Created or intended identity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12500 words

Created or intended identity - Coursework Example The aim of this research was to determine how women form their identities in today's modern atmosphere, to understand how these identities shift and change over time and with age and finally to discover the positive or negative effects of changes on a woman's perception of herself as a result of the world's perception of her. Sociological imagination is the way in which we stratify ourselves within our society and plays a large role in how we create our own identity. By linking our own personal experience with the collective understanding of what that represents, we classify not only ourselves but others within specific social groups. Three aspects of the sociological imagination include class, race and gender. Class is based upon a variety of factors including profession, income levels and educational attainment. People with a high level of education are typically seen as holding higher level professional positions which typically pay at higher rates than more commonly educated individuals. This is, of course, not always the case, but remains one of the ways in which we determine our rank in association with those around us. While class is, to some extent, quite flexible, race and gender remain relatively constant and difficult to change. Race is determined based primarily upon physical characteristics, but can also be influenced by ethnic concerns. Generally, ethnicity is considered to refer to your national origin, language, religion, dietary practices or common historical heritage. While race is inherited through a person's genes, ethnicity is inherited through the process of socialization from one generation to the next. Similarly, gender is a learned identification with a particular biological sex - male or female - while sexuality refers to the way in which people organize their world based on sexual identity. Using the sociological imagination, it can be seen that before identity can be fully determined, one must have an understanding of where they stand in the world, which typically depends upon an understanding of some element of society as the lowest or inferior. Throughout recent history, white males have held most of the power in society, first because the more technologically advanced countries were predominantly peopled by white people and controlled by white men and later, because of their subjugation of other nations thanks to their advanced tools and weapons. By withholding education and opportunity from people with color and from women, white men were able to retain their power and establish a system in which women and people of color were seen to be socially inferior. By setting those with color socially below white people, even the lower class was able to feel superior to someone. Through the same channels, men managed to dominate over women. Women were socially constrained within homes, legally oppressed and deprived of an education throughout a great deal of history, thus keeping them at low levels of the social scale. These social stratifications help the individual to place themselves within the greater world just as the various behaviours the individual participates in help to define

Tyger Anthology Poem Essay Example for Free

Tyger Anthology Poem Essay The poem begins with the speaker asking a fearsome tiger what kind of divine being could have created it: â€Å"What immortal hand or eye/ Could frame they fearful symmetry? † Each subsequent stanza contains further questions, all of which refine this first one. From what part of the cosmos could the tiger’s fiery eyes have come, and who would have dared to handle that fire? What sort of physical presence, and what kind of dark craftsmanship, would have been required to â€Å"twist the sinews† of the tiger’s heart? The speaker wonders how, once that horrible heart â€Å"began to beat,† its creator would have had the courage to continue the job. Comparing the creator to a blacksmith, he ponders about the anvil and the furnace that the project would have required and the smith who could have wielded them. And when the job was done, the speaker wonders, how would the creator have felt? â€Å"Did he smile his work to see? † Could this possibly be the same being who made the lamb? Form The poem is comprised of six quatrains in rhymed couplets. The meter is regular and rhythmic, its hammering beat suggestive of the smithy that is the poem’s central image. The simplicity and neat proportions of the poems form perfectly suit its regular structure, in which a string of questions all contribute to the articulation of a single, central idea. Commentary The opening question enacts what will be the single dramatic gesture of the poem, and each subsequent stanza elaborates on this conception. Blake is building on the conventional idea that nature, like a work of art, must in some way contain a reflection of its creator. The tiger is strikingly beautiful yet also horrific in its capacity for violence. What kind of a God, then, could or would design such a terrifying beast as the tiger? In more general terms, what does the undeniable existence of evil and violence in the world tell us about the nature of God, and what does it mean to live in a world where a being can at once contain both beauty and horror? The tiger initially appears as a strikingly sensuous image. However, as the poem progresses, it takes on a symbolic character, and comes to embody the spiritual and moral problem the poem explores: perfectly beautiful and yet perfectly destructive, Blake’s tiger becomes the symbolic center for an investigation into the presence of evil in the world. Since the tiger’s remarkable nature exists both in physical and moral terms, the speaker’s questions about its origin must also encompass both physical and moral dimensions. The poem’s series of questions repeatedly ask what sort of physical creative capacity the â€Å"fearful symmetry† of the tiger bespeaks; assumedly only a very strong and powerful being could be capable of such a creation. The smithy represents a traditional image of artistic creation; here Blake applies it to the divine creation of the natural world. The â€Å"forging† of the tiger suggests a very physical, laborious, and deliberate kind of making; it emphasizes the awesome physical presence of the tiger and precludes the idea that such a creation could have been in any way accidentally or haphazardly produced. It also continues from the first description of the tiger the imagery of fire with its simultaneous connotations of creation, purification, and destruction. The speaker stands in awe of the tiger as a sheer physical and aesthetic achievement, even as he recoils in horror from the moral implications of such a creation; for the poem addresses not only the question of who could make such a creature as the tiger, but who would perform this act. This is a question of creative responsibility and of will, and the poet carefully includes this moral question with the consideration of physical power. Note, in the third stanza, the parallelism of â€Å"shoulder† and â€Å"art,† as well as the fact that it is not just the body but also the â€Å"heart† of the tiger that is being forged. The repeated use of word the â€Å"dare† to replace the â€Å"could† of the first stanza introduces a dimension of aspiration and willfulness into the sheer might of the creative act. The reference to the lamb in the penultimate stanza reminds the reader that a tiger and a lamb have been created by the same God, and raises questions about the implications of this. It also invites a contrast between the perspectives of â€Å"experience† and â€Å"innocence† represented here and in the oem â€Å"The Lamb. † â€Å"The Tyger† consists entirely of unanswered questions, and the poet leaves us to awe at the complexity of creation, the sheer magnitude of God’s power, and the inscrutability of divine will. The perspective of experience in this poem involves a sophisticated acknowledgment of what is unexplainable in the universe, presenting evil as the prime example of something that cannot be denied, but will not withstand facile explanation, either. The open awe of â€Å"The Tyger† contrasts with the easy confidence, in â€Å"The Lamb,† of a child’s innocent faith in a benevolent universe.

Resource Based View Of Strategy

Resource Based View Of Strategy This report is based on a detailed case study analysis the acquisition of Abbey done by Santander in UK financial sector. During the analysis, the student will use tools such as PESTEL, Porter Five Forces, Generic Strategy, Ansoff Matrix to analyse and evaluate if Santanders move to acquire Abbeys bank was a successful approach. However, the student will propose strategic orientations and options so that Santander resolves around the issues identified from an inside out perspective as well as from the consumer orientated perception. 1-Introduction When analysing the student starts by defining the terms of strategy used by different authors from the position school, from an inside out perspective and from an outside in perspective to identify a standing point of how are the different and contradictory strategies applicable to Santander case study. Secondly, the definitions of strategy will help the student guide himself towards recognizing Santanders market position and dynamics. Hence, applicable strategies viewpoints are mentioned below. 1.1-Deliberate vs. Emergent Decisions According to H. Mintzberg and J. A. Waters (1994), the concept of strategy comes from 2 processes the planned strategy process and the emergent strategy process. In the planned strategy, targets are very clear, straightforward and then converted into actions. In the emergent strategy, judgments appear from negotiating, opportunity and positive feedback. Mintzberg says that a strategy emerges overtime and an organization might start with a viewpoint and sum that it calls for a certain position, which is to be accomplished by way of a cautiously constructed plan. In addition, instead of saying that one strategy is better than the other, the authors claim that what is best depends on the nature of the organization. [4][The rise and fall of strategic planning, 1994] This concept is clearly justified within the case study. Under the management of the CEO Francisco Gomez Roldan, Santander planned to revolutionize the company by implementing a three year plan which consisted in implementing a new operational model, rebuilding Abbeys sales competences ,and the development of an independent commercial bank. Later, an emergent strategy was then applied by the new CEO Antonio Horta Osorio who emphasized the concept of Five Themes: efficiency, service quality, customer loyalty and teamwork meritocracy. 1.2-Resource Based View of Strategy The Resource Based View model approach says that a company resource is its main source of sustainable competitive advantage in the market which competes as well as the strategic choice made by management. RBV strategy objective is to develop its internal resources to meet the demands of the market (inside-out strategy). Barney (1986) claims that developing a match between the firms resources and the success factors in the industry, is a demanding task and the success of the match is a function of the accuracy of managerial expectations about the value of strategy. [3][ David J. Teece, Strategic Management Journal] When justifying the statement above, the student found that the resource based view strategy is applicable to Santander case study because, one of the main strategies of Abbey was to diversify into new markets, rebuild its internal dynamic capabilities, and focus on efficiency by delivering a new IT Platform which could be assumed to be a rare resource within its market, as well as to reduce costs and cut down its internal processes in order to drive the company forward. Also, the complexity of the overall management role is such that good quality, top management, in itself is a potential source of competitive advantage (Castanians and Helfat, 1991). [3][David J. Teece, Strategic Management Journal] 2-Industries and Markets In order to identify the industries and the markets where Santander competes, the student must explain the core operation of Abbey before and after Santander acquisition. Previously, Abbeys three main business divisions consisted of the Personal Finance Services division which included Banking and Savings (mortgages, savings accounts, current accounts and unsecured loans), Investment and Protection (life and health protection, investment and pensions products), and General Insurance. The Treasury Service division was accountable for the liquidity and capital management activities of Abbey, while the Portfolio Business Unit deals with businesses considered for divestiture.[6][Santander (D)Transformation and Growth in the UK] In the future, its retail division consists of sales productivity, customer and savings retention, cross sales and the exploitation of new growth opportunities. The Insurance and Asset Management division comprised the legacy insurance business of Abbey and the asset management business. The third division Abbey Financial Market covered activities in derivatives and structure products as well as short term markets. .[6][Santander (D)Transformation and Growth in the UK] As described above, the student is now able to mention that Santander is competing in the financial services industry sector along with its competitors which are Barclays, HSBC, HBOS, and LTSB, Insurance Companies and retail supermarkets such as Tesco. Its sales come from the management of peoples money and other businesses. Santander is a retail and commercial private bank with numerous branches in the UK, Europe, and South America. With the acquisition of Abbeys Bank, Santander found itself a major player in mortgages, savings and protection. These represent the solid market position where Santander competes. 3-Overview market analysis According to Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK, Santander is presently one of the largest banks in the UK market, and has one of the lowest rates of the market. With the acquisition of Abbeys bank and with the implementation of the three year plan, Santander has grown dramatically in terms of size and value. This strategic move was very important in order to gain market share and get access to new customer segments. In order to forecast revenue growth Santander started to offer a full scale commercial bank divided into three categories: core business, under presented markets and new opportunities. In the core business Santander aimed for lending market share exceeding 10% from 2006 for the mortgages segment. In the under-represented markets Abbey boost it sales to win 10% share of new bank accounts due to the aggressive campaigns to win higher customer value in cross sales initiatives and the development of a premium bank service. The entry into a new market to exploi t new opportunities in credit cards, consumer finance and corporate banking represented an enormous income pool but it had major competition with the big 5 seen in Exhibit 3, 4, 5 and 6 from the [Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK].[6] 3.1-Structure and Dynamics Porters five forces is a model that helps identify the attractiveness of five competitive forces: the threat of entry, the threat of substitutes, the power of buyers, the power of suppliers and the extent of rivalry between competitors. These five forces together constitute an industry structure and an analysis of its market dynamics. The student is using this model to identify issues in a wider scope. Some issues mentioned in the model are not only relevant for the service oriented businesses but also for the banking sector. Within the time frame of the Santander analysis case study, a constant evaluation is required in order to avoid being myopic within the results presented. According to Michael Porter (1980), a business has to recognize the dynamics of its industries and markets in order to compete successfully in the market. [9][Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analysing industries and competitors] 3.1.1-Causes of supplier power In the case of the bargaining suppliers power, information technology plays a major role in the functioning of the bank. Santander had stopped all pending IT projects of Abbeys bank in order to integrate a full complete System of the Partenon (it is a platform that allows the incorporation of a global data centre which could be moved across any market, also allows the launch of new products with minimal lead time). From 2006 to 2007 the roll out of Partenon reconfigured the all Abbeys infrastructure including a new communication branch network. Partenon was a necessary investment that reduced massive costs in the first two years.[6][Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK] The student assumes that a major supplier is IBM as the database that hold the customers information runs on IBM middleware and so the bargaining power is present as all systems must be operating at all times. Therefore IBM can bargain, because it is being realized an optimal service in keeping the system on. Santander reliance on a single IT system does not provide risks as the acquisition of other banks in different business processes and markets. 3.1.2-Factors of buyer power The bargaining power of customers is very high, due to customers having many options in choosing which bank they should go to. Moreover, the products provided by Santander are very important for their customers but not necessary crucial as there are similar products being offered within their competitors. 3.1.3-Threats of new entrants The threats of new entrants in the financial UK industry sector are very low, since large banks (Barclays, HSBC, and HBOS) have strong market position and many years of experience. Therefore, the cost of entrance in this sector is very high as new entrants will have to gain customers confidence and loyalty in order to establish themselves. Also, the distribution channels are controlled by existing players as the governments regulations are severe to approve new entrants. 3.1.4-Threats of substitutes There is a high level of substitutes providing different products and low prices as compared to the major players in this industry, some banks have improved performance constraints for the same products provided by Santander. Futhermore, it is hard to gain new customers because brand image and its loyalty are very important in the UK market (e.g. the internet is substitute). However, Santanders strategy in regards to its prices to conquer new customer segments using different sales strategies is very effective and Santander is a leading organization with this unique sales capabilities and efficiency. 3.1.5-Rivalry among Existing firms According to the diagrams provided in the Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK case study, competition is intense in this particular industry because banks have similar offering in terms of the value for the money, margins and cost-effectiveness in the long term for different businesses. Barclays , HSBC, RBOS, LTSB, Insurance Companies, Retail Supermarkets such as Tesco are Santanders main competitors and these companies have similar strategies as well as few differentiation between the products offered from each bank, consequently there is more competition in terms of price than anything else. On the other hand, the financial service industry sector is very sensitive to the economic cycles. At the time when Santander case study was written, Bank of Santander was an industry frontrunner due to its knowledge and financial strengths. As an industry leader, it is problematic for other retail banks to compete against, which lessens businesses and risk investment. With the acquisition of Abbey, Santander gained solid position in one of the most lucrative investment marketplaces in the world. As the bank expands rapidly, it minimizes the threat of straight rivalry and increases the profit of Santander. In addition, the student finds it necessary to link the analysis and evaluations conducted on the structure and dynamics of the competing markets using the five forces model by Porter (1980) with the critical success factors for succeeding in the financial markets. 4-Crucial success factors The idea of critical success factors as a source for deciding the information of leaders was proposed by RH Daniel as an approach that had potential to be used in the practice of assessing info units which was spread by F Rockart (1979). Basically, if a business possessed critical factors which would in the sense be associated with the factors of an organization, then the business would fail catastrophically. Furthermore, Critical Success Factor (CSFs) is determined by the satisfactory results obtained within the different SBUs (e.g. Santanders). It ensures the successful competitive performance of a business. [2][David Aaker, Strategic Marketing Management] So, the student has identified critical success factors that are fundamental important for the success of Santander in the financial industry sector, they are: The managerial position of both CEOs was and still is a critical success factor for Santander business because Antonio Horta Osorio a top manager who was with Santander for over a decade and had rich experience in global banking, in fact his influence to the Santanders global banking strategy was a vision that generated growth by implementing the Five Themes (efficiency, service quality, customer loyalty, teamwork and meritocracy). So, his responsibility and the position that he has had in the Santander commercial banking is a critical success factor. Santanders resources and capabilities in the sense of where the company has positioned itself in the marketplace in order to gain market shares is a critical success factor. The different strategies implemented to cut costs, to boost sales throughout the different channels (branch network, telephones and intermediaries).The full implementation of Partenon IT infrastructure to reduce costs is also another critical success factor with major influence in the financial industry sector. The environmental changes such as Economic, regulatory, political and demographic also influence the critical success factors for business to compete in this market. [2][David Aaker, Strategic Marketing Management] 5-Differentiation Santander has a consumer oriented business model which provides higher levels of returns in its earnings and despite the difficult economic situation faced by banks lately, Santanders control and risk management principles is a different approach used by this organization to differentiate itself from its competitors. Also, Santanders reputation in terms of what they have achieved along the years it is different. For instance, in 2004 when Santander bought Abbeys bank, the investment and the turnaround or the change provided in the business was tremendously efficient and surprisingly effective. Perhaps, Santander is one of the most efficient banks in the world with a high cost to income ratio. Nevertheless, its culture and corporate structure in the retail and commercial bank sector is different in the sense that, all the branches share a common policy framework. As a whole, Santander offers bank services in a choice of currencies to its global clients. Likewise, it provides mortgages in different currencies too. A further internal analysis was conducted and the student as found important aspects to mention as Santander internal resources, competences and capabilities (see Appendix 2) plays a major role within the differentiation of the company itself. 5.1-Resources According to the Strategic Management Journal (Wiley Blackwell), resources is defined as firms specific assets that are difficult if not impossible to imitate, for example the specialized production facilities possessed by Santander. [3] [Strategic Management Journal (Wiley Blackwell)] Santander UK and other branches operate as a geographic subsidiary. They operate independently in each market, working effectively as a separate entity. Moreover, each unit manages its own capital liquidity, with its own funding sources. Broadly the whole Santander Group applies controls for all its subsidiary units which mean that they share a common policy framework in areas such as risk management, internal audit and financial management. Each unit shares practice and experiences in product development as well as the IT operational framework and a common brand. [8][Santander Supplementary Evidence, 2011] According to Santander Structure Evidence, the student draws upon the fact that in order to have a structure model that best fits the environment of retail and commercial banks, Santander must engage or work along its customers in order to provide solutions for the betterment of the client. [8][Santander Supplementary Evidence, 2011] The fact that the organization structure is part of their unique resource, Santander also possesses other means such as tangible and intangible resources (see Appendix 2). Perhaps, the IT platform Partenon is an integral resource that embodies their capabilities and competences overall. 5.2-Competences Strategic Management Journal (Wiley Blackwell) states that organization routines and core competences define the firms ultimate business as a core. Primary proficiencies must be consequent of seeing across the range of a firms (and its competitors) products and services. Specifically Santanders primary competences reside in the enhanced operations efficiency in order to increase revenues and reduce costs, as well as, the ability to expand to other markets and to improve relationship management with other banks, insurance companies and building societies. Santander is highly known for its marketing power and for the competence to deliver good value and innovative products for retail customers. [3][Strategic Management Journal (Wiley Blackwell)] 5.3-Capabilities Furthermore Leonard-Barton 1992, states that the capabilities of a firm reside on the ability to integrate, build, and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments. [3][Strategic Management Journal (Wiley Blackwell)] Basically, Santanders main capability exist in delivering strong performance management by enhance retention, increase incentives for cross sales. Control and risk management is another capability that Santander possesses in order to defend its market share regardless of the prevailing conditions. Another Santander capability resides in the delivery of increased sales throughout the sales channels (the branch network, telephones and intermediaries). In fact with the acquisition of Abbey, Santander had forecasted that with their sales capabilities the staff would be able to increase productivity by 40% and an even higher figure, namely 60% was targeted in telephone based sales.[6][Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK] After the identification of its internal capabilities, the students have identified sources that constitute an advantage for competing in the financial industry sector. 6-Sources of Competitive Advantage M. Porter 1980, states that competitive advantage is achieved by offering buyers better value for product either by means of lower prices or by giving better products and services which validates higher prices. Porter suggests the use of four generic business strategies which is a tool used to identify sources of competitive advantage. [9] [Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors] Using the generic business strategy by Porter, the student has drawn below the strategy approaches that exemplify the sources of competitive advantage used by Santander. Segmentation Focus Differentiation Leadership Cost LeadershipNarrow Scope Broad Scope Uniqueness Low Cost In the figure above, you can clearly identify that Santander has more than one source of competitive advantage in the short term and long term perspectives. Differentiation Leadership- with this strategy, Santander is targeting a large market with aims to achieve competitive advantage across the whole financial industry. Basically, this strategy is regularly related by means of charging a premium price for the product. [9] [Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors] Cost Leadership- this strategy is to become the lowest cost producer in the financial industry by reducing costs and enjoying the best profits. By doing so, Santander has cost advantage over the competition and can significantly gain market share. [9] [Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors] For instance, Santander has the most advanced banking technologies (Partenon) and operations platforms in the finance industry, which permits it to turn cost savings efficiency into superior value for the customer. Santander is one of the utmost efficient banks in the world, with a high cost to income ratio. In addition, Santander uses customer focused management which allows closer connections and consumer retention through better quality service. However, it is necessary to identify strategic marketing issues that could possibly influence Santander in the future. 7-Macro/Micro Environmental The PESTEL framework tool was used to evaluate and identify the major macro/micro environmental issues that are affecting the business strategies of Santander as well as to measure in what way the environmental aspects may well influence business performance at present and in the forthcoming future. 7.1-Political Political Intervention in Capital Markets(threat) )(high priority) The economy controls and imposes a rising amount of regulations, the government selected regulators who can execute price controls in most of the main utilities. There are all sorts of implications regarding the political interventions such as fiscal policy used to modify the level of demand for different products and also the pattern of demand within the economy. Perhaps, over the last few years privatization in the UK economy has given to a new trend of nationalization comprising certain banks. So, Santander is on imminent pressure from this political power which could have a huge impact on the future of Santander in the UK. 7.2-Economical Eurozone Credit Crisis. (threat) )(high priority) Housing market is declining. (threat) (low priority) Eurozone credit crisis and the global recession threaten to destabilise Santanders position in financial market industry as customers are highly concerned about the debts that banks face. These uncertainties are a high priority to be resolved in the future as consumers cannot predict what will happen to the bank and their saving. So, it is necessary to ensure customers that the bank is safe from the global recession and Eurozone crisis. The housing market is downgrading in the current years as consumers have huge debts and low credit limit that they cannot afford to pay off their mortgages, therefore there is less people wanting mortgages which means that Santander will face a challenge to overcome this issue. In addition, this threat is to be resolved with low priority in the long term, the student assumes. 7.3-Social Growth in Emerging Markets (Opportunity)(low priority) Social impact of the change of brand from Abbey to Santander(threat)(high priority) According to Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK case study, Santander saw an opportunity to make profits from the corporate banking market. The reason is that Abbey lacked business loans and fee earnings products that restrained a corresponding growth in earnings. In the long run, Santander would benefit from building particular product areas on standalone basis both organically and by small acquisitions. With the acquisition of Abbey, Santander radical change of its brand could have an enormous impact on the culture of the organization as well as on its customers. The reason is that a sudden change on an iconic image that Abbey had to the new logo of Santander causes confusing among the customers as it is a threat for the organization itself to lose customers for other banks. In reality, this sudden change of the brand is a marketing crime the student thinks, as basically Santander is trying erase the past of Abbey and implement its new way of business. This is an important issue that must be resolved with high priority as Santander can lose confused and unsatisfied customers to its competitors. Also, it is a must to resolve this issue with an influence to bring in new identity and culture so that the staff does not become unclear of their position in the organization. 7.4-Technological Online banking (Opportunity) (high priority) Credit card expansion (Opportunity)(high priority) According to Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK case study, Santander Bank has gone through several integrations in the latest years, with the acquisition of Abbeys bank and the expansion to other markets in South America. Online bank is within the highest priorities as to keep customers loyal to Santander and to keep customers satisfied and safe as online banking is an investment to provide greater value product service. Santander had a huge opportunity to make enormous profits in the Credit Card market in a short period of time. Santander in 2006 launched a plan to tackle its current customers base and guard in the UK with solid innovative product offerings.[6][Santander (D) Transformation and Growth in the UK] 7.5-Legal Money Laundering. (threat) (high priority) Money Laundering is an issue faced by all major financial services as the UK government must ensure that all customers are safe and to fight against financial crime. In addition, Santander must be at all times(present and future) aware of this threat which if found guilty of laundering money , its reputation will be demolished and the consumers will not trust the bank to put their saving in Santanders bank. In addition, Santander is regulated by the United Kingdoms Financial Services Authority (the FSA) under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000(the Act) as Santander must comply with UKs money laundering and countering terrorist financing regime to prevent this issue from happening.[1][Anti money laundering and counter terrorist financing] After a PESTEL analysis conducted on the strategic marketing issues facing Santander, the student developed two strategic options that could be implemented in order to tackle some of the issues identified in the PEST analysis. 8-Strategic Options Developed There are several business strategy alternatives that are commonly used and that have led to the success and survival of many organizations in long period of time from which some knowledge and perception are accessible. So, the student draws upon some strategic options that are considered for on-going investment, assurance and programmatic management overtime, as well as the culture and the values that the organization need to support the strategic options chosen. The strategic options are: being global and customer relationship management. 8.1-Being Global The global strategy is mostly established by organizations that find it essential to compete successfully with other firms over an international perception in which the interrelationships between country markets are drawn on to form collaborations, economies of scale, strategic flexibility and prospects to influence insights, programmes and production economies. For instance, a product or service established in one marketplace could be used in another, or a price advantage can be an effect from economies of scale created by the global market. In addition, operating in numerous countries can lead to better flexibility as well as significant sustainable competitive advantage. [2][David Aaker, Strategic Market Management] For instance, HSBC is a global financial corporation, IKEA is a global retail company, and Luis Vuitton is a global fashion brand which means that being global provides purposeful benefits in a way that the customers can access the services of HSBC or buy Louis Vuitton goods everywhere. So, being global would ultimately provide reputation and reassurance that the firm has the business abilities to compete effectively internationally. [2][David Aaker, Strategic Market Management] 8.2-Customer Relationship Management The main idea of customer relationship is that cost-effectiveness could be appreciated if enduring and valuable relationships are formed among companies and their consumers, whereas loyalty as always been the front of industry rational, two trends have been the core of implementing this strategy. Fred Reicheld, Don Pepers and Martha Rogers (1980) stimulated the view that costs can be reduced and profits maximised if customers are marketed directly as well as the IT infrastructures such as database management, data mining and web based services could be tools that help with the interactivity with mass customization. [2][David Aaker, Strategic Market Management] For instance, Manchester City football Club is world renowned for the support they receive from their fans. Man city faced problems with increasing salaries and transfer fees as they needed to maximise their revenue. So, that club tackle these issues by managing its customer relationships in a more sophisticated way to meet its financial challenges. The club implemented a smartcard system where fans could book tickets over the phone and on the internet as well as to purchase the club goods using the smartcard. This system justifies how the management of customer relationships is a strength influenced by technology and how useful it is to tackle most issues within organizations using customer relationship management. [2][David Aaker, Strategic Market Management] In addition, a further analysis was conducted on Santanders marketing strategy as well as strategic orientations proposed to be implemented in the long term and short term aspects. 8.3-Marketing Strategy According to Market Orientation Article , a firm which is characterized as market oriented could have: developed an appreciation that understands present and potential customer needs is fundamental to providing superior customer value; encouraged the systematic gathering and sharing of information regarding present and potential customers and competitors as well as other related constituencies; organization wide priority to respond to changing customer needs and competitor activities in order to exploit opportunities and circumvent threats (Hunt and Morgan,1995; Kohli and Jaworki,1990; Narver and Slater,1990).[7][Market orientation and dimensions of strategic orientation] To justify the definition above, Santander is very much market oriented company, as most of their strategy is to develop products that cater to the needs of their clients. Initially Santander bought Abbey for a clear reason that they had a total of 18 million customers and a strong brand. For instance, Santander expertise in sales brought a convincing sales strategy to rebuild Abbeys sales capabilities by implementing new sales channels which generated business and increased productivity by 40%. Moreover, to boost revenue growth Santander segmented the product range in order to be adaptable in the increasingly competitive climate. Within the deployment of its new product range, the company used the sales channels to advertise the products as items that clients

The Italian Wars :: History

The Italian Wars Italy was the background for outside powers between the French invasion of 1494 and the accession of Francis 1 in 1515 for different reasons. Between these years, the States of Italy were invaded on a number occasions by armies from France, Spain and other countries. At this time, the Italian States were very vulnerable; there were conflicts in Italy itself, they had out of date military equipment and Italy had insecure frontiers and unreliable allies – â€Å"That Italy failed to organise herself against invaders was due to the selfish policies.† This gave outside powers reason to use Italy as their battleground. Italy was a very wealthy country, showing this wealth, a Florentine Historian, Guicciardini said â€Å"Italy has never enjoyed such prosperity or known so favourable a situation† Also, because the Pope lived in Italy, it gave enemies more incentive to fight in Italy as opposed to any other country. Another reason for Italy being the battleground was that foreign powers felt they had dynastic claims to certain states and therefore felt obliged to fight for them. I feel the most important reason why outside powers chose Italy to fight in was basically because they ‘could.’ Italy was divided, unstable and disunited; there were even civil disputes e.g. when Venice and its neighbour Ferrara went to war. It was hard to keep foreign powers out of their country because they weren’t working together; each state was not strong enough to protect Italy on its own. The Papacy also didn’t help in keeping enemies out – â€Å"there was always scope for dissension between them (Orsini and Colonna); and while they remained armed before the very eyes of the pontiff, they kept the papacy weak and insecure.† Also, it was playing its usual game of self interest. Pope Leo X in 1513 set about promoting the interests of himself and his family. He was prepared to negotiate for French aid to further his ambitions – this lead to more foreign powers (especially France), being able to easily use Italy as the main battleground. It can be disputed that the most important reason for Italy being the battle ground was that it was wealthy, but I feel that even though it was wealthy, there were certainly other wealthy states which could have been the battleground, had Italy not been such an easy target, with certain assets other countries did not have. This leads me to the next important reason why Italy was the battle ground; wealth.

Public Speaking Self Reflection Essay

The information in this paper will include the topics of a presentation such as the introduction, body, conclusion, delivery, language, audience and topic, visual aids, and the general evaluation. This paper embraces the thoughts from the presenter, incorporating personal ideas and those of peers and instructors, on how this speech went during each step of the giving process. By reviewing the presentation and accumulating the thoughts of those involved will improve future productions. Introduction The intro to this presentation should catch the attention of any doctor who knows about time management. Gaining attention and interest early was a goal in this presentation. The topic to save time and view radiology films from home was clear, and informative. An overview was not given of what would be covered instead the speech flowed into the step by step to view the images from home . Body The body of this presentation logically flowed step by step, using PowerPoint to deliver messages clearly and so that the audience could follow along more easily. No misinterpretation was felt regarding the use of language spoken, and the body was delivered well. The steps were clear and concise. Delivery When viewing the presentation again, it was rushed from start to finish. The time factor disabled the use of more information being shared. A well defined topic would have solved this problem. Watch out for eye contact, hand gestures, and bouncing around, these were noticed and portrayed poor body language. There were not any pauses due to time constraint. There were times that there could have been a pause to prove a point, or to allow the audience to ask a question or catch up to the speaker. Language The language used was appropriate. Due to the recording device used the audience could not hear clearly. Future presentation must have a better sound system. Audience and Topic The message was adapted for the appropriate audience. One of the biggest topics in any clinic is how to save time in a day. This is one suggestion for doing just that. Any doctor looking to save time would view this two minute presentation to allow them a few extra minutes each day. Visual Aids Step by step instructions were used via PowerPoint, on how to view Patient Images from home. The slides allowed the audience to view the steps clearly and efficiently. Many times in this presentation the visual aids allowed the speaker a chance to look away from the audience. A quick glance is fine but there is no reason to read the slide. Conclusion The end of the presentation was as rushed as the beginning and body. The reinforcement of how this would save time in the day, allowing more time with patients, was preparation to the end of the speech. There was not a vivid ending just more of the same Power Point presentation. A stronger conclusion would have helped close the presentation with confidence. Overall Evaluation The presentation was good throughout. There could have been a better sound system to make the presentation more appealing. The requirement was met for the assignment. To respect attention to detail, the time limit was followed closely. A general comment stated, was to wait a second or two prior to speaking to allow equipment to work so as not to cut off the beginning. There was clear purpose and overall the outcome was quite good. By reviewing the important parts of a presentation, introduction, body, conclusion, delivery, language, audience and topic, visual aids, and overall evaluation, the giver of the speech can use the information provided to improve upon them self. Overcoming the need to think of oneself as right and allowing outside perspective enables the speech presenter the ability to become a remarkable speaker, in everyone’s eyes.

Your First Job Out of College

​Your First Job Out of College Congratulations! You are going to enter the professional environment and start your career. Now your whole life is stretching out before you and you will face a new world of challenges. Remember how big your campus seemed when you arrived as a freshman? There were a lot of unknown people, everything was unfamiliar and challenging. Be ready to feel like a freshman again, now at work. What to Expect from Your First Job You need to be ready that your first job after college wont be your dream career. Sure, it will teach you some immeasurable skills and you will get that so much needed real world experience, but it doesnt mean that youre going to do the things you enjoy most of all. You may not even know what your dream job is. There is a lot of pressure to get a position after graduation because you have such high expectations and not enough practice. Most likely youll have to deal with the routine tasks. Before you get the cool assignments, you need to show your employer that you can handle the simple operations. If you only start searching for a job, this post on how to write a resume with no job experience will be very useful for you. The payment may not also be as you are hoping to get because most entry-level jobs offer entry-level salaries. Thats why think carefully before accepting a job offer, this will be your income for the next year or at least several months. For this reason, you should get to know effective salary negotiation tactics for college students. All in all, you have to realize that the point of your first employment is to try out different responsibilities, types of work to understand what you absolutely love. Linkedin has recently posted the list of the most popular first jobs based on resumes. How to Make the Most of a New Workplace Experience Your attitude to a new job will determine whether your experience will be a positive and fruitful one. Here are some practical tips and strategies to take the mostrld of grown-up opportunities: Approach every task with enthusiasm. You need to deal with all the tasks and duties in a confident and efficient manner. Apply the â€Å"can do† approach on a regular basis, be attentive to details and dont forget to smile. Be a team player. Treat other people positively and demonstrate how well you can communicate. Youll work much better altogether and succeed faster which is essential for every business. Keep learning new things. Always look for the opportunities to improve your knowledge. Learn new things, develop essential skills and youll be amazed at how fast you grow. Join professional groups. Attend meetings, training sessions, join national and regional groups to share your experience and develop professionally. Find a mentor. A good mentor will greatly help you after graduation by keeping you motivated and focused all the time. Find someone you admire and ask them to help you at the early stages. Offer to help others. If you have some free time and know how to help your co-workers with some tasks, suggest your assistance. Youll cast yourself in a positive light. Building relationships at your first job is very important. Check out the ways to build relationships with colleagues at your first job. Make Sure to Avoid the Common Mistakes This is going to sound almost impossible, but try to make your first job experience ideal. New graduates always make the mistakes when they are facing a tough job market, so to have a better chance of success, you need to overcome the common problems. Here are some really useful pieces of advice that will turn your first job into a really effective and memorable â€Å"adventure†: Be proactive enough – dont sit back being casual in your work. Dont rely solely on the Internet, take advantage of networking and cooperation with colleagues. Never focus on searching a dream job, instead look for your first job. Try not to set expectations too high. Dont waste time and start making useful connections. Avoid looking unprofessional – delete all â€Å"three Bs† photos (beer, bongs, bikinis) from your profile page. Youll only have one first job, so make everything possible not to turn it into a nightmare. Remember to have fun, make new friends and youll have an exciting and positive professional experience!

Swot Analysis of Proton Essays

Swot Analysis of Proton Essays Swot Analysis of Proton Essay Swot Analysis of Proton Essay Analysis on Proton Radiation Whilst Michael Porter five’s forces or industrial analysis provides a scan on the changing industrial and observe the structure of internal competition of an industry, PESTEL analysis scanning the changing of the external environment which is beyond the control of the organization. PESTEL analysis is criticized as not an effective framework because there are certain weaknesses in the framework. For example, the fast changing environment and it is a not long lasting analysis. One of the example concerning on the Washington Mutual declared bankrupt due to unable to overcome the economic crisis that severely hits on the company’s finance. History Proton Holdings Bhd is a Malaysia stated-owned company. Proton is established on 7 may 1983 under the direction of the former Prime Minister Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohammad. Proton Holding Berhad is listed in the Main Board of the KLSE on 26 March 1992. The major shareholder of Proton Holding Berhad: Khazanah Nasional (42. 7%), Employees Provident Fund (EPF) (15. 7%) and Petroliam Nasional (7. 9%). Proton and Mitsubishi established joint venture project since the first Proton car produced in 1985. The first Proton Saga which produces based on the technology from Mitsubishi launched in September 1985 and the rest of cars has manufactured by proton with the collaboration with Mitsubishi such as Wira, Waja, Iswara and others. However, Mitsubishi sold its stake in 2004 but is still continue to supply the relevant components to Proton. In the same year, Proton announced to talks with Volkswagen AG to establish a partnership. The expectation on the tie-up may exploit each other’s strengths, but the talk has failed. In 2006, Protons sales dropped 30. % from 166,118 in 2005 to 115,538 in the market. This allowed the second national car Perodua to overtake Proton as the countrys largest passenger carmaker for the first time, with a 41. 6% market share, while Protons market share fell from 40% in 2005 to 32% in 2006. In the period ending December 31, 2006, Proton has also suffered three consecutive quarterly losses. Compared to a profit of 86. 5 million ringgit in 2005, the car c ompany lost 281. 5 million ringgit in 2006. Total losses in 2007s financial year climbed to $169 million. The acquiring 80% of the Lotus Group in 1996 by proton is only using the technological expertise of lotus to produce efficient car in Malaysia. In 2009, Malaysian government starts delivering information to the people on the Lotus Group which is owned by the national car makers Proton. Lotus Group is a United Kingdom based company which is a sport car manufacturer. The acquisition of lotus group by proton is to obtain mutual interest where the Proton will obtain the technological expertise from the Lotus Group and the Lotus Group need the assists from proton to boost the sales. In the fiscal year ended 31 March 2009, Lotus Group turnover is increased to RM574. 8 million compared to RM564. 3million in the year before. Vision and mission The company mission is to become a successful Malaysian automotive company and manufacture innovative product and affordable price to the local and even to the global. In order to get the goal success, Proton Holdings Bhd set five core commitments which are focusing on the interest of customers, shareholders, employees, business associations and the nation. Barrier entry Concerning on the current political and legal issues in Malaysia, the obstacles for the competitor in automobile industry is remaining high. Political The intervention of the government in the automotive industry in Malaysia is purposely to protect the national industry from the stiff competition raise by the foreign company in the industry. In order to protect the car industry, high tax of 140% to 300% imposed on the import cars. For example, in U. S a BMW 328i is sells only RM 155,369. However, in Malaysia the same model car is selling RM 460,000 after added the import tax. Malaysia is a member of ASEAN and WTO. One of the conditions in the AFTA is to removes or reduces the tariff system. However, Malaysia refuses to wholly remove its taxes on the importing. While in 2005, Malaysia has implemented its commitment to the ASEAN to reduce the tariff gradually and in 2008, the tax reduces to 0% to 5%. | IMPORT DUTY| Local Taxes| | CBU| CKD| CBU CKD| Engine Capacity (cc)| MFN| ASEAN CEPT| MFN| ASEAN CEPT| Excise Duties| Sales tax| 1800| 30%| 0%| 10%| 0%| 65%| 10%| 1800 – 1999| 30%| 0%| 10%| 0%| 75%| 10%| 2000 – 2499 | 30%| 0%| 10%| 0%| 90%| 10%| Above 2500| 30%| 0%| 10%| 0%| 105%| 10%| Table 1: Import duty Reduce of import tax force government to increase the excise duty on the people while to minimize the losses in reducing tariff. The tax imposed on both manufacturer is create an obstacles for the foreign companies from enter the automobile industry. According to the National Automobile Policy (NAP) review, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) will terminate the approval permits (AP) system imports of complete built up (CBU) vehicles and also the AP for used vehicles in 2015. No new pplications for Open AP will be considered and franchise AP will be terminated by Dec 31, 2020. Only the holder of approval permit is allowed to import cars and distribute it locally. If the franchise AP is terminated in 2020, the foreign car manufacturer has to only assemble car locally. Other than tariff, Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA) announces that the importing used-car, cut car, secondhand component and spare part in Malaysia is going to banned by the government. This is to protect the safety of the people from using used car and also to boost the sales of the spare part and the car sale in Malaysia. Together in 2015, the government is also attempt to put restriction on the vehicle which aged 15 and above to do mandatory check. The vehicle end life policy will be implementing in 2015 told by the transport minister Malaysia. The implementation will gives opportunities to the local and foreign automobile companies to raise the sales due to high price in spare part to replace in used spare part. Economic The growing economic in Malaysia is cause by the opens up of the economic trade barrier by the government to attract the foreign investment. The FDI of Malaysia in 1985 to 1995 is around USD 29 billion. While the inflow of FDI after Malaysia implements its commitment to ASEAN in reduces the import tax, there is an overall an increase of 3 billion of FDI to 6 billion in 2006 of FDI inflow. The declining restriction on trade barrier started on the fierce competition on the market. Table 2: Net FDI inflows, 2000-2008 Source: miga. org/documents/flagship09ebook_annexes. pdf On the other hand, the income per capita of Malaysian is increasing from USD 2516 per year in 2001 to USD 4776 in 2009. According to the forecast by Malaysian automotive association (MAA), the total industry volume forecasting will be increase from 550000 units to 570000 units in the next half year of 2010. This is due to the first half year sales performance of the vehicles is grew up to 19. 8% compared to the previous relevant period. Figure 1: Income per capita Government intervention in the oil price in Malaysia gives the reason for the oil price in Malaysia is the lowest among the neighbor countries. The manage float method is using to control the crude oil price in Malaysia. The subsidies by the government in the oil price reduce the burden of the people. While in 2010, government adjusts the new oil price to reduce the subsidy and the national debt. Figure 2: Oil price in Malaysia and neighbor countries In 2010, the loan interest rate has increased three times results on the latest increment to around 3. 85% to 4. 1%. However, Proton holdings Bhd discuss with the banks and financial institutions to reduce the impact of the increased interest rate that will affect the buying behavior of consumers toward cars. Even though the rose of the interest rate and the increasing oil price in Malaysia, this is not severely affected the consumer to buy cars†, said by MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad. Legal In order to start business in Malaysia, the foreign company has required registering and licensing with the provision of the control exist in general acts such as the Companies Act 1965 or the Registration of Business Act 1965. Manufacturing activities in Ma laysia must require a manufacturing license from MITI. However, there is a restriction control for foreign business or investor. Malaysia government controls the companies to resulting of the balance participation by the Malaysian, particular in bumiputera. Only manufacturer who have fewer than 75 employees and less than RM 2. 5 million in shareholders’ funds are exempted. One of the rules in the industrial coordination act 1975 stated that if 70% or more of the equity is held by foreigners, the balance will be reserved for the bumiputera and if less than 70% of the equity is held by foreigners, 30% will be reserved for bumiputera and the balance for non- bumiputera. Malaysia started to encourage environmental friendly cars to the market by promoting 100% incentive tax allowance for five years or pioneer status for a period of 10 years. The minister of finance told during the 2009 budget Malaysia that the imported hybrid cars will get exemption of 100% import duty and 50% excise duty. Proton is protected by the government policies by limited the foreign equity ownership and other to make the barrier of entry to the automotive industry difficult to the competitors. This is an opportunity built by the government for Proton since long time ago. There is no have other comparative advantage on Proton other on the price advantage. The acquisition of Lotus by proton is strengthening the product differentiation from the conservative Proton car’s model. The Proton Satria Neo which is the product representative of the Proton joint-efforts with Lotus engineering. The product differentiation and the price advantage gives proton one step up over other rivals in the industry. Thus, the opportunity cost for consumer to forgone the foreign car is high. Current situation of economy, legal issues and even political issues are all favored to the Proton. Since Lotus Group has been acquired by Proton, Proton should use the opportunity to transfer the technology know how to the Proton cars to produce product differentiation that is impressed everyone. Threat of substitutes Even though the barrier entrant in the automobile industry is remaining high, but, there is exists a strong rival to Proton. The main reason of the argument is referred to the second national car Perodua. The substitutes available in the automotive industry are the threat to cause Proton’s sales to drop. Appendix 3 shows that the top car sales in Malaysia in 2009. The top car sales in 2009 is occupied by the second national car Perodua, while Proton’s cars is on the second place lower than Perodua because of Perodua’s afford in improving its quality and refreshing their products which meet the needs of the customers is the reason that Perodua overtake the Proton as the largest car maker in Malaysia. Rivalry among existing firms Proton strongest rival in Malaysia is the second national car Perodua. Since Perodua introduce in 1993, the sales is overtake Proton after 13 years in 2006. In 2009, the share market of Perodua hits 32. % while proton stayed after Perodua which occupy 28. 6% of the market share. Perodua acknowledge that the consumer concerning on the affordable price when do purchasing of car. Offered 0% of down payment in buying Perodua car is attracted the buyer switching their target from proton to perodua. In addition, Perodua is also provides the cash rebate up to RM 2500 for the buyer. Other competitors of Proton inc lude Toyota, Honda and Nissan. In Malaysia, Toyota brings in the hybrid car which is high production cost car and its uniqueness creates a product differentiation for Toyota from its rivals. Toyota has a strong brand image in the world and it is the world best car seller. The brand loyalty toward the company is strongly beat the brand image of Proton in Malaysia. Moreover, Toyota has the strongest research and development among the automotive industry. They do research before introduce a new product to the market to ensure the well feedback from the consumers. For example, Toyota enables their consumer access to the development of the Toyota Prius features and characteristic before introduce it to the market. They found that the consumers are concerning on the affordable price, high technology, safety issues about the car. Moreover, Toyota enable consumers to do pre order before the car were delivered to the dealership. As a result, the sales of the Toyota Prius in the U. S is tremendously successful which the sales climbed 32% from 2001 to 2003. Buyer bargaining power Buyer has a lot of information exposure before do purchasing, information comparison on the price, features, and comments from the chat forums and others are easily available. Validity of information causes the high bargaining power of buyer on the car. Buyer decision is affected when the downturn of economic or low income. Only small amount of buyer is not affected toward luxury brand. According to a research, the Malaysian buying behavior is change according to the economy. 58% of Malaysian cut their spending during the economy downturn, while 81% of the respondent alleged that less spending on the luxury goods. These significant behavior shows that the price sensitivity among the Malaysian. The behaviors same reflect on the buying behavior of buyer on the car. As the increasing income per capita among Malaysian, the buyer has more variety of choice in choosing vehicle. Therefore, the Proton is suffered with the strong bargaining power of buyer and low switching cost from proton to the main rival Perodua that are enhancing the bargaining power of buyer. Bargaining power of suppliers According to the promotion of investment act 1986, government will provides incentives to the firms which are involved in the promoted activities or activities as determine by the MITI. While, this incentive is eligible apply on the transport equipment, components and accessories. This brings to the increasing of the number of component industry in Malaysia accelerates from 00 to 350 in 2003. 70% of these company supplies are to Proton Bhd. The high concentration of the suppliers leads to the low bargaining power of supplier to Proton. Conclusion The lack of innovation and weak management in the company are the major weaknesses to Proton Holdings Bhd. Whilst, the fast changing environment is not severely affected Proton that is protected under umbrella of government but is the competitiveness among the industry widen the gap between Proton and foreign vehicle to be on par. The comparisons apparently cause Proton loss its competitiveness among the automobile industry. The causes lead Proton struggle in the stiff competition in the automotive industry are due to the weak RD on the customer needs and no have innovation on the products. However, there are some opportunities for Proton to overcome it. For example, advance technology available in Lotus Group. Proton should starts to built its brand image and reputation changing to a more effective management and be more creative in producing vehicles. Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 [ 2 ]. Day trading on NYSE, 2009. 10 largest bankruptcies in the history of the USA. Available on: http://nyse-trade. com/httpnyse-trade-ru10-krupnejshix-bankrotstv-v-istorii-ssha/ Viewed: 20/7/2010 [ 3 ]. Wikipedia, 2010. Proton (carmaker) Available on: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Proton_(carmaker) Viewed: 20/7/2010 [ 4 ]. Barari, A. , 2008. Malaysia’s Proton to build new car with Mitsubishi Available on: motorward. com/2008/12/malaysias-proton-build-car-mitsubishi/ Viewed: 24/7/2010 [ 5 ]. The Star, 2010. Proton confirms talks with Volkswagen called off. Available on: http://biz. thestar. com. my/news/story. asp? file=/2010/6/7/business/20100607103 215sec=business Viewed: 23/7/2010 [ 6 ]. Tan, P. , 2007. Proton 2006 sales dip; EPF buys more Proton shares. Available on: http://paultan. org/2007/01/25/proton-2006-sales-dip-epf-buys-more-proton-shares/ Viewed: 24/7/2010 [ 7 ]. Whitley, A. , 2007. Proton posts loss as sales slump to lowest in 7 years. Available on: bloomberg. com/apps/news? pid=newsarchivesid=axpaLGflllBArefer=asia Viewed: 23/7/2010 [ 8 ]. Proton annual report, 2009. Available on: proton. com/public/media/mediacentre/documents/annualreports/AReport_2009 _3. pdf Viewed: 23/7/2010 [ 9 ]. Proton Holdings Berhad annual report, 2004. Available on: http://announcements. lse. com. my/EDMS/subweb. nsf/7f04516f8098680348256c6f0017a6bf/0ace7786fbc2707b48256f08003508b3/$FILE/Proton-Cover-Contents-AGM-CorpInfo-CorpGov-FinancialStatements%20(1MB). pdf Viewed: 20/7/2010 [ 10 ]. ELM international, Inc, 2010. Automotive supplier information: Malaysia. Available on: eautoportal. com/eap/data/country/country. asp? show=Malaysia Viewed: 23/7/2010 [ 11 ]. Malaysia: Govern ment will impose excise duty on cars to make up tax revenue, 2003. Available on: just-auto. com/news/government-will-impose-excise-duty-on-cars-to-make-up-tax-revenue-report_id80405. aspx Viewed: 20/7/2010 12 ]. Wong, A. , Chia, H. G. , Chew, K. Y. , 2010. Review of the national automotive policy Available on: bakermckenzie. com/RROperatingReviewoftheNationalFeb10/ Viewed: 24/7/2010 [ 13 ]. Wong, H. T. , 2006. Foreign direct investment in manufacturing industry of Malaysia: An empirical study. Available on: http://myais. fsktm. um. edu. my/8153/1/Foreign_Direct_Investment. pdf Viewed: 24/7/2010 [ 14 ]. World investment and political risk, 2009. Net FDI inflows, 2000-2008 Available on: miga. org/documents/flagship09ebook_annexes. pdf Viewed: 24/7/2010 [ 15 ]. World consumer lifestyles databook, 2001. Gross income per capita 1990-2009. Available on: euromonitor. com/pdf/wcld_samples. pdf Viewed: 20/7/2010 [ 16 ]. Appendix 1 [ 17 ]. Appendix 2 [ 18 ]. Approval of manufacturing projects, 2008. Available on: http://210. 187. 41. 3/beta/view. php? cat=3scat=5pg=116 Viewed: 27/7/2010 [ 19 ]. Automotive News Topics, 2008. Malaysia Budget 2009 : 100 percent exemption of import duty and a 50 percent exemption in the excise duty for CBU hybrid cars Available at: http://kereta. info/malaysia-budget-2009-100-percent-exemption-of-import-duty-and-a-50-percent-exemption-in-the-excise-duty-for-cbu-hybrid-cars/ Viewed: 23/7/2010 20 ]. Malaysia: Government will impose excise duty on cars to make up tax revenue, 2003. Available on: just-auto. com/news/government-will-impose-excise-duty-on-cars-to-make-up-tax-revenue-report_id80405. aspx Viewed: 20/7/2010 [ 21 ]. Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), 2010. 2009 top 10 popular car model in Malaysia. Available on: etawau. com/HTML/Car/INDEX_TopM odel. htm Viewed: 24/7/2010 [ 22 ]. Perodua Viva, 2007. Available on: peroduapromosi. com/index. php? p=1_9_VIVA Viewed:

Money Makes the World Go Around

Money Makes the World Go Around Read why some professions are more valuable than others. What Is Too Much? We live in a world where entertainers and athletes earn more money in a year than teachers and social workers make in a lifetime – so the everyday, middle-class person has to wonder: Why is this so? Are these people simply more valuable than me? You’re not going to like this – but, yes, they are more valuable than you, economically speaking; celebrities are quite valuable to the marketplace. In a capitalistic society, athletes and entertainers are walking billboards for a brand, product, enterprise or service – and these stars are subsequently rewarded with copious amounts of money for this exchange. It’s been this way for a long, long time. Professional athletes make up a good percentage of these celebrities. And they do not make too much money if they are doing it legally. They have earned it. How to Save Money in College? But first, let’s consider who decides what constitutes â€Å"too much money.† Let’s look at the kind of money professional athletes make in a year. In Forbes’ list of the highest-paid athletes in the world, the top earner in 2015 was boxer Floyd Mayweather: He made $300 million, $285 million from his winnings. In that list at number 10, NBA star Kobe Bryant made $49.5 million – $23.5 million from his contract, and $26 million in endorsements alone. These are extraordinary amounts of money, enough for a single person to never have to work again in their life. And if it’s the struggling everyday people of the middle and lower classes deciding whether these numbers illustrated â€Å"too much money,† they would likely advocate the burning of these money-sucking pigs. In America, the median salary is about $50,000, according to a 2016 article published on Foxbusiness.com titled, â€Å"Average Salaries for Americans: Median Salaries for Common Jobs.† But if they tried to put themselves in the shoes of the celebrities – well, in the wallets of these celebrities – they would find themselves reaping the rewards and basking in the sunshine of extravagant wealth. And they’d probably want more of it, realizing it meant a life free from common worries, problems, and generally negative experiences. So, once again, professional athletes could never make â€Å"too much† money. Their banks accounts are filled with hard-earned money. Everybody Is Paid According to His Talents Professional athletes earn their money because they possess an otherworldly talent and work ethic. They say talent is nothing without the effort to hone it. Well, these athletes making several million dollars a year were not only born with God-given talent or skill for a certain movement or sport – they took that talent to become one of the best in the world at their sport. That takes amazing character and self-discipline – like the patience and dedication to climbing over a massive wall each and every day for years, knowing for sure that success is just around the corner. Black Economy the Father of the Poverty Take basketball legend Michael Jordan, a late bloomer: He grew six or more inches the summer after his sophomore year in high school, that year not making the varsity team. He then worked on his craft and bettered himself. He eventually became a star in high school and college, and then was drafted into the NBA – and the rest is history. He was the best player in the league for years, making the top salary too, before retiring and investing his money. He is now a billionaire. Income Is Balanced by Tax Professional athletes, both actively playing and retired, deserve all of their money because they are highly taxed – just like a large corporation. Now the tax system may be imperfect – because there is certainly some inequality in how much money people of different tax brackets are taxed – but we can generally see that a person is taxed more with the more money they make. Each year some of these athletes still are taxed hundred of thousands of dollars, if not millions. So anyone would want to make more money if they were taxed each large amounts of money. It’s best to conclude this argument by asking the reader, to be honest here. There is never too much money to be made unless of course, it comes through evil, violent tactics. Then it’s not deserved. But professional athletes deserve every penny they earn, even if it’s disgusting, whether through competing in their sport, getting paid through endorsement deals, or by merely showing up to things and attracting people. They do no make too much. What they make is, well, just right.

The strategic dealings of Tim Horton, a Canadian based coffee business Research Paper

The strategic dealings of Tim Horton, a Canadian based coffee business - Research Paper Example Currently, the market penetration of Tim Hortons is slow as it was expected due to presence of Dunkin Donuts. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 CONTENT AND ANALYSIS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Company Issue†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..... 5 Corporate Level Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Business Level Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 10 Marketing Mix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13 Strategic Business Models†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15 Internal Environment Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 19 External Environment Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.... 20 Competitive Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 20 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 24 REFERENCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... ... Tim Horton opened his first donut and coffee shop in Hamilton, Ontario in 1964. The menu included some of his own recipes. In 1965, Tim Hortons became partners with Ron Joyce. Ron Joyce, then, quickly initiated for company development and expansion. Unfortunately, soon after the establishment of his business, Tim Hortons lost his life in a car accident that occurred on 21 February 1974. After the death of Tim Hortons, Joyce took the sole responsibility and ownership of the company in 1974. In 1992, Tim Horton decided to open an outlet with Wendy’s featuring cross-branded products of both the companies. During the mid of 90s, the company expanded aggressively beyond Canadian Borders. It opened several outlets as donut shops in West Virginia, Ohio, and Detroit. Tim Horton is now publicly listed in Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and is considered as one of the most well known corporation of Canada. CONTENT AND ANALYSIS Company Issues There are number of issues that have influenced restaurants like Tim Horton. Some of them include: Demographic shifts Community Company Issues Environmental Issues These issues are briefly discussed in the subsequent paragraphs. Demographic shifts Demographic trends influence the business of restaurant largely. Some important variables of demographics that affect the company’s business include location, population, income of customers, age group, taste, preferences etc. They are some important factors that must be considered by a company. The population of Canada has increased from 19 million to 33 million. In order to accommodate the increased level of demand brought by increase in population, a company needs to incorporate new technologies into its business to enhance efficiency, hire more workers, and expand its outlets.

Tramatic Brain Injury Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Tramatic Brain Injury - Research Paper Example TBI is also associated with closed head injuries as oppose to penetrating injuries of the skull and brain stem, although not always exclusively since there can be multiple characteristics of initial injuries with both penetrating and non-penetrating effects.. (Papanicolaou) There are an estimated 20 to 50 million people [worldwide]are injured or disabled in road traffic accidents every year with those between ages 18 and 25 experiencing the greatest incidence. According to the Centers for Disease Control, individuals over age 75 are at high risk for TBI due to falls. By 2020, the World Health Organization projects that road traffic injuries will be the third leading cause of global disease or injury. Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of TBI in less developed countries and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality (Bay, Kreulen, Shavers, and Currier 141) TBI severity is grouped into three general classifications: mild, moderate, or severe. The diagnosis is dependent upon seve ral factors, the depth and length any coma that was induced by the TBI, the duration of any posttraumatic amnesia, the overall time to respond consistently to stimuli, as well as the neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies, and measures of brainstem function. â€Å"As severity levels increase, the range and extent of possible long-term physical, cognitive, and psychosocial impairments increases.† (Degeneffe 257) These classifications have been further codified by the introduction of the Glasgow Coma Scale, which was originally developed to help practitioners diagnose the level of consciousness of a patient after a head injury. It has now been adapted to rate TBI survivors in the mild, moderate or severe classification. The scale is reproduced in Appendix I. There is certainly a general lack of understanding regarding individual how have suffered a TBI and the resultant issues arising from it. This results in many TBI sufferers receiving treatment by medical, psycho-soci al or other personnel who do not have experience with TBI. This is especially true in cases of Mild TBI where the patient is presented with headache, vomiting, dizziness; work-related difficulties, forgetfulness, or mood disorders without mention any current head trauma thus impairing a proper diagnosis and treatment. By informing medical practitioners about the general symptoms of TBI, there would be a better chance of asking if the patient had suffered a recent head injury. (Bay, Kreulen, Shavers, and Currier) Once a TBI has been diagnosed often the first medical professional to be alerted is the neuropsychologist. Neuropsychology is a complex field of psychology for it incorporates a variety of other sciences such as psychiatry, neuroscience, neurology as well as cognitive psychology. The general theory of Clinical Neuropsychology will provide the basic tools and techniques necessary to assist individuals with TBI in developing the appropriate coping skills and strategies needed to reclaim their lives. This will allow them to return to a life of greater independence in order to live successfully in the community. The conducted research and readings surrounding Clinical Neuropsychology has an in depth understanding of the organic component of brain damage in those with TBI, giving a keener insight into the treatment and therapies that

Slavery and Race in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Slavery and Race in the USA - Essay Example 'Racism' started its origin from the field of sports when baseball distinguished between two teams, 'blacks' and 'whites'. The teams used to show sense of honour when the communities to which they represented, win. It was due to the separate block of black institutions that caused feelings of a separate 'race' among black Americans. Kelly & Lewis (2000) writes that it was the utmost efforts of those segregated institutions to exclude black community from every walk of American life including education, jobs, civil services etc. Even the situation got worse when in many cases it was observed that African Americans started paying heavy taxes and duties in order to acquire public facilities which were free of cost for Americans, hence the Great War was an eye opening occurrence for blacks, after which they realised to be a separate identity from that of whites, and that whites never accepted them. The main reason was the 'stamp' of slavery on blacks, for which the whites still considere d them as slaves. World War I where on one hand infused the spirit of 'democracy' among African Americans, on the other hand it remain failed to cope up with the segregated units, which started building among blacks and whites. Blacks possessed the view, which negated the presence of any skin colour, so they expected whites to behave with them in accordance with equality and justice. Hence the new understanding of social relations of the world war rights era authorised African Americans thereby giving new dimensions of race, class and ethnicity. Worst situations were created after Afro- Americans started getting urbanised. After the new perception which whites taught the blacks, blacks considered white Americans to be their worst opponents, which would never turn into their allies. The main reason behind such attitude was the experience of blacks which majority acquired. Collins (2004) writes that blacks were directly or indirectly affected by the racial discrimination identified by whites. World War I infused a new seed of hatred that strengthened the bond of 'racial discrimination' among the whites and blacks. In 1930s racial discrimination went on its peak after blacks joined umpteen gangs who used to create violence among those areas influenced by whites' majority. According to Collins (2004) 1 "African Americans were often accused of the crime of raping White women which resulted in lynching". (Collins, 2004, p. 222) Such violent acts gave rise to many civil rights organisations like NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Colored People) and National Urban League, which worked, for the rights of black communities. Harlem Renaissance Among the major problems created by World War was the urbanisation of African Americans due to the isolation they were confronted to. This isolation created classes among various black groups. The whites already did the segregation, now the rest of the task was carried out by black ghettos. Urbanisation increased the emergence of a gay, lesbian, and bisexual presence within urban African American communities. (Collins,

The Sports Restaurant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Sports Restaurant - Essay Example These are male and female, from the wide age ranges of 20 to 50 years old. They are employed, and comes from the middle income level, with at least high school in academic background, and of mixed cultural, ethnic, or racial orientation. 3. Describe the benefits provided to your costumers? The benefits that are provided to the customers in patronizing The Sports Restaurant are as follows: (1) the opportunity to savor and enjoy a well-balanced diet, composed of organic food items, and prepared in the most delectable manner; (2) the menu is comprised of low fat, all natural food ingredients and organic supplements, and served in calories-based recommended meal serving; (3) as sports enthusiasts, the target market is expected to engage in regular physical fitness activities and exercises that require energy-giving food to sustain and support the healthy lifestyle; (4) the target market could opt to patronize the food, anytime of the day, and be off to their daily routine; and (5) the food is affordable and competitively priced, making it attractive to the consumers. 4. How will your business make money? The business will make money from the following sources: (1) the prices of raw materials and all natural ingredients are expected to be low since these would be sourced from local dairies, farms, and reliable suppliers; (2) costs would be minimized in the actual work setting to make use of resources that are environmental friendly; (3) sales are expected to be optimized through situating the restaurant in commercial areas (business districts, universities, and community organizations) where people from all walks of life abound; and (4) human resources would be maximized to their full potentials through training and development programs. 5. What are the critical success factors for this business? The critical success factors for this business are focusing on the health-promotion

The Effect of Body Language on Oneself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Effect of Body Language on Oneself - Essay Example According to the report  nonverbal communication in the simplest of terms can be defined as the process of sending a message without the use of words. It involves the use of expression of the face, the gestures we make, the postures we take, the tone of our voices and the emotions attached to it, the kind of grooming we do, the clothing we dress in, and so on.   It is important to note that the nonverbal cues one employs at times contains a message that is direct while at times the message is hidden, but all in all, these cues end up influencing the outcome of the verbal communication that we are making. It is possible to be saying one thing while our body language could be saying exactly the opposite of what we are saying.This paper declares that  it is a fact that cannot be disputed that our body language says a lot about ourselves. As human beings, we are interested in what the other persons’ body language says about them because it will basically determine how we are going to interact with them in both the short and the long run. While our nonverbal affect other peoples; how we judge them, and the outcome of the judgment, it is imperative to note that as humans, we are very much influenced by our own nonverbal especially the power dynamics aspect.  Human beings have this inbuilt tendency to display their accomplishment; that is, pride. We all express pride in one way or another.  

Fonterra Tirau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fonterra Tirau - Essay Example The product made at this facility amounts to thousands of tons annually that feed both the foreign and the domestic markets. As the result of an upgrade in 1981, the true site operated by Fonterra is the only one that produces lactalbumin whose tonnage is 1400 annually and is an essential ingredient in nutritional applications. During the high season between August and December of each year, the true site usually processes almost 2.9 million liters on a daily basis, which is collected from the dairy farmers who are also shareholders in Fonterra. The other product manufactured at the Tirau site is lactic casein that totals 7000 tons annually, whose main export market is China, USA, most European states, and Japan (Fonterra, 2014). Fonterra is one of the companies that has attracted the interest of environmentalists and government agencies charged with protecting the environment. This is not surprising since (â€Å"Water Quality in New Zealand† 2012) states milk processing plants are the major environmental pollutants in New Zealand, and this includes Fonterra’s sites. Tirau being a principle road town in the Waikato region has experienced an increase in commercial and agricultural activities over the years that have caused a major impact on the environment especially on the water resources. Subsequently, the water pH and levels of conductivity in Waikato region have been deteriorating gradually with the Waikato River experiencing high levels of pollution. According to environmental impact assessment reports, a majority of the industries that cause pollution is dairy farming and product plants together with the use of high nitrogen fertilizers that have made the water pH levels in these regions to deteriorate. Fonterra Tirau understands that the industrial activities conducted at this plant is one of the key contributors to the environmental degradation of the Waikato region and has put in place

The Sports Restaurant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Sports Restaurant - Essay Example These are male and female, from the wide age ranges of 20 to 50 years old. They are employed, and comes from the middle income level, with at least high school in academic background, and of mixed cultural, ethnic, or racial orientation. 3. Describe the benefits provided to your costumers? The benefits that are provided to the customers in patronizing The Sports Restaurant are as follows: (1) the opportunity to savor and enjoy a well-balanced diet, composed of organic food items, and prepared in the most delectable manner; (2) the menu is comprised of low fat, all natural food ingredients and organic supplements, and served in calories-based recommended meal serving; (3) as sports enthusiasts, the target market is expected to engage in regular physical fitness activities and exercises that require energy-giving food to sustain and support the healthy lifestyle; (4) the target market could opt to patronize the food, anytime of the day, and be off to their daily routine; and (5) the food is affordable and competitively priced, making it attractive to the consumers. 4. How will your business make money? The business will make money from the following sources: (1) the prices of raw materials and all natural ingredients are expected to be low since these would be sourced from local dairies, farms, and reliable suppliers; (2) costs would be minimized in the actual work setting to make use of resources that are environmental friendly; (3) sales are expected to be optimized through situating the restaurant in commercial areas (business districts, universities, and community organizations) where people from all walks of life abound; and (4) human resources would be maximized to their full potentials through training and development programs. 5. What are the critical success factors for this business? The critical success factors for this business are focusing on the health-promotion

Fonterra Tirau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fonterra Tirau - Essay Example The product made at this facility amounts to thousands of tons annually that feed both the foreign and the domestic markets. As the result of an upgrade in 1981, the true site operated by Fonterra is the only one that produces lactalbumin whose tonnage is 1400 annually and is an essential ingredient in nutritional applications. During the high season between August and December of each year, the true site usually processes almost 2.9 million liters on a daily basis, which is collected from the dairy farmers who are also shareholders in Fonterra. The other product manufactured at the Tirau site is lactic casein that totals 7000 tons annually, whose main export market is China, USA, most European states, and Japan (Fonterra, 2014). Fonterra is one of the companies that has attracted the interest of environmentalists and government agencies charged with protecting the environment. This is not surprising since (â€Å"Water Quality in New Zealand† 2012) states milk processing plants are the major environmental pollutants in New Zealand, and this includes Fonterra’s sites. Tirau being a principle road town in the Waikato region has experienced an increase in commercial and agricultural activities over the years that have caused a major impact on the environment especially on the water resources. Subsequently, the water pH and levels of conductivity in Waikato region have been deteriorating gradually with the Waikato River experiencing high levels of pollution. According to environmental impact assessment reports, a majority of the industries that cause pollution is dairy farming and product plants together with the use of high nitrogen fertilizers that have made the water pH levels in these regions to deteriorate. Fonterra Tirau understands that the industrial activities conducted at this plant is one of the key contributors to the environmental degradation of the Waikato region and has put in place

Wireless videophones Essay Example for Free

Wireless videophones Essay Wireless videophones and high-speed Internet access are a reality with the worlds first Third Generation mobile serviced, which were launched on October 1st 2001 by NTT DoCoMo in Tokyo, Japan. These has symbolized that human had enter a new era in mobile network technology. Facing with the ever advancing technologies, mobile network had integrated deep into our daily life style, cater for the needs to interact between friends and business organizations in a more effective, efficient and convenient way. At this moment, as we are discussing, there is a lot of network companies busily preparing for 3G or the Third Generation in mobile telephone devices. The precursors to this technology had began and entered the markets in year 2001 and 3G itself is due to have proliferated in the earnest by 2005. Singapore Telco, Singtel had announced a trail on the 3G network within CBD area at the last quarter of 2003. If 3G delivers what the developers promise, by 2004 we can look at broadband speeds via our mobile phones, plus a variety of new generation mobile devices that combine PC, PDA, camera, you name it, functionality. With 3G, data speeds will reach upwards of 2 Megabits per second (Mbps), which will give us high speed Web access and superlative quality video access via our trusty mobile communication devices. 3G also promises roaming capability throughout Europe, Asia and North America. 3G devices will deliver all that GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) can do, except a whole lot faster. Just imagine, how about catching up with that important client who never has time for a face to face meeting when hes in a taxi on his way to an airport at the other side of the globe? Consider watching your favourite television programmes on the MRT on your way home from work. How about consider connecting to your network, downloading files, transferring data, zipping off an email? With transfer speeds of more than 2 Mbps, tasks like these can be completed within seconds. Nokias concept team, for example, are currently considering four different categories for their 3G terminals: Â  Communicators These would be business tools, allowing users to quickly and efficiently log onto their networks, transfer information, wrote emails and synchronise information with conventional PC devices. Media phones These would perhaps give access to Internet services and include Personal Information Management, audio and data functions. Â  Imaging phones Sending of photos and video clips to our friends on the other side of the world within seconds. Â  Entertainment phones How about playing a game with friend at the other side of the globe. Or sending your distributor teams a video clip of your new office? To introduce, switch or implement a new technology can never be an easy task. It involved a lot of technology know how, equipments and researches. The bottom line is, a huge sum of money will be required. Take for example, other than GPRS technology, some other technology will be required to kick off the 3G network system. One of them is WCDMA, or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, a wideband radio technique providing high data rates, and EDGE, or Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution, a high-speed modulation technique that triples the capacity of GPRS. The various networks have spent a lot of money on this technology and will spend even more before the services are launched. In UK mobile networks have paid (22 billion just to use the required radio spectrum. According to Gartnet Dataquests survey in May 2002, Singapore will spend an estimate of US$19. 9 million in 2003 and US$102. 9 million in 2004 on the WCDMA infrastructure alone. That is not all, according to reports from Europe and Japan, which had started the 3G networking, had been under a lot of criticize. Most of their problems were mainly from the handsets and the network integration. Those countries in the preparation for the 3G launch had been very cautious on the setup. Europe and Japan experience will serve as a guidance for their future operation. Introduction. 3G wireless networks are capable of transferring data at high speeds of up to 384Kbps. Average speeds for 3G network will range between 64Kbps and 384Kbps, quite a jump when compared to common wireless data speeds in the U. S that are often slower than a 14. 4Kb modem. 3G is considered high speed or broadband mobile Internet access, and as time to come, 3G networks are expected to reach speeds of more than 2Mbps. In order to know the evolution of 3G, it might be interesting to get an idea on the history on the revolution of mobile networking . History of Mobile Networking System First Generation (1G). The first generation of mobile cellular telecommunications system appeared in the 1980s. The first generation was not the beginning of mobile communication, as there were several mobile radio networks in existence before then, but they are not cellular systems. The capacity of those early networks was much lower than that of mobile networks. And the support for mobility was weak. In mobile cellular networks the coverage area is divided into small cells, and thus the same frequencies can be used several times in the network without disturbing interference. This increase the system capacity. The first generation used analog transmission techniques for traffic, which was almost entirely voice. There was no dominant standard but several competing ones. The most successful standards were Nordic(TACS), and Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS). Note that although the world is now busy moving into 3G networks, these first-generation networks, and many existing networks are growing. First Generation networks ( Extract from Introduction To 3G Mobile Communication) System Countries TACS/ETACS Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Philippines. Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, UAE, UK AMPS Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Georgia, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, USA, Vietnam, Western Samoa Second Generation (2G), 2G evolve in the year 1991, in Finland. Second generation mobile network system use digital radio transmission. Thus the boundary line between first and second generation systems is obvious: it is the analog/digital split. The second generation networks have much higher capacity than the first generation systems. One frequency channel is simultaneously divided among several users (either by code or time division). Hierarchical cell structures- in which the service area is covered by macro and picocells enhance the system capacity even further. There are four main standards for second-generation systems,: Global System for Mobile ( GSM ) communications and its derivatives, Digital AMPS (D-AMPS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA {IS-95}) and Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) GSM uses the 900-MHz band is by far the most successful and widely used 2G system. PDC was eventually adopted by Japan. Generation 2. 5 (2. 5G), 2. 5G is a designation that broadly includes all advanced upgrades for the second generation networks. These upgrades may in fact sometimes provide almost same capabilities as the planned 3G systems. The boundary line between 2G and 2. 5G is a hazy one. It is difficult to say when a 2G becomes a 2. 5G system in a technical sense. When the wireless industry realized that it was going to be costly and technologically challenging to upgrade to 3G networks, 2. 5G emerged as an interim stage. These networks transfer data at speeds of up to 114Kbps, which is faster than traditional digital (2G) network. They are always on. A phone with 2. 5G services can alternate between using nets, sending or receiving test messages, and making calls without losing its connection to the Internet and email. Analysis of 3G Technology In the old days, when all phones were fixed rather than mobile, making a call involved establishing a direct electrical connection between your handset and the one you were calling. The same happens with 2G and 2. 5G networks, but instead of setting up a dedicated circuit, a small portion of the airwaves are reserved for your call. This is a really bad way of dividing up the available airwaves because it means that the spaces and pauses in speech get the same priority as the words. 3G networks change all this. Instead of reserving airspace each conversation is chopped up into packets, each one of which is labelled with a code denoting which dialogue it is from. The wireless literate generation of today (aged 12 35) provides a snapshot of tomorrows society and its drivers. The new generation is creating new usage patterns in favour of messaging and visual content. For them, messaging e. g SMS text messaging is the most natural way of personal communication. Instant communication is about being able to create and consume content (greetings, notes, snapshots/ postcards, moving pictures, instant voicemail) on the fly, and about filling transit moments with meaningful experiences. The mobile phone has become a personal trusted device that is capable of life management and enrichment, thanks to higher data rates and evolutionary user interfaces that have increased the simplicity and usability of terminals. Traditionally the major service has been voice but there has been an evolutionary step in 3G from Short Messaging Service (SMS) to 3GPP defined Multimedia Messaging, incorporating digital images and video clips with text or voice annotations. Industry analysts estimate that vendors are currently allocating from $200 billion in research and development resources to specify, design and manufacture infrastructure for evolving 3G networks. Of the 3G licenses currently awarded, more than 90 percent of those operators have specified WCDMA as their core 3G technology. Observers point out that, given this expected dominance of WCDMA as the 3G standard, this technology will undoubtedly receive the majority of RD funding and will yield the earliest, most extensive and most reliable product availability. What is WCDMA? WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiplex Access (WCDMA) is the radio frequency technology indicated for all UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication Services) networks, and WCDMA is widely expected to be the dominant technology for 3G networks worldwide. WCDMA supports high capacity, multiple simultaneous services and bit-rate performance of up to 2Mbit/s. But as a wideband (5 MHz channels) technology, WCDMA presents deployment challenges when implemented on narrow frequency allocations. When evaluating WCDMA infrastructure, operators should consider system solutions that provide well-established Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compatibility and that the resource allocation capabilities follow UMTS traffic class guidelines and Quality of Service attributes, allowing operators to optimize service differentiation. Modular designs allow these solutions to scale quickly to meet escalating network traffic demands. These same design advantages will allow these WCDMA solutions to be adapted to meet the demand for location-based services, personalized messaging and packet data traffic volumes that will define the coming wireless IP networks. These advanced WCDMA systems will also support seamless integration with GSM networks. 3G Concepts And Technology for Business 3G will be primarily driven by services and applications, not technology, although technologies such as Java, WAP, Bluetooth, SynchML and IPv6 have enabled third party application developments to meet users end-to-end service needs and expectations. The Mobile Internet will bring an explosion in the number of new applications a 3G hypermarket of services creating new marketing and revenue channels. Few business leaders are likely to turn down an opportunity to get an extra 10% of productivity from their mobile workforces, especially if it only costs a fraction of the reward. Third-generation (3G) wireless networks could facilitate this kind of return on investment (ROI) by extending desktop business-application, database, and intranet access into the mobile environment. 3G is an improvement over current networks, which deliver data and voice at no more than double the speed of dialup modems. The 3G infrastructure will eventually be able to transmit text, voice, video, and multimedia to a mobile handset with an always-on connection that is five times faster than a dialup modem. Initially, data-transfer rates may only equal todays dialup modem speeds, but that is still fast enough to make wireless service attractive to businesses seeking efficiency gains. Japans NTT DoCoMo turned on the worlds first 3G network in October 2001. Other mobile operators are conducting 3G trials in the United States and Europe, with plans to go live this year. The challenges include the complexity and costs of upgrading carrier networks and telephone handsets to handle 3G multimedia transmissions. Companies that adopt 3G networking for their mobile workforces within the next two years should expect limited coverage areas and the typical problems associated with any emerging technology. IDC recommends that company executives seeking 3G wireless connectivity should decide exactly why they want the service and pinpoint the efficiency points they need in order to recoup their investment costs in less than two years. Early adopters should measure the specific benefits of connecting mobile employees-reduced paperwork, faster collection of customer data, higher accuracy-and know which group of mobile employees will get the service first and why. In Europe, if an operator does not move fast into wireless data (3G) then the market will start to move without it threatening disintermediation for the laggards. At such, licences of the wideband connection, which carry new content-rich data and video-streaming services, cost up to US$10 billion in Italy and $45 billion in Germany respectively. (Source : Global Telecoms Business magazine). In both Japan and Korea, there is also a significant raise in the subscription in 3G mobile usage, stimulating the economic movement in the countries. In what ways can 3G networks be applied ? Application and Advantages, Multimedia Messaging Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a messaging service for the mobile environment standardized by the WAP Forum and 3GPP. For consumers, MMS is very similar to Short Message Service (SMS): it provides automatic, immediate delivery of user-created content sent primarily from phone to phone. MMS also provides support for email addressing, so messages can be sent to email. In addition to text, an MMS message sent to or from the Nokia 6650 phone can contain still images, voice or audio clips, and video. An MMS message is a multimedia presentation in one entity; it is not a text file with attachments. MMS delivers a location independent, total communication experience and is a simple, logical extension of SMS, also providing a similarly solid and reliable platform on which the operator can build additional services and increase service differentiation. Rich Call Rich call is an audio conversation supported by concurrent access to an image or data and allows users to not only listen to what I say but also see what I mean. Multiple simultaneous media types such as messaging, voice and video games can be started and ended independently but without the need to obtain the information first and then call back. Mobile Internet Mobile Internet is not just todays internet accessed from a mobile device (although it will of course still be possible,) but instead applications will provide users with personalised, context dependent and interworking applications. The scope of these services will cover areas such as information, entertainment, travel and personal information management. Many will be wholly or partly sponsored by advertisers, be location aware and have mCommerce integration. Multimedia streaming and downloading In 3G, enhanced bandwidth capabilities and advanced terminals enable video and audio, either real time or near real time or download. Eg, two way video conferencing with audio, video streaming. Streaming Media Services Audio streaming (eg MP3) is seen as the first widespread mainstream service to generate revenue through increased data traffic, attracting well off, music consuming and impatient twenty to thirty something generation consumers to subscribe to higher Quality of Service access. Although these services are available, to some extent, through 2. 5G terminals and networks, the bandwidth vs capacity evolution suggests that the real enabler for mass market service is WCDMA radio access. Streaming alleviates the need for a large memory resource in the terminal since only a small sample of the video or music data resides there at any one time. Copyright is also less of an issue because at no time is the entire data stored in the device. Entertainment There are two types of entertainment passive and interactive (games and media ie TV. ) Users will be able to connect to online multi platform gaming experiences or download, try out and purchase games. Handsets will allow inter operability though WAP, GPRS, Java and Symbian OS, making play possible across handset manufacturers. 3G Problems and Disadvantages, As we have mentioned earlier on, 3G is not flawless. Japan NTT was hit with the lack of delicated applications written for broadband speeds of 384 Kbps and handsets were designed for voice-centric application. Many people had to carry 2 handsets to ensure national coverage. Handset Problems, all the extra tasks will put something of a burden on the handset. At the moment screens on phones are small, they are difficult to type or get data into and they typically only work with one mobile phone technology.