Group Project Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Group Project Report - Research Paper Example It is a prohibited material in Qatar. In this context, study will find out if the company’s TQM adheres to this rule as well as to others on the matter. Through use of published literatures of the company and other guidelines, we will explore company’s Total Quality Management policies and practices. Findings will help management assess if its present practices need further improvement. Study finds out certain compliance but nevertheless saw the need for some revitalization. Does Qatar Plastic Product Co. Apply a Desirable TQM? I. Introduction Total quality management (TQM) has been an important feature in the operational aspects of operation in both business and manufacturing. Poor quality of service often times lead to unsatisfied customers that in turn result to loss of customers. In one way or another, everyone had unsatisfactory experiences of dissatisfaction over a product. These experiences might run from a major complaint to an inconsequential claim, like mechan ical defects of a newly purchased brand new car; late delivery of Pizza, or physical defects of a product. Customers are further infuriated when employees of the company are not properly trained to respond to these situations. The outcomes of these attitudes are loss of customers and gain of competitors that can take advantage of that need. In today’s competitive global market situation, companies must understand the powerful impact of providing quality service. The recent decline of the economy should lead company to realize that the most powerful manner to remain competitive is by implementing high standards of quality and to realize that in business, satisfaction of customers should be first priority. Let us begin this discussion of what Total Quality Management (TQM) is. It is defined as â€Å"The continuous process of reducing or eliminating errors in manufacturing, streamlining supply chain management, improving the customer experience and ensuring that employees are u p-to-speed with their training. Total quality management aims to hold all parties involved in the production process as accountable for the overall quality of the final product or service.† (Investopedia). This definition gives further illustration of TQM in service and in manufacturing industries. Manufacturing produces tangible products that can be seen, felt, or measured. Examples are food items, furniture and equipment, all of which are tangibles. Most common measures for manufactured products are conformance to specified standards; performance such as speed of a vehicle; durability – life span of the product; and serviceability - ease of repair. Service industries on the other hand are intangibles that cannot be seen or touched, but is explained more through experience. Since these are not physical, satisfaction of customers are difficult to measure. Oftentimes, in order to measure service satisfactions, customers’ perceptions which are subjective, are used. Such things are traits like satisfaction on the delivery of service, promptness, friendliness, courtesy of staff, timeliness, and those sorts of perceptions. This study has identified Qatar Plastic Product Company, one of the biggest companies in Qatar that manufactures flexible packaging using polyethylene resins. Since there are so many world-wide qualms

Video games affecting children Essay Example for Free

Video games affecting children Essay Video games around the world have become immensely popular, a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry which revolves around the wants and desires of children and teens. An industry with a creation of unique entertainment like no other. An industry that continues to grow rapidly. Hours and hours are spent each day by youths playing these games, but are they really good for them? Are they educational? Games which educate a child’s mind exist but they wouldn’t be as popular as your top seller shooting game. Nowhere even close. Here I am today to tell, to inform, and to enlighten parents on the dangers of letting your child play these violent games. As a child, I found that my parents seemed to push away all sorts of violent games, no matter how badly I wanted them. It didn’t seem to make sense at first but as I grew older, I saw the younger generation getting addicted to games like these and without doubt, showed a different behaviour and attitude. In this modern age, a child or teen is quite likely to have a gaming console or access to the internet or a friend who does. With these, they can play or access games which may contain violent content. As youths play these games in excess, they tend to act out what they may see or hear in front of their friends and family. It gives them a tendency to act aggressive and violent. They learn new things, like bad language. They may use foul language against their friends and possibly repeat violent stunts at home. These games are full of foul language, bloody scenes and criminal behaviour. It gives them a prospect for confrontation with peers, with siblings, with parents and even with their teachers. They engage in fights which in turn could cause possible decline in their studies. They could even brush aside their school work to sit in front of a television because it’s like an addiction to them. The question is: should parents be encouraged to disallow their son or daughter to be entertained by these types of video games? The answer is up to you, as parents. It is up to you to observe whether you see a change in attitude among your kids and if in a negative way, then you should take action in order for your child to behave in an appropriate manner among people. Games like these are everywhere, so your child will grow up in an environment where they will play them. Although, it is always recommended to look at the age rating of the game before you buy it, to see whether or not your son or daughter fits into the category of restriction. You can even set limits on how long they should be allowed to play games, just so they don’t get too involved with the theme of the game. It’s absolutely paramount for a child to grow up in a positive environment. In my opinion, games that involve the likes of drugs, bloodshed, criminal behaviour, foul language and violence should not be banned, but put into higher restriction everywhere. There should be more age limitations and games that involve hostility at a lower level. So parents, do you know what games your children are playing? Have a look.

The Enduring Legacy of Malcolm X Essay -- The Life of Malcolm X

If there was any one man who demonstrated the anger, the struggle, and the beliefs of African Americans in the 1960s, that man was Malcolm X. The African American cultural movement of the 1920s lost momentum in the 1930s because of worldwide economic depression. The Great Depression helped to divert attention from cultural to economic matters. Even before the stock market crash of 1929, unemployment and poverty among blacks was exceptionally high. It was under these difficult conditions that Malcolm X experienced his youth in the South. Malcolm X was a very controversial character in his time. He grew up in a very large family. His father hunted rabbits to sell to the white people for money, and his mother stayed home to take care of all the children. Several times when he was young, his family was forced to relocate due to the racist groups that would burn or run them out of their home like the Ku Klux Klan. One of these groups called the Black Legion killed his father by tying him to the railroad tracks. Malcolm’s father had life insurance but was not given to his family because they said that Earl Little had committed suicide. This was quite impossible because his head was bashed in and he tied himself to the railroad. Without his father’s income, Malcolm's family was forced to get government help and food. Applying for this type of assistance brought many white Social Workers into their home. They asked questions and interrogated the entire family. Malcolm’s mother always refused to talk or let them in. This did not stop them and they came in anyway. Malcolm, without family discipline and restrictions, often could be found wandering the streets of Roxbury. Without parental or adult guidance of any kind and due to the poor conditions in his home, Malcolm began to steal food. Finally, he was caught. The police did not make a big deal about it, because it was his first offense. The Social Workers however, began investigating his family even more intensely. They used this incident against the family. They reported that Malcolm’s mother could not take proper care of her children and recommended that they be split up and placed in different foster homes. Malcolm did not realize he was getting government help. He also did not realize that the nice Social Workers who would sometimes slip him treats were really out to put him in a foster home. As a boy Ma... ...g’s preaching to further their shared cause. Without this very important person in our history, things may be very different. He helped the blacks find the path to long sought freedom, and helped the whites see their awful mistakes in the way in which they had conducted their society. Works Cited Breitman, George. By Any Means Necessary: Speeches and Interviews. New York: Pathfinder, 1970. Curtis, Richard. The Life of Malcolm X. Philadelphia: Macrae Smith Company, 1971 Goldman, Peter. The Death and Life of Malcolm X. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1979. Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. New York: Ballantine, 1964. Myers, Walter Dean. Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary. New York: Polaris, 1993 Shirley, David. Malcolm X: Minister of Justice. Langhorne: Chelsea House Publishers, 1994 "Malcolm X." Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation, 1993-1996. The Official Website of Malcolm X. Web. 11 April 2015 http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/home.php Malcolm. 1999-2004. http://www.brothermalcolm.net "Biography." Malcolm X Official Website. Web. 11 April 2015 http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/about/bio.html.

Atheism as an Evolution of Thought and its Place Among the Religious Mu

Atheism is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as (a) a disbelief in the existence of a deity or (b) a doctrine that there is no deity and by The Oxford Dictionary as the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods. The Supreme Court proceedings of Schempp vs. Curlett defined atheism in eloquent humanist terms: An atheist loves his fellow man instead of a god. An atheist believes that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth for all men together to enjoy. An atheist believes that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it, and enjoy it. An atheist believes that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment. He seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to know a god... He believes that we are our brother’s keepers and are keeper of our own lives; that we are responsible persons and that the job is here and the time is now. For the purposes of this discourse, the terms atheist and atheism will encompass this humanist philosophical view point as well as modes of thought based upon scientific principals and tangible realities of existence; thus avoiding defining atheism only in relation to theistic belief systems. It is important to acknowledge that atheism, and indeed non-theism as well, is not simply a reaction to theistic beliefs or an angry rebellion against the theocratic majority. Rather, it is a celebration of life, a complete acceptance of mortality, and a joyfulness in truth. â€Å"And what is more pleasing than practical wisdom when you consider the reliability and efficiency ... ...iedrich. Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ. Trans. R J Hollingdale. 1889. Introduction Micheal Tanner, 1990. Translator’s Note R J Hollingdale, 1968. London: Penguin Group, 2003. Print. â€Å"Our Founder†. Carnegie Corporation of New York. 2009 Pellissier, Hank. â€Å"Atheist are the Most Generous – Even Without Heaven Reward!†. The Richard Dawkins Foundation. 25 November 2011. Web. 3 April 2012. School District of Abington Tp., Pa. Vs. Schempp. No. 374 US 203. Supreme Court of the US. 17 June 1963. Westlaw. Web. 16 April 2012. â€Å"Sean Faircloth, Former Executive Director†. Staff. Secular Coalition For America, n.d. Web. 3 April 2012.

Descriptions and language Essay

Look at the significance of chapter five to the novella s a whole. Focus on the effect of the writer’s use of language to describe sittings and characters. How does this contribute to the gothic genre and what does it demonstrate about social and historical influences? Frankenstein or the â€Å"Morden Prometheus† was published in 1818 by the author Mary Shelley she became well know for the gothic horror Frankenstein. The key message of the novel that Mary Shelley is putting across to the reader is that people should not play God. People started to become extremely terrified of the idea that life could be crated by mankind without a man, woman and God. Mary Shelley experienced a lot of misfortunes in her life as her family members died at a young age; this may have lead her to write this novel as it also has horrifying events, also she had a lot of knowledge about science. At that time science was very advancing meaning that the idea of creating became possible. Mary Shelley may have got the inspiration to create such a fascinating gothic horror novel from the misfortunes she experienced in her life and the advancing science at the time. Shelley depicts Frankenstein as being adamant he wanted to create life. His obsession took the better of him, he neglected everything just to accomplish his dream. This is shocking to the reader. He thinks that he could crate life better than God. â€Å"I behelded the accomplishment of my toils† Shelley describes how Frankenstein is successful. This is playing God. Frankenstein on realising what he has done hubris runs away from the facts and abandoned his creation. Frankenstein has committed hubris by going against God, Frankenstein will be punished for this wrenched act of creating life which is wrong, similar to Prometheus he was punished by the Gods for giving people more power than they were capable of handling and he was severely punished by the Gods for going against them. Linking the story to an ancient myth will increase the knowledge in the reader that hubris will be punished. In this novel chapter five is the most significant. The reason why, is because it holds the most important events that took place. In this chapter the creation is bought to life. Frankenstein rejects him because of his appearance he imagined it to be beautiful. Instead it is the most hideous thing that Frankenstein has had ever imagined. Frankenstein regrets what he has done but he is unable to reverse in time to make things go back to normal. Mary Shelley foreshadows what will happen next Shelley has used â€Å"with the gloom of the surrounding comfortless sky†. The reader will feel pathos towards Frankenstein as he has caused his own misery, also anxious as they will be able to predict what will happen next. Shelley uses descriptive language, she describes the monster as having â€Å"yellow skin†. Shelley writes this to create an image of the monster in the reader’s minds. The novel also compares the monster to a diseased person, it also is comparing the monster to a dead body a dead body is pale because it no blood flowing through it similarly to the monster as it is pale in real life. Shelley describes the monster this way so that the reader creates an ugly image of the monster in their minds. Mary Shelley uses descriptive language this helps to create fear and horror into the reader. The quote refers to the historical and religious aspects of the 19th century. Frankenstein was the first monster story to be written. Most of the horror novels at the time were about ghosts, in that time many people believed in ghosts as it was a popular theme for books. Shelley was determined to make her novel successful and to do this she needed to frighten her audience. She was able to do this by using her imagination, creative ideas and descriptive language such as â€Å"yellow skinned†. In addition this quotation describes the horrific features of the creature that Frankenstein created. Also yellow represented as the disease cholera which effected the people of the 19th century. Mary Shelley has used an expostulatory form throughout the novel. Shelley uses the point of view of Captain Walton who is the caption of the ship. Captain Walton helps Frankenstein onto his ship as Frankenstein is in terribly ill. Frankenstein tells the captain that he created a monster and how it killed all of his loved ones. Captain Walton writes to his sister about the story of Frankenstein and his creation this give the novel hindsight. Mary Shelley opens Chapter Five with Pathetic Fallacy, â€Å"dreary nigh of November†. This is when mood reflects the weather. This suggests that it was dark and miserable night like the earth knows something is wrong. The settings show the hidden acts the weather feels sorrows for. Shelley has used descriptive language to begin the chapter this informs the reader that this chapter is going to be extremely emotional and that it is the most important chapter. Shelley has chosen her settings very carefully. Shelley uses a link between darkness and the month â€Å"November†. This is because November is miserable and wintry. Mary Shelley describes what impact the creation has on Frankenstein. â€Å"For this I have deprived myself of health and rest†, this shows that Frankenstein has been deprived of sleep and must be physically and mentally tired. This links back to obsession as it shows he only cares about the creation and nothing else. As the creation is bought to life Frankenstein regrets creating it. This makes the reader feel bathos towards Frankenstein because he is the father of the monster as he is the one who created it. As soon as his creation is born Frankenstein abandons it. The reader will feel pathos towards the monster as it was not his mistake that he is abandoned by his father as soon as he is created. Captain Walton feels sympathy towards Frankenstein, as he learns that all of Frankenstein’s loved ones have been killed. Captain Walton also begins to understand why Frankenstein is in this position. â€Å"That is also my victim! ‘ in his murder my crimes are consummated the miserable series of my being is wound to its close! † the captain starts to feel sorry the monster, as he finds out that it has no one to care for him in the world except Frankenstein who already abandoned him. â€Å"His voice seemed suffocated and my first impulse, which has suggested to me the duty of obeying the dying request of my friend. In destroying his enemy, were now suspended by a mixture of curiosity and compassion† by the end caption Walton has compassion for the monster perhaps showing the reader who we should feel. Shelley has put a lot of thought in to deciding on her settings in the novel. In the 19th century there was no electricity therefore they used candles the candle light effect would have been well known to her reader. Whilst in the laboratory, Victors â€Å"candle was nearly burned out†! This quotation is telling the reader that Frankenstein’s life was very bright at the beginning of the novel as the novel continues there is less and less light in his life. As the light is fading away the reader will think that Frankenstein life is vanishing since he decided to deceive death. As light is fading it is bringing darkness to the setting which will frighten threaded as this is a mysterious colour? Shelley has used literary consciousness throughout the novel to show the reader that she being a woman in the 19th century still had a lot amount of knowledge. Shelley has included Dantes â€Å"Inferno† and much more she is showing the reader that she has a lot of potential and has a lot understanding about science and literature. People at the time would not have thought that a woman could write such a novel which is very creative and advancing in science. Shelley is showing off as she has succeeded in creating a novel which is unique and as good as any man could write. Ultimately I think that Chapter Five is the most significant chapter Shelley has used many language techniques to describe characters and settings. This helps the reader to imagine the gothic horror genre. Shelley committed herself to write this gothic horror novel as she was determined to make her reader interested in the first monster novel, people at the time only believed in ghosts and she has to put a great amount of effort to make the reader interested in the first monster novel. Shelley with a great imagination and wonderful techniques she made this story appealing to the reader. When someone loses their loved ones they feel that if they were able to bring them back they would but no one can cheat death. Frankenstein who tried to cheat death is punished.

Marketing Plan = Hotel Industry

Marketing Plan = Hotel Industry Free Online Research Papers Executive Summary This marketing plan has been prepared, taking into consideration the current economic situation. This weighs in heavily in every aspect of the plan Our luxury travel market has become quite challenging to operate and we have to take into account of what has been working for us and what has not been working for us. In order to survive, we might have take some steps that we might not have considered before. In doing this, we have to be careful not to lose market share to the competition that has resorted to price wars which would be detrimental to the market in the long term. Should the price war continue, it would be difficult to bring the rates up when the economy improves and it would mean less profits for all the players. The weak market has weighed heavily on the recommendations made. This is the general consensus of the direction that our organization should take and same time be flexible to adapt to any surprises that may arise in these uncertain times The budget is also based on the assumption that market sentiment is weak and the industry does not see a pick up anytime soon. With the government lending a hand via training grants, we have embarked on careful cost cutting measures and prudent spending. 1. Terms of reference This marketing plan is for the Four Seasons Singapore. The target market is the luxury traveler. Objective is to further target the luxury market travelers from that come into Singapore and also look to market ourselves in emerging markets. At the Four Seasons Singapore 60% of all room revenue is dependant on annually contracted clients from various industries. The rest 40% is from the leisure market, contracted as well through cruise ships and other channels like luxury concierge travel services worldwide and travel offices like Amex Centurion travel whose clients have to be earning a certain level of income to qualify. Singapore is a major embarkation and disembarkation point for luxury cruises like the Cunard Lines. As the Four Seasons Singapore is the smallest boutique hotel in the shopping district, we are able to differentiate from competitors. 2. Business Mission The mission of Four Seasons is to operate medium size hotels that provide exceptional quality to the luxury traveler. Frequent international travel began to pick up in the 70s and Four Seasons decided to capitalize on this by concentrating on a niche market. 3. PEST Analysis 3.1 Political The government is very pro tourism, 65% of Singapore’s GDP is from the services sector and the Singapore government feels that this is its competitive edge. The government is providing training grants for hotels to help upgrade its workforce so that when the economy recovers, Singapore will be ready. The government is also lobbying for business to increase tourist arrivals actively overseas. We have taken advantage of the governments training grants. 3.2 Economic The downturn has caused many industry players to slash prices and has caused a mini price war. We are staying away from this and have creatively packaged our room rates with benefits and have taken this slow period to reward past customer loyalty. This we feel will further increase customer loyalty. 3.3 Socio-Cultural Unlike accommodation, we rely heavily on the local market for our banquet and food and beverage revenue. The power distance in Singapore society is to our advantage as we are considered a premier location to dine and to hold events. Weddings are a huge part of our revenue and being an auspicious year for the Chinese to wed, we are seeing continued growth and the market could be further exploited. 3.4 Technological The slowdown has also affected our suppliers and our equipment suppliers are offering competitive prices. There are many more offers that we could look into to better equip ourselves in the future, taking advantage of flexi payment plans offered 4. The Market Corporations worldwide have cut travel budgets and combined with falling tourist arrivals, the demand for hotel rooms have fallen among luxury hotels. Inflation and recession normally leads to a shift in demand for inferior goods and demand has shifted to three and four star hotels but they are still perceived to be expensive and people are still staying away even though rates are quite competitive when compared to the three and four star hotels. In order not to lose market share, Four Seasons has to ensure that there is no decline in service and its service promise. We have a reputation of being more personal compared to our competitors and we strive to build a relationship with our guests. As our competitors are all large hotels with almost the double the capacity, perception by guests who fill up feedback forms is that they feel that they are just another person compared to when they stay at the Four Seasons where we emphasize name recognition and usage. Our main source of business is from contracted corporate clients originating from both overseas and the local markets. Of this 90% is from the overseas market and 10% are from local companies. Location plays to our advantage together with our size of the hotel. Our niche market demands peace and quiet but a close proximity to the hustle and bustle of the city. We are the only hotel in the shopping district that is able to offer this due to our strategic location which is at the beginning of the street. Another advantage is the recent renovation that the hotel has gone through. We have a new product compared to the other luxury operators. Our market is mainly the US and UK market. Brand recognition is high and travelers mainly first time travelers who come to Singapore are most likely to book with us as they feel re-assured that service would be consistent. Based on statistics, travelers from the UK and the US made up the two of the largest groups after India and China. The exchange rate being an advantage, travelers from the UK and US perceive us as being value for money, compared to travelers from India and China whose currencies are lower than the Singapore Dollar find us to be expensive. 4.1 Market trends Many companies have cut down on corporate travel. With the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Singapore on the whole lost about 8000 room nights and we have lost 1000 room nights. Corporate travel is down by 40%. Many five star properties have decided to slash prices but we have a belief in our product which is fairly priced. Past experiences has given us precedence on how to run operations and keep costs down in times of crises. The competition has slashed prices and we feel that cutting rates is not the way to go as it would be difficult to justify to our guests the increase when the economy recovers and we will lose integrity. It is still possible that Asia could start to recover before the end of 2009, said Dr Martin Buck, Director of the Competence Center Travel Logistics at Messe Berlin, which commissions the ongoing research from IPK (hotelnewsresource.com/article37267.html#Continue). We need to come up with creative ideas which would add value to our product and services. A room could be packaged with additional benefits. It’s a consumers market as they are aware of the hotels undercutting each other and is using this to get the best possible deal. Four Seasons is refusing to be drawn into bargaining as its detrimental to the brand and its image as a luxury operator should it involve in bargaining. 4.2 Local Business Trends The economic slowdown had brought about a culture of prudent spending across all industries. With threats of unemployment looming, the negative impact on luxury goods is great. The government is also driving home this message to spend wisely by cutting down on hosting foreign dignitaries in local hotels. Although we are not reliant on the local business for our accommodation revenue, we are heavily dependant on the local market for weddings and catering business. Although everyone is cutting back, the Four Seasons is a much sought after venue. Wedding blogs and our marketing activities like hosting wedding fairs have created awareness and has helped us to hang on to our revenue targets. 4.3 Economic cut backs With the reduction in spending, the government is encouraging the local industry to go back to the drawing board to train employees and better equip them with skills. They are offering incentives and tax breaks for training purposes. The governments move to cut taxes on exhibitors at trade shows, highlights the governments commitment to improve the situation by making Singapore competitive and indirectly boosting the local tourism sector. 4.4 Market Growth The growth of our target market has been steady for the last 5 years in tandem with a steady increase of visitor arrivals. The long term agreement to host the Formula One race for the next five years has guaranteed a demand for rooms for a 2 weeks in September. Overall the world travel industry is expected to shrink at the rate of 2%(world travel trends report 2008\2009) Long haul demand is also expected to fall and we might see growth in the short haul traveler. This would also boost business for low cost carriers in the region. The luxury market again is not expected to make a recover to its pre-crisis levels anytime soon and we must look at being creative in tapping the short haul market. Analysts predict that only hotels that would ride the current economic situation will be those who are able to innovate. They go on to say that hotel sales and marketing personal cannot assume that the respective business processes will return to the same model that worked previously when the economy recovers. Scott Anthony in the Harvard Publishing Weekly pointed out that the name of the game now is to figure out what will provide optimal value to hotel guests in the product price segment. Value is no longer a price point. The example cited is that value to a $99 paying customer for a room night may not be the same as someone paying $500 a night. He concluded that we cannot expect customers to immediately pay a premium unless they are given a good reason to do so. 5. Strategic Issues Analysis Our current marketing objective is to target the luxury traveler in the emerging markets and to target the growing affluent people in existing markets and introduce them to luxury travel and accommodation To effectively communicate our strategic objectives to our target markets As new markets emerge we have to identify these new markets to promote our hotel To fulfil our promise of uncompromising quality and service to our hotel guests How we segment the market can be equated to benefit segmentation. Our target market is one that values high quality and service. They are also prepared to pay more for the benefit. Our competitive advantage can be attributed to three main points. Service, location and size. We are a premier choice for guests who seek small boutique hotel experience that offers’ privacy and discreet service. Our core competency is being able to provide a consistent high level of service. Although our competitors also aspire to provide a high level of service, consistency is an issue as being a much smaller hotel, we are able to monitor and control our services more effectively, preventing lapses Four Seasons is positioned as a luxury hotel providing seamless luxury service. We use past and current awards by travel magazines to convey the benefits of choosing the Four Seasons 5.1 Marketing Mix Effectiveness Product Rooms were recently renovated and this is an advantage compared to our competitors who have not upgraded recently Promotion We have come up with creative promotional offers. These are communicated through publications and travel operators that cater for the luxury market Price With the economic slowdown, our competitors have begun to slash prices. We have maintained our prices but have added services to the basic rates to make our product attractive Place Our location in the shopping district and its close proximity to major shopping centers is another factor that the hotel is marketed together with its excellent location 6. SWOT Strengths Weakness Strategy: Our differentiation strategy is a tried and tested formulae. Does not only work locally but is a similar strategy adopted by all FS Hotels Structure: Compared to other hotels, our structure is flat and decentralized. It facilitates communication Skills: The hiring strategy has ensured that those recruited have a diverse range of skills and language capabilities Staff: The staff are hired only if they have demonstrated a high level of service culture. The five levels of interview ensure that general consensus is reached before the hiring decision is made. Brand Strategy: The well established brand ensures that we are still the top choice among the luxury traveler Reputation: The reviews and awards from travel publications ensure a strong reputation. This reputation greatly aides our marketing efforts when sourcing for new business. Staff: Stringent recruitment, staff that we are looking for are hard to find and the hiring process takes a long time Systems: Most hotels credit air miles and we refuse to do so even though our guests ask for it. Facilities: Dining options, we only have two restaurants and many guests expect a fine dining restaurant in our hotel Opportunities Market: There will be retuning growth after. The training would be needed to be stepped up and to better prepare when business returns. Competitors: Apart from the current competitors, we do not foresee any new entrants of the boutique hotel niche, we are still not faced with direct competition Suppliers: The current economy crises is allowing us to renegotiate prices, we have managed to tie up long contracts at preferential prices Threats Substitutes: Furnished condominium units offering rates and situated across the hotel is cheaper and might attract the one night staying guests Economy: The recovery from the economic slump might be longer than expected 7. Marketing Objectives 7.1 Strategic Thrust Four Seasons current markets offer few prospects for future growth. The brand is well established and we feel that it has reached a plateau. Thus the need to enter emerging luxury markets. Four Seasons Singapore has to focus on markets like Russia and emerging markets in South America. Magazines such as Forbes comes up with emerging markets that is producing millionaires a sign of a growing affluent segment. The lead could be used to market our hotel. 7.2 Strategic Objective The strategic objective would be to build sales and market share. As Singapore being marketed as a destination for both business and leisure in emerging markets, we should follow suit and promote ourselves as the premier luxury hotel in Singapore. 8. Core Strategy 8.1 Target Market The target market is the luxury traveler in existing and emerging markets 8.2 Competitor Targets Four Hotels in Singapore are perceived to be our competitors. When the Singapore Tourism does its rankings, we found out to be the top of the list. This we should use when advertising to re-emphasize that we are the best hotel to stay with 8.3 Competitor advantage Our advantage boils down to three main factors. Reputation for unsurpassed service levels, location and the size of the hotel 9. Marketing Mix Decisions 9.1 Product We have a good product and a reputable brand. No change must be made here. The services that accompany the product must be looked into. Much improvement can be made here in the form of added benefits like room amenities. These do not have to be of great cost to us but they have to be meaningful and creative and we must also have a wide range. This is to avoid repetition and to maintain the element of surprise when the guest walks into the room. These amenities could be in the form of edible items or bath products that could be arranged prior to arrival. A token of appreciation should also be looked into, maybe in a form of a bear with the Four Seasons logo, it would be a reminder of their stay. The credit of air miles should also be started through partnerships with airlines. This would be an added reward for our guests who choose us. This would also build repeat business. Another move could be a company loyalty program. This might benefit us when it comes to the business traveler th at often travels to various locations. A loyalty reward program would induce a potential guest to choose Four Seasons. 9.2 Promotion With economy in a critical situation, the sales process needs to be innovative. This is something our marketing department is lacking. Instead of just cold calling, they must use targeted prospecting and pre-approach qualifying methods. We need to be clear on what kind of new customers will find value in our product. They could be in the form of meeting planners that could be of more value to the hotel. The key to note here is that value may not be a price point. A main process that our sales department could do is a through research. What is economic condition of the respective industries that our target market is an important area to consider. Changes in their business models and how we can tap their needs and add value to their experience must also be considered. When dealing with them, we need to have a message that appeals to them that concerns their business process improvement, or else all our efforts in trying to solicit a business agreement might fail. 9.3 Price We have a perception of being a expensive hotel. The current market, where hotels are cutting prices, we have refused to do so. Since there are more and more hotels cutting prices, we could modify our room categories and offer them at lower prices to match our competitor rates. There are about 50 rooms that are 5 square feet smaller than regular deluxe rooms. These could be sold at a lower price and the price difference can be justified by the smaller size. Loyalty could be rewarded with the room upgrades and throwing in spa treatments for repeat guests. This could be a viable strategy as we are not dropping rates across the board but opening up a limited supply for the price sensitive luxury traveler. This would be a room only offer and we could make revenue on food and beverage that the guest could potentially consume. 9.4 Place As demand drops from our usual US and UK markets, we should shift our focus to China and India market where 40 million trips were made out of China alone. Despite the global slowdown, this would be a good market to target as young consumers in Asia see personal travel as a key activity in their lifestyles. Research shows that top discretionary spend priorities among young consumers is personal travel 9.5 Physical Evidence The area that needs improvement that does not reflect our 5 star service is our spa. This would need significant upgrade as this area lacks the luxurious feel which is felt everywhere else in the hotel. Renovations and changes are needed in line with current spa trends. This would allow us to compete for the luxury leisure traveler with the other hotels. 9.6 Processes Although we have various processes that enable us to maintain a personal touch, we could do a little more to ensure we maintain a continuous relationship. Small ideas of sending a birthday card on a guests birthday for those who have a record with us, would go a long way to adding a personal touch and increase the chances of us being their choice when they make a purchase 9.7 People Four Seasons has a reputation of being only the best. Although all the necessary procedures are in place to ensure we hire the right people, the process of recruitment must be sped up. Many a times the 5 step interview process takes 4 to 5 weeks and potential employees decide to work somewhere else as they cannot wait that long. Talent sometimes slips through our fingers due to this slow process. 10. Marketing Budget Sales and Marketing Budget Total Labor 808300 Total Supplemental Pay 94700 Total Benefits Expense 147200 Total Employee Meals 22200 Total Labor Benefits 1500 Dues and Subscriptions 800 Miscellaneous Expense 800 Operating Supplies 4900 Postage, Freight, and Courier 20500 Printing and Stationery 70000 Promotion 11600 Telecom Expense 34900 Trade Shows 15600 Training 75100 Travel Meals and Entertainment 34900 Travel Other 3700 Media Advertising Production 14700 Agency Fees 15000 Collateral Material 60500 Corporate Advertising 387900 Direct Mail 72400 Media Food Beverage Advertising 29400 In-House Graphics 5200 Marketing Fee 536600 Outside Services 14700 Photography 17200 Media Rooms Advertising 38800 Media Trade Advertising 8000 Total 2,547,100 Figures are based on 5 years of historical data an spending patterns. Certain figures here have been amended to reflect the expenses should this marketing plan be accepted by management. Notable increase here is the Marketing Fee and Corporate Advertising. These are the areas that need additional investment as we go hunting for more business. Thru corporate advertising, our hotel is exposed to all markets that have a Four Seasons Hotel in the country. Tie in or special deals for Four Seasons Singapore could be promoted to current guests in other Four Seasons Hotels. Marketing fee here is used to fund the marketing effort in emerging markets. The marketing expense is $27.33 per available room and is 14% of the estimated net profit of $18 355 300. 11. Marketing Organization Our Director of marketing, Cristina Dolendo, is responsible for the execution of the plan. She would work closely with the director of PR for all our promotional and public relations activities 11.1 Implementation Product wise, for the rooms, the marketing department must try to promote our rooms by providing pictures as well. With the renovated rooms, we could increase the chance of purchase as they get to see how our rooms look like. The amount budgeted for photography is increased by 30% in the proposed marketing plan from 2008 to $17200 in 2009. The marketing department has to liaise with the finance department to better understand the hotels financial goals and come up with promotions. Given weak demand in the current market, the shift could be made from profiting from margins to generating revenue by volume. We will also continue to work on our customer relationship. The marketing department’s job is to get the guest in for the first time and its up to operations to ensure the guest returns in the future. Interdepartmental communication is important and training has to be continuous to ensure that departments are communicating effectively. The marketing team has to also keep a lookout for emerging markets to tap. As Orchard area is being actively promoted by the local tourism board, the marketing department should tie in with their promotions and highlight the close proximity of the hotel to shopping centers. The plan will be ongoing and will be flexible to changes especially in the external environment. It will be altered and tweaked in order to react to these changes. Figures with regards to sales and effectiveness will be monitored using past results versus the actuals. 12. Control Taking into consideration the economy, in view of a slow recovery, the net profit forecasted for 2009 is considerably lower that the past years. Although unlikely, should a competitor emerge, our differentiation strategy will still be the appropriate. With our reputation, we will build on this to ensure we increase market share Reflexive Account The first step that I undertook for the project was research. Since my project was on my organization, a fair bit of research was needed. I wanted the project to be realistic and wanted it to be something that my marketing department will find worth considering. The Business mission was something that was explicitly stated on the website. The PEST analysis started it off and as the project progressed, finding and sorting relevant information was becoming a challenge. It would be easy to state my opinion in the PEST analysis but wanting it to be as realistic as possible, I had listed down many factors and by presenting it to the bosses, a general consensus was reached with regards to the factors affecting the hotel. Market analysis was a little easier to conclude as we are reminded daily of the market situation and we have to come up with ways to adapt to any changes. The whole section of the market analysis is a very real and current piece of information and finding articles to back these up were easy. The section of strategic issues analysis, I was under the impression that my marketing department would have all the relevant data but unfortunately they did not. Had to sit down and discuss these issues. I asked one of the sales managers if they had a copy which they can refer to but unfortunately only a few people have access to the marketing plan. Only the instruction are handed down but no one gets to see the whole plan. This is something I feel must change as the whole organization must know of the plan as There could be much to learn and feedback could be useful in order to tweak the plan should things do not go according to plan. Things got harder when asked what was our marketing objective. Many answered â€Å"its simple, its to make money†. This coming from a marketing person was quite unbecoming as I was expecting something substantial. Suddenly it felt that how can a marketing person say this as there are so many aspects to look at, besides making money. Thankfully someone from corporate office was able to help. She was also able to guide me on the core strategy. Moving to Marketing Mix decisions, again I turned to our marketing department for an opinion and some of them could not understand what I was asking. They vaguely remember that they studied this is school and have long forgotten them. Everyone one was caught up with daily operations and chasing new business that they had forgotten the basics. This led me to understand why we have some of the clients we have. Since we cater for the luxury market, it suddenly seemed that we are after every market that has a potential for revenue. We were slightly altering our prices to fit to the needs of the market rather that catering for the market that could afford us. Worse still in the current business situation where, every source of revenue is precious. Suddenly the well laid out marketing plan did not seem relevant as we are not following it. Went back to my marketing colleagues to ask if they felt the same way. Their answer being â€Å" we have no choice†. Some felt that the plan for the coming year which is done at the end of the current year is just an exercise that is done to satisfy the requirements. This is such a waste when looking at the textbook, where there is so much analysis into every aspect but in reality, people are not making it work. I feel that for organizations like mine, the yearly marketing plans must be fully flexible so that it can be altered and it should be shared company wide, reasons being that we as a organization would know the direction and those who come up with the plan will be more realistic. Research Papers on Marketing Plan = Hotel IndustryAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceDefinition of Export QuotasThe Fifth HorsemanPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

Attention Users †Why Submit A Paper to FORP

Attention Users – Why Submit A Paper to FORP Free Online Research Papers As you have figured out by now FORP does not charge for complete access to all the great essays and papers that users have contributed. To charge people would be a backwards step in regards to our feelings about how information should be distributed. Other sites require that users MUST contribute work in order to have access. We are not that excited about this idea either, however, because contributions are so low that we may be forced to try new things. I should take this time to thank the members who have contributed to make FORP what it now is but in order to continue to grow we are needing support from new people. So contribute some papers to help make FORP better if you have not yet done so. Dont be lazy!! For questions about how to post please drop us feedback and we will get back with you as soon as possible. Thanks! Admin Research Papers on Attention Users - Why Submit A Paper to FORPThe Project Managment Office SystemQuebec and CanadaDefinition of Export QuotasStandardized TestingLifes What IfsThe Hockey GameAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2The Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseHip-Hop is ArtGenetic Engineering

Gold Standard Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gold Standard - Research Paper Example This paper will discuss both advantages and disadvantages that could be incurred if the United States economy returns to the Gold Standard, by presenting a brief history on US economy’s use of the Gold Standard and the circumstances surrounding the standard’s dismissal. From early centuries, Gold has always been placed at an esteemed position due to its use and functionality. Among the various precious metals that are found here on earth, Gold is considered the most 'valuable' as it has many applications, from being used in Jewelry to being the main tool in International financial transactions. The major nations of the world including United States from the latter half of 19th century till 1920’s used Gold to pay for all the trade that was carried out between them. To standardize this form of gold transaction, a Gold standard was adopted. Under the Gold Standard, currencies of the countries, using gold for transaction, are tied to a specific amount of gold. So, w hen a country redeems or pays its money in the form of gold, it is said to be following or using the Gold Standard. This way, the government of the country which redeems gold and its counterparts who receive the gold will share a fixed-currency relationship. The advantage, the nations were able achieve due to the use of earlier introduced Gold Standard was the adjustment of their Balance of payments. That is, when a nation has a trade deficit while doing trade with a particular country, they could balance it by paying in gold, as currencies were convertible to gold. This advantage could also be garnered, if the Gold Standard is reintroduced again, particularly in relation to United States Economy. The pro-group for the introduction of Gold Standard state that if the standard is introduced in United States, preferably within next 5 years, it could solve number of fiscal and monetary problems that has been plaguing the US economy in the recent past. One of the main advantages that cou ld be incurred is stabilization of the US’ Dollar value, which in a way could restore the confidence among the â€Å"foreign investors in U.S. government bonds,† and importantly could also â€Å"discourage reckless federal spending.† (Dykewicz, 2011). That is, with the Dollar serving as the world's reserve currency, it enables other countries to use it for all types of trade and even stockpile it, thus providing the U.S. Federal Reserve to print as much Dollar as it needs to fiddle with its economy as it sees fit. The downside of such loose monetary policies includes higher inflation rates and a weaker Dollar, and so certain sections of experts advocate the return to the Gold Standard, with the hope that it could force the government to live within its means. (Jones and Walter, 2011). In a way, the return of Gold Standard could bring stability and strengthening of the US Dollar, thereby having many positive impacts on the economy. The positive impacts include so lutions to the current unemployment problem, because strengthened or expensive Dollar would lead to people using more labor, and importantly would lead to fiscal discipline. Thus, it is being pointed out that the current Fed’s policy of pouring trillions of Dollars into the economy to stimulate growth, will only lead to more inflation and weakening of Dollar, and so if the Gold Stand

PERSONAL STATMENT for BUJASSIM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PERSONAL STATMENT for BUJASSIM - Essay Example The overall consequence of self-awareness is improved productivity at work because of the understanding of ability to perform required tasks and to identify areas to improve on then make the improvements From the feedback, I have learnt that I am not as precise as I should. Some of my illustrations are vague and require more elaboration so as to make points in a clear and unequivocal manner. Even though I may be qualified for a job, someone may beat me to it because I do not present my skills well enough and miss the important details. It is my responsibility to ensure that whenever I present my skills, I must include the most relevant and provide sufficient details such that no questions are raised due to ambiguities created by me. Providing better evidence entail the use of better illustrations than I used initial. These examples must be related to the subject matter and explain all its relevant features. One perspective that is useful to assume is the viewpoint of the reader. After completion of the piece of work, I must look at it as the intended audience would have done. If I do so, I will be able to detect unconvincing parts and change them accordingly. In addition, I must go through the work upon completion to ensure that the language used is suitable and captures what is intended. Lastly, I can also focus on what is relevant so that time is not wasted on what is not needed as it will only serve to demonstrate a lack of keenness on my part. I can enhance my employability by stating clearly what my strong points are whenever I present myself for an employment opportunity. Since each job is unique in its requirements, I must align my qualifications and experience to match what the employer is looking to get from a particular job opportunity. Being lucid and cogent about my values, commitment to work and the desire to help achieve job objectives as well as personal goals is bound to paint a picture of an employee

Congestive Heart Failure Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Congestive Heart Failure - Case Study Example The mechanism and resulting physiologic alteration c. The resulting effects on body system d. Citations from Peer Reviewed Articles IV. Analysis of Clinical Findings Manifestations a. Discussion of the Patient’s Clinical Presentation b. Review of Patient’s Clinical Course c. Comparison of this case to pathophysiologic findings in the literature d. Critical Thinking V. Analysis of Laboratory Tests VI. Treatments VII. Outcome Analysis VIII. References Introduction to Congestive Heart Failure Opening paragraph in which the topic is introduced and the content: More than 5 millions of the Americans are suffering from Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and these people have been in and out from the hospital because of CHF and its clinical sequelae (American Heart Association, 2004). CHF changes lives. It affects the structure of the family and the society as well. Once it strikes the breadwinner of the family, it would mean loss of income and shifting of one’s role in the family. In general, this debilitating disease greatly affects the family and the society as a whole, since any problem that might occur in the family affects the community as well. How severe the condition is determines the impact to the life of a person. The milder CHF is in the life of the person, little does it affect the person’s life. ... Incidence of Congestive Heart Failure Discussion of the prevalence of Congestive Heart Failure in the United States: Congestive heart failure is a â€Å"serious condition† resulting to a considerable morbidity and mortality (Schocken, et al., 1992). In the US, CHF is an increasing public health concern because of the limited data that identifies the validity in diagnosing CHF (Goff, et al., 2006). Lui and Wallace (2011) noted that although the annual prevalence rate of CHF was 1.6 percent, which is much lower than that of hypertension, the number of average rate of hospitalisation was reversibly higher with high rate of hospitalisation among the older population belonging to the adults aged 75 and above, compared to the younger population who have the least group of individuals being hospitalized (Lui and Wallace, 2011). According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (2012), the prevalence rate of CHF is increasing and an estimated 4.8 million Americans were diagnose d to have CHF and likewise, an increasing incidence of prevalence rate of hospitalizations and deaths secondary to CHF is increasing (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 2012). The incidence of new cases of mortality of 400,000 secondary to CHF is increasing each year and others were due to its complications (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 2012). Statistics of Morbidity and Mortality: CHF occurs equally in both men and women but is more prevalent in descent other than white Americans such as African – American, Hispanics, and American - Indians (Cleveland Clinic, 2011). About 1 million are hospitalized each year in the United States due to CHF and around 30 – 60 percent of these populations are readmitted due to the same problem (Cleveland Clinic, 2011). The

Code of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Code of Ethics - Essay Example My core values are respect, integrity, responsibility, and fairness. Respect is important to me because I honor all individuals as human beings with dignity. Respect is essential in having a good life because, if I see every one as equal, I will not mistreat or abuse anyone. Furthermore, respect means being open to and tolerant of differences. If I respect people, I do not need to force my beliefs and values on them. I will not also unfairly judge them, which avoids prejudice and discrimination. Integrity is my second core value because it means being honest in what I say and do. Integrity is important to living a good life because I can earn and protect the trust of people. I will also feel better about myself because my values do not conflict with my actions. Responsibility is the third core value that I find important because I want to be accountable for my decisions and actions. Responsibility is significant to a good life because I am proactive in setting goals and handling prob lems. Fairness is also an important core value because I want to be impartial by listening to others and having an open mind. It is valuable to a good life because it results to just processes and outcomes. My core values will help me live a good life because they will enable me to become conscious of my ethical needs as a human being and to respect other people as beings with equal moral worth. I believe that I have good moral character because I live with integrity. Integrity is all about interconnecting my values, beliefs, attitudes, and actions. To be a person of integrity is to act according to my cherished values and virtues. The virtues that I aspire to cultivate and practice are connected to my code of ethics. I want to embody the virtues of hope, justice, and temperance. By having hope, I see positive things in people and the future. I also contribute to a hopeful future through my actions,

The Colonial southeast Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

The Colonial southeast - Term Paper Example These periods are the archaic period, the woodland period and the Mississippian period. The archaic period in Louisiana was home to the most primitive mound complex in North America. It was also one of the earliest dated complex constructions in Americas Watson Brake site near Monroe. Furthermore, the woodland period is measured as the poverty point culture. This culture was trailed by the Lake Cormorant cultures of the Tchula period. In addition, the Mississippian period was linked enormously with agricultural practices. In this era, there was the adoption of maize agriculture (Usner 8). Diplomatic history deals with the account of international relations involving states. The diplomatic research tends to be more concerned with the diplomatic age in different countries. The prehistoric study of Louisiana shows that the state was populated by Native Americans who are primarily from the Indian ancestry (Usner 77). The Native Americans lived there for many millennia prior to the influx of the Europeans in the 16th century. The history of Louisiana and the golf South is loaded and quite extensive. ... According to a timeline published by researchers, this state has a number of negotiations which were performed between Louisiana and other states. A succinct outline of the events shows that Louisiana was involved in various issues, negotiations, and treaties with numerous countries. An overview of these events reveals that, in 1783, Louisiana signed a treaty with Paris. In 1786, there was the construction of the first American golf course that was situated in Charleston, South Carolina. Delaware became declared to the American union in 1787. Furthermore, in 1788, more states including Georgia, Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina were also admitted to the American union. In 1789, the U.S. constitution was authorized, and the North Carolina state was also assimilated to the American union. The constitution in America is a document that embodies basic principles that provide guidelines of how to conduct certain aspects in the American republic. The signature on the constitutional doc uments was appended on 17 Sept, 1787 and later approved by nine countries in 21 June, 1788. Moving on to 1791, we get to learn that the Bank of the United States formed Hamilton’s financial plan that was endorsed as his second element. This led to the debut of a constitutional debate between Jefferson and Hamilton in the same year. Additionally, the Bill of Rights was approved by the member states of the union in this same year. Other states owned up to the American union including Tennessee (1796) and Kentucky (1792). In addition, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin (1793), whereas, in Virginia, the Mint Julep was invented four years subsequent to Eli’s invention. The last outstanding historical happening

Code of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Code of Ethics - Essay Example My core values are respect, integrity, responsibility, and fairness. Respect is important to me because I honor all individuals as human beings with dignity. Respect is essential in having a good life because, if I see every one as equal, I will not mistreat or abuse anyone. Furthermore, respect means being open to and tolerant of differences. If I respect people, I do not need to force my beliefs and values on them. I will not also unfairly judge them, which avoids prejudice and discrimination. Integrity is my second core value because it means being honest in what I say and do. Integrity is important to living a good life because I can earn and protect the trust of people. I will also feel better about myself because my values do not conflict with my actions. Responsibility is the third core value that I find important because I want to be accountable for my decisions and actions. Responsibility is significant to a good life because I am proactive in setting goals and handling prob lems. Fairness is also an important core value because I want to be impartial by listening to others and having an open mind. It is valuable to a good life because it results to just processes and outcomes. My core values will help me live a good life because they will enable me to become conscious of my ethical needs as a human being and to respect other people as beings with equal moral worth. I believe that I have good moral character because I live with integrity. Integrity is all about interconnecting my values, beliefs, attitudes, and actions. To be a person of integrity is to act according to my cherished values and virtues. The virtues that I aspire to cultivate and practice are connected to my code of ethics. I want to embody the virtues of hope, justice, and temperance. By having hope, I see positive things in people and the future. I also contribute to a hopeful future through my actions,

Discharge Plan Assiigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Discharge Plan Assiigment - Essay Example cation of discharge or transfer, pre-admission planning, effective communication between the clinician and Care giver and good management plan to ensure that care are given continually. This paper is an outline of a manager who plans the transfer process of a patient suffering from ESRD on dialysis. The patient prefer going back home while the third parties are in disagreement of the idea. As the case manager the procedure below will be the guideline followed to deal with the matter in question. On the onset of admission, the transfer needs would be the autonomous decision of the patient and the immediate environment of the patient. In this case the patient’s ability to make rational decision is considered important. In case of mental disability, the patient is farther diagnosed for any mental illness. The extent to which the care givers are committed to give the care services needed by the patient. These two factors are put into consideration and make the basis upon which decision of transfer will be made on. When the patient makes rational decision and the environment is conducive, he or she will be transferred. In case otherwise, other options will be explore such as negotiating with immediate care takers. The discharge level care for the patient is transferred from the staff to the immediate family members at home. These are third party carers who provide the service at home. They can either accept the duty or disagree. In case of disagreement negotiations are necessary to strike a deal with the family members. The patient is destined to home not any other place, this is because the patient wanted to be transferred back home not any other place even though the family members were in disagreement. The basis of the decision is guided by the principle of autonomy of the client which must be considered in relation to other option. The other principles are independency of the patient, the protection of the patient’s well being and the integration of

Harvie Krumpet only ever belonged with other outcasts Essay Example for Free

Harvie Krumpet only ever belonged with other outcasts Essay Argue for or against this statement with reference to how Harvie Krumpet’s life is represented in the film. (you must make specific references to the techniques used by the film maker). Note: you are only allowed to use the word ‘belonging’ once. The need to be socially accepted and connected with others is an intrinsic yearning in humans. This desire to be included within a community or partnership is known as belonging; a fundamental need which molds a person’s identity. Harvie Krumpet’ is a short, animated film written, directed and animated by Adam Elliot and produced by Melanie Coombs. The film demonstrates through its main character, Harvie Krumpet, that companionship and connection can influence one’s outlook as well as ideologies. By utilising numerous techniques (such as editing, metaphors, pathetic fallacy, symbolism, speech and music), the animation illustrates that Harvie Krumpet only ever fit in with other outcasts. The use of metaphoric images and editing proves that Harvie Krumpet was only accepted by misfits while he was young. Due to Harvie’s Tourette syndrome, he was ostracised at school by the other students. He was only able to make friends with Bogush; another outcast. The two rejects are shown together outside with their backs to a wall of the school building. The barrier separating the two friends from the other students is a metaphor for the social divide excluding the misfits, and highlights the strong bond Harvie shares with Bogush. Another technique that proves the main character was rejected from society is editing. While Harvie is at home with his insane mother, the camera cuts away multiple times, each time showing the house further away. These cuts give viewers an idea of how the public view the family, and give the impression that society pushes them away. This use of editing, as well as a metaphor, demonstrates that Harvie is only respected by those who are similarly misfortunate. Even while Harvie Krumpet is middle-aged he remains alienated from society and is only able to fit in with outcasts like himself, as is demonstrated by pathetic fallacy and symbolism. Many things change in Harvie’s life; he is forced to move to Australia and finds a job at the Spotswood Dump. During the scene where Harvie attempts to make a friend at the dump, the sky is overcast and gloomy, which reflects the main character’s dismay when he is rejected. This technique is known as pathetic fallacy and efficiently illustrates Harvie’s isolation from ordinary people. Symbolism supports this idea, as Harvie is commonly seen alone, surrounded by the colour grey. For example, even while the main character is working in a large factory, he is still shown alone in a dark, grey room. This melancholy shade reflects the loneliness he feels. Together with pathetic fallacy, these techniques reveal to the audience that Harvie Krumpet is a victim of stigma and is only able to belong with other misfits. To demonstrate that Harvie Krumpet only feels connected and valued by other outcasts when he is elderly, music and speech are utilised. When Harvie grows old and moves into a retirement home, he meets other people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. He moves into a community that share similarities with Harvie and forms a group of friends who had been rejected by society just like himself. To illustrate that the main character fits in with this community, a bright and cheery tune is played as Harvie puts on a show for the group. The uplifting music is an example of non-diagetic sound and reflects how content the outcasts feel together. Another technique which highlights Harvie’s strong connection to misfits is speech. Throughout the film, the only words Harvie speaks are â€Å"Thank you†. The central character says these to a lady who felt she did not belong even among a crowd of social rejects. These words are immensely significant and reveal just how powerful Harvie’s bond was with this outcast. It is clear that the elderly Harie Krumpet only fits in with other rejects through the use of music and speech. In conclusion, Harvie Krumpet only ever fits in with other outcasts throughout his life. This is supported and reinforced by the techniques of editing, metaphors, pathetic fallacy, symbolism, speech and music.

Characteristics and Gambling Habits of Bingo Players

Characteristics and Gambling Habits of Bingo Players An Investigation into the Characteristics and Gambling Habits of Bingo Players in the UK Introduction Bingo is a popular pastime in the UK, and has grown as an industry over recent years, moving away from local community centres to dedicated bingo halls and numerous online sites. As with all industries, to ensure that there is a continual renewal of customers, those in the bingo industry must be able to target their marketing strategies effectively. This means that they need to be able to identify who their target audience is for them to be able to deliver an effective marketing campaign which is aimed predominantly at those people (Aaker et al., 2000). Studies in the past have suggested that bingo is considered to be a rather low-level leisure activity. As a result, it has also been previously associated heavily with being a pastime of predominantly working class women (Dixey, 1987). In addition, it is generally associated with pensioners, largely due to the sedentary but social nature of the game (Cousins Witcher, 2007). Although this may have been the case a number of years ago, there is little recent empirical evidence to determine whether this is still the main market for bingo. Given the changing nature of the game and its delivery, it is plausible that changes in the main demographic of players may also be in a process of change. This study therefore uses pre-collected data to evaluate whether this may be the case. Rationale of Study Gathering information on the demographics of people who play bingo, or are interested in playing bingo, is likely to be useful to bingo halls for targeting their marketing campaigns. In addition, with the advent of online gambling, understanding whether current online gamblers would be likely to participate in bingo games if they were available may be important in design of online gaming sites. Marketing opportunities online may also be improved if evidence is available of the demographics of the target audience. Consideration will also be given to the expenditure of different demographic groups on bingo, as this information may be useful in the industry for determining customer value. Study Hypothesis Based on the previous literature, it is hypothesised that the main demographic of bingo players will be predominantly women, but that there will be a substantial number of younger players. It is also expected that there will be an association between those gaming online and those playing bingo. Finally, it is expected that there will be no difference in the expenditure on bingo between age groups. Methodology Origins of the Data The data which is used in this study was taken from the British Gambling Prevalence Study 2007, which was the largest study of its kind to be conducted in the UK to the present date. The study was commissioned by the National Centre for Social Research and aimed to collect information on gambling habits and demographics in order to assess the prevalence of problem gambling within the UK. Study Population The study was designed to be representative of all adults in the UK aged 16 years and older who were living within private households. Study Sample All residences in the UK were separated into Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) and 317 of these were randomly selected for the study. The probability of selecting each was apportioned according to the number of addresses within them, but no other demographics were taken into account. For each PSU which was selected, 32 addresses were selected randomly, and this gave a total of 10,144 addresses. After non-completion, the total sample available in the data-set was 9003. Study Instrument The study was conducted using a multiple-choice questionnaire. This clearly explained at the beginning the goal of the study, and explained clearly how the survey form should be completed. A coding document was then compiled to code the answers into statistical software packages, and this was included alongside the data-set. A copy of the questionnaire which was used is available from http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=5836. The data which was included in the data-set was already weighted to account for non-response and bias, and this was completed by the researchers who completed the data collection and original analysis. Results Proportion of Bingo Players in the Sample The results of the analysis indicate that only a small minority of the population sampled had played bingo in the last twelve months, with a total of 7.5% of the sample. This is shown graphically in Figure 1. Table 2 then details the frequency with which that small group had played bingo. It may be seen that 45% of those who had played bingo in the last twelve months had done so less than once a month. A total of 36.4% of those who played bingo in the last twelve months had done so once a week or more, and a further 15.6% reported playing at least once a month. This information is then presented graphically in Figure 2. Table 1. The frequency with which respondents reported playing bingo in the last twelve months. For those who had played bingo in the last twelve months, the mean age was 47.78 with a standard deviation of 18.08, while it was 47.75 for those who had not played bingo in the last twelve months, with a standard deviation of 18.33. Performing an independent two-sample t-test on the data produced a p-value of 0.963, which indicates that the null hypothesis may not be rejected. This means that there is no significant difference between the mean age of the two groups at the 95% confidence level. Age of Bingo Players Table 2 displays the mean age of each group when those playing bingo within the last twelve months were grouped according to frequency of playing. Alongside the mean, the standard deviation is also given. This information is presented in the box-plot in Figure 3. This shows that the mean age of the players appears to increase as the frequency of playing increases. In addition, it would also appear that the variation in age is smallest in the group who play at least twice a week. Performing a one-way ANOVA analysis indicates that there is an association between age and the frequency of playing bingo and that the null hypothesis of no association may be rejected at the 5% level (p Table 2. Mean and standard deviation of the age of players grouped according to the frequency with which they play bingo. Gender of Bingo Players Of those who had played bingo in the last twelve months, 71.4% were female, and this percentage is show graphically in Figure 4. A chi-squared analysis indicates that there is evidence that the null hypothesis may be rejected at the 5% level (p Player Expenditure on Bingo Expenditure and Gender Analysis of the data shows that females who had played bingo in the last twelve months lost a mean of  £319 over the previous 7 days, with standard deviation 506. In contrast, males lost a mean of  £60.50 over the 7 days, with a standard deviation of 4.95. An independent samples t-test revealed that there is evidence at the 0.95 significance level against the null hypothesis of no association. This therefore indicates that there is a significant difference between the amount lost by males and females (p = 0.045). Expenditure and Age Figure 5 shows a scatter-plot of the total amount which each respondent reported losing at bingo in the last seven days plotted against their age. The black dots represent female participants while red dots represent males. It would appear from this plot that there is no association between the amount of money lost at bingo and the age of the player, for either males or females. A bivariate regression analysis of this data confirms this. It indicated that there was no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association, and so age was not found to be a significant predictor of the amount lost at bingo over the seven day period (p = .489). Figure 6 presents a scatter-plot of age against expenditure on bingo over the previous seven days when winnings are also taken into account in addition to losses. There was far more data available for this analysis, but it would still appear that there is no particular association between age and expenditure on bingo, for either males or females. This was confirmed by regression analysis, which indicated there was no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p = .187). Therefore it was concluded that there was no association between age and overall expenditure on bingo over the previous week. Expenditure and Frequency of Playing Bingo Figure 7 presents a box-plot of the amounts lost at bingo according to the frequency of playing bingo in the last twelve months. It would appear from this graph that those playing twice a week lost less than those who played less often, as the mean is lower and the variation is less. An ANOVA analysis however indicated that there was no evidence against the null hypothesis of association. This indicates that there is therefore no association between the frequency of playing bingo over the last twelve months and the amount lost at bingo (p = .925). Figure 8 presents a similar box-plot analysis which takes account of the winnings of players in addition to losses. When comparing the different frequency of playing groups it would appear that overall expenditure appears to be relatively consistent. The variation in expenditure does however appear to be somewhat larger in the group which play two times or more a week. One-way ANOVA analysis of this data confirms that there is no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p = .731). Therefore it may be concluded that frequency of playing bingo over the last twelve months did not impact on the overall expenditure of the player on bingo over the last week. Online Gamblers and Bingo Table 3 presents a cross-tabulation of the number of participants who reported having played bingo over the previous twelve months and those who reported having gambled online over the previous twelve months. This shows that of those who had reported playing bingo in the last twelve months, only 8% reported gambling online during that time (Figure 9). In contrast, 26.3% of those who had gambled online over the last twelve months reported that they had also played bingo during that period (Figure 10). A chi-squared analysis of this data indicates that there is strong evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p Table 3. The number of respondents who had gambled online over the previous twelve months and the number who had played bingo over the previous twelve months. Figure 11 presents a scatter-plot of the net expenditure on bingo in comparison to the net expenditure on online gambling, both over the previous seven day period. From this chart it would appear that there is no association between the two. A regression analysis confirms that there is no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p = .882). Therefore it must be concluded that there is no significant association between the total expenditure of the respondents on online gambling and their total expenditure on bingo over the same time period. Discussion From this study it may be seen that there are certain demographic characteristics which are associated with playing bingo. It would appear from the results that bingo players are in the minority, with only 7.5% of the population estimated to have played in 2007, and only 2.7% of the population playing once a week or more. As hypothesised at the beginning, there was no particular age group which was associated with playing bingo. There is however evidence that it is an older age group which is associated with playing bingo regularly, with the mean age being in the mid- to late-fifties for those playing once a week or more. Despite this, there was no association between age and the amount spent on bingo in a week. This indicates that older people are still the main demographic for the industry but that they are not particularly more valuable than younger people. They may however be more valuable if their spend is consistent week after week, when compared to younger players who may play only once a month or less. There was also no association between frequency of playing and expenditure within the week. This is an important implication as it suggests that customers who can be attracted to regularly play bingo will be consistent with their spending, and not reduce spending as they play more over the year. Almost three quarters of players were female, and it was also females who were associated with much larger expenditure on bingo. This finding is however somewhat limited, as only information on the expenditure of two males was available for analysis. Therefore this finding may not have a high statistical power. Finally, there is evidence that there is an association between bingo players and those gambling online. This is important as it suggests that there is potential in both advertising for bingo online and also in online bingo rooms. The extent to which an individual gambles online does not however appear to be associated with how much they spend on bingo. Therefore online players may not be more valuable than those attracted through offline methods. Although this study has provided some useful insights for those interested in the demographics of bingo players, there are some limitations. One of the main limitations is that there was little social information available in the study which related to income and social status of the respondents. It is possible that this may impact on gambling habits, including playing bingo (Barry et al., 2007). This may be important in areas where there are either large levels of population in higher or lower social classes. Therefore further market research in particular areas may be useful in determining the potential for marketing in that particular area. References Aaker, J.L., Brumbaugh, A.M. Grier, S.A. (2000) Nontarget markets and viewer distinctiveness: The impact of target marketing on advertising. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 9(3), 127-140. Barry, D.T., Maciejewski, P.K., Desai, R.A. Potenza, M.N. (2007) Income differences and recreational gambling. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 1(3), 145-153. Cousins, S.O. Witcher, C.S.G. (2007) Who plays bingo in later life? The sedentary lifestyles of ‘little old ladies’. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23(1), 95-112. Dixey, R. (1987) It’s a great feeling when you win: Women and bingo. Leisure Studies, 6(2), 199-214. National Centre for Social Research (2007) British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007. Available [online] from: http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=5836 [Accessed 12/12/2008].

Cars as a Symbol in The Great Gatsby Essay -- Fitzgerald Great Gatsby

Cars as a Symbol in The Great Gatsby Cars play a very important part in the telling of The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is a very dark, unhappy book, and the cars really exemplify this. "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦cars change their meaning and become a symbol of death" (Dexheimer). Cars also give the reader insight into some of the different characters in the book. One of the most important jobs of cars in this book is to foreshadow upcoming events. Throughout the book, there are many devastating and dark events that these cars represent. A line from the book that really drives this home is, "So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight" (Fitzgerald 143). Fitzgerald deliberately chose to put the words drove, implying cars, and death, together. This is an idea that appears many times. The dead man went An incidence of this is when Nick and Gatsby are driving over the Queensboro Bridge on their way to the valley of ashes. This paragraph in the book is very dark, and it helps set the awful mood for the rest of the book. A dead man passed us in a hearse heaped with blooms, followed by two carriages with drawn blinds and by more cheerful carriages for friends. The friends looked out at us with the tragic eyes and short upper lips of south-eastern Europe and I was glad the sight of Gatsby's splendid car was included in their somber holiday. As we crossed Black Wells Island a limousine passed us, driven by a white chauffeur, in which sat three modish Negroes, two bucks and a girl. I laughed aloud as the yolks of their eyeballs rolled towards us in haughty rivalry. (Fitzgerald 73) On this bridge, any number of different types of cars could have driven by, but a hearse and a black limousine were chosen to help .. ...ruption in the novel" (Symbolism in The Great Gatsby). "Instead of being a 'rich cream color,' a witness is quoted saying 'It was a yellow car,' implying that the dream is dead" (Swygert). In the East Daisy becomes corrupt, and the color change is the way that the reader is shown this change in her, and the death of Gatsby's dream of marrying Daisy. As I have shown, cars play a very important part in helping portray the darkness in The Great Gatsby. The cars symbolize the death and despair of the story and help to characterize some of the main characters. Works Cited Dexheimer, Melissa, Lauren Locke and Mosang Miles. "Student Led Seminar Presentation and Summary". Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Swygert, Shavaun. "Color Symbolism in The Great Gatsby". 1 June 1998. "Symbolism in The Great Gatsby".

New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction in Hawthornes T

Perspectives on New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Introduction Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter has been a highly debatable topic of numerous critical essays, written by scholars who approach the novel from various perspectives of literary criticism. Due to the diversity of perspectives, the questions proposed by these scholars vary and hence the conclusions they arrive at by examining the same literary text may differ not only within a range, but in addition may even seem contrary to one another. The aim of this paper is to provide a comparison between three of the critical perspectives: New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction, each represented by an essay relating to one of the viewpoints of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel. In order to begin my comparison of these three critical perspectives, I will first need to provide general definitions of terms. These definitions may be considered incomplete and they will not cover every detail, as is possibly required for an encyclopedia of literary terms. My attempt is rather to provide a rough overview of keywords and ideas that relate to each perspective, and this overview will primarily be based upon the introductions to each essay provided by Russ C. Murfin. The comparison and contrast includes an outline of similarities and differences between the author's perspectives and literary concepts depicted in each composition. Each fragment of literary text is evaluated according to its aims, goals and questions which are proposed. Another aspect of my discussion will incorporate selected citations taken directly from the novel, which are utilized by each scholar to support his or her c... ...y nor that the distinctions between each perspective are absolute. The separation of the different perspectives is complex and ambiguous. Therefore the apparent relation between the different aspects partly coincide with one another. Works cited Benstock, Shari, "The Scarlet Letter (a) dorà ©e or the Female Body Embrodidered", in Ross C Murfin, ed., Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1991 Bercovitch, Sacvan, "Hawthorne's A-Morality of Compromise", in Ross C Murfin, ed., Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1991 Murfin, Ross C., ed., "Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter." Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1991 Ragussis, Micharl, "Silence, Family Discourse, and Fiction in The Scarlet Letter", in Ross C Murfin, ed., Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1991

Broward County Library System

Libraries fulfill an important role in the society. They house books, journals and publications and make them available to the public. Through libraries, the advancement of knowledge is assured and people have a place to go to in securing important information for research and other purposes in securing information (Battles, 2004). Moreover, public libraries have evolved so that even the members of the community who are not in the universities would have access to the wealth of information contained in books, journals and magazines.Through this, the needs of the people for information would be addressed and literacy would spread further in the society. The United States has instituted its public library system, funded by government funds and accessible to the public. Although public libraries differ from scholarly and research libraries, they usually portray fiction and other works of popular significance. Public libraries are seen as necessary for the maintenance of a literate and i ntelligent population. Most often, they also offer internet access to the general public.In the experience of the US, the first public library was opened in Boston, Massachusetts in 1636. Even if there are problems in the funding of public libraries in the US, they are still performing an important role in the society. In fact, this year alone, a 15-branch library in Oregon was closed for six months. Back in 2004, the whole city of Salinas in California shut down its public library system. It managed to reopen in 2005 but with reduced operating hours (American Library Association (ALA), 2007).Even with these challenges, libraries are still important in ensuring the dissemination of information in the society. Broward County Library Broward County Library continues to fulfill its role of meeting the needs of people in securing information, education, and recreation. It is one of largest public library systems in the United States. Broward County library boasts of being the library wi th large area with 1. 3 million square feet. Furthermore, it offers the highest number of operating hours annually (Broward County Library Website, 2007).It also boasts of high income derived from its operations and services offered. It also has the largest collection of audio and video, as well as the greatest circulation of materials and highest number of library card holders. The number of computers available for staff and public use is the highest among public libraries in the US (Broward County Library Website, 2007). The Broward County Library was established in 1973 as a result of the efforts of library activists. It started out with $1. 5 million dollar budget, four branches, and 270,000 books as part of its collection.Now, it has several libraries under the system with its Main Library, the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, the Alvin Sherman library, Research and Information Technology Center, five libraries in several regions and 29 other branches (Bro ward County Library Website, 2007). In keeping up with the challenges of modern technology, the Broward County Library, the library has established its own website so that people would be able to gain information through the Internet. With the use of the Internet, people can access information about the library remotely even without visiting the physical branches of the library.The African-American Research Library One of the important developments in the recent history of the Broward County Library is the establishment of the African-America Research Library. Although the Civil Rights Movement has accomplished a lot for African-Americans, information about the achievements and the ideals of the movement should still be disseminated and promoted all over the country. This library was conceptualized by Samuel Morrison, who dreamed to build a library about African-Americans. It would cater to the Broward community and to the broader world.This library was further inspired by Morrisonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s visit to the Auburn Research Library on African-American History and Culture. By the time of its founding, there were only two libraries dedicated to African-American history (The Story of AARLCC, 2007). The focus of the library is the cultural influence of the spread of African-Americans in the United States. In the mid-1990s, the library planned to be established was just a small library because of the lack of finances. In fact the budgetary requirement was short by $7 million dollars.Drawing upon the strength of the civil rights movement, Morrison drew upon the grassroots and involved the community in achieving his dreams for the library (The Story of AARLCC, 2007). Morrison literally went to the streets in order to mobilize support from the community. As such, the fundraising efforts became underway and the much needed additional millions came in through donations from corporations, church people, civic organizations and concerned citizens who believed in Morrisonâ€⠄¢s dreams (The Story of AARLCC, 2007).The fundraising campaign was followed by the establishment of the library building, taking note that the design and the ambience reflected African-American sensibilities. The collection of the library came about through the contributions of different people who shared the vision and the dream, starting with actress Esther Rolle who donated her personal possessions and other documents that showcased the civil rights movement and other African-American memorabilia.As such, by 2002, the African-American Library and Cultural Center stood as part of the Broward County Public Library System (The Story of AARLCC, 2007). Conclusion The Broward County Library is fulfilling its role in providing access to information to the residents of Broward County. Yet, it does more than that, through the establishment of African-American Library, it is also providing a testimony to the achievements of the civil rights movement, which is one of the major highlights o f American history.The County Library is therefore serving the community, not only in providing information contained in books, journals and other media. Rather, it is also providing appreciation of the segments of history through the African-American Library. It is a testimony to the commitment of the Broward County Library to its commitment to its population and to the United States as a whole. Lastly, public libraries, even though they may be struggling in making ends meet, should look for sources of funding in the same way that Morrison turned his dream to reality.Reference American Library Association. (2007). News reports of nationwide library funding impacts. Retrieved 30 Oct 2007 from http://www. ala. org/ala/news/libraryfunding/libraryfunding. htm. Battles, M. (2004). Library: An Unquiet History. New York: W. W. Norton and Company. Broward County Library Website (2007). Retrieved 31 October 2007 from http://www. broward. org/library/b. The AARLCC Story. (2007). Broward Coun ty Library. Retrieved 31 October 2007 from http://www. broward. org/library/aarlcc_story. htm.