Ps: A brief summary of marketing and how it works. Available: http:// www.cim.co.uk/files/7ps.pdf. Last accessed 12th January 2014. Cooper. C et al. (2013). Tourism: Principles & Practice 5th edition. London: FT Prentiss Hall Denton, N & Dennis, N. (2000). Airline franchising in Europe: benefits and disbenefits to airlines and consumers. Journal of Air Transport Management. 6(4), p.179-190. Green, JE. (2003). Civil aviation and the environmental challenge. The Aeronautical Journal. p.281-299 McCabe, S. (2009). Marketing Communications in Tourism and Hospitality: Concepts, Strategies and Cases. Amsterdam: Butterworth Heinemann Meridiana. (2009). Meridiana Group Ethical Code. Available: https://www.meridiana.it/cms/deploy/1/IGGJ_Documenti/IT/Codiceetico/MeridianaGroupEthicalCode.pdf. Last accessed 12th January 2014. Meridiana. (2014). About us. Available: https://www.meridiana.it/en/company_informations/Company_AirItaly_quality.aspx. Last accessed 12th January 2014. Middleton, V. (2009). Marketing in travel and tourism. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann San sonetti, A. (2010). The European Airlines Transformation: Hypercompetitive and Long Tail Effects. MCIS Proceedings. Paper 76. http://aisel.aisnet.org/mcis2010/76 Upham, P. (2003). Towards Sustainable Aviation. London: Earthscan Publications Ltd Walker, S & Cook, M. (2009). The contested concept of sustainable aviation. Sustainable Development. 17(6), p.378-390