Trader Joe’s No average Joe Essay

Trader Joe’s is an American privately held chain of grocery stores founded by Joe Coulombe. Trader Joe’s have been successful business for long time with their unique innovative strategy of selling natural and organic food products with only one brand of an item for low price. Their unique culture of relaxed beach environment and helpful knowledgeable employees makes their customer to stay loyal to the brand. Eighty percent of Trader Joe’s has in-house products that differentiate them from competitors and hard to imitate. Trader Joe’s target young educated people who want to eat healthy for low prices. They can really expand their business by investing in marketing, social media, loyalty- card program and building parking garages and gain bigger broader market segment in food industry. This also will help them competitive advantage over their competitors as they will have solid brand image and be successful over the long term. SWOT Analysis The strengths of Trader Joe’s are selling organic & fresh grocery at low prices, introducing new products to their stores frequently and offering friendly customer service. Trader Joe’s sell natural and organic food at cheaper price than its competitors. They buy in bulk one item rather than buying lot of similar items, which gives them competitive advantage over other supermarkets. Trader Joe’s introduce 10-15 new products every week and had special season items and; thus customers liked trying new items and were getting best product for as much time as stores had the products for. Trader Joe’s employees were knowledgeable, helpful and happy, which made them communicate much better with customers and build a long lasting relationship. This aided in Trader Joe’s customers becoming loyal to the company. The weaknesses of Trader Joe’s are lack in social media, low advertisement, and targeting small market segment. Firstly, Trader Joe’s didn’t have any interaction with media about the company. In addition, they were not utilizing the free social media tool and were not communicating  with their fans on Facebook or Twitter. They didn’t much advertise about the company which is a weakness because this would hurt the sales they can get by advertising since they were selling natural and organic products for low prices. Lastly they targeted only smaller crowd which would also affect that revenue instead of targeting broader segment of people. Since more people are graduating and becoming educated, Trader Joe’s can target them to get higher market share and by marketing they can convey their goal to these educated people. Moreover, they have opportunity to offer baby related products as lot of people buy baby products when they are at grocery shops. Threat to Trader Joe’s are that their secretive private label goods can be identified by competitors and can imitate. Other treat is that the company can loose it’s charm when they grow because they are no more special to customers. Porter’s Five Forces The threat of new entrance is medium because Trader Joe’s is not a supermarket company, so capital requirement is manageable. Getting good quality food for cheaper price is hard to deliver but it is not impossible. However, brand name is difficult to built that Trader Joe’s has done after so many years. The bargaining power of suppliers is low as Trader Joe’s purchase very large quantities of each item in their store, which make the suppliers to give them lowest price. Moreover, suppliers wanted secrecy from Trader Joe’s not disclosing the low price as the to other competitor store suppliers were selling for high prices. If the price of an item increases for suppliers, they can pass that on retailers in food industry. The bargaining power of Buyers is high as customers have lot of other grocery stores option to goto if they thought prices at Trader Joe’s were high. However, in Trader Joe’s case they were offering natural, healthy and organic food items far cheaper than their competitors. So customers were  loyal to Trader Joe’s. The threat of substitute in food industry is medium because people can eat outside more often rather than cooking at home. Moreover, other brand of an item might be more likable by the customers over Trader Joe’s brand. The intensity of competition is high as Whole Food and Kroger are trying imitate what Trader Joe’s are doing, and since they already have brand name achieved, it is not hard to get their prices down by negotiating with suppliers and making their own brand name organic food. In conclusion, the food and grocery industry is attractive since more companies are going towards natural and organic food. With right marketing techniques , good customer service and quality products, it would be good investment in this industry. Environmental Scan Trader Joe’s demographics are college students, health conscious, out-of-work professors, and most important educated customers. Socio-Cultural environment shows that society is gearing towards more natural and organic food and becoming health conscious. More people are having homemade food from savings perspective. Political environment show that FTC has tighten regulation to keep competitive environment. Also, due to Obama Care there is some savings for people that makes grocery products more affordable. Technological environment shows that there is more Point of Sales systems available with electronic shelf labels and scanner. In addition, self-checkout registers and advertising through mobile apps are getting more common. Economic environment factor shows that during economic downturn, in which i people tend to shop more at grocery stores. The gas prices has been low which gives disposable income to try new items at grocery stores. In conclusion, environment analysis suggest that people in the current  economy are getting extra income that they can spend on food that are natural, organic and healthy for them. With competitive market, the trend is moving towards healthy and low price options. From the SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and Environment Analysis, I recommend Trader Joe’s to increase marketing and advertising their brand much more, create more parking space or redesigning outside of current stores, and giving customers incentives to keep them returning to Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s should start using social media tools and use mobile applications to reach out to their fans and show they care about them. This requires less capital investment and offer great way to reach fans and building new customers. Trader Joe’s should make great shopping experience by making their parking lot bigger. They can built parking garages or decks to accommodate lot of customers increasing revenue of the company. Trader Joe’s should give customers incentives through loyalty-card program, and offer coupons on their website and mobile apps that can be added to customers loyalty cards to be easily redeemed. This will motivate customers to come back to their stores and buy more products, thus increasing the company sales and profit.

Global Perspective on Health Policy Essay

Introduction A macro perspective on health policy issues can be helpful to identify how problems become policy issues and how these issues result in the creation of health care policy. The neglected epidemic of Chronic Disease also known as non- communicable diseases are a controversial issue that needs to be addressed in the world. In this paper, the writer will provide an explanation of how this issue has resulted from a policy’s creation. Identify the steps in the state and federal policy development process. Furthermore, differentiate between policy development and implementation. Also, explain how stakeholders become involved in the process and why their voices often become a driver for change in health policy. What is Chronic Disease? Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases are not transferred from person to person. They are slowly progressed over time. The four main kinds of non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases such as strokes or heart attacks, any type cancer, chronic respiratory diseases like chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and diabetes. Other Chronic Diseases that affect many Americans are, Obesity and Overweight, Asthma, Epilepsy, Food Allergies, Glaucoma, Alzheimer’s, and Heart Disease (Non-communicable diseases. 2014). A Chronic Disease is a long-term illness that can be controlled, but not healed. The worldwide population is affected by chronic diseases. In the United States, chronic disease is the leading cause of disability and death that accounts for 70% of all deaths. Out of these premature deaths, 90% effect low- income and middle-class population. The World Health Organization shows that chronic illnesses are also the main reason for untimely deaths everywhere, even in places where communicable ailments are widespread (What is Chronic Disease?. 2011). According to the article, chronic disease is the most preventable and can be successfully controlled, and they are also very costly health issues and the most common. With the proper care and treatment, these long-term diseases can be controlled (What is Chronic Disease?. 2011). The Epidemic of Chronic Disease In today’s society, Chronic Disease is responsible for an enormous percentage of diseases in people. Non-communicable diseases affect all regions of the  world and age groups. People before the age of 60 attribute to 9 million of the deaths associated with chronic disease. Even though Chronic Disease are a huge problem in low-income areas, these diseases and risk are not exclusive to more wealthy Americans (Horton, R. 2005). The most vulnerable to the risk factors that contribute to chronic diseases are adults, elderly and children. Studies prove that it comes from unhealthy diets, exposure and use of tobacco products, not regularly exercising and harmfully using alcohol. Non-communicable disease are driven by aging and the globalization of unhealthiness in our lives (Non-communicable diseases. 2014). The globalization of unhealthiness like eating unhealthy can result in high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, high blood glucose levels, and higher blood lipids. Many of these risk factors can be lead to cardiovascular disease, which is a common NCD (Non-communicable diseases. 2014). The Center for Managing Chronic Disease (CMCD) aims help in the effectiveness with management and prevention in chronic disease. The main goal of CMCD is to help people at risk, or that are most vulnerable. Conducting advanced research and publicizing the results to aid in policy change and practices (What is Chronic Disease? 2011). On September 2011, a meeting with the UN High Level on Non-Communicable Diseases was an exceptional chance to produce a sustained global drive contrary to preventable disease and disability, premature death for chronic diseases, like stroke, cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease and diabetes. This is an increasing global threat in NCDs that is a barrier to developmental goals. These development goals include health equity, poverty reduction, human security and economic stability (The Lancet. 2011). Policy Making Process. In healthcare, Chronic Disease epidemics cause many threats to the world. In response to the crisis, The Lancet NCD Action Group and the NCD Alliance has proposed five priority actions. Which are: â€Å"Leadership, prevention, treatment, international cooperation, and monitoring and accountability—and the delivery of five priority interventions—tobacco control, salt reduction, improved diets and physical activity, reduction in hazardous alcohol intake, and essential drugs and technologies (The Lancet. 2011).† The import involvements were chosen for their health paraphernalia, cost-value, small costs of implementation, and political and financial achievability. Tobacco control  is the most urgent and immediate priority. They have propose a goal for 2040 that in essence the world would be free from tobacco where fewer than 5% of people engaged in tobacco use (The Lancet. 2011). Policy problems are identified by many factors that include methods that include getting issues on the political agendas and removing them. The first step in the Policymaking Process is agenda setting. Agenda setting is all about decision-making in the first phase of the policymaking process. To be considered on the agenda, difficulties must arise to policymakers’ attention. Healthcare problems are highly visible, because the affect the nation, whereas major problems no relating to health are considered invisible to make the agenda (The Lancet. 2011). The Policymaking process discusses the precise decisions and procedures that are required for a policy to be considered, proposed and implemented. This process is an interactive progression with various points of access that provides opportunities to impact the many decisions (Politics and the Policymaking Process. n.d.).Policymaking process is an interactive process with several points of entree that provides chances to influence the decision-making processes involved in each of the stages. Furthermore, there are three phases of policymaking: the implementation phase, the formulation phase, and formulation phase (Politics and the Policymaking Process. n.d.). Policy development and implementation. During Policy Development, policies may be developed and applied at several stages and may vary from formal reg ulations and legislation to the informal procedures by which governments function (Policy Development. n.d.). An example of policy development would be in government policy that is related to youth, children and health developed at national and federal; territorial and provincial; community, local and district; or international levels by elected executives transversely with a quantity sectors that includes education, health, social services, finance, recreation and labor. Additionally, policy development time frame is determined by various factors that include government agendas and media attention. (Policy Development. n.d.). On the contrary, Policy implementation involves putting implemented policies into play. Success from implementation is depends on three essential elements. First element is the state or president and government officials locally, must pass down polices to the proper agency with the government bureaucracy (Policy Implementation  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Boundless Open Textbook. n.d.). The second element that is essential to policy implementation is strong interpretation. Meaning that legislative intent need be deciphered into functioning guidelines and agendas. The concluding element necessary in operative policy implementation is also challenging to achieve. Dedication of assets to implement policy beneath the primarily element must be combined with organization of the policy with enduring processes (Policy Implementation – Boundless Open Textbook. n.d.). Stakeholders in Healthcare. A Stakeholder involvement in planning, management policymaking has be brought on by new general development models. These models seek a different role for each state based on consensus, pluralistic structures and political legitimacy. Stakeholder contribution can be categorized into three forms: cooperative, instructive and consultative (Involving Stakeholders in Aquaculture Policy-making, Planning and Management. n.d.). In Cooperative involvement primary stakeholder act as companions with government in the decision processing. Consultative involvement is where government makes the primary decisions and stakeholders still have influence in the outcome and processes. Last, in Instructive involvement the government makes the choices but apparatuses occur during information interchange (Involving Stakeholders in Aquaculture Policy-making, Planning and Management. n.d.). Conclusion. The macro perspective on health policy issues can be helpful to identify how problems become policy issues and how these issues result in the creation of health care policy. Chronic diseases impact the healthcare industry in many ways. This controversial issue impacts all age groups. The Center for Managing Chronic Disease (CMCD) helps with management and prevention in chronic disease. This paper, provided an explanation of how the epidemic of Chronic Disease has resulted from a policy’s creation. Moreover, identified the steps in the policy development process. Furthermore, differentiated between policy development and implementation. Also, explained how stakeholders become involved in the process and why their voices often become a driver for change in health policy. References What is Chronic Disease?. (2011). The Center for Managing Chronic Disease. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from  http://cmcd.sph.umich.edu/what-is-chronic-disease.html Horton, R. (2005). The Lancet. The neglected epidemic of chronic disease : The Lancet. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2805%2967454-5/fulltext#bib4 Non-communicable diseases. (2014). WHO. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs355/en/ The Lancet. (2011). Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis: The Lancet. Retrieved October 14, 2014, from http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960393-0/abstract Policy Development. (n.d.). A Brief Guide to Understanding Policy Development. Retrieved October 10, 2014, from http://www.ruralnovascotia.ca/documents/policy/understanding%20policy.pd Politics and the Policymaking Process. (n.d.). The Policymaking Process. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from http://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0205011616.pdf Policy Implementation – Boundless Open Textbook. (n.d.). Boundless. Retrieved October 15, 2014, from https://www.boundless.com/political-science/textbooks/boundless-political-science-textbook/domestic-policy-15/policy-making-process-95/policy-implementation-516-6175/ Involving Stakeholders in Aquaculture Policy-making, Planning and Management. (n.d.). Involving Stakeholders in Aquaculture Policy-making, Planning and Management. Retrieved October 15, 2014, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/AB412E/ab412e32.htm

Horizon Foods Corporation

1) Case Summary (What’s the issue? ) Horizon Foods Corporation (hereafter â€Å"Horizon†) is a still-growing, nationwide foods organization that is widely known for its high quality products. With $300 million sales each year, the firm has been relatively successful so far, gaining good reputation and arousing much interest of the public through its brokers and local retailers. However, as the company prospers and customers demand more, Horizon foresees a coming crisis. The distribution issue, which the company has faced for a while, is now causing stock-outs, and increasing competition in the market is threatening the company’s market share.Authorities involved fail to scrutinize the issue and its cause, and they are eager to blame each other for the problems. The division of labor between two major departments – Marketing and Sales, and Production – seems to need a complete rearrangement for a more efficient process. Horizon should also analyze it s current brand positioning in the market and rework its strategies if needed. 2) Q1. What are the characteristics of the market served by the Horizon Foods Corporation? Horizon is a specialty foods processor.It has served a national market composed of food brokers who represent retail store chains. The food brokers make orders to Horizon. Generally, the orders are small. The production is done in two different plants thanks to the ingredients from some food suppliers. The plants are located in agricultural areas to reduce the cost of transportation. Moreover, Horizon produces in large quantities, and the food produced is very good in quality. The production is dispatched to several public warehouses. Then, these warehouses use contract carriers to deliver the products to the customers.Because of the small orders, the transportation cost to retail stores can be high. The market is very competitive since many of Horizon’s food competitors also offer a complete production line (See Appendix for diagram A – The Schema of the Market). 2) Q2. What problems exist at the Horizon Foods Corporation? Two issues exist at Horizon – namely, inefficient division of labor and increasing market competition. Firstly, inefficient division of labor is simply the inappropriate â€Å"split between delivery from production and service from the warehouse†.The problem might also be termed the lack of effective communication between the two major departments: Marketing and Sales (hereafter â€Å"Marketing†), and Production. Marketing is mainly responsible for promotion, merchandise, and delivery to customers whereas Production focuses on manufacture and transportation to public warehouses. The customers’ demand for the firm’s products, which are continuously measured and evaluated by the Marketing, is rather unknown to the Production, and a lack of such inter-communication is the cause of the â€Å"number of stock-outs that [retailers of the Horizon Foods Corporation] have been recently experiencing†.Secondly, increasing market competition poses a challenge to the firm. Competition is inevitable in a market, but it has now become a serious issue for Horizon as its competitors have begun â€Å"to offer complete product lines that compete directly with Horizon’s†. The firm should begin to analyze how well its brand is positioned among its competitors and figure out its new competitive priorities if need. 2) Q3. Why do you think the problems exist? There are two intrinsic problems.First problem is that the way in which Horizon holds a meeting is inefficient as different staffs join the discussion at different periods of time; communication across various departments is not effective. Second problem is that Horizon’s corporate manner does not allow every entity to openly discuss with proper manner; for example, when Roger commented about Production department supplying the market, Sally fou nd the comment as almost an insult. It is important that the corporate atmosphere is set right for discussions to take place openly and wholeheartedly.In addition to intrinsic problems, there are practical causes for the problems. Firstly, Horizon failed in managing its inventory. There are simply too many warehouses. The existence of many warehouses is the cause of the firm’s high inventory cost. Production that takes place in each and every single warehouse is rather small in quantity, and consequently, the cost to transport the products from many different warehouses is very high. It is to be noted that raw materials and ingredients are also transported over long distances.Delivery schedules vary for every warehouse, and so there are uncertainties that put Horizon at the risk of stock-outs. Secondly, the way in which Horizon has divided its management is very inefficient. As of now, marketing managers are in charge of product inventory whereas national sales manager is res ponsible for coordination of warehouses and arrangement of delivery. It is rather strange that inventory management is separated from coordination of warehouses and arrangement of delivery; in fact, all three aspects are so intimately inter-related that they should be managed by one entity within an organization.Moreover, increasing market competition, which is something that is inevitable, must be dealt with by constantly re-analyzing Horizon’s positioning and its competitive priorities in the industry. 2) Q4. What would you suggest the task force recommend in order to gain â€Å"control over this product movement process†? Before recommendations regarding control over product movement process can be made, one must notice that it has been quite a while since Horizon has been having this problem.The quote â€Å"Are we finally beginning to recognize that we have a distribution problem† shows how long it took for Horizon to finally realize, acknowledge, and gather together all the relevant authorities to discuss the issue. Corporate culture at Horizon must change in a way that would enable all entities within the organization to openly discuss any issues. Now, there are ways in which Horizon could gain more control over this product movement process. Firstly, Horizon could establish a new department – namely, Communications Management – that specifically takes care of interactions between Marketing and Production.The Communications Management would act as a bridge, allowing a free flow of information, people, and other entities (See Appendix for Diagram B – Horizon Foods Corporation’s Future State Map). The staffs in the department would develop a virtual contact system with each and every single authority relevant to personnel, purchasing, finance, marketing product line, and national sales manager; the staffs would just concentrate on effective communication within the firm.Furthermore, the new department could specialize in Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) to formulate detailed schedules for obtaining raw materials and manufacturing products. Secondly, Horizon could sign a contract with a logistics company that will exclusively work with Horizon. Currently, delivery schedules vary by carrier and are sometimes erratic because each public warehouse chooses its own distinct logistic company for delivery. Forming a contract to have a specific company to arrange all the necessary deliveries would reduce the number of stock-outs.

The Economics of American Farm Unrest, 1865-1900 Article - 2

The Economics of American Farm Unrest, 1865-1900 - Article Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that as for the farmers’ complaint of high-interest rates, these were logical as creditors faced a lot of risks involved in providing loans to farmers and, thus, had to be compensated via higher interest rates. However, they were right in that there was a monopolistic attitude of railroads and grain elevators whereby the real railroad rates showed an increasing trend. The real cause of the unrest, Stewart states, was the dissatisfaction of the frontier farmers due to the rising risks and uncertainties involved in US agriculture after the Civil War. Semi-arid areas of the United States were now involved in agriculture and there the farmers experienced droughts. Accustomed to plain agriculture, now the farmers faced a lot of hardship in these areas. Moreover, farm foreclosures and fluctuating crop prices agitated the frontier farmers a lot. Stewart also relates how the farm unrest caused institutional change by causi ng the federal government to engage itself in regulating the private economic sector. In the end, Stewart relays the reason for the success of the farmers with regard to cooperation in the unrest, citing membership incentives and peer pressure as the reasons thereof. James I. Stewart has earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the Northwestern University, Illinois. He has also held the post of Assistant Professor at Reed College, Oregon. Keeping this in mind, it is expected that Stewart has written this article for academic purposes. Stewart has done much research for this article and, as is documented by the references, has obtained a lot of his information from published academic works of historians and economists.

Look through comments and fix all problems with paper submitted Essay

Look through comments and fix all problems with paper submitted - Essay Example Though there were similar thoughts and reactions to certain aspects of what they witnessed, the exact reasons why Dickens and Tocqueville both were disillusioned with America and became so critical of its society differ in ways which were favorable to each writer's nationality and particular social upbringing. Dickens traveled to America already well versed in the available travel literature that had been produced both to help reforms at home as well as in America as each social structure was examined and compared. Prior to his departure, Dickens had high expectations for the new country as a source of information regarding how best to fix the social ills in England at that time. Prior to his first visit to America, Dickens was active in the suffrage movement as well as the anti-slavery movement, but that he had changed his mind, at least somewhat, by the time he returned home (Dickens, Charles. American notes. 1842). In many ways, this change of heart has been linked to the type of treatment Dickens experienced while visiting and touring the prescribed route between historical or picturesque vistas and places of social reform such as schools and jails. Dickens' unhappiness in America arose, in part, from the enthusiastic reception he received from America's public. This is a case of too much of a good thing creating something unspeakably bad. During his tour, he wrote to Thomas Mitton, "I am so exhausted with the life I am obliged to lead here If I go out in a carriage, the crowd surround it and escort me home. If I go to the Theatre, the whole house (crowded to the roof) rises as one man, and the timbers ring again. You cannot imagine what it is" (Grass, 2000). No matter where he went, Dickens was to experience the invasiveness of constant surveillance, while he slept and no matter what he did, as well as constant requests for the most personal items - locks of hair, pieces of clothing, knick knacks left behind, etc. That he recognized the damaging psychological ramifications of this type of constant surveillance can be found in his writings regarding his tours of the American prisons. Although they do not focus on this effect on the psyche of the prisoner, Dickens unmistakably writes from an informed position regarding some of what these men must endure during their years under the watchful eye of the guards (Claybaugh, 2006). The torment of the situation was not lost on him as he found it agreeable to recommend constant surveillance through such structures as the Panopticon model for Britain's new prisons. Meanwhile he criticized the relatively light treatment of prisoners who were permitted to perform useful work during their daytime hours. An examination of his writings regarding the prisons are helpful in discerning Dickens' psychological experience of America's practices. One of his strongest criticisms regarding the American prisons had little to do with the psychological effects of constant surveillance and instead focused on the effects of constant isolation from the company of others and the dehumanizing effect this had on them. This dehumanized individual undergoes his change from prisoner at admitting to cowed subhuman after the course of several years precisely because his horrors to go to prison have haunted him through the years. Despite the changes this necessarily brings about in the

UNICEF advertisement concerning the AIDS epidemic Essay

UNICEF advertisement concerning the AIDS epidemic - Essay Example Finally, seeking to understand this advertisement from yet another perspective, the rhetorical approach of logos, demands that the individual focus upon the moment in time it just prior to the advertisement concluding and/or the moments prior to the UNICEF emblem being flashed upon the screen. Within this brief period of time all of the preceding information that has been driven by thoughts and a sense of emotional distress and need for action is juxtaposed with the statement: â€Å"What we see as fiction... Is real in Ethiopia† (Unicef 2007). Such a statement of fact links all of the seemingly disjointed emotionally charged imagery and tax that was presented previously and the advertisement to a definitive and logical conclusion. Whereas it may be hard for the individual to accept the images of orphans, innately poor, struggling to survive in burned out towns with no viable means of support or education as a fictitious rendering of a post-apocalyptic world, this is very much unfortunately the case within many parts of Ethiopia and Eastern Africa that are heavily impacted by the AIDS epidemic. By referencing all of this information and utilizing all three of the previously denoted rhetorical strategies, the director and producer, and indeed all of the people responsible for the production of this ad, effectively integrated with as large a market audience as is possible. As has been denoted through previous levels of research, effectively representing these rhetorical stragegies in the making of a well nuanced case that can be effectively presented to the viewer was the primary goal that the director and producer/writer and composer of this... UNICEF advertisement concerning the AIDS epidemic Firstly, the pathos of the video is clear and apparent from the very first frame of the video; as the viewer is greeted with an expansive cemetery perforated by concentric lines of seemingly endless white crosses. This imagery serves to evoke an emotional response within the reader by accompanying this morbid sight with very slow moving and contemplative, one might even argue depressing, music. A very clear and apparent level of connection is found to exist between those images and sounds that the viewer sees and hears and the subject matter that is being presented. Moreover, by presenting a steady stream of images connecting homelessness, poverty, orphans, and a post-apocalyptic environment, each of these emotionally charged images is capable of invoking a response upon the part of the viewer; a response that the director and producer of this brief advertisement were fully aware could be evoked. By referencing all of this information and utilizing all three of the previously denoted rhetorical strategies, the director and producer, and indeed all of the people responsible for the production of this ad, effectively integrated with as large a market audience as is possible. As has been denoted through previous levels of research, effectively representing these rhetorical stragegies in the making of a well nuanced case that can be effectively presented to the viewer was the primary goal that the director and producer/writer and composer of this piece necessarily intended.

Project Management Degree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Project Management Degree - Essay Example 13. How was this value decided on Don't know 14. Was there a risk manager or team specifically assigned within your organisation to deal with risk Y / N 15. If yes, please describe more fully I think there is someone who is in charge about these things but I really don't know who 16. Was probabilistic planning used within the project Y / N what is that 17. If yes, please elaborate 18. Does your organisation undertake formal risk management training Y / N 19. If yes, please describe 20. Approximately what is the budget for this kind of training per year Don't know 21. Did any issues occur in the project Y / N I guess so 22. If yes, please specify 23. How would you rate the performance of the project Please tick all boxes that apply Thank you for you participation 2 All details will remain confidential In completing the questions, please refer to the most recent project that you have been involved in. Name: Age: Job Title: Name of Organisation: Position: How long have you been in this position What was the budget for the project What was the main objective/product/benefit of the project 24. Did your organisation use a methodology to guide the project Y / N 25. If yes, what methodology (PRINCE2, DSDM etc.) was used Please specify I am not really sure what specifically, but I think they do use something 26. Have you ever undergone formal project management training Y / N 27. If yes please give details _________________________________________ 28. What is the approximate annual budget per person for this (if available) I really don't know 29. Is risk management a part of your project methodology Y / N 30. Was there a standard risk... I would say the company is not too much into strategies, it just try its best to handle difficult situations, try to learn from its mistakes, remember the lessons taken from the blunders that have occurred and try its best not to repeat the same mistakes in future endeavors. Was the project a success Who do you think was responsible for its success (or failure) Most of our undertakings are relatively successful, yes there had been a lot of problems, so many things taking place one after the other which really gave us problems but thankfully we were able to surpass everything and proof to that is until now the company continues to exist. As to who is responsible, I guess, all of us are responsible to the success or failure of the things we do. (4) Some of our projects were conceived based on very good concepts except that because most of the people in the company are ill-equpped to handle the issues that take place, most of the times the good ideas vanish. (4) Yes, management conceptualises well its activities as much as it can, but we all know that problems always arise however good is the conceptualisation and the planning in

Reality Based Education Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reality Based Education - Case Study Example They facilitate the operation ability of the labor element of production. Difference perceptions about human resource trends exist amongst the different personnel in the corporate world. This paper depicts a case study analysis of the case study â€Å"The Right Way with Employees?† In this case study issues concerning, human resource management in the real world will get analyzed. Social contract is a phenomenon that entitles and establishes elements that categorize the forms of relations between persons in an organization. It is common to identify situations and working environments through identifying the character traits of a person’s social contract demeanor (McCarthy, 2011). Most likely, the way a person relates with the others determines the art of the social contract assumed. For instance, the cases of Kirby and Cunningham impose differences in the level of social relations. Kirby’s assumption of the social contract is affirmative, especially considering the way he treats employees. The manager is oriented and concerned about the welfare of the employees hired by the company. In most instances, most managers create a division setup between them and the employees they hire. That is; they maintain official relations that put away the idea of relating on a personal basis. According to Kirby, the employee’s social and economic affairs were a concern to the company. That makes him part of the concern. For instance, he makes sure that he establishes a personal relationship with the employees. According to many, the leadership skills demonstrated by Kirby create an integrative environment between the employees and their seniors. He establishes the essentiality of collaboration in terms of skills and ability to cooperate amongst the workmates. Kirby understands and complies fully with the SOP (standard operating procedures). However, he also respects the need to

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report Analysis Research Paper

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report Analysis - Research Paper Example It is knowledge-based and aims at leveraging its core capabilities or skills so that they may broaden the understanding of the global trends in CSR. Hershey’s strategy, which is founded on the company’s value, is open to changes and focuses on partnerships that are in alignment with their culture, helps the company in advancing their growing global businesses. Hershey’s has also partnered with several companies in the solving issues arising from climate change, resource scarcity and human rights. The company’s management has realized there is a need for them to proactively comprehend and address their neighbor’s issues when doing business with them. Hershey’s has also been making noteworthy progress in the achievement of their CSR goals while building sustainable platforms for ensuring the company’s growth. This has been achieved through the foundation of strong beliefs in the company’s values and distinct heritage. The fundamen tal principles that guide the company’s CSR strategy to success are founded on talent or resource management and responsible sourcing. In managing the company’s CSR strategy, they use talented or experienced teams, an aware or engaged workforce, revitalized business strategies and confectionery products that are world-class. Hershey’s has made an impact on seventy countries in Asia, America and South America through the use of effective marketing, sale, distribution along with manufacturing operations. Finally, the company’s CSR strategies focus on their marketplaces, the environment, workplaces and the community (The Hershey Company, 2011). B. Brief Summary of the Report, Noting Significant Achievements, Actions and Goals. The report provides information on the company’s profile and the strategies of achieving their CSR objectives. It also provides their CSR’s towards the marketplaces, environment, workplaces and the community. The report p rovides that the company’s goals include producing high-quality products or selling them at fair prices and providing work that is meaningful while offering fair wages to their employees. Its other goals include giving back to the communities in their areas of operation and being good stewards of land and the resources obtained from it. The report indicates that the company has been able to launch factories in America, Asia and Latin America to enable them to handle their markets more effectively. They have also achieved success in other operations in the nonmanufacturing sector by opening up administrative offices in other parts of the globe which include Japan, Singapore, Dubai and the Philippines. The company report stipulates that it has also managed to expand their source for raw materials to countries like Nicaragua, Cameroon, Cote d’ivoire, Indonesia and Jamaica. Its reports indicate that the company has been able to gain their customers trust and have also incr eased their research efforts in order to satisfy their customer’s needs more appropriately. In addition, it indicates that the company has been able to satisfy their employees thereby improving on their productivity while providing suitable returns to the investors. These achievements have in turn enabled Hershey’s to closely collaborate with its business partners in finding solutions to the problems that the different

Giant Pool of Money Essay Example for Free

Giant Pool of Money Essay The house prices were on the rise and many traditional home owners attempted their dreams of becoming a real estate tycoon. Although some buyers might have lived through the recessions in the 70’s, they never experienced it as a consumer and so only seeing housing prices go higher and higher, the idea of owning a home for the long run was embedded as a sure money maker. The last recession was more than 40 years ago and people don’t remember it because all of them were yet to be born or they were just too young. This is the case with all of the players in The Giant Pool of Money. Jim Finkel, Rachard the marine, Clarence Nathan, Adam Davidson, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Mike Francis, Mike Gardner, Glen Pizzolorusso, and Tonko Gast. I can’t blame any of them for falling in to Availability Bias because I too fell for it. Luckily, I bought a house that I could afford, unfortunately many of my neighbors did not. I was born in 1978 and this was my first opportunity of making a large investment for myself. Because I was bit weary, I asked a lot older mentors and family members if I should buy a home and not a single person said no. All of my friends had houses 2000sq ft or bigger houses for themselves! I couldn’t think of one reason why I shouldn’t buy a house and I’m sure many Americans felt the same and I was amazed how easy the entire process was! Like Richard the marine, I had the ability to lock in a 30 year fixed Veterans Administration loan but my lender opted for the interest only mortgage. Biases due to the irretrievability of instances also came in to play when asking, why throw money away when you can buy? It’s common knowledge to anyone that buying is always better than renting however, there are instances where renting can be more advantageous. People like Mike Garner that worked at mortgage banks were in a race to make the most deals against other lenders who were doing the exact same thing. Interesting enough, Mike stated that his boss hated the loans that they were dealing but he couldn’t do anything about it because â€Å"Other people are offering it†. His boss had been in the business for 25 years and everyone was making money. Glen Pizzolorusso, a sales manager like Mike Garner was making more money than he knew what to do with it so he did what everyone else did, buy houses! The second bias I’d like to look at is insensitivity to prior probability which is conveyed in the paragraph above. People tend to think of real estate investment as a solid investment like the people that had their piece in the pool of money and everyone involved. People are always going to resort to buying a real estate property versus renting if given the choice. It is perfectly reasonable to predict that house prices will rise in the future. I don’t think many people will ask themselves â€Å"how likely would this house devalue by threefold in next couple of years? † or much more modest â€Å"how likely would house prices fall next couple of years? † Prior availability of data available suggest that the chances are very slim. It seems like it was a perfect storm brewing with all the right elements that caused this bias. People with money to invest felt it was the right move since federal funds were at record low interest levels and there were significant growth in the housing sector. The bank workers such as Mike Francis simply satisfied the investors without knowing the outcome and with the initial success, the need of further investigating disappeared. One recommendation I have to prevent availability bias and insensitivity to prior probability, I would say is to carefully examine past history. We all know that last recession was in 1970’s but most people only know as the recession caused by the oil crisis but looking much more in depth, we all know that it was just more than oil crisis that resulted in the recession. Likewise, people are going to talk about the recession in 2000’s as greedy home owners trying to make money on houses that they couldn’t afford but we know that wasn’t the cause. There is more to the story then the headline and people need to investigate and look at all the possible outcomes. These two biases make it difficult to examine some of the outcomes and it’s everyone’s responsibility to look at all of the possible outcomes even if the chances are very small. We cannot point the finger at just one person in the story of Giant Pool of Money.

Nature And Development Of Special Interest Tourism Tourism Essay

Nature And Development Of Special Interest Tourism Tourism Essay SIT- special interest tourism is a part of existing tourism industry today. Nowadays, people are more confident about travelling abroad and looking for something different rather than for sun and sand holidays. Special interest tourism is a type of holiday, replacing the traditional mass market travel packages and allows tourists to choose holidays appealing to their individual and personal needs. According to the World Tourism Industry or WTO, special interest tourism can be defined as the specialized tourism that involved individual or group tours by those people who wishes to develop their given interests or visit sites and places that has a relation or connection with their specific interest or subject. The aim of SIT is to satisfy specific needs or interests of individuals or groups. The structure of SIT is similar to that of the overall tourism industry. There are many sub-sectors serving individual and personalized needs of tourists, such as: Travel intermediaries Travel facilitators Attraction and entertainment Activity and events providers Accommodation providers Transportation Travel intermediaries provide information about destinations packages, travel options also making bookings for the customers. They can be represented in the form of tour operators or travel agencies. The main aim of travel agencies is: to sell holidays and associated products such as insurance, cars hire. Travel agents act as the link between the customer and travel producers. They are usually well trained and can help clients with the advice or provide them with brochures, leaflets or any additional information. They have access online to GDS system, which gives worldwide schedule of all transport. Tour operators sell combined holidays packages via travel agents or direct to the consumers. There are two types of tour operator: the wholesaler operators, who operate only through travel agency, and the direct sell operators, who market their products direct to the public. They purchase separate elements of accommodation (hotels, guesthouses, and self catering apartments), transport (road, sea, air) and travel services to make a tour package. Many tour operators are making special packages around a particular event, e.g., Olympic Games. There are many web sites specialize in certain products, like lastminute.com that specialize in discounted accommodation. Travel facilitators are all the range of services offered to the consumers. It can be: tourist information centre, tour guides, medical providers, currency exchange bureau. Transport providers are those operating any major form of transport. These would include airlines, water based transport and land based, such as roads and rails. Land based transport covers all forms vehicles such as bus, taxi, private car, and bicycle. Rail travel has become very popular since opening of the Channel tunnel. Rail companies provide a scheduled service within a home country and customers can reserved the seats by themselves. The airlines can be divided into scheduled, which operate with regular published schedule, e.g., British Airways, and charter airlines, which fly to certain destinations under charter to a tour operator. Many countries have their national airline, like British Airways in UK. Water based transport is represented by ferries and cruise ships. Ferries operators provide vital links between islands, rivers, seas. Cruising can be river cruises, sea/oceans cruises, e.g. Mediterranean, Atlantic oceans, and can be considered as a special interest when there is something additional from cruise, like education or special hobby. Tourist choice of transport will depend on price, destination, time, accessibility of the destination. Accommodation can be reserved individually or can be purchased by tour operator. Guest facilities will vary according to the type of the place. Accommodation can be divided into two categories: serviced accommodation (where all meals are provided), and self-catering accommodation (where occupants provide their own food). A 5 star hotel can provide a full range of services, such as restaurants, plasma TV, function rooms, mini bars in the rooms, room service available 24/7. In the caravan park you can only find fast food shops and vending machines. Providers of attractions need to undertake the market research in order to meet all the needs of tourists. Typical attractions can be man-made (theme parks, zoos), natural (mountains), cultural (Louvre Gallery in Paris). A lot of destinations are promoted via special events (World Cup, Olympic Games) or various activities (diving, winter skiing resorts) In addition to attractions, a lot of destinations are promoted via special events or activities, which include World Cup, Olympic Games. The development of special interest tourism. Special interest tourism can date back to earliest forms of tourism. The first tourists travelled for specific reasons, e.g., religious, cultural or for trading purposes. Around the same period, the Greeks travelled to religious festivals, leading to construction of sea ports and accommodation. In Medieval Times the pilgrims and missionaries became the most active travelers. Pilgrims travelled to the sacred places such as Santiago de Compostella, Jerusalem, driven by their religious convictions. Tourism grew over the centuries and spread to all over the world. The new part of tourism, known as Grand Tour, was developed in the early 17th century under the reign of Elizabeth 1.The young men from wealthy families were travelling across Europe to complete their education. London, Paris, Venice, Rome were visited by the young aristocrats to improve their knowledge in the arts and literature. The tours lasted as long as 3 years. In 1841 Thomas Cook put together the first package tour in history. Thomas Cooks organized tour consisted of: accommodation, travel tickets, timetables, attractions, travel guides and tours, currency exchange. The first tours were for specific needs and catered more to the mass market with the growth of the company. Thomas Cook started offering tours within UK and soon moved to Europe. The development of tourism in the 19th century increased due to advent of the railway. It became cheaper, easier and safer to travel, so not only the privileged classes were allowed to travel. The industrial revolution brought leisure travel to Europe. The middle class had more time and money to travel thanks to the efficient machinery. In the post war period the development of wide-bodied and faster aircrafts contributed to the growth of the mass tourism. Increase in disposable income has made tourism accessible for a large majority of population. People could afford to take more than one holiday per year. Another factor that contributed to the growth of mass tourism was increase in global wealth leaving people enough disposable income to spend on holidays. The political liberation of the colonized countries built a lot of new tourist destinations, reducing the cost of holidays. Nowadays, it becomes more popular self-drive holidays to Europe, cruising holidays, Middle East destinations such as Dubai, Egypt, etc. Travelling on the cruise liner gives you opportunity to enjoy your time, there are a lot of activities on the board and the social life is very active, which makes you enjoy holidays even more, staying on the board of enormous liner. Low cost airlines leading to mass tourism travel around the world, e.g. Easy jet airlines. The social factor which contributed to the growth of tourism is linked with the new attitude to world travel and leisure. People are searching for new destinations, trying to find something unusual and unexplored. Development of leisure centers along with the increased independence of women has also contributed to the tourism. Changing demographics, such as aging population, grown up children have made a big impact on the SIT market. Sustainable tourism is one of the growing industries, which seeks to protect tourism destinations and reduce an impact of the environment and local culture. With the advent of internet, tourists can attend the locations using web-based interface programmers at the same time reducing the traditional impacts such as travel, accommodation, food wastage. TASK 2 Understand how special interest tourism matches customers, products and services. 2.1. Discuss the range and classification of tourism products and services available to travellers. There are  many kinds of special tourism interest; it can be educational tourism, sports tourism, sex tourism, health and beauty tourism, arts and entertainment tourism and a lot more. Products can also be divided into various categories, such as rural, urban, over or under water, in the air and others. The classification of special interest tourism products: Educational Cultural Adventure pursuits Historical attractions Religious events Health and wellness Sporting and entertainment events Educational Tourism There is no doubt that educational industry has already become one of the most popular types of special interest tourism. The Grand Tours of the 17th century were organized for youth with the purpose of education. Nowadays, many people are travelling to broaden the education, to learn a foreign language and to take a special course. As an example, the short term language courses are designed for students to improve their second language. Cultural tourism People who take cultural holidays are likely to visit museums, galleries and exhibitions, or going to opera or theatre. Heritage tourism is focused on historical attractions and resources. Cultural tourism gives visitors the opportunity to understand and appreciate the essential character of a place and its culture as a whole, including: -history and archaeology -people and their lifestyle -cultural diversity Many cities have had capital of culture status, including London, Dublin and Prague. Religious events tourism Religious holidays focus on visiting places with religious significance, like Lourdes in south of France or Holy Land Tour. The Holy Land is a land filled with history, passion and with presence of Jesus. The tourists can uncover the world in which Jesus lived and also enjoy the activities, such as scuba dive, hike, and camel ride or just have fun on the sun. There are specialist tour operators which organize such tours, like The Pilgrimage Trust, a charity, which organizes tour to Lourdes for children with disabilities. Sporting tourism People can take holidays to watch the sport or participate in special events. There are specialist operators offering packages for World Cup, Olympic Games. For instance, Club La Santa provides luxury Spain holidays, sports holidays and fitness activity holidays. The resort features over 25 different sports and different entertainment is available. Health and wellness tourism Health and wellness tourism is now available for consumers seeking to enhance their well being through their travel experiences. The aim of tourists is to look and feel better, to lose weight, to slow the effects of aging, to relieve pain or discomfort, or to manage stress. This market has become very popular as people are becoming more health conscious. There are two main types of health and wellness tourism: spa resorts and medical tourism. There are many spa hotels offering fitness classes, beauty treatments and different types of massage. Holy Island is one of the best spas in UK, located off the west coast of Scotland. The founder and vision holder of the Holy Isle Project is Lama Yeshe Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master in the Kagyu tradition. There are many retreat and course programmes taking place in the Centre for World Peace and Health. The island has several areas reserved for birds, animals and tree planting programme. (http://www.holyisland.org/) SIT can be classified according to the type of environment: Land Air Water based Rural/urban Nature/wilderness Trekking, cycling and hiking are examples of land based special interest tourism. The two main modes of travel are road and rail. Some luxurious trains appeal consumers special needs and allow passengers to see spectacular sights from the train. The Blue Train is a magnificent moving five-star hotel. The routes of The Blue Train both scheduled and chartered take guests through some of the most admirable places of the countryside. The train has luxurious suites with baths and double beds .The guests can enjoy exquisite meals freshly prepared on board by top chefs. Water based tourism can be presented in form of underwater activities, like diving, and above water, like swimming, cruising and surfing. The Great Barrier Reef is well known for its diving activities, situated on the north-east coast of Australia. It the worlds most extensive stretch of coral reef and is probably the richest area in terms of faunal diversity in the world. Nature and wilderness tourism focuses on observation of wild animals and birds in their usual environment. As an example it can be tours to Africa Safari or tours to botanical gardens. Wilderness tourism experiences with undeveloped natural environment, which can include isolation and challenging conditions. 2.2. Diversity and classification of tourist types. The key to success in SIT is to ensure various tourist types are well matched to the tourist products. Demand for tourism can be influenced by 3 basic factors: -purpose for travel (educational, cultural, for health, for sporting events) -ability to travel (sufficient disposable income, time, freedom of movement) -travel choices (knowledge about destinations, environmental factors, ability to travel) Various typologies have been made to classify tourists according their preferences. The best known are by Cohen and Plog. Eric Cohen classified tourists according to the nature of the environment they prefer. He places tourists into four following groups: Organized mass tourist-typically they buy pre-organised packages from tour operators; prefer safe and secure environment and are likely to return to familiar places. Individual mass tourist- compare to organised mass tourist show more flexibility and have a lot more personal choice. The explorer- looking for unexplored destinations. The drifter- generally likes adventurous travelling, e.g. camping in the wilderness area. Stanley Plog describes three types of tourists: Allocentric- confident travelers, who enjoy the travel and exploration Midcentric- tend to adopt the destinations after they have been discovered by allocentric Psychocentric- are less confident and prefer secure environment Market segmentation is a process of dividing the market into different groups with common needs and wants. The most common types are: Geographic location Demographic Socio-economic segmentation Psychographic segmentation Geographic location is based upon people live and can be subdivided by country, region, city size, and climate. Where people live in the city can also reflect their income level and ability to buy. Demographic segmentation is the most common in market segmentation. It can be divided by: Age (snowbirds, empty nesters, young budget travellers) Gender (women trying to escape from the usual environment and go for holidays, ex. spa breaks; men prefer to travel to more adventurous places) Religion (retreats, pilgrimages) Psychographic segmentation determines tourists behaviour, their lifestyles, activities and attitudes. Socio-economic segmentation considers aspects such as occupation, status, social class, income level. Task 3 Understand the appeal and motivation of special interest tourism for customers. 3.1. Analyse the appeal to customers of special interest tourism features and benefits. Appeal can be characterised as a kind of tourism products that will enable customers needs to be satisfied. The motivation is closely linked to the appeal and seeks to identify peoples needs and wants. The appeal of the location can be influenced by different factors, like cost, time availability, facilities. If you are planning a family holidays to sea and sun destinations, there are a lot of countries to choose from. The specific location has to appeal to numerous needs and wants of the family, e.g. child-minding facilities, special kids menu, available playground, etc. Appeal can be influenced by features of the destination, like beaches, attractions, number of facilities within the resort. There are a number of other factors that can contribute to the appeal: Uniqueness of the destination (Great Wall of China is one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance). Level of comfort (the tourist seeking luxury accommodation may find the appeal in 5 stars hotels). Authenticity of the location (the authentic cuisine or traditions appeal to many tourists visiting particular country). Political factors ( the political instability in Egypt led to a reduction in the flow of tourists) Environmental factors (tourists tend to avoid places affected by natural disasters, e.g. earthquakes) 3.2. Identify and explain how the motivations of tourists are met by special interest tourism locations and features. Motivation can be defined as internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal.(Businessdictionary.com) Abraham Maslow outlined a motivational hierarchy consisting of five categories of human needs arranged in ascending order: physiological- basic needs satisfied by such stimulus as food and sleep; security- need for a safe environment free from immediate threat; social-love needs and desire for social acceptance; esteem-need for enhancement and acceptance of self; and self-actualization-striving for full realization of unique characteristics and potentials. The key notion in the model is that as a need category lower in the hierarchy becomes satisfied, its determination of behaviour diminishes and the next higher need category becomes proponent (Adler, S., 1999, p 7). Maslows hierarchy of needs assumes that we all have similar needs and wants to be satisfied. Therefore, it is important to apply motivations in relation to different tourist types. Motivations for SIT can be divided into two groups: Intrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation Intrinsic motivation includes internal desires to perform a particular task, do certain activities because it gives you pleasure, such as challenge, skill improvement or relaxation. The skill improvement relates to educational tourism and gives people opportunity to increase their knowledge in particular field (foreign languages courses, cookery schools in France). One of the main motivations for holidays can be a need to rest, to escape from everydays routine. Extrinsic motivation is the factors external to the individual and unrelated to the task they are performing.   Examples include money, status, rewards, and sustainability. Motivation can also be influenced by demographic factors: Education (tourists with high level of education are likely to participate in education based activities) Age ( old couples are seeking comfort and opportunity for sightseeing, while young people are looking more for fun and relaxation) Family life cycle ( parents with children are motivated by places with numerous kids facilities) TASK 4 Understand management needs and issues of special interest tourism. 4.1. Evaluate the organizational and support logistics involved in the management of special interest tourism trips. Profitability- is the main goal of all the businesses. Meeting the tourist expectations and providing safe and secure travel arrangements will lead to profitable growth for travel companies. The main thing is to make products profitable attractive for customers by putting correct prices and making them attractive for the market. Market research is an essential tool for any businesses. It helps to identify potential customers, their needs and expectations. Target marketing is a group of customers to be aimed. Potential customers with similar needs and characteristics are identified and divided by market segments based on age, income level, etc. Each travel product is made up of several segments, e.g. hotel, transport, accommodation facilities and for the tourists is all have to be organized and put together well. There is a range of challenges coming with travel products, e.g. Tour packages, where the travel agents are responsible for every aspect of the trip. Examples of operational challenges may include: Travel permits: visas requirements Infrastructure: essential shops, medical facilities Language: difficulties in understanding the foreign language Transport: availability of transfer coaches or taxis. Logistics is the management of business operations, such as the acquisition, storage, transportation and delivery of goods along the supply chain. (http://www.investorwords.com) An SIT sporting event package tour will include a number of logistical issues to take care of, including: Transportation Accommodation providers Tour guides Equipment suppliers Access to the destination Apart from all the operational and logistical challenges, the SIT providers have a number of administrative requirements to deal with. Travel insurance provides the financial protection in the case of unexpected loss of luggage or cancellation of the trip. It is important to read and understand all the policies before making a purchase. Visas issues may vary according to the country tourists going to. For example, members of the family of the EU citizens do not need visa to travel to the EU countries. Vaccination against diseases is an important requirement for tourists travelling to remote destinations, e.g. some parts of Africa. All the tour operators and travel agents should be aware of the laws concerning travel and tourism and pass the relevant information to the tourists. One of the main points to be considered for all the businesses is to have satisfied customers. It will results in more profitability, less marketing cost and a good reputation for the company. 4.2. Discuss the ways operators resolve issues that affect special interest tourism. There are many issues that can affect special interest tourism, some of them are known in advance and others are unexpected. It is always better to identify the potential problem and create the awareness of possible outcome. The main categories of the possible issues in SIT are: Risk management Socio-cultural issues Environmental issues Economic issues (recession, oversupply) Quality assurance Risk management is an important part of planning for businesses. The process of risk management is designed to reduce or eliminate the risk of certain kinds of events happening or having an impact on the business. ( http://www.whatisriskmanagement.net/) There are many different types of risk that can be classified as follows: Health- unexpected accidents, food poisoning Travel- delays of the flight, flight cancellation due to natural disaster Theft- loss of personal documents, etc. Furthermore, risk can be classified as known risks (tourists are travelling to politically unstable areas) and unexpected risks (loss of documents, illness). The main goal of risk management is to protect the customers from unacceptable levels of risk and also build the reputation for travel organisations, avoiding financial losses. According to Sadgrove (2005), the process of risk management is as follows: Identify and assess risks Set policies Implement policies; manage risks Monitor risks Tourism providers should always advise customers on risks by giving advice how to behave in unfamiliar situations or providing the current information about the risks that might be present in the resort. Socio-cultural issues can result in social breakdown of the destination, increase in crime and loss of local culture. The ecotourism is becoming very popular nowadays. Tour operators and travel agents have to be aware of the environmental issues relating to products they offer. Some of the issues are: ecotourism and sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism provides information how to respect local cultures and the natural environment and protect the diverse wildlife of the destination. The need to provide the best quality and to keep the standards high is one of the main issues of SIT providers. The best quality could be achieved by: Providing the full training for the staff Good knowledge about the products being sold Right people on the right job Requesting feedback from customers Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is no doubt that tourism had been the most important industry of any country that is why most of them are doing their best in order to maintain and preserve all of their resources that can attract the attention of their target tourist.

The Product Life Cycle

The Product Life Cycle The  product life cycle  is an important concept in marketing.   It explains the stages a product goes through from when it was first thought of until it finally is removed from the market. All products does not reach this final stage.   Some continue to grow and others rise and fall.  So ,this is basically an idea of product life cycle. Product life-cycle management  (or  PLCM) is the succession of strategies used by business management as a product goes through its  life cycle . The situation or condition in which product is sold (advertising, saturation) keep changes over time  . Aim The aim of P.L.C. are to minimize time to market, improve product quality, minimize prototyping costs, identify potential sales opportunities and revenue contributions, and minimise worst impacts at end-of-life. To create successful new products the company must comprehend its customers, markets and competitors.so the company focus on these factors. DEFINITION All products have a particular life time, which is called the product life cycle. The life of time a product is on the market is highly dependent on its competition, technology and even the understanding of a companys marketing department. One of the best ways of extending a products life cycle is to regularly collect feedback from consumers, finding out what they need and want from a particular product. Genrally product life cycle has four stages which are as follows: Introduction Stage After a company develops a product and tests its feasible among consumers, the product is usually introduced to the market. This first part of a products existence is called the introduction stage. A company is usually trying to build both advertising and brand awareness of the product in the introduction stage. So thats why the company cost remain relatively high.. The first pricing strategy would be to enter the market with a high price in hopes of regain initial production and advertising costs.. Growth Stage The growth stage is when product sales start to grow exponentially, especially when the product is at high demand. At this stage, competition will grow as other companies create competitive products. The market leader or first company in the industry to create the product will usually maintain its starting price as the sales are incrementing obviously price is acceptable to cuctomer. Saturation Stage Competition will eventually start reaching a saturation point over time. Companies will for a position in the market to compete with the leading company. At this point, it will be difficult for new competitors to enter into the market. Some may even go out of business. Market saturation will eventually force companies to lower prices. It is during this stage that consumer research is extremely important. A company will want to determine what features, styles or flavors of the product in question consumers want so it can differentiate its product from competitors. A company may also discover that the consumers want additional products. Hence, the companys best strategy is to extend its product line to include these additional products. Declining Sales Stage Eventually, product sales will start declining unless a company finds new uses or markets for its product. The decline stage may be haste occurence by new technology that replaces the outdated product. For example, the computer eventually replaced the typewriter. The company may also cut back on advertising during the decline stage. For example, black and white televisions are still in existence but are not promoted. sld00311.jpg (749-463) BEN SHARMAN Ben Sherman is a globally recognised lifestyle brand. It has grown from its business beginnings in quality shirts in Brighton in 1963 and is now sold in 35 countries around the world. It has expanded into the USA, Europe, and Australasia. In 2004, Ben Sherman was acquired by the American-based company, Oxford Industries. This group is an international apparel design, sourcing and marketing Ben Shermans name has always been closely linked with the British music scene and with fashion. Its customers are young and at the forefront of style. Throughout the years high profile customers include musicians, models, actors and bands, such as Blur, Oasis and the Kaiser Chiefs. The growth of the brand can be traced through changes in musical taste and this is a key part of Ben Shermans marketing strategy. Ben Sherman has developed a balanced marketing mix. This is often referred to as the 4 Ps product, price, promotion and place. By getting the mix right, the company ensures that its products reach the market segments it is aiming the brand at. This approach helps the business remain competitive and extends its market share and influence. The marketing mix is like a cake recipe. Most cakes need the basic ingredients of eggs, flour, sugar and milk. However, a childs birthday cake will require a different recipe to a wedding cake. The key is to combine the ingredients to get the right cake for the right occasion. The marketing mix works in exactly the same way. The key ingredients of product, price, promotion and place are all necessary for the appropriate marketing of the product. Ben Sherman chooses the right combination of each element to satisfy different customers needs. PRODUCT Ben Sherman has to decide whether to create a product and then market it to target customers (product-orientated) or find out what the market wants and then provide it (market-orientated) To achieve both, the company produces a wide product range that appeals to all its target market segments. The range includes casual clothes, formal wear, denim, footwear and lifestyle accessories, such as underwear, watches, bags, belts and fragrances. .Product life cycle Ben Sherman uses major fashion shows to launch its collections to the press. The fashion year has two cycles the spring/summer season and the autumn/winter one. The fashion industry is highly competitive and fast-moving. Fashion products tend to have a short life cycle. This means the time between the launch of a product and the point at which that product is mature is very quick. Competition amongst fashion retailers forces businesses to refresh their ranges a number of times in a year. This topping up modifies the product as it reaches the maturity stage. The boost of a new product or style then extends the life of the range. Products need refreshing to avoid the dip in sales during the Saturation stage of the life cycle which could result in an early decline. The additions and changes help sales rise again, earning extra sales revenue and profit, as well as maintaining the Ben Sherman brand in the market. PRICE Ben Sherman has to assess which markets its products are aimed at and set a price to match.There are a number of pricing strategies that a business can use for its products including: cost based pricing where the selling price is set to cover the cost of manufacture. market orientated pricing. Market orientated pricing covers several different approaches: market penetration, where a new product is priced low to attract a high volume of sales market skimming where a new product has premium pricing to give high revenues whilst the product is unique in the market premium pricing, where there is a uniqueness and exclusiveness about the product so that it can command a high price economy pricing, which tends to be for no-frills, basic products where the cost of manufacture and marketing are kept to a minimumThe price of a product relates to its perceived value. Lower priced items will expect a higher volume of sales, whilst fewer sales of luxury products may achieve the same revenue through higher pricing. Low price brands often copy the market leaders and may be generic own brands, such as those produced by supermarket chains. The main purpose of price here is to indicate value for- money and such brands do not expect customers to show loyalty. Ben Sherman produces mostly medium-price range products. Its position in the market for clothing is shown on the product map diagram. The mix of product and price is clearly evident here. These brands are identifiable by their quality and style. PLACE This refers both to the places where Ben Sherman products may be bought and to the channels of distribution used to deliver the products to these places. Place is not always a physical building such as a retail outlet or shop, but includes any means by which the product is made available to the customer.A business has to balance getting enough of its products to its target customers against the problems or costs of distributing them. PROMOTION The purpose of promotion is to obtain and retain customers. It covers: above-the-line, which is using independent media to reach a wide audience easily, but over which the company may have limited control, for example, magazine advertising. This reaches a mass audience but can be hard to measure its impact. below-the-line, which uses media over which the business has control, for example, direct mailing. This type of promotion can be more cost-effective and give more measurable response rates. CONCLUSION Ben Sherman is a brand that appeals to the youth market. Its responsiveness to changing tastes in fashion and music throughout the last fifty years has provided it with a unique heritage of quality, personality and style. This has made Ben Sherman into a great British icon, reflecting British culture as it does business across the world. Whilst each element of the marketing mix is important in its own right, the right balance of the four elements is critical. MAGGI Different phases product life cycle of maggi Why  attanoodle  was  a  failure? Strategies taken to establish new productcategory What measures NIL should take to sustain theimage of a popular brand image. Stage at which maggiis in the product lifecycle. PRODUCT LIFE   CYCLE A concept that provides a way to trace thestages of a product ¶s acceptance, from itsintroduction (birth) to its  decline (death) INTRODUCTORY STAGE High failure rates No competition Frequent product modification Limited distribution High marketing and production costs Promotion focuses on awareness and  information Nestlà © India Ltd. (NIL), the  Indian subsidiary of the global FMCG major,Nestlà © SA, introduced the Maggibrand in India in 1982, with its launch of  Maggi2 Minute  Noodles, an instant  noodles product GROWTH STAGE Increasing rate  of sales Entrance of competitors Initial healthy profits Promotion emphasizes brand ads Prices normally fall Development costs are recovered 10 yrs back it  enjoyed around 50% market share in this  segment which was valued ataround 250 crores. . MATURITY STAGE Declining sales growth Saturated markets Extending product line Stylistic product changes Heavy promotions to dealers and consumers Prices and profits fall In  2003  Hindustan  Lever  Ltd  was all  set  to take on  Nestlesbestselling  Maggi2-minute noodles by launching a new category of liquid  snacks under it foodbrand, KnorrAnnapurna DECLINE STAGE Long-run drop in sales Large inventories of  unsold items Elimination of all non essentialmarketing expenses

Music and Murder :: essays research papers

Documentaries serve to draw a response through the use of literary techniques in order to present a particular point of view. Michael Cordell’s Music and Murder subscribes to this principle, the documentary focuses on three men serving prison sentences for taking a life and how music has changed and shaped their outlook on their own lives. Music, structure, verbal language and selection of detail all work on the viewers emotions which serve to draw a positive response towards rehabilitation in prisons. Music and Murder follows Vernon Kronk who killed an infant because it wet the bed, Geoffrey Websdale who shot dead two people and injured one and Daniel Miles who stabbed his girlfriend. All three prisoners are serving sentences in prison for their crimes and all three with the help of the prison teachers have found an interest in music. Music and Murder as a title for this documentary is very peculiar in that it hints that the two themes go together, many would see such a title as a paradox and that if rehabilitation was the only issue Music after Murder would be a more suitable title, however the emotional maturing through music is important in the documentary. Music recorded by the prisoners is played throughout the documentary, this attempts to give the viewer insight into the emotions felt by the musicians. The music is described by one of the prisons music teachers as â€Å"coming from the heart†, because we have not discovered the crimes that the prisoners have committed the music attempts to draw on feelings of sympathy from the viewer for the men. Much of the documentary is left to periods of the men’s music; these periods are an expression of emotion by which the notion of humanity and a second chance is put forward. The structure, the order parts of the documentary are presented determine how prisoners are constructed by the viewer. In Music and Murder Vernon, Geoffrey and Daniel are all constructed in the same way and overall the documentary works to construct the prisoners as people deserving of the viewers trust. In the beginning of the documentary the prison is described and shown as concrete and metal and there are close-ups of the metal bars, locks and razor-wire. This use of montage re-establishes the viewers previous idea of prison as punishment. After this the music is introduced by the respected teachers as not leisure but a constructive way to use their time in prison, having the punishment aspect of prison introduced before the music gives the viewer a positive on the idea as music as rehabilitation and not just as leisure.

Essay --

Georgia Phinn Tommie Byrd ENG 101 November 23, 2013 Domestic Violence Against Children What is domestic violence? According to the Minnesota Statue 5181B.01, Domestic Abuse Act, defines domestic violence as willfully causing physical and bodily harm, assault and infliction of fear against a family member or partner within a household (Jau, Lina, 1998). Domestic violence is a serious societal issue and it does not matter the age, the ethnic background, or economic status of that family. This paper will explore the causes and effects of domestic violence against children and the impact on a child’s development through to adulthood and what can be done to rectify this societal issue. There are numerous causes of domestic violence against children. One of a main cause is excessive consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs by an adult within the family as a factor in provoking violent and aggressive behavior towards children. A terrifying case and point is the trial of Eric Pratt. According to â€Å"Lasting Wounds For Everyone But The Batterer† (2000), Eric Pratt was sentenced 10 to 30 years for throwing his 2 year old daughter in a brick wall, knocking her unconscious and using his fist to knock out his daughter’s mother due to drug and alcohol induced fit of rage. One of the saddest part of this case is he was in complete denial at his arraignment. After investigations, it was discovered that Eric Pratt had a drug problem and the mother was aware of this problem and refused to leave the relationship. Another major cause of domestic violence against children is the high risk violent environment in which a child resides. For example in Eric Pratt’s trial case, his wife Massie was aware of Pratt abusing alcohol and ... ... to domestic violence. The abusers need to be held accountable to the full extent of the law for their actions. Library Database Jau, Lina. "What is Domestic Violence?" Asian Pages: 11. Nov 14 1998. ProQuest. Web. 22 Nov. 2013 . Milloy, Courtland. "Lasting Wounds for Everyone but the Batterer." The Washington Post: 0. Mar 22 2000. ProQuest. Web. 23 Nov. 2013 . Shah, Nirvi. "Childhood Violence; 'National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence'." Education Week 22 May 2013: 5. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. McCarthy, John, and Angela Alsobrooks. "The Invisible Victims of Domestic Violence." The Washington PostFeb 17 2013. ProQuest. Web. 16 Nov. 2013 . Glazer, Sarah. "Violence Against Women." CQ Researcher 26 Feb. 1993: 169-92. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Mantel, Barbara. "Domestic Violence." CQ Researcher 15 Nov. 2013: 981-1004. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.

Team assignment project

The following project proposal defines why Struck made the decision to expand, what the role is of the consultant and Struck management on the project, the project goals, and the tools that will be used o manage the project. Problem and Opportunity By applying analysis techniques, namely SOOT, and STEEPLE, to company performance Struck gains clarity about the company's strengths and weaknesses.Struck' strengths include its reputation for innovation and creativity, frontrunner's position of its industry with 9,000 cafes in 40 countries around the world, and its strong ethical values and mission. Company's primary weakness is a lack of diversification, which created by its limited portfolio and distribution. Struck portfolio depends heavily on one primary' product: coffee. Furthermore, the company hinders distribution potential by conducting 75% of its business within the United States. The company's weakness presents an excellent purport nits: expansion.Expansion of the company's port folio and expansion into other countries enables the company to both increase presence within its current industry sect and establish presence in other sects (Rapid Business Intelligence Success – Streaming, 2013; Marketing Teacher, 201 3; Rapid Business Intelligence Success – Mission, 2013; Struck, 2013). Roles of the Cons Titan and Management There are certain roles the insulate and the Struck management team must perform to make the project successful. Because there is a lack of diversification, the consultant must focus on how to expand the product line for Struck.The consultant must determine how to create a greater global presence, keep the current clientele, and yet attract coffee drinkers around the globe to visit the Struck establishment. The consultant will need to determine whether the same menu items are equally popular in all areas of the country and if introducing new menu items is advantageous to all the restaurants. Finally, he consultant will need to d etermine if the diversified menu will be appropriate in other parts of the world. Consultant's partner with management to get the job done.Management works with the consultants to provide them with as much information as possible. Management will need to communicate fully with the consultants and encourage the current employees to cooperate so the consultants can collect the most information possible. Defining the Project Goals Introduction of new products and rapid expansion of retail stores with new store concepts with all new distribution channels has to be he primary focus of Struck. To expand the market share, in United States as well as all the regions of its operations, Struck will expand its portfolio of products (Hickman & Hickman, 2008).Struck main product is coffee, the company will focus to expand its operations into other beverages such as tea, grocery stores, rest stops, etc. For this purpose, than introducing a newly start marketing the products, it should concentrate to attain product acquisitions (Hickman & Hickman, 2008). Since most of its operations are based out of United States, Struck will focus to increase its revenues by tarring more stores in emerging markets such as China, India, and Turkey. Tools, Processes, and Methodologies The goal is to expand globally.With this in mind, the consultant will use the association method to gain insight on the competition in the industry in the different desired locations. To ensure clients are frequently informed of the progression, and an outlet stays open for the need for further information, the consultant will maintain contact with the appropriate business managers. All activities will be logged to maintain a good record of the projects progression. This allows the consultant to reflect on the project, learn from the experience, and identify ways to improve future performance (Hickman, P; Hickman, L. 008). Another technique that will be used to manage the project is benchmarking. This method wil l be particularly helpful as this is a large project. Conclusion In conclusion, with the Struck expanding globally, the company will not only increase their current state of diversification, but also increase opportunity to own a presence in other business sectors, and ultimately increase revenue. The consultant on this project will work closely with key business leaders and SE the defined methods to manage the project.

Older people in the society Essay

According to Roberts (1970) older people are the whole of a generation who have survived to a certain age. They are not a deviant group or one small special section of the population. They are ordinary people who happen to have reached a particular age. There are several assumptions made about older people and their health. The first is that increasing age is always accompanied by increasing frailty and disability. As a result, the increasing numbers of older people in society are usually seen as a social and economic burden (Le Grand 1993). The second assumption is that age is that age is always accompanied by ill health. The negative images of aging and older people can be all pervasive and influence decisions about the health and social care of older people which may not necessarily be in their best interest. As per the survey of United States census burro, in the year 2010, 30.8% of total population in Europe was older people aged over 65 years old. Among these, 8.4 percent over 75 years old and 4.9 percent were aged 80 or more than 80 years old. In the year 1990 it was 6.1% and 3.2% respectively, when the total old age population was 23% of total population. These figures prove that the old age population is increasing, and the problems related to old age as well. The first part of this assignment discusses some common issues related to old age. This part mainly focuses on the physical, mental and social problems of senior citizens. Then it goes through some reflective aspects of author. For that I pass through the theories and models of reflection also make an attempt to compare different models of reflection. Finally I examine one of my own experiences with an older person, by using one of the reflective models. Statistics shows that there will be an enormous increase in the ageing population over the next 20 year, particularly in those aged over 75, who will suffer most from illness, or some sort of disability. The population of Great Britain and most other countries is growing older and although this trend has largely been ignored for 2 centauries, it is now regarded as a major political and economic challenge for the future. This is because the last 30years seen a significant increase in the population of both number and proportion of people aged 65 and over. The greatest growth has been in those people aged 85 and over. The world population of older people over 65 will increase more than twice as fast as the total population of the world during  the period 19 96-2000. In every region, the population over 75 will increase at an even faster rate and those over 80 will increase faster of all. There are many health problems related to old age. As per the opinion of Hodkinson (1975) older people differ in three major ways from the young: in the type and number of diseases and accidents, in their reaction to disease and in special features to do with their background (Hodkinson, 1975). They often have a multiplicity of diseases, partly accounted for by the accumulation of non-lethal diseases such as osteoarthritis and deafness. They are more likely to fall than any other age groups, except the under-fives, often with serious consequences. (Department of trade and industry, 1995). Heart disease and stroke are particularly prevalent in old age and the majority of all deaths from heart disease and stroke occur in those aged 65 years and above.Whereas, as a recent study has shown, prevalence rates of most of the major health related behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sexual behavior and diet were commonly lower among older people (DoH central health monitoring unit, 2006). Psychological or emotional disorders in old people are too common, Older people themselves may be unwilling to seek help or reveal their feelings to others due to a fear of stigma or a lack of knowledge about the help available to them. Chronic diseases, psychological changes, malnutriti on and medication can exacerbate psychological problems in the elderly. Poor eye sight, poor hearing and slower reactions all contributes to a lack of confidence and increased social isolation for some older people. Dementia and depression are the two general psychological disorders in elderly among this dementia is a higher prevalence. According to Victor (1989) it is difficult to accurately estimate the incidence of dementia within the population because of the problem of diagnosis, although unreliable evidence may lead us to believe that most of the population over the age of 65 years is ‘demented’. Aside from the physical and emotional influences accompanying aging, growing old can be a time of social and economic change. For some people in their 50s can be a rich and rewarding time where they can enjoy the fruits of their labors, hand over responsibility for their children and look forward to enjoying new tasks or activities (Gavilan, 1992). For others it may not be such a positive experience, affected by redundancy, financial insecurity,  bereavement and the physical manifestations of aging. Retirement does not only affect an older person’s income but can also have a detrimental effect upon their social contact and status. Most of them consider retirement as a process of loss: loss of inc ome, loss of status, and loss of purpose and routine. In this situation, Jerrome’s (1991) opinion sounds very relevant, he said that there seems to be a paradoxical situation where the state provides money and support for those who are considered too old for employment while those who are receiving the benefits would be happier carrying out a job of any kind. Caring older people is a challenging process, as it is different from caring a younger. When caring an older person it is necessary to observe them well to understand their feelings and emotions. Reflective thinking will help a health practitioner to achieve this. When reflection is considered as an effective tool in clinical practice, one should have a basic knowledge about the meaning of reflection. In fact, defining the terms proves challenging for anyone seeking to make clear the nature of reflection. There have been number of attempts, to define the term reflection by authors, poets and philosophers alike. Among those interpretations, a definition presented by Johns (johns 1995:24) is literally very near to the ‘word’ reflection; he explained reflection as the practitioner’s capability to evaluate, make sense of and learn through personal experience in order to secure more attractive, useful and satisfying work. Moreover, reflective practice has been developed in health care, especially in nursing, as a way of gaining and building up on that experienced knowledge. Before using Reflection as a tool in clinical practice one should (B .J. Taylor 2000:3) â€Å"throw back of thoughts and memories, in cognitive acts such as thinking , contemplation, meditation and any other form of helpful considerations in order to make sense of them and to make appropriate changes if they are required†. As per this suggestion nurses should analyze their day to day practice and secure the valuable knowledge to lighten their future practice. In other words, as an American philosopher Dewey (1963) suggested that one has to learn by doing and realizing what came of what they did. In searching  different studies and opinions about the process reflection, we can find out different opinions about the aspects, styles and ways of using reflection as a tool in professional practice. Schon (1983) offered two main aspects of reflective practice those are; being reflection on action and reflection in action. Reflection on action is a recollection process of thinking and meditating on an action with the aim of making sense of the incident and using the results to improve future doings. It would be helpful, if nurses and health care workers make this theory real in their clinical practice. But the next one, ‘reflection in action’ is quite strange and had some arguments around it. As per the opinion of greenwood (1998) reflection cannot be recognized before action. In contradiction, Reed and Procter (1993) said that, reflective thinking about a situation, which is likely to happen, in advance is an important precursor to introduce clinical leadership and s upervision. In other words thinking through a particular situation may help to make a prediction and give a chance to take some precautions for a future occurring issue. When considering the role of reflection in nursing profession, Taylor (2004) suggested that reflection can be used as a system of thinking which helps the nurses to maintain vigilance in caring especially when caring an older person. Freshwater (2002) raised almost similar opinion he said that, reflection helps to encourage a holistic, individualized approach to care. When go through these opinions, we can understand that reflection helps a lot to give good care to the patient by productively making rapid changes in the clinical approach, in other words, it provides an opportunity for a rapid and progressive refocusing of work activity (Smyth, 1992). Before I make an attempt to assess my reflective account, which has given me a different outlook about old age, I should choose one model of reflection to analyze my experience. There are few theories, help one to explore his/or her clinical experiences or some incidents in which they have taken part a role of a leader, such as Gibbsâ₠¬â„¢(1988) model of reflection, Johns’ model of reflection and Driscoll’s model of structured reflection. Comparing these models, Gibbs’ and Drisoll’s(2000) models raises some questions that are focused on describing, analyzing, evaluating one personal experience and reach a conclusion, from  which finally makes an action plan for the future. Though Johns’ (2002) model appears more complicated and passing through lot of self examine questions, this model fails to draw an action plan which is considered as the vital process of reflective thinking. Even though Gibbs’ and Drissoll’s models are almost same in frame work I like to choose Gibb’s model as it gives me a chance to recollect my feelings and thoughts about my experience, as well as evaluate the good and bad about it. Since we are human beings it is important that our thoughts and feelings are to be memorized and evaluated, according to Taylor (2006) humans have the ability to think and to think about passed emotions, as we are offered with the gifts of memory and reflection. I believe tha t Gibbs’ model has a good frame work and moreover, for me, it is easily applicable in my experience as it is straightforward in nature and it allows me to answer the questions that arise from the practicalities of my clinical experiences. Here I make an attempt to assess one of the main issues of old age on the basis of my own personal experience. I do like to choose Gibbs’ model as a criterion to analyze it. In the first step, as per Gibbs’s model of reflection, ‘description’ of the event includes, what was the event? Where it happened? Who were with you then? What you did? And what were the results and draw backs; the description of my reflective experience is that while I was working in a psychiatric hospital in India, where I have got many different experiences with older people. I considerer all of them as my reflective accounts and it all help me to understand the old age and its complications. The incident is that, there was one patient in our ward he was about 78 years and had some psychological problems. He was very calm and quite almost every time, but occasionally he became very aggressive and violent. In that hospital, a custom was prevailing that inform relatives when a patient become very aggressive. So we used to inform his relatives when he got out of control. After meeting with his son or daughter, his condition would have become significantly normal. And he seemed very happy and comfortable with them. But when they left him there, he was again going back to a depressed mood. When I noticed this events many times I was really interested in that patient and I tried to make a good relationship with him. Finally I succeed; he used to speak with me a lot  even about his thoughts and feelings. And one day he told me that he really did not have any serious psychological disorders. He was acted as a psychotic person so that he could see his family. And he told me that he really did missing them. He never liked to be there. It was one of my mind blowing experiences I encountered during my clinical practice. The reflective account I explained above point out to one of the main problems of old age which is nothing but ‘loneliness’, Social seclusion and loneliness have long been recognized as problems linked with old age (Sheldon 1948 ; Halmos 1952). Loneliness has been defined as an unpleasant emotion state in which the older person feels apart from others. As I completed the description of the event, I go in to the next process; ‘feelings’. In this stage one should recall the situation and try to find out that what he/she thought and felt when they went through the experience? Considering my reflective experience, there were many thoughts passed through my mind. Old age is certain for every human being. Everyone has to pass through that period. At that time I thought about his feelings. He might have been working hard to raise his children, but when he became unproductive he was thrown to the miseries of loneliness. I felt empathy to the patient because after I came to know him more I could thoroughly understand his feelings. And I thought about the reasons of the seclusion of old age. The third stage is ‘evaluation’. As per this stage I should evaluate my experience and find out the good and bad about it. When driving back my memory through my reflective experience, I can say that the main good aspect of that situation was that I could be a good listener of that man. I think he might have experienced some relief when he shared his burden of feelings with me. That awareness gave me a great amount of satisfaction. Moreover I could realize some skills which must have possessed a care worker such as patience and being a good listener, which I had never realized until then. One the other hand, there are some bad aspects too I could find out. Even though I had been working in the same department for about six months I was a little late to realise his problems, I had to find out his feeling of loneliness earlier. It shows, at that time, I have lack of ability to identify the problems of the patients. Analysis of the event is the next stage. In this stage I have to think about what sense can be made of the situation which I faced. The first sense which I could make about this incident is that the main reason of the psychological problems present in older people is because of their social seclusion and loneliness. And the important thing I learned from this incident is the severity of loneliness in older people. They would even act as insane to get rid of their loneliness. They need rather love and care than treatment. As per the Gibbs’ frame work ‘conclusion’ is the next stage. In this step I conceder my faults which I had got when I deal with that incident. In that sense I could have realised the patient’s problem of loneliness earlier. If I came to know about this earlier I could invite the attention of his relatives to this issue. Now I understand that it is necessary to mingle with them and caring them in order to make them comfortable in the surroun dings of an old age home. The final and important stage is ‘action plan’. Here I should think about what I would do if I go through the same situation. Undoubtedly I would act differently because, now I know the draw backs of old age and what they are expecting from others. So if i would be in the same situation I would understand the problem of the patient earlier and help him reduce his feeling of loneliness. Next time I would find out more ways to escape the older patients from being lonely. In order to achieve this, encourage them to busy with some hobbies or learning some new skills, such as the use of the computers. I think they would enjoy learning computers and having great fun sharing their new skill. The next and important thing is that, I have to improve my communication skills. I would make sure that all the elderly inmates in my ward get communicated and listen to their problems. I will consider this as one of my important responsibilities in the clinical area, Because Duffy. K. and Hardicre (2007) suggested that Caring for the elderly patients is a necessary element of the nurse’s role as well as a professional commitment. In conclusion, loneliness is the major issue of old age. It is different from solitude because older people can be lonely while living with other people such as residential care. Loneliness can be a symptom of depression but can be prevented by the encouragement of physical  and mental activity and being socially active; the saying ‘use it or lose it’ cannot be overemphasised. After all, when considering this essay as my reflective writing, it helps me to secure more awareness about my caring older people. Besides that I have got a clear out look about using models and theories to analyses my experiences. Finally, this reflective thinking makes me more confident to face and deal with difficult situations. Reference List: Department of trade and industry; consumer safety unit (1995) home accident surveillance system: report on 1993 accident data and safety research, DTI, London. Dewey, J. (1963) Experience and education, New York: Collier books.87-89. DOH central health monitoring unit (1996) health related behavior: an epidemiological over view, HMSO, London. Driscoll, J. (2000) practicing clinical supervision, London: Bailliere Tindall. Duffy, K. Hardicre, J. (2007) ‘Supporting failing students in practice 1: assessment’, Nursing Times, 10(4): 28-29. Freshwater, D. (2002) Therapeutic nursing: improving patient care through reflection, London: Sage. Gavilan, H. (1992) ‘care in the community for older housebound people: institutional living in our own home?’ Critical public health, 3(4): 18-23. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning method: Further Education Unit, Oxford: Oxford Brookes University. Greenwood, J. (1998) ‘The role of reflecti on in single and double loop learning’, Journal of advanced nursing practice, 27(5): 1048-53. Halmos, Paul (1952) Solitude and Privacy: A Study of Social Isolation, Its Causes and Therapy. London. Hodkinsin, H. (1975) an outline of geriatrics, academic press, London. Jerrome, D. (1991) social bonds in later life. Social and psychological gerontology, clinical gerontology, 1: 297-306. Johns, C. (1995) ‘Framing learning through reflection within carper’s fundamental ways of knowing in nursing’. Journal of advanced nursing, 22: 226-34. Johns, C. (2002) Guided reflection: Advancing practice, Oxford: Blackwell science. Le Grand, J, (1993) ‘can we afford the welfare state’? British medical journal; 307(6911): 1018-1019. Reed, J. and Procter, S. (1993) Nurse education: a reflective approach, London: Edward Arnold. Roberts, N. (1970) our future selves: care of the elderly, Allen and Unwin, London. Schon, D. (1983) The reflective practitioner: how practitioners think in action, New York: Basic books. Sheldon, J. H. (1948) The Social Medicine of Old Age: Report of an Inquiry in Wolverhampton, Oxford University Press, London. Smyth, J. (1992) ‘Teachers’ work and the politics of reflection’, American education research journal, 29(2): 267-300. Taylor, B. (2004) ‘Technical, practical and emancipator reflection for practicing holistically’, Journal of holistic nursing, 22(1): 73-84. Taylor, B. J. (2003) ‘Emancipator reflective practice for overcoming complexities and constraints in holistic health care’, Sacred space, 4(2): 40-5. Taylor, B. J. (2006) Reflective Practice: A guide for nurses and mid wives, 2nd edn. UK: Open University press, Milton Keyness. Victor, C. (1989) ‘the myth of the woopie: poverty and affluence in later life’, geriatric medicine, (19)12: 22, 25-2