Tests and Measurements

Biological Psychology

Biological Psychology Core assumptions of the biopsychological approach The core assumption of a biopsychological approach is the fact that illness and health come as a result of a given interplay. In this case it should be known that this interplay revolves around factors like psychological, social and even biological aspects. Most notably, there is always an initiative and attempt to understand the aspect of psychopathology that is done through proper examining.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Biological Psychology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is the examining of different interactive influences that play a big role in biology and learning. In addition, cognitive processes are also examined to understand psychopathology in a better way. As far as this core assumption is concerned, there might be an example where an individual’s style of thinking makes him vulnerable to a given disorder (Pinel, 2002, p. 23). Historical di sciplines that converge to create biological psychology Closely tied roots of biology and philosophy have always converged to create biological psychology. These are historical disciplines that have been in existence for some time thereby their convergence creates a new discipline. It should be known that the roots of psychology are ancient but they have always been recreated by the emergence of philosophy and physiology that are new disciplines. In the process, there has been a special role of biological psychology that as emerged as a result of these new discipline (Pinel, 2002, p. 47). Social and philosophical disciplines have also converged with biology to create this new disincline in one way or the other. Earliest examples of a biological approach to studying behavior The earliest examples can be traced from the way human behavior functions. There was some research on the human brain structure to try and understand the principles of evolutionary biology. Another example is whe re people could ask how prescribed drugs could be able to treat different behavioral effects. There are other earlier methods that could be used to understand how the brain works by proper analysis to assert whether some behavior can be associated with different traits(Pinel, 2002, p. 78). Cross cultural utilization of biological bases of different behavior is another earlier approach that was used to study behavior in one way or the other. Modern careers that have resulted from studying biological psychology There are different careers that have emerged as a result of studying biological psychology. Careers in neuroscience have emerged and this where people have been able to study the nervous system as time goes by. Counseling psychology has also emerged as a career because there are individuals who study psychology with an aim of being counselors to different people (Pinel, 2002, p. 125).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your fi rst paper with 15% OFF Learn More There has also been an emergence of psychologists who have been able to practice because biological psychology is a wide field. Psychologists have always been academicians or professionals in the field of biological psychology. Researchers have emerged in biological psychology because there are certain aspects that come about as time goes by. How biological psychology is viewed by other professionals Professionals in psychology today lay more emphasis on different behavioral perspectives that have been enhanced by biological psychology. This means that they view biological psychology in a positive way because it has assisted in various areas. In this case, biological psychology has been appreciated because it is able to look at how environmental variables affect behavior. As a matter of fact, professionals in psychology have been able to team up with others who specialize in biological psychology to enhance research with an aim of co ming with new solutions to different problems (Pinel, 2002, p. 63). This means that biological psychology is a core discipline that has been embraced by these professionals for long term sustainability. Reference List Pinel, J. (2010). Biopsychology. New York: Prentice Hall.

There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or Essay - 1

There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. To what extent can these be learnt through study and tr - Essay Example It, therefore, follows that a good leader must be able to impart inspiration, optimism, integrity, confidence and unity among those they lead. Of equal importance is the fact that these qualities may be inborn (although this must only be viewed as the partiality to develop competencies better than the rest) among some individuals, but must be acquired via study and training among others (Doh 2003, 243). This paper will research the extent to which such qualities can be learnt through study and training and give supporting examples. It is an agreeable argument that leadership can, and has been learnt. However, it is equally agreeable that book knowledge, or taught knowledge in the field of leadership, is very limited in terms of its effectiveness. In this sense, leadership must be viewed as a â€Å"performance activity†. The focus then needs to move away from whether leaders are made or born to what they have made of their learning. The extent of what is taught to leaders as be st practice is only applicable to the two extremes of either specific or generalized audiences, and the possibility of the learner never encountering either of them cannot be understated (Kickul & Neuman 2000, 33). To be useful, what is taught must further be learned in more intuitive, applicable and personal circumstances and environments. This serves to emphasize the significance of flexibility. For example, a leader can be taught the art of being persuasive and inspirational in the way they present their ideas and communicate. On the other hand, when some attributes are perceived as dispositions, they cannot be learned. This can best be viewed in the sense that a leader cannot be taught to readily accept risk-taking or be ambitious because these are the possible products of genes, family or life. It is only through immersion into their fields that leaders can learn their way around strategic thinking and develop a capacity of conceptual thinking. Once learning leadership starts, the process never really stops, and no single study or training module can produce a leader who will effectively exhibit the same qualities under all circumstances (Kickul & Neuman 2000, 29). Therefore, leadership cannot be studied or trained as an enduring individual feature. This is made more complex because most leadership strategies require that a leader unlearns default responses, assumptions and old habits related to human nature and implement new behaviors and choices. Further, most lessons in leadership education are inclined towards conveying technique and style. Therefore, much of what is taught ends up being more of management and not leadership. In such situations, it is possible for effective learning to take place and even for the taught notions to be put into practice, but one will still fail at being an effective leader. While inspiration, intelligence, optimism, integrity and vision still remain constant as some of leadership’s essential principles and can be studies over, the ability to amalgamate principles and practice does not imply that one has learned leadership (Kickul & Neuman 2000, 32). The limiting factor is that what studies teach does not necessarily make aspiring leaders learn the prerequisites; knowing and practicing are distinguished. Contemporary leaders confuse their

To What Extent Has the USA Been Successful In Creating a Durable Essay

To What Extent Has the USA Been Successful In Creating a Durable Liberal World Order - Essay Example This essay stresses that America had been a nation which the whole world idolized in earlier times. However, recently the country has accumulated large amount of hatred and despise due its overpowering nature. The political strategy of America had proved to be selfish and rebellious. America has earned an image of hegemony with interests those conflicts with its counterparts. America has had war all over Middle East and has changed their ruler and also intimidated people to fight for their lives. In the search of terrorist they have killed many innocents in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. They have had the enmity of Muslims all over the world and had been tagged as the most threatening nation. America even became the target of radicals due to their imperialistic nature This paper makes a conclusion that the imperialism of America lies in their act of monopolizing the world business market. They decide the trade of oil and have technological power over other nations. America had been involving in the political affairs of all nations and interferes in worldly matters to find their benefit. America has the interest of being the super power of the world and they had done many atrocities and tactics to remain on top. The country has had many enemies and will continue to increase their enemies due to their foreign policy and hidden political agendas. America have been advantageous to world in many ways, however their political strategy is seriously selfish and unacceptable. To remain in power, the country has used many principles which make them an immoral country on many accounts.

Molds and Yeasts in Microbiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Molds and Yeasts in Microbiology - Essay Example They also differ in colour in that the molds are colourful while yeast is just white and thread. Molds are in most cases live in moist, shadowy or steam-filled parts while yeast can be found in the stomachs of mammals, on fruits, on skin, etc.( Burton & Engelkirk, 2000; 25) In spite of the fungi’s role in causing diseases, they still are beneficial and useful organisms to the human beings and are utilized both commercially and industrially. For example, the use of yeasts in the fermentation process in brewing, bread making and wine making. Yeasts and other fungi also play a significant part in bio-control agent, food processing, enzyme biotechnology, drug manufacture, as well as research and development. People risk fungal infections when the stability of microorganisms in the vagina, mouth, intestines and other places in the body is interfered with, and results in an overgrowth of fungus. Pathogenic fungi cause human infectious diseases which are classified according to their degree of tissue involvement and means of entry to the host. (Cowan & Talaro, 2009; 403). Superficial mycoses are restricted to the outmost cover of the skin, the hair, and nails. Some common examples are ringworm, athletes foot, jock itch, and yeast infections. Cutaneous mycoses go deep into the epidermis, and also comprise invasive hair and nail infections. Subcutaneous mycoses infections are localised to the dermis, subcutaneous tissue or adjacent structures such as; muscle and fascia. However, systemic mycoses mainly involve deep infections of the internal organs because primary pathogens that are inherently virulent originate primarily in the lungs, and may spread through to many organ systems (Jucker, 2003; 18). Pathogenic fungi produce infections that are classified into two: systemic and superficial. Systemic infections involve internal organs. Fungi can transmit a disease to deeper tissue causing septicemia, which

Triggers of Energy Conflicts

Triggers of Energy Conflicts Title of Essay: Energy Conflicts are inevitable As the global prices for finite energy resources steadily increase, a proliferation of energy projects have sprung up in all regions across the world. Many of these high profile projects, most notably fracking in the U.S.A and Great Britain, have largely been the result of governmental plans for domestic economic development, with an end goal of â€Å"consolidating particular political agendas† (,). Other projects have focused primarily on bringing more renewable and suatainable resource solutions into play in regions where no previous exploitation had taken place. Such _ has noted that as the number of energy developments have increased, so too have â€Å"accompanying conflicts†, which are more often than not excaberated by external political, social and, of course, environmental factors. These conflicts quite often vary in their dynamics, however an underlying feature seems to be an inherent flaw in governance regarding the management of energy companies. Conflicts both at local and national levels have revolved around an array of issues, ranging from deep rooted opposition to the location of such energy projects to the very proceeses involved in harnessing particular resources. In less developed countries such as Latin America and India, the marginalisation of certain societal groups is strikingly apparent. However, as stated by Lustig (2011), â€Å"the last decade saw some improvements in terms of reducing the rising trend in inequalitythat could be traced back partly to improved education levels and increased transfers to the poor† (). Energy conflicts consistently relate back to these aforementioned social and political influences and can generally be divided into three major geographical categories: local, regional and national. All of these categories have implications on a geopolitical scale. For example oil projects is frequently used as a tool for building political alliances across borders. Sometimes conflicts, which are decades old, may re-ignite and therefore it is not always new investments within the energy sector that give rise to conflicts. On a national level, the exact distribution of energy revenues among institutions and/or economic groups fuel significant disputes. Local level disputes oftentimes offer up unique and insightful case studies on environmental conflicts. The reason being that, although these local conflicts unfold in the actual geographic sites of energy developments, the have been known to have national consequences if not dealt with in an appropiate manner. More importantly, these local conflicts tend to highlight existing failures within states, such as historic economic inequalities and weak insitutional frameworks. Unless addressed in a timely manner, these conflicts have pe rsistently presented awkward challenges for governmental energy policies and have even threatened the stability of some governments. Triggers of Conflict: A primary reason why environmental conflicts can be regarded as inevitable is due to the sheer mulitude of triggers that can ignite disputes. Oftentimes, these triggers are provoked simutaneously, which can pose difficulties in producing strategies for conflict resolution or mitigation. The foremost trigger to energy conflicts appears to be the level of opposition to a certain project. Such_ claims that this particular trigger is the most intricate of all, mainly due to the fact that the level of opposition with regard to energy developments frequently range from an absolute rejection to a total acceptance. In the case of fracking in Balcombe, opposition to the energy operations of the drilling company Cuadrilla was based solely on the negative environmental and social effects linked to fracking. On the other hand, approval on the pro-fracking side was spurred on by the prospects of econmic benefits and the creation of employment. However, as other energy conflicts, there exists move ments that occur in between the two extremities of approval and rejection. These frequently take the form of negotiations between the two opposing sides. Non-governmental organisations such as Greenpeace and the World Resources Institute are recent examples that have radicalised their direct actions across the world, while still gaining traction as negotiators for environmental issues. These, combined with non-homogenous views within the community vis-à  -vis the energy development on their lands, have often resulted in protracted conflicts. The level and nature of involvement of international non-governmental organizations in the conflict. International NGOs not only have grown in power and sophistication over the last twenty years but, because of their strong environmental focus, they have become particularly active in the Amazon. They have played a fundamental role in supporting communities in their negotiations with companies and governments. However, they have also at times be en accused of contributing to the escalation of conflicts through the imposition of agendas that did not fully represent the demands of local communities. Historical greivances, coupled with prior attempts at energy developments in an area or region, contributes significantly as an enerfy conflict trigger, especially in places that have experienced social or even enviromental damage as a result of such projects. In attempts to prevent history from repeating itself in cases Old grievances, or the history of previous energy projects in the area. In areas with a history of social or environmental damage from previous energy projects, local inhabitants tend to be more active in opposing similar new developments for fear of a recurrence of past negative externalities. Communities affected by old projects also tend to be more radicalized. The best example is widespread opposition to new dams, which builds upon the deep scars left by similar projects in the past. The Chixoy Dam in Guatemala, built in the 1970 to 1980s, entailed the forced displacement of more than 3,445 people, mostly indigenous, with no viable resettlement plan. That project also included allegations that the forced relocation included human rights violations by the then-military government. Another example is the legendary Yaciretà ¡ hydroelectric power plant built between Argentina and Paraguay in the 1970s; it displaced as many as 50,000 people. The environmental and social standards of the company involved in the energy projects. In the past decade, Latin America has seen a proliferation of both small oil companies and large national oil companies (NOCs), some of which have shown less stringent social and environmental safeguards relative to the big majors. Many of these junior companies are not publicly listed; this leaves them less concerned about their image and less subject to shareholder pressure to perform as well as the largest corporations do. Furthermore, they generally operate under more restricted budgets than their larger counterparts and the contractual span of their oil projects is much shorter, meaning that they may not have the time, the resources, or the interest in engaging in long-term relations with the local populations. The degree to which companies and governments comply with agreements reached with local communities. A government or a company’s failure to comply with a previous commitment with a community leaves locals feeling betrayed and is very often a source of conflict. Trust is eroded and difficult to rebuild. Communities often protest the breach of contract with force or violence. The extent of law enforcement. A brewing source of conflict is the improper enforcement of national laws or international conventions to which the country is a signatory. National laws may be either overlooked or not properly applied. Typical examples of this are oil projects developed in protected national parks, with full disregard for the laws that shield these socially and/or environmentally sensitive areas. At the same time, an overabundance of overlapping laws sometimes creates confusion as to their application, leaving them practically inoperative. These situations, combined with governments’ failure to comply with international legal standards—such as those imposed by the ILO 169 Convention and the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (see box on page 5)—could lead populations affected by the energy developments to resort to violence as they seek answers to their problems. Indigenous communities often accuse governments of infringement of their right to free prior and informed consent, as granted by those international agreements. Very often, consultations are conducted after the license has been granted to the private energy operator and it is too late to object. Adding to the tensions is the slow pace of the legal system, which can take decades to settle a case, as illustrated by the lawsuit against Chevron that started in Ecuador 17 years ago and has still to be resolved. The availability of institutional mechanisms to mediate conflicts. More often than not, countries lack well-functioning institutions with the capacity to effectively mediate conflicts. An exception is the Peruvian Ombudsman Office, an organization with an unusually high level of legitimacy among all the stakeholders and with proven success in de-escalating conflicts. Local NGOs have also participated in mediating conflicts but usually with lower success rates. With all these triggers in mind, a so called elephant in the room still exists in relation to energy conflicts and that is the potential for economic and social disadvantages, which often leads to a political exclusion of sorts. This is more prominent in developing countries, whereby local communities are presented with the enormous task of bartering with global energy companies such as Shell and Chevron for healthcare and educational funding. These services, expected to normally be provided for by the government, is largely basic. Negogiating with energy companies therefore become the only method available to these communities in order to improve their living standards, or at the very least, gain access to basic state services. However the realistic results of such interactions are very seldom perceived as fair and as such, conflicts detroriate at local, regiona and national levels. Such_ has noted that unless these local conflicts are â€Å"addressed with the seriousness and depth they deserve†, then the ability of local communities to mobilise at national levels could be a major cause for concern for government stability. One need only look as far back as 2009, when the city of Bagua in Peru experienced violent conflicts between police and indigenous tribes, as a result of their oppostion to American resource exploitation in the Amzaon itself. This essay identified five triggers of energy conflicts as well as three major types of conflicts within this sector. The national and regional conflicts often receive the most attention from the public and from the media, however it is within local conflicts that the potential to reach national importance exists, unless the conflict is addressed properly. This paper identified four types of energy related conflicts in Latin America: geopolitical and border conflicts at a regional level; revenue conflicts at a national level; and local conflicts that carry the potential to reach national importance unless properly addressed. Geopolitical and border conflicts normally receive the most attention from the general public and the media. However, revenue and local conflicts carry a greater risk of destabilizing the region because they build on largely unresolved inequalities, weak governance, and increasing radicalization of the indigenous movement. Energy project expansion is necessary for economic growth in Latin America, where installed hydroelectric capacity remains very low and large oil and gas reserves await development. However, these infrastructure needs also constitute a tremendous risk factor as most of the still-untapped oil and water sources are in environmentally and socially sensitive areas. These social and environmental frag ilities, combined with a dire economic reality and historical marginalization of the communities affected by the energy developments, result in gradually increasing conflictive situations. Unless addressed rapidly and properly, these conflicts could pose important challenges to Latin America’s political stability and to the region’s economic growth prospects.

Diabetes :: essays research papers

Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by elevated levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. It can be caused by too little insulin (a chemical produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar), resistance to insulin, or both. Approximately 2.7 million or 11.4% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes. However, one-third of them do not know it. The most life-threatening consequences of diabetes are heart disease and stroke, which strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as they do others. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates 2 to 4 times higher than those without diabetes. African Americans with diabetes are at increased risk for heart disease, stroke and other macro vascular complications. Other complications of diabetes include blindness, kidney disease, and amputations. Most African Americans (about 90 to 95 percent) with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes usually develops in adults and is caused by the body's resistance to insulin and to impaired insulin secretion. Although it is a very serious disease, diabetes can be treated with diet, exercise, diabetes pills, and injected insulin. A small number of African Americans (about 5 percent to 10 percent) have type 1 diabetes, which usually develops before age 20 and is always treated with insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetic and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. Major Types of Diabetes Type 1 diabetes results from the body’s failure to produce insulin, the hormone that â€Å"unlocks† the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Right away, your cells may be starved for energy. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson

Philosophically speaking, Thomas Jefferson based his political ideals from the writings of John Locke who assumed that the function of the government (as a trustee of the people) is to protect the rights, property, and liberty of the individual, in the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson put this primary axiom when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, stating that governments created by men ought to protect the rights and liberties of an individual, moreso of the fecundity of every states under the protection of the United States confederation (that the state is the trustee of its citizens.If the government then fails its duty, the people have the right to overthrow it. The implication of this principle is to establish a truly representative government; a government ruled by separated powers (to ensure the stability of the state) – the executive, legislative, and judiciary, – as in their case, the federal and state government. It was necessary for Jefferson to e nsure that every state be given equal amounts of freedom, unconstrained by the functions of the federal government. This is not the case with Alexander Hamilton.This two-star general and secretary of Treasury saw the future of political stability lying in the hands of a strong government, represented by a strong leader (accompanied in governance by an assembly elected by the people). In his words, â€Å"An executive for life has not this motive for forgetting his fidelity and will therefore be a safer depository of power† (Zaide 392) He was in effect suggesting an executive elected for life, for which it is generally unconstrained by the rudiments of politicking.Thus, in every occasion to which he was asked to explain his plans for the newly-born republic, he always made it clear that an elected executive for life is not tantamount to a monarch. Nevertheless, in the latter part of his life, he abandoned the idea, focusing instead on strengthening the powers of the federal gov ernment, often making many enemies at the state governments. On the Credit System When Hamilton became secretary of treasury, he had a ready made plan for transforming America’s economy into a credit-based economy, unhampered by the problems of agricultural production (land based economy).Basing his policies from David Hume, an English economist, he argued that the only way for the private sector to participate in the economy is in the credit system. Private wealth would be converted into bonds, used as paper capital, which could be lent to foreign states. In such case, both the public and the government would benefit. Money would float in the economy, lowering interest rates, and hastening capital accumulation.Although, the credit system has some advantages, Hume warned the dangers of this system (which Hamilton disregarded), included of which is an oppressive tax system, vulnerability to indebtedness, and of course wealth gap among the citizens. Jefferson dismissed Hamilton ’s action in writing, claiming that such economic policies will put the nation in a state of limbo, hampered by the lack of respectability in the arts of economics, and infiltration of economic principles in the form and nature of the government to which they established.He also noted that such schemes implemented by Hamilton where in themselves the representation of his interests; the tyranny to which he was and was always represented. Together with Madison, Jefferson indicated his concerned as to who should be paid and how much by the federal government; a proposition that Hamilton left without considerable measures. Nevertheless, a public credit policy would left the government at the mercy of the public sector via in the court of law, for which contracts are well-established to be good and sincere.On the National Bank Hamilton was on the idea of establishing a national bank, governed by private individuals. He argued that efficiency would be the lasting mark of a bank rul ed by the private sector (based from Adam Smith). Corruption would be a no-no for this group of entrepreneurs. Capital accumulation would hasten, giving the federal government revenues to finance its activities.In his words, â€Å"It is in therefore in the interest of the federal government to give the private sector a freehand in the economy; for an economy closely governed by the government seemed to be inefficient and lacked the motive to accumulate capital, be it in monetary monetary and discretionary forms†( Zaide 392). The bank then would be a safe haven of federal banks, for the governing body is itself not corrupt. Jefferson, on the other hand advocated for the establishment of a national bank, but unlike Hamilton, this bank will be predominantly governed by the federal government, with some representation from the private sector.This would ensure according to him the efficacy of the federal government’s power over fiscal matters. Nonetheless, together with Mad ison, he argued that if such bank governed by the private sector is established, what are the chances then that such bank would represent the interest of the nation (Toynbee 359). On Taxation Hamilton implemented strict excise tax on liquors arguing that liquors was a good source of revenue, as it is dangerous for the health and morality of the citizens of the nations.It was liquor that destroyed the dignity of the American nation during the Continental war (indiscipline broke among the soldiers of the revolution because of liquor). Nevertheless, economically, taxes on liquor would serve as the point of capital accumulation for other industries developing in the United States. Because of his policies, a peaceful Whiskey Rebellion followed. Although the citizens of Pennsylvania did not resist (when Washington and Hamilton came in with the militia), Hamilton ordered the detention of suspected dissidents.Jefferson bitterly criticized the actions of Secretary Hamilton claiming that such acts were acts of tyranny. The tax on liquor itself was impinging the right of every citizen to the pursuit of common happiness. He put his views into action when he abolished taxes on liquor during his presidency. He simply backslide the policies of Hamilton, putting pressure on congress to adopt his own scheme, which Jefferson claimed would benefit the nation. Policies on War Hamilton did not support the French revolution and its ideals claiming that such revolution was too radical and dangerous for the nation of America.Jefferson bitterly opposed his plan to declare war on France, claiming that such actions would put the United States in the same footing as the Western imperial powers; of which represented the pinning of a tyrant and oppressive monarchical system of government. Jefferson however, supported the war against the Barbary States in North Africa, claiming that the pirates residing in the said states were harassing American shipping in the Mediterranean. Prospect for t he Future of America Hamilton believed that the future of the United States lies in its economy and military strength.The economic success of America would lift the status of the United States to a position of power. Thus, to maintain its status as a power, the United States then should maintain or create a large armed force capable of pressuring other nations to obedience, which is, following its political and economic agenda. Jefferson, during his presidency slashed the budget of the army and navy. War and aggression had no place in Jefferson’s policies. For him, prosperity lies in foreign diplomacy and fair trading.There was definitely no room for imperialism. References: Declaration of Independence. USHistory. Org. http://www. ushistory. org/declaration/document/index. htm. June 28, 2007. Johnson, Paul. A History of the American People. Chapter V, VI. Harper Publisher’s. 1963. Thomas Jefferson. The White House. http://www. whitehouse. gov/history/presidents/tj3. ht ml. June 28, 2007. Toynbee, Arnold. A Study of History. (Abridged) Oxford University Press, 1987). Zaide, Gregorio. World History. Manila: Rex Publishing House, 1965.

Morilla Estate Marketing Plan

Morilla Estate Marketing Plan Internal Analysis In 1995, Mr. David Walsh acquired the Moorilla Estate in Hobart, and by 2005, the business had incorporated iconic brands with the Aim of becoming Australia’s most respected wine producing estate, although the company is not among the industry top ten wine producers in terms of revenue or tonnage the company boasts of superior wine production and maturation technologies led by Conor van der Reest who is Mooralla’s winemaker.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Morilla Estate Marketing Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cornor Van Der Reest is an experienced wine maker who has gathered a lot of experience as far as wine making is concerned and has a lot of knowledge as far as conventional wine preparation techniques are concerned with a lot of talent and skill with current emerging bio-dynamic techniques which are commonly used in cool climatic regions such as Tasmania (Moorilla 2011). With Van Der Reest on the helm of premium wine development and manufacturing then Moorilla is most likely to produce elegant premium wine that has elegant taste and can compete equally in the Australian wine industry. The company has relatively adequate resources to pursue its goals and objectives. However, competition slows down the growth capabilities and the ability of the company in the Australian market like other well established companies (Baumol Alan 2007, 16). The Estate is headed by well capable leaders who are able to see that the vision of the company is achieved and this is why the company has been growing rapidly since 1995 and has expanded its business to other industries such as the restaurant and beer industry in order to tap into the market that exists in Australia (Moorilla 2011). Moorilla estate has sufficient human resources and uses conventional recruitment strategies to acquire highly talented individuals who will assist the organization in all the businesses that it pursues, especially when it comes to wine making the chief wine maker, Van Dar Reest makes sure that the company gets enough skilled man power who will assist the company to produce the best vintage wine through ensuring that the company adheres to the latest production technologies available in the market to mature and even package their wine. The current number of permanent employees who have experience in dealing with wine stands at over 20 while the company also has temporary staff of over 50 employees who occasionally tend to the vineyards and assist in the process of placing wine in casks for maturation (Moorilla 2011). The company’s culture has gone a long way in ensuring that a high degree of professionalism and quality standards are adhered to. External Analysis General environment With Australia being the fourth largest producer of wine producing slightly over 750 million litres of Wine the countries wine industry is characterised by and superior wine manuf acturing techniques that make the industry a competitive participant that makes over $ 5.5 billion annually from the sales of branded and premium wine (Winebiz 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to the ABS, total Australian domestic sales including imported wines went up by over 4.7% during 2010 to 535 million litres. The domestic sales of wine within the borders of Australia went up by 4.66% and 470 million litres were sold and consumed by consumers within Australia (Winebiz 2011). The bad news is that the market share of domestic wines relatively reduced as compared to imported wines which increased their market share in Australia. In this period the total percentage of market share that went to domestic wines was 88% while imported wine 12% unlike previously where domestic wines enjoyed a market share of over 90%, this fact can be attributed to th e aggressive marketing nature of foreign wine companies (Winebiz 2011). The Sales of Australian-produced fortified wines did not register any growth but the sales of red together with white table wine and sparkling wines also went up, this fact has been attributed to the fact that these wines go better with meals and social occasions thus triggering high demand rates. The Australian wine industry also experienced significant growth in the vermouth, carbonated wines and flavoured wines including cocktails wines, un alcoholic wines, and low alcohol content wine. This class improved by 33.9% in 2010 and thus represents approximately 4% of the total wine sales in Australia (Winebiz 2011). The Australian wine market is therefore a good industry that has most of its wine subcategories still growing with the exception of fortified wine. Growing companies which like Moorilla estate can therefore be assured that there exists a good market within and outside Australia and those strategies mus t be developed to gain market share. Competition The level of competition within in the Australian industry is quite stiff with only a few companies taking up a massive part of the markets share this may be due to the fact that these companies come from a lineage of wine makers who have been in this business for decades and possible centuries. These companies that have operated in the industry for so long have build up names and trust among the indigenous Australian market and international community overshadowing upcoming companies thus making it hard for these companies to be able to penetrate the market (Trott, 2008, p.144; Porter, 1990, p.81).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Morilla Estate Marketing Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are over 2,477 wine producing companies which commercially operate in Australia with the number of producers and participants increasing by 2.4% annually. The number of co mpanies existing in the Australian wine market usually doubles up every decade. Accolade Wines, Treasury Wine Estates and Casella Wines are accountable for approximately 75% of exported Australian wine by volume. Accolade wines has taken the spot that was previously occupied by treasury wine estates in exporting branded wines while Warburn Estate is one of the few companies that has managed to penetrate the export market and is thus coming up quickly and gaining market share despite accolade wines leading in volume of exports. Treasury wines still boast of being on top of the list of largest exporters in terms of value. Moorilla estate is not among the top ten companies in terms of value and volumes due to the fact that the company has been in the wine industry for a shorter period and hasn’t created brands that can be equalled to those of companies such as Accolade and Treasury wine estates (Winebiz 2011). According to wine biz 2010 the largest producers for domestic and exp ort market wine in Australia are Accolade Wines, Treasury Wine Estates, Casella Wines, Pernod Ricard Pacific, Australian Vintage, De Bortoli Wines, and McWilliam’s Wines Group, Andrew Peace Wines, Warburn Estate, Kingston Estate Wines, Nugan Estate, The Yalumba Wine Company, Peter Lehmann Wines, Littore Family Wines, Angove Family Winemakers, Brown Brothers, The Tahbilk Group, Wingara Wine Group, Grant Burge Wines, and Tyrrell’s Vineyards. One characteristic of these companies is the fact that these companies are very aggressive in terms of marketing and that they produce high quality elegant tasting wine thus giving them some degree of competitive advantage over other companies. The Customer Environment The proposed chateau targets high-end customers who are rich, college-educated babyboomers. These ideal consumers have wine as part of their everyday lives and enjoy going out, and often entertain friends or business partners. Customers naturally become wine educated t hrough classes, literature, and just by taking wine. The company’s second customer target is made up of business individuals and entities; far most wholesalers and distributors. Wholesalers act as middlemen for distributing wine to leading restaurants and wine shops situated all over Australia. The second business category the winey is targeting is in state restaurants executives and sommeliers. The third business category is in-state specialty wine shops, which focus on carrying first-class wine.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Demographic trends Australian wine industry specialists explain that the tremendous growth in the high-end wine market is due to the aging babyboomers. Babyboomers are heading towards their prime drinking age and this class of customers is predicted to raise high-end wine consumption for a period of time. Each day in Australia, close to 50,000 individuals celebrate their fiftieth birthday and 50 to 59 year olds take 16.5 bottles of wine each year as compared to 6.8 bottles each year for the 21 to 29 year olds. Majority of these babyboomers are wealthy and can comfortably spend luxuries, such as high-wine wines. The important players in the purchase process for the firms products are; Purchasers/distributors (actual act of purchase), users (actual product user), influencers (influence the decision and make recommendations). The purchase or distribution channel has a significant influence on the price the company will receive for its products. Wholesalers and distributors discounts ar e clearly stated, and these discounts greatly reduce the winery’s profit margins. Tasting room and in state direct mail sales are the only ways through which the producer sells directly to wine users and charges retail price. Direct sales to eateries and wine shop owners are made at wholesale prices that are two thirds of the retail prices. The winery mainly targets high-end consumers and this might fail to go along way with low-end consumers. The target consumers are wealthy sophisticated individuals and the winery needs to build a brand name within the target consumers, it has to sell its products at a premium to enable the high-end identify themselves with the product. The winery’s products are of top notch quality and that is why they are charged at a premium and the company cannot compromise the quality of its products or brand name at the expense of attracting non-customers.  The competing products are a big challenge to the winey to penetrate. However majority are able to keep the market share considering that they have been in the industry some even for a century. Also some offer low-end products and since that is not our market niche, the hold the winery’s non-customers.  Majority of wine consumers in Australia prefer fortified wines red wine, white table wine, sparkling wines, flavoured wine and low alcohol wine and non alcoholic wines. Due to the social nature of Australians than the country’s premium branded wine market is constantly on the growth rate and consumers spend close between $ 20 and $60 per bottle depending on occasions on wine (Winebiz 2011). The Australia adult population also consumes a lot of red and white wine after meals thus prompting wine makers to market wine on this platform. The premium wine market is thus becoming a very important business for wine producers and these companies are dedicating a lot of effort and manufacturing the best branded and tasting wines and introducing them to the marke t (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2008, 43). The levels of disposable income amongst Australians is high thus meaning that Australia is the type of market which consumers can indulge in the purchase of luxury goods thus getting a share of it is a quite an attractive business segment for all the wine makers in Australia. Although premium wine is meant for a targeted group of consumers more and more consumers within the Australian market are indulging in drinking premium wine due to the fact that they are attracted to the high quality of wine that premium bands are known to offer to the market such wines come in brands such as Pinot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Brut and Rose which are among the highest consumed brands of wine amongst the customers in Australia. Core Business Drinking wine is part of the culture of people of Australia thus making the wine business quite an attractive market, especially owing to the fact that the country in 2009-2010, calendar purchased and consumed well over 500 million litres of wine. The premium wine market is expanding within Australia and internationally and it presents a lot of business opportunities in both the domestic and export market. Moorilla estate thus intends to operate successfully within this portion of the industry and cash on the opportunity by manufacturing, branding and selling elegant premium wine brands. The company possesses the muse and praxis series of wine which has been developed using the latest conventional bio-dynamic strategies making their wine highly superior in terms of taste and quality. It is thus the aim of Moorilla estate to cater to the needs of consumers who desire to have high quality premium wine in Australia. Swot analysis Internal Environment The internal analysis of a company basically focuses on the strength and weaknesses of the organization itself, and how they impact the total business scenario of the concern and company strategies (Wheelen and Hunger 2002). In this aspect one thing is very important, what can be determined as strength can change into the weakness in another aspect. There are factors like finance, marketing, and the service providing capabilities, the macroeconomic factors, the technological changes and most importantly the different legal matters that come with the maintenance of the properties (Campbell, D., et al, 2002.p.64) Strengths A key strength of the Moorilla is expected to come from the highly experienced Chief wine maker Van Dar Reest and his team of wine makers who have the necessary skill and knowledge together with bio-dynamic technologies to make superior wine. The wine maker is expected to import their wide variety of knowledge that he has gathered over the years and apply it into wine business to make Moorilla estate become successful. The current organizational culture of Moorilla estate is very suitable for their business mission, vision and strategic goals, the company’s top management has build his business on the platform o f delivering highly differentiated products and premium wine thus this platform will assist the company to create a favourable brand image. The fact that the company has its own vineyards and enough human resources to nature a wide variety of vintage and youthful grapes and other fruits which are used to make their wine is also strength of the company (Moorilla 2011). The fact that the company has a wide variety of selection under their muse series and praxis series together with vintage collection ultimately serves as strength to the company. Weaknesses Constraint financial resource may limit the level of growth that Moorilla may intend to achieve during its operations, since other competitors such as Accolade and Treasury and Casella wine estates are able to operate with amore aggressive business model giving these companies a competitive age (Winebiz 2011). The current marketing strategy of the company and wine manufacturing facilities are not large enough to increase the revenue and volume of wine sales thus reducing the activities of Moorilla estate to the Tasmanian region. The company also does not have a superior distribution strategy thus having a limited distribution capability as compared to the top 20 wine producing and selling companies which operate in Australia. External environment Strategic planning be it short or long term is done in the light of company’s strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Sinkovics Ghauri, 2009, p.177). A company’s strengths and weaknesses takes a critical look into internal factors such as company resources, culture and structure while on the other hand opportunities and threats take a look at a company’s external environment. Opportunities The Australia wine industry is worth over $5 billion thus making the industry quite attractive if a company uses the right approach then it will most likely step upon its activities. Due to the company’s limited resource situation the company ca n enter into contractual agreements with other well established companies locally within Australia or even internationally this way the company can be able to increase the volume of sales. The current marketing weaknesses of the company can offer a platform of improving their business only if the company invites independent marketing firms to audit their current systems and suggest a complete overhaul of their marketing strategy (Lancaster Withey 2006 p.43-32). Threats The increasing level of competition within the Australian wine industry can threaten the strategic path of Moorilla estates, it is thus up to the companies not to let competition within the industry get out of hand, and this can be achieved by competing cautiously. Foreign brands also pose a threat to the business of Moorilla and thus effective marketing strategies should be used to counter the moves made by these foreign brands ( Hedley, 2002,p.16-19). Objectives and goals The first and main goal of Moorilla Estate is by 2014 to be enlisted among the top twenty wineries companies in the Australian market by increasing its wine production volumes and sales values. This can be attainable by adopting a more proactive business model that will allow the company to be more vigorous. The current business model limits the company’s business to Tasmania but the company needs to form partnerships with other companies in order to increase the sales of the company over a period of 3 years. The company with therefore need to invest more in marketing communication in order to create a suitable brand image that will make the company’s wide product range more known to the public. Considering the tremendous reception of the winery’s products in the Australian market, with more aggressive and proactive marketing strategies the company can go far.  The second goal is to grow its brand recognition among its potential consumers and make Moorilla Estate an household name. The brand value asso ciated with the muse series and the praxis series brands is quite low as compared to that of leading competitors within the industry. The management of Moorilla Estate aims to ensure that the brand is among the top 20 brands within the Australian wine market. The management believes that if this is attained then the level of brand association between the company and its brands will automatically increase the demand levels of all their brands within the Australian domestic and the export market. This can thus be achieved by massive promotion campaigns and partnerships such as sponsorship of events that will create massive awareness that is good for the strategic goals of Moorilla.  Many successful organizations often have cost management strategies that are very suitable for their organizations making it quite easy for the company to reduce costs and maximize income. Moorilla estate third goal aims at keeping its costs low by eliminating any unnecessary costs, this way the company can make more money and these funds may be used to invest in research and development of wine and expanding their business model. This can be attained by operating using budgets and focused planning techniques that will alow the company to optimize their resources and working with a trimmed staff that will assist the company fro spending a lot on unnecessary labour costs. Cost utilisation can be measured by the profit margin and the returns on capital of the company. Proposed Marketing Mix Pricing A penetration and Skimming policy could be implemented by the management of Moorilla estate to price their premium wine products in order to gain ground fast in the market while at the same time maximize revenue streams at the higher end of their premium products ( Bennet,2006,p.80-87). Some of the high end premium products that sell for over $40 per bottle include Muse series’ Brut, Rose, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, while those premium products on the lower end which can be pric ed using price penetration strategy include Gewà ¼rztraminer, Pinot Gris, Rieslin and Praxis series’ Riesling, Sauvignon blank, Chardonnay, Vintage Riesling Brut. This pricing strategy is intended to undercut the price offered by competitors for similar products, but ensuring that quality of wine is not compromised. This pricing approach will allow Moorilla to have a competitive advantage by selling premium products and competing using both a differentiation and cost focus at the same time by selling high quality brands which have respect and a good name it the market. Thus when consumers have more money to spend on a single purchase of wine they can purchase the higher end of premium wine offerings but once they are tight on cash the consumers can hence forth purchase those products that are on the lower end of the premium offering of the Muse and Praxis series. Figure 1 Michael Porters generic competitive strategies used by companies to gain competitive advantage. Product Moorilla marketing department has ensured that superiorly designed bottles are used to package their wine products. Considering that packaging plays a very big role towards ensuring that that consumers attention is captured then the wide variety of brands under Moorilla are well designed to ensure that their products have the right appeal as compared to offerings of competitors ( Brassington, Pettitt, 2006,p.65) The packaging used it Moorilla estate variety of wins are not a danger to consumers and to the products inside the bottles the products can be even bought and stored for years in order to become vintage wine. The company currently bottles their wine in 750ml and 1litre bottles. Promotion Promotions a very important part of commercial success and therefore Moorilla estate must invest enough resources to ensure that Promotions run properly and all brands under Moorilla get the right amount of exposure. A good promotional mix should always target the consumers and resellers ( Holm, 2006, p 69). Consumer promotional activities encourage consumers to buy more of the product.It is thus necessary that most of marketing communication effort be directed to the right audience through the mass media and the marketing portals, with more information being displayed and exposure being repeated then the brands belonging to Moorilla estate well be better known and then chances of their sales going up will be increased ( Heding, Charlotte Mogens, 2009,p.67-71). With social marketing becoming more and more famous the internet through blog sites, Facebook and Twitter is also a reliable source for customer information that is more likely to spread credible information about the brands belonging to the company and thus increase consumer traffic in local stores and on the online purchase centres (Balmer Greyser, 2006, p. 736; Brown, 2006, p.23). Seasonal discounts and offers are also a very important part of promotion, hotels are a very important part of the supply chain of premium wine and thus Moorilla estate should work in partnership with the biggest hotels and approach customers with discount rates this way those consumers who will purchase their brands are more likely to notify their friends by word of mouth if they are impressed by the elegant taste of the muse and praxis series. Place/distribution The volume of sales is often influenced distribution networks that companies have developed over the years, if a company does not use the right channels to distribute their product then a company is most likely not to optimize their sales (Goodstein, et al. 1993,p.153) The fastest moving places for wine are hotels, supermarkets and liquor stores it is thus the duty of the marketing department get in partnership with the most respected retailers and wholesalers such as supermarkets, hotels and liquor stores in order to ensure that products belonging to Moorilla estate are repeatedly exposed in areas that are open to the to higher numbers of consume r traffic. Besides using stores, Moorilla also uses direct marketing techniques that allow consumers to order their products directly for m their website and have their orders delivered to the door step this way the company can make sales without the help of other middle men and other institutions ( Kotler Keller, 2006, p.279-282). It is thus the intention of Moorilla estate management to ensure that the company is able to use all the available channels of distribution because this way the company will be able to maximize the total volume of products and brands belonging to their estate in the market. Process The production process that go min developing wine is very particular and goes a long way into defining the taste and flavour of wine. Many consumers of wine are very particular and are more likely to be annoyed or highly dissatisfied if their favourite brand of wine taste different just because the due process of manufacturing their wine was not followed (Charles, W. et al. 2 00, p 211-213). It is thus very important for wine manufacturers put in place the right mechanisms to ensure quality standards are followed and that consistency manufacturing is assured (Balmer Greyser, 2006, p. 734-738). This is thus why Moorilla estate ensured that it acquired on of the best wine makers Van Der Reest to lead their wine production process. Experienced wine makers such as Van Der Reest use analytical chemistry techniques such as titration and measurement of PH levels to group wine while still in casks. Labelling of casks and grouping them according to time to maturity and fermentation together with ingredients and clear documentation and techniques are very important part of ensuring that the final products elegant and of precise taste. Failure to ensure that the right process are followed before the product hits the market then the final product is more likely to fail in the market because consumers will be displeased by it due to the fact that the taste/flavour m ay not meet their expectations. Implementation The entire marketing program is to be monitored every year and the full results are expected to seen after three years, during this period of implementation the Moorilla estate should put in place an implementation committee that will be used to monitor closely the implementation process with the aim of putting the entire process on track.  The implementation process usually requires a company to provide enough resources in order to ensure that strategy implementation is successful. The top management understands that implementation of strategy is often met with resistance and thus the first step of the implementation stage is to encourage organizational personnel to embrace change by sensitizing them on the need of the change and giving them positive attributes that are to arise put of the change this is because human resource are the most important resource of the organization and thus when they are ready to embrace the change, then the chance of success are more ( Felkins, et al. 1993,p.55). The goal in this case is objective of the marketing department and management in Moorilla estate is to make the company a common name within the wine industry of Australia by building the brand value of Moorilla estate wine brands.  If the company is to achieve its first goal, which is to be among the top 20 wine producers in Australia, then it needs to dedicate significant resources that will see the success of the strategy. The company will need to develop a competitive intelligence unit that will be given the sole responsibility of conducting continuous research and forwarding relevant information to the implementation committee of the company. The establishment of this committee will therefore require financial and human resources together with procedures detailing how they are to work (Brigham Houston 2009, 91-93). Additionally, marketing communication activities often demand that a company develops a public relat ions office and thus it is important the company hires or creates and internal public relation office that will be in charge of publicizing the company through the various media especially the social media and cheaper avenues of gaining publicity. While the responsibility of creating publicity will be assigned between the competitive intelligence department, the marketing department and the newly formed PR department, It is up to the management to keep a close eye on the activities and ensure that incremental processes that are consistent to the goals are carried out in due time. Those responsible of achieving the various goals are supposed to use findings of their research that they may have gathered from published sources and credible competitors due develop tactics that they will use to ensure that the company increases its brand value steadily. Although the long term goal is building brand value and make Moorilla estate brands popular, it is only logical for those implementing t he strategy that they need to use incremental steps in order to achieve the long term goal and this can be achieved by increasing the amount of media coverage and hits that the company has on their websites (Kotler 2003, 278). The company can also sponsor large events or local sport teams, and trade exhibitions and billboards to create curiosity among the community and especially Australia and this way the company can start gaining exposure and building their brand value slowly one stem at a time. The important thing is that managers use controls that will assist the company operate with a high level of consistence increasing repeated exposures. At the same time, the company should develop good channels of communication that will assist the managers communicate the progress of the implementation to the employees and to ensure that every member who is part of the team and workforce plays his part towards achieving the goal. If communication is poor then a company may often delink its elf from its corporate strategic goals therefore injuring the performance of the company both financially and non-financially goals (Wheelen Hunger 2002, 221). Moorilla estates should ensure that the company develops a direct means of communication where the company that will link those responsible of decision making with the employees who interact day-in-day-out with the customers and other industry participants. The progress of strategic goals can thus be measured by using a balanced score card approach. By comparing targeted goals and actual performance at specific periods i.e. (Q1.Q2.Q3.Q4) the implementation committee can evaluate strategy with the aim of initiating change. Evaluation and control Morilla Estate will adopt a balanced scorecard approach to evaluate, monitor and justify any corrections in strategy within organizations (Wheelen Hunger 2002, 303). The main advantage of a balanced scorecard approach is that it uses both a financial and non financial approach to mea sure strategic success of an organization, by comparing input of various processes and outputs. Since Moorilla estates aims to gain brand recognition and increase its brand value hoping to trigger associative purchases to its brands, it is thus the duty of the implementation committee to measure the actual results of their strategic efforts quarterly per year and if the actual outcomes surpass the targeted outcome then there will be no need to carry out any strategic changes but if the actual outcome falls below the actual planned performance then there will be needed to change or alter the strategy (Frey 2008, 32). BSC is a highly effective strategic performance management tool that enables managers take a critical look on how appropriate the marketing strategies that will be put in place by Moorilla estate management is to achieving their goals. The BSC approach allows managers to review strategy by taking an in-depth look at how the organization performed especially when it comes to financial parameters, customer parameters; Internal business processes parameters and learning and growth parameters of the organization. If the brand value of this brand goes up then there will be financial consequences, customer consequences and other consequences and this can be used as the key indicators that can be used to evaluate if the strategy that was put in place was effective and good enough to help the company realize its goals. This is the approach that will be used by management within Moorilla estate to control and evaluate how the organization performed strategically. Assuming that all goes well then the company will be pushed into a better financial position and thus the company will realize a growth in sales and revenues because of increased customer traffic but if the opposite happens then this will mean the there is something wrong with the strategy that aims to increase brand value of wine products belonging Muse and Praxis series to Moorilla estate. The sa me applies to the customer aspect of the BSC if Moorilla is able to meet its brand value objectives customers are more likely to be satisfied and there will be less customer complaints, the results of such a phase will include high customer rates and low customer defection rates and hence if the latter happens the company is most likely to blame the current strategic regime for the failure in achieving targets (Steiner 1997, 77). The outcome of the BSC process is used by management in Moorilla estate to justify the need of carrying out any strategic changes in the company within the marketing strategy (Koontz Weihrich 2009, 132). A table representing some of the BSC parameters that are used by Moorilla estate to evaluate and control strategy Financial This parameter allows the managers to analyse financial benefits which can be attributed to the strategy some of this include, revenues, sales, net profits, costs but if the expected results were not realized and the strategy is to blame then a strategy change can be initiated (Ring Perry, 1985,66). Customer Customers are a key part of business and their happiness must be appreciated and be kept happy. Some of these parameters include customer satisfaction levels, customer loyalty. And if the customer is highly unsatisfied then the strategy of handling customers may need to change (McDonald, 2003,p.133) Internal Business Processes Business processes are responsible for ensuring that transactions for an organization to be highly efficient and carry out its core business with a high degree of accuracy to satisfy consumers its business process must be streamlined ( Kitchen, 2005,p.36-39) Some business process parameters may include number of defects. Learning Growth Organizations should be exposed to continuous learning so that they can advance and become better (Kourdi, 2009, p.33) The ability of strategy to enable an organization practice innovation and realize value is very important and therefore if a n organization doesn’t grow then strategy may need to be changed. References Balmer, J.T.M., Greyser, A.S., 2006. Corporate Marketing; Integrating Corporate Identity, Corporate Branding, Corporate Communications, Corporate Image And Corporate Reputation. European journal of marketing, vol 40 issue: 7/8 pp. 730-741. Baumol, W.J. Alan, S.B., 2007. Economics: Principles and Policy. New York, NY: Cengage Learning. Bennet P., 2006. Marketing Management and Strategy, 4th edn. New York, NY: Prentice Hall. Brassington, F. Pettitt, S., 2006. Principles of Marketing, 4th edn. New York, NY: Prentice Hall. Brigham, E.F. Houston J.F., 2009. Fundamentals of Financial Management. New York, NY: Cengage Learning. Brown, B.C., 2006. How to use thee Internet to advertise, promote and market your business or website- with little or no money. New York, NY: Atlantic Publishing Company. Campbell, D., et al, 2002. Business Strategy an Introduction, 2 edn, Banbury Rd, Butterworth-Heinemann. Ch arles, W. et al. 2002.Essentials of Marketing, Natorp Boulevard, South Western Cengage Learning. Felkins, et al. 1993. Change Management: A Model for Effective Organizational Performance, Quality Resources. New York, NY: White Plains. Frey, R.S., 2008. Successful strategies for Small Businesses: using product knowledge, 5 edn, Norwood, Artech House Inc. Goodstein, et al. 1993. Applied strategic planning: a comprehensive guide. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Professional. Heding, T., Charlotte K.F. Mogens B., 2009. Brand management: research, theory and practice. New York, NY: Taylor Francis. Hedley, B., 2002. A fundamental approach to strategy development. Long Range Planning Vol. 9, no. 6 pp. 2-11. Holm, O., 2006. Intergraded marketing communication: from tactics to strategy corporate communication objectives. An international journal, vol11, iss 1 pp. 22-33, emerald publishing group. Johnson, G., Scholes, K. Whittington, R., 2008. Exploring corporate strategy: texts and cases, 8th e dn. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Limited. Kitchen, P.J., 2005. A reader in marketing communication. London: Routledge. Koontz, H. Weihrich, H., 2009. Essence of Management an International Perspective. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Kotler, P., Keller, K., 2006. Marketing Management, 13th edn. New York, NY: Prentice Hall. Kotler, P., 2003. Marketing Insights from A to Z: 80 concepts every manager needs to know, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Inc. Kourdi, J., 2009.Business Strategy: A Guide to Effective Decision Making, 2 edn, New York: Economist books. Lancaster, G. Withey, F., 2006. Marketing Fundamentals: CIM Course book, London: Butterworth-Heimann. McDonald, M., 2003. Marketing plans: how to prepare them, how to use them, 5th edn. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Moorilla. Web. Porter, M.E., 1990. Competitive advantage, illustrated edn, Northampton, MA: Free Press. Ring, P. Perry, J., 1985. Strategic management in public and private organizations: implications and distinctive con texts and constraints. Academy of Management Review Vol 10, pp. 276-286. Sinkovics, R. Ghauri N.P., 2009. New Challenges to International Marketing. London: Emerald Group Publishing. Steiner, G., 1997. Strategic planning: what every manager must know. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Trott. P., 2008. Innovation Management and New Product Development, 4th edn. London: Pearson. Wheelen, T.L., Hunger J.D., 2002. Strategic Management and Business Policy. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Winebiz. Web.

Helen Keller Quotes That Inspire

Helen Keller Quotes That Inspire Although Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at an early age, she lived a long and productive life as an author and activist. She was a pacifist during World War I and a socialist, an advocate for womens rights and a member of the fledgling American Civil Liberties Union. Helen Keller traveled to 35 countries during her lifetime to support the rights of the blind. Her indomitable spirit saw her through her handicap. Her words speak of the wisdom and strength that was the essence of her life. Helen Kellers Thoughts on Optimism Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Believe. No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit. What I am looking for is not out there; it is in me. When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. Be of good cheer. Do not think of todays failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you  persevere, and  you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye. The Importance of Faith Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. I believe in the immortality of the soul because I have within me immortal longings. It gives me a deep, comforting sense that things seen are temporal and things unseen are eternal. About Ambition It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal. One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. The Joy of Companionship Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. Relationships are like Rome- difficult to start out, incredible during the prosperity of the golden age, and unbearable during the fall. Then, a new kingdom will come along and the whole process will repeat itself until you come across a kingdom like Egypt ... that  thrives  and continues to flourish. This kingdom will become your best friend, your soul mate and your love. Our Ability We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough. I am only  one; but  still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but  still, I can do something. I will not refuse to do something I can do. I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life or in the life of another. Thoughts on Life The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen, not touched, but are felt in the heart. We would never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world. What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others. Believe, when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you to do in the world. So long as you can sweeten anothers pain, life is not in vain. True happiness ... is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. The Beauty of Hope Once I knew only darkness and stillness. My life was without past or future. But a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness and my heart leaped to the rapture of living. Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. To keep our faces toward change, and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate, is strength undefeatable. The Challenges We Face The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse. Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers. Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in the world. The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision. Random Musings Our democracy is but a name. We vote. What does that mean? It means that we choose between two bodies of real- though not avowed- autocrats. We choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee. People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant. Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all- the apathy of human beings. It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui. Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring  adventure  or nothing. Knowledge is love and light and vision. Toleration is the greatest gift of mind; it requires the same effort of the brain that it takes to balance oneself on a bicycle.

Postmodern at The Truman Show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Postmodern at The Truman Show - Essay Example A tool by which to analyse The Truman Show is irony. What this means essentially is that the levels of meaning intersect only through the audience, because the levels of meaning are all contained in one artistic work but can only be dissected by the audience, who connect with the artist through the work. It is irrelevant which medium the work is in for it to be ironic and in fact the term post-modern essentially means only that it comes in the period after the modern. The audience and the artist have become familiar to such a degree that levels of meaning can be understood by one another without explicit definition or formulation, with shifting definitions and formulations seeming to be more of a conversation. We must use irony so that the conversation can be analysed. Much of the conversation is mediated by Christof, the character who created the Truman Show, who directs from the Lunar Room. Christof may be seen as a form of alter ego for Truman, because whereas Truman believes that he is leading his own life, in reality he is being led by Christof. The Lunar Room is a command post through which all the characters in Truman's world - Seahaven Island - walk on their ironic way from an ever intruding, yet supervening, reality. "It's a life", says Christof, about Truman in the opening sequence in the Lunar Room, although we are not given to understand whether he is referring to himself or to Truman. He speaks with a self-reflexivity, using the collective pronoun "we", but we - as the audience - do not know for sure whether Christof regards himself as the "we", because Christof is an actor in a movie. Perhaps the contextualising of the film means that the real irony lays in the fact that Peter Weir is Christof and Christof is Weir. Such appropriation of identity never really leaves us throughout the movie. Each character in the movie has multiple characteristics. For example, Meryl who plays Truman's wife speaks rapturously: MERYL Well, I mean, there is no--there is no difference between a private life and a public life. My--my life is my life, is The Truman Show. The Truman Show is...a lifestyle. It's a noble life. It is...a truly blessed life. The post-modern characteristic is that Meryl's life is not her life at all, it is not The Truman Show; it is neither public, nor private. This aesthetic denies that it is aesthetic through repetition and irony - note the repetition of "there is no", "my - my", "The Truman Show". What Weir's script and the magnificent acting of Laura Linney - as Hannah Gill, as Meryl Burbank - has achieved is to erase the lines between fantasy and reality; however we need a point of contact with the movie. It becomes essential for us to identify with Truman Burbank. There is a very neutral aesthetic running throughout The Truman Show whose purpose is to draw as many of the audience as possible into the drama. Along with the controlled action, which many audience members will be able to identify with, Truman works in the seemingly ubiquitous corporate world: TRUMAN (to mirror cam) I'm not going to make it. You're going to have to go on without me. No way,

Customer Service, and Company Culture of Zappos.com Assignment

Customer Service, and Company Culture of Zappos.com - Assignment Example According to the research findings, from its inception, Zappos value proposition has been to create and deliver to each customer a WOW experience. They are able to achieve this by simply empowering their workforce to deliver a shopping experience that is irresistible. They provide unrivaled customer service and free fast shipping, while at the same time offering almost one thousand two hundred and fifty brands and two million eighty hundred thousand products. As a result of this strategy, they have a fanatical customer loyalty with up to 75% being repeat customers. Zappos ability to create and capture value emanates from their nearly obsessive passion to create customer satisfaction and good customer relationships. In fact, customer’s loyalty is of such great importance to Zappos that it is their primary goal to be the best customer experience and customer service company. They have a culture that runs deep down and that is customer-focused. In order to create and capture valu e, Zappos directly invests the huge amount of money into customer service. They will only hire employees who are customer-oriented who are able to fit into their culture of optimal employee satisfaction. Even after employing people who are customer-oriented, they further train these individuals thoroughly the art of creating customer loyalty. Zappos approach to creating and capturing value is customer-centric. They make use of such strategies as offering free delivery for products purchased, they even allow for free returns when a customer is not happy with the product and they also have a 365-day return together with periodical service upgrades. As a result, 75% of their sales emanate from current customers and still have a tremendous rate of growth despite the poor economy. Zappos has also developed a service culture which is built around ten core principles which stipulate that every new employee has to take four weeks of customer training on loyalty.