Hedge funds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Flexible investments - Essay Example The expression support investments includes any pooled speculation medium that is (1) sorted out in private, (2) coordinated by experienced and proficient venture administrators, and (3) not open to general society. Speculative stock investments are upheld by rich characters and institutional financial specialists who are viewed as essential speculators. Different speculators incorporate (1) enrichment reserves, (2) annuity plans, (3) assets of assets, and (4) retail financial specialists. (Boyle, 2007) Other bodies portrayed as speculative stock investments are efficient and restricted associations and risk organizations or most generally dwell outside the United States. (President's on Working Group on Financial Markets, 1999) Multifaceted investments began in 1949. By 1968, 140 flexible investments were working as detailed by the U.S. Protections and Exchange Commission. Inside the most recent 20 years, fence stock investments industry sprouted and get basic in the U.S. showcase. As indicated by Phelim Boyle (2007), in the year 1990, an all out number of 610 assets are controlling $39 billion worth of advantages. By 2000, there were 3,873 finances coordinating $490 billion resources. The assessed size of the fence stock investments industry in mid-1998 was in the scope of 2,500 and 3,500 flexible investments controlling somewhere in the range of $200 and $300 billion worth of capital, totaling pretty much $800 up to $1 trillion in all out resources. As contrasted and different U.S. money related market segments, multifaceted investments are moderately little. ... (President's on Working Group on Financial Markets, 1999) The Marko Maslakovic (2008) reports that in spite of the presence of market destabilizations, the support investments industry kept on developing in the board resources and the number and kind of organizations putting resources into speculative stock investments. For the advantages under administration, the support investments for this class added up to over $2,250 billion toward the finish of 2007. Figure 1 shows the pattern of worldwide flexible investments according to their benefits under administration. The quantity of flexible investments came to more than 11,000 of every 2007 or 12 percent expansion from the earlier year (2006). The nearness of the expanding credit emergency and expanded market instability didn't ruin speculative stock investments resources from developing by 30 percent in 2007. Mutual funds didn't cause any noteworthy impact on the credit emergency on the grounds that lone 5 percent of their benefits were inspected in contract sponsored protections in Septemb er 2007. Boyle (2007) makes reference to six (6) purposes behind the flexible investments development: (1) mechanical advancements, (2) subordinates upheaval, (3) specialization, (4) increment of market complexities, for example, disaster securities and organized items, (5) ongoing poor market value execution, and (6) low loan fees. Figure 1 For the appropriation of mutual funds on the planet, reports of Maslakovic (2008) show that the United States is the significant wellspring of fence stock investments speculations with 67 percent of the absolute multifaceted investments resources in 2007. Europe and Asia are the following huge sources with 22 percent and 7 percent shares individually. New York City is the world's driving city for support administrators and it is trailed by London. In New York, around 60 percent of fence investments chiefs are positioned in this city.

Marketing Term Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Showcasing Term - Research Paper Example Through connecting with the buyer in an exchange that advances network and altruism, there was no publicizing efforts until 2004, the organization relying upon informal exchange to advance its inclinations and addition an after. That following estimates in excess of 4 million individuals, around the world (Bloomberg). The showcasing that has been locked in since 2004 has seen some unrest with the apparent contender, Weight Watchers, being straightforwardly defied in a crusade, yet the enemy retaliated with a court directive which finished that battle. Nonetheless, it may be reasoned that Curves increased better exposure as being set in a place as a danger to Weight Watchers, to such an extent that they were straightforwardly stood up to through legitimate activity to close down their promoting. This is a shrewd system, nonetheless, the organization may before long face similar issues that Weight Watchers faces, which is as their focused on segment ages out and the rising more youthfu l set considers them to be a dinosaur of their mother’s age, battling a dated picture will make an issue. Weight Watchers has stood up to their issues through publicizing that imitates the Jenny Craig publicizing, utilizing VIPs to advance their prosperity through openly noticeable weight reduction on their projects. Be that as it may, where Jenny Craig has utilized a moderately aged arrangement of VIPs, Weight Watchers utilized Jennifer Hudson to commence their battle, a firmly more youthful star. This leaves bends confronting indistinguishable issues from Weight Watchers in that through advancing a mingled setting, the age bunch gets pertinent to the appreciation for the program. The accompanying appraisal will talk about the present and past strategies for advertising that have been presented for Curves. The foundation of the organization will be provided a diagram so as to give setting in understanding the idea of the present remaining of the organization. An investigatio n of the showcasing systems and their outcomes will be surveyed for the victories and disappointments that have been experienced. A SWOT investigation will at that point be directed so as to give a review of the idea of the organization with respect to how it will affect an advertising plan. The SWOT examination will be tended to for the manners by which it very well may be used to address the eventual fate of the organization. At long last, a rundown of the showcasing heading of Curves will be made with suggestions for tending to shortcomings and dangers through abusing the qualities and openings that are available. Foundation Curves International Fitness for Women has establishments in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia and Asia. The organization has well more than 6000 stores, with the pace of their extension procuring them a title in the Guinness Book of World Records (Heavin and Colman 2). The principal store was opened in Harlingen, Texas, with the main estab lishment opening Paris, Texas in 1995 with all stores presently being a diversified setting (Curves International Fitness for Women). The organization was opened in 1992, and by 2003 had extended to the 6000 store mark, putting them in the record book. Hoovers records in excess of 10,000 organization stores are in presence to date. Gary and Diane Heavin opened the stores considering a particular segment. Gary Heavin had ten years of involvement with the wellness business before planning this model with a particular objective segment (Funding Universe). The expectation was to address the necessities of ladies through nourishment and proficient exercise that kept the meetings short, subsequently giving a simple

Reasons to Designate a Social Media-free Period for Yourself Every Day

Reasons to Designate a Social Media-free Period for Yourself Every Day Why Disconnecting From Social Media is Good for Your Mental Health Why Disconnecting From Social Media is Good for Your Mental Health Since at least 2013-2014, psychologists have been sounding the alarm about a mental health crisis on today’s college and university campuses. Evidence suggests that today’s college-age students suffer from higher levels of stress and psychopathology than ever before. That same article in Psychology Today claims that of the campus counselling centre directors surveyed in their study, 95 percent felt the number of students with significant psychological problems was a growing concern. The link between social media use and mental health With social media consuming so much of our time and lives in the 21st century, a lot of research has gone into determining how that fixation affects us psychologically. The results it is not hard to predict were not comforting. If you are a university student and are wondering how you can foster good mental health throughout your postsecondary career, taking regular, scheduled breaks from social media can really help. Below are some of the reasons why and how. Improved self-esteem Social media certainly is not all negative. Websites like Facebook are great for keeping in touch with friends and family members, especially those scattered across the globe, and provides a convenient multimedia platform for sharing humour, videos, and keeping one another up-to-date on daily life. However, it can, and frequently does involve a lot of unhealthy voyeurism and showboating. Social media like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are typically used to highlight the most enviable aspects of a person’s life. While we all know someone who takes to their social media to complain and look for sympathy, much of what you see on someone’s Facebook and Instagram accounts is carefully curated success. People want others to view them and their lives favourably, and to appear as though everything in their lives is perfect. Baby showers, vacations, weddings, new cars, gifts, friends, partiesif you spend too much time comparing your own life to those of people you know on social media, it might start to feel like yours has some major deficiencies. This is known as Facebook envy, and it can have some serious mental health repercussions, including depression and anxiety. Take a break from peering into the heavily biased portrayals of other people’s lives, and you will be a much happier, mentally healthier person for it. Face-to-face interaction builds empathy and strengthens human connections With so much of our interacting done through a screen, it is no wonder that people are losing their ability to relate to and be social with their fellow human beings. Many people enjoy the convenience of screen-to-screen relationships and interaction because it is just easier. It requires less effort to rattle off a series of texts than to schedule a coffee date with a friend; it’s easier to back out of plans last minute using Facebook, than it is to hear and see the disappointment in a person’s face, and it is easier to say something rude and hurtful over social media than it is to directly confront a person. Relying on social media for any and all communication is learned behaviour. While it is certainly necessary to use social media for some forms of communication (coordinating group meetings, talking to multiple people at the same time, etc.), there are many instances in our daily lives where we choose to use social media because we simply do not want to deal with another human being. Make a habit of avoiding social media communication at least a few times per day, and exercise emotional intelligence. You might actually get some work done A 2014 study from Baylor College found that male and female students spent, on average, 8 to 10 hours per-day on social media. Postsecondary, while in many respects is still not a full-fledged adult life, is meant to be treated as a full-time endeavour. It requires majority of your time, especially between attending classes, reading, writing, and studying. That is not to say you should not make time for other aspects in your life, but spending a third (or more) of your waking hours on social media is definitely going to reflect your performance in your education. Wherever you are going to school, and however much you are paying, you are paying to be there (or your family is). Social media is addictive. The desire to see what is going on in the lives of people you know, and the need to advertise your own is a powerful one. Fighting it means showing some self-restraint. If you just cannot bring yourself to put the phone down when you should be preparing for that midterm exam, there are available apps (like “SelfControl”) which allow you to block certain websites for a set period of time. It makes sense that it would be easier to find the motivation to study when things like Facebook and Instagram are temporarily blocked. Human beings did not naturally evolve to adapt with something like social media. The mind-altering power of Facebook and Instagram (both the obsession and the neuroses) really do impact your quality of life, and can eat up thousands of hours of your time over the course of a year. It seems reasonable to speculate that modern people, at the end of their lives, will look back with regret on the tens-of-thousands of hours spent glued to their phone screens, obsessing over the lives of other people, and whatever trivialities they thought important at the time. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, perhaps even more so, because a compromised mind means happiness and satisfaction will always remain just out of reach. If you are struggling with your mental health at university, and feel like your coursework has become an impossible, soul-crushing task, reach out to Homework Help Global and let us take some of the burden off your hands. References: Barr, S. (2018). “Six Ways Social Media Negatively Affects Your Mental Health.” The Independent. Retrieved from: Henriques, G. (2014). “The College Student Mental Health Crisis.” Psychology Today. Retrieved from: the-college-student-mental-health-crisis Wood, J. (2014). “College Students in Study Spend 8 to 10 hours Daily on Cell Phone.” Psych Central. Retrived from: Reasons to Designate a Social Media-free Period for Yourself Every Day Why Disconnecting From Social Media is Good for Your Mental Health Why Disconnecting From Social Media is Good for Your Mental Health Since at least 2013-2014, psychologists have been sounding the alarm about a mental health crisis on today’s college and university campuses. Evidence suggests that today’s college-age students suffer from higher levels of stress and psychopathology than ever before. That same article in Psychology Today claims that of the campus counselling centre directors surveyed in their study, 95 percent felt the number of students with significant psychological problems was a growing concern. The link between social media use and mental health With social media consuming so much of our time and lives in the 21st century, a lot of research has gone into determining how that fixation affects us psychologically. The results it is not hard to predict were not comforting. If you are a university student and are wondering how you can foster good mental health throughout your postsecondary career, taking regular, scheduled breaks from social media can really help. Below are some of the reasons why and how. Improved self-esteem Social media certainly is not all negative. Websites like Facebook are great for keeping in touch with friends and family members, especially those scattered across the globe, and provides a convenient multimedia platform for sharing humour, videos, and keeping one another up-to-date on daily life. However, it can, and frequently does involve a lot of unhealthy voyeurism and showboating. Social media like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are typically used to highlight the most enviable aspects of a person’s life. While we all know someone who takes to their social media to complain and look for sympathy, much of what you see on someone’s Facebook and Instagram accounts is carefully curated success. People want others to view them and their lives favourably, and to appear as though everything in their lives is perfect. Baby showers, vacations, weddings, new cars, gifts, friends, partiesif you spend too much time comparing your own life to those of people you know on social media, it might start to feel like yours has some major deficiencies. This is known as Facebook envy, and it can have some serious mental health repercussions, including depression and anxiety. Take a break from peering into the heavily biased portrayals of other people’s lives, and you will be a much happier, mentally healthier person for it. Face-to-face interaction builds empathy and strengthens human connections With so much of our interacting done through a screen, it is no wonder that people are losing their ability to relate to and be social with their fellow human beings. Many people enjoy the convenience of screen-to-screen relationships and interaction because it is just easier. It requires less effort to rattle off a series of texts than to schedule a coffee date with a friend; it’s easier to back out of plans last minute using Facebook, than it is to hear and see the disappointment in a person’s face, and it is easier to say something rude and hurtful over social media than it is to directly confront a person. Relying on social media for any and all communication is learned behaviour. While it is certainly necessary to use social media for some forms of communication (coordinating group meetings, talking to multiple people at the same time, etc.), there are many instances in our daily lives where we choose to use social media because we simply do not want to deal with another human being. Make a habit of avoiding social media communication at least a few times per day, and exercise emotional intelligence. You might actually get some work done A 2014 study from Baylor College found that male and female students spent, on average, 8 to 10 hours per-day on social media. Postsecondary, while in many respects is still not a full-fledged adult life, is meant to be treated as a full-time endeavour. It requires majority of your time, especially between attending classes, reading, writing, and studying. That is not to say you should not make time for other aspects in your life, but spending a third (or more) of your waking hours on social media is definitely going to reflect your performance in your education. Wherever you are going to school, and however much you are paying, you are paying to be there (or your family is). Social media is addictive. The desire to see what is going on in the lives of people you know, and the need to advertise your own is a powerful one. Fighting it means showing some self-restraint. If you just cannot bring yourself to put the phone down when you should be preparing for that midterm exam, there are available apps (like “SelfControl”) which allow you to block certain websites for a set period of time. It makes sense that it would be easier to find the motivation to study when things like Facebook and Instagram are temporarily blocked. Human beings did not naturally evolve to adapt with something like social media. The mind-altering power of Facebook and Instagram (both the obsession and the neuroses) really do impact your quality of life, and can eat up thousands of hours of your time over the course of a year. It seems reasonable to speculate that modern people, at the end of their lives, will look back with regret on the tens-of-thousands of hours spent glued to their phone screens, obsessing over the lives of other people, and whatever trivialities they thought important at the time. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, perhaps even more so, because a compromised mind means happiness and satisfaction will always remain just out of reach. If you are struggling with your mental health at university, and feel like your coursework has become an impossible, soul-crushing task, reach out to Homework Help Global and let us take some of the burden off your hands. References: Barr, S. (2018). “Six Ways Social Media Negatively Affects Your Mental Health.” The Independent. Retrieved from: Henriques, G. (2014). “The College Student Mental Health Crisis.” Psychology Today. Retrieved from: the-college-student-mental-health-crisis Wood, J. (2014). “College Students in Study Spend 8 to 10 hours Daily on Cell Phone.” Psych Central. Retrived from:

The History of Abraham Lincoln - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1417 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/08/12 Category People Essay Level High school Tags: Abraham Lincoln Essay Did you like this example? Lincoln, the 16th president of the US, is renowned for his role in leading the nation through the Civil War, abolishment of slavery, modernization of the economy and stabilization of the US federal government. This paper aims to provide a brief history of Abraham Lincolns life as well as a comprehensive analytic review of the argument that he is among the most important and prominent leaders in the history of the US. Abe Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky on 12 February 1809. According to Schwartz and Howard, his family had a low social standing and in fact, they lived in a single room cabin with his parents and two siblings. His family later moved to the state of Indiana in 1816 when he was 7 years. In order to support his family, Lincoln had to work at a young age, helping his father in doing farming chores. This had a significant adverse impact on his education, with historical research suggesting that he went to school for only a single year as a child. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The History of Abraham Lincoln" essay for you Create order Later on in 1830, his family moved again to Macon County in Illinois. He became employed as a hand on a riverboat that was in the business of freight transportation along the Mississippi River (Burlingame). He later settled in New Salem, a town in Illinois, where he worked as a postmaster and a shopkeeper. This is where Lincoln began his political career, supporting the Whig party. He lost his first election race in 1832 when he vied for the Illinois state legislature. However, he later won the election in 1834 and become a prominent fixture of his party for eight consecutive years. Notably, Lincoln was a self-taught lawyer. As aforementioned, his stay in school was short. However, the education he received was sufficient to read and write and during his childhood and early adulthood, his interest in law contributed to his pursuit of a career in the field (Nicolay). In spite of his focus on politics, he continued to study and in 1837, he was admitted to the bar. He moved to Springfield in the same year. In 1842, Lincoln married his wife, Mary Todd. Together, they had four children, all sons, two of whom died at a young age. Later, in 1846, he was elected to the US Congress, at which point he moved to Washington D.C. in order to complete his term. Lincoln, along with other politicians such as Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, strongly opposed slavery and in fact, he attempted without success to abolish slavery in the state (Foner). In 1849, Lincoln decided to resume his law career and devote more time to his family. He went back to Springfield and his career in politics seemed to be at an end. However, when the slavery question began to intensify across the nation in the 1850s, he decided to return to politics, vying unsuccessfully for Senate in 1854 as well as 1856. In spite of the losses, Lincoln gained nationwide recognition for his prowess in public speaking and his view of slavery. In 1860, Lincoln won the Republican nomination for the position of US president. In a particularly fragmented race comprising four candidates, Lincoln won the presidential election with a popularity percentage of less than 40. Fearing that Lincolns presidential power and his views of slavery would result in total abolition of the practice in the nation, some Southern states began to contemplate secession. Seven states, including South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama, established an independent nation called the Confederate States of America, which was distinct and independent from the United States. Attempts by President Lincoln to withhold Fort Sumter in South Carolina from the Confederates sparked the American Civil War. To quash the rising rebellion, the president increased military reinforcements. This resulted in further secession of other states, including Virginia. In spite of Lincolns insistence that the Civil War aimed to preserve the union of the United States, the question of slavery was among the major factors influencing the decisions of states to join the confederates. The president took the role of commander-in-chief, and signed several critical legislations into law, including policies regarding US currency, taxation and transport networks. Lincoln developed and implemented the first national income tax and established several structures that defined the federal government of the US, which has remained stable and effective to this day (Burlingame). In 1863, Lincoln made the Emancipation proclamation, which paved the way for the 13th Amendment of the US constitution and the abolition of slavery in the nation. He made several memorable speeches, such as the Second Inaugural and the Gettysburg Address, in recognition of the many men who died in the war (Burlingame). Most historians and researchers consider these the most significant actions of Lincoln as president and in fact, the Gettysburg address is among the famous historical speeches by great leaders. A year later, he vied for presidency again and had sufficient support to be re-elected as president. With the war concluding, President Lincoln began to make reconstruction preparations to assist in unification of the nation once more. A week after surrender of the Confederate, in April 14th 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln while the president was attending a theater in Washington. Booth managed to escape, but died two days later from gunshot wounds sustained during attempts to capture him. Today, Lincoln is regarded as among the greatest presidents of the nation, with his leadership during the Civil War, his fight against slavery and his eloquent orations being the pinnacle of his legacy. Critical Analysis of Abraham Lincolns Life Abraham Lincoln assumed leadership of the United States during a time of great crisis and in fact, his past life before presidency was pivotal to the success he achieved in his life and the legacy he left behind (Nicolay). His humble beginnings are among the most noticeable aspects of his traits. Born into a poor family, Lincoln had to learn the value of hard work at a young age. Arguably, this contributed to his passion and commitment to his principles as well as his efforts to achieving his objectives as a family man, a lawyer and as the president of the US (Nicolay). According to Schwartz and Schuman, Lincolns effective communication is a factor that contributed significantly to his success as a leader. Especially given that he was self-educated, his ability to communicate effectively through oral and written media was critical to his effectiveness as a leader. Burlingame notes that he had no significant military experience during the Civil War but his ability to give directions, instructions and inspiration was pivotal to the success of the Union. Lincolns moral compass and rhetoric is also a significant factor that defined his leadership. From the beginning of his legal and political career, President Lincoln strongly fought against human slavery in the nation. Johnson is keen to note that Lincoln held the belief that no man had a right to own another human being. The strong ethics of the president are traceable to his family roots, as his parents raised him in line with Christian beliefs and in fact, his father had strong views against bondage. Conclusion Abraham Lincoln played a major role in defining and molding the Unites States into the nation it is today. His powerful ethical principles in the fight against bondage and his leadership in the American civil war were crucial contributions that resulted in the unification of the United States as well as the eradication of slavery in the nation. His rise from humble beginnings to becoming the US president is inspiring. Lincolns gallant act of selflessness in returning to politics in order to contribute to the question of slavery, at a time when he had virtually retired in order to pursue a law career and raise his family, is one that had numerous positive impacts on the nation. In addition, his style of leadership, which was not only effective and charismatic but also compassionate, has been the subject of significant research over the last century. Some scholars have identified several weaknesses Lincolns leadership and decision-making. Most note the fact that he had little military experience, which may have contributed to the significant deaths on both sides of the war, as he lacked the skill to make effective war strategies. Nevertheless, Lincolns efforts of reconciling and healing the nation in the aftermath of the war, as well as his role in ending slavery and bringing the United States together during a time of crisis are factors that make him among the best presidents of the US so far.

Case Study On Water Pollution - 1530 Words

Case Study 2 Zachary Preston EVSP310 October 21, 2017 Introduction In essence, like water in a stream move, they mix both from the top and one side to the other. Apparently, pollutant entering the stream is carried downstream before they are carefully mixed during the movement. For instance, water from the source may be clean but get degraded downstream. As water flows further, so does the increase so degradation level. When the river gets to the recovery point, the level of pollution is minimal. However, this is not the case in many rivers as there is different more pollutant (Kinchy, Jalbert, Lyons, 2014). The quality of the water is normally tasted due to the availability of pollutant that makes the water unsafe for both the†¦show more content†¦While different distinct tends to monitor water quality depending on some reasons, it is important to keep the society aware of the safety of the water. What the Reader Knows About the Watersheds Apparently, a watershed is a particular section of land from where the runoff drains to a stream, river or lake. The boundaries of the watershed can be recognized by tracing the uppermost point of land around the water mass. In most cases, rivers and streams operate as arteries of the watersheds. The reader was in a position to identify the site #5 and site #4 along the stream and undertook the program to determine the condition of the water. It was clear that watersheds are used to channel water from the aquatic as it flowsShow MoreRelatedOcean Spray Case Study1530 Words   |  7 PagesSpray’s marketing had let to an increase in the number of independent cranberry growers. When OceanSpray was at its peak in business, the government started introducing several regulations and restrictions on using environmental elements such as air, water, and soil etc., which obviously affected the supply and demand cycles of OceanSpray. The major regulations that affected OceanSpray’s economy were the one related to bog expansion. A bog is a type of wetland which is most suited for the growth ofRead MoreWater Quality Of Water Pollution1456 Words   |  6 Pagesarticle is to weigh the opinions of two different sources concerning the topic of water pollution. Many people neglect the water issue due to the fact that it does not necessarily pertain to them. However, there are several complications that should definitely be brought to awareness among the public. This article uses two sources to explain why and how the activities of humans contributes to the poisoning of the world’s water supply, and how the articles use argumentative such as ethos, logos, and pathosRead MoreThe Impact Of Freshwater On Water Pollution Essay1547 Words   |  7 PagesStorm Water Pollution 1. Introduction Freshwater is a valuable resource that is required for people to survive. Only 1% of the freshwater on the planet is available for human use (National Geographic, 2015). Therefore water is a precious resource however human actions such as farming and pollution are degrading freshwater sources. This report seeks to find out how Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) contributes to Storm Water pollution and other issues related to Storm Water. Firstly it willRead MoreMegacity1019 Words   |  5 Pagesfaces today is water pollution. Beijing, Capital of China, just like many other Chinese cities, it is suffering from high levels of water pollution. A report made by the state of environmental agency concluded that the level of pollution in Beijing’s water sources is not safe. Another investigation made by the Environmental Protection Supervision Center of North China shows that the north Canal, which provides water to more than 70% of Beijing’s total population had a level of pollution that is 95 timesRead MoreSustainability: Ethical and Social Responsibility Dimensions Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesMGT 400 Sustainability: Ethical and Social Responsibility Dimensions Faculty: Case Study Henry Siegel Student: Allen Johnson National University December 12, 2012 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Issues Raised 4 Textbook Questions 5 References 6 Introduction When making business decisions that impact the environment, there are often risks and issues that affect an organization. It is important to identify those issues and risks to promote sustainability. Read MoreEssay On Water Pollution1200 Words   |  5 PagesWater is one of the most needed elements for survival on Earth. All organisms contain it, drink it or live in it. Water pollution has been an increasing problem for many generations. Pollution has been around for more than a century, but people did not believe that it was a real threat until it became more aggressive over the years. Pollution comes in many forms such as agricultural, runoff, industrial, sedimentary, animal wastes, etc. For example, many industries began using synthetic materialsRead MoreA Brief Note On Surface Water And Water Pollution1464 Words   |  6 PagesSurface water (rivers, streams, and lakes) are the main sources of domestic, industrial and irrigation water uses in many areas in the world, and play a very important role in hydrologic and biogeochemical cycles. As important as these surface waters are, only a minimum number are maintained and can be found in their natural condition due to intensive human activities such as urbanization and surface water pollution, making it a great environmental concern worldwide (Zhao et al., 2011). Every timeRead MoreEssay about The Water Pollution Crisis1478 Words   |  6 Pagesthat humans have been mistreating for centuries is water. Water is necessary for life of all living creatures yet humans still continue to contaminate the water systems. Water pollution is a problem throughout the world and it is not something that just effects a particular continent or hemisphere. To study a problem such as this, it is best to start from the source of the problem, and then explain the types of water pollution. Water pollution comes from two sources: point sources and non-pointRead MorePhilippine Environment Code1477 Words   |  6 Pagesstationary and mobile sources of pollution which shall consider among others such factors as type of industry, practicable control technology available, location and land use, and the nature of pollutants emitted. Community Noise Standards †¢ Appropriate standards for community noise levels shall be established considering, among others, location, zoning and land use classification Aircraft Emission and Sonic Booms †¢ Appropriate government agencies shall encourage research studies on the harmful effects ofRead MoreWater And Sanitation Of Canada1729 Words   |  7 Pagesfresh water, 20% to be exact (Water 2012). However, even with the large percentage only 7% of the renewable freshwater and most of the water (just like in the United States) is not located in desirable areas. The majority of the Canadian population lives along the southern border with the United States and which creates the problem of most of the country s fresh water is found in the north drainage basins (Water 2012). As this hard to reach water reaches the cities or towns, municipal water supply

Cartoon Analysis Free Essays

A Show For decades people have migrated to America from all over the world in hopes of having that beautiful home with a white picket fence and a yard big enough for two children and a dog. Today, people are still chasing that dream. They haven’t realized that the American Dream is merely Just that, a dream. We will write a custom essay sample on Cartoon Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now These immigrants believe that by coming to America their life will suddenly be better and easier. What’s worse is that President Obama and the government led the immigrants on by portraying the American nation to be a place where dreams come true and everyone is welcome. That is exactly what is being illustrated in The New York Times political cartoon, Undocumented Fun For Undocumented Children. Brian McFadden uses eye-catching colors, the southern United States borderline, and U. S. Representatives to show how the U. S. Government continues to act as if they are willing and prepared to receive more undocumented immigrants. The most flamboyant technique that the creator uses in this strip is the eye-catching colors. Red and yellow are the two brightest colors used in the strip. Red is also a color known to cause a physical reaction within the human body. I believe the creator uses these two colors to highlight the most important points throughout the cartoon. For example, there is a large red stop sign with written on it. This seems to be the main goal and message that the creator wants to get across. Then, the creator’s main concern stands out four times in yellow and reads, â€Å"U. S. BORDER. By using these bright and old colors Brian McFadden is able to complete the first step in sharing his message by catching his readers’ attention. The image that is most vivid in this cartoon strip is the map of the United States with its southern border left open to connect the dots. This type of imagery is brilliant in conveying the cartoon’s message. If this picture were to be presented alone anybody would easily be able to grasp the underlying message. It is in this section of th e cartoon strip where the creator’s point is most Leary stated. The issue presented is obviously the U. S. Border, which is represented by the eight dots to be connected. The creator also uses humor in this piece to lighten the mood of the readers but still gets the point across. The last well- presented elements in this cartoon strip were the characters. The characters featured were President Obama, the border patrol, three other U. S. Representatives, and a young undocumented child. We learn a lot about the U. S. Government through these characters. These U. S. Preventatives reveal to us how the government publicly portrays that they want to help immigrants. Though, McFadden makes it clear that the government is doing this solely to please the American people who are for immigration. For example, the Senate passed the immigration bill. In the strip, a U. S. Representative expresses how he can’t seem to find the bill. This shows us how the government is actually brushing off the immigration concerns of the people. There is a lot being sai d in Undocumented Fun for Undocumented Children. How to cite Cartoon Analysis, Papers

Front Office as the Nerve Center of Hotel Industry Free Sample

Question: Why Front Office Nerve Center of Hotel Industry? Answer: A hotel`s front office department is situated at the front of the hotel and is responsible for bookings and sales of hotel rooms through the systematic methods of reservation, registration, and assigning of rooms. The front office department can also be described as a hotel`s showcase windowas it reflects a hotel`s image (Ahmad Scott, 2014). A hotel`s front office holds primary importance in the view of a hotel`s essential nature of business i.e. selling of rooms. Thus, the front office department is designed to reserve, receive, allocate rooms, and register guests as well as act as a source of information to guests during their hotel stay. Other essential functions of the front office department include settling a guest account, preparation of guest history card, providing guest services, airport pick-up, luggage handling, etc. The front office of a hotel is the "Nerve Center"where all the messages and information are communicated to different persons and agencies. This essay describes why the front office of a hotel is its nerve center and it begins by explaining the duties and importance of the front office staff that makes the department so crucial, followed by the skills needed by the team to make the department a success. Front Office Staff The staffs of the front office department are the organization`s primary contact with the public. The staff members handle a variety of tasks that include reservations, greeting guests on arrival, registering new guests, dispensing keys, managing incoming and outgoing emails, providing information, listening to complaints, taking messages for guests, and handling check-out procedures when guests depart. The front office department may employ the following personnel; front office manager, assistant front office manager, front desk representatives, cashiers, telephone operator, reservationists, night auditor, porter service, concierge, bell captain, and key clerk. The duties of these personnel give the department its importance. The Front Office Manager As described by Andrews (2013), the front office manager has a broad range of responsibilities that include maintaining a high-efficiency level among the front office staff, making effective decisions regarding room assignments and reservation policies, and handling complaints and guest problems with tact and courtesy. Besides, the manager needs to maintain an open communication channel with all other hotel departments. The front office manager also prepares shift assignments and weekly work schedules, assigns duties to staff members, and holds periodic staff meetings to make sure that staff members adhere to and understand hotel operating procedures and policies. Moreover, the manager may also train and hire new employees, as well as periodically review the performance of all staff members (Prayag Hosany, 2015; Reichel, Fuchs, Pizam, Poria, 2014). Furthermore, it is a front office manager`s duty to define and set reservation policies and quotas with the goal of ensuring there is maximum room occupancy. The manager needs to observe guest arrivals, departures, and cancellations as well as set policies regarding early arrivals, no-shows, and over bookings. The front office manager also deals with clients and takes corrective actions with the needs of special guests and when complaints or problems arise. Other guest communications duties for front office managers may include welcoming important guests, and providing information on hotel facilities, services, and policies (Rao Sahu, 2013). Besides, the front office manager is required to regularly confer with the sales and marketing department for updates on potential peak periods, billing arrangements, and individual group reservations. Besides, the manager also needs to maintain contact with the accounting department in regards to special billing requirements and problems as well as the housekeeping staff on issues about room status. Lastly, the front office manager should regularly prepare written reports on the progress and activities of the front office for review by the directors. The Assistant Front Office Manager The assistant front office manager is responsible for the coordination of front desk operations. The manager may monitor payments and guest accounts and authorize special procedures and checks in addition to training new front office personnel. Moreover, the assistant front office manager may also assist the front desk staff during peak periods. Other duties of an assistant manager include preparing daily room occupancy forecasts and reviewing reservations for the current day (Khairizam, Azmi, Ahmat, 2013). Front Desk Representatives Bonfanti, Vigolo Negri (2016) indicate that the front desk representatives communicate the hotel`s personality to guests more efficiently than any other staff member. Front desk representatives also make guests feel welcomed and immediately respond to problem or complaints. In addition to working directly with hotel guests, the desk agents have a significant role in assigning rooms as well as maintaining the occupancy to maximum levels. Besides, the front desk representative checks credit identification and authorization, verifies reservation information, assigns rooms and dispenses room keys when hotel guests arrive. The front desk representative is also responsible for notifying the bell captain or summoning a bell attendant to transport the luggage of guests. Other duties consist of providing information about policies and facilities and handling requests of special guests, such as gift purchases, photocopies, and so forth. They may also be required to handle reservation requests or telephone calls, or to direct calls to the switchboard or reservations department. Guest communications duties include sorting guest mail, stamping, taking guests` messages and sending telex or fax documents. When a guest wishes to depart, the front desk representative calls a bell attendant to transport luggage to the lobby, and he/she prepares and arranges the check of the guest. Other duties of the front desk representatives includ e reviewing reservations, checking rooms, and communicating with the housekeeping department regarding room needs and occupancy forecasts. The Night Auditor Night auditors have dual roles which include performing the duties associated with front desk representatives at night as well as other bookkeeping functions such as preparing balance reports. The shift of a night auditor usually runs for 8hrs from 11 p.m to 7 a.m. When there is slack in the front desk activities, the night auditor is tasked with the responsibility of tracking or auditing the postings of previous transactions in an attempt to verify their accuracy. The night auditor also calculates the charges incurred by guests and owed to the hotel during the previous business day. The total payments received from guests during the day are subtracted from the hotel`s total charges to establish the daily balance which represents the amount still owed to the hotel for the transactions of the previous day (Batini?, 2014). Cashiers The primary duty of a front desk cashier is posting charges, checking out departing clients, verifying the checks of the guests and handling payments. In some circumstances, the management may also require cashiers to assist other front desk staff members in the performance of their duties. At some hotels, front desk representatives handle the functions of a cashier as well as guest registration. But at some other hotels, the front office staff is highly specialized. Front desk receptionists, for instance, may be responsible for greeting arriving guests, registering guests and checking reservations while cashiers are only responsible during check-outs to receive payments (Inkaew, 2016). Furthermore, the cashier may also calculate the guests` charges and present the checks. The front office manager usually supervises the front desk receptionists. Despite the fact that cashiers work at the reception, they are considered to be part of the accounting department and therefore are managed by the accounting manager. Besides, the cashier is also responsible for the performance of other routine front office duties like coordinating room status reports, handling guest communications, and sorting emails (Inkaew, 2016; Kim, Knutson, Han, 2015; Lee, Teng, Chen, 2015). Reservationist A hotel reservationist is a fundamental part of operations in a hotel. The reservationist gives guests their first impression of the services and values of a hotel at the reservation. As a result, reservations agents must be well-informed, courteous, and educational. A reservationist`s primary duty is to rent hotel rooms to guests. The agent must also conquer any objections of the guests. Hotel managers are responsible for providing rules so that the reservationist agents will know specifically what to say if the guests accept or resist the deals. The instructions may come in a script form that must be uncertainly followed. A reservationist is also a person that reserves tickets, events or makes preparations regarding travel arrangements. Reservationists also use skills of customer service to help people. The reservationist agent books tickets, events or online arrangements in person or by phone. They also meet the customer`s needs and produces customer confirmations to the best of t heir ability. Besides, the reservationists are also responsible for contacting customers when a termination is submitted (Boz, Yilmaz, Arslan, Koc, 2016; Boonpektrakul, 2014). Telephone Operator Boonpektrakul (2014) explains that a phone operator`s principal duty is transferring of external calls from the hotel to the guest rooms. Operators have to accomplish this without giving out a hotel`s room number. In spite of the fact that telephone operators may not meet face-to-face with hotel guests, they play an important role to the guest on behalf of the hotel. For this situation, a polite and friendly voice tone is critical. A telephone operator`s duties include answering incoming calls and straight calls to guest rooms. Porter Service A porter or hotel bellhop greets visitors once they check into a hotel. Porter`s are responsible for carrying the luggage of guests as they show them to their rooms (Lee Ok, 2016). Moreover, they ensure that everything in the room is properly working and in order by checking room equipment, such as ventilation and lighting. Hotel bellhops also instruct visitors regarding the hotel systems operation, such telephones or the television remote control. Concierge The concierge is a front office professional in charge of coordinating the entertainments, travel and other activities of guests. The concierge also finds answers any time guests have questions, such as directions to places of interest. Besides, they can order car services, make restaurant reservations and may also arrange guests` personal shopping. The concierge also provides guests with extensive information on tours, transportation, entertainment, church services, sports, and amusements in the area. The concierges must confidentially know the area and be able to meet the guests` individual needs. This person also makes restaurants reservations and obtains theater tickets. Usually, the concierge can be found at a desk in the hotel lobby (Boz, Yilmaz, Arslan, Koc, 2016). Bell Captain Together with door attendants and a staff of bellhops, the bell captain provides a foundation for any lodging establishment. The duties of a bell staff begin where the computerized hotel management system stops. They are the people who tote and lift the baggage, run errands, familiarize the guest with the new surroundings, deliver supplies, and provide the guest with information on local attractions and in-house marketing efforts. These people are the hospitality link between the guest and lodging establishment and are an asset to a well-run hotel establishment as they make the guests feel special (Lee Ok, 2016). Key Clerk Key clerks are usually found in large and full-service hotels that lack electronic key systems. The clerks are responsible for issuing keys to confirmed and registered guests and for other related security measures. The key clerks often sort incoming mail for the management staff and registered guests. This position is obsolete in most new and established hotels; however, in full-service hotels, they can be a welcome sight that reduces the confusion of check-ins and checkouts when they are on duty (Toh, Potapova, Astrakhan, 2013). To effectively perform their tasks, the above persons need to have sufficient skills required by the department, and the level of such skills will determine the performance of the hotel. Useful Skills for the Front Office Department The hospitality industry is working assiduously to reduce or eliminate every stress from the faces of their esteemed guest as soon as they enter their hotels. The skills acquired by the front office hotel employees provide the guests a remarkable experience as it also helps them create a marvelous and magical experience as per the wills, needs, and desires of the guests. With a warm and hospitable smile accompanied by assuring words, the charm of the attitude of the front desk captivates the guests in a way that they can uplift the business through positive reviews which are an incredible marketing tool for any business (Bharwani, Bharwani, Talib, Talib, 2017). The importance of the front office department is also as a result of effective customer care skills required by the front office staff. Such skills are as described below. Listening Listening is the primary instrument of effective communication in any organization. Without the ability to listen carefully to what a guest is saying, the message of a guest could be easily misinterpreted and misunderstood. Consequently, there is a breakdown in communication leading to a frustrated customer. The front office staffs are aware that listening is not only about hearing and a good listener will listen to what is being said as well as what is partially said or not said. Front office staffs that have poor listening skills are introduced to certain techniques that will help improve the skills (Shahril, Aziz, Othman, Bojei, 2015). Attentiveness The art of attentiveness should be observed through all customer service experiences during and after work interactions. Many times clients contact customer service and are subjected to scripted responses. Such responses need to be avoided by the front office department as they give customers the feeling that the hotel attendant did not pay attention to what was being said and was less concerned about the issue (Hauser, 2014). The staff can make use of canned responses that are personalized and used appropriately and wisely to the situation. Patience Customer service might be a challenging and stressful job when the staffs have to deal with frustrated, confused, and angry clients. Patience is a real virtue in such circumstances, and the way that the team responds to those customers will either calm or excite the guests. The front office staffs are taught how to always be patient with their clients by separating their feelings from the situation and understanding the fact that in most cases a customer gets upset with things that do not involve the staff (Ahmad Scott, 2014). Self -Control Maintaining self-control is of most importance in the front office department of a hotel. Apart from the ability to deal with heated and rude customers and handling surprises, it also goes to treating every interaction of individual customer separately regardless of the situation of the previous circumstances. The front office staffs need always to note that every new client presents a new issue and that the previous guests bear no relation to the next prospective customers (Dinnen Hassanien, 2013). Good Communicator If a staff member is not a great communicator, most likely he/she will not go far in customer service. Ability to communicate efficiently and clearly with no mumbling as well as strong typing, good grammar and spelling skills is essential. Moreover, it involves avoiding miscommunications that might result in unwanted consequences and misunderstandings. Particularly in connection to critical points, the front office staffs need to communicate things clearly and leave nothing to doubt. The way a person expresses him/herself will affect the perception of their messages. When talking to guests, either face-to-face or over the phone, the front office staff also need to adhere to facial expressions, body language, and voice tone as they convey more than what is being said. The ability to use affirmative words and avoid negative words are more likely to satisfy customers (Hauser, 2014; Mensah Dei Mensah, 2013). Persuasive Influential speakers improve customer interactions. The secret associated with persuasive speaking is putting the verbal focus on the persuasion target (the guest) and not on the speaker. It means that the hotel staff should call a customer by name, use action-oriented words, and the active tense in phrases or words as well as avoid prefacing statements (like I believe or I think) that express personal opinions or thoughts (Kumar Vetrivel, 2016). Putting guests at the center makes them feel more appreciated and respected. Effective Time Management The front office staff members should have the necessary skills to manage their working hours efficiently. Effective time management includes setting goals and priorities, smart planning, delegating responsibilities, handling procrastination, and minimizing interruptions. These time management tips help the front office staff to handle queries and demands of guests without upsetting them. Sometimes it is necessary for different staff to handle one client based on the needs of the customer and the policies of the hotel (Appaw-Agbola Agbola, 2013). Take Responsibility When things go wrong in a hotel, customers expect the management to take responsibility for all the negative experiences or problems they are having with the services of the hotel. Before the issue reaches the upper-level management, the front office staffs need to take responsibility by offering a sincere apology to a customer on behalf of the hotel, even when the situation or problem that caused the client's frustration was not the fault of the staff (Wood, 2013). Taking responsibility also means that the official is ready to do whatever it takes to fix the problem quickly and professionally (Sharon, Goziker, Shahrabani, 2014). Conclusion The mission of every hotel is to make the hotel successful by satisfying the needs of a customer. The different roles and duties of a hotel`s front office staff make the department the Nerve Center" of the establishment. Thus, the functions of the front office manager, assistant front office manager, front desk representatives, cashiers, telephone operator, reservationists, night auditor, porter service, concierge, bell captain, and key clerk determine the success or failure of a hotel. If a hotel`s front office department fails in their duties, it means the whole establishment has failed in everything. It is because the front office staffs give the first impression and are in charge of handling most of the queries and issues affecting the guests. Consequently, listening, attentiveness, patience, self control, good communicator, persuasive, effective time management, and taking responsibility are essential skills needed by the front office staff for the benefit of the hotel. These de xterities are foundation skills and should be actively developed in the hotel business. In the hospitality and service industry, these skills are the lifeblood, and it is important that the communication style of the front office staff reflects nothing more than professionalism. References Ahmad, R., Scott, N. (2014). Managing the front office department: Staffing issues in Malaysian hotels.Anatolia,25(1), 24-38. Andrews, S. (2013).Hotel Housekeeping: A Training Manual. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Appaw-Agbola, E. T., Agbola, A. K. (2013). Implementing yield management in hotels: An empirical study on small and medium hotels in Ghana.The World,3(3), 130-132. Batini?, I. (2014). Training and development standards for front office employees in the modern hotel industry.Journal of Process Management. New Technologies,2(4), 69-72. Bharwani, S., Bharwani, S., Talib, P., Talib, P. (2017). Competencies of hotel general managers: a conceptual framework.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,29(1), 393-418. Bonfanti, A., Vigolo, V., Negri, F. (2016). Hotel Responses to guests online reviews: An exploratory study on communication styles. InInformation and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2016(pp. 397-409). Springer International Publishing. Boonpektrakul, O. A. (2014). Developing Action-Plan Training Model to Enhance Employees Competencies: A Hotel Case Study.Stamford Journal-Discontinued May 2014. Replaced by the ASEAN Journal of Management Innovation.,5(2). Boz, H., Yilmaz, ., Arslan, A., Koc, E. (2016). A Comparison of Depression and Turnover Intentions of Hotel Employees in All-Inclusive and Non-All-Inclusive Hotels.Global Issues and Trends in Tourism, 372. Dinnen, R., Hassanien, A. (2013). Handling customer complaints in the hospitality industry. InManaging Customer Trust, Satisfaction, and Loyalty through Information Communication Technologies(pp. 68-90). IGI Global. Hauser, M. M. (2014).The Vo-Tech Track to Success in Hospitality and Tourism. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Inkaew, M. (2016). An Analysis of Intercultural Communicative Competence: Hotel Front Office Personnel in Bangkok.PASAA: Journal of Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand,51, 185-214. Khairizam, S. M., Azmi, M. H., Ahmat, N. H. C. (2013). Guest perception on service quality among front office personnel.Hospitality and Tourism: Synergizing Creativity and Innovation in Research, 313. Kim, M., Knutson, B. J., Han, J. (2015). Understanding employee delight and voice from the internal marketing perspective.Journal of Hospitality Marketing Management,24(3), 260-286. Kumar, M. R. S., Vetrivel, T. (2016). Customer Perceptions of Service Quality of Front Office Staff at Hotel.International Journal of Scientific Research,4(7). Lee, A. P., Teng, H. Y., Chen, C. Y. (2015). Workplace relationship quality and employee job outcomes in hotel firms.Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality Tourism,14(4), 398-422. Lee, J., Ok, C. M. (2016). Hotel employee work engagement and its consequences.Journal of Hospitality Marketing Management,25(2), 133-166. Mensah, I., Dei Mensah, R. (2013).Management of tourism and hospitality services. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris Corporation. Prayag, G., Hosany, S. (2015). Human resource development in the hotel industry of Mauritius: myth or reality?.Current Issues in Tourism,18(3), 249-266. Rao, P. S., Sahu, P. C. (2013). The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction in the hotel industry.IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science,18(5), 39-44. Reichel, A., Fuchs, G., Pizam, A., Poria, Y. (2014). Occupational self-perceptions of hotel employees: an exploratory study.Tourism Analysis,19(5), 637-641. Shahril, A. M., Aziz, Y. A., Othman, M., Bojei, J. (2015). The relationship between the Star and the Hotel Service Guarantees of Customer Satisfaction.International Journal of Economics and Finance,7(4), 82. Sharon, T. R., Goziker, O., Shahrabani, S. (2014). Factors Affecting the Decision to Remain in the Hospitality Industry Among Hotel Front Office Desk Employees: The Case of Israel.Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management,2(9), 364-375. Toh, R. A., Potapova, I. I., Astrakhan, T. (2013). Checkin Checkout: Improving the Management of Hotel Front Office Operations.European Journal of Economic Studies,4(2), 33. Wood, R. C. (Ed.). (2013).Key concepts in hospitality management. New Castle upon Tyne, UK: Sage.

Writing with SMEs

WRITING WITH SMES As a marketing specialist, you recognize that SMEs (subject matter experts) are critical to effective content marketing. They’re authorities on your company’s products and services. Without them, your company couldn’t run—and it would be nearly impossible to create detailed content that showcases your company’s expertise. But if you’ve ever had to collaborate with one of these experts to produce a piece of thought leadership content, you might know that convincing them to share their knowledge—especially in writing—can be challenging at times. Whether you are planning a new marketing campaign, seeking to raise your company’s digital profile, or venturing out on your own as a thought leader, you need SMEs on your team. Developing a strong partnership with your SMEs can help you write valuable content that benefits both you and your customers. There is a wealth of online information about working with subject matter experts. Here is a compilation of some best practices that have helped other marketers, and may help you, generate more SME and SME-enabled content. Meet them where they are—literally and figuratively. You may be familiar already with SMEs who are very active communicators within your company and on social media. Seek them out! You’ll already have insights on their interests and areas of expertise, and they might be more receptive to a writing project than other SMEs. For the less active, you will need to exert a bit more effort to get a feel for their comfort level with writing and their preferences for working collaboratively. Before starting, or deepening, your efforts to partner with SMEs to write, you might want to seek out other teams in your company—sales, public relations, training—who have experience working with SMEs. Some members of these teams no doubt will have tips that might prove useful to you. A guide to working with SMEs to develop e-learning materials, for example, notes that a SME could be heavily vested in content that already exists. They may resist new ideas about how to present information, a possibility you’ll need to address before launching a project with them. Get to know your SMEs and the issues that matter to them. This will help you target topics that they can elaborate on for your customers. Ask to be copied on the SMEs’ emails and collect other examples of their writing, such as documentation related to their work, their LinkedIn profiles, and any formal presentations they’ve given recently. Attend their working meetings, or just hang out in their spaces to get a sense of their immediate priorities and what they see coming in their field and for the company. From there, you’ll need to communicate directly with the SMEs to explore those topics in more detail. Daniel Burstein of MarketingSherpa suggests five questions that content marketers can ask SMEs to get the ball rolling, with the goal of gathering information your customers will want to consume and share: How will the [a new product or service] help [target audience]? What challenges have you helped customers overcome recently? How have [industry developments] affected [target audience], and what should they do about it? A [job title] in our LinkedIn Group wanted to know [question?]. I’ve heard a lot of people in the industry talking about [target keyword]. For example, [other thought leaders in the industry] said [something you’ve read while doing industry research]. What is your take on this? These kinds of questions can form the basis of impromptu chats or informal idea-sharing sessions. Providing brief written summaries of these encounters for your SMEs to review might relieve some of their writing burden while engaging them in the creation of useful content. Asking SMEs to react to and edit your own high-level attempt to explain your company’s product or service could be another form of burden sharing. Conduct formal interviews. Be sure you to do your homework and prepare thoroughly for interviews so that you do not waste your SME’s time. Preparation should include conducting keyword searches on the SME’s area of expertise, gathering information on the SME’s professional background and experience, and sending out the interview questions ahead of time. Brendan Cottam, writing for B2B marketers, provides a good example of keyword research and questions aimed at making the most efficient use of your expert’s time. Maximize, Maximize, Maximize! Once your expert has provided writing, or data, start maximizing their contributions to create content that your target audience will want to read and share. The Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as: â€Å"A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.† To this end, be creative in finding ways to convert your experts’ contributions into useful information for your customers. Identify the superstars. In cases where your SMEs already are competent communicators, convert their written products into formats that you can promote inside and outside the company: Share slides from their conference presentations. Edit their oral presentations into short online videos. Post the executive summary and excerpts from their white papers. Give the less confident a gentle nudge. Some SMEs may just as soon let you do the heavy lifting. These less enthusiastic writers may be willing to provide content—qualitative or quantitative—that you can then edit, reformat, and post. For the poorest writers, you might consider using the editing process as an informal tutorial or providing more formal tutorials, taking care to focus on the mechanics of communicating the message while respecting them as substantive experts. The concept of prewriting—the thinking and planning that precede drafting a written product—can help overcome anxieties about writing and boost reluctant writers’ confidence. You can draw upon the wealth of online college-level instructional material available today, material that walks you through pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Resources such as Duke University’s Writing Studio and MIT’s Comparative Media Studies/Writing will help you tailor your tutorial to the needs and preferences of your SMEs. For example, outgoing, talkative types might enjoy brainstorming sessions, while the more quietly cerebral SMEs might enjoy a hands-on mapping exercise. Check out images of pre-writing for inspiration. In partnering with SMEs, especially reluctant writers, it will be especially important to mine  your conversations and interviews for nuggets of valuable content. In her article on working with SMEs, Jessica Miller of PR 20/20 lists â€Å"20 marketing opportunities from 20 minutes with a SME,† including: Sharing key points from interviews with your company’s blog authors, customer service representatives, and sales teams. Recording podcasts featuring SMEs’ answers to interview questions. Using content from interviews to draft high level one pagers, including infographics and tip sheets to share across marketing, sales, and service teams. Measure and Reward Before launching any major initiative to get your in-house SMEs to write more, think about how you will measure your efforts. You also might want to consider how, within your company’s culture, you will recognize outstanding contributions from these experts. Once you’ve uploaded content that your SMEs have authored or inspired, Gillin recommends: Putting tools in place to measure views, shares, comments, likes, downloads, and other metrics of engagement. Making sure everyone on your team is actively upvoting, sharing, commenting, and retweeting. Featuring SMEs’ writing in company blogs and company publications. Whether you’re starting fresh or building upon existing strategies, coaxing your SMEs to write more, giving them a shout-out when they do, and putting in some additional effort yourself could well produce results that both you and your customers will value.

Marilyn Monroes life, focusing mainly on her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller

Marilyn Monroes life, focusing mainly on her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller Norma Jeane Mortenson was born on the first of June, 1926, in the charity ward of the Los Angeles General Hospital to Gladys Baker. Due to the identity of her father being undetermined, she was later baptized Norma Jeane Baker. Most of the childhood of Norma Jeane was spent in foster homes and orphanages since her mother had psychological problems that eventually led to her becoming committed to a mental institution.In 1937, Norma Jeane was taken-in by family friend, Grace McKee Goddard. However, in 1942, Grace's husband was transferred to the East Coast and were financially forced to leave Norma Jeane behind. Norma Jeane was now faced with two options: return to the orphanage or get married.On June 19, 1942, at the age of sixteen, Norma Jeane wed her 21-year-old neighbor and good friend, Jim Dougherty. Unfortunately, Jim joined the Merchant Marines and in 1944, was sent to the South Pacific.U.S. army - June 26, 1945 YANK magazine photo (col...Now that Jim was away, Norma Jeane began feeling lonely so she started working on the assembly line at the Radio Plane Munitions factory in Burbank, California.Norma Jeane had always dreamt of being in the spotlight and it appeared to her that this was about to come true. A photographer, David Conover, took pictures of her for Yank magazine and then began sending modeling jobs her way. Within two years, Norma Jeane was a reputable model and had her face on the covers of numerous popular magazines. She studied the work of legendary actresses and enrolled in drama classes to follow her dreams of stardom.However, in 1946, Norma Jeane had to choose between her marriage to Jim (he wanted her to settle down and be a housewife) and pursuing her career. Norma Jeane divorced Jim Dougherty in June of 1946 and signed her first contract...

You pick Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

You pick - Essay Example Notably, at the end of the leasing period the person who pursues the leasing option will have to begin a new lease or buy cycle. On the other hand, a person who buys a new car will own the vehicle after completing paying all the dues. In the long-run, a person who leases the car pays more than the one who pursues the purchasing option. The loan and lease terms differ markedly. Buying a vehicle implies that the buyers will have the responsibility of paying the entire cost of the vehicle without considering the number of miles covered. Typically, the lender determines the total cost of the vehicle that includes sales tax, down payment, and interest rate. A loan needs an individual to invest a down payment in the vehicle. The borrower will have to decide the amount of savings to cater for the down payments. The more the loanees put down, the less they will require borrowing from the bank (Reed). The loan then funds the remaining amount. The borrower will have to pledge other assets for collateral. In addition, the loanee will have to bear all the risks including the vehicle devaluation especially with increasing pace of technological advancements. Fundamentally, loan size, loan term, amount of down payment, and interest rate determine the monthly payment on the auto loan. The terms of renting differ from that of the loan. Leasing implies that the individual pays a portion of the cost of the vehicle. The portion paid is the part the individual uses during the driving period. The charges of sales tax reflect in the monthly charges (Avdul and Steve 73). In addition, a person can opt to pay a down payment under leasing. Hence, the payment of down payment is not a mandatory in the leasing option. Money factor that is similar to the rate on the loan is paid. The lease vehicle is only the requirement for securing a leasing transaction. In addition, the lessors bear the risk of obsolescence because an obligation to own the vehicle does not

Philosophy Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Philosophy Research Paper - Essay Example It is also grand and gives one the feel of timelessness and awe. Could this feel of awe have something to do with the design of the building It inspires the passer by with a certain longing to enter and take a look inside. But the building has a larger purpose. It fulfils this purpose by accommodating people, furniture and machines. Moreover, it graces the environment with its aesthetic presence. It seeks to be pleasing to the eye. The BMW building is primarily a piece of art because it has been made with some aesthetics. The building has elegance and grace. Apart from fulfilling its accommodating role, it also fulfills another role as an object that satisfies. It has a shape and form that appears pleasing to the person who sees it. And when the person who sees it and enters it, he finds satisfaction in the building's interior as much as he has found satisfaction in the building's exterior when he observed it from the outside. The BMW structure is also a piece of art for the simple reason that it is stately and robust. It is built with the long term view of withstanding the vagaries of nature to the maximum scale. Perhaps it may not be able to withstand an intensive earthquake. Or it may be able to withstand an intensive earthquake, if it is so designed. Nonetheless, the building is made to last for a significant period of time. Perhaps it is made to last for over 40 or 50 years. ... Perhaps it is made to last for over 40 or 50 years. However, this is a difficult proposition in the present times where buildings are routinely demolished to erect bigger and better ones. The idea is to commercially exploit demand with additional space and attractiveness. The building must look beautiful in order to attract money and enterprises. The building's attraction The BMW monolith is primarily made with a certain objective. It may, perhaps, appear beautiful to one person. But it may not appear beautiful to another. To some people, no matter how elegant, this building is just a piece of block! Hence, we may rather say that the building is sublime. It exudes force. It is made to be primarily strong and robust. However, does this building appeal to the imagination Impressive as it is, maybe there is someone who does not take this building to heart! An object of beauty appeals immediately to the imagination. It does need a reason for an object to appear beautiful. An object of beauty is judged by the sensory faculties of the beholder. A building, by and large, does not make such a fast and conclusive appeal. It may win attention or respect owing to its outward attraction and form. However, beauty is another dimension! Beauty wins immediate attention of the beholder. An object of beauty strikes the beholder at once in depth without any reason. In the case of a building, it may or may not strike the beholder with the same inexplicable suddenness. That is why the BMW building could not be termed as beautiful (Immanuel Kant). The purpose of the building This building has been designed for a specific purpose. It was designed so as to herald its attractive and elegant position. It was designed to abide with the natural

What Makes You Happy Philosophy Essay

What Makes You Happy Philosophy Essay Happiness is being content with what you have in your life. It comes down to two different types of contentment. The first type is a materialistic happiness that comes from objects such as food, money, clothes, cars, technology and everything else that that physically exists in this world and is an object of desire. The second type of happiness is a much more spiritual view; it is a natural happiness. It is achieved from being at peace or from reaching a state of inner contentment. It is in my belief that through a balance of these two sources of happiness that only true happiness can be found. The fourteenth Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso speaks of happiness in much the same way. When asked by Howard Cutler to speak about desire, the Dalai Lama replies, I think there are two kinds of desire (Cutler 1000). The Dalai Lama says of the material desire I previously identified: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I think that this kind of excessive desire leads to greed-an exaggerated form of desire, based on over expectation. He goes on to say, When it comes to dealing with greed, one thing that is quite characteristic is that although it arrives by the desire to obtain something, it is not satisfied by obtaining (Cutler 1001). I completely agree with him on this point, that material desire can become excessive and lead to insatiable greed. However, it is my belief that happiness comes from fulfilling desire, which is, in part, fulfilling superficial material desire. But that is not all that constitutes happiness. As the Dalai Lama says, The true antidote of greed is contentment. If you have a strong sen se of contentment, it doesnt matter whether you obtain the object or not; either way, you are still content (Cutler 1002). This kind of inner contentment comes about through the second type of happiness I spoke of, the spiritual or natural happiness. Natural happiness or inner contentment is a rather difficult thing to explain, as it is a very abstract idea. Inner contentment cannot be found through material things. It comes from oneself, from one making peace with what they have and understanding that they cannot have everything. Howard Cutler, the Dalai Lamas companion, asks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦How can we achieve inner contentment? There are two methods. One method is to obtain everything we want and desireà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The second, and more reliable, method is not to have what we want but rather to want and appreciate what we have (Cutler 1002). It would seem that Cutler, the Dalai Lama, and I share many of the same views. Inner contentment itself comes from making peace with what we already have, moving past the desire of wanting material things. However, it should be made clear that we are discussing happiness, not contentment. Contentment, inner contentment, certainly comes from achieving a peace with what one has and accepting that one cant have everything. But that is only contentment. True happiness comes from a balance of both contentment and desire. It comes from striking a balance between the two methods of achieving inner contentment. But this is only one persons happiness. Philosophers such as Epictetus would argue that happiness does not come about through these methods. Epictetus taught that: The goal of life is happiness or flourishing life. The way to achieve this condition is to understand the nature of the good (Barnet and Bedau 995). He argued that The only true good is virtue. Yes, wealth can be useful, but it is not good or badà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Povertyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is not bad but is morally indifferent (just as wealth is morally indifferent)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The life that is happy or fruitful is the virtuous life (Barnet and Bedau 995). Epictetus was likely speaking about happiness as a whole or happiness for the greater good. One persons happiness may not be the same as anothers, but I agree with Epictetus that happiness comes about through living a virtuous life. I would call this version of happiness a worldly contentment. This is, of course, different from the inner contentment previously discussed. Daniel Gilbert adds onto this idea of contentment. In his essay Does Fatherhood Make You Happy? he explains that having children generally makes a parent happy. Psychologists have measured how people feel as they go about their daily activities, and have found that people are less happy when they are interacting with their children than when they are eating, exercising, shopping or watching television (Gilbert 985). He starts off by stating how studies have shown that parents become less happy when they have children around them and how they would rather be spending time doing other things to make them happy, but later counters this idea with his reasons from personal experience. First, when something makes us happy we are willing to pay a lot for it, which is why the worst Belgian chocolate is more expensive than the best Belgian tofu. But that process can work in reverse: when we pay a lot for something, we assume it makes us happy, which is why we swear to the wonders of bottled water and Armani socks (Gilbert 985). Gilbert brings toward a materialistic view very similar to the Dalai Lamas. We are willing to sacrifice for material wants and desires but only true happiness lies in contentment. Gilbert compares children to heroin, while it may seem irrational his points are made clear. Children give parents a feeling of pleasure that makes them forget everything else around them. The analogy to children is all too clear. Even if their company were an unremitting pleasure, the fact that they require so much company means that other sources of pleasure will all but disappear (Gilbert 986). I interpret this as another form of contentment. Because of how satisfying it is to have children, it makes a parent content that they dont need anything else. Lewis suggests a countercultural idea, that we actually have no right to happiness. There are some people who truly believe that happiness is a right that is supposed to be given out from the government like any other right. While in reality this may be true to some extent, we have the right to pursue happiness more so than the right to happiness. Every person is provided with the opportunity and resources to do so. Similarly with other rights there are some boundaries. If we establish a right to (sexual) happiness which supersedes all the ordinary rules of behavior, we do so not because of what our passion shows itself to be in experience but because of what it professes to be while we are in the grip of it (Lewis 1006). Lewis would say that pursuing happiness is alright as long as you are within legal and moral laws. In other words, living a good life is a means to pursue happiness. Thus the question of what is happiness can be defined in multiple ways. For one person, it is through achieving a state of inner contentment through finding a balance between material desire of what one does not have and a desire of what one already has. In the context of worldly or societal happiness, happiness is found through living a life of virtue and thus being fulfilled, or finding contentment, in that manner. Happiness is all of these things. Happiness, however, isnt a destination to reach. Its a perception, a mindset. There are those that believe that people are born with this mindset. There are others who believe that each of us can achieve this perception merely by redirecting our thoughts. Both are true. Sometimes it takes a really stressful event to make us realize how grateful we are for what we have rather than desiring what we dont have. The secret to happiness is contentment; a still point of realization that happiness is found within, not through external measures and possessions. Contentment is more than being grateful for the small things in life, it is being grateful for simply being. Contentment is a song the heart sings in the quiet moments of the day. Can you hear it?

Adoption is a Family Affair!

Joyce Maguire Pavao, the author of â€Å"The Family of Adoption† has been successful in capturing the essence of adoption, the challenges it brings as well as the necessities that would help in handling these challenges.   Being an adopted child herself, she has a great understanding of the challenges and needs, not only of the adopted child, but the adoptive parent and birth parent as well.The book has a more practical and realistic feel since the author willingly shared her own experiences as an adopted child. One characteristic of the book that should be noted is the way the author categorized the whole book.   Covering the essentials not limited to the adopted child alone.The author also generously shared insights about the needs of the birth and adoptive parent.   It is very important to know the rationale behind her principle that the whole process of adoption does not only include the adopted child but the other individual surrounding her as well.   Her book has admirably captured and discussed this principle.In the book, the author well discussed the processes that the birth parent and the adoptive parents.   This part recognizes the fact that even the parents (birth and adoptive) may go through the process of grief and experiences dilemmas as well.In line with this, the book stated that the parents (birth and adoptive) may also need to go through the process of healing.   To further strengthen this fact, the author mentioned that there is a need for the adoptive parent to undergo counseling since this will help the adoptive parent to better understand and have a healthy relationship with the adoptive child.The book mentioned that an adopted child may go through â€Å"developmental stages† such us feelings of loss, experiencing problems in school and the wanting to know about their past.   The author mentioned that the adopted child have every right to know as much about his or her past.The adoptive parents should be open to this fact.   Apart from this, the author was able to clarify the different challenges and developmental stages that the adopted child goes thru.   She said that these are normal.   They may be challenging, but they are a normal process that the adopted child goes thru.In the book, it is stated that adoption â€Å"is not about finding children for families, but about finding families for children.†Ã‚   The items discussed in the book are somehow a reminder that the best interest of the adopted child should always be the priority of the parents.   In the first part of Chapter 1, the author said that â€Å"There have always been mothers and fathers who have not been able to, or not chosen to, or not been allowed to, parent their children†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   This is a sad fact that Joyce Maguire Pavao has beautifully placed into proper perspective.The birth parents have had their share of criticism from many because they gave up their child.   But it is important to reme mber that the birth parents have reasons as to why they chose to give up their child for adoption.   Birth parents need the same understanding, perhaps, as that of the adopted child.This book presented us with the reality that adoption is a commitment more than anything else.   It is a process that needs the cooperation of both the birth and adoptive family of the child.Openness of both families is essential to the growth and better development of the child.   It is important to accept that the adopted child will go thru confusing stages that may prove to be a challenge for the parents.But because of the commitment that the parents choose to make, these challenges, when faced properly, may prove to be the cause of a better relationship with the child.  Ã‚   While the family (parents and child) are going through the different challenges that the process of adoption brought about, it is critical for the parents to remind themselves that the best interest of the child should al ways be the main concern.A lot of people have different opinion with regards to adoption.   Some may even have negative notions about it.   Apart from the usual challenges that an adoptive parent may face while going through the process of adoption, the opinions and reactions of the people around them is another thing that they would need to deal with.It is not enough that the adoptive couple alone understand and is happy about adopting.   It is vital that they have the support and understanding of the people they care about.The book â€Å"Adoption is a Family Affair† is perfect for the families and friends of the adoptive couple.   Patricia Irwin covered the different areas that families of the adoptive parents should know about.   Areas such as who can adopt, reasons behind the decision of adopting, kids understanding adopting and much more.She made the whole adoption process something that can be and should be shared amongst family members and even close friends.    This book is a helping hand to the families and close friends of the adoptive couple, for them to better grasp then reality of and better understand the decision made by their loved one.Patricia Irwin herself is an adoptive parent, given this, she may as well have experienced the confusions of her family and friends about her decision to adopt.   She has a clearer understanding of the need for the people who the adoptive couple cares about to know as much fact as possible with regards to adoption.It is important that the author pictured in the very beginning of her book that there can be a negative reaction from the people the adoptive parents care most about when the couple decides to share the information of adoption to them.   Like most of us, of course we would love for it for the people we equally love to feel the happiness and excitement we feel when we decide to adopt.   And as the author clearly illustrated, this is not always the case.The book acknowledges valid fears and concerns of the families and friends of the adoptive parents.   Some of the valid concerns that the author discussed were the permanence of adoption, whether the child will be different from them or will not fit, the racial difference, should grandparents include the adopted child in their will, how can the family have deeper bonds with the child, etc.These are all valid concerns and important.   In fact, the adoptive couple may have thought about all these things themselves.Patricia Irwin was great in giving solutions or suggestions on how to deal with these fears and concerns.   Some of her solutions were as simple as the family members spending time with the child to create a deeper bond, giving assurance to the family members that adoption is permanent, and the like.One interesting part of the book is where the author gave examples of the possibly irritating comments given by friends and relatives of adoptive couples upon knowing of the couples’ decision t o adopt.   These comments show how uninformed some people are about adoption.   It illustrates how some people, no matter how closely related they may be to the adoptive couple, can be insensitive about the whole adoption process.There were financial related comments where it appears as if the child is someone the adoptive couple picks from a shelf display of children and pays for it at the counter.   Some comments were just downright insensitive and would not be expected to have come from well educated individuals.Of course, we cannot expect everyone to be knowledgeable about adoption.   As the book illustrated, the families and relatives of the adoptive couple may be confused and misinformed about adoption.This book has truly been informative and is useful for the family and friends of the adoptive couple.   It plainly made clear the issues that the adoptive couples may go through in connection with the possible reactions, confusions and hesitations of the people around them who they wish to be a part of the adoption process.Reference ListPavao JM. The Family of Adoption. Boston: Beacon Press; 2004Johnston PI. Adoption is a Family Affair. Indianapolis: Perspective Press;

Global Brand Roll-Out Essay

Gross world product up 2.5% in 2005, following two years of < 1% growth. Overall emerging market economies exploding; + 10% GDP growth in China and + 6% growth in Latin America. Political values in emerging markets may make it difficult for foreign competition to enter market without domestic partner and / or; foreign investment & market diversification less attractive (import / export tariffs). Situational Analysis Situational Analysis Industry Purpose of the Oral Personal Care industry is to prevent teeth and gum diseases and deliver cosmetic benefits. Scope of the industry includes toothpaste, floss, mouth rinses and toothbrushes. Industry Definition Competition Colgate has dominant market value share in China (32%) and Mexico (82%). China market fragmented with Colgate & P&G representing 53% of share. Situational Analysis Industry Product Development growth strategy with launches of premium tier brand extensions Crest Whitening Expressions (US) Crest With Scope (US), Colgate Icy Fresh (China), Crest Cool Expressions (MX). Brand Position: Competition Strategy (P&G) C+S = toothpaste + mouthwash + whitening CWE / CCE = flavor + toothpaste + whitening Entering Emerging Markets under its Crest brand without JV partners. Leveraging x-brand scale with Crest + Scope. Built its brand around therapeutic benefits, while cosmetic benefits market growing fastest in Emerging Markets. Innovating in cosmetic segment; a historic Colgate stronghold. Heavily invests in advertising behind new product launches. Situational Analysis Growth Market Strategies Porter Five Forces Analysis Global Oral Personal Care Colgate Palmolive Oral Care SWOT Analysis Situational Analysis Marketing Strategy Pricing: Positioned as a super-premium brand, price parity to Crest Cool Expressions (14.99 – 15.99 pesos). Marketing Budget: $2MM marketing budget aimed to drive trial through in-store merchandising, sampling, and public relations. Corporate Marketing Strategy Objectives Colgate Max Fresh (CMF) Mexico Marketing Plan Strategic Growth driven by high margin core business. Advertising focused on high margin products and high potential markets. Innovation driven: 40% of sales from products launched in past 5 years. Tactical Growth Strategy: Product Development; Super Premium segment Growth Targets: China 2% YR1, 2.8% YR2; MX 5% YR1, 6% YR2 value share. Will require trading up consumers. Value Proposition: CMF would drive new dimension of freshness Target Market: Geared towards 18-34 yr. old adults (female oriented); augment Colgate’s strong competitive position in Value & Mid-Tier. Situational Analysis Marketing Strategy Will US developed media plans translate? Can Colgate effectively trade-up consumers? What impact will cannibalization have on profitability? Is market large enough in Mexico for premium segments? Will benefits of CMF convey to Mexico consumers? BASES testing and Consumer Viability Index showed marginal promise.. CMF Marketing Concerns for Mexico Symptoms of Colgate Palmolive’s Primary Problem Emerging Market consumers are price sensitive Crest attacking cosmetic segment Consumers experiment through trial vs. large initial purchase Despite Growth in key areas Colgate-Palmolive operating profits and net income are down. +6.5% unit volume growth +7% sales dollar growth +0.1% growth in gross profit margin -2% Operational Profit -7% Net Income To drive growth Colgate-Palmolive is looking to focus on higher margin core businesses. Core Elements of the Strategic Problem In the US toothpaste market CP is seeing a 3.1% increase in volume of sales attributable to the Super Premium Toothpaste Category. Global Strategic Opportunity exists in the Premium Toothpaste market. Represents $75 M sales dollar increase and total market cap of $409.5 M dollars Only the Premium Toothpaste Category is growing at a substantial rate. In 2004 CP captured ~60% of that Sales Dollar Increase in the US largely dues to the introduction of Colgate Max Fresh. In order to continue to grow CP must find a way to develop their Premium Toothpaste product CMF in emerging countries. Colgate Palmolive’s Primary Problem Would the costs of adopting CMF in each new country provide sufficient incremental sales and profits to justify the added complexity of localized marketing and rollout plans associated with those new markets. Colgate-Palmolive must continue to globalize its Premium Toothpaste Strategy. Any solution must balance they cost of localization with the expected sales and profit increase for each new market. Also it is in Colgate-Palmolive’s best interest to develop reusable guidelines as it approaches other new markets similar to China and Mexico. Colgate Palmolive’s Secondary Problems Type 1: Establish a tactical marketing plan for the CMF rollout in an emerging market where Colgate-Palmolive has little previously established presence(China) Type 2: Establish a tactical marketing plan for the CMF rollout in an established market that has high competitor activity(Mexico). In order to establish an effective global strategy two types of secondary problems must be solved in the Colgate Max Fresh Case Study: Any solution must balance they cost of localization with the expected sales and profit increase for each new market. Secondary Problem Detail Need to introduce a product to push Colgate-Palmolive profitability Colgate has worldwide share, the only way to expand is to drive high margin business. China(new markets) have strongly entrenched local brands. Colgate Max fresh will need to compete with its own joint venture brand Darlie(High End). Due to new product introduction at the Super Premium Toothpaste Market competitor Crest has 3% growth year to year, Colgate Equity Brands have been stagnant for 3 years. CP is not only loosing out on possible profits but also slowly loosing market share to its #1 competitor. Market is unfamiliar with CMF â€Å"breath strips† US Marketing Video will be ineffective due to the US Star involved. Is it worth creating new celebrity backed marketing content? Will the Go Big or Go Home strategy work in China and other similar markets? How can Colgate-Palmolive best enter the Chinese Market with CMF. China Secondary Problem Detail Colgate-Palmolive knows P&G will be introducing Crest Cool Expressions(CWE) in Mexico in the near future. CO must develop the best marketing plan to stunt P&G Crest Cool Expressions while protecting their overwhelming market share. 82% Value share for Colgate-Palmolive CP needs to create a marketing plan to introduce CMF with limited budget and maximize regional utility. Due to CP’s large inherent market share, the goal of the Mexican campaign will be to maximize the product funnel. There is a large opportunity present to upsell customers from the Big Red Brand toothpaste to the new CMF toothpaste. Mexico See Exhibit 17 – Will waiting to introduce CMF until after the CWE product introduction change the company estimates of profitability? Can the Mexico Snowsurfer commercial be better standardized for global marketing plans? Going forward how will CP utilize this marketing plan for future markets? Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Locally make the clear bottle Works for China, not Mexico China Allows for ease of expansion of the Colgate Max Fresh brand in clear bottle to other regional locales Also, provides future capabilities for use in other new products Problems: This does add 20% variable cost to COGS Initiates a 6 month delay on production $1.5 M sunk cost before production Alternatives Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Regional Market Alternatives Mexico China Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Provide more trial availability with the smaller packages to sway more to give CMF a try CMF has the breath strips or â€Å"cooling crystals† within the toothpaste, therefore bundle the breath strips package with CMF to build awareness. Stop utilizing celebrities to promote CMF Provide regional flavors Keeps product as a premium product Cost of $200,000 per flavor Has shown promising outcomes in other regions In China, Crest utilized a tea flavor and Colgate a salt flavor In Russia, after releasing a local flavor, the toothpaste market share rose from 11.8% in 2002 to 24.9% in 2005. Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Allows for greater differentiation between the CWE toothpaste In Mexico, drop the price from 15.99 pesos to 14.99 pesos to protect a greater share of CP market share. In Mexico and other markets CP is highly entrenched in, utilize clear bottle In Mexico, Keep the price at 15.99 pesos Implementation Strategic Vs. Tactical Plans The strategic plan moving forward for emerging markets will be to use an easily customizable commercial and adapt it to multiple countries Colgate is the dominant toothpaste brand world wide, so our primary goal will be to prevent Crest from gaining market share and also to upsell our existing customers to the super premium segment We agree with the decision to use a celebrity commercial in China due to the size of the market share the Crest is cultivating Each region and culture has a different set of values and preferences Each region will have a unique tactical plan to maximize effectiveness Jay Chou Colgate Max Fresh Commercial Implementation in China Dispensing the toothpaste in clear bottles to build brand awareness Colgate-Palmolive has invested a large amount of capitol in the Max Fresh marketing campaign Maximize the return on investment by: Transition to less expensive packaging once consumers are familiar with product Include breath strip samples with Max Fresh tooth paste in selected markets Snowsurfer Commercial (English Dub) Implementation in Mexico Our strategies in Mexico will be very similar to our plan in other emerging markets Focus will be on preserving our market share instead of new growth Use clear bottle and breath strip samples in select markets to increase brand awareness Colgate accounts for 82% of total market share compared to 10.2% of Crest’s total market share Crest + Scope only accounts for 3%of total market share Set price at 14.99 pesos per 100 ml We will re-evaluate our Colgate Total (19.36 pesos per 100 ml) marketing campaign to focus on the affluent 40+ age group to minimize cannibalization Implementation in Brazil Characteristics of the Brazilian Market 71% of Brazilians agree that â€Å"music is an important part of my life† 33% have participated in trips to the beach in the last 30 days 76% agree that â€Å"it is important to be attractive to the opposite sex† 65% agree that â€Å"it is important to keep young looking† 32% express the desire for plastic surgery in order to improve their appearance Statistics from Geoff Wicken, KMR Group Tactical Strategy Brazil Vollyball is the 2nd most popular sport in Brazil To become a sponsor on the FIVB circuit, we must apply by July 31, 2006 Update packaging to include â€Å"Made in Brazil† The busy season in Rio De Janeiro December to March, so we recommend kicking off a medial marketing campaign in October 2006 This will give Colgate-Palmolive a chance to evaluate the success of the BreathStrip samples in China and Mexico If we do not see the return on investment we will not include the promotional packaging in Brazil Brazilians place a high emphasis on being attractive to the opposite sex, which means there could a tremendous opportunity to market Colgate Max Fresh as a product that will whiten teeth and make you more â€Å"kissable† Adapt the SnowSurfer commercial to the Brazilian market Sponsor a national beach vollyball tournament Conclusion Colgate-Palmolive is actively seeking ways to increase their operating profit and net income Introducing new high margin products to emerging markets will be critical to their success Marketing Colgate Max Fresh as efficiently and effectively as possible will be necessary in helping us achieve our financial goals UNILEVER