Purpose of the Qatar 2022 Campaign

The campaign for the 2022 world cup bid by Qatar was a substantial step in the football field. World cup events have not been a Middle East affair and the Qatar 2022 campaign aimed at ending this culture. In the past times, the western countries have always shown interest in hosting football world cups leaving out most of the regions in the world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Purpose of the Qatar 2022 Campaign specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The western countries had the financial capability to host the event, and this was not easy for other regions to attain. In addition, the other regions or nations could not guarantee security for the event especially for the Arab countries. For this reason, Qatar forwarded its bid for the task followed by a crucial campaign that saw them get the opportunity to be world cup hosts. The campaign focused on showing the ability of Arab countries to host the event that has always been for the western countries. The campaign was under the leadership of a committee headed by the son of the current Emir of Qatar- Mohammed bin Hamad. Launch of the Campaign and Participants The committee launched the campaign in November 2009 that was to take place across the country. The campaign was to last till December 2010 when the appointment for the 2022 world cup host was to be announced. The campaign was to take place through different mediums, which included billboards, television adverts, and even radio. The advertisements were to be through out the country together with other Arab countries. Advertising in other Arab countries would help Qatar gain support from the nations. The objective of the world cup bid was to show the capability of Arab countries to host the football event that will reduce the gap between the two regions-Western and Arab. The main content on the advertisements of Qatar 2022 campaign bid was to show the countries resources and materia ls that would enable the country to host the event. Showing the country’s football stadiums and other infrastructure will convince the voters of the country’s capacity. Other advertisements had the Arab people expressing their joy and optimism of their region hosting the event. This would also be a plus in Qatar getting the vote for 2022 world cup hosts. Final Bid Ceremony Her Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin khalifa Al-Thani was in attendance, in the final bid ceremony that would see Qatar manage to be the 2022 world cup hosts. Besides attending the final ceremony, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah took part in the presentation by addressing the members of the FIFA Executive Committee.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In her speech, HH Sheikha explored the subject of the Middle East hosting the world cup tournament emphasizing that it was the appropriate momen t for the move. Hosting the world cup event in Middle East would change the image of the region such as addressing humanitarian aspects. Other people in attendance in the final bid ceremony included the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee chair and CEO HE Sheikh Mohammed and Hassan Abduallah respectively. Renowned coach Milutinovic Bora addressed the people present together with an Iraqi student Mohammed Nofal. In his speech, the student expressed his optimism on the positive impacts of football sport in the Middle East region. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister Sheikh attended in the final bid ceremony. The ceremony was held at Zurich Exhibition Centre with almost seventy television stations airing the proceedings. The news, during the final bid ceremony, included the bidders’ final presentations to the announcements of the winners. The media also aired the post-announcement press conference that analyzed the outcomes. Bidders for the 2022 FIFA World cup included Australia, Ja pan, Korea Republic, the USA, and Qatar. The ceremony ended with FIFA boss Sepp Blatter announcing Qatar as the winners for the 2022 world cup bid. Traditional Rhetorical Criticism Perspective The above analysis in regards to Qatar’s 2022 world cup bid is intriguing as it enables people to understand the impact of several matters. The campaign for the 2022 bid was a massive one with several stakeholders and countries taking part to ensure that Qatar clinched the position. The major factors behind the success of the bid included an intensive campaign and several speeches by renowned people in the Middle East region. The interesting part of this analysis is the process by which Qatar managed to emerge successful in their 2022 bid for the tournament. The bidding process included other powerful western countries, but, through the intensive campaigns and support from other Middle East countries, the nation won the bid. The best explanation for the above analysis is traditional rhe torical criticism perspective.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Purpose of the Qatar 2022 Campaign specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rhetorical perspective comprises of ethos, pathos and logos. Having identified that one of the success factors for the bid win is the speeches by several influential people in the Middle East. In turn, it is indispensable to understand that these people used the three pillars that are essential in public speaking. Ethos, pathos, and logos form the basis of every eloquent speaker (Human Rights Watch, 2012). Ethos focuses on the credibility or personality of the speaker while logos refers to the logical argument presented by the speaker. On the other hand, pathos is the emotional connection the speaker has with the audience. Put together the three pillars form persuasive appeals, which a speaker requires while making their speeches and presentations (Thyssen, 2011). Before a s peaker can influence an audience in to accepting any information presented by the speaker, it is essential that he or she proves to be acceptable. On this note, Qatar 2022 bid committee chose the most credible in the region to present their ideas on the bid. Having credible people in the region supporting the Qatar 2022 bid was a plus to the whole event. For instance, Her Highness Mozah Sheikha presented a speech that moved the audience. Sheikha is a smart woman with a congenial personality and she expressed this in her speech at the bid presentation. Sheikha’s credibility was through her vast knowledge of the World Cup games that she applied in the speech to convince the FIFA committee to choose the Middle East nation as the host for the event. It is noteworthy as a speaker that the audience respects, believes, and acknowledges the information presented. The chairman of the 2022 Qatar bid campaign also presented a speech during the presentation ceremony. Sheikh Mohammed†™s speech was extremely vast as he tried to capture the interests of the entire Middle East region. Sheikh exhibited the ethos aspect by speaking about football passion amongst the Arab communities stating the significance of Qatar hosting the event. To support the Qatar choice as the host for the tournament, Sheikh cited once case where the country took less than twenty days to organize the junior World cup in 1995.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, pathos handles the aspects of credible arrangement by the speaker that appeals to the audience’s feelings. Emotional connection in communication comes about in various ways including telling of stories and presentation of facts about the subject. The speaker needs to make use of words that evoke feelings from the audience (Kuypers, 2009). Citing Her Highness Sheikha Mozah speech, she gave vast information on the previous world cups that the entire audience moved. Since this was a football bid ceremony, the speakers at the ceremony provided information regarding the sport that showed their interest in the sport. Sheikh Mohammed presented information about Qatar giving credible support to the bid. Past activities the country took in relation to the sport were convincing enough to show that Qatar had the capacity to host the tournament. Finally, a logos focuses on the speaker’s ability to present the audience with a logical argument concerning the subje ct. The message of the speaker should be rational basing on different notable facts, evidence and statistics. The speeches of the different speakers at the event had information on Qatar and the world cup event that was convincing enough. Among the stated facts about Qatar included stadiums and available accommodation for people attending the event (Drout, 2006). The CEO of the Qatar 2022 bid campaign Hassan Al-Thawadi presented this information supporting each statement with recent statistics and financial support. On security issues, the speakers promised the best possible security for everyone in the country before and after the event. Another notable disturbing issue is that of climate as they anticipated hot temperatures, which would be unfavorable for the event. The campaign team presented information on the crucial steps the country will take to ensure favorable weather and climate for everyone in the stadium. From the above analysis of the concepts of traditional perspective , it is almost certain that communication calls for the tree pillars to convince the audience. Employing the three concepts of logos, ethos, and pathos leads to effective communication, hence, yielding positive results. A speaker can back various facts using pictures and visual advertisements that can be instrumental in moving the audience. The use of different speakers will also make communication effective and relevant. The different speakers should present different, convincing information, and avoid repetition. Several insights develop from the concepts of traditional rhetorical perspective that connects with communication. For instance, the expansion of a speech is a result of the concepts of the perspective (Kuypers, 2009). References Drout, M. D. (2006). A way with words writing, rhetoric, and the art of persuasion. Prince Frederick, Md.: Recorded Books. Hesford, W. S., Brueggemann, B. J. (2007). Rhetorical visions: reading and writing in  a visual culture. Upper Saddle Ri ver, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Human Rights Watch. (2012). World Report 2012: Events of 2011. New York: Seven Stories Press. Kuypers, J. A. (2009). Rhetorical criticism: perspectives in action. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Thyssen, O. (2011). Aesthetic communication. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. This research paper on Purpose of the Qatar 2022 Campaign was written and submitted by user Giovanni Dalton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Gay Marriages Essays - Same-sex Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, LGBT

Gay Marriages Essays - Same-sex Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, LGBT Gay Marriages For as long as the institution of marriage has been around, so too has the belief that it represents the union of one man and one woman. Now gay men and lesbians are challenging that institution. They believe that their relationships mean the same in their sphere as heterosexual marriages do in our sphere. Homosexuals would like to see their marriages legalized. In 1991 three gay couples filed a lawsuit, in Hawaii, for denying them marriage licenses. They claim that the refusal amounts to gender discrimination, which violates the Equal Rights Amendment. Judge Kevin Chang ruled, in 1996, that same-sex couples have the right to legally marry. This ruling makes Hawaii the first state to recognize that gay and lesbian couples are entitled, by law, to the same privileges as heterosexual married couples (CNN). Under the Full Faith and Credit clause of the Constitution, this also forces all states to recognize these marriages as far as federal benefits are concerned. Congress has approved a bill, the Defense of Marriage Act, that will allow states to decide whether to recognize homosexual marriages. The second part of the bill would define "for federal purposes" as the union of a man and a woman. Under such a definition gay and lesbians, even if they win the right to marry in Hawaii or elsewhere, would not be able to file joint federal tax returns, claim federal pension, or survivor's benefits, or be allowed to file for green card status (Gallagher 21). I don't feel that marriages between gays or lesbians should be given the same status as heterosexual marriages. Since when do gay people think they can broaden the institution of marriage to include themselves? They shouldn't be able to. The institution of marriage is recognized by the church, homosexuality isn't. I don't feel that gay people have given a reason that carries enough weight for the government to legalize same-sex marriage. Should gay people fight for the right to marry? Gay rights activists say absolutely. Gay couples should be afforded the same benefits as heterosexual couples. The legal status of marriage rewards the two individuals with substantial economic and practical advantages. Married couples can file joint tax returns. Social security provides benefits for surviving spouses and their dependents. They can inherit money and property from one another without a will. They are immune from testifying against a spouse, and marriage to an American citizen gives a foreigner the right to residency in the United States. Another advantage would be health insurance provided by employers. These benefits usually include the employee and their spouse. Employers generally will not include a partner who is not married to an employee, whether of the same sex or not. Very few insurance companies will extend benefits to domestic partners' who are not married (OUT/LOOK 234-235). Gay marriages are highly emotional topics in the 90s. Many people feel that gay marriages would show heterosexual people how much two people can love each other even if they are of the same sex. Homosexual relationships are more than just sex with someone of the same gender. Homosexual relationships include feelings and being able to share those feelings with the person you love. "People have become used to the idea of defining gay people solely in terms of sexual acts," says Gregory Herek, a research psychologist at the University of California, Davis. I think many heterosexuals get very nervous when they have to think of gay people in terms of relationships, because it challenges the way they have always thought about gay people. I find it interesting that the same people who condemn homosexuality as being a promiscuous lifestyle also say they're against gay marriage because they wouldn't want to recognize stable gay relationships, says Herek (Gallagher 24). Rep. Barney Frank asks, "How can you argue that a man and woman in love are somehow threatened because two women down the street are also in love?" Later, he put the question in more personal terms. Frank said he respects the marriages of fellow committee members but added, "I don't understand for a minute how I demean them by living with a man" (U.S. House). Most people, when asked the question "What is your opinion of gay relationships?", their first response encompasses sex, promiscuity and AIDS. When asked about heterosexual relationships they generally answer with love, companionship, and families. If same-sex marriage is made legal, the next generation won't think of it as taboo.

Lumbini Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lumbini - Essay Example It was in the month of May, 642 BC when Maya Devi on her way to Devadaha , her parents home gave birth to Lord Buddha while resting under a sal tree . The nativity scene of Lord Buddha was built by the Malla kings during their rule which lasted from the 11th to the 15th century in the Karnali zone of Nepal . This wonderful work of sculpture which was initiated by the kings of the Naga Dynasty is worshipped not only by the Buddhists but by the Hindus as well. When Lumbini was visited by Ashoka, the Emperor, in 249 BC, it was a prosperous village. The stone pillar with a horse on its top and the four stupas which we come across on our visit to Lumbini was built by him during this period . From the inscription on the Stone Pillar we can also derive the information that it was during this visit that taxes were reduced on the village and it was subjected to only eight parts. (Insoll, 66) However despite being one of the stalwarts in Indian History, Lumbini was subjected to negligence for several centuries till the time a famous German archeologist while traveling around the foothills of the Churiya range discovered the great pillar in the year 1895 . His name was Feuhrer. At a later stage the existence of a Brick temple and a sculpture of sandstone carrying images of Buddha’s birth was found. After further exploration it was found that the temple of Maya Devi was possibly built on one of the Ashokan stupa itself . On the south of this temple is a bathing pool named Puskarni which is considered to be sacred and the pages of history reveal that in this pool Maya Devi took a bath before giving birth

Everett Rogers model Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Everett Rogers model - Article Example Rogers states that a successful behavior trait taking hold for successful companies is to develop business models to assess a strategy. These models provide change models expanding on issues such as "what", that provide a picture of the company now of analysis; and "which", that suggest alternative action paths for the company to take. Both of these models provide information to build a more complete picture of events within the business and options for future development. Managers should make use of these models and many don't. Those that do are more likely to be successful and have the ability to minimize risk of failure. Rogers also states that business managers who do are far more likely to survive. For planners and non-planners there is not a single universal technique that can be applied in all situations. Use of strategic planning models can be a very important behavior trait for successful companies. Companies that do not use strategic planning models usually don't because the model does not offer what the customer wants. It may be inadequate because of its analysis of the relationship between company resources and markets. These result in advice about overall investment decisions rather than about the specifics of how to manage the alternatives in the market/business relationship can be shortsighted, since there are always alternatives in order to gain the maximum competitive advantage. Since change is so an important aspect of business continuity, many models don't necessarily provide assiduous suggestions for what type of change should be considered."An example of modeling one such model in use by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) subdivides their profit centers into four main subdivisions. This breakdown does help in planning for strategic investment matters but it does not assist the planner in identifying a single product development proposal to investigate further from a number of alternatives. The matrix system comprises the following: 1) Stars, which are products generally with negative cash flow 2) Question marks, which are products with generally negative cash flows but with low relative market share in growing markets 3) Dogs, which are products unlikely to be generating substantial positive cash flows due to the fact that they are in slowly growing markets with low relative market shares 4) Cash cows, that are products that generating cash which have high relative market shares and are established in slowly growing markets." (Boston Consulting Group). BCG model like the previous statement in the above paragraph does not define the product enough and does not crea te opportunities to explore alternatives in which to improve profitability or market share.As The Boston Consulting Firm notes, "the growth concept is divided into five separate levels one being dominant, strong, favorable, tenable and weak and relates this to the stages of market development. The stages are embryonic, growing, mature, and aging, which produce a series of strategic guidelines for company development. The market growth concept provides valuable guidance about broad policies, replacing the concept of market attractiveness in the GE matrix with stages of market growth. A PLC (product life cycle) are frameworks for planning. It suggests that specific changes in product policy should

Cyclical, Frictional and Structural Unemployment Statistics Project

Cyclical, Frictional and Structural Unemployment - Statistics Project Example Fifty percent, 10 percent, 30 percent and 10 percent of the total U.S unemployment accounts for unemployed persons due to layoff, those who have already quit their previous jobs, those reentering the labor force and new entrants to the labor force respectively. According to the Bureau of labor statistics, the number of unemployed persons in the U.S stood at 11.7 million while the unemployment rate stood at 7.6 percent in March 2013. This was a decrease from 7.7 percent in the previous month. In March 2013, the unemployment rate for adult males was 6.9 percent, adult females 7.0 percent and youths 24.2 percent. Categorized according to race, the unemployment rate for whites was 6.7 percent, blacks 13.3 percent, Hispanics 9.2 percent and Asians 5.0 percent.   In the same month, the number of persons unemployed for 27 or more weeks, stood at 4.6 million accounting for 39.6 percent of the unemployed. The labor force participation rate reduced by 0.2 percent while the civilian labor for ce reduced by 496,000. The involuntary part-time workers dropped by 350,000 to 7.6 million in March. They are regarded as involuntary part-time workers because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. In the same month, employment in the retail sector declined by 24,000 while employment in the health sector, professional and business services increased by 23,000 and 51,000 jobs respectively.The construction industry added 169,000 jobs. Job decline in clothing and accessories stores stood at 15,000, building material and garden supply stores at 10,000 and electronics and appliance stores 6,000. Some sectors in the government such as Postal Service employment fell by 12,000. Compared to previous months, major industries such as mining, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, state government, and local government recorded dismal changes in employment. Since 1948, to 2013, the average u nemployment rate has been 5.81 percent. The highest unemployment rate was in 1982 hitting a high of 10.8 and the lowest ever was in 1953 hitting a low of 2.50 percent. Unemployment is defined as the fraction of the total people looking for a job to the total labor force. Since the great depression, the U.S has recorded the highest stretch of the  unemployment rate of above 8 percent. The congressional budget office projects that the unemployment rate will remain above 8 percent until 2014.

Front Office Department Yield Management

Front Office Department Yield Management Chapter 1 Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview of the Front Office department and the yield management. The term Front Office was introduced in the US, but now used in worldwide. Front Office is divided into sub-departments namely reception, concierge, switchboard, bellboys, reservations and guest relations. Nevertheless, as hotels vary in size and type, some of these sub-departments may not be present. Despite the size or the type of the establishment, the department is in many ways the nerves of the hotel. One reason for this is that the sale of rooms generates more than 50 per cent of revenue and profit of a hotel, thus it is compulsory that Front Office department maximize its sales. For instance it might be through the switchboard, in the process of making reservation over the telephone, by entering the hotel to check-in or to make an inquiry. It clearly depicts that Front Office is a strong marketing tool that generates business for a hotel through guests registration. It i s the center for guest activity. Front Office is in fact a hotel department where guests check-in, request information about services that the hotel provides and at the end of their stay they settle their bills and check-out. The Front Office as well generates profit or revenue indirectly, for other departments such as restaurant bookings and up-selling of the hotel in general. Normally, up-selling is done by the team members to increase profit by offering other services to the guests. When guests inquire about those services then it is an opportunity for the staffs to persuade them to purchase these facilities. It is important that the department sets goals and objectives to be able to manage and control yield management so as to maximize sales revenue. The Front Office should however have its own mission statement for a successful management system. Aim: Planning and evaluating Front Office yield management for a better revenue management and for the success of the department Objectives: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Proposing a solution for an effective communication and how to eliminate all barriers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Understanding the purpose of yield management and how to plan, manage and organize in the Front Office department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Investigating the link between Front Office Operations and yield management: how it contributes in the department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Implementing yield management in Front Office department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Making Front Office department successful in controlling and calculating revenue obtaining from up-selling Problem Statement: There is an increase in communication barriers interdepartmentally concerning sales revenue. Messages are not passed accordingly to right person, to the right place and at the right time. It is noticed that employees are not convince to do up-selling owing to lack of training facilities and procedures. Thus, expectations are not met which results to a low revenue. The fact that there is misunderstanding, conflicts may arise among staffs and supervisors to make decision on how to increase sales. The time scale does not allow the employees to properly plan, organise and implement their task if managers do not set objectives and guidelines. Finally, owing to a miscalculation or a decrease in revenue and sales, it minimizes the profits. In general, team members do not take their planning of task into consideration thus result to ineffective, inefficiently and less productive. Updated information is not usually circulated. Thus, outdated data is given to guests concerning the selling price of the products and services at the hotel. If there has been carelessness, guests get compensation, for instance a dinner free of charge on the beach. In somehow, reducing the revenue and sales. Chapter 2 Front Office department Front Office department is one of the departments within the rooms division. It is the heart center of the hotel and is the most revenue generating. Front Office is a noticeable department in a hotel with the greatest amount of guest contact and highly people orientated. It is designed as the first lasting impression. The front office functions can be divided into six general areas: 1. Reception 2. Guest Relations 3. Bell service 4. Mail and information / Reservation 5. Concierge 6. Cashiers and night auditors Front Office Structure A hotels size and objectives determine the organizational structure of the Front Office. (Abbott,P. and Lewry, S. 1993) A table of Front Office structures is shown below. [Drawing]Front Office Manager [Drawing] Assistant Front Office Manager [Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Text Wrapping Break] [Text Box][Text Box] [Drawing]Reservation Manager [Drawing][Text Box] [Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing] [Text Box][Text Box][Text Box][Text Box][Text Box] [Drawing] [Text Box] Planning and evaluating operations There are seven management functions that have to be considered when planning and evaluating operations. These points are as follows: 1.Planning 2.Organising 3.Coordinating 4.Staffing 5.Leading 6.Controlling 7.Evaluating Planning Planning is an essential function in the success of different office operations. It is a procedure of setting objectives, developing plans and outlining tasks and schedules to accomplish the goals targeted. An effective strategic planning is done for the contribution of a successful operation and to maintain higher or constant revenue in the Front Office operation. At the stage of planning, the Front Office manager determines the departments goals and objectives. Therefore, the Front Office manager uses these goals as a guide for planning most specific and measurable objectives. Finally, through these goals, the front office manager determines the strategies and procedures to reach these objectives. These aims will thus discuss to the Front Office staffs so as to plan and organise their task efficiently for the success of the department. Organising After setting the objectives, the Front Office manager organised the work to be done through dividing it among Front Office staffs. When organising the tasks, the work is distributed properly and is to be completed in a given period of time. Coordinating Coordination and team spirit are vital. It involves togetherness and using the available resources to attain planned goals. Staffing The right persons and experienced ones are recruited. It is important to introduce training to the employees for a better success of the department. Leading Leading involves supervising, motivating, training, disciplining and setting an example for the Front Office department. Leading is important to maintain the effectiveness of the tasks. Controlling Through controlling, it ensures that the concrete outcomes of operations closely match the plan results. Leading and controlling of task are mostly the duties of the supervisors. Evaluating Through evaluating, it determines the extent to which planed goals and objectives are actually attained. Furthermore, it involves appraising and when necessary reviewing or helping to revise Front Office goals. Moreover, to maintain the successful of the department, every task are planned in advance. The room allocations for arrival of guests are well planned. Before the arrival of guests, the registration card which is a legal form is prepared on the eve of the day as well as concerning the hotel information sheets. The cold towels and the cocktail juice are also prepared in the evening for the arrival of guests on the following day. The departure and arrival check list are prepared one day before. If there are any group arrivals, a planning is done on how to do the check-in. A daily event record is prepared every evening by the Guest Relation Officers; showing all detailed information about arrivals and departures of guests including total guests- in- house. A daily event report is shown in the annex. If there is any early arrival, then, the housekeeping department has to be advised to prepare the room earlier. Establishing room rates The Front Office manager allocates to each room category a rack rate. In fact, the Front Liners are expected to sell rooms at rate unless a guest qualifies for an alternative room rate for example airline rate, commercial rate, group rate, day rate, package plan rate, complimentary rate, cooperate rate, promotional rate, incentive rate or family rate. While establishing room rates management has to consider its operating cost, inflationary factors and competitions. In general, there are three well-known approaches to pricing room: 1)Market condition approach 2)Ruled-of-thumb approach 3)Hubbart formula approach Market condition approach Under this approach management look at comparable hotels in the geographical market to verify the prices charging for the same products. Thus, charge only what the market will accept. In contrary, this approach is endangered to some drawbacks as it does not take into account the value of the property and the strong sales effort to accomplish. Ruled-of-thumb approach In this approach, the rate of a room is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 for each à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000 of construction and furnishing cost per room, assuming a 70% occupancy rate. However, this approach does not consider the inflation term, the contribution of other facilities and services towards the hotels desired profitability. The Front Office manager must stay in contact with the General Manager and controller to monitor room rate effectiveness. Hubbart formula approach This approach considers operating costs, desired profits and expected number of rooms sold, that is, demand. Generally, this approach lays emphasis on the factors such as operating expenses, desired Return on Investment (ROI) and income from different departments in the hotel; to establish room rates. This method relies on the Front Office to produce income to cover operating expenses, overhead and ROI for the hotel operation. According to Hubbart formula approach, the procedure of calculating a room rate is shown below: i.Measuring the hotels anticipated profit by multiplying the desired rate of return (ROI) by the holders investment. ii.Measuring pre-tax profits by dividing the anticipated profit by 1 minus hotels tax rate. iii.Measuring fixed charges and management fees. This calculation includes estimating depreciation, interest expense, property taxes, insurances, amortization, building mortgage, land, rent and management fees. iv.Measuring undistributed operating expenses. This includes estimating administrative and general expenses and energy costs. v.Assessing non-room operating department income or loss, that is, Food and Beverages department income or loss, telephone department income or loss. vi.Measuring the required room department income which is the sum of pre-tax profits, operating department losses less other department incomes. vii.Determining the room department revenue which is the required room department income, plus other room department direct expenses of payroll and related expenses. viii.Measuring the average room rate by dividing rooms department revenue by the expected number of rooms to be sold. These methods are guidelines only. Room rates must frequently monitored with regard to market conditions of demand and supply. Furthermore, some more formulae are depicted below: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Doubles sold daily = double occupancy rate x total number of rooms x occupancy% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Singles sold daily = rooms sold daily number of double rooms sold daily à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Singles sold daily x X + doubles sold daily x (X + Y) = (average room rate) x (total number of rooms sold daily) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Whereby: X = price of singles; Y = price differential between singles and doubles; X+Y = price of doubles. Forecasting Room Availability: Forecasting room availability is to predict the number of rooms available for sale on forthcoming date. The kind of forecasting helps to manage the reservation process, guides the Front Liners for an effective rooms management and is used as occupancy forecast. Therefore, it is useful in attempting and to roster the essential number of staffs for a planned size of a department. In order to predict room availability, the following information is needed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room arrivals/ check-ins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room no-shows à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room walk-ins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room stayovers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room overstays à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room check-outs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room understays The above mentioned information helps the Front Liners to conduct various daily operational ratios. The formulae to calculate No-show percentage, Walk-ins percentage, Overstays percentage and Understays percentage are as follows: i.No-shows percentage = (Number of no-show rooms) divided by (Number of rooms reserved) ii.Walk-ins percentage = (Number of walk-in rooms) divided by (Sum of the number of rooms arrivals) iii.Overstays percentage = (Number of overstay rooms) divided by (Number of expected check-outs) iv.Understays percentage = (Number of understay rooms) divided by (Number of expected check-outs) The predicted number of rooms available for sale for upcoming date can be likely successful by using the formula shown below: Forecasted number of rooms available for sale = Total number of guests rooms -Number of out of order rooms Number of stayovers rooms Number of reserved rooms + Number of no-show rooms + Number of understay rooms Number of overstay rooms Under non-automated and semi-automated systems, total of rooms available for sale forecasts are measured upon demands and needs which vary from three-day to ten-day forecasts. Nevertheless, under fully automated systems, forecasts are done at any instant for imminent period of time. For instance, on opera system, room forecasts are already registered and considered, thus eliminating monotonous labour work and human error margins. Budgeting for Operations Hotels have to prepare annual budgets, which are profit plans that address all revenue sources and expense items for the next calendar year. Furthermore, the hotel annual operating budget represents against which management can evaluate actual outcomes of operations. In the twelve-monthly budget preparation process, close coordination efforts of all management personnel are essential. The annual operation of a hotel budget is generally divided into monthly plans which in turn divided into weekly and even daily plans for a better control over the current consequences. In addition, while preparing the Front Office department annual budget, the Front Office manager has to coordinate with the financial department to estimate only rooms revenue and related direct expenses. The hotel controller and the General Manager, therefore, have to revise this budget. Forecasting room revenue In order to predict room revenue, the Front Office manager considers the historical financial data such as past room revenue, past number of rooms sold, past average daily rate and past occupancy rates. Thus, compare and contrast for a better decision making. Forecasting direct expenses Owing to the fact that the Front Office manager is responsible only for his or her department direct expenses, that is, variable costs; the Front Office manager consult past financial data showing variable costs to room revenue ratios, in order to estimate department expenses. Refining budget plans If ever the external strong factors change considerably, in an unpredicted way, then the actual operating budgeted figures have to be revised. Evaluating Front Office Operations A successful Front Office manager has to continuously evaluate the outcomes of the department activities on a daily, monthly, quarterly and yearly basis. While evaluating, the following items and tools have to be considered: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Daily operations report; for example Room move report à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Occupancy ratios à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rooms revenue analysis à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Hotel income statement; for example Early breakfast sale à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rooms division income statement or schedule; for example up-selling of rooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rooms division budgets report à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Operating ratios and ratios standards Daily operations report This report is also known as the managers report, the daily report and the daily revenue report. It encloses a summary of the hotels financial activities during a 24 hour period. In addition, it assists as to reconcile cash, bank accounts and revenue and accounts receivable. Occupancy ratios Occupancy ratios measure the enhancement of the Front Office in selling the hotels guestrooms. Some common ratios that are used in the Front Office department are depicted below: i.Occupancy percentage = (Number of rooms occupied) divided by (Total number of rooms available for sale) ii.Multiple occupancy percentage = (Number of rooms occupied by more than one guest) divided by (Total number of rooms occupied) iii.Average guests per rooms sold = (Total number of guests) divided by (Total number of rooms sold) iv.Average daily rate = (Total rooms revenue) divided by (Total number of rooms sold) v.Average rate per guest = (Total rooms revenue) divided by (Total number of guests) Room revenue analysis One prime report to succeed control over room revenue is the room rate variance report, that is those rooms that have been sold at rates other than their rack rates, for instance, airline rate, corporate or commercial rates and so on Another form is the yield statistics, which is the ratio of the current revenue to the sum of the possible potential revenue if all rooms are sold at rack rates. Formula of Yield statistic is shown below: Yield statistic = (Actual room revenue) divided by (Potential room revenue) Hotel income statement This statement provides vital financial data about the outcomes of hotel operations for a given period of time. Room division income statement The room division income statement also known as a schedule has to be referenced on the hotels income statement. Furthermore, the room division schedule has to be prepared by the hotels financial division not by the hotels Front Office accounting agent, that is, the Night Auditors. Room division budget reports These reports are monthly budget form comparing to current revenue and expenses figures against budgeted amounts depicted both in Euro values and percentage variances. Operating ratios Operating ratios for instance occupancy ratios, yield statisticsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ assist managers in evaluating the success of the Front Office operations. In addition, for the ratios to be meaningful they should be compared against proper standards such as prior periods, competitors or budgeted ratios. Front Office Operations A need for communication exists to communicate with other managers and staffs working other shifts. The reservation area is the sales department of the Front Office, thus a revenue center for the department in the sense that reservations determine on occupancy levels. The Front desk staffs must compulsory alert the guests when their credit limit is exceeding. Lastly, the Front Office staff should take the check-out as an opportunity to offer the guest supplementary services; for example, proposing the guest to book a room in the hotel for the future. (Vallen, J.J. 1985) Night audit, reception and Guest Relation are an essential element of Front Office department and claimed to be revenue generating department. The Guest Relation Officers have to convince the guests to accept upgrades. (Jones, C and Paul, V. 1993). There has to be a control process system to monitor the performance objectives targeted. Furthermore, the Front Office controls its cash or revenue sales. Interdepartmental Communication The Front Office staffs cooperate with all departments of the hotel including marketing and sales, housekeeping, food and beverage, banquet, controller, maintenance, security and human resources. Each department has a different kind of communication with the Front liners. These departments view the Front Office as a communication connection in providing guest services. The Front Office is a clearinghouse for communication activities. Marketing and Sales department The marketing and sales department depends on the Front Office to provide data on guest histories or concerning guests prior visit. The guest history is a valuable resource for marketing and sales as it uses the guest registration information to target marketing campaigns, develop promotions, prepare mailing labels and select appropriate advertising media. Housekeeping department Communications between the Front Office and the Housekeeping department is vital as it revolves around room status. Team members of the Housekeeping department provide a room status report to the Front Office department. Thus, follow-up can be done easily through this report. Food and Beverage department There are handovers which are used to communicate a charge to a guests account. It is essential that the Food and Beverage department communicates with the Front Office department to know the meal plan of the guests. This is to charge the guests accordingly prior to their meal plan they paid for. Through interdepartmental communication, information is spread out to all the departments so as to communicate effectively for an enhancement situation of the hotel and to increase revenue. It is also essential for a better planning of work. Intradepartmental communication Communication within the department is essential for a better planning of work. After planning the goals and objectives for the success of the Front Office operation, it is important that all the Front Liners work together and communicate effectively to deliver a proper task. Through effective communication, the Front Liners may achieve their aims and increase their revenue in the operations. The team spirits and understanding are the prime factors to be considered for the enhancement of the Front Office department. There has to be an interaction between the Front Office manager, the supervisors and the Front Liners so as to determine the root of the problem and therefore find solutions to remedy the situations. Interdepartmental exchange of information is crucial to attain goals and objectives. Barriers resulting to a decrease in sales revenue Decrease in sales revenue leads to unsuccessful operations of the hotel. There is lack of co-operation between departments which results to barriers of communication. A decrease in arrival of tourists results to a negative outcome concerning a raise in revenue. That is, a low demand leads to low revenue for instance, a decrease in room sales, products and services revenue. The problem root comes primarily from the reservation department. There may be barriers in departments such as Financial department, Food and Beverage department and housekeeping department relating to sales. For instance, if a guest has an Half Board voucher and that on the opera system it is All-inclusive it creates confusion to the departments concerned. The All-inclusive minibar and that of the Half Board is completely different. If the Housekeeping, Food and Beverage and Financial departments are not advised or change the guests meal plan on the system by the Front Liners, may create loss in revenue. Lack of t raining procedures concerning up-selling will not increase sales revenue. The lack of skills does not convince the employees to make upselling. There may as well conflicts in different tariffs charged to guests for example; a Front Liner may charge a guest Rs 200 instead of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬200 resulting to a huge decrease in sales revenue. Ways to remedy the barriers relating to a decrease in sales revenue Through effective communication, there may be an increase in sales revenue and a successful department. It is important to maximize rates when demand is high but if demand is low, special promotional package has to offer to guests to increase the demand. The Front Office manager has to well-trained the Front Liners to understand the meaning of yield management and how to increase sales or ensure sales revenue. The Front Office management has to set objectives to increase sales revenue and thus discuss with various departments of the hotel. Through these strategies, there is co-operation among the departments for successful revenue generated. Front Liners have to communicate effectively and efficiently to departments such as Food and Beverage, Financial and Housekeeping concerning the guests meal plan. Training allows team members to be successful in delivering good sales techniques. It is vital that each department provides training facilities and procedures to the employees so as to learn the methods to increase the sales revenue. The employees should be product knowledgeable; thus promote more profits and the staffs have to attentive when taking payment from guests. Questions have to be asked properly concerning the booking for accommodation and meal plan when guest reserved a room. It is important to keep a record concerning the financial transactions so as the Financial department may evaluate the ways to remedy the barriers relating to a decrease in sales revenue. Its not always easy and often takes a lot of determination. But making an effort to remove the obstacles tangible and intangible that stand in our way, can be the key to building relationship that really works by Eric Garner Yield Management Yield Management is a demand forecasting technique used to maximize room revenue that the hotel industry borrowed from the airlines. It is based on the economics of supply and demand, which means that price rise when demand is strong and drop when demand is weak. Thus, the purpose of yield management is to increase profitability. Yield management allocates the right type of aptitude to the right customer at the right price so as to maximize revenue or yield per available room. (Kimes, S.E, 1989) Yield management will monitor reservations and based on previous trends. Existing demand determines the number and type of rooms to sell at what price to obtain the maximum revenue. The yield management program will monitor the demand and supply and recommend the number and type of rooms to sell for a given day including the price for which to sell each room. Planning sales revenue The Front Office plays a vital role in promoting sales and the Front Office manager has to develop and implement a plan to the utmost to increase sales opportunities to the Front Office agents. This plan focus on areas of promotions, developing objectives and procedures, incentive programs, training program for staffs, budgets and tracking systems for employee feedback and profitability. Moreover, planning yield management includes setting up objectives, evaluating alternatives, drawing up budgets and developing an evaluation tool for feedback. The plan has to be discussed with the General Manager, department managers and Front Liners from different department to attain goals and objectives. The team members have to ensure that the profitable plan is accordingly developed. According to Narula, (Feb 1987), some goals were provided to the Front Office employees to increase sales. The following are depicted below à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Sell rooms to the guests who have not make prior reservations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Upgrade is to be made to the guests so as to boost the customers to purchase higher priced product or service; to those guests having former reservations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Maintain the record of the rooms. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Convey information about the product facilities available in the premises for sale, for instance, Food and Beverage and other facilities. The objective of the Font Office employees is to sell all facilities and benefits available at the hotel. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ensure that the maximum revenue is generated from the sale of rooms by prominent a stability between overbooking and a full house. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Achieve guest feedback Planning can only be started if there an increase of communication between Front Liners and Marketing and Sales department. It is essential to formulate an effective marketing strategy when there is a change in the market conditions. The eventual goal of a sales-oriented Front Office is to increase revenue from room sales, Food and Beverage sales and sales in various departments. The Front Office and other departments of the hotel have to plan on how much to increase revenue to accomplish the objectives set. Before decision making, several questions have to ask for a better planning of revenue management. Each moment new objectives has to plan for future months to generate revenue. When developing and implementing a program to increase sales activities, the Front Office manager along with other department managers and employees, have to identify products and services to promote. A list of services and products to be promoted is shown in the annex. Evaluating sales Yield management in Front Office Operations The Front Office team members have to determine which concepts to produce in order to increase sales re

The Character of Yolanda Garcia in How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Acce

The Character of Yolanda Garcia in How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and !Yo!  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Julia Alvarez develops the character of Yolanda Garcia in some different and similar ways in her two books How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and its sequel !Yo!. The reasons for the differences in the two characterizations of Yolanda is that there is almost no continuity concerning her character in the two books-meaning that all the specific details of Yolanda's life given to the reader in the first book are different (not continued nor elaborated upon) in the sequel. It was almost like reading about two different characters that just happened to have the same family and happen to have immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic. For example, in the first book Yolanda goes to graduate school, becomes a teacher, and only shows interest in writing poetry. She also marries a man named John after having fallen in love with a young man named Rudy in college. In the second book Yolanda does not go to graduate school, in fact, she almost does not get her b achelor's degree because she elopes with a young man named Darryl Dubois. She does become a teacher, but she publishes mainly prose-short stories and novels-not poetry. Whereas, the similarity in the two different characterizations of Yolanda is that she is definitely assimilated to American culture, yet her Old World values and lifestyle also influence her.    In both books it is clear that Yolanda has successfully assimilated to American culture. Unlike her parents-first generation immigrants-who never gain a complete mastery of the English language, Yolanda masters the language and excels in school. In the second book, one of her college professors has the f... ...Old World roots and that its traditional values still have a significant impact on her. Yolanda must continually reconnect with her Old World roots to fulfill her destiny of passing on her family's heritage/story to future generations.    Works Cited Primary Sources Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. New York: Plume, 1991. - - - . !Yo!. New York: Plume, 1997. Secondary Sources Alvarez, Julia. Something to Declare: Essays. New York: Plume, 1998. Barak, Julie. "'Turning and Turning in the Widening Gyre': A Second Coming into Language in Julia Alvarez's How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents," MELUS Spring (1998), http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m2278/1_23/53501904/print.jhtml. Accessed 04/07/2001. The Author Project. "Julia Alvarez." http://ahs.aps.edu/authorproject/juliaalvarez.html. Accessed 04/07/2001.   

Multiplex: Film and Service Profit Chain

Executive summary 1. Introduction 2. Industry analysis 1. Indian entertainment industry 2. Indian film industry 3. Growth drivers 4. Key players 3. Services marketing concepts as applied in multiplex 1. 7 Ps of services marketing 2. Service profit chain 3. Service blueprinting 4. Managing demand and supply 5. Yield management 6. Managing waiting process 7. Complaint management and service recovery 8. Customer feedback . Research report 5. Conclusion Abstract The magical word in cinemas today is – multiplex. It caters to the busy, fast moving and variety-loving consumer who wants more than just one film under a single roof. Multiplexes have become just a rage that most of the old cine complexes are converting to multiplexes. Cinema cannot be an independent identity. It stands with the food and entertainment counters. In the concept of multiplexes full entertainment is the magnet that attracts people inside This paper examines various Services marketing concepts, such as 7 Ps of services marketing- service Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical evidence; service Blueprinting; service Profit Chain; Managing Demand and Supply; Yield Management; Queue Management; Customer Feedback and service Recovery. This paper also throws some light on Industry analysis. Tectonic change in Indian Entertainment Industry and Indian Film Industry, and Growth drivers responsible for the expected increase in the number of multiplex cinemas such as Favorable demographic changes, An increase in disposable income in the hands of ever-expanding Indian middle class, Organized retail boom, Entertainment tax benefits for multiplex cinemas, India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, High quality of creative and technical talent pool, Indian consumers willing to spent more on Entertainment, and Increase in the number of high-grade Hindi films, etc are considered. The paper also lists key players in the industry such as PVR Limited, INOX, FUN Cinemas, FAME Cinemas, and Cinemax. A descriptive research has been conducted, using questionnaire method, with a view to understand customer profile, customer expectation, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, usage frequency, customer behavior, and to get other important insights with respect to a multiplex. A number of charts and tables are prepared to bring out the main characteristics of the collected data.

The Social Theory of Du Bois

Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim are widely recognized as the trinity of sociological theory. While these three sociologists were trailblazing social theorists who enhanced the study of human behavior and its relationship to social institutions, other, more contemporary scholars were just as innovative – one of those scholars being W. E. B. Du Bois. W. E. B. Du Bois was a political and literary giant of the 20th century, publishing over twenty books and thousand of essays and articles throughout his life. W. E. B Du Bois is arguably one of the most imaginative, perceptive, and prolific founders of the sociological discipline. In addition to leading the Pan-African movement and being an activist for civil rights for African Americans, Du Bois was a pioneer of urban sociology, an innovator of rural sociology, a leader in criminology, the first American sociologist of religion, and most notably the first great social theorist of race. The work of W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-19 63) has recently become recognized for its significant contributions to sociological theory. Although Du Bois himself was overwhelmingly concerned with the scientific perspective of â€Å"value free† sociological research, later social theorists have found his thoughts on race to offer one of the first instances of the articulation of standpoint theory. This theoretical perspective is anything but value free, because of the self-conscious efforts of the researcher to look at the social world from the vantage point of minority groups. Feminists, multiculturalists, and even postmodernists have come to recognize the importance of the black point of view found in Du Bois's work. They have also come to appreciate Du Bois for his focus on local knowledge and practices. W. E. B. Du Bois was an important American thinker. Poet, philosopher, economic historian, sociologist, and social critic, Du Bois’ work resists easy classification. Du Bois is more than a philosopher; he is, for many, a great social leader. His extensive efforts all bend toward a common goal, the equality of colored people. His philosophy is significant today because it addresses what many would argue is the real world problem of white domination. So long as racist white privilege exists, and suppresses the dreams and the freedoms of human beings, so long will Du Bois be relevant as a thinker, for he, more than almost any other, employed thought in the service of exposing this privilege, and worked to eliminate it in the service of a greater humanity. Du Bois was a prolific author. His collection of essays, The Souls of Black Folk, was a seminal work in African-American literature; and his 1935 magnum opus Black Reconstruction in America challenged the prevailing orthodoxy that blacks were responsible for the failures of the Reconstruction era. He wrote the first scientific treatise in the field of sociology; and he published three autobiographies, each of which contains insightful essays on sociology, politics and history. In his role as editor of the NAACP's journal The Crisis, he published many influential pieces. Du Bois believed that capitalism was a primary cause of racism, and he was generally sympathetic to socialist causes throughout his life. He was an ardent peace activist and advocated nuclear disarmament. The United States' Civil Rights Act, embodying many of the reforms for which Du Bois had campaigned his entire life, was enacted a year after his death. Early in his career Du Bois claimed that the â€Å"race idea† was the central thought of all history and that the primary â€Å"problem of the twentieth century was the problem of the colour line. † Du Bois viewed the goal of African Americans not as one of integration or absorption into white America, but one of advancing â€Å"Pan-Negroism. † Critical of the excessive materialism of white America, Du Bois believed that black culture could temper the self-interested pursuit of profit. Du Bois called on blacks to organize and unite around their race, and although he was not opposed to segregation per se, he did come to realize that discrimination stifled the development of â€Å"separate but equal† facilities and institutions. The concepts of the Veil and double consciousness occupy an important place in Du Bois's theory on race. Du Bois discusses both in his work The Souls of Black Folk. The Veil is an imaginary barrier that separates whites and blacks. Du Bois hoped his work would allow whites to glimpse behind the Veil, so they could begin to understand the black experience in America. Perhaps the most fundamental component of the black experience in America was living with what Du Bois called double consciousness. Blacks are simultaneously both inside and outside of the dominant white society and live with a feeling of â€Å"twoness. † By trying to cultivate and preserve a racial identity, blacks come into conflict with trying to fit into white society. According to Du Bois, the tension of being both black and American can manifest itself in pathologies within the black community and discrimination in white America. Whatever turns out to be the best general account of Du Bois’ philosophy, it seems the significance of his thought only really shows up in the specific details of his works themselves, especially in The Souls of Black Folk. It is here that he first develops his central philosophical concept, the concept of double consciousness, and spells out its full implications. The aim of Souls of Black Folk is to show the spirit of black people in the United States: to show their humanity and the predicament that has confronted their humanity. Du Bois asserts that â€Å"the color line† divides people in the States, causes massive harm to its inhabitants, and ruins its own pretensions to democracy. He shows, in particular, how a veil has come to be put over African-Americans, so that others do not see them as they are; African-Americans are obscured in America; they cannot be seen clearly, but only through the lens of race prejudice. African-Americans feel this alien perception upon them but at the same time feel themselves as themselves, as their own with their own legitimate feelings and traditions. This dual self-perception is known as â€Å"double consciousness. Du Bois’ aim in Souls is to explain this concept in more specific detail and to show how it adversely affects African-Americans. In the background of Souls is always also the moral import of its message, to the effect that the insertion of a veil on human beings is wrong and must be condemned on the grounds that it divides what otherwise would be a unique and coherent identity. Souls thus aims to make the reader understand, in effect, that African-Americans have a distinct cultural identity, one that must be acknowledged, respected, and enabled to flourish. Du Bois’ other major philosophical concept is that of â€Å"second sight. † This is a concept he develops most precisely in Darkwater, a work, as we have seen, in which Du Bois changes his approach and takes up a stauncher stance against white culture. Du Bois holds that due to their double consciousness, African-Americans possess a privileged epistemological perspective. Both inside the white world and outside of it, African-Americans are able to understand the white world, while yet perceiving it from a different perspective, namely that of an outsider as well. The white person in America, by contrast, contains but a single consciousness and perspective, for he or she is a member of a dominant culture, with its own racial and cultural norms asserted as absolute. The white person looks out from themselves and sees only their own world reflected back upon them—a kind of blindness or singular sight possesses them. Luckily, as Du Bois makes clear, the dual perspective of African-Americans can be used to grasp the essence of whiteness and to expose it, in the multiple senses of the word â€Å"expose. That is to say, second sight allows an African-American to bring the white view out into the open, to lay it bare, and to let it wither for the problematic and wrong-headed concept that it is. The destruction of â€Å"whiteness† in this way leaves whites open to the experience of African-Americans, as a privileged perspective, and hence it also leaves African-Americans with a breach in the culture through which they could enter with t heir legitimate, and legitimating, perspectives. Later in life, Du Bois turned to communism as the means to achieve equality. Du Bois came to believe that the economic condition of Africans and African-Americans was one of the primary modes of their oppression, and that a more equitable distribution of wealth, as advanced by Marx, was the remedy to the situation. ( John J. Macionis: Sociology 14th edition) Du Bois was not simply a follower of Marx, however. He also added keen insights to the communist tradition himself. One of his contributions is his insistence that communism contains no explicit means of liberating Africans and African-Americans, but that it ought to focus its attentions here and work toward this end. â€Å"The darker races,† to use Du Bois’ language, amount to the majority of the world’s proletariat. In Black Folk, Then and Now, Du Bois writes: â€Å"the dark workers of Asia, Africa, the islands of the sea, and South and Central America†¦these are the one who are supporting a superstructure of wealth, luxury, and extravagance. It is the rise of these people that is the rise of the world† (Black Folk,). A further contribution Du Bois makes is to show how Utopian politics such as communism is possible in the first place. Building on Engle’s claim that freedom lies in the acknowledgment of necessity, as Maynard Solomon argues (Solomon, â€Å"Introduction† 258), (because in grasping necessity we accurately perceive what areas of life are open to free action), Du Bois insists on the power of dreams. Admitting our bound nature (bound to our bellies, bound to material conditions), even stressing it, he nonetheless emphasizes our range of powers within these constraints. Although difficult to characterize in general terms, Du Bois’ philosophy amounts to a programmatic shift away from abstraction and toward engaged, social criticism. In affecting this change in philosophy, especially on behalf of African-Americans and pertaining to the issue of race, Du Bois adds concrete significance and urgent application to American Pragmatism, as Cornel West maintains, a philosophy that is about social criticism, not about grasping absolute timeless truth. Above all, however, Du Bois’ philosophy is significant today because it addresses what many would argue is the real world problem of white domination. So long as racist white privilege exists, and suppresses the dreams and the freedoms of human beings, so long will Du Bois be relevant as a thinker, for he, more than almost any other, employed thought in the service of exposing this privilege, and worked to eliminate it in the service of a greater humanity. References: Du Bois, W. E. B. Black Folk, Then and Now (Millwood, N.Y.: Kraus-Thomson Organization Limited, 1975). Du Bois, W. E. B. Darkwater: Voices From Within the Veil (Mineola, N. Y. Dover Publications, 1999). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._B._Du_Bois http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072824301/student_view0/chapter10/chapter_summary.html Sociology: 14th edition (John J Macionis; Prentice Hall, 2011)

Mercantilism and Its Effect on Colonial America

Mercantilism and Its Effect on Colonial America In general, mercantilism is the belief in the idea that a nations wealth can be increased by the control of trade: expanding exports and limiting imports. In the context of the European colonization of North America, mercantilism refers to the idea that colonies existed for the benefit of the Mother Country. In other words, the British saw the American colonists as tenants who paid rent by providing materials for Britain to use. According to the beliefs at the time, the wealth of the world was fixed. To increase a countrys wealth, leaders needed to either explore and expand or conquer wealth through conquest. Colonizing America meant that Britain greatly increased its base of wealth. To keep the profits, Britain tried to keep a greater number of exports than imports. The most important thing for Britain to do, under the theory of mercantilism, was keep its money and not trade with other countries to get necessary items. The colonists role was to provide many of these items to the British.   However, mercantilism was not the only idea of how nations built wealth at the time of the American colonies search for independence, and most acutely as they sought solid and equitable economic foundations for the new American state. Adam Smith and The Wealth of Nations The idea of a fixed amount of wealth existing in the world was the target of Scottish philosopher Adam Smith (1723–1790), in his 1776 treatise, The  Wealth of Nations. Smith argued that the wealth of a nation is not determined by how much money it holds, and he argued that the use of tariffs to halt international trade resulted in less- not more- wealth. Instead, if governments allowed individuals to act in their own self interest, producing and purchasing goods as they wished, the resulting open markets and competition would lead to more wealth for all. As he said,   Every individual†¦ neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it†¦ he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Smith argued that the main roles of government were to provide for common defense, punish criminal acts, protect civil rights, and provide for universal education. This along with a solid currency and free markets would mean that individuals acting in their own interest would make profits, thereby enriching the nation as a whole.   Smith and the Founding Fathers Smiths work had a profound effect on the American founding fathers and the nascent nations economic system. Instead of founding America on the idea of mercantilism and creating a culture of high tariffs to protect local interests, many key leaders including James Madison (1751–1836) and Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804) espoused the ideas of free trade and limited government intervention. In fact, in Hamiltons Report on Manufacturers, he espoused a number of theories first stated by Smith. These included the importance of the need to cultivate the extensive land that is in America to create a wealth of capital through labor; distrust of inherited titles and nobility; and the need for a military to protect the land against foreign intrusions.   Sources and Further Reading Hamilton, Alexander. Report on the Subject of Manufactures. Original Reports of the Secretary of the Treasury RG 233. Washington DC: National Archives, 1791. Smith, Roy C. Adam Smith and the Origins of American Enterprise: How the Founding Fathers Turned to a Great Economists Writings and Created the American Economy. New York: St. Martins Press, 2002.Jonsson, Fredrik Albritton. Rival Ecologies of Global Commerce: Adam Smith and the Natural Historians. The American Historical Review 115.5 (2010): 1342–63. Print.

Strategic Management Degree Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Management Degree - Case Study Example The Company has started manufacturing some of the products such as dairy and baking items. The products available at Wal-Mart are a symbol of quality and variety. Price: "There is a very sensitive relationship between price and the placement of a product. Cheap is easy to sell, or so says history, but expensive can be easy to sell too" (Barac, 2005). Lower prices and discount offerings are the cutting edge benefits of the company. "The giant retailer's low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. (Fishman, 2003) Placement: The presence of the Wal-Mart stores at every important place in the country is the evidence of the effective placement of the stores. Wal-Mart is getting by having a dense network of stores is to facilitate the logistics of deliveries. People: Wal-Mart is famous for its effective recruiting and training of the staff. Although the company remains in news for its controversial policies sex discrimination and labour law violations but the customers are catered with efficient services and best knowledge provision by the staff. The depth of Wal-Mart's management team allows the managers to tap into tremendous internal talent. Physical evidence: Physical evidence is an essential ingredient of the service mix, consumers will make perceptions based on their sight of the service provision which will have an impact on the organisations perceptual plan of the service. The environment at the Wal-Mart stores are clean and user friendly which adds to the uniqueness and competitive advantage of Wal-Mart. Word count: 418 References Barac, R., The Marketing Mix: The 4P's, The Basics, 16 December 2005, retrieved as on June 13, 2006 from http://www.marketingroots.net/p=4 Fishman, C., (2003). Wal-Mart you don't know, Issue 77, December 2003, Page 68Q2: Compare and contrast promotional mixes or communications strategies of two companies. How can a change of positioning affect the effectiveness of the companies' strategies. Promotion is aimed at informing customers about the presence of the goods or services in the market and persuading them to buy these products and services. For a promotional campaign to be effective it is important for the company to use most effective combination of the communication channel to reach the consumers. The best blend of these channel is Advertising, Personal selling, Publicity and sales promotion. Another trend, which is gaining importance, is the societal marketing concept. In this age of environmental deterioration, declining resources, increasing population and increasing economic and social issues, the awareness in the people is also increasing. Most of the companies are now aiming towards satisfying the customers and improving the society's well being. The two

Diagnostic and Health Care Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diagnostic and Health Care Promotion - Essay Example The marriage as a cultural aspect in the Ethiopian community respects the decision of the family in marrying off a teenager. After a potential groom opts to get married, they have to arrange so that families can and agree. This avenue provides a window through which to drive health promotion against teenage pregnancy. To begin with, the promotion plan should focus on sensitizing the local community member in the rural areas on the adverse effects of teenage marriages and teenage pregnancy. Such campaigns would influence the opinion of the families because they are the ones to endorse marriages. Emotions play a significant role in cognition to enable people understands a situation better. Marrying off teenagers against their wish is detrimental even if the justice system supports it. Another indirect strategy is a campaign of girl child education, which indirectly lowers chances of early marriages; hence teenage pregnancy (Noddings, 2005; Santelli, Lindberg, Finer, & Singh, 2007). Eng aging the rural communities for the benefit of educating the girl child will improve the school going girls’ population. When this number increases, the early marriages will be less appealing and as such, reduce teenage pregnancies. Teenage girls should have regular health care services and counseling to help them understand reproductive health. If the health promotion campaigns target this population, they will understand the benefits of delaying sexual intercourse with adults; hence, avoid pregnancy.