General Information On The Fitness Industry Essay

BSBMKG408 Conduct market research Part A: Conduct and report on initial research General information on the fitness industry and fitness industry trends, including the sources you have used to find this information. Fitness industry general information: - The fitness industry is an industry which any person, business or organisations who focuses on exercise, health, and overall maintenance of the body participate in. - Fitness industry includes both profit and non-profit organisations whose aims are to promote healthy lifestyles, fit and strong body. - Governmental bodies and non-profit organisations tend to focus on information while for-profit companies provide specific infrastructures such as gyms, swimming pools, sports fields, massage service, etc. Fitness industry trends: - Organisations both private and public are more active in supporting and promoting fitness activities - Fitness educational programs designed for average public fitness consumers is on the rise. - Advanced technology becomes important part in fitness industry such as equipment and on-demand training video. - Increase in faith-base fitness programs as a social mean for people from the same faith. - Change in ranking of training such as high-intensity training, weight control, and wearable technology, etc. This rise and fall of each particular type mainly is a result of new technology being introduced. Now, wearable is on the rise and taking number one spot in popularity. - Fitness businessesShow MoreRelatedGeneral Information On The Fitness Industry2243 Words   |  9 Pagesinitial research General information on the fitness industry and fitness industry trends, including the sources you have used to find this information. Fitness industry general information: It is concerned with the fitness side of business Equipment, space and training are the main focus areas that are done in exchange for a membership fees Gyms are distinguished through the size of the gym or training specialties that are developed for a niche market within the fitness industry The other traditionalRead MoreGeneral Information On The Fitness Industry1651 Words   |  7 Pagesct market research Part A: Conduct and report on initial research General information on the fitness industry and fitness industry trends, including the sources you have used to find this information. Fitness industry general information: Businesses in most industries, observed that operates health clubs, fitness centers and fitness and a range of fitness and exercise services. Conversely, the recognition and the introduction of education on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Will avoid theRead MoreFitness Industry General Information : Gym, Health And Fitness Club1451 Words   |  6 Pages Fitness industry general information: †¢ Gym, Health fitness club †¢ Personal Trainer service †¢ Sauna †¢ Meal and beverage Fitness industry trends: †¢ Yoga studio †¢ Technology system †¢ Clean foods delivery †¢ Mobile health applications Sources you used to find this information: †¢ articles and advertisements: Advertising on internet. Ex, Google searching fitness plan or YouTube searching fitness plan. †¢ clients and suppliers: †¢ Suppliers who can give you a useful information about diet. †¢ Ex, ClientRead MoreMarketing Industry : Target Customer, And Competitor Analysis835 Words   |  4 PagesExecutive Summary  Industry, Target Customer, and Competitor Analysis Key Characteristics of the Industry (Industry size and growth rate) With the epidemic of obesity that is going on here in the United States, fitness and healthier lifestyles has become very popular. Fitness trainers work primarily at fitness and recreational sports centers. About 265,000 people work as fitness trainers and coaches. About, 20,000 teach recreation and fitness studies at the postsecondary level. Most of the revenueRead MoreNew Product: Nike Fitness1525 Words   |  6 PagesNew product: Nike Fitness As more people become more health conscious, expanding to include fitness centers in their campaigns would be a great step for Nike, especially to compete with a fitness-focused company like Reebok. As the number one sport supplier and their relationship with their sponsored athletes, future consumers would definitely try their new products. They currently have the Nike Run Club and the Nike Training Club that both are free at select NIKE Stores in the United States. NikeRead MoreThe Key Market Success Factors For This Industry848 Words   |  4 PagesFitbit will need to focus on continuing to build their user base and establish credibility as a fitness or health expert to lock out new entrants and play with established fitness brands like Nike. The analysts at Moor Insights Strategy have described some of the key market success factors for this industry (2013). Devices must be easy and intuitive to use, comfortable to wear, and reliable. As sensors grow smaller and smaller, the ability to integrate them into wearable devices without impactingRead MoreHistory Of Agency / Organization : Life Time Fitness1366 Words   |  6 PagesAgency/Organization Life Time Fitness was founded in 1990 as a Minnesota corporation under the name FCA. It wasn’t until 1992 that the name Life Time Fitness was registered for use. In July 1992, Bahram Akradi opened the first Life Time Fitness center in Brooklyn, Minnesota, roughly calculating 30,000 square feet in size. In order to open Life Time Fitness, Afraid had to convert all of his assets into cash as well as join up with a group of shareholders. Today, Life Time Fitness has over 140 centers acrossRead MoreBosu Trainer Case Study Essays1311 Words   |  6 PagesSTUDY Class: ITM 200- Business Information Systems Assignment: Case Study 1 (Chapter 3) Subject: Business Process Management Company: Bosu Fitness Industry: Exercise Equipment Industry Author: Date: Overview The Bosu balance trainer was invented in 1999 by David Wreck the name Bosu means â€Å"Both Sides Utilized† because this exercise equipment has two sides. The two sides of the exercise equipment can be used for training with any kind of work out fitness. Bosu reflects a philosophy inRead MoreSample Resume : Snap Fitness1680 Words   |  7 Pagesfastest growing businesses in the United States is the health industry. Business owners are investing and purchasing fitness franchises that offer low-cost membership as well as convenient hours. Snap Fitness is one of those franchises that have over 1,400 locations worldwide. One of the reasons that Snap Fitness would be beneficial to invest in and also to purchase is because it is a growing industry. â€Å"Economically, the health club industry has proven to be recession-proof, as health-minded consumersRead MoreBusiness Pl Mr. Fit Life1457 Words   |  6 Pageswill serve as the business plan for the men’s retail fitness ap parel store â€Å"Mr. Fit Life†. The paper will cover the vision, mission, and strategy for this start-up business and delve into items such as: marketing strategy, company logistics, and financial planning. The objective of the business plan is to provide sufficient data to have the business considered for funding and mitigate assessed risk. Executive Summary The global sports and fitness clothing market is expected to soon reach over $125

Ku Klux Clan ( Kkk ) - 851 Words

Ku Klux Clan (KKK) The Ku Klux Clan, notoriously known as the (KKK), was first established as a social club. As time progressed, the clan became an underground movement dedicating itself to violent acts of terror. The clan’s primary goal was to repress Republican leaders and voters, both white and black, in attempts to restore white supremacy. The Federal Government attempted to step in and intervene but consequently failed in their attempts. The ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment was colossal, prohibiting states the power to deny citizens the right to vote because of race, color, or servitude. This Amendment was a direct result of southern states failing to adhere by the rules of the Fourteenth Amendment. Overall, the Federal Government stepped up and played their part with the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment. However, it’s one thing to actually ratify something, and it’s a completely different ball game when attempting to enforce it. †Å"Republicans had great success in passing their legislative agenda for Reconstruction in Washington, D.C., but the enforcement of those laws in the south remained very much in question.† This is a perfect example of the Federal Government intervening but not progressing on the situation at hand. Another great example of this is, â€Å"The twenty thousand federal troops stationed in the South in 1867 were not nearly enough to pacify regions such as Carolina up-country, where Klan was at its greatest strength.† Again, theShow MoreRelatedThe Ku Klux Klan ( Kkk )1554 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan (KKK) came into being in 1865 and was widespread in the southern states of the USA. It was founded by former Confederate veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee. It was a movement, formed after the civil war of America, to oppress the Republican Party’s policies of reconstruction. Few years after its formation, the movement engaged in war, fear and hatred in the war-rav aged south. The group’s activities during this period have had adverse effects on the American society that still haunt themRead More The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Essay1630 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan (KKK) In world history, those who have helped to build the same culture are not necessarily of one race, and those of the same race have not all participated in one culture. In scientific language, culture is not a function of race (Benedict). The sad fact is that many races are discriminated against. Discrimination is defined as the act of perceiving and making evident the distinctions between two different groups of people. There have been many groups that have been veryRead MoreThe Beginning Of The Ku Klux Klan749 Words   |  3 PagesThe start of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in 1866, expanded throughout most of the southern states by 1870. This Klan is known for its discrimination against African Americans, which has had major effects on today’s society. â€Å"Making or perceiving differences and distinctions,† is the definition of discrimination (Webster dictionary). Not only did they discriminate against Africans Americans but also Jews, and Catholics (history,com staff). Since the birth of the KKK society was not only affected by theRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan And The Civil Rights Movement1411 Words   |  6 PagesFounded in 1866, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) extended into almost every southern state by 1870 and became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican party’s reconstruction-era polices aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. Its members waged an unseen war of intimidation and violence directed at white and black republican leaders. Through congress passed legislation designed to stop and contain Klan terrorism, the organization saw its primary goal fulfilled throughRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan Is A Gang With A Notorious Past940 Words   |  4 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan is a gang with a notorious past. The clan started off as a group of people defying the southern state’s laws, but it turned out to be one of the most terrifying gangs of the nineteenth century. It all started during the election of U lysses S. Grant, when most of the democrats in the south created groups to terrify the African Americans. It was a violent gesture to any of the minorities who wanted to gain political attention. They banded together in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1865, consistingRead MoreFederal Government s Intervention Into The Ku Klux Klan s Activities2284 Words   |  10 Pagesthe Ku Klux Klan’s Activities In the late 1800’s, during the period of Reconstruction, there was fear and hate of African Americans by white southerners. This fear and hate rooted from the fact that African American’s now had the same rights and freedoms as white people. This caused an uproar. Because of this, people were coming together and sharing their feelings and ideas about the newly freed African Americans. This is how the KKK, also known as the Ku Klux Klan, came about. The Ku Klux KlanRead MoreThe Mindset Of The Racist South879 Words   |  4 Pagesformed was the Ku Klux Klan, the KKK were the main group who cause the most pain for the freed black and their supporters. To understand why they did what they did you need to know how they started. They were formed the winter of 1865 by six retired Conferdit shoulders. They form this group in the town of Pulaski, Tennessee, when they were forming they had to decide on what to be called. This is when KKK came to be, the KKK went for the name be cause of the meanings of the words. Ku Klux was pulled fromRead MoreThe Birth of The Ku Klux Klan Essay1981 Words   |  8 PagesThe Birth of The Ku Klux Klan How the KKK was started / how they got there name .................page 3 How they got there disguises........................................................page 4 Jokes that they would play on the blacks......................................page 5 How they would initiate members.................................................page 6 Names that members had and that were given..............................page 7 Expanding The Ku Klux Klan................Read MoreThe Ku Klux Klan And The Civil Rights Movement1237 Words   |  5 Pageswanted them to believe in. The creation of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a major contributing factor to racism and prejudice in America for over 100 years. Many opposed the KKK, but there was a slight few that supported the Klan, glorifying them and their cause. The Ku Klux Klan is known as a racial hate group, who forced African Americans and other minorities to live in fear, and influenced many social and economic issues of American culture. The Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1866 in Pulaski, TennesseeRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan And American History1042 Words   |  5 PagesPatty Martin World History Section 4 4-29-16 The Ku Klux Klan For much of American history, ethnic groups other than caucasian have struggled greatly. One of the groups that has struggled a lot is African Americans. This group has had to suffer through slavery and segregation for the purpose of much of American history. Their struggle became more difficult in the occasion of the Ku Klux Klan (Ku Klux Klan) was founded. The formation of the Ku Klux Klan was one of the main factors of the bloody

Street Children †Bangladesh Free Essays

STREET CHILDREN – BANGLADESH Children in Bangladesh have to face many challenges. In Bangladesh over 40 million people are living below the poverty line and most of these families do not have own land. They are living and farming in flood-prone areas and face yearly natural disasters, inefficient agricultural technologies, low education, a polluted environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Street Children – Bangladesh or any similar topic only for you Order Now These family did not get proper health services and is in limited employment. Undernourishment is the common issue for the children. 50 percent of children under age 5 are undernourishment. Children are facing imperative problem with schooling. Very small percent of them complete their primary education. Among them only 40 percent girls complete their primary education. In this situation they need our help. Help the children†¦. This is my very small step to help the Street Children in Bangladesh. They need our help. So we should forward our good hand to help hem. For doing this kind of great job money is not only the solution, we need the people with good heart and I think you are the one of them. I hope your cooperation to do something good for the children. So come on and cooperate with us with your good think, knowledge, even with a single word. Help the children†¦. If you are stuck for a few minutes at a traffic signal in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, you will probably see children rushing up to the windows of your vehicle. Some of these children carry flowers; some have a stack of books in the crook of their arms, some carry bundles of newspapers and some have candy for sale. They try their best to earn sympathy from commuters to sell their goods. This painful scene is ubiquitous on the streets of Dhaka. These street children are known as Pothoshishu. The street is where they earn their living. The total number of street children in Bangladesh is estimated at 400,000. Almost half of these children live in Dhaka city alone. A very large percentage of these children are young girls. These female street children are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. On March, 2012 Unnayan Onneshan published a report titled â€Å"social connection of the street girls in the context of Dhaka city, Bangladesh† [pdf]. The research shows that the majority of the street girls (37. 50%) sell flowers for a living. 18. 80% of these young girls are forced into prostitution, 6. 25 % work in the clothing industry, 6. 25% become beggars, 12. 50% start as shopkeepers and 6. 25% are paper-hawkers. Almost half of these girls have a measly daily income of Tk. 101-299 ($1. 25-$3. 75). The daily income of 43. 75 % of the girls is Tk. 300 (US$3. 75) and above. But they seem to be the lucky ones, because 6. 25 % of the street girls earn less than Tk. 100 ($1. 25) per day. Almost 45% of these girls do not receive any treatment from government medical facilities or clinics. 3 out of 10 of these girls have never been enrolled in any type of educational institution. Most women in Bangladesh are vulnerable to fall victim to abuse such as rape, murder, eve teasing, dowry and acid attacks. But the street children who spend their childhood under the open skies of Dhaka face such risks on a daily basis. This graph is taken from the above report, which shows statistics of violences inflicted upon street girls: How to cite Street Children – Bangladesh, Papers

Market Segments free essay sample

JUST THE BASICS This chapter looks further into key customer-driven marketing strategy decisions—how to divide up markets into meaningful customer groups (segmentation), choose which customer groups to serve (targeting), create market offerings that best serve targeted customers (differentiation), and positioning the offerings in the minds of consumers (positioning). Then, the chapters that follow explore the tactical marketing tools—the Four Ps—by which marketers bring these strategies to life. INTRODUCTION Best Buy: Embracing the Angels and Ditching the Demons. Best Buy set out to identify its best customers and win their loyalty by serving them better. At the same time, it identifies less attractive customers and began to send them packing. To better differentiate itself in a crowded marketplace, Best Buy needed to stake out is own turn – to identify its best customers and serve them in ways that no discount on online competitor could. Rather than trying to make all customers happy all of the time, Best Buy segmented its market and sharpened it’s positioning. This resulted in what they term â€Å"customer centricity. How has this worked for Best Buy? Very well. They have designed a customer-driven marketing strategy that builds the right relationships with the right customers. Market segmentation involves dividing a market into smaller groups of buyers with distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviors that might require separate marketing strategies or mixes. Market targeting (or targeting) consists of evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more market segments to enter. Differentiation involves actually differentiating the firm’s market offering to create superior customer value. Positioning consists of arranging for a market offering to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of target consumers. MARKET SEGMENTATION Through market segmentation, companies divide large, heterogeneous markets into smaller segments that can be reached more efficiently and effectively with products and services that match their unique needs. Segmenting Consumer Markets Geographic Segmentation Geographic segmentation calls for dividing the market into different geographical units such as nations, regions, states, counties, cities, or even neighborhoods. Demographic Segmentation Demographic segmentation divides the market into groups based on variables such as age, gender, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, and nationality. Demographic factors are the most popular bases for segmenting customer groups. Age and LifeCycle Stage is offering different products or using different marketing approaches for different age and lifecycle groups. Gender segmentation has long been used in clothing, cosmetics, toiletries, and magazines. Income segmentation has long been used by the marketers of products and services such as automobiles, clothing, cosmetics, financial services, and travel. Psychographic Segmentation Psychographic segmentation divides buyers into different groups based on social class, lifestyle, or personality characteristics. Marketers use personality variables to segment markets. Behavioral Segmentation Behavioral segmentation divides buyers into groups based on their knowledge, attitudes, uses, or responses to a product. Occasion segmentation is grouping buyers according to occasions when they get the idea to buy, actually make their purchase, or use the purchased item. Benefit segmentation is grouping buyers according to the different benefits that they seek from the product. User Status is segmenting markets into nonusers, ex-users, potential users, first-time users, and regular users of a product. Usage Rate is grouping markets into light, medium, and heavy product users. Loyalty Status is dividing buyers into groups according to their degree of loyalty. Using Multiple Segmentation Bases Marketers rarely limit their segmentation analysis to only one or a few variables. PRIZM NE (one of the leading segmentation systems) classifies every American household based on a host of demographic factors. Segmenting Business Markets Consumer and business marketers use many of the same variables to segment their markets. Business marketers also use some additional variables, such as customer operating characteristics, purchasing approaches, situational factors, and personal characteristics. Many marketers believe that buying behavior and benefits provide the best basis for segmenting business markets. Segmenting International Markets Companies can segment international markets using one or a combination of several variables. * Geographic factors: Nations close to one another will have many common traits and behaviors. * Economic factors: Countries may be grouped by population income levels or by their overall level of economic development. * Political and legal factors: Type and stability of government, receptivity to foreign firms, monetary regulations, and the amount of bureaucracy. * Cultural factors: Grouping markets according to common languages, religions, values and attitudes, customs, and behavioral patterns. Intermarket segmentation is segmenting of consumers who have similar needs and buying behavior even though they are located in different countries. Requirements for Effective Segmentation To be useful, market segments must be: Measurable: The size, purchasing power, and profiles of the segments can be measured. Accessible: The market segments can be effectively reached and served. Substantial: The market segments are large or profitable enough to serve. Differentiable: The segments are conceptually distinguishable and respond differently to different marketing mix elements and programs. Actionable: Effective programs can be designed for attracting and serving the segments. MARKET TARGETING Evaluating Market Segments In evaluating different market segments, a firm must look at three factors: 1. Segment size and growth, 2. Segment structural attractiveness, and 3. Company objectives and resources. The largest, fastest-growing segments are not always the most attractive ones for every company. The company also needs to examine major structural factors that affect long-run segment attractiveness. * A segment is less attractive if it already contains many strong and aggressive competitors. The existence of many actual or potential substitute products may limit prices and the profits. * The relative power of buyers also affects segment attractiveness. * A segment may be less attractive if it contains powerful suppliers who can control prices. Selecting Target Market Segments A target market consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the com pany decides to serve. Undifferentiated Marketing Using an undifferentiated marketing (or mass-marketing) strategy, a firm might decide to ignore market segment differences and target the whole market with one offer. This mass-marketing strategy focuses on what is common in the needs of consumers rather than on what is different. Differentiated Marketing Using a differentiated marketing (or segmented marketing) strategy, a firm decides to target several market segments and designs separate offers for each. Concentrated Marketing Using a concentrated marketing (or niche marketing) strategy, instead of going after a small share of a large market, the firm goes after a large share of one or a few smaller segments or niches. It can market more effectively by fine-tuning its products, prices, and programs to the needs of carefully defined segments. It can market more efficiently, targeting its products or services, channels, and communications programs toward only consumers that it can serve best and most profitably. Micromarketing Micromarketing is the practice of tailoring products and marketing programs to suit the tastes of specific individuals and locations. Micromarketing includes local marketing and individual marketing. Local marketing involves tailoring brands and promotions to the needs and wants of local customer groups—cities, neighborhoods, and even specific stores. Local marketing has drawbacks. It can drive up manufacturing and marketing costs by reducing economies of scale. * It can create logistics problems. * The brand’s overall image might be diluted if the product and message vary too much in different localities. Individual marketing is the tailoring of products and marketing programs to the needs and preferences of individual customers. Individual marketing has also been labeled one-to-one ma rketing, mass customization, and markets-of-one marketing. Choosing a Targeting Strategy Which strategy is best depends on: * Company resources. * Product variability. Product’s life-cycle stage. * Market variability. * Competitors’ marketing strategies. Socially Responsible Target Marketing Target marketing sometimes generates controversy and concern. Issues usually involve the targeting of vulnerable or disadvantaged consumers with controversial or potentially harmful products. Problems arise when marketing adult products to kids, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The growth of the Internet and other carefully targeted direct media has raised concerns about potential targeting abuses. The issue is not so much who is targeted, but how and for what. Controversies arise when marketers attempt to profit when they unfairly target vulnerable segments or target them with questionable products or tactics. Socially responsible marketing calls for segmentation and targeting that serve not just the interests of the company, but also the interests of those targeted. DIFFERENTIATION AND POSITIONING Value proposition: How a company will create differentiated value for targeted segments and what positions it wants to occupy in those segments. A product’s position is the way the product is defined by consumers on important attributes. Positioning Maps Perceptual positioning map show consumer perceptions of their brands versus competing products on important buying dimensions. Choosing a Differentiation and Positioning Strategy The differentiation and positioning task consists of three steps: 1. Identifying a set of differentiating competitive advantages upon which to build a position, 2. Choosing the right competitive advantages, and 3. Selecting an overall positioning strategy. 1. Identifying Possible Value Differences and Competitive Advantages To the extent that a company can differentiate and position itself as providing superior customer value, it gains competitive advantage. It can differentiate along the lines of product, services, channels, people, or image. 2. Choosing the Right Competitive Advantages How Many Differences to Promote Ad man Rosser Reeves believes a company should develop a unique selling proposition (USP) for each brand and stick to it. Other marketers think that companies should position themselves on more than one differentiator. Which Differences to Promote A difference is worth establishing to the extent that it satisfies the following criteria: Important: The difference delivers a highly valued benefit to target buyers. Distinctive: Competitors do not offer the difference, or the company can offer it in a more distinctive way. * Superior: The difference is superior to other ways that customers might obtain the same benefit. Communicable: The difference is communicable and visible to buyers. Preemptive: Competitors cannot easily copy the difference. Affordable: Buyers can afford to pay for the difference. Profitable: The company can introduce the difference profitably. 3. Selecting an Overall Positioning Strategy The full positioning of a brand is called the brand’s value proposition. More for More positioning involves providing the most upscale product or service and charging a higher price to cover the higher costs. More for the Same positioning involves introducing a brand offering comparable quality but at a lower price. The Same for Less positioning can be a powerful value proposition—everyone likes a good deal. Less for Much Less positioning is offering products that offer less and therefore cost less. â€Å"Less-for-much-less† positioning involves meeting consumers’ lower performance or quality requirements at a much lower price. More for Less positioning is the winning value proposition. In the long run, companies will find it very difficult to sustain such best-of-both positioning. Developing a Positioning Statement Company and brand positioning should be summed up in a positioning statement. The statement should follow the form: To (target segment and need) our (brand) is (concept) that (point of difference). Communicating and Delivering the Chosen Position Once it has chosen a position, the company must take strong steps to deliver and communicate the desired position to target consumers. All the company’s marketing mix efforts must support the positioning strategy. Discussing the Issues 1. List and briefly describe the four major steps in designing a customer-driven marketing strategy. 2. Discuss the behavioral variables used to segment buyers and provide an example of each. 3. Explain how companies segment international markets. 4. Name and describe the characteristics of useful market segments. 5. In the context of marketing, what is a product’s â€Å"position†? How do marketers know what it is? Under the Hood: Marketing Technology When you think of hybrid or electric automobiles, you probably think don’t think â€Å"sports car. But the Fisker Karma is about to shatter that stereotype. It’s been called the hybrid with â€Å"sex appeal† and is often compared to a Mercedes-Benz roadster. During the haughty Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, it was seen cruising around Monterey, California with the likes of Ferraris and Lamborghinis. In the increasingly crowded field of new-generation electric vehicles, Fisker Automotive wants to carve out a niche as a high-performance eco-car with lots of style. The creator, Henrik Fisker, was formerly head of design at Aston Martin. The Fisker Karma goes from 0 to 60 in six seconds, can go 125 miles per hour, and can travel 50 miles on electric power and 300 miles on combined electric and gasoline power. All this performance and style does not come cheaply, however. Prices range from $87,900 to $106,000. The company already has orders from 1,400 buyers. If this is above your means, don’t worry—the company is promising a lower-priced, mass-market version for the rest of us in a few years. 1. On what basis is Fisker Automotive segmenting the automobile market? Is the company using a single segmentation approach or a combined approach? Explain. 2. What market targeting strategy is Fisker pursuing with this automobile? How is the company differentiating its automobile and which value proposition is it using? Staying on the Road: Marketing Ethics In 2009 Anheuser-Busch launched the Bud Light â€Å"Fan Can,† a promotion that included 27 different color combinations of its cans in college team colors. For example, students at Louisiana State University could purchase purple-and-gold cans of Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch timed the campaign, called â€Å"Team Pride,† to coincide with students returning to campus and with the kickoff of the football season. Several schools, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa State, University of Colorado, and others, objected strenuously. As a result, Anheuser-Busch halted the program in those markets. The promotion also caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission. Both the FTC and college officials are concerned about the high rate of underage and binge drinking on college campuses. Some school officials also were concerned about trademark infringements, and about the appearance that they support Budweiser’s activities. As criticism brewed around the country, A-B released a statement claiming that it did not mean to encourage underage drinking—it just wanted to create more fun for sports fans. Although the company halted the promotion in areas where college officials objected, controversy surrounding the promotion appeared in newspapers and on television nationwide. 1. What type of market targeting strategy is Anheuser-Busch using with the Team Pride promotion? 2. Was this a wise promotion? Explain. Rough Road Ahead: Marketing and the Economy Vanilla Bikes Portland-based Vanilla Bicycles sells hand-built bikes with price tags ranging from $4,000 to $12,000. Now, after only nine years in business, owner Sacha White has stopped taking orders – not because business had dried up but because he has a five-year waiting list. White and his crew of three make only 40 to 50 bikes a year. Frames are made from exotic metals, are welded with silver alloy, and weigh as little as 30 ounces. No two Vanilla bikes are the same. Each is custom fitted to the client and features intricate metal carvings and an artisan paint job. Amazingly, almost all of these high-end velocipedes are sold to middle-class customers. Still, orders have not ebbed with the economic downturn. In fact, Vanilla could ramp up production significantly and still sell everything it makes. However, White claims that would compromise the special nature of what customers consider to be works of art. Vanilla bikes are so special that when Portland bike couriers describe something as cool, they routinely say, â€Å"That’s soooo Vanilla. † 1. Based on the segmentation variables discussed in the chapter, construct a profile for Vanilla Bicycle’s probable target market. 2. Given that most luxury products suffer in an economic downturn, why has Vanilla still succeeded?

The Current Conditions Of African Americans Essays - Mississippi

Current Condition of African Americans One of the current conditions in the African-American community is the Family Unit. According to the family education article, High out-of-wedlock birth rates, poverty, diseases, absent fathers, and the lack of a family support network for many young African-Americans have led to serious problems in America's urban areas. The persistence of these crises has helped to perpetuate negative images of African-Americans, and have contributed to the increasing polarization of American social and political life along racial lines. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they ?die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.? Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Sah aran Africa. I believe that African Americans are looked at as being under class. Despite the rise of an educated African-American professional class, and despite many economic and social advances for African-Americans as a whole, inner-city urban areas have remained under inspired and underdeveloped for so long that they have developed a seemingly permanent sense of despair. These areas remain stubbornly prone to epidemics of social dysfunction and particularly to problems related to crime and drug abuse. The persistence of serious social problems in inner-city areas has led to a tragic perpetuation of racial prejudice, and to talk of a permanent African-American ?underclass.? I read an article where it talked about the world wide conspiracy by whites to destroy the black race. The author talked about researching on the condition of black people in the western world and Africa. The author stated, ?this is a very complex subject and therefore I?m sure the causes will be equally complex however these are some of the things that have caused me to wonder whether we are facing a world wide conspiracy of destruction by whites?. There seems to be a huge breakdown within the black family unit in western countries i.e. high incidence of single parenthood, high incarceration rate of black men into the western prison system, high level of unemployment amongst blacks in western countries in relation to white populations, lack of knowledge of self and our history, lack of respect amongst our men for our women, and high incidence of interracial marriage (particularly amongst the men).? With regards to Africa, most countries on this continent are under puppet leadership which is being controlled by the west I also read an article where an oldest African American woman died at the age of 113. According to the article she seemed liked a beautiful woman. She lived in three different centuries. Her name was Mississippi Winn. In the article it talked about how she was never married and lived independently until the age of 103. ?She was the city's oldest citizen, the nation's oldest African-American and the 7th oldest person in the world? (Article). She was 113 years old. Born on March 31, 1897, Miss Mississippi Winn's birthday was celebrated throughout the City of Shreveport with community and religious leaders, family, friends and residents who all proudly shared in the joy of Miss Winn's celebration of life. Since her 110th birthday, each year Mayor Glover took great pride in proclaiming March 31st as "Miss Mississippi Winn Day" in the City of Shreveport, urging all citizens to join in the celebration of her life, longevity and her many contributions. The oldest known African-American is n ow Mamie Rearden of Edgefield, South Carolina, who is 112. The world's oldest known living person is Eunice Sanborn, 114, of Jacksonville, Texas, according to Young. It?s always nice to read on issues concerning the worldview on African Americans and other issues that we are faced with in today?s society. Reference: www.globalissues.org/article/26 www.worldhunger.org/articles topics.cnn.com/topics/african_american_issues

The Walt Disney Corporation Essay Example

The Walt Disney Corporation Essay Example The Walt Disney Corporation Essay The Walt Disney Corporation Essay Essay Topic: A Woman Killed With Kindness Black Dog of Fate The Walt Disney Corporation is one of the largest mass media companies in the world owning TV and radio networks, Internet sites, theatres, theme parks, music studios, magazines etc. They publish children’s books, produce cartoons, computer software, and toys among many other things. For more than 70 years Disney animated films have been a popular form of children’s entertainment and part of many children’s lives worldwide. It is not an exaggeration to say that these films have also contributed to and influenced the shaping of children’s values, beliefs and imagination. Therefore, being one of the most dominant storytellers and having such a huge influence on children’s culture in general, the Disney Company and the array of images and stereotypes they offer to the public should be approached critically and analysed.In this essay I will be focusing on the female gender stereotypes reinforced in three Disney animated films Snow White and the Seven D warfs, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast and on the notions of femininity that these films portray. Furthermore, I will be analyzing what kind of effects these particular stereotypes and representations of femininity may produce on girls and young women. Most predominant female gender stereotypes that these films reinforce are the following:1. a woman’s appearance is valued more than her intellect;2. a woman’s role in society is to be a housewife;3. a woman should get married to find true happiness, and4. a woman’s life is shaped by male influences.The female characters depicted in these three Disney animated films are very narrowly stereotyped and throughout the entire films constantly hyper sexualized. It can not be said that basically they differ from each other in trying to initiate or actively participate in shaping their destinies, but are merely bystanders, watching as their future unfolds. My stand on this stereotype is that new generations ar e constantly taught to see women as not trying to present themselves as intellectual individuals but simply as pretty faces trying to accomplish their goals in life by using their beauty as their only tool for success.The stereotypical portrayal of young women and the Disney Company’s ideology of physical beauty demonstrated in their animated films have not changed since the release of their first animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in 1937. Snow White was the first Disney Princess to be portrayed in a way that would become characteristic of all Disney Princesses: she had red lips, straight hair, perfect complexion, a skinny body, and a beautiful face. Naturally, she was gifted with a very soft voice enchanting all around her when she sang, whether she was sad or happy. Snow White was so beautiful that her beauty brought her an enemy embodied in her stepmother, who, in disguise, fed her with a poisoned apple which put her into a deep slumber. The fairest one of al l had her life spared by the hunter simply because she was too beautiful to be killed (Wachutka, 2007). The female images presented in this film can be harmful to the young women since they put emphasis on the false idea that the greatest quality a woman can possess is beauty.Similarly to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the animated film The Little Mermaid (1989) accentuates the importance of beauty by advising girls through the film’s messages that they should sacrifice in order to achieve the perfect body since that is, according to the Disney Company, a woman’s most important attribute after all. It is not an overstatement to say that the Disney Company implies a physical transformation to be the best way to win a man’s love. The main protagonist in the film, the mermaid Ariel, is willing to trade her voice, that is, her means of communicating and expressing her intellect and personality for human legs, thus becoming what society wants her to be – a s ilent and obedient pretty face. Ariel decides to undergo the process of transformation after Ursula, the evil sea witch and the mastermind behind the idea of Ariel’s trade, convinces Ariel that she need not worry about losing her voice because she will â€Å"have (her) looks, (her) pretty face†, and should â€Å"not underestimate the importance of body language,† because â€Å"on land it’s much preferred for ladies not to say a word; it’s the one that holds her tongue that gets her man† (Clements Musker, 1989).Therefore, it is clear that the film supports the idea that it is not intellect what is valued in a woman in society, but her pleasing appearance and obedience, the qualities which are bound to ‘get her a man’. Ariel’s body supports the same idea, teaching girls from an early age that they have to have a tiny waist if they want to be pretty. Even Ursula, when transforming to a human in an attempt to steal Prince Er ic’s love, does so by becoming a tall and slender girl with red lips, straight hair and perfect complexion, which are the same characteristics that Snow White possesses.The Disney Company further underestimates the importance of a woman’s intellect in the scene where Arial having sung about her aspirations for the intellectual pursuit of the human knowledge swiftly turns her thoughts towards Prince Eric. Her high aspirations are demonstrated in the lyrics of the song ‘Part of Your World’ which Ariel sings while in her hidden cavern which holds all of her treasures: â€Å"I’m ready to know what the people know, ask them my questions and get some answers What is a fire and why does it burn?† (Clements Musker, 1989).In Beauty and the Beast (1991) it is Belle’s beauty and loveliness that tame the Beast’s savagery. The confirmation for this statement is the fact that the kindness and understanding of his household staff were not eno ugh to stop his terrorizing and violent behaviour. The only person who could put things right was Belle. The Disney Company once again emphasizes that if a woman is pretty enough and sweet enough, she could transform an abusive man into her prince forever. According to Maio (1998), this stereotypically implies that in real life â€Å"women are responsible for controlling male anger and violence.†It is important to call attention to another symbolism in this film. Unlike any other Disney Princess, Belle is gifted with a passion for reading. Her hopes and aspirations for constant advancement are accentuated at the beginning of the film where she can be heard repeating the sentence: â€Å"There must be more than this provincial life.† (Trousdale Wise, 1991) Yet, the Disney Company could not allow Belle to be â€Å"too intelligent†. They needed to clarify to the viewers that the books she was reading were just an easy read, pointing out that her favourite book is a bout â€Å"far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, and a prince in disguise† (Trousdale Wise, 1991). A prince in disguise is, of course, the most important link in the chain here, as the story itself will prove. Belle suggests this by stating that her favourite part of that book is â€Å"where she (the character of the book she’s reading) meets Prince Charming.† (Trousdale Wise, 1991)As seen in these examples, the flat portrayal of young women, not reflecting what females really are and what their true goals in life should be, creates the false representation of the notion of femininity which can have a strong impact on young girls. Bearing in mind the fact that girls at the very young age try to understand what being a woman really means and how they should behave when they grow up, I find that the effects these films can have on them can be quite negative, instilling a false system of believes about the values a woman should possess.It is clear th at, on the example of both Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Beauty and the Beast (1991), there is a shortage of diverse jobs that can be ascribed to women. Actually, the female characters are not even given the choice of the kind of careers they could pursue and strive to accomplish during the films. Apparently, it seemed perfectly ‘natural’ for the Disney Company to decide upon ‘the career’ of a housewife for their ‘Princesses’ to follow. Here, it is quite evident that the only reason for this decision was the promotion of a stereotype that a woman’s natural abilities are those of a ‘house servant’ and nothing else.The film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) clearly promotes the stereotype that women are â€Å"natural-born happy homemakers who live in a state of suspended liveliness until a man gives them a life† (Maio, 1998). The moment Snow White enters the dwarfs’ house she feels a natural urg e to clean it from top to bottom, in spite of the fact that she does not know who lives in it. This way, she highlights that her true talents and worth lie in her abilities to clean and cook. She uses these abilities hoping that the tenants will provide her with accommodation, and, thus, give her more opportunities to cook and clean – â€Å"If you let me stay, Ill keep house for you. Ill wash and sew and sweep and cook.† (Hand, Cottrell, Jackson, Morey, Pearce, Sharpsteen, 1937)It is also worth mentioning that Snow White instantly associates the filth and disorder of the house with the idea that whoever lives in the house does not have a mother. In her mind it is as clear as a bell that if they did, it would be their mother’s role to keep the house in order, since that is a woman’s true calling in life. In spite of the fact that she enters the house in tiny high heeled shoes, she immediately sets to work to clean it, singing all along as though she has m erely continued her stroll through the woods.In Beauty and the Beast (1991), the Disney Company use the narrow-minded townspeople to typify Belle’s intelligence and strength as eccentric and to demonstrate the general view of society of the position of women. In the lyrics of the song ‘Belle’ we are able to witness their gossiping â€Å"The girl is strange, no question, dazed and distracted Never part of any crowd, cause her heads up on some cloud. No denying shes a funny girl, that Belle. With a dreamy, far-off look, and her nose stuck in a book, what a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle.† (Trousdale ; Wise, 1991) Her interest in books won her the title of â€Å"a funny girl who has her head in the clouds†. The message which Disney is trying to convey here is that women are not supposed to seek knowledge, because it is not the part they are supposed to play in the society. In the film, the most admired man in the village, Gaston, confronts Belle abo ut her interest in books and clearly illustrates that it is not a woman’s role to be interested in reading and intellectual pursuit when he tells Belle, â€Å"It’s not right for a woman to read, soon she starts getting ideas, thinking.† In the following dialogue between Belle and Gaston, he explains the role a woman should have in society:Belle: â€Å"What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?†Gaston: †Plenty! Picture this – a rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire and my little wife massaging my feet, while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. Well have six or seven strapping boys like me.† (Trousdale Wise, 1991)A woman is therefore portrayed as a housewife with her sole occupation being working in the house and taking care of her husband and their children.Through their films the Disney Company provides the young girls with the knowledge that they live in a male-dominated world and tries to instil a beli ef that most a woman can hope for is to fall in love and get married, and even then she would have to rely on her man for assistance in life. In each of these films the only way possible for the female character to be freed from her undesirable future, whether it is being a servant/housewife, living in a poor village or under the sea, was through assistance from her Prince Charming or her father. The Disney Company did not make it possible for its heroines to take a personal action and create a better future for themselves.Instead of emphasizing the process of Snow White’s survival in the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Disney accentuates the role of the Prince and his contribution to the solution of the question of life and death. This way Snow White’s importance as a character is diminished in comparison with Prince’s. Snow White helplessly awaits the Prince’s kiss since no one but him has the power to wake her up. Throughout the film she c onstantly longs for her man to find her and sings about her waiting for him to come so that she can spend an idyllic life in a castle â€Å"Someday my prince will come; someday we’ll meet again†¦ I’m wishing for the one I love to find me.† (Hand et al., 1937) In the end, her hero indeed comes and bestows her with a life â€Å"happily ever after†.The Disney Princess Ariel, the main character of The Little Mermaid (1989), is ready to do anything to have handsome Prince Eric fall in love with her. She disobeys her stern but loving father, King Triton, and even makes a bargain with the sea witch to exchange her lovely voice for human legs. What is more, she abandons her perfect life under the sea, her family and friends for a man she hardly even knows. She puts all the effort she can to be part of her prince’s world, however, the only result which this effort brings is that she merely shifts from being under the control of her father directly to being Prince Eric’s wife. She is never independent.Not having been kissed by Eric before sunset on the third day (after she had gotten her human legs), as was specified in her deal with Ursula, Ariel, for the time being, did not accomplish her dream of staying human and being with Eric. However, at the end of the film, with the help of her father, King Triton, Ariel does achieve her dream. It is only with her father’s approval and his magic powers that she obtains human legs again and marries Prince Eric. Therefore, fifty two years after their first animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), the Disney Company did not bother to change the stereotypical ending to their romantic films. For a woman to achieve true happiness and lead a secure life, she has to have a man by her side, whether it is her father or her beloved.In Beauty and the Beast (1991) Gaston is presented as the ‘specimen’ of manliness and depicted as â€Å"tall, dark, strong and h andsome brute† (Trousdale Wise, 1991). Through him the Disney Company reinforce their idea of a conventional kind of masculine identity. When it comes to women he is predominantly vain and rude believing that women are only good for being housewives and mothers. This is observable in his first conversation with Belle:â€Å"Belle, its about time you got your head out of those books and paid attention to more important things me. The whole towns talking about it. Its not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking.† (Trousdale ; Wise, 1991)He wants to marry Belle so that he would be able to boast about it and so that she could give him sons whom he could mould at will. In his attempt to dominate and control Belle’s world he organizes a ‘surprise’ wedding for him and Belle without having previously proposed to her. He is even ready to go as far as to put her father into an asylum so that he could blackmail her into marrying h im.However, unlike both Ariel and Snow White, Belle does not jump in the arms of the ‘first opportunity’ that presents itself. Her refusal to marry Gaston when he tells her that he is yearning to make her his â€Å"little wife† challenges the standard stereotype, though only temporarily and for the purposes of the happy ending. Belle cunningly ‘serves’ her refusal to Gaston by telling him what every conceited man wants to hear:†I just do not deserve you.† (Trousdale ; Wise, 1991) The temporary false illusion which the Disney Company create here, gives us the impression that they truly think how â€Å"women are ultimately in charge of their fate† (Wynn, 2010). Nevertheless, this animated film, just like the other two, ends in the same, Disney fashion, with â€Å" and they lived happily ever after!† which once again implies that in order to achieve true happiness a woman has to find and marry her perfect man.The stereotypical messages which these films promote about women being incapable of living without having a man in their lives could have a negative influence on young girls denoting that women are weak and that they can only live a satisfactory life with a man by their side.In spite of the fact that many social changes have occurred over the past century improving the position of women within society, it strikes me that there is still a great deal of sexual discrimination against women widely reinforced through gender stereotypes seen in the media. It is my concern that the gender images in Disney animated films, which take a massive part in children’s culture, have not evolved to match the changes that have occurred in society. Instead, they remain stereotypical and quite similar over the years recurring in the portrayal of each and every of Disney Princesses. Bearing in mind that Disney films have a significant influence on the development of children’s understanding of the world, an d that the Disney Company actually profits from children’s false illusions, it is every adult’s responsibility to take a stand against the moral corruption by spreading a critical attitude towards stereotypes and discrimination present in these films.

Writer's choice in management of the information resource Research Proposal

Writer's choice in management of the information resource - Research Proposal Example Different social media like Face book, Twitter and Linked In and television have been the best informative site since technology has ever created. As per (Doctor) â€Å"Media is an instrument on communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication†. These social media site allow managing groups and contact lists with which information can be collected and shared which is essential in business world. Social media has the ability to impart news with credibility because it presents facts in raw form. The usability and accessibility makes social media an apt information resource in management area. Managerial people get an individual space to share information and articles. Also processing and refining information is easy by means of social media. And social media have more trust worth information due to its networking ,accessibility and interactivity.As per (Daniel) â€Å"People tend to trust social media users who provide statements based on actual facts and research and not those who merely share their biased opinions† Social media is a technologically advanced means of information system where management can share information and get many leads. Social media has given more creative and interactive platform for management function and given more opportunity for information system to grow. Burgess, Ian. "Facebook as a Collaborative Knowledge Management System ." http://www.ian burgess.m e.uk. Word Press, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.

The Climate of Teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Climate of Teamwork - Essay Example In the following parts, first, some background information has been provided. It is followed by the segment elaborating the teamwork in the presentation. Subsequently, definition and application of Honey and Mumford learning style part have been included. Before conclusion, preferred learning style has been detailed. My team consisted of five members. After a careful deliberation, it was decided that each team member will have individual tasks and subsequently they will be required to give a presentation on the given topic. For our team, the topic was â€Å"Analysis on the Market Position and Financial Performance of Orange.† For this task, I assigned different activities/tasks to the team members in which literature research and company research, Harvard citation style and writing the assignment were the main areas given to the team members. After completing this part, it was time to give a presentation on the topic. For the presentation, we sat together and chalked out the presentation strategy. Belbin has identified 9 team roles: plant, shaper, resource investigator, co-coordinator, implementer, evaluator/monitor, team worker, and finisher/completer and specialist (Belbin, 2014). Each role requires different expertise, potential and skill and capable enough to handle a particular situation within a team. Belbin describes that the role of the shaper is identified as having dynamic behavior, outgoing besides challenging ineffectiveness and complacency (Prichard and Stanton, 1999). However, Belbin also points out that the team of shaper demonstrates higher work rates and capable enough to search out different possible ways to get things sorted out (Prichard and Stanton, 1999). Keeping in view the requirements and work of the task I had, I performed the role of the shaper.

Public Service Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Public Service Management - Essay Example Consideration of research works of Nijkamp, Van der Burch and Vidigni (2002) and Broadbent and Laughlin (2003) reveals the fact that extent of convergence between public and private modes of organising in public services management differs significantly with change in nature of public sector. Zouggari (2003) projected serious doubts over sustainability in convergence of public and private modes of organising. According to Zouggari (2003), these two modes of organizing are different in terms of their inherent characterises; therefore, collision may arise during the time of convergence between these two modes of organising in public services management. On the other hand, Spackman (2002) and Sussex (2003) found that extent of convergence between public and private modes of organising can enhance with proper control mechanism. It is evident from the mentioned theoretical arguments that controversy and doubt exists among scholars regarding extent of convergence between public and private modes of organising in context to public services management. Such level of perplexity and confusion regarding extent of convergence has influenced this study to shed light on the topic and analyse validity of arguments presented by previous scholars. While defining importance of convergence between public and private modes in public services management, Wettenhall (2003, pp. 77) used the statement, â€Å"The term partnership is now a dominant slogan in the rhetoric of public sector reform, arguably capturing that status from privatization which held similar dominance through the 1980s and 1990s.† According to Wettenhall (2003), concepts of new public management (NPM) and public-private partnerships (PPP) can be used in order to realize characteristics of convergence between public and private modes of organizing. However, Johnston and Gudergan (2007) had stressed more on public-private partnerships (PPP) as potential mechanism to achieve the

Human Resources Planning In Organizations

Human Resources Planning In Organizations InTroduction Planning is very important to our everyday activities. Several definitions have been given by different writers what planning is all about and its importance to achieving our objectives. It is amazing that this important part of HR is mostly ignored in HR in most organizations because those at the top do not know the value of HR planning. Organizations that do not plan for the future have less opportunities to survive the competition ahead. This article will discuss the importance of HR planning; the six steps of HR planning that is : Forecasting; inventory, audit, HR Resource Plan; Actioning of Plan; Monitoring and Control. Definition of HR Planning Quoting Mondy et (1996) they define it as a systematic analysis of HR needs in order to ensure that correct number of employees with the necessary skills are available when they are required. When we prepare our planning programme, Practitioners should bear in mind that their staff members have their objective they need to achieve. This is the reason why employees seek employment. Neglecting these needs would result in poor motivation that may lead to unnecessary poor performance and even Industrial actions. Importance of Planning Planning is not as easy as one might think because it requires a concerted effort to come out with a programme that would easy your work. Commencing is complicated, but once you start and finish it you have a smile because everything moves smoothly. Planning is a process that have to be commenced form somewhere and completed for a purpose. It involves gathering information that would enable managers and supervisors make sound decisions. The information obtained is also utilized to make better actions for achieving the objectives of the Organization. There are many factors that you have to look into when deciding for an HR Planning programme. HR Planning involves gathering of information, making objectives, and making decisions to enable the organization achieve its objectives. Surprisingly, this aspect of HR is one of the most neglected in the HR field. When HR Planning is applied properly in the field of HR Management, it would assist to address the following questions: How many staff does the Organization have? What type of employees as far as skills and abilities does the Company have? How should the Organization best utilize the available resources? How can the Company keep its employees? HR planning makes the organization move and succeed in the 21st Century that we are in. Human Resources Practitioners who prepare the HR Planning programme would assist the Organization to manage its staff strategically. The programme assist to direct the actions of HR department. The programme does not assist the Organization only, but it will also facilitate the career planning of the employees and assist them to achieve the objectives as well. This augment motivation and the Organization would become a good place to work. HR Planning forms an important part of Management information system. HR have an enormous task keeping pace with the all the changes and ensuring that the right people are available to the Organization at the right time. It is changes to the composition of the workforce that force managers to pay attention to HR planning. The changes in composition of workforce not only influence the appointment of staff, but also the methods of selection, training, compensation and motivation. It becomes very critical when Organizations merge, plants are relocated, and activities are scaled down due to financial problems. Inadequacy of HR Planning Poor HR Planning and lack of it in the Organization may result in huge costs and financial looses. It may result in staff posts taking long to be filled. This augment costs and hampers effective work performance because employees are requested to work unnecessary overtime and may not put more effort due to fatigue. If given more work this may stretch them beyond their limit and may cause unnecessary disruptions to the production of the Organization. Employees are put on a disadvantage because their live programmes are disrupted and they are not given the chance to plan for their career development. The most important reason why HR Planning should be managed and implemented is the costs involved. Because costs forms an important part of the Organizations budget, workforce Planning enable the Organization to provide HR provision costs. When there is staff shortage, the organization should not just appoint discriminately, because of the costs implications of the other options, such as training and transferring of staff, have to be considered. Steps in HR Planning Forecasting HR Planning requires that we gather data on the Organizational goals objectives. One should understand where the Organization wants to go and how it wants to get to that point. The needs of the employees are derived from the corporate objectives of the Organization. They stern from shorter and medium term objectives and their conversion into action budgets (eg) establishing a new branch in New Dehli by January 2006 and staff it with a Branch Manager (6,000 USD, Secretary 1,550 USD, and two clerical staff 800 USD per month. Therefore, the HR Plan should have a mechanism to express planned Company strategies into planned results and budgets so that these can be converted in terms of numbers and skills required. Inventory After knowing what human resources are required in the Organization, the next step is to take stock of the current employees in the Organization. The HR inventory should not only relate to data concerning numbers, ages, and locations, but also an analysis of individuals and skills. Skills inventory provides valid information on professional and technical skills and other qualifications provided in the firm. It reveals what skills are immediately available when compared to the forecasted HR requirements. Audit We do not live in a static World and our HR resources can transform dramatically. HR inventory calls for collection of data, the HR audit requires systematic examination and analysis of this data. The Audit looks at what had occured in the past and at present in terms of labor turn over, age and sex groupings, training costs and absence. Based on this information, one can then be able to predict what will happen to HR in the future in the Organization. HR Resource Plan Here we look at career Planning and HR plans. People are the greatest asserts in any Organization. The Organization is at liberty to develop its staff at full pace in the way ideally suited to their individual capacities. The main reason is that the Organizations objectives should be aligned as near as possible, or matched, in order to give optimum scope for the developing potential of its employees. Therefore, career planning may also be referred to as HR Planning or succession planning. The questions that should concern us are: Are we making use of the available talent we have in the Organization, and have we an enough provision for the future? Are employees satisfied with our care of their growth in terms of advancing their career? Assignment of individuals to planned future posts enable the administration to ensure that these individuals may be suitably prepared in advance. Actioning of Plan There are three fundamentals necessary for this first step. Know where you are going. There must be acceptance and backing from top management for the planning. There must be knowledge of the available resources (i.e) financial, physical and human (Management and technical). Once in action, the HR Plans become Corporate plans. Having been made and concurred with top management, the plans become a part of the companys long-range plan. Failure to achieve the HR Plans due to cost, or lack of knowledge, may be a serious constraints on the long-range plan. Below is an illustration of how HR Plan is linked to corporate Plan. The link between HR Plan and Strategic Management STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT -> HR PLANNING Æ’Â   STRATEGIC PLAN Organizational goals Values Organizational goals Strong and weak parts Mission Strong weak points Opportunities and threats Goals and Priorities Opportunities threats Sources of Competitive advantage Resource Allocations Source of Competitive advantage Identify People related matters Define HR strategies, Implement Hr Processes Goals plans Policy Practices HUMAN RESOURCES PLANNING Bohlander et as (2001) Monitoring and Control. This is the last stage of HR planning in the Organization. Once the programme has been accepted and implementation launched, it has to be controlled. HR department has to make a follow up to see what is happening in terms of the available resources. The idea is to make sure that we make use of all the available talents that are at our disposal failure of which we continue to struggle to get to the top. Do you have an HR Plan in action? Let us all check where we are working and see whether there is really a Human Resource Plan. If its not available, let use try to develop one and you would see how you will make a difference. It is quite true that HR plan is the basis of Human Resources Management. If we do not know how to develop it, then we are not doing an services to our Organizations and our impact will not be felt in the management pool. Human resource planning has traditionally been used by organizations to ensure that the right person is in the right job at the right time. Under past conditions of relative environmental certainty and stability, human resource planning focused on the short term and was dictated largely by line management concerns. Increasing environmental instability, demographic shifts, changes in technology, and heightened international competition are changing the need for and the nature of human resource planning in leading organizations. Planning is increasingly the product of the interaction between line management and planners. In addition, organizations are realizing that in order to adequately address human resource concerns, they must develop long-term as well as shortterm solutions. As human resource planners involve themselves in more programs to serve the needs of the business, and even influence the direction of the business, they face new and increased responsibilities and challenges. In an early treatment of the topic, Vetter (1967) defined human resource planning as the process by which management determines how the organization should move from its current manpower position to its desired position. Through planning, management strives to have the right number and the right kinds of people, at the right places, at the right time, doing things which result in both the organization and the individual receiving maximum long-run benefits. (p. 15) Contemporary human resource planning occurs within the broad context of organizational and strategic business planning. It involves forecasting the organizations future human resource needs and planning for how those needs will be met. It includes establishing objectives and then developing and implementing programs (staffing, appraising, compensating, and training) to ensure that people are available with the appropriate characteristics and skills when and where the organization needs them. It may also involve developing and implementing programs to improve employee performance or to increase employee satisfaction and involvement in order to boost organizational productivity, quality, or innovation (Mills, 1 985b). Finally, human resource planning includes gathering data that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing programs and inform planners when revisions i n their forecasts and programs are needed. Because a major objective of planning is facilitating February 1990 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ American Psychologist Copyright 1990 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0003.066X/90/$00.75 Vol. 45, No. 2, 223-239 Human Resource Planning Challenges for Industrial/Organizational Psychologists Susan E. Jackson and Randall S. Schuler New York University an organizations effectiveness, it must be integrated with the organizations short-term and longer term business objectives and plans. Increasingly this is being done in leading organizations, although in the past business needs usually defined personnel needs and human resource planning, which meant that planning became a reactive process. The reactive nature of the process went handin-hand with a short-term orientation. Now, major changes in business, economic, and social environments are creating uncertainties that are forcing organizations to integrate business planning with human resource planning and to adopt a longer term perspective. For example, according to Kathryn Connors, vice president of human resources at Liz Claiborne, Human resources is part of the strategic (business) planning process. Its part of policy development, line extension planning and the merger and acquisition processes. Little is done-in the company that doesnt involve us in the planning, policy or finalization stages of any deal. (cited in Lawrence, 1989, p. 70) John OBrien, vice president of human resources at Digital Equipment Corporation, describes an integrated linkage between business and human resource plans as one by which human resource and line managers work jointly to develop business plans and determine human resource needs, analyze the work force profile in terms of future business strategies, review emerging human resource issues, and develop programs to address the issues and support the business plans. According to OBrien, such joint efforts occur when human resource planners convince corporate business planners that human resources HRM is the legal liason between the organization and the employees,they are to uphold the employment and safety laws (osha, and civil rights act) as well as follow the practices, which may differ within federal guidelines, that the employer authorizes. Corporations are always searching for better ways to produce goods and services. When new technological developments give some organizations a competitive advantage, their rivals try to catch up by adopting and improving on the new technologies. Ford has put many of Toyotas technical advances to work in its own plants, and General Motors has spent over $50 billion in the last decade to modernize its production facilities to develop skills in flexible manufacturing. A large part of this growth is the Human Resources department of these companies, who are responsible for hiring the people with the knowledge to bring new technology into a company. To be successful in the automotive market, these companies needs a highly skilled, flexible and committed work force, a flexible and innovative management, the ability to retain developed talent, and a strong partnership between management and labor unions. To achieve these goals, the company needs a talented HR department. Besides hiring the right people to manage and perform specific jobs, HR managers have to build up commitment and loyalty among the workforce by keeping them up to date about company plans, and laying out the implications for job security and working conditions. Such was the case when I worked at Velco. From the interview process to my exit interview at the end of the summer, the HR department was every employees main connection between the production floor and the upper management. The HR department kept us informed via bi-weekly meetings, a company newsletter, and bulletin-board postings throughout the plant. Whenever a question arose, instead of asking middle-management, an employee could go straight to the HR rep they were assigned to. From my experiences, it seemed like the HR reps knew everything there was to know about the company and how it is run. And I found that to be a very valuable asset. I imagine the same takes place at large corporations around the world, be it Velcro or General Motors. The backbone of any successful company is the HR department, and without a talented group of people to hire, culture, and inform employees, the company is doomed for failure.

The Media Distorting Information on Illnesses :: Health Medical Essays

The Media Distorting Information on Illnesses Make sure you always use a condom or you might catch AIDS, a disease which will most likely kill us all anyway. Oh, and get your flu shot because this is going to be the worst flu season ever! And do not even think about eating that hamburger or you might put yourself at risk for Mad Cow Disease! Don’t be so quick to open up your mail, or you might get infected with Anthrax! Did you dump all the water out of the pool in the backyard? If not, mosquitoes infected with the West Nile Virus may kill you and your whole family! We better call our friends and tell them about all of this. Wait! Does sunscreen increase your risk of getting skin cancer? Are we all doomed to die from any of these threats? As members of the information age, people grow even more dependent on the information that we get from television, newspapers, and the internet. Constantly on the move, no one has time to fact check every single headline story. As a result, we are putting our faith in sources that crank out sensational headlines to boost ratings and newspaper memberships. So should we all be living in bubbles for the rest of our lives to avoid the many diseases that are competing to take our lives? Or do we use logic to help us wade thru the myths and misinformation? We all know about the flu shots being offered for the past two years, and every year the virus is supposedly getting worse. Therefore, you see long lines at grocery stores with elderly people along with young children to get their flu shot taken care of immediately. And as every year, the hospitals run into a shortage, then the hype of people who really need it not getting it jumps up. Yet no one asks the question â€Å"Do the flu vaccines work?† We see the word vaccine and assume that it will completely prevent us from getting sick. If someone was ask risk of dying from the flu, would the immunization that they received save their life? Or would the flu affect them as badly as if they didn’t get the shot? Kristine M. Severyn R.Ph., Ph.D. says, â€Å"Although influenza is associated with more disease, hospitalization, and death in â€Å"at risk† populations, no adequate controlled studies exist which proves that the influenza vaccine reduces the incidence of inf luenza in these groups†(Vaccine Risk Awareness Network).