Use of Social Media in Promoting Stakeholder

USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN PROMOTING STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR DEFINITION OF SOCIAL MEDIA Social media has rapidly integrated itself into our everyday lives, both personal and professional, and it’s perhaps had no greater impact than on the world of marketing, with consumers and brands seeing enormous benefits and changes. Social media literally means interactive platforms through which individuals and communities create and share user-generated contents. Social media are social software which mediates human communication.When the technologies are in place, social media is ubiquitously accessible and enabled by scalable communication techniques. In the year 2012, social media became one of the most powerful sources for news updates through platforms such as Twitter and Facebook (Kietzmann et al. 2011). Social media technologies take on different forms including magazines, Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, microblogging, wikis, social networks, podcasts, photographs or pictures, video, rating and social bookmarking.Social media can be classified into six different types: collaborative projects (for example, Wikipedia), blogs and microblogs (for example, Twitter), content communities (for example, YouTube), social networking sites (for example, Facebook), virtual game worlds (e. g. , World of War craft), and virtual social worlds (e. g. Second Life). Technologies include: blogs, picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant messaging, music-sharing, crowdsourcing and voice over IP, to name a few (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Many of these social media services can be integrated via social network aggregation platforms.Social media network websites include sites like Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Bebo and MySpace. Social media applications used on mobile devices are called mobile social media. In comparison to traditional social media running on computers, mobile social media display a higher location- and time -sensitivity. One can differentiate between four types of mobile social media applications (Kaplan, 2012), depending on whether the message takes account of the specific location of the user (location-sensitivity) and whether it is received and processed by the user instantaneously or with a time delay (time-sensitivity). . Space-timers (location and time sensitive): Exchange of messages with relevance for one specific location at one specific point-in time (e. g. , Facebook Places; Foursquare). 2. Space-locators (only location sensitive): Exchange of messages, with relevance for one specific location, which are tagged to a certain place and read later by others (e. g. , Yelp; Qype). 3. Quick-timers (only time sensitive): Transfer of traditional social media applications to mobile devices to increase immediacy (e. g. posting Twitter messages or Facebook status updates). 4. Slow-timers (neither location, nor time sensitive): Transfer of traditional social media applications to mobile devices (for example, watching a YouTube video or reading a Wikipedia entry). Mobile social media can also be used on the go when one is not near a personal computer, lap-top†¦ etc. With all the new devices that are arriving at our finger tips, gadgets such as tablets, ipods, phones, and many other new products, there is no use for sitting at home using ones PC.Mobile social media has made other sources of internet browsing obsolete and allows users to write, respond, and browse in real-time. A new medium of social networking – Instagram allow the world to interconnect and makes space and time much smaller than anyone can imagine. Instagram allows individuals to snap a photo wherever they may be and share it with the rest of the world instantly, delivering a social media site full of foreign accomplishments and strange scenarios.This feature was introduced by facebook and other existing social media sites, but instagram is the latest addition to the social media scene, and has made picture sharing an absolute must. Mobile social media is a relatively new function because it was just recently that mobile devices have access to the internet and the cloud (Kaplan, 2012). PURPOSES OF SOCIAL MEDIA The purpose of Social media can be explained its use in the area of businesses. Here, social media may be referred to as consumer-generated media (CGM).A common thread running through all definitions of social media is a blending of technology and social interaction for the co-creation of value. Generally, people obtain information, education, news and other data from electronic and print media. However, unlike industrial or traditional media, such as newspapers, television and film, social media shows its distinction as they are comparatively inexpensive and accessible to enable anyone, even private individuals to publish or access information. Industrial media on the other hand generally require significant resources o publish information. One characteristi c shared by both social and industrial media is the capability to reach small or large audiences; for example, either a blog post or a television show may reach n people or millions of people. Some of the properties that help describe the differences between social and industrial media are in the aspect of reach, accessibility, usability, immediacy and permanence. (a) Reach: Both industrial and social media technologies provide scale and are capable of reaching a global audience.Industrial media, however, typically use a centralized framework for organization, production, and dissemination, whereas social media are by their very nature more decentralized, less hierarchical, and distinguished by multiple points of production and utility. (b) Accessibility: The means of production for industrial media are typically government and/or corporate (privately-owned). Social media tools are generally available to the public at little or no cost. (c) Usability: Industrial media production typ ically requires specialized skills and training.Conversely, most social media production requires only modest reinterpretation of existing skills; in theory, anyone with access can operate the means of social media production. (d) Immediacy: The time lag between communications produced by industrial media can be long (days, weeks, or even months) compared to social media (which can be capable of virtually instantaneous responses). However, as industrial media begins adopting aspects of production normally associated with social media tools, this feature may not prove distinctive over time. e) Permanence: Industrial media, once created, cannot be altered (once a magazine article is printed and distributed changes cannot be made to that same article) whereas social media can be altered almost instantaneously by comments or editing (Kietzmann et al. , 2011). Community media constitute a hybrid of industrial and social media. Though community-owned, some community radio, TV and newspape rs are run by professionals and some by amateurs. They use both social and industrial media frameworks. Social media has also been recognized for the way in which it has changed how public relations professionals conduct their jobs.It has provided an open arena where people are free to exchange ideas on companies, brands and products. Social media provides an environment where users and PR professionals can converse, where PR professionals can promote their brand and improve their company's image, by listening and responding to what the public is saying about their product. STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR The word- stakeholders simply means a person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization. Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives and policies.Some examples of key stakeholders are creditors, directors, employees, government (and its agencies), owners (shareholders), suppliers, unions, and the commu nity from which the business draws its resources (Clarkson, 1995). In the educational sector, the major stakeholders comprise of the students, the funding (and managerial) bodies, the industry employers, the academics and the general public. Universities and colleges increasingly are using new communication technologies to produce innovative teaching methods, thus improving relationships with staff and students.Much of this innovation is centered on social media spaces and concepts. Many of the most significant social media tools are still very young but the concepts of social networking, online video, and blogging go back to the earliest days of the Internet. Indeed, educators and library professionals were quick to see the value of blogs as they appeared, partly as a mechanism to bypass complex or slow institutional website-updating processes. They are also a way to reach out, to share news and reflections with colleagues and students both within and beyond institutional walls.As the first social networking sites emerged, combining the functionality of bulletin boards with personal profiles and instant messaging tools, students were early adopters using the sites like FriendsReunited to maintain existing friendships and to establish personal support networks. Friendster extended the idea of what these spaces could do, and by the time Facebook launched (for those with university email addresses), students were well prepared to experiment, socialize, and share their networks online.Some librarians and academics followed students into these spaces, sharing practical information and trying these new forms of engagement. Now with the widespread use of tools and technologies like YouTube, Twitter, blogs, wikis and Facebook, social media is used for teaching in higher education (Kent and Taylor, 1998). Students remain ahead of social media users in various higher education groups. While many attribute this to generational factors, it is also true that students are more highly motivated by the need to find and bond with new peers and potential social groups.Many find participating in a new online space a relatively low stakes issue of experimenting and exploring the spaces that work for them, or that their friends use. Academic staff have been slower to find their feet, but the success of pioneering colleagues in communicating and engaging students in their work, or gaining professional advantage through social media spaces, has helped drive change and, in some cases institutional leadership. Rolling out blogging tools and support across the university has led to a creative, thoughtful, and lively culture of blogging within the university including a rapid turnover of very high quality content.A key strength of social media is the distributed model of connection, posting, and activity feeds that enables building an ongoing relationship with stakeholders through low stakes participation (Christ, 2005). Indeed the most common use of social media in higher education is as a means of amplifying existing events, publications and websites. Social media resources are often provided for passive use as information sources or teaching resources—perhaps an alert to an upcoming event, a blog post that directs the reader to formal academic literature, or a video that demonstrates a key technique or concept.A single action, such as sharing a link or viewing a Facebook page or Twitter profile, allows an individual to casually participate in a relationship with a higher education institution. From there individuals can also take active steps of clicking the â€Å"like† or â€Å"follow† or â€Å"subscribe to feed† button to receive regular updates and alerts, showing their interest in further dialog. This simple sharing functionality is very valuable, but the real benefits for higher education often come from more integration of social media with teaching and student support.Social media also provides the oppo rtunity for communication, professional development and collaboration among members of teaching and research staff, information services staff and administrators. This communication can work well in closed institutional spaces (such as an intranet) but collaborating publicly on the web (for example, through blogs or Twitter) enables both local colleagues and broader peers to read and participate in discussions. The most important relationship for most educators and academic organizations is with their students, and social media can be a very active and responsive hannel for supporting and engaging with students. While email remains the key means of communication for most professionals in the education sector, students arrive into higher education with established social media presences and a culture of using Facebook Messages/Chat, text messages, and related tools (for example, InstantMessanger, BlackBerry Messenger, and Skype). These social media and mobile tools may be used by col leges and universities, but it is important to manage expectations: students need to know which channels they are required to use (likely to include email) and which channels are optional (such as a course Facebook group).They must also understand which spaces to use for official correspondence, assignment submission, or urgent queries. Staff cannot monitor all social media channels at all times, but endorsing spaces that enable peer support can help meet student needs outside of working hours. For part time and online courses, scheduling virtual evening tutorials or â€Å"office hours† can also provide a manageable and valued space for student support and participation. Social media can also enhance traditional in-person learning to great effect. For instance, the collaborative nature of wikis offers particular opportunities for innovative teaching practice.This process empowers students to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning and to build a productive pe er community. It also alters the relationship and expectations that exist between staff and students from one-way teaching to an ongoing two-way process in both challenging and highly rewarding ways. For those learning on a part-time, distance, or flexible basis, it can be difficult to feel part of the educational community, to connect with peers whom you may see rarely or not see at all, and to form the types of social groups that enable peer support and friendship.Social media can help create a sense of community, of being among real people and, in some spaces (including virtual worlds), a real sense of embodiment. Some students feel more able to express themselves fully and confidently in online contexts, and for these students, social media provides a way to tie their more confident online selves with their real world identities. For others, social media is simply a route to avoid isolation.The participation of teaching and support staff in these spaces provides the opportunity to build richer relationships with learners, and to notice concerns, issues, or misunderstandings. These issues may not be easily or comfortably articulated in other teaching spaces, such as a more formal classroom or e-learning space. The beneficial possibilities of social media also bring potential risk, partly because any increased visibility brings with it greater exposure to vulnerability and the possibility of embarrassment or failure in a very public space.From an organizational and management perspective, the most significant benefits and the most notable risks arise from the democratizing nature of social media: when anyone can potentially create content there will, of course, be risks associated with loss of control. This can be tricky to negotiate because much of the appeal of social media is its formality, often tied to a sense of fun, transgression, and enjoyable anarchy. Educational organizations have a moral and legal responsibility to look after both staff and studen ts, and to consider their safety and privacy.There are risks associated with encouraging staff and students to register for and share personal information with social media sites, particularly when requiring student participation as a course requirement. You must create a process for dealing with potential bullying or abusive behavior. Because social media necessitates faster, less formalized processes than traditional print or online media, it can be beneficial to create appropriate organizational policies, procedures, and guidelines.These policies must acknowledge both the risks and benefits of social media. It is important that the organization accepts and understands those guidelines. Outright bans on social media usage are rarely desirable or effective, and heavy restriction can push individuals – whether staff or student – to create more controversial or outspoken presences on a pseudonymous on anonymous basis. This reaction can both risk a negative impact on the organization, and mean that the organization misses officially recognized contributions from energized members of the community.The most successful social media guidelines and policies are encouraging and nurturing in tone, highlight good practice and clarify the appropriate use of these tools. They must also specify material that is not appropriate for sharing, and indicate some form of process for dealing with conflicts arising from social media interactions. Every higher education institution is different so it is important to both draw on others experience and tailor your guidelines or policies so that they are a good fit for your own organization's needs and audience.Remember that the speed of social media development is such that no set of guidelines or policies will be definitive: they will need to be iterated over time and updated to reflect the changing social media and legal environment. Embedding social media into normal working practices can take time and effort, so it is important to consider the goals and desired outcome of that activity, whether that is easily measured (such as new admissions, achievement of funding goals) or something more amorphous (improved good will, better morale within an educational institution).It is also useful to consider collecting metrics (counts of tweets, comments received or more complex information) so that activity can be considered, reflected upon, and developed or discontinued as appropriate. Local hosting or restricted/private cloud hosting of social media tools can be an effective way to bring together social media functionality in a protected and trusted institutional space. Tools including IBM Connections, which act as a hosted suite of social media and business software tools, can be useful.Whether using a hosted or web-based social media tool, it is always useful to try any tool for a few weeks with colleagues or peers to identify problems or concerns before committing to a public (whether to your staff and/or students or the open web) social media presence. Planning suitable staff time and processes to create, maintain, monitor, and reflect upon social media presences helps to ensure that the presences are taken seriously and that involved staff feel a sense of ownership and responsibility in these new spaces.Blogs have become a central tool for academic research and for teaching and learning over the last five years. Many programs require students to blog reflectively on their progress throughout a course and submit this as graded work. These blogs provide a great space for reflection, for recording progress with academic readings and developing ideas, and for discussion with peers from the wider world. In schools, there are greater risks to address in terms of privacy and access to resources but there is also huge potential for innovation. The award winning â€Å"I’m a Scientist, Get me out of Here! initiative (Pontin, 2010) used a talent show format to connect practici ng scientists with school children. Over the course of two weeks, social media tools such as YouTube and real-time chat tools enabled school children to ask any science question, which was then answered by a research scientist within 24 hours. The students voted for their favorite scientist throughout the show and the winning scientist won a small grant to further their research. It can be inspiring to look at what comparable schools, colleges, universities, or other educational organizations currently do.Increasingly, early adopters engaged teaching staff, and university marketing and communications departments are realizing the huge potential for the use of social media in education. There are substantial risks to consider, ones that require thoughtful management of expectations, the ongoing review of practice, and the surrounding legal and social context. Social media guidelines and policies are useful tools in supporting the use of social media in schools and colleges but these should not stifle creativity.Social media provides real opportunities for innovative and engaging practice with authenticity and informality, both notable features of successful social media in academia. YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA Yaba College of Technology, founded in 1947, is Nigeria's first higher educational institution. It is located in Yaba, Lagos state, Nigeria. The college is a center of culture and heritage. Currently it has a student enrollment of over 16,000. Today, Yaba College of Technology is made up of nine (9) academic units called Schools, headed by Deans, and thirty-four Departments headed by Heads of Departments.The main objective of the College, according to the decree that established it, is to provide full time and part-time courses of instruction and training in Technology, Commerce and Management. Also, the College provides training in other fields such as applied learning, relevant to the development of Nigeria especially in areas of Ind ustry, Agricultural production and distribution, Research and adaptation of techniques. In pursuit of these objectives, the College has continued to develop structurally, humanly and materially.One of the ways in which the college has been able to establish this development is in its adoption of technological advancement by the use of the social media. Generally, Schools are on a short list of organizations that have been notoriously slow to adopt emerging technology but within the last few years, as social media becomes more integral to students’ lives, educational institutions are finally catching on, and catching up. On speaking with the Heads and representatives of information (communications) technology unit of he Yaba College of Technology, they all shared their views on the extent to which the Social media has promoted stakeholder relations in the college. Dr. Oyeyinka, Director of Centre for Information and Technology Management (CITM) explained that the Social media is being used and has made a great impact in the institution. For further information, Dr. Oyeyinka directed us to Mr. Popoola Olusegun Lawrence, a representative of the Information Processing Department. This was because Mrs. Koyenikan, the Head of the Information processing Department, was currently on leave. According to Mr.Popoola Olusegun Lawrence, who is in charge of students’ result as well as communication amongst the students and management of the institution, there are three different departments or units under CITM and they are- Information Processing Department (IPD), Hardware Software development & Training (HST) and the Volumetrics unit, a unit in charge of managing the college networks. These three units work together to take care of both the staff and student information. Mr. Popoola further explained that the use of Facebook in the department is more frequent although in some cases, Yahoo Messenger is also made use of.This choice of Social media tool is m ade, depending on the target publics and even in those cases; communication must have reached a certain level before usage of the social media that is, some sort of agreement must have been reached first and you must have established some kind of relationship with the stakeholders. One cannot just wake up one day and start communicating with stakeholders in a project that requires millions of naira. Doing that would place one at a huge risk. Therefore, one’s level of awareness comes to the forefront.For example, when the College through the Information Processing Department (IPD) needed to contact an organization that supply equipments used for the marking of Post UTME results, the decisions made had to change at a particular time and further communication was made through Facebook and Yahoo messenger from time to time. Later, after the equipments had been supplied, the college realized they needed the organization’s support and the organization was contacted again. Th is communication process via the social media was very effective and successful.In communicating with students however, Mr. Popoola continued by saying, mobile phones was made use of because the department has access to the phone lines of all students in the college. Moreover, not all students are computer literates or have access to the internet and in order to make sure all students were brought into the picture when giving out information that pertains to them, mobile phones was used in sending out bulk SMS. Within the staff, official matters are communicated through Facebook and twitter. This started just about a year ago.When communicating with other departments and faculties like the School of management studies for instance, the IPD sends messages through the group on Facebook created by some of these faculties and departments. If the Director of CITM (Centre for Information and Technology Management) – Dr. Oyeyinka wants to pass information to the Deans of various dep artments, he doesn’t need to go through CITM except when every member of staff needed to be communicated with. This is because CITM has the means of communicating with every staff at once. In emergency situations however, the use of mobile phones are used within staff because according to Mr.Popoola, it gets the information across faster. For instance in November, 2011, there was emergency information that needed to be passed to every staff where some details of the staff absent on the department’s database were urgently needed. This information was requested by the Ministry of Education and every staff needed to be aware of the developments within 24 hours. The use of Facebook, yahoo messenger and mobile phones were employed in disseminating this information. At the end of the day, it was realized that mobile phones were more effective. As regards to the use of Social media in times of crisis, Mr.Popoola claimed they had never experienced crisis but if they did, they probably would make use of mobile phones in disseminating the necessary information. Mr. Popoola believes that in years to come, probably in two to three years, the social media would be more effective but presently it was not as Nigeria as a whole is just getting to know the benefits of the social media. He explained that a good number of people are unaware of the importance of social media and some think it’s just used to paste portrait pictures or pictures of fashionable items like shoes, bags, etc.One of the barriers in the effectiveness of social media is in language barrier and the abuse of social networks. If people can get to understand the proper use of the social media, its effectiveness would increase. In the Volumetrics unit, the Head of Department – Mrs. Oyeyinka was said to be unavailable and we were directed to her representatives- the Head of the Networking Unit- Mrs. Christiana Olayinka and a member of the Volumetrics unit- Mr. Tunde Oke. Mrs. Christia na Olayinka, explained that their stakeholders are made up of the management, students and prospective students of the college.Her unit is majorly responsible in ensuring that internet links and facilities are made available to the students of the college. She further stated that social media has been of great benefit to the college and asides having an advantage of saving cost, it also allows you get feedback from the students i. e. allows a two-way communication. In the Networking unit, Twitter and Facebook are frequently used in disseminating information to students. Where management of the college is concerned, LinkedIn is made use of especially during management meetings and conferences.Linked in also allows for teleconferencing where even management abroad can partake in meetings held in Nigeria by Network connection. One can also view participants live as you communicate and exchange information with them. Terms such as audio conferencing, telephone conferencing and phone con ferencing are sometimes used in teleconferencing. According to Mrs. Olayinka, the only crisis they have experienced thus far was some years back when there was a shift in the date of resumption at the college and the news had to be relayed.This information was then passed through Facebook, twitter and bulk SMS. Though twitter was fairly effective, Facebook was found to be more effective because of the larger number of students subscribed to it. Bulk SMS on the other hand, was found to be most effective. Mr. Tunde Oke, a member of the Volumetrics department stated that dissemination of information to stakeholders which comprise majorly of the students and staff of the college is carried out using the social media tools- Facebook, twitter and most recently, YouTube.In mid 2012, a group on Facebook was created by the Volumetrics department called YabaTechng and at the time checked, the group had over 9,052 likes. Through this medium on Facebook, information of interest to the college i s posted. Only a few weeks ago, the Volumetrics department created some sort of mini TV called YabaTechTV via YouTube, a video sharing site and through this medium, documentaries about the college are shared. Within the short space of time since they started, the department has been able to upload their first documentary which aims at showcasing talents and facilities within the EPE Campus of the college.The 12 minutes documentary is tagged- ‘Documentary on Yaba Tech (Epe Campus)’ and has over 50 views already. They are currently working on their second documentary which they also plan uploading via YouTube. In conclusion, it is safe to say that social media has come to stay. In less than five years of its existence, social media has made a great impact in promoting stakeholder relations in the educational sector. It has revolutionized the way people communicate today and has spawned a new generation of communication in higher institutions.Social media presents a huge o pportunity for schools, universities and other educational organizations to reach out and connect with students and prospective students. Now, the internet is no longer a one-way broadcast delivery system where the individual user downloads data, information and other resources produced by a relatively small number of content providers. Instead, the internet is now driven by and to some extent determined through the activities of its ordinary users—what has been described as many-to-many rather than one-to-many connectivity.The social web is therefore seen to be arranged along substantially different lines than the cyberspace-era internet of the 1990s and 2000s. This sense of internet use now being a participatory and collective activity is reflected in the language used to describe social media applications. Therefore, it is clear that social media gives more people a voice and provides a powerful tool for value creation and competitive differentiation. REFERENCES Christ, P. (2005). Internet technologies and trends transforming public relations.Journal of Website Promotion. 1(4): 3–14. Clarkson, M. B. E. 1995. A stakeholder framework for analyzing and evaluating corporate social performance. Academy of Management Review. 20: 65-91. Hill, L. and White, C. (2000). Public relations practitioners’ perception of the World Wide Web as a communications tool. Public Relations Review. 26(1): 31–51. Kaplan, A. (2012) If you love something, let it go mobile: Mobile marketing and mobile social media 4Ãâ€"4, Business Horizons, 55(2): 129-139 Kaplan, A. and Haenlein, M. (2010). â€Å"Users of the world, unite!The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. † Business Horizons 53(1): 59–68. Kent, M. and Taylor, M. (1998). Building dialogic relationships through theWorldWideWeb. Public Relations Review. 24(3): 321–334. Kietzmann, J. , Hermkens, K. , McCarthy, I. , and Silvestre, B. (2011). â€Å"Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media† (PDF). Business Horizons 54 (3): 241–251. doi:10. 1016/j. bushor. 2011. 01. 005. Retrieved September 17, 2012. Pontin, K. (2010).I’m a Scientist, Get me out of Here! Evaluation Interim Report. Gallomanor Communications Limited. Available from http://project. imascientist. org. uk/wp–? content/uploads/2010/11/Im–? a–? Scientist–? Interim–? Evaluation–? Report. pdf. YabaTechTV. (2012). Documentary on Yaba Tech (Epe Campus). Available from http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=g3keWhvSEIA&feature=youtu. be&a. GROUP 3 MEMBERS- YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (YABATECH) BABALOLA, ADEBUKUNOLA OLUWAYEMISI – 050803014 RAHEEM ADEFOLAYIGA . S. AKINDIPUPO AKINDELE ODUAH BALQIS OKAFOR EMEKA EDEMI JOY SISANMI AGUH OCHEZE

A Character Sketch of Mustapha Mond in Brave New World

Mustapha Mond Character Sketch It is said that a great leader must always lead by example. This is not always true, a leader must sometimes partake in some negative activities in order to protect the interests of the populous. An excellent example of this is Mustapha Mond. When one first meets Mustapha Mond, it is obvious that he is distinctly different from the other alpha plusses; Mond is unique, wise, and authoritative. Mustapha Mond is unique in part because he reads prohibited literature. Unlike the other denizens of Brave New World, Mond has read the classic works of Shakespeare, the Bible, and other remnants of the old world.Additionally, he believes in the presence of god. This is a concept unknown to most of the populous, because society has made god unnecessary; when no one is ever alone or unhappy, they do not need to request things from god. Mond used to be an inquisitive scientist; he was smart enough to realize that the so-called science they practiced was not real inno vation, thus he started to experiment on his own or in Mond's words, † ‘I started doing a bit of cooking on my own. Unorthodox cooking, illicit cooking. A bit of real science' â€Å"(226).Doing things in private, let alone doing science in private is something unheard of in Brave New World. Although, being the only man in a world full of sheep, can be a good trait to a leader. Mond is wise, thus a good leader. He understands the big picture. One example of this ability, is that he recognizes that the high arts cannot exist without strife. The current society has nearly no pain, no sorrow, no loneliness, and none of the detrimental negative emotions that are necessary to understand works of high art, such as Othello.He recognizes that the populous would no longer understand classics like Romeo and Juliet. Additionally, he recognizes that however much workers may request for shorter hours, the truth is, they are happier working the longer work days. This is because, worke rs have nothing to do in their â€Å"spare time† as was exemplified by Mond, † ‘Ireland was put on to the four-hour day. What was the result? Unrest and a large increase in the consumption of soma' † (224). In fact, Mond claims that the Invention office is stuffed with labor saving ideas; however, for the sake of stability, he uses his authority as the ResidentWorld Controller to hold back change that would be detrimental to society. Authority is a requirement for people in positions of power, and as the Resident World Controller, Mond is not afraid to use his power. A stable society cannot have dissenters, thus, all nonconformists are sent to sub centers including Bernard Marx and Helmholtz. However, he does not allow John to leave Brave New World, with his fore mentioned friends Bernard and Helmholtz, because the experiment, being the introduction of a â€Å"savage† into civilization, must go on.Mond's authority is best summarized in his own words: † ‘I make the laws here, I can also break them. With impunity, Mr. Marx, Which I'm afraid you can't' † (219). In the words of Vincent Thomas Lombardi, â€Å"The leader can never close the gap between himself and the group. If he does, he is no longer what he must be. † Mustapha Mond is an excellent example of this, Mond is a wise, unique, and authoritative leader with traits that distinguish him from the other alpha plusses. He is one of the few conscious people in a world full of glassy eyed automatons.

The Critical Appraisal of the Research Evidence Associated With an Essay

The Critical Appraisal of the Research Evidence Associated With an Area of My Professional - Essay Example Critical reviews of nursing research thus improve the experiences and knowledge of nurses in various practice areas. Hong Kong’s healthcare system has an increasing demand for evidence-based approaches. In particular, nurses face more serious evidence-based practice challenges given that the nature of their work requires that they rely on the available scientific evidence for decision making (Spring & Hitchcock, 2010). Observably, absence or lack of nurse representation in research would limit the growth and development of the profession (Duffy, Fisher & Munroe, 2008). Evidence-based practice in Hong Kong has numerous issues and implications in its establishment that need to be through the critical analysis of the available and relevant researchers. Despite the fact that evidence-based practice is a widely discussed concept in the literature, it is uncommon and not well adopted in nursing practice in Hong Kong and other countries. This paper critically appraises two journal articles on practice area relevant to Hong Kong. This critical appraisal is through the three essential elements of evidence-based practice, namely systematic reviews, clinical guidelines, and protocols. In essence, the appraisal explores some of the current issues associated with evidence-based practice in Hong Kong. It then outlines specific suggestions to researchers, nursing practitioners, managers, and academics so that the current nursing situation in Hong Kong is advanced. The appraisal is by a PICOT format question with the relevant population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time. A critical appraisal of research evidence is a step in evidence-based practice in nursing. Through critical appraisal, the validity and usefulness of research evidence are established. This critical appraisal wasconducted in three main steps, namely validity, generalizability and

Policies to Reduce Unemployment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Policies to Reduce Unemployment - Essay Example It's with this in mind that the government of the UK has to change tactic in order to enable companies to remain in business and create job opportunities despite the economic recession The number of people in full time employment fell drastically between 2007 and 2009 (Arnold 2001). The rate of loosing jobs is alarming. About the same number of jobs lost the previous year were lost in just four months last year from October 2008 to the beginning of the year 2009. it better to make the assumption that those who lost their jobs were those who were being paid well from their professional expertise and could still be living on their bonuses. The number of people unemployed but actively seeking employment has increased by about one million, other people appears to have opted for part time jobs and as a result the number of part-time employees has increased by almost 1.3 million. Some people have already given up (Gilbody 1998). By the beginning of the new millennium, (the year 2000) the world was very different from the way it was in the 1900s. The United Kingdom underwent a massive change. The labour party of United Kingdom had won its second term to serve again in office. In the beginning of the year 2001, the government wanted to have enough money to be spent on public services especially the national health services which was being under funded by then (Arnold 2001). The economic growth rates have been quite stable operating at about 2-3% since the beginning of the millennium. Inflation has not been a problem to the economy of the British government. The bank of England has been able to regulate the interest rates therefore managing to stabilize the economy of Britain. The pound has maintained a stable increase in value reaching a minimum rate of 1.37 dollars against the US dollar in 2001 and rising again to about a rate of one pound going for two dollars (Arnold 2001). With the emergence of the current economic recession, the number of people loosing jobs has caused a serious setback or rather it's an impediment to the banks lending, prevention of debt deflation strategies to be implemented and to renew output growth (Gilbody 1998). There has also been a wave of rising defaults all concentrating in the riskier parts of the banks loaning documents; buy to let loans, subprine mortgages and lending money to private equity enterprise as well as the management of financial asset acquisition among other activities, Europa Publications Staff (2003). Intervention to Support Economy It's very correct to stick to the conventional parts of lending schemes as advised by senior bankers since they have been performing well till now. The problems have only emerged on the financing side of bank's balance sheets and other particular aspects of the lending side. In other parts, the process of risk management on the ability to lend has performed convincingly fine. The amount of loss encountered rose in regions where systems for management of risks and credit control schemes are purposively overridden by senior managers anxious to take over the market share or produce mortgages for the packaging as a section of the model known as

Frederick Taylors Scientific Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Frederick Taylors Scientific Management - Essay Example Because of this work, Taylor gains the reputation of being the father of scientific management. Scientific management methods, as put forward by Taylor, "called for optimizing the way tasks were performed and simplifying the jobs enough so that workers could be trained to perform their specialized sequenced of motions in one best way" (Frederick Taylor and Scientific Management 1). The formulation of scientific management is Taylor's response to the working conditions during his time. It should be noted that prior to scientific management, the various works in the factory are solely performed by skilled craftsmen who have acquired their knowledge and skills through long and tedious apprenticeships. Having no particular specifications from the management on how jobs should be performed, workers during the period are given much autonomy, giving them the sole discretion on how their jobs should be performed. Thinking that their apprenticeship has been adequate in shaping and preparing for the jobs required, management are often left with other decision making tasks. However, scientific management changed this situation in the workplace by "taking away much of this autonomy and converting skilled crafts into a series of simplified jobs that could be performed by unskilled workers who easily could be trained for the tasks" (Frederick Taylor and Scientific Managemen t 2). Taylor, through his time and motion studies formulated the most scientifically efficient in doing performing a single task which do not only lessen the workload for each employee but also shorten the time that the task is performed. The main contribution of Taylor in the field of management can be delineated within the bounds of management service practice and organisational management. The main premise of Taylor in the concepts which he put forward is the utilisation of scientific principles in every situation including the solution of problems in business organisations (Frederick Winslow Taylor 2). Through his exposure on steel workers, Taylor has observed what he calls soldiering which he explains as "underworking, that is, deliberately working slowly so as to avoid a full day's work" (Taylor 6). He observes that the current situation facilitates this inefficiency of workers. According to him, there are three primary reasons which causes soldiering: first, the universal belief that if workers become productive, less workers will be needed causing elimination or termination; second, the non-incentive wage system which encourage workers to work at a slow pace considering that they will be paid the same wage regardless of the amount of work that they finish; and third, the reliance on rule of the thumb measures and the absence of optimal work methods in order to enhance efficiency (Frederick Taylor and Scientific Management 4). With this, Taylor lays down the four principles which become the foundations of scientific management. Scientific management calls for the replacement of the rule of the thumb work methods with systems derived from scientific studies (Frederick Taylor

Comparative Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Comparative - Research Paper Example The journey represents the physical journey as well as the inner journey. The writers have chosen to use the symbol of a journey because they want us, the reader, to embark on this path of discovery with the protagonists. Both writers have used setting and symbols extensively to signify the start, the progress and the end of the journey. They have also masterfully created protagonists we can identify with, and as we travel on with the protagonists we are made aware of their feelings and beliefs and we end up empathizing with the protagonists because we could relate to their trials and embrace their humanity as our own, â€Å"the hold upon us of a character in fiction, for instance, is its ability to remind us of all those actual people who are therein described†. (Feibleman, 1949) In â€Å"A Worn Path†, Welty has endowed her protagonist, â€Å"an old Negro woman called Phoenix Jackson† (Welty, 1941, paragraph 1) with a physical quest to make her way to town. This physical journey is also an inner quest in search for immortality. Welty has painted the setting, that of a cold December morning and the character of a very old woman in the first two paragraphs. The antics of an ancient woman are fully described and the likeness of old Phoenix grows clear to us. In just the first few lines, Welty has fully planted this old and wrinkly woman before us and presented us with a suspending question at the same time, why is this â€Å"very old and small† (Welty, 1941, paragraph 1) woman making a journey alone in the cold? Similar to Welty, Rhys has also used a symbolic journey in her work â€Å"I used to Live Here Once†. Rhys has endowed her protagonist with a physical journey across a river to return to a place she has once lived in. The physical journey is deceptively simple. In actuality, the journey is also a journey of nostalgia and atonement and carries the enormous weight of memories. The start of the journey begins with the protag onist â€Å"standing by the river† (Rhys, 1976, paragraph 1). The protagonist describes the stepping stones with great detail. Each one is different but the stones are exactly as she remembers and this is significant because in the scenes after, she seems uncertain of the way things should look. Like Welty, Rhys has presented us with a suspending question here, what has taken place that makes the protagonist reacts thus? The missions of the quests in both works are not made clear to the reader till the end of the story. However, both Welty and Rhys have used the setting extensively to show the protagonist’s progress with the journey, the passing of time and their state of mind. The characters of old Phoenix and the ghost girl are fleshed out so well that towards the end of the journey, not only are the quests explained, we also empathize with the characters. As old Phoenix embarks on her journey, Welty let us know that old Phoenix is familiar with the path but the jour ney is long. Along the journey, old Phoenix has to cross different terrains. The pinewood at the onset of the journey marks the starting point of old Phoenix’s inner quest for immortality, as pine trees are often associated with immortality. The quest is not without a struggle. It is an uphill battle but old Phoenix is resolute. She then has to make her way through a forest of oak trees, oaks representing strength and wisdom to be gained. At this point, Welty has aptly

Inter-Global Medicare Entrepreneurs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inter-Global Medicare Entrepreneurs - Essay Example Following this two-tire approach to the industry, the facility’s plan will thus be fragmented to offer effective homage to both the facilities and it hopes to benefit more from strategic location of its premises. In the health care sector, access to quality care together with timely response is important. The event of seeking medical attention is usually necessitated by acute need for urgency. An effectively planned institution offers solution to all these. The firm seeks to build its facility in a highly populated area such as in the residential settlements of a city. This is an idea formed by the understanding that in the health sector, humans form the sole target. Consequently, situating a facility closer to the people makes it easier for them to reach the facility without much hustle. People will always seek medical services no matter how far the facilities may be situated. However, it is also understandable that should the facility be closer to the target market and offer effective and efficient services, then it is likely that the business will receive high demand. Emergency response is another aspect of medical service dispensation that will determine the success of any business venture in the sector. Accidents of varied forms occur in the society on a day-to-day basis; these require quick responses to help save life. Inter Global Medicare understands this quite well and is set to create a wing purposely for accidents and emergencies; this wing will be differ in its structure. It will have wider doors with free standing stretcher to help wheel clients into theatres and treatment rooms. This wing will also be deliberately situated to face the road and be accorded an ample parking lot. Strategy of placement and the design of the wing are important factors in the determination of the wing’s success; easier access and timely response will only be guaranteed if the wing conforms to the building standards of emergency rooms. The facility will have adequately qualified doctors and nurses whose services will be hired on a contract basis. A contract is more beneficial especially to a new facility such as the one in question. This is specifically so to try to cushion it against the volatilities in its operation. Should it fail to sustain the estimated postulations in its operations, then the business can very comfortably close operations without incurring unnecessary losses. The doctors and nurses hired by the firm will be highly qualified personnel whose services will guarantee the quality standards set by the institution. There are different market segments; there are is a segment is attracted to a product or service based on its prices while there is the average citizen who will

See Below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See Below - Essay Example Sample Population: 5 medical personnel;10 transcriptionists of different cultures with at least three years of experience in the job; 6 major patients in the hospitals who know that their record of health developments is actually noted through transcriptioning The implications of this purposed research will prove or disprove the theory that transcription errors effect the patients length of stay. This could give significant documentation that computer entery orders are essential for optimal care. The collected for this study will be presented through a chart review. If a patient has a length of stay (LOS) longer than the admitting diagnosis DRG allows then that chart will be reviewed. Looking for medical transcription errors. If a second diagnosis was found during the stay the DRG allowance of LOS will determine if that chart will need to be review. (IE if a patient is dx with pneumonia the LOS is 3 days and they are in for 10 days. The initial review is looking for a secondary diagnosis if none then a complete chart review would take place.) FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE'S theory on the level of satisfaction that the patients receive based from the service of the nurses and medical per

Meaning of life Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life Essay The humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are largely analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences. The humanities, such as classical and modern languages, literature, history, and philosophy, have the overall goal of the exploration and explanation of human experience. Some would include the fine arts (music, art, dance, and drama) in the humanities, but others view the arts as a separate category. (We include the interpretation of the fine arts in this course). In most disciplines in the humanities, written texts are extremely important, especially in history, philosophy, and literature. Historians attempt a systematic documentation and analysis of events related to a particular people, country, or period. Literary authors and artists attempt to capture for others their own human experiences and understanding of the world. The humanities involve inquiry into consciousness, values, ideas, and ideals as they seek to describe how experiences shape our understanding of the world. Humanities can be defined as educational courses that are aimed at teaching individuals about the human condition in a variety of forms. Important of Humanities The importance of humanities is that it is an academic discipline that studies the human condition, it includes ancient and modern languages, such as literature, philosophy, religion, and visual and performing arts such as music and theater, and it is also regarded as social sciences that include history, anthropology, area studies, communication studies, cultural studies, law, economics, and linguistics. All these subjects affect us a humans and has an effect on our historical development as well as where we are headed to. Humanities is the oldest area of study that revolves around the study of human beings, what makes us human, and our historical development and what we are expected to do. Significant use of humanities is that they help us to build up what we have inherited from previous generations. It is important we understand that all that we are today has taken centuries to build and us a society we have indeed been molded by our past. It is through this understanding that makes us not want to go back to  question our origin but build on our present to face the future. The other importance of humanities is that they help us as human being to reflect back on how the past generations tackled issues that are facing us currently. As opposed to the natural sciences that focus on quantitative explanations as well description of life events, humanities explicitly focus on explanations of value. Humanities are liken to arts but it’s important to note that they are intuitive rather than critical, analytical and not expressive, reflective and active. As a whole humanities look back on our curiosity about our human nature and human culture creation. The other importance of humanities is that they are the basis of learning. They involve the study of writing, reading, thinking and language. Branches of Humanities The branches of humanities consist of languages, the arts, literature, philosophy, religion and history. Languages This particular branch of humanities consists of learning the way people communicate in different speaking countries. It brings a sense of culture to individuals as they are likely to be taught the various history and origins of the languages they learn. The Arts The arts consist of theater, music, art and film. They are all mediums of self expression and these courses in particular encourage personal interpretation and analysis. Fine arts courses also come into this category; however, they focus more on the historical forms of art and their origins. Literature Literature refers to novels, short stories, plays and so on. Individuals attempt to decipher the meaning of texts and look into symbolism and themes. Literature courses delve into social aspects that may influence texts. Philosophy and religion These courses study human behavior and the age-old questions such as the meaning of life and the existence of God. They analyze various cultures and their religious beliefs as well as moral codes. History This is arguably the most facts-based course as individuals delve into past events such as war and politics and how societies and cultures have been affected throughout the years. References: http://writing. colostate. edu/guides/teaching/co301aman/pop6b. cfm http://education. blurtit. com/1978174/what-is-humanities-and-its-branches http://www. ask. com/question/importance-of-humanities http://humanitiesforums. org/2012/07/16/the-importance-of-humanities-as-a-discipline/.

Toyota Case Essay Example for Free

Toyota Case Essay 1) For a long time there has been an alignment of Toyota vision with both Japanese culture and national and international stakeholders. This alignment can be seen in our opinion according two different perspectives: from the innovation activity and from the social responsibility (attention for environment). Referring to the innovation of the product process, Toyota has always been one of the leader in creating high-level cars both from mechanical and electronic aspect as it is typical of Japanese economy. The Japanese business is traditionally known at a global level for its profitable performance concerning the management of electronic and mechanical activities. From this point of view there was a perfect alignment between internal and the external vision. In relation to social responsibilty, the Japanese culture shows a great concern on energy conservation and environment, that is the reason why Toyota has traditionally supported these aspects in the car production process. In 1998, Toyota received an important award for the production of Prius ( the world’s first passenger vehicle in mass production powered by a third power train system). The introduction of Prius in the market, allowed the company to make a clear statement on its commitment of environmental protection. During the following years, the company gained many awards and leader position in environmental technology field. Recently, in relation to these two perspectives of analysis, a misalignment can be verified for the following three reasons: 1) Toyota has focused too much on cost control and economies of scale, leaving out esthetic and design aspects, creating too much standardized cars ( a same kind of product all over the world). In this case we found the first gap because of the different expectations of the worldwide stakeholders in comparison with Japanese and Toyota culture , particularly talking about European customers who care about design much more than the others. 2) The strong attention on cost control and economies of scale policy , has created a lot of technical troubles that forced the company to recall a huge amount of cars from the market. As consequence the company lost a lot in term of reliability. Here we faced a gap between vision and image (In the vision they really support the safety part but the collective image is far from that). Considering the worldwide market and international stakeholders, we think that there has been a misalignment on American customers who are interested in technical aspects more than esthetics. The final point of the misalignment has been caused by the exaggerated focus on energetic conservation, so the company produced no high performing cars in order to satisfy international customer’s requirement. For instance, in 2009, Toyota had so poor performance in F1 that the company decided to withdraw from F1 with immediately effect. In order to address this GAP, we believe that Toyota should: first of all, adapt his products to international market, giving special consideration to esthetics and design. be more focused on customer’s requests, that consist in high performing and environmentally friendly cars at the same time. Moreover, since the break problem that obliged Toyota to recall a big amount of cars from the market. 2) We would change the communication strategy into the following two directions: a) A traditional way, based on incentive messages focused on energy conservation connected to the concept of safety and brightness cars, in order to retrieve the loss of company credibility. A lot of marketing activities can be organized such as: o planning amateur competitions that involve young people with their own cars at an international level; o planning events or competition characterized by the participation of sport champions (like F1 drivers) o arrange Visitor Centers, based in the regional headquarter country, in order to give customers the chance to drive cars and to understand the topic of energy conservation o promote â€Å"green days† o partnership with environmental friendly organization (like WWF) b) An innovative way, using guerrilla or tribal marketing techniques. In several ways such as: o Use social networks for empowering the costumers to decide on specific aspects as internal design, colors, extra services, [†¦] of their cars offer. Doing this thing, they will be available to focus on the costumer and not only on the product as they always did. o During holydays such as Easter or Christmas, make people drive specific cars by organizing spectacular race trucks, enriched by music and light effects. The event should be introduced by well-known personalities, as signers, actors, sportsmen. o Promote musical or sport-events for young people, such as concerts, championships and matches. o Create partnerships with tour-operators to promote specific cars during adventures trips, like safari. o Transform their headquarter in a tourist attraction, thanks to the partnership with local and international tour operator that promote day trip in the company. o using cars during appealing movies for young people (like Mini in ‘’The Italian Job’’) o Use amusement park as a stage for car shows, parades and games. 3) Most of the crisis response strategies applied in the report by Toyota, belong to reducing offensiveness category. Even if the company seems to be aware of its responsibility, it never used mortification quotations. In our opinion, the document we`ve analyzed, is characterized by the following strategies: MINIMIZATION: CORRECTIVE ACTION: GOOD INTENTIONS: 4) We can affirm Toyota acted in a good way in minimizing in order to not damage the company image more. Moreover they could have improved corrective actions and provide their customers with facilities, like substitutive-cars during the fixing period of the damaged ones. Even if they did well in minimizing the event, they could have shown more mortification, not only for the damage itself, but also for the waste of time and the other troubles related to it. They could also have adopted a denial strategy (shifting the blame) by giving responsibility to the specific divisions in charge of the production of defected components; consequently they could have renewed the responsible divisions or made an outsourcing agreement for that. Regarding the good intentions, they could have provided more detailed information about their future control and safety standards. Another good strategy, could have been ‘’attack the accusers’’, trying to focus on the main competitors that were taking advantage from their crisis. Finally, according to what we read in the case study, we`d have expected a more customer oriented behavior. ITALY According to Italy Toyota starter two different recall campaigns: the first one recalls 260. 000 cars with accelerator pedal problems and the second one 2500 Ibrid car with brake problem. In order to fix the first problem the company sent letters to the 26000 clients involved in this problem; the letters contained all the information regarding how to get the appointment with the car retailer in order to fix the problem (fixing time about 30 minutes). The second recall concerned the Prius models which had some ABS problems on 2500cars; they used the same technique and the time to fix took about 40 minutes. Toyota provided an assistance number(gratis): 800 869 682 available 24h/7d, useful to know if the car is involved in the problem and to know technical details. The A. D. of Toyota Motor Italy, Massimo Gargano, stated â€Å" Toyota as a world leader for sales volume and quality reputation has to accept to be criticize facing this problem. We have to underline that the company decide to recall all the car just to satisfy our costumers expectations and make them sure about the safety of the product†, he also underline that â€Å"regarding the accelerator pedal problem we chose to recall 1. 800. 000 cars even if only 26 really faced this problem† . CONTACTS: Edoardo Caccin Valentina Cruciani Carminia Lucariello Lucrezia Zambelli Marco Zavatta [emailprotected] com [emailprotected] com [emailprotected] it lucr3zia. [emailprotected] com dott. [emailprotected] com.

Investigation of the cereal bar market

Investigation of the cereal bar market This article contains an investigation of cereal bar market and gives a feasibility report at the end. At the beginning, backgrounds of Kellogg Company and cereal bar market are given. After this, it shows cereal bar is at the stage of maturity in a product life cycle in the UK. And it did not performance well in latest two years. But in the worldwide, it still increases stable. Next, a SWOT analysis and a PEST analysis have been done to analyse the market environment in China. According to the results of analysis, target market for cereal bars in Chinese market has been chosen. The target market is young women from 15 to 35 in cities. The life style of these people just matches the request of cereal bars. Additionally, the competition in China has analysed, there are some barriers of entering Chinese market indeed. However, there are some competitive advantages of All-around cereal bars. At the end, a marketing strategy and a feasibility report have been made. 2. Product The product I chose is cereal bar. The snack market is hotly competed these years. The most customers of cereal bars is adults. They eat cereal bars as a snack between meals. Compared to many other snake products, such as cakes, nuts and chocolate, the cereal bar market is still small indeed, but it grows rapidly .(Mintel, 2010)The reason why the market is still small is that it only attract a small group of customers, most of them are loyal customers. This industry has a increase of 29.6% from 2005 to 2009. (Mintel, 2010) The position that many brands choose for cereal bar is wholesome and natural. The competitors which choose the same position are other healthy snacks such as nuts, fruits and fruit smoothies. All of these have steady growth because of the trend towards healthy diet. Cereal bar to the moment accords with this trend. But cereal bar has not been separate from a series of snake bars such as highly processed bars and chocolate bars. Thus the healthy position has been influenced negatively by the other high sugar and fat snakes. Kellogg Company is a multinational company from American founded in 1906. The main products of Kellogg are breakfast foods, snack foods, cookies, and crackers. It also manufactures ready-to-eat cereals and convenience foods including toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit snacks and veggie foods. These products are produced in 19 countries and distribute in more than 180 countries all over the world. Kellogg achieved revenues of $12,822 million in 2008 which had an increase of 8.9% over last year. Kelloggs cereal products are a part of the Kelloggs brand, and are sold mainly in the retail terminal such as supermarket and grocery. The company uses broker and distribution arrangements for certain products in less-developed market areas.(MarketLine, 2009) 3. Situation Analysis in the UK In 2008 and 2009 the interest in healthy eating have decrease. During this time, comfort eating appears to gain more popularity. However, a minority still insist on eating natural and healthy food, it could be an opportunity for cereal bars. The cereal bars market for children has been affected because of advertising regulations and packed lunches at school as school classifying cereal bars as confectionery.(Mintel,2010) Therefore, the market of cereal bars is not so optimistic. Cereal bar in the UK is at the stage of maturity, because as shown in the Mintel 2010 the growth slows down from 2005 to 2009 although it still growing. The stage at which a products sales growth slows down is known as maturity.(Elizabeth,HTerry,O.S.,1996) Hence if the firm do not try to attract customers, there will be no further net increase in the size of the market. Kelloggs hold approximately one third of the cereal bars market. Combining with the share of United Biscuits it is up to nearly a half. (Mintel, 2010) For the market of Europe, it accounted for 20.4% as total revenues in 2008 which reached $2,619. It increased 11.1% than 2007. (MarketLine, 2009) The UK has a great market of snacks. As a kind of snack cereal bars are very popular. From the report, two thirds of adults who eat cereal bars and snacking has gained more prominence since 2007. Snacking is most popular among young group, at two third 15-24-year-olds, declining with age. More than half of the families which have children under ten have snack between meals. These factors shows there are some potential markets in the UK. The users of cereal bars are generally holding a positive view of the products, however only one fifth of them think it worth its value and less than half satisfied with it. But in the UK, the company didnt work well. The turnover has decreased from the GBP 138.065 in 2006 to the GBP 116.394 in 2008.The current ratio was 0.44 in 2008 and it has fallen from 0.48 in 2007. (Fame,2009)It may affect by tringent regulations and exposure to foreign exchange risk. Overall, this industry still has good prospect in worldwide. 4. Market Environment in China a) Application of Tools SWOT analysis The strengths of cereal bars are high recognition, innovation of products and strong financial support. Firstly, Kellogg is a successful international brand, so it will be easy to popularize a new brand under it. Secondly, the company has innovation process so that it can guarantee the quality of its products and improve the formula to satisfy Chinese customers. Lastly, the company is lucrative, so it can give strong financial support to Chinese market. The weaknesses are the high price of the products and may do not accord with Chinese taste. Due to the high cost and import tax, the price of the products will be higher than the other local brands. Additionally, Chinese people have their own eating habit, they eat cereal as a kind of main source to acquire energy and protein. Thus cereal is only eaten in meals but not between meals. The opportunity is peoples increasing awareness of the healthy diet. With the increase of income, people pay more attention to nutrition of food. The Chinese savory snacks market grew by 6.5% in 2008 to reach a value of $3 billion and it is forecast to have a value of $4 billion in2013, an increase of 30.7% since 2008(Marketline, 2009). The threats are stringent regulations in China and exposure to foreign exchange risk. Because some events of food occurred in China these years, the government strict checks import products quality. The exposure to foreign exchange risk is a risk that every company will face when they want to enter another country. (Salah, S.H. Roger, D.B., 1994) PEST analysis In political, UK and China have a good relationship. Benefit from Hong Kong, the two countries trade more frequently. But China will check import food from UK strictly because the UK treat import from China like this. In economic, Chinas GDP has an average annual rate of 9.6% from 1979 to 2005 and the import grew by 17.6% to $660 billion in 2005(Wayne, M. M., 2006). In social, since China has a 5000-year history, the society and relationship are more complicated, so foreign companies will face difficulties to enter Chinese market. Last in technology, although technology is progressing rapidly in China, China still welcomes foreign companies introduce their advanced technology into China. b) Target Market Young children and young women are the mains consumer groups of snakes. The target market which I choose is young women from 15 to 35 in cities. Because young people in this age like to accept new things by the influence of western culture. Some 57% of adults say that there are not enough hours in the day to do everything they would like (Mintel, 2009), sometimes they do not have time to have meals. Eating cereal bars can they gained energy, vitamins and protein and girls will not worry about get fat choosing these. It is a business-to-consumer business that the cereal bars will be sold in retail terminals such as supermarket and convenient store. 5. Competition in China Since cereal bars can be seen as both a kind of snack and a kind of breakfast, it has direct and indirect competition. Here can use Porters Five Forces to explain it. Snacks market in China is highly scattered. The main buyers in China are independent retailers and they have strong buyer power. Because of the level of market players suppliers become disadvantage groups. Entering Chinese market means competing with other overseas companies and large local companies. As many players sell similar product, competition is so fierce in such market environment. Every company wants a larger market share (Marketing, 2010). As to the cereal breakfast market, the market is fragmented too. There are three leading companies which accounting 40% of the total market value. Cereal Partners Worldwide controlled the breakfast cereals market in China. The predominant buyers are supermarkets and hypermarkets. The bigger the shop is, the more bargaining power it will have. As there are many similar products it has to face the threat of substitutes. Many people still prefer Chinese traditional food. As the same as in the snack market, the speed growing market attract many new entrants (Marketing, 2009). The main competitors of snacks are PepsiCo and Calbee Foods. PepsiCo generated revenues of $43.2 billion in 2008, an increase of 9.6% over 2007. Calbee Foods generated revenues of $1.1 billion in 2009, an increase of 3.6% over 2008. The main competitors of cereal breakfast are Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), PepsiCo and Standard Food Corporation. CPW entered the Chinese breakfast cereals market in 2004. The company operates a manufacturing facility in the city of Tianjin. CPW markets its breakfast cereals in China under the brand Que Cao.(Marketing, 2009) Standard Foods operates its business in China through Shanghai Standard Foods Co., Ltd. The company is headquartered in Taiwan and has 2,388 employees. (Marketing, 2009) 6. Competitive Advantage of All-around There are many strengths of cereal bar. Firstly, cereal bars are filled with high fibre, high protein, low fat and low cholesterol, which is a kind of well-balanced food. Comparing with some traditional Chinese food, such as deep-fried dough sticks, Chinese doughnut and spring roll, cereal bars are healthier that especially suitable to those people who want to lose weight or keep fit. Additionally, cereal bars have various kinds of flavours, and some new flavours add chocolate, fruit and nuts to them, which make cereal bars more delicious, take children fancy and expand their customers. Customers can find a flavour they like easily in All-around. Last but not the least, cereal bars are small and easy to carry, so they are a type of convenience snakes for people. People can put some cereal bars in their bags, they do not need a place and worry about figure when people eat them. According to the forecast report of the convenience foods market in China 2010, traditional life style has being changed in peoples daily life, especially among the young people. Due to the sustained and rapid development of economy and sustained acceleration of life tempo, cereal bars will become a new tendency in peoples daily life. 7. Barriers to Entry in China Many people believe that the market of import food is broad, not only because that the potential market is huge, but also because that it is blessed with a sharply increasing trend. In addition, the reasons are that the price is not transparent and the price rate is relatively higher than similar domestic products which also prove the potentiality of import food. On the contemporary, the economy of China has developed greatly. Therefore peoples requests for food also climb up to a higher level. For instance, people tend to eat healthier food instead of junk food. There are two main barriers which has limited the entry of cereal bar into market of china. One is homogenization of markets. It is mainly shown that it lack of market segmentation. In detail, cereal bars aim to attract customers who have middle or high income. Varieties of products from different companies try to seize the same group of customers, which results in that the diversity becomes not apparent. (Hamish, P Marjorie, T., 2001)The other one is homogenization of products. The products from different places have similar sorts and taste. The import food industry in China is facing five challenges in further development. The first is food safety problem, which plays an important part in the development quality of Chinese import food industry. The second is food nutrition and health, which is depended on the development level of Chinese food industry. The third is the creativity, which depends on the characteristic and price of Chinese import food. The fourth is the multi-level distribution and the professional tendency, which bring Chinese import food industry lasting competitiveness. The last one is concern on energy saving and environmental protection, which will make a positive influence on the sustainable involvement of Chinese food industry in future. In recent years, not only the milk powder event of Nescafe, but also the poisoned wine of Argentina has demonstrated the importance of food safety problem. Chinese authority has tried to defend the low quality import food. Furthermore, it is noticeable that China has cooperated with American food society. Under the consequence, several excellent food companies have entered China, and accounted for partial market. Therefore, the barriers to enter China should be paid more attention. It will be a difficult first step for All-around. 8. Marketing Strategy Based on All-around well-known U.S. company, its products mainly for the convenience of healthy and nutritious food, and never entered into the Chinese market before. Therefore, the company will be ready to use market research, product improvement, marketing, promotion strategies, public relations and advertising media and other marketing strategies into China with the brand All-around. 4Ps analysis: Product: As the Americans and the Chinese people have different tastes, just entering the Chinese market in the process, All-around will be continuously analyzed for Chinese tastes and improve the products after understanding the Chinese market and Chinese consumers. Only products meet the market demand, All-around can capture the market. Price: All-around based on the brand and the cost of entering China, as entering the Chinese market it will choose the same product pricing system, such as Nestle product price. But the All-around will be slightly higher than local price of the same products, making All-around product different from the same kinds of products in China. (Salah, S.H. Roger, D.B., 1994) Place: After the analysis of the Chinese food market, such convenience food can be sell in major and medium-sized supermarket, for example Carrefour, Tesco and other large supermarkets. In order for our target customers with marketing and market research, All-around will be selected in the Chinese mainland cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, sold in supermarkets. Promotion: The target group of All-around is young women, students and office workers. Such people work longer and have irregular diet. This just may reflect the advantages of All-around products, not only to facilitate consumption, but also with nutrition. Therefore, All-around chooses the first target to such customers for product promotion. January 2011 All-around first enter the Chinese market: products formally entered large supermarkets of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou Carrefour, Tesco February 2011 All-around use of public relations advertising exposure, promotional products. Let people know All-around product. March 2011 All-around with the pre-advertising promote to sell. Send sales staff in the supermarket counter, try to eat free of charge to potential customers. In April 2011 in the early process, All-around begin the initial pilot studies to understand customer satisfaction, consumer tastes, and price evaluation. And organized activities for small prizes will pre-purchase All-around maintenance of consumer products and consumers being investigated. In May 2011 with the Chinese custom of the Labour Day holiday to take a substantial promotional activities, strive for during the festive season so that more potential consumers about All-around product. 2011 June-July All-around to adjust the products taste, and randomly selected survey of potential consumers of food tastes August-September 2011 At this point, the official summer holiday period the students, All-around will take a new round of promotional activities, for students to accept the All-around product. October 2011 October is National Day, All-around Chinas National Day will be organized with the objective of consumers visit the All-around production base, so that consumers understand the products production process and food safety systems. All-around makes consumers create brand loyalty. 2011 Nov-Dec All-around to organize new products into the Chinese market, and carry out public relations advertising, as do the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year holiday early preheating. January-February 2012 in the mainstream media do the brand image advertising, a good brand image. And strive to be traditional Chinese festivals the CCTV Spring Festival Gala sponsors, so that Chinese consumers can understand the All-around Hold from March to July 2012 All-around into the campus activities, with the Education Bureau in the efforts to All-around a campus partner, the product on the students breakfast, and teach nutrition. From August to December 2012 establish a large sales base, so that All-around products can capture the Chinese market. From January to June 2013 the Foundation set up health and nutrition of food through the extensive media coverage for the All-around brand to promote. July-December 2012, the introduction of All-around excellent product in the United States to China, and the appropriate raise product prices, occupy the Chinese market 9. Conclusion The product I chose to launch in China is cereal bars. I named the new brand as All-around, one meaning is that it contains full of nutrition. Another meaning suggests customers can enjoy it anywhere and anytime. From the background of Kellogg, it can be seen that the company has generous profits and a series of products. Cereal bars as a new product will easy to enter Chinese market because the strong brand of Kellogg. The position of cereal bars is convenient and high fibre but low fat. And the target market is young women from 15 to 35 because their life step is fast and attention to keep figure. However, there are some barriers for entering Chinese market. Similar market and similar products can not make All-around stand out from other product. Chinese government has formulated more strict rules to restrict import food. In order to launch All-around to Chinese market successfully, a three-year programming have been made in part 8. These are specific and achievable marketing strategies. 10. Recommendations From the research All-around cereal bars can be launched in China. Firstly, there is a potential market which can suit the target market of All-around. The nutritional value of cereal bars just meets the pursuit of a healthy diet of young people. And cereal food can be accepted by Chinese customers. Secondly, the competitors in Chinese market are not too much. It can highlight its technical advantages comparing with other small local companies. And as this reason, it does not need to reduce price to gain more market. Thirdly, the Chinese snacks market is growing rapidly. The compound annual growth rate of the market is predicted to be 5.5% in the period 2008-2013. (Marketline, 2009) As a new product, it will have high profits after introduction when it is in the product life-cycle of growth (Kotler, P. Armstrong, G., 1993). Lastly, the company has a well-known brand, as a new brand in the family-brand. The advantage is that the cost of introducing will be less benefit from the recognition and preference of the family name. (Kotler, P. Armstrong, G., 1993)

Disease vs. Humans: The Evolutionary Race :: Journalistic Essays

Disease vs. Humans: The Evolutionary Race Dramatic changes in living conditions and population structure are usually associated with the changes caused by the Industrial Revolution. Massive migration to cities and the development of urban centers which followed increased the likelihood of disease spread and evolution, and has also increased disease persistence. Diseases use cities (places where hundreds, thousands and millions of people are in very close quarters with each other) as a super highway; cities provide the perfect infrastructure for disease travel. As they travel and harm, diseases are in a constant race with their hosts towards evolutionary perfection. As their hosts evolve to kill the microbes, the microbes evolve to either keep the host alive for longer, or travel more quickly between hosts. One way that disease has utilized the growth of cities in order to evolve and thus travel better is its transformation from an exclusive disease for animals to an exclusive disease for humans. For example, typhus was originally transmitted between rats by fleas until typhus microbes realized that human body lice was a much more efficient method of traveling, now that humans are no longer host to lice typhus has changed to infect eastern North American flying squirrels and then transferring to people who live in close proximity to the squirrels (Diamond 209). Diseases are, in short, constantly changing in order to propagate more efficiently and more quickly. Our intimacy with animals has provided a quick and easy method of disease transformation and therefore better propagation. Pathogens that were formerly secluded to animals evolve to the point where they are directly transmitted between people. When these people are parts of large communities (a contingency that diseases thrive on) epidemics result, especially if the sanitation is as bad as in the first cities. In fact, up until the 20th century, Europe’s urban population was not self sustaining, so many died of crowd diseases that they had to be constantly replaced by rural immigrants (Diamond 205). Many of our epidemics could not have existed without the cities and the easy transportation they allow. Diseases, like all organisms, are constantly evolving in order to pass on the most genes. The best strategy for doing so is to replicate rapidly. If more rapid replication of a microbe inside a person leads to greater passing on of the genes that code for that rapid replication, then replication rate will increase even if it causes the person to be severely ill or leads to an overall decrease of the number of people it can effect, or even if it hastens the eventual extinction of the microbe (Ewald).

Essay on Setting in Poes The Masque (Mask) of the Red Death :: Mask Masque Red Death Essays

Use of Setting in The Masque of the Red Death  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "...In the black chamber the effect of the fire-light that streamed upon the black hangings through the blood-tinted panes was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all" (210). This quote serves to demonstrates Edgar Allan Poe's descriptive abilities. In "The Masque of the Red Death" Poe gives much detail about the setting. Poe uses detail about the setting to make the story believable, to add irony to the story, and to create an atmosphere appropriate for the appearance of the "Red Death."    In retrospect, "The Masque of the Red Death" is not a vary believable story. However, Poe's description of the setting presents the reader with such a realistic image of the scene that the reader cannot help but believe the story when first it is first read. The reader is manipulated by the author into believing that the story could actually be true. Poe accomplishes this manipulation by describing the setting in great detail. Seemingly half of the story is setting, rather than actual action. Poe begins with description of the 'Red Death,' proceeds to describe the 'castellated abbey,' and finally the 'imperial suit.' By paying such close attention to detail, the author has created a believable image in the mind of the reader. The creation of such believable aspects of the story is important. Within this believable image, the unbelievable arrival of the masked figure (the "Red Death") gains credibility. Without such believable aspects, the arrival of such a presence would not be credible.    Poe uses setting to create irony in the story. The description of the castellated abbey includes the facts that, "a strong and lofty wall girdled it," and that the gates had been welded shut (209). Both the high wall and the welded gates were intended to keep the Red Death out of the castle, when, ironically, they actually trapped it inside. Poe leaves clues to the reader that this may occur. He includes the statement that the welded gates prevent "egress" as well as "ingress." Furthermore, a girdle is typically used to hold something in, rather than keep something out.

Law and Crown Colony Essay

1. The two other reasons why Spain claimes the country as its possession or ghe property of the King of Spain. †¢ They also claim the country because of their Spirit of Discovery to our country, improvements of their technologies (for travel and trading purposes) and acquisition of our territories †¢ being in actual possession of the philippines, it had the right to colonize it.In other words, Spain claimed the Philippines by right of dicovery and by right of actual occupation or conquest. 2. Crown colony * A crown colony also called a royal colony was a state that was under political control by Britain and that was ruled and governed by a Governor who had been appointed by the monarch through the secretary of state for colonies. Cayman Island is one example of present â€Å"crown colony 3. Because the governor-general himself has a widely range of own powers. He was also the King’s official representative in the colony. He possessed vast executive, legislative, and judicial powers. He issued orders with the force of law, which were called superior decrees. On the other hand, decrees or orders coming from the King of Spain were called Royal decrees or orders. 3. Why was the governor-general powerful? Enumerate his powers. * Because the governor-general himself has a widely range of own powers. He was also the King’s official representative in the colony. He possessed vast executive, legislative, and judicial powers. He issued orders with the force of law, which were called superior decrees. On the other hand, decrees or orders coming from the King of Spain were called Royal decrees or orders. 4. Define or explain the following a. Cumplase e. Capitan b. Audiencia f. Principalia c. Superior Decree g, Cabeza de Barangay d. Indulto de Comercio h. Ayuntamiento * A. Right of the governor to suspend the operation of a Royal decree or order relative in the Philippines if in his opinion, the sads order or decree would not be beneficial to the administration of the country.

Preparing to Conduct Business Research

On September 12, 2012 the New York City Health Department voted eight-zero with one vote abstaining, to enact a city wide ban on sugar-sweetened beverages in containers over 16ounce in size (Susman, 2012). At the urging of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg the health department is hoping that this ban will have an impact on the growing obesity problem among New York citizens (Susman, 2012). Opposition to the ban was evident before the final vote by citizens believing violations of his or her freedom are occurring and vendors who see the choices in what he or she serve the customers under dictation from city hall.Perhaps the group with the most to lose is the beverage industry; the ban limits servings of sugar sweetened drinks to 16 ounces or less in the city’s 24,000 restaurants, delis, movie theaters, sports venues, and street carts (Petrecca, 2012). This means no 20-ounce bottles, no super-sized drinks, no monster drinks at the movie theater, the fact is most of these es tablishments consider a 16-ounce beverage a small or medium drink (Petrecca, 2012). So smaller drinks mean smaller profits; however, it may be possible that this is not the case.The ban does not limit the number of 16-ounce drinks a person may purchase; the possibility for additional sales does exist (Petrecca, 2012). Because only restaurants offer free refills, it is possible that the smaller size drinks will result in greater quantities of sales at the other locations. Business Research The CEO of the Coca Cola Company is communicating with Learning Team A, hiring Learning Team A to research potential issues and opportunities resulting from the ban on containers over the limit of 16 ounces of sugar sweetened beverages in the city of New York.Coca Cola is showing interest in learning what the consumer thinks of the ban; how the customers believe it will affect his or her recreational and dining experiences. Coca Cola is not only showing interest in this information as it pertains t o New York City but also because the interest this ban is attracting from other large cities and what it would mean to the company if this became common practice in other locations (Koebler, 2012). HypothesesTeam A offers several hypotheses to the ban and the effects it will have on the citizens, vendors, and distributors of sugar sweetened beverages: ? Team A hypothesizes that the ban on sugar sweetened beverages will cause a decrease in beverage sales that contain sugar, costing the Coca Cola company millions of dollars in sales. ? Team A hypothesizes that the ban on sugar sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces will cause consumers to purchase multiple quantities of beverages in replacement of what they use to purchase.Also the sale of sugar free beverages will rise; this will cause an increase in revenue for the Coca Cola Company. Team A hypothesizes that the public will be unreceptive to the ban and believes that the government body responsible for it has overstepped their bo unds. The public will think that the removal of this choice goes against the constitutional rights every person has and that he or she will attempt to find a way around the ban. ? Team A hypothesizes that although there will be citizens upset in regard to the ban, the citizens will embrace the law proving a measurable difference on the obesity problem in New York City. Variables to Consider and Questions to AskIn an effort to offer to the Coca Cola Company the most complete information, the best recommendations, and a reliable foundation on which to base future changes it is necessary to research as many variables as possible. Variable questions to include in the research include: 1) â€Å"The various age groups of the consumers, and their drink preferences. † 2) â€Å"How the vendors plan on handling this new rule and will the vendor adjust the prices, add free-refills, implement buy one get one programs, and add additional drink dispensers to accommodate customers. ) †Å"How these bans encourage customers to leave the city limits and visit establishments in the suburbs? † 4) â€Å"How the consumer understands the reasoning behind the ban and the obesity issue with the removal of beverage choice? †5) â€Å"Coca Cola currently holding a 70% market share in New York; this is a significant margin over the competition (Petrecca, 2012). It is important to research if the customer loyalty level will hold up to â€Å"deals† by the competition and how aggressive Coca Cola is going have to be with marketing and pricing. 6) â€Å"Is Coca Cola willing to embrace this ban, explore ways to market their diet products and fruit juices as an alternate to the sugar sweetened beverages? † Ethical Considerations Ethics play a critical role in conducting research projects (Donald R. Cooper, 2011). It is critical to examine how the results of the research issue breach the rights of the citizens. In the case of the New York City law that limi ts the sales of sugar sweetened drinks there are several ethical questions that arise.The strongest being, â€Å"how will this state law infringe on an individual’s rights to choose the size of their desired beverage? † The motivation behind the law is the unhealthy factors of sugary drinks, targeting one unhealthy option. Supporters of the law believe that this law will help prevent obesity; however, opposition believes it is unfair to place the weight of this issue on one product. Also at question â€Å"Is it ethical to restrict a consumer’s right to choose what he or she wants to drink?Along with sugar sweetened beverages there are other unhealthy products available that have proven effects on weight with no restrictions. Vendors and beverage makes can argue that the law shows bias and is discriminatory. This leads to another ethical issue; does the law give preference or competitive vendor advantage over consumer’s advantage. A consumer, who may wish to purchase a larger drink, may find the need to purchase multiple drinks, thereby increasing the sales of the company but yet not eliminating the risk of obesity.Also under consideration is the ethical question, â€Å"does the beverage company have a responsibility to their customers to reduce the chance of obesity, knowing that these beverages offer empty calories with no nutritional value? † Conclusion Moving into the future it is important to understand what difficulties a company will be facing. Knowledge from research projects provide companies the possibility to develop contingency plans and reduce the chance that the unknown will alter the course of a successful business plan.Earlier this month the New York City Health Department passed a law that has altered the way beverage makers and vendors conduct their business and altering the freedom consumers have in choosing something as simple as the beverage he or she drinks. The Coca Cola Company is looking to go forward armed with the knowledge they will need to maintain their superiority in the New York Market. This task has fallen on Learning Team A, as they will research and discover what the market and consumers will demand to remain customers of Coca Cola.