Planning Is the Best Way to Improve the Quality of the Environment free essay sample

There is no agreed definition of ‘environmental planning’; most studies have had an arduous job in trying to meet a description for it as the environment covers a wide range of issues. In one sense, all Town and Country Planning is concerned with the environment. (Cullingworth Nadin, 1997, p163) But as the issue of environmental concerns have risen up the political agenda a number of non-planning organisations have had an increasing role to play. It must be noted that the role planning in the environment is not a new instrument in its protection; The Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 prohibited the emission of dark smoke, in an effort to improve environmental quality. This essay intends to discuss the main instruments use in the contemporary planning system in the UK, which are handed the task of protecting and improving the environment. It begins by briefly outlining the reasons why planning is used for environmental protection and its new role in promoting sustainability. We will write a custom essay sample on Planning Is the Best Way to Improve the Quality of the Environment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These objectives are highlighted in recent government papers and are explored in the objectives outlined in LA21. The next section reveals how the planning system might be seen as failing these objectives and its shortcomings by a brief comparison with other nations, thus providing conclusions for the suitability of planning as the best way of improving environmental quality. The United Kingdom’s Town and Country Planning system is the framework within which the development and use of land is determined. It provides a structure within which economic, social and environmental considerations can be weighed to help secure sustainable development. (DETR, 1996) Planning has been illustrated as the main advocate in achieving sustainable development; it is placed with the task to guide suitable development within a sustainable context via its development control methods. This seems an obvious choice as the framework within the UK planning system is already in place to successfully implement policy on sustainable development, throughout all levels of government. Traditionally the Town and Country Planning system in the UK has had a pro-development bias, it is argued that in order to improve and maintain the environment, planners have to alter this ethos to accept greener issues. What has always been apparent within the realms of environmental planning is the major role that politics plays. Indeed Britain’s reluctance in environmental concerns was partly due to the conservative regimes of promoting a market-led economy, free of state intervention, it was not until the 1980s that the ‘environment’ rose up the political agenda with the potential of being a major vote winner. Before which, it was argued by Thatcher that environmental planning had be taking place for some years via the planner’s use of material considerations. The Conservative government took a dramatic u-turn and its views on state free from intervention were quashed as it accepted the terms outlined in 1992 Earth Summit. The conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted talks for one hundred and fifty nations, it was at this conference where sustainability found a structure, in Agenda 21. The following section discusses the issue of sustainable development and its implementation through Agenda 21, outlining the responsibility of the UK planning regime to enhance and protect the environment. Sustainable Development Agenda 21 It is argued that the UK Sustainable Development Strategy should be viewed as providing the guiding principles for environmental planning in the UK. Sustainability is seen as one of the main advocates for providing planning policies that protect and provide quality environments throughout the UK. It is certainly true that the issue of sustainability is a concept that surrounds environmental policy. However its large adoption since the resurrection of green issues in the 1960s has lead to is its overuse and ambiguity. The term has become a symbol of environmentalism in contemporary politics. Governments, academics and environmental groups have tried to attain an answer as they continue to commit to sustainable policy. It is hardly surprising that the idea of sustainability has encompassed a number of differing views, one of the most famous ideas is included in the 1987 Brundtland Report: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ’ (as cited in Cullingworth Nadin, 1997, p164) However the issue of sustainable development became a reality in the creation of Agenda 21, in Rio, 1992. This marked a comprehensive world programme for sustainable development in the twenty-first century, and the adoption of a wide degree of public participation. In the UK this is organised at central and local government levels. The former resulted in the Sustainable Development Strategy of 1994. At the local level, Local Agenda 21 (LA21) calls for each local authority to prepare and adopt a local sustainable development strategy. LA21 provides an opportunity to promote and maintain environmental quality at a level where the public can immediately feel the effects. It is essential that LA21 is a process by which the public can get involved in environmental issues affecting their immediate area, thus educating the population in the concepts of sustainability. LA21 is the process of drawing up and implementing local sustainable development plans, with the local authority working in partnership with citizens, local organisations and businesses to achieve this. (RCEP, 1999, p7) LA21 intentions are not purely environmental; sustainability includes social and economic issues that cover the community as a whole in an effort to build a consensus between people, rather than the traditional, confrontational ways of working. Once goals are sought, progress can be made and evaluated, by measuring progress. However the UK government could be criticised for being a little slow to respond to the issues outlined in Rio, the guidance for local authorities was issued in 1998. It came in the form of the good practice guide on Planning for Sustainable Development, from the DETR. In 1999 Labour introduced a new strategy for sustainable development, entitled A Better Quality of Life, it highlighted four key principles: 1. Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone 2. Protection of the environment 3. Prudent use of natural resources 4. Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment (DETR, 1999) However the guidance has been criticised for its lack of strategic vision, as it sets no quantitative targets or timetables. This is highlighted in the notion that it is a very broad document, as there is a need to secure the approval from other Ministries in order to initiate new policy commitments. (UWE, 2000) Problems of the planning system in protecting the Environment Advisory bodies have promoted the need for target-led planning for a number of years. The term objective-led planning is aimed at broader strategic goals, e. g. Improving air quality, whereas target-led planning relates to more specific goals, e. g. Ozone levels not exceeding a certain concentration over a specified time period, as in the case for the inner London Boroughs. However there is still reluctance by government to set concrete targets in some sectors or areas at national level. They prefer to leave it up to the lower tiers of government, which can often cause considerable strain, e. . Meeting housing targets. However target-led planning is slowly becoming the norm for many local authorities as they implement their plans. They usually involve targets for the protection of sites, air quality, waste recycling etc. Central advice is starting to emerge, referring to the advice outlined in the DETR’s Planning for Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice, 1998; here it noted that guidance on sustainability should contain specific targets, which could be incorporated into RPGs. It is these relationships between national and local objectives which will need to be observed closely in the near future in order to determine how different interests are integrated in the final production of plans. In many areas, there needs to be a greater range of targets, with clear strategies for their implementation. The problem is that plans remain plans unless they are implemented and with only 30% of all local authorities having theirs in place in 1998, sustainable policy will remain unactioned theory. DETR, 1999a, p2) It is vital that the plans are implemented in order to set realistic targets. Environmental planning in the UK is currently in a period of significant change. This is at all levels and across many issues. The number of plans, strategies, begin produced today is far greater than at any previous period. This is partly the result of extensive criticism over many years from the lack of planning in areas; most of it derives from EU or international developments (80% of all UK environmental policy originated in the EU). Plans have been advocated as being the primary source of reference in determining sustainable objectives that improve the quality of the environment. Environmental plans have subsequently grown considerably from local authorities, government agencies and ad hoc groups, which has brought together different issues. The number of plans should not be seen as a problem, the important issue is whether their development is co-ordinated and to what effect decision-makers implement them. As we near 2002, the next Earth Summit will ask questions of LA21, as the UK councils are getting ready to launch their plans. However work has already begun on Community Plans, which outline strategies for the well being of the local area and its people, again all councils are required to produce these. In aim theyre very like LA21, it is not clear how the two will connect together. In some places the LA21 is acting as the first draft of the Community Plan, which has advantages and disadvantages. In other places completely different teams of officers are developing the Community Plan, and theres no guarantee of any connection between the two. It seems obvious that the people who took the trouble to have an input into the LA21 process will want to see some action come about as a result. Another concern is that Community Planning doesnt have the connection to the global picture that LA21 has built in. As environmental issues have become more complex, ways have been sought to measure the impacts of development. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a procedure introduced into the British planning system as a result of an EC Directive. EIA provides a powerful tool for aiding planning decisions; it has highlighted questions on the technical understanding of the environment and the availability of relevant information and skills. EIA needs to be able to subjectively demonstrate its understanding of development with their effects on the environment. The education of planners and access to environmental information is essential in making sense of the answers. Recent studies have shown that the UK does not have the extensive requirements for environmental assessment as some of its European counterparts. Sweden and the Netherlands have quite stringent regulations on the environmental assessment of its planning applications, New Zealand in particular requires all planning applications to have an environmental impact assessment statement. (UWE, 2000) This illustrates the differing views on sustainable objectives; countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands have interpreted it in terms of very specific principles, whereas the UK has applied a plethora of general statements, which incorporate the environment, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. However there is an overall general recognition from European countries towards the need for a more comprehensive view of planning. The importance of planning is perhaps best highlighted by looking at those nations which have a relatively weak framework; the USA system adopts a vary degree of influences, to the extent where it is difficult to identify any particular ethos. Major influences arise from the roles of non-governmental organisations and the US courts. It is worth noting that the USA has been one of the nations who have struggled to attain sustainable objectives. Is the UK planning system the best way to improve the environment? The UK needs to gain a greater understanding of sustainability and environmental protection and the implications for the operation of environmental planning. It seems that there are clear holes in national strategic planning, which have left the decisions to the lower tiers of government. Part of the reason could be the UK’s fairly complicated legislative framework, which perhaps needs to be simplified to allow for greater integration of environmental planning. IEEP, 1999, p60) This rigidness is reflected at all levels, but is particularly noticeable in local government where professional officers now have to understand the large scope of environmental policy, whilst adapting from an ethos of development led planning. Another factor is that senior planning officials may lack the environmental expertise needed to review planning applications. A issue accentuated by the fact most environmental data is presented with in-depth scientific knowledge, planners often have to sub-contract these aspects of an application to environmental experts. This is accentuated by the fact that pressure from central government to reduce the time taken to process planning applications may well conflict with environmental assessment, which invariably is a lengthy process. Criticisms of planners originate from the political nature of their profession. The key principle to maintain is the fact that the final decision rest with Politicians, planners have to remain the professional advisor, therefore the power to govern the land environmental will always remain in the hands of a political advocate. In reflection, planning in the UK has had a range of powerful tools that can effectively govern the environmental implemented in recent years. The main stimulus cannot be attributed to the national government, who have largely been apprehensive if not hostile in their approach to environmental policy. The spread of environmental concern is a direct result of public and international pressure; consequently governments have had to respond. The environment’s direct conflict with development has ensured that action has filter down to planning systems, which can effectively govern and control evelopment. The huge task of ensuring sustainable objectives is thus left to the local authority via the guidance from regional and central government, however the vagueness of which, means that LA21 objectives will vary greatly. This uncertainty has ensured that local sustainable development plans have been slow to be implemented. This is accentuated by the government’s reluctance to establish target-led planning, which could provide a valuable insight on how to tackle sustainable objectives head on. Therefore the issue of planning as the best means to improve environmental quality does represent an insincere statement. Planning is certainly a powerful tool in environmental protection, which is perhaps not being utilised to its fullest extent, but it will always have a heavy political influence. The growth of agencies outside the planning regime such as the Environment Agency can help ensure that environmental quality is maintained.

Apple Macintosh Marketing

Apple Macintosh Marketing Introduction Evolution in today’s technology has transformed the world systems’ enormously. At the advent of computers until now, there has been a great leap in technology and consumer’s need for technologically oriented products (Promotion: Integrated Marketing Communication 2010; Palmer and Hartley 2008; Schieffer 2005).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Macintosh Marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With processes that were perceived to initially take very long time to complete, computers and related technology has ensured such processing time is drastically reduce based on their processing speed. Technical and highly abstract algorithms have now been redefined by the using computers; this has enabled tremendous advancements in technology. The advancements have been largely defined and successfully based on a number of factors. Currently the trend is that technology would be benefic ial as per its application (Capon 2009; Chan and Mauborgne 2004; De Mooji 2003). To date, computer age is perhaps the fastest evolving facet of life. This has necessitated manufacturers of computer related products to find ways of producing products that are highly technical and user friendly. Synonymously, Microsoft Corporation and Apple Incorporation are the major computer technology manufacturers who have continued to strive in gaining a sizeable market share of their products. Lately, Microsoft Corporation products have gained a substantial share of the market as opposed to Apple Incorporation’s products. However, as brand preference trends continue to change, it seems that each of these companies has its own command of commercial dominance. This research was intended to study the reasons as to why Apple’s operating system, the Mac OS X is not as popular with computer users as it’s counterpart Microsoft windows operating system. The study involved a market r esearch meant to highlight the key factors that have led to this status. One of the ways the study was done involved the use of questionnaires (Deshpande 1993). It was necessary during this process to understand reasons why Apple Mac enthusiasts acquired Mac OS X preloaded systems, yet still went ahead to buy Microsoft windows operating system and installed o their Apple Mac hardware.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It was assumed that in order to understand this trend and offer conclusive market research findings then the windows and Mac OS X operating system users were interviewed and then preference data based on the features and use of each of the operating systems gathered and analyzed (Silberschatz, Gagne and Galvin 2002). Generally, in the operating system market share, Apple Mac OS X only commands a total market share of 7%. Therefore, this market research attempted to point out the reasons behind this trend and possible solution or remedies deduced. Therefore, although there are other operating systems like UNIX and Linux that have little market share, this research only focused on Microsoft windows operating system and Apple Mac OS X. The findings of this market research are likely to assist the manufacturers of the Mac OS X operating system to redefine their marketing strategy or possibly re-engineer their product to improve their market share (McQuarrie 1996; Orville and Mullins 2007). Executive Summary Computer has become a tool and necessity in all activities we carry out today. As a product the computer is quickly evolving to try and satisfy the ever changing technological requirements of its user. This research focused on a commitment of the computer system as well as one operating brand preference over the other (Doole, Lancaster and Lowe 2004; Hague, Hague and Morgan 2004; Jobber 2009). The research was intended to enumerat e the reasons for Apple Mac OS X commanding only a 7% market shares whereas the Microsoft windows operating system takes about 70%. Generally, the research findings pointed out the fact that most users encounter the Microsoft windows operating system at entry level which unlike the Mac OS X, which is uncommon. As a result many people gets quickly acquainted to Microsoft’s windows operating system even before they can try to use the other operating systems. Therefore, the brand preference trend indicates that Mac OS X has a 7% of the total operating systems’ market share, of the sixty people interviewed during this market research on brand preference, only six respondents had a preference for the Mac OS X, this translated to about 7%.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Macintosh Marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These respondents were indeed those who encountered Mac OS X during their intro ductory levels to computer literacy and usage. It is therefore valid to assume that these respondents are loyal users of Mac computers that are preloaded with the Mac OS X. The conclusion to this research indicates that Mac OS X has ways in which they can improve their market share. Continued aggressive campaigns can contribute to such progress. Users seem to prefer consistency, a feature they seem to attach to the windows operating system as opposed to Mac OS X (Patton 2001). Therefore, Mac OS X can also redefine their standard features that would not change their subsequent releases (Apple Computer Inc. 1994; Lu 1992). One of the resource persons indicated the fact that snow leopard, one of Mac OS versions was as unpopular as Microsoft vista, yet the company did very little when compared to their rivals. Rather than keep changing and introducing new features, Mac OS can attain product stability if they would improve their products features, a factor that can help them to command a larger market than what they have now. Research Methodology This was a comparative research and hence a qualitative approach to research was considered suitable. Qualitative research approach is an explorative process used to collect, analyze and report data based on certain research question (Calder 1977; Creswell 2006). This approach went through a number of steps which formed the design of the study. these included identifying the research problem, research purpose specification, design selection and collecting data, analyzing the data, reporting and analyzing the research as a whole, results dissemination and finally evaluation of the research. The qualitative approach requires that data be collected and organized before analysis. The data would then be coded and themes and descriptions be derived to establish a concept based on them. This is how the data was validated for accuracy and reliability.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The qualitative research approach is different from quantitative approach where the latter calls for explanation and prediction of relationships among variables. The quantitative approach begins with a theory whereas qualitative approach ends with the hypothesis. Samples in the quantitative approach are selected based on scientific theory. Mathematical models are used to validate data in the quantitative approach to research. After a thorough examination of various methods available for conducting our research, it was decided that the research questions be answered when data was being obtained directly from the targeted subjects through questionnaires which formed the primary research portion of this study (Beall 2010; Blythe and Megicks 2010). The data was further evaluated using qualitative approach. The approach was used to analyze the collected data from the questionnaires. Questionnaires were considered suitable for this research because they are cost effective and can be admin istered easily even when the researchers wanted to collect confidential data from the respondents (Bradley 2010). In the designing stage, the researcher made a plan and prepared a methodology which had to be clear enough to avoid confusion or data redundancy. How to design the questionnaires and the questions to be asked were then arrived at in line with the research question and objectives. The participants were then selected as per the criteria that were derived from the research objective. The number of respondents used in this research was based on the subject under investigation where a total of sixty participants were considered a good sample size. Secondary data was also collected based on the critical review of the documents and web content based on the assessment of the continuous low percentage in using Apple Mac OS X as compared to the Microsoft windows operating systems. The literature selected were those concerned with the brand preference for operating systems, likely reasons for these variations in brand preferences between Microsoft windows operating system and Apple Mac OS X. The results of the research were very essential in making the final recommendations and conclusion. An analysis strategy was carefully done in line with the research questions, objectives and hypothesis (Blythe 2008; Bond, Stone and Bryan 2004; Bonoma 1985). Before this, the collected data was used to compare the research findings with related literature in order to develop accurate results that could be relied upon when making recommendations for the disparity highlighted over the usage of the two operating systems. Determining the resource persons for the research, the research objectives and the research questions were all developed prior to the event of data collection. In qualitative research, the researcher has to be actively involved though interactions and participation in an attempt of coming up with the best results. There are some general roles assumed by a res earcher as stated below; Taking responsibility for finding out what is expected in the research. Taking the initiative in raising problems or difficulties. Helping the supervisory team to ensure consistency. Discussing with the supervisory team how to make guidance more effective, including disability related concerns. Undertaking research training as agreed and where need is identified. Undertaking recommended reading. Producing written work as agreed. Complying with reporting procedures and informing supervisors of the progress of his research. Reporting to the supervisor about difficulties he/she encounters in his work. Arranging for informal sharing of information and practice. Generating own ideas. Setting realistic deadlines. Asking and seeking clarification when he/she dont understand. Deciding when to submit the thesis and ensure that it is submitted on time. Ensuring that the thesis complies with regulations. During this research the researcher conducted some prior discus sion where he informed the participants on what was expected of them as a request. The information and hypothesis formulation were established based on the field study data gathered by questionnaire as well as literature reviews. It is obvious that there is a lot of relevant data in the public domain related to brand preference as far as operating systems is concerned. The table (Table 1) below summarizes some of these statistics gotten from the research. Table 1: Percentage usage for the operating systems from Microsoft and Apple Research Findings The general conclusion from the research findings based on the respondents, is that about 71.7% showed preference for Microsoft’s operating systems range. The reasons cited ranged from having faith in an established brand name to trusting a product with consistency. One ardent Microsoft windows operating system user noted the fact that it was easier to learn and use subsequent versions of the windows operating systems, made it eas ier to cling on the product. There was also a general public notion that a product that is widely used had a better quality than the one used with fewer people. However, this research could not prove such facts considering putting into consideration that in other device categories Apple’s Mac OS headed the group over Microsoft as indicated in the trend preference diagrams below (LeVitus 2011). Table 2: Percentage usage for operating systems – see appendix for chart. The usage trend can further be plotted as indicated in the graph below Mobile devices category shows that Apple’s iOS has a larger market share than Microsoft products as indicated in the chart below These findings also indicate that Microsoft windows operating systems were closely associated with the IBM hardware. However, it was not mandatory that all IBM hardware would be preloaded with Microsoft windows operating system. Contrary, Apple’s hardware had Mac OS preloaded on all their hardw are. This meant that users had more freedom to choose the operating system to install on non Apple computers. Ostensibly, the operating system of choice for this kind of set up was a Microsoft windows operating system. It is possible that Mac OS can compete more effectively with Microsoft windows operating systems if it would be freed from Apple Mac computers. Some of respondents interviewed during this research pointed out the fact that the windows operating systems had an upper hand in terms of the available gaming software than Apple’s Mac OS X which was more video oriented. As such a category of computer games enthusiasts are automatically locked out from the Mac OS X hence would prefer windows due to such limitations. However, in smart phone operating systems the trend is a reverse, with the Mac OS X having an upper hand over windows about nine times behind Apple (see the chart above). The fact that Mac OS X was preloaded and shipped with the associated hardware, the Mac computer for the past two decades made the market uptake of this operating system sluggish. In any case people would still buy Mac computers because they want to own a Mac even as the survey revealed. However, it was observed that people would also buy windows boxes because they wanted a computer; this ha led to more people being acquainted to the windows operating system as the computer operating system of their time. Still the pricing that Apple tagged on their preloaded system was far out of reach for the ordinary computer buyer who would opt for the windows box instead and therefore ended up with the windows operating system as first choice (Zeithaml 1998). Conclusion and Recommendations This market research has established a number of vital findings that can be of benefit to Apple Incorporation to improve on their Mac OS X market share. Most important though is the fact that most of the respondents interviewed indicated that they more easily associated with Microsoft windows o perating systems because the price of Mac computers which are usually shipped preloaded with Mac OS X were way out of their reach. Though ardent Apple Mac OS X buyers and users enumerated the features that they mostly like be included in subsequent Mac OS X versions, these included the gamming components, which they rated a head to head comparison with Microsoft’s operating systems. Even the ardent still went to get a copy of Microsoft Windows operating system according to respondent no16 on their Mac computers to ‘test and feel it’. Generally, some ardent Mac OS X users were once Microsoft windows operating system users who decided to change for exploration purposes. Therefore, they still have a preference for the Microsoft operating system. However, the study also revealed that the Mac OS X has a stronger following from those who use UNIX which offers comparable features to the Mac OS X. This study indicates that the trend is not likely to change very soon unle ss Apple Incorporation radically redesign the Mac OS X so that it be platform independent. It can be considered from the study that Microsoft effectively captured a market need for affordable computers and used a pricing strategy to set up their competitive advantage (Solomon 2008; Strategic marketing plan: Center for business planning, 2010; Wilson 2002; Wilson 2006). This has effectively achieved a sizeable market share that is currently standing at around 90% of all desktop operating system buyers. The probable recommendation based on the findings from this study would be, to advice Apple Incorporation to find ways of shipping Mac OS X or subsequent versions as independent products. This should go with a price revision and feature enhancement which is likely to positively contribute to Mac OS X market share. Therefore, as much as Mac OS X commands a nine times lead over Microsoft windows within the smart phone category, Apple Incorporation can effectively utilize this to their ad vantage if they re-introduce the Mac OS X as a separate product from their Mac computer. Reference List Apple Computer Inc., 1994. Inside macintosh (Apple Technical Library). 2nd ed. Muchen: Addison Wesley Publishing Company. Beall, A., 2010. Strategic Market Research: A Guide to Conducting Research that Drives Businesses. Bloomington: iUniverse Star. Blythe, J. and Megicks, P., 2010.Marketing Planning: Strategy, environment and context. 6th ed. London: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall. Blythe, J., 2008. Essentials of Marketing. 4th ed. London: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall. Bond, A., Stone, M. and Bryan. F., 2004. Consumer Insight: How to Use Data and Market Research to Get Closer to Your Customer (Market Research in Practice). London: Kogan Page. Bonoma, T., 1985. Case research in marketing: Opportunities, problems and a process. Journal of Marketing Research, 22(2), pp.199-208. Bradley, N., 2010. Marketing Research: tools and techniques. 2nd ed. Cambridge, Oxford: OUP Oxford. Cald er, B., 1977. Focus groups and the nature of qualitative marketing research. Journal of Marketing Research, 14(3), pp. 353-364. Capon , C., 2009. Understanding the business environment. 3rd ed. London: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall. Creswell, J., 2006. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Chan, K.W. and Mauborgne, R., 2004. Creating uncontested market space: Blue ocean strategy, [Online] Available at: valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_kim_blue_ocean_strategy.html . De Mooji, M.K., 2003. Consumer behavior and culture. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc. Deshpande, R., 1983. Paradigms lost: ON theory and methods in research marketing. Journal of Marketing Research, 47(4), pp.101-110. Doole, I., Lancaster, P. and Lowe, R., 2004. Understanding and managing customers. London: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall. Hague, P., Hague, N. and Morgan, C., 2004. Market Research in Practice. London: Kogan Page. Jobber , D., 2009. Principles and practice of marketing. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. LeVitus, B., 2011. Mac OS X Lion for dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)). Hoboken: For Dummies. Lu, C., 1992. Apple macintosh book. 4th ed. Redmond: Microsoft Press. McQuarrie, E., 1996. The market research toolbox: A concise guide for beginners. Thousand Oaks: Sage Inc. Orville, C.W. and Mullins, J.W., 2007. Marketing Strategy: A decision focused approach. 6th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Promotion: Integrated Marketing Communication, 2010. USC Marshall, [Online] Web. Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. 2008. The Business environment. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Patton, M., 2001. Qualitative research and evaluation methods. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Schieffer, R., 2005. Ten Key Customer Insights: Unlocking the Mind of the Market. Boston: South-Western Educational Pub. Silberschatz, A., Gagne, G. and Galvin, P., 2002. Operating system concepts (Windows XP Update). 6th ed. New York: Wiley. Solomon, M.R., 2008.The truth about what consumers want. Boston, MA: FT Press. Strategic marketing plan: Center for business planning, 2010. Business plans, [Online] Web. Wilson, A., 2006. Marketing research: An integrated approach. 2nd ed. London: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall. Wilson, A., 2002. Marketing research: An integrated approach. London: Financial Times Management. Zeithaml, V., 1998. Consumer perceptions of price, quality and value: A means end model and synthesis evidence. The Journal of Marketing, 52(3), pp. 2-22.

Loyalty Programmes in Hotels Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11750 words

Loyalty Programmes in Hotels - Dissertation Example As the essay stresses in a Loyalty Program, customers accumulate assets, points or rewards by accumulating their purchases from a focal firm which can be exchanged for goods or services, though not always associated with the firm. Usually this takes the form of points that can be exchanged for gifts, free product, or aspirational rewards such as air miles. According to the paper findings the objective of loyalty programme is not just to create satisfied customers, because satisfied customers may or may not be loyal. The purpose of loyalty programmes is in fact to build such relationships with customers (through constant interaction and communication) that they repeatedly opt for a specific product, despite available choices and even in the face of less expensive choices. Loyalty programs aim at building true loyalty (both attitudinal and behavioural ) . Loyalty Programs have three additional objectives. While there are several interpretations that exist on what customer loyalty means, for the purpose of this research it is assumed that loyalty is something that makes a customer purchase the same service/ product or brand more frequently and inhibits the customer from choosing other available options. Most firms design their loyalty programs by firstly conducting surveys, focus groups ,and researches to determine the core aspects requir ed in their loyalty programs in order to create a long lasting relationship with the customers. Last two to three years have seen the emergence of a lot of firms that take up the task of designing customized loyalty programs for other firms (Joshi, 2009).They also assist the other firms in finding the customer satisfaction levels with the current loyalty programs by means of

Gender and Work - Masculine or Feminine Work Essay

Gender and Work - Masculine or Feminine Work - Essay Example Any activity which led to the seeking of subsistence means was covered in the heading of â€Å"work† while all other activities of â€Å"reproduction† and assuring the sustenance of life cycle (nursing) were reduced to â€Å"limitation†. Unfortunately, the later was what women were supposed to do by default and therefore men took the charge of the more proactive role of sustenance of family like tracking and killing animals for food. This natural evolution of role created â€Å"myths of work† for men and women. The simple myth which evolved was that what men do is â€Å"work† while what women does back at home does not fall in the definitions of work or we can say that the distinction was laid down as masculine or feminine work. With the advancement on the course of history the women’s influence in different fields has changed and now women are also out in search of sustenance means for their family, thus blurring the primitive masculine and feminine myth of work. However, the age-old psyche was not that easy to overcome as the women came in the field with the â€Å"the same old myth† attached to her. Resultantly, either woman was given â€Å"inferior jobs† presupposing that the jobs pertaining to men could not be done by them befittingly. Although, the increase of women’s role in the domain of men â€Å"work† and success in that continued the attack on the masculine and feminine myth of work but initiated another dimension in it. More work, with an assumption that women are not able to go through such rigours of intensive work, entered the scene. This ability to work for long hours was equated with success and a general perception was created among people that working long hours is important for career advancement.  This development made both men and women so involved in their jobs and working places that they grade their workplace as â€Å"a place for (their) soul to recreate itself, a place for self-improvement, and a place for spiritual training . . . [the worker] looks for the reason of his being or identity in hard work’ (Schwenkter, 1995).  

Comm page 383 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comm page 383 - Essay Example no longer making profits; thus, they cannot sustain a massive workforce, and unfortunately, there seem to be no chance of the situation improving anytime soon, as the president of the company Bob Hastings, â€Å"I ain’t running a charity, and frankly I can’t say chances are good these folks are going to get their jobs back.† Looking for a good job is another work in itself. Besides many people lining up for an interview for that same job, the pay is peanuts. For example, the supermarket packing job that Schwartz went for an interview pays $8.5 while at his previous job he was paid $12.50. Moreover, despite having the required qualifications, the job seekers feel like they are begging to be employed rather than deserving to be employed. A Schwartz puts it, â€Å"I always feel like I am begging†¦..Asking for favors† . Nevertheless, he expresses hope that the economy might change soon, and the likes of him will be able to secure a job and take care of their

Recovery From Acute Stroke

Recovery From Acute Stroke This assignment will concentrate on how team of different health professionals will help Alfred (from the case study) on his journey of recovery from acute stroke. The following health professionals may be required to team up in order to help Alfred on his journey to recover: Physiotherapist( help tackle weakness or paralysis), Orthotist (help with muscle function by supporting limbs with braces), Occupation Therapist (help on day-to-day activities), Speech and language therapist (tackles the damage done to communication skills), Dietician (provide advice on eating a healthy diet), psychiatrist (help with emotional difficulties), optician (can recommend aids such eye patch), Social worker (to deal with his welfare and that of his mother), Radiographer (to deal with scans) and Doctor (refers Alfred to all other professionals and prescribe treatment) (Stroke Association, 2010). The team will try to lower and stabilise the condition, prevent from reoccurring and support Alfred to do things which he cannot do by himself. First, will highlights different s key skills needed by interprofessional, then will identify and talk about different factors that may influence care plan received by Alfred. Furthermore different organisational structures which will affect the care plan received by Alfred will be discussed. Also elaboration of different codes of conducts and how will help different professions to do their job effectively. Never the less there will be highlights of different legislations and will show how they deliver care plan for the service user. An interprofessional team is a type of multicultural environment, in which the unique cultures of professions, departments, agencies and disciplines come together for common purpose (Martin Rogers 2004). According to Wade et al., (1985), the health professional team is to help the patient to return to normal physical, social and emotional state whenever possible. Highlight key skills that you think your profession and other professions possess that positively assists Alfred on his journey towards recovery? Professional need to have shared skills based on common overview and clearer knowledge of different perspectives of patient and other professionals (Keene, 2001). There are many share skills in multidisciplinary team but today only few will explained. The team will need good communication to help Alfred to know his future health rehabilitation and personal centred care which will enable to empower and offer him a degree of his control regarding the care he receives from all professionals. It is also important for disciplinary groups to communicate within each other to ensure continuity of care and monitor Alfreds progress in all aspect of his life. In relation to communication, it is important that Alfred is regularly assessed to ensure that effective care plan is put in place. Along with care plan goals and measures are incorporated this is to offer motivation to Alfred and highlights any area of extra support which will be required. During the assessment progress problems will also be highlighted e.g. what type of Occupation Therapy equipment will be needed, checking if his medication working effectively, if he receives enough required support such as day centre access, benefits and diet requirements. Identify and discuss a number of different factors that may influence/impinge upon the care package received by Alfred, e.g. values, altitudes, beliefs and issues of equality and how these may affect your decision making. Concerns regarding Alfreds life style in terms of value, believes and altitude has to be considered within his care package due to the effects it has on his health. Patient must be treated with respect and should not be discriminated in anyway. Issues like smoking will be attempted to be addressed as advised will be offered along with counselling, to help Alfred reduce his smoking. Professions should help Alfred without influencing or discriminating against his smoking habit. Alfred care plan can also be affected due to stress regarding his mother hill health, therefore it will be considered to provide care to his mother. Alfred will also be encouraged to socialise with his old friend and restart activities such as dart as part of his rehabilitation. This will be decided due to his passion for dart and provide an incentive to stop smoking. Alfred care plan will also contain a strong routine; this decision was influenced with the fact that, Alfred lived a sedentary life style before his stroke. Identify and discuss how the different structures within organisations can affect the care received by Alfred? In order for Alfred to receive a positive experience of his care it is important that the care groups are governed by different structures. These structures can be more formal and legal by structure to that of informal and less professional approach of volunteers (Wade et al., 1985). E.g. volunteer groups are general selected on their basis of liability and interest, while groups like National Health Services (NHS) employ people based on qualification, knowledge and ability. Those who work in volunteered centre are usually provided with very basic training, whilst professional worker by law and regulations have to be training more intensively and adequately to provide service. Volunteer groups are very valuable to Alfred care as they can offer a more personal approach and helping to build a more friendly relationship which will help release stress and concerns to Alfred. Professional buddies are less likely to achieve due to restrictions with time and resources. Together all these organisations will help to provide Alfred with a more complete care package. Things that will affect Alfred recovery will be, not been able to communicate affectively, time management and poor attendance within organisation. How do the different codes of conduct support you and the wider team to deliver care and treatment to Alfred? Codes of conducts are very important principle of health care which provides good structure to all persons and organisations. They provide a core element on what should be covered and achieved when providing support. According to HPC (2008), all health professionals are under duty to put the patients first, this must be demonstrated by all team members when they work to fulfil the common goal which is to help Alfred on his journey to recover. Confidentiality should be maintained by keeping all Alfreds health-related records private and keep them in safe locked cupboard all the time. Alfred has the right to know his financial and medical information will be looked after and he will be informed if that privacy is breached. Multidisciplinary team members must respect Alfreds rights to refuse treatment or a treatment option, if he may wish to do so. E.g. Alfred may refuse the exercise routine which has been prescribed by his physician, if he thinks the routine is too much for him. Alfred must be treated with courtesy and respect regardless his belief, values and diversity. What examples of different legislation might you have to pay due regard to in the delivery of care of Alfred? The followings are few of legislations that will apply in Alfreds case; Health and Safety Act 1974, Equality Act 2010 and Data Protection Act 1998. For the team to perform Health and Safety Professionals must make sure that Alfreds is in safe environment all time by carrying out risk assessments, due to these assessments the team will identify what might cause harm to Alfred and all the key people around him. There must be a first Aid kit available in the premises, all professionals must put on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) whenever needed and report all incidents might occur. All professionals and other people who look after him must be trained to use particular equipments when performing a particular task (Health and Safety Act 1974). According to Equality Act 2010, all profession will need to treat Alfred without any judgement or any discrimination against any belief that he has. Team need to maintain democracy and peoples right in order to provide equal rights to Alfreds. Alfreds self esteem and confidence must be kept to the level and try not to make him feel isolated or psychological stressed. According to Data Protection Act, 1998, people must protect against misuse of information about them. Alfreds data should be kept safe and prevented from unauthorised access and against loss accident damage or total destruction. The Professional team must provide and maintain confidentiality in Alfreds data records all the time. Conclusion The multidisciplinary team collaborated effectively because they were all client orientated and passionate with what they were doing. They all cared about Alfreds needs. All multidisciplinary team members had different perspective and different opinions individually but they all had one aim, to help Alfred through his journey of recovering. They all had say and fair participation in Alfreds care, although all professionals came from different departments of health organisation, all of them had sharing skills which helped them to understand each other and focus on Alfreds needs. The multidisciplinary team provided quality care by followed all codes of conducts and put all required legislations in place for caring of Alfred. All multidisciplinary team members got strength and weakness in some area however they all looked after each other, from Consultants, Nurses, Occupation Therapies, Radiographers, Social workers and Health social cares. All managed to keep on focussing on helping Al fred, by preventing his condition to worsening, concentrated on caring for Alfreds health and social needs, stabilised and supported him to do things which he couldnt manage to do them by himself in the feature and finally to complete his journey for recovery.

Radicalism :: essays research papers

The world of American radicalism has changed greatly over the past century. Organizations ranging from the Ku Klux Klan, founded in 1866 to more recently organized groups like the Militia Movement, only about ten years old show the transitions in American radicalism, and the different states it has endured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is believed that the first incarnate of the racist right, as a political position started during the French Revolution with the myth of a Jewish conspiracy. Over many years this spread into the 20th century gaining popularity in the 1920’s. This was an added inspiration for the Ku Klux Klan, and added to their anti-black and anti-catholic agendas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ku Klux Klan was started by six young men who organized a fraternal club where they would wear costumes and ride around after dark. They soon realized they were instilling fear into the community, but predominantly in the areas where the former slaves were living. Seeing this effect they quickly gained members, and within a year they began to structure rules for their organization. Inciting terror was their first goal, but it didn’t take long for them to act out further by harassment, arson and even murder of not just Blacks, but also Northern teachers, judges, politicians, or anyone they felt went against their code.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From 1915 until 1924 the Ku Klux Klan enjoyed a huge growth in membership. At one point they claimed more then 100,000 members, and at one point 40,000 of them marched in Washington D.C. during a Democratic National Convention. The Klan was so influential that it actually attracted new allies and members from the political body, primarily in the Mid-West. As the Klan grew it became increasingly violent and uncontrollable. This went against the image they were trying to present of â€Å"Law and Order.† Shortly after, in 1929 the Ku Klux Klan dissolved into many dozens of smaller, local groups.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though currently suffering its greatest decline since the 1940s, with its three most prominent national units of the era: the United Clans of America, the Invisible Empire Knights of the KKK and the Knights of the KKK, either defunct or factionalized, America's oldest hate group, the codes of the Ku Klux Klan continues to operate on a local level, in some instances still engaging in illegal acts of violence and intimidation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan was formed in 1985 by Virgil Griffin and based in Mount Holly, North Carolina.

Essay on document entitled “Free Printing Being Abused” Essay

As can be gleaned from the article entitled â€Å"Free Printing being Abused† by Mark Burk, he is dismayed on how irresponsible most of the students are in their actions. Students must understand that free printing offered by the library is a privilege and not a right. It is an initiative of the academe to provide convenience to their students. It is a selfless concern of the school to its students. Burk pointed out the waste of resources particularly papers. As everyone knows, raw materials of a paper come from trees. In short it comes from nature. When one wastes a piece of paper, it is tantamount a small percentage of nature destruction. When all of paper waste as a result of irresponsible printing will be collectively accounted for, it might be tantamount to killing one big tree in the forest. Nature is there to provide our needs and let us not allow this purpose to be futile. It is not just a waste of resources as pointed out by Burk. It is also a waste of electricity and a waste of printer toner (ink). This irresponsible action of most students contributes to the overall expenses of the school. It is very painful to pay for services when you know that this is a result of immaturity and intentional unwanted actions. Burk has a point into making students pay for each paper they print. As he said, this is to minimize the abuse students are doing basically because it is heavy on the pocket to pay for something not valuable like paper wastes. Another point for making students pay is for the continuing maintenance of the printer. But on the other hand, making students pay for each page printed is rather a temporary and a weak solution to the problem. The root of the problem must be addressed and that root cause of the problem is moral values system of students. The school must always instill in their students the importance of conservation and the importance of responsibility for their actions. In this manner, the root cause of the problem is extinguished. Always remember not to waste any resources because in this day and age most of our resources are depleted and there will come a time that we will experience scarcity in resources such as papers and electricity and sad to say that they will longer be free by that time and you have to pay huge amount of money just to be able to obtain those resources.

Essay on Merger, Acquisition, and International StrategiesEssay Writing Service

Essay on Merger, Acquisition, and International StrategiesEssay Writing Service Essay on Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay on Merger, Acquisition, and International StrategiesAn important aspect of strategic management relates to business growth due to mergers and acquisitions. Both local and international expansion can be fueled by the use of mergers or acquisitions. Such strategic decisions should be backed up by the initial analysis of the companys positions and the attractiveness of the merger or acquisition.In this paper, two public companies will be considered, one of them should be operating internationally and have a history of mergers or acquisitions, and the other should be operating within the United States and have no previous history of mergers and acquisitions. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of both companies, to evaluate the strategy of international company that led to the merger or acquisition, to identify a possible candidate for merger or acquisition for the company that operates only within the U.S., to evaluate international business-level and corporate-le vel strategy of the international company and to suggest one international business-level and one international corporate-level strategy for the company operating within the United States. The considered industry is department stores and the chosen companies are Macys Inc. (the company operating internationally) and Kohls Corporation (the company operating in the United States).Overview of Chosen CompaniesThe company operating internationally is Macys Inc (NYSE:M) (Macys Inc., 2014). It is a large multinational holding which operates two chains of department stores Bloomingdales and Macys. The stores primarily sell clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, beauty products, houseware and furniture. Macys Inc. stores can be found in 45 states, in the District of Columbia, in Puerto Rico, Dubai and Guam (Macys Inc., 2014). Moreover, Macys Inc. sells its products online and therefore reaches out to the customers throughout the world. In 2013, Macys Inc. was rated the 16th retailer by reve nue in the United States (Macys Inc., 2014).Macys stores offer a variety of merchandise and is associated with popular culture while Bloomingdales stores are upscale and are intended for more affluent customers. The first store was opened in 1858 and there were primarily dry goods offered in that store (Macys Inc., 2014). Later on, the store started producing clothing made to the customer measurements. The company expanded using mergers and acquisitions, the most notable of which were the merger with Federated Department Stores in 1994 and the acquisition of the May Department Stores in 2005 (Macys Inc., 2014). Macys Inc. shares are performing slightly better than the department stores industry in general (Yahoo Finance, 2014b).Kohls Corporation (NYSE:KSS) also operates in the department stores industry and runs a chain of retail stores named Kohls. These stores largely sell clothing, jewelry, footwear, electronics, houseware, beauty products, bedding and furniture. The company oper ates in the United States and its stores are present in 49 states (Kohls, 2014). The first Kohls supermarket was built in 1946 (Kohls, 2014). The positioning of the store was between discount stores and upscale department stores. The company grew primarily due to opening new retail stores, and although there was one major acquisition of BATUS Inc. stores in 1986, it was before the company went public in 1992 (Kohls, 2014). In general, Kohls shares are performing well and are in line with the overall industry trend, demonstrating slight growth (Yahoo Finance, 2014a).Analysis of Macys Inc. Strategy Prior to AcquisitionThe acquisition that had the most notable impact on the recent development of Macys Inc. was the acquisition of May Department Stores in 2005. Before the acquisition, Macys Inc. entered a period of diversification and brand reinforcement:. The first two stores of Bloomingdales were opened in 2003 in Atlanta, targeting more affluent and demanding customers. Furthermore, M acys integrated the stores existing in different states and re-branded them the nameplates for different regional Macys stores were changed to include Macys brand name. Macys Home Store division was created in 2004 (Macys Inc., 2014). In addition, the company launched a new program of customer loyalty in 2005 and offered new credit cards for its customers (Macys Inc., 2014).The actions of Macys Inc. during the 2003-2005 time span show that the company managed to arrange its organizational structure in order to improve efficiency, enhanced the brand by including the word Macys into all store names, added a division for diversifying the existing brand (Macys Home Store), created a new brand and a chain of stores for affluent customers.Such strategic decisions indicate that Macys Inc. was in the state of active expansion both in horizontal direction (opening new stores) and in vertical direction (optimizing organizational structure, cutting costs, diversifying products and strengtheni ng the brands).The May Department Stores company had about 500 department stores and 800 stores of formal and bridal wear in the United States and overseas. The stores were selling the same range of items as Macys. The acquisition was strategically efficient for Macys Inc., since the company improved its structure and branding and sought to expand its network in the United States and abroad. The acquisition of the May Department Stores was a very wise choice because it allowed Macys Inc. to gain market leadership in the department stores industry and to make its stores available across the United States. The acquisition helped Macys Inc. turn from a middle-scale player into one of the leaders of the department store industry.Probable Candidate for Kohls to AcquireKohls Corporation operates a large network of department stores and has many loyal customers. The company focuses on selling great brands and offers shopping convenience, value and excellent customer service (Kohls, 2014). However, the revenues of Kohls are dropping: they declined by 10% in 2013 and the forecast for 2014 is a decline of earnings by 15% (Kohls, 2014). The decline in sales is taking place due to the changing competitive environment customers prefer to shop online and there are many online retailers offering a wide range of products. Currently Kohls is working to create an own ecommerce solution, but it might be difficult to compensate the decline in sales by relying solely on a e-commerce solution.A viable opportunity for Kohls is to acquire its former competitor, J.C. Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP). This company also operates in the department stores industry and sells various clothing brands. JCP used to be very successful in 2008-2009: it combined online sales with catalog sales (Yahoo Finance, 2014c). However, a series of inefficient strategic steps such as the decision to change the approach to pricing, the conflict with Google regarding search results, late exit from catalog busin ess etc. significantly damaged market position of the company (Yahoo Finance, 2014c). Stock prices of JCP are rather low at the moment. However, the company still has a large network of stores and it might be a very valuable acquisition for Kohls. Furthermore, JCP already has a working solution for ecommerce which Kohls can re-use. Therefore, it might be very beneficial for Kohls to acquire JCP. This acquisition will both help Kohls expand its network of stores across the United States and will open more opportunities for selling the products abroad.International Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies of Macys Inc.A business-level strategy can be defined as the set of coordinated and integrated commitments and actions which the company uses to achieve a competitive advantage by using its key competencies in specific markets (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014). For large markets, key types of business-level strategies are cost leadership and differentiation, for narrow markets th e strategies are focused cost leadership and differentiation (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014). There is also a mixed strategy which is referred to as integrated cost leadership / differentiation (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014).Macys Inc. collaborates with different brands and provides valuable offers to its customers in the United States and worldwide. The company targets a wide range of customers and therefore its business-level choices are either cost leadership or differentiation. Initially, Macys Inc. tended to rely on differentiation and gained customer attention due to wide range of brands available in the stores. However, since 2010 Macys also introduced cost cutting and cost optimization strategies which helped the company to remain profitable even in the context of intensive competition with other retailers selling their products online (Macys Inc., 2014). Therefore, currently Macys Inc. uses an integrated differentiation / cost leadership business-level strategy at the in ternational level.A corporate level strategy describes the set of actions that a company undertakes to achieve a competitive advantage by selecting and managing several businesses related to different product markets. Depending on the level of corporate relatedness (the similarity of products) and on the level of operational relatedness (the similarity of activities) a company can choose either unrelated or related linked diversification (in the case of low operational relatedness), related constrained diversification or both operational and corporate relatedness (in the case of high operational relatedness) (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014).In the case of Macys Inc., its brands have notable similarity in the range of products offered (though differing in product quality and price) and the activities needed for selling different brands across the U.S. and online are similar. The levels of both corporate relatedness and operational relatedness are high and Macys Inc. is able to use a corporate-level strategy which utilizes the advantages of both types of relatedness. Due to the presence of corporate relatedness, Macys Inc. can transfer its core competencies such as unique brand collections and excellent customer service to the international level, and using operational relatedness, Macys Inc. can use economies of scope and optimize its costs.Possible strategic improvements for Macys Inc. include increasing the use of the economies of scale, establishing agreements with international transportation companies in order to boost online sales, offering virtual fitting-room and additional mobile services to attract customers. Macys should use non-traditional methods of attracting online customers in order to remain competitive.Suggested International Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies of KohlsThe acquisition of JCP which was recommended in the previous sections for Kohls would create opportunities for going international. Kohls addresses a wide range of cus tomers and positions itself as a store chain with unique brands and labels offered for moderate price. Therefore, it is best for Kohls Corporation to choose an integrated differentiation / cost leadership strategy for international expansion. It is recommended to sell items online and to offer private brands and rare brands. Furthermore, Kohls can stand out among other online retailers due to exceptional customer service and convenient interface for purchasing products.Regarding corporate-level strategy, Kohls choice should be the simultaneous corporate relatedness and operational relatedness strategy. Indeed, Kohls should utilize economies of scale in order to cut costs and offer competitive prices; at the same time, Kohls should offer a unique assortment of goods in order to gain customer attention. It is best for Kohls to enter the Canadian market first of all, and then, after achieving success in online sales, to offer its products in Europe, Australia and South America. The rec ommended acquisition will enhance both corporate and operational relatedness and will help to improve market position of Kohls Corporation.

How to Create The Go-To Content Hub In Your Niche [PODCAST]

How to Create The Go-To Content Hub In Your Niche [PODCAST] Do you want to be known as the one-stop resource for just about everything pertaining to your niche? If you have a content hub, you can be just that. Today we are talking to Krista Wiltbank, the head of social media and the blog at GetResponse, an all-in-one online marketing platform. She has launched a content hub centered on marketing automation. She’s going to talk to us about what a hub is and how it differs from a blog, how to launch your own content hub, and how to maintain the hub once it’s launched. You’re not going to want to miss this episode! Information about GetResponse and what Krista does there. What a content hub is and an example of one that many listeners will recognize. Why a content hub is important and what type of information it includes. Factors that make a content hub launch a success. The process that Krista used to determine what needed to be included on the GetResponse content hub. A step-by-step approach to adding pieces of content to the hub, where to put it, and how to stay organized. How helps Krista and her team promote their content on social media. Tips for promoting webinars and other events. Thoughts on promoting infographics and how to optimize infographics for different platforms. How Krista leverages influencers and cultivates relationships that aid in content creation. The goals behind creating a content hub and the achievements that GetResponse has reached. Krista’s best advice for getting a content hub started. Links: Krista Wiltbank GetResponse Marketing Hub If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Krista: â€Å"A content hub is important because you are helping to broaden the educational aspect of that topic and bring in more content about the topic for general education purposes.† â€Å"We really wanted to bring all sorts of thought leadership behind marketing automation together under our roof.† â€Å"Plan a lot. Planning will take a very, very long time. Expect that from the beginning.†

The Life of the Prophet Joshua Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Life of the Prophet Joshua - Research Paper Example Prophet Joshua, who is the central character in the book of Joshua, is postulated by the Hebrew Bible as one of the courageous spies for Israelites. Joshua is also presented within the passages in the Hebrew Bible as Moses’ assistant (Heschel and Morris 103). The name Joshua was ascribed by Moses who preferred to call him Yehoshua, which is translated to Joshua. Joshua was born before the Israelites left Egypt during the exodus. The close association that is drawn between Joshua and Caleb reflects that these two were age mates. This paper gives a critical analysis and presentation of the life of the prophet Joshua, including exactly when he was born, the history of his family, the events which led to his becoming Moses’ assistant, and how he came to be one of the personalities in the Bible. Additionally, the discussion of Joshua’s life will include the book of Joshua and how it presents this prophet, the happenings prior to and after his death and the implication s of his life. When was Joshua Born? The date when Joshua was born is estimated in relation to the life of Moses, who was the central character of the Israelite leadership before Joshua appeared. The death of Moses is estimated to have happened when the 40 years period of wandering in the desert cane to an end. This was about the year 1405 BC. In this sense, the date when Moses was born is in or around the year 1525 BC (Krajewski and Adam 204). It is at the end of the 40 year period in the wilderness that Moses transferred the leadership of the Israel people to Joshua. In the Book of Deuteronomy 31: 1-2, Moses is depicted speaking to the Israelites saying that he was at that time a hundred and twenty years of age. Moses had become frail at this age and he had been told by God that he would not be among those who would go over Jordan. In Deuteronomy 31:7, Moses’ favor for Joshua as the next leader of the Israelites is depicted. Moses points out in front of the Israelites that Joshua will go with the people of God to the Promised Land and cause them to inherit it (Creach 35). It is at this point that Moses endorsed Joshua as the next leader of the Israelites. The death of Moses is presented in the book of Deuteronomy 34: 7-9, after which he was mourned by his people for a period of thirty days. The son of Nun (Joshua) is depicted as a person who is full of wisdom and as endorsed by Moses through the command of God. These events can be used to have an accurate calculation of the time when Joshua the prophet was born. The age of Joshua can be worked backwards from the book of Joshua 24: 29, which depicts his death. Since Joshua died at the age of 110, it is postulated that he was 90 when his leadership changed. In this sense, the date of his birth is estimated to be around the year 1495 BC (Miller 170). Happenings before the Death of Moses Moses sent Joshua and Caleb to Canaan as spies while the Israelites were still in Egypt. With Joshua and Caleb were oth er ten men who were entrusted by Moses and sent to the land of the Canaanites. Their role was to gather as much information as possible about this land, which God had promised to the Israelites (Mills 128). The significance of Joshua and Caleb is depicted in relation to the fact that these two spies were the only ones who came up with reports about the land of Canaan which were encouraging to the Israelites. Joshua and Caleb are presented in the readings as faithful men among the Israelites. It is because of their faith that they are said to be the first of the Israelite people to enter Canaan, the Promised Land (Heschel and Morris 115). It is notable that earlier on, God did not

Business Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Case Study - Essay Example The paper discusses the history of the Airline, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), discusses an appropriate strategy that can be adopted by the airline to achieve growth. Southwest (2009) Southwest airline was formed in 1971 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King, their main aim was to offer freights to customers at the lowest price possible and also make sure consumers arrived at their destinations on time. The company has expanded over the years and today the airline offers services to over seventy million consumers in a year. (Southwest (2009)) In 1979 the company introduced a self service ticket booking machine, this increased convenience to consumers. However in this year the airline could only offer services to 3 states, in 1983 the airline expanded and increased its destinations to over 34 cities. After the September 11 attack the airline still recorded a profit but its revenue declined by60%, in the following year the number of destinations increased to 58 cities. In 2004 the company was ranked as the fourth largest carrier given that the number of consumers per years had increased and the company had made profits for over 30 year in a row. (Southwest (2009)) Today the airline is still one of the best performing countries and its strategy has helped the company to achieve high growth and make profits over the years, the number of destinations have increased and due ... However a major problem is that other airlines have adopted the company's strategies and this has reduced its competitive position in the airline industry. (Southwest (2009)) B. SWOT analysis: This section discusses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Southwest airlines: Strengths: There are a number of internal strengths of the company, these strengths include: 1. Low fare prices: The company offers low fare prices, the low fare prices results into increased ticket demand; increased usage helps the company to realize economies of scale and therefore achieves high profits. 2. Online booking: The company has an advantage in that over 50% of booking are made online, it online booking services helps promote convenience to the customers. 3. unionized workers and flexible working hours: One in four employees of the company is a union member. However the company is still able to negotiate flexible working hours despite many employees being members of a union. (Robinson (2002)) Weaknesses: The company has a number of weaknesses and they include: 1. International freights: The company only offers services to a limited number of destinations, the company offers services to58 destinations only, it offers short distance freights and does not offer international freights that would help the company increase number of freights and revenue. (Robinson (2002)) 2. Boeing 737: The company only uses one product which is Boeing 7373 and this may be considered a major drawback to the company given that its reputation could be highly affected if the safety of such aircrafts is compromised. 3. Unionized workers: A large number of the company's employees are unionized, this affects the company given that negotiation regarding wages and working hours are done by a