Thursday, October 31, 2019

Cotton On Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Cotton On - Assignment Example Internal analysis will also discuss the strategies adopted for attaining growth within the segment in coming years and how marketing mix has helped it to be different from its competitors. Cotton On’s target segment and its marketing strategies to promote products will also be discussed. External environment for Cotton On’s business activities will be discussed in a separate section. For analyzing the external environment, SWOT analysis will be utilized to understand the strengths and weakness as well as opportunities and threats coming from competitors’ business activities will also be analyzed. In addition, the surrounding environment, which includes the domestic and global market situation for the company, its size and the consumers of Cotton On’s products, will be assessed. The results derived from internal and external analysis of business environment for Cotton On will be utilized in the next stage to develop a set of objectives for the marketing of company’s products. These objectives will help further to develop marketing strategies which includes the selection of market segment and positioning of the brand. The suggested marketing objectives and strategies will be supported with the action plan, identification of individuals who are responsible to implement it, time schedule, and budgeting and performance analysis measures. Introduction Cotton On is one of the few organically Australian ready-to-wear (RTW) fashion label. Fairly young in the industry at less than 30 years old, they now have shops all over Australia, New Zealand, and America. It has uniquely mirrored the same image that Australia has project all over the world, relax, simple and comfortable. Its primary target is the youth, 15-30, who feels wants a simple no-nonsense style... The intention of this study is Cotton On as one of the few organically Australian ready-to-wear (RTW) fashion label. Fairly young in the industry at less than 30 years old, they now have shops all over Australia, New Zealand, and America. It has uniquely mirrored the same image that Australia has project all over the world, relax, simple and comfortable. Its primary target is the youth, 15-30, who feels wants a simple no-nonsense style that is flexible yet fashionable. Through the years, there has been constant effort from the brand to reinforce their image through TV commercials, print ads, and out-of-home advertisements. However, the fashion industry has witnessed an incredible shift of media consumption from traditional to digital. Many of these digital adaptors belong to the same target market that Cotton On caters to, young from the broad C. Many businesses have taken advantage of this by, early on, exerting the same effort digitally as they do above the line. Unfortunately, Cot ton On came in late. They, in fact, established their online store less than three years ago. Outside of the online store, very little effort has been exerted to utilize the digital media to reach the Cotton On target market. This lack of digital presence resulted to one of the biggest digital scandal in the business world when facebook members started spreading complaints and protests against Cotton On Children’s line. The protest claimed that Cotton On’s pieces contained â€Å"disrespectful† messages. Cotton On reacted late and not without considerable damage to the brand.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Bok choy consumer fact report Essay Example for Free

Bok choy consumer fact report Essay Bok choy or bok choi, pronounced â€Å"bahk choy†, is a green leafy vegetable. It is sometimes referred to as â€Å"Chinese cabbage† or â€Å"the white cabbage†. The Chinese spelling is ‘bok choi† but in America it is known as ‘bok choy†. Bok choy is one of two types of Chinese cabbage, the other being Pe-tsai. However, bok choy has become popular in America after being grown in China for 1500 years. Because Chinese stir-fry and other popular Chinese foods have grown in popularity in North America, bok choy is becoming a well-known food in the United States and Canada. Although there are over 20 types of bok choy in Hong Kong, in the Americas you will usually only find the most popular type with crisp, white stalks and dark green, leafy tops. Nutrition Bok Choy is rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C and folic acid. Bok Choy also provides a good source of fiber. This vegetable is recommended by the American Cancer Society as a green leafy vegetable option for a healthy diet that is high in potassium and magnesium. These minerals have been shown to help regulate healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar. Because it is a sweeter, milder option to cabbage and other recommended green leafy vegetables, bok choy is also a preferable option for a diet rich in beta carotene and folic acid. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating recognizes bok choy as a dark green, leafy vegetable. The food guide recommends at least one dark green vegetable daily. A serving is recognized as 1 cup of shredded bok choy stalk or 70 grams of leaves. Purchasing and Storage When selecting bok choy you must go to the produce department at your local grocer’s. Make sure you are selecting a vegetable with long, white and unblemished stalks. The leaves should be dark green tapering to a light green near the stalks and never limp. Stay away from any plants with yellow leaves or brown spots on the stalks. This is old or poorly grown bok choy. To store your bok choy, refrigerate in an unsealed plastic bag . Use bok choy within a week and preferably within 4 to 5 days of purchasing to get the best flavor from this vegetable. Preparation Bok choy can be prepared in many different ways. The most popular methods are to boil, saute, or steam the vegetable. Before cooking by any method, the bok choy must be cleaned properly. To do this, cut at the base so as to separate the stalks so they can be washed individually. Then, wash under cold running water. Make sure to clean the stalks and the leaves, scrubbing the stalks with a vegetable brush only if necessary. Drip dry is not necessary as steaming or boiling will wet the bok choy anyhow and it is okay to saute and stir fry wet. However, the stalks can be eaten raw like celery. But bok choy stalks are not stringy like celery so are even better! Try the stalks cut into strips and dipped in your favorite dip. Or boil stalks in salted water for four minutes, leaves for only two or three minutes and serve as is. If you wish to add more flavor, bok choy is known to go well with peppers, soy sauce, or sauteed in sesame oil. Because it is so versatile, this Chinese cabbage can be a side dish or added to a stir fry for a main dish. Recipes Bok Choy with Chestnuts 5 oz. Packaged, cooked Chestnuts 1 ? lb. bok choy salt and pepper 3 Tbsp of chicken broth ? tsp of potato flour mixed with a Tbsp of cold water 1 tsp of sesame oil 1 Tbsp Peanut oil for cooking

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Analyse Additional Elements of the Extended Marketing Mix

Analyse Additional Elements of the Extended Marketing Mix This essay looks at the main elements of both the original and the extended marketing mix. This includes an introduction to the concept of the product life cycle, new product development, pricing strategies, distribution options and the promotion mix. Finally, the essay develops marketing mixes for Coca Cola to meet the needs of different target groups. Explain how products are developed to sustain competitive advantage. Sustainable competitive advantage is the focal point of a corporate strategy (E-Course, 2013). It allows the preservation and improvement of an organisational competitive position in the market. It is an advantage that allows business to stay alive against its competition. A competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices (Teacher Republic, 2013). See Coca Cola Companys competitors and positioning in (Appendix1) See Porters competitive advantage and cost advantage in (Appendix 2). When a company brings a new product into a market they must think about who is the product aimed at, what advantage will customers expect, how does the company plan to position the product inside the market and what benefit will the product proffer over their competitors. According to Kotler product have three levels, core product, actual Product and augmented product, see Coca Cola product levels in (Appendix 3) Product life cycle is the course of a products sales and profiles over its lifetime. It involves five distinct stages: product development, introduction, growth, maturity and decline (Kotler, et al, 2005). When companies introduce new product, it takes some time to be extensively accepted, at which point its sales and incomes will begin to rise. This will attract other competitors into the market, cause the market to mature. Finally, the market will decline as companies start to introduce the next product, and customers switch to that product. See Coca Cola product life cycle in (Appendix 4) Coca Cola Company provides different type soft drinks like Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Fanta etc. There good image makes the organisation more strong. Coca Cola is providing good taste, quality products with qualified staff, good atmosphere and hygienic environment. They are specialised in soft and fizzy drinks. Coca Cola have created good image in customers mind, their image is reputable and reliable, and it has one of the most well-liked soft drinks available. They have well-known which is why customers feel comfortable in buying Coca Cola products. Coca Cola can market too many different segments. Coca Cola can market their product to teenagers much easier than older people, because teenagers are their target market. See Coca Colas mission statement in (Appendix 5). Explain how distribution is arranged to provide customer convenience. Distribution in marketing acts importantly to attract customers convenience and organisations use method of distribution to see their ability. Two types of channel of distribution methods are available. Indirect distribution involves distributing product by the use of an intermediary. Direct distribution involves distributing direct from a manufacturer to the consumer (Kotler, et al, 2005). Distribution is underneath the group of place, therefore organisations create a precise distribution method so that its readily available to the customers and it can improve possible sales for an organisation. See Coca Cola distribution channels in (Appendix 6). The Coca Cola Company sell its products with bottling and canning operations. The distributors get to the Coca Cola to the wholesalers and the wholesalers get it to retailers and at final the customers buy Coca Cola from retailer shop. If Coca Cola does not work on its distribution services then their bottles are just reachable at their factories then customers may not be keen to get them. Its more appropriate for the customer to buy Coca Cola from a close seller as compared to getting it from factory. Therefore distribution system of an organisation can be both its weakness and strength. Companies should know that their products are available at retailer shops and stores where customers can easily buy it. Explain how prices are set to reflect an organisations objectives and market conditions. One of the parts in the marketing mix is pricing. This part of the 4Ps are the one making returns and which is also why it is important that an organisation chooses the right price. Pricing is one of the most significant parts of the Coca Cola Company marketing mix, which makes revenue for them. Coca Cola use different types of pricing strategies. The pricing strategies are standing much on what aims the company has put itself to achieve. See (Appendix 7). Owing to the accessibility of wide variety products the pricing is complete according to the market and geographic segment. Each sub-brand of coca cola has different pricing strategy. Their pricing strategy is base on the competitors pricing, Pepsi is one of their competitor in soft drink industry. The Coca-Cola Company choose their pricing objective they believe will be most effective in dispensing their brand to customer, to do this Coca-Cola use market-skimming pricing. Coca Cola Company use marketing-skimming as there is a enough number of purchasers that have a high demand, also Coca Cola sets an primary high price and then lower the price to make the product available to a extensive market. Coca Cola Company use penetration pricing strategy as they want to hold maximum share of the market by maximum profit. Coca Cola use discount pricing, where their products prices are often become down during sale periods and special occasions, like Christmas, Easter etc. Also Coca Cola use competitor pricing, where to meet the competition pricing, their products pricing are set about the same level as it competitors. Illustrate how promotional activity is integrated to achieve marketing objectives. Promotion being an element of marketing mix consists of communication among the customer and seller of that product (Kotler, et al, 2005). Promotional activities are important element because, these activities are performed in order to inform customers about the product and it includes personal selling, adverting, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing etc. An advertisement, for instance helps a buyer to get to know about the company and it is products, this can be done by bill boards, banners or posters. The benefit of advertisement is that it informs people about different products and services, their utilities, cost and other requirements. The disadvantage is cost because advertising is more expansive. In personal selling companies use their staffs to sell their product after face-to-face communication with the customer and seller efforts to convince a customer to purchase the product. Personal selling is one of the ways to keep good customers relationships, but this method is expensive. Sales promotion is short term incentives to encourage purchase or sales of a product or service (Kotler, et al, 2005). Here are some examples of sales promotions activities and it includes buy-one-get-one-free, bonus points, free gift cards, vouchers and coupons, competitions and prize draws, etc. The advantage is that sales promotion can help companies to provide right information to customers, also it encourage repeat purchases and customer loyalty, but the advantages are that it increase price sensitivity and it is generally for a short duration Public relations play an important role in promotion. It can be used to create a good image of the company for example magazines, TV or radio etc. PR is inexpensiveness of the cost, but it is hard to predict about the responses and it increase the risk. Direct marketing is where a company selling their products directly to people such as fliers or street advertising. It allows targeting specific customer and it can be measureable, but it is difficult to get it is direct impact and it can be quite expansive. Coca Cola use different methods of advertisement and the company spends a significant amount of money in order to be seen on billboards, radio, magazines, television, and on the internet. The Coca cola Company uses advertising as its key source of increasing buyer consciousness. It mostly uses the television; this source allows the companys products to attract more customers. Coca Cola uses the radio as another method of advertisement and this is a cheaper then TV. They use personal selling, where the company train their sales staffs, which they preform as a representative of the company to the shops. Newspapers and magazines are other forms of advertising that is extensively used by Coca Cola. Moreover, Posters, signs and billboards are also broadly used as an important part of the Coca Cola promotion. Coca Cola billboards are normally placed at the city centres and their posters are usually displayed at the shops, public transport and restaurants like McDonalds, KFC, etc. In addition, Internet is another method where different forms of Coca-Cola advertisements are placed. Specially, the brand online advertisement is assumed through the wide use of banners, on-site sponsorships and several other formats of online advertisements. Analyse the additional elements of the extended marketing mix Marketing mix has three additional elements: People, Process and Physical Evidence People are one of the elements of service marketing mix. People define a service. This mentions to the people who are in straight contact with the customer such as staff. One of the important parts in selling a product is the companys staff because most customers rely on a decent service before purchasing a product. For example, the employees in Coca Cola Company have a standard uniform. The companies always focus on friendly and quick service to its customers from their staffs. The process of the product is essential in marketing. This determines the capability of the product to supply the demand of the consumers. The process at Coca Cola Company is transparent and hidden (the whole process is not visible to the customers). Coca Cola has two types of processes which is involves bottling and labelling solutions. The most important stage that Coca Cola consider is control of the company to get products at the agreed time and good quality, and the last step they consider is, the selling of beverage for target customers of distributors. Physical evidence is an important element of marketing mix where customers will base their decisions based on the service which intangible. Companies physical evidence is supported by signs, symbols and artefacts of the business itself. Examples of this would be the signage in Coca Cola which reassures the customer through branding. Plan marketing mixes for two different segments in consumer markets. Coca Cola Company is focusing on target market; when it markets a product it mainly consider on demographic and physiographic segmentations; where demographic segment before it markets it identify the consumer groups in: age, sex, education, race, and occupation, and in physiographic it divides the market into different levels as: lower class, middle class, and upper class to identify their customers. Coca Cola segments different ages. The company focus on whole population in the world, but young generation is the target marketed of the company. Also Coca Cola segments different income levels by packing. For example, customers who have small income, Coca Cola has small returnable glass bottle, for middle people it has small non returnable bottle and for rich and higher income people, the company has Coca Cola tin. Marketing mix for Diet Coke: Coca Cola developed a new product. This product is a diet drink by the name of Diet Coke. They have designed the marketing mix of product which is detail in below: Product: Diet Coke is a very fresh and tasty diet drink. This new and fresh drink is made to provide the consumers with energetic feel with taste as well. Diet Coke is available in different sizes of which start from 330ml 2L bottle. This drink is mainly for the female teenagers from age 16 24. (Get Me Media, 2012) Price: Price of Diet Coke is very reasonable as compared to its major competitors. According to Tesco price its 330ml bottle is for 65p and 2L bottle is for  £1.98. Place: placement has an important role to play in the products success and failure. That is why the company makes sure that the Diet Coke is place in such a way in market that its in reach of every customer. They have very strong distribution channel and their product is available on maximum stores in the city. Promotion: For a product of such high standards like Diet Coke it requires good promotional activities. For this purpose the Coca Cola Company have chosen following promotional tools: for advertisement the company have use different types of media like television, newspaper, magazines, internet and radio. Illustrate differences in marketing products and services to businesses rather than consumers There are some characteristics to a service such as: lack of ownership, intangibility and inseparability. Each of these taken into account when marketing a service, see (Appendix 8). A product is something which is tangible where as a service is intangible. A product is much easier than the service because after marketing and selling a product there is something tangible to be seen by the customers for they are satisfaction but in services they cannot because its intangible. Basically, the marketing of product is particularly focused on 4Ps in marketing mix namely product, price, place, and promotion. The Coca Cola Company analyse the major demand of their customers in order to find out a product that can respond the market demand. Firstly, Coca Cola Company focuses on the strength as well as eliminates the vulnerabilities of marketed products in order to improve products to meet customers demand as much as possible. Secondly, they focus on the pricing factor in product marketing because the price must be set to match with the purchasing power of a target group. The Coca Cola know the nature price of selling products. Thirdly, the Coca Cola focus on place because place of product marketing refers to distribution channels to deliver and sell the product to customers. Lastly, they create the promotion on the product in order to persuade customers and motivate the sale in a short term. On the other hand, a service is the action that provide for customers. The service marketing is generally use 7Ps which is extended from 4Ps by adding people, process and physical evidence. It is important for any service industry to employ appropriate staffs or people. Employing and training of staffs have good impact that is why the Coca Cola Company gives training to their staffs because most of customers will judge the quality of their service from staffs. Therefore, Coca Cola employ staffs that have good and interpersonal skills. Conclusion: The essay shows that marketing mix (4Ps and 7Ps) is a very important part of creating marketing strategy, also it is crucial for a company to implement their marketing concept successfully. The Coca Cola Company develops their product or service to meet the customers needs and wants; then they seem into determining how their consumer going to receive the product and they consider direct or indirect channels of distribution. The Coca Cola Company will decide a price for their products that ensures a profit. Finally, they promote their product by using different advertising methods to attract customers.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Communication Technology Essay -- Mobile Phones, Social Network

Introduction: Communication is the exchange of information and feeling or ideas, which allow the majority of people to get the news of all sides. In addition, we are used the communication every day to let people know what we are doing or thinking even feeling which people are received that by voice, picture or chat. Moreover, communication technologies have made it simple to communicate to friends in the other side of the world by calling them using mobile phone, e-mailing them and writing in our web pages using social networks, such as Face book, Twitter or Messenger. Additionally, many other recourses are used by the majority of people to keep in touch with the world, which they can watch television or listen to the radio especially when they go to work. Therefore, communication technologies are considered one of the most important elements in our lives and that is why this essay is going to define the advantages and disadvantages of communications technology in terms of our health, educ ation and relationships. This essay will elucidate firstly, the advantages and disadvantages of communications technology in health. Secondly, the advantages and disadvantages in education. Thirdly, the advantages and disadvantages in relationships. Finally, what scope should people be bothered about our grandchildren’s world if these technologies still run on to develops in the future? Communication Technology in Health: Communication technologies which are played an important part in providing the best healthcare service (European Commission 2011). In addition, there are more advantages and disadvantages from them which this essay will show that. The advantages of communication technology in health: Firstly, give peop... ...unications technology in education is made the education more flexible on other hand one of the disadvantages is teaching by technologies lead to less schools. Furthermore, communications technology can be played an important part to people to contact each other. Otherwise it can be affected and benefited on the relationships for instance, it may be affected communicate face to face and may be benefited help the scholarship students to communicate with their families easily. Finally, communications technology can be affected our grandchildren’s world because using them so much lead to psychological problems. In my opinion, communications technology is very important in our lives whatever the effects of it. In the future the communications technology might be more safety and planned very good to face any problem can be affected to people. Communication Technology Essay -- Mobile Phones, Social Network Introduction: Communication is the exchange of information and feeling or ideas, which allow the majority of people to get the news of all sides. In addition, we are used the communication every day to let people know what we are doing or thinking even feeling which people are received that by voice, picture or chat. Moreover, communication technologies have made it simple to communicate to friends in the other side of the world by calling them using mobile phone, e-mailing them and writing in our web pages using social networks, such as Face book, Twitter or Messenger. Additionally, many other recourses are used by the majority of people to keep in touch with the world, which they can watch television or listen to the radio especially when they go to work. Therefore, communication technologies are considered one of the most important elements in our lives and that is why this essay is going to define the advantages and disadvantages of communications technology in terms of our health, educ ation and relationships. This essay will elucidate firstly, the advantages and disadvantages of communications technology in health. Secondly, the advantages and disadvantages in education. Thirdly, the advantages and disadvantages in relationships. Finally, what scope should people be bothered about our grandchildren’s world if these technologies still run on to develops in the future? Communication Technology in Health: Communication technologies which are played an important part in providing the best healthcare service (European Commission 2011). In addition, there are more advantages and disadvantages from them which this essay will show that. The advantages of communication technology in health: Firstly, give peop... ...unications technology in education is made the education more flexible on other hand one of the disadvantages is teaching by technologies lead to less schools. Furthermore, communications technology can be played an important part to people to contact each other. Otherwise it can be affected and benefited on the relationships for instance, it may be affected communicate face to face and may be benefited help the scholarship students to communicate with their families easily. Finally, communications technology can be affected our grandchildren’s world because using them so much lead to psychological problems. In my opinion, communications technology is very important in our lives whatever the effects of it. In the future the communications technology might be more safety and planned very good to face any problem can be affected to people.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Assess the Sociological Explanations of the Role of Culture

Assess the sociological explanations of the role of culture in contemporary society Culture is the behaviour, beliefs and characteristics of a particular group of people. Age groups, ethnic groups and social groups etc†¦ are all examples of groups of people that possess their own unique culture. The people within a culture are expected to follow the norms and values that are passed down through generation to generation. Over the past 30 years, different cultures have gradually intermingled due to an increasing number people immigrating to different countries, which each bring their own cultures, be it religious or pop culture etc†¦ This is particular visible in many western countries such as Britain, Canada and the United States, as there is a much higher level of ethnic diversity. The amalgamation of different cultures has also shaped people’s views on things like sexuality, gender roles and age roles etc†¦ Functionalists believe that culture benefits the whole of society. They believe that if everyone in society shares the same beliefs and ideas, i. e. a value consensus is reached, and then society as a whole can be kept in a civilised manner. They also believe that socialisation is a key factor, to shaping culture and society.Primary socialisation is taught by parents who teach children what they expect of them. It also develops their own personal characteristics, beliefs and values, which are largely influenced by their parents and family. Secondary socialisation is taught mainly by teachers in schools. Teenagers and young adults learn what is expected of them in larger society, outside of their home (e. g. what is acceptable and not acceptable based on age or gender etc†¦). Tertiary socialization occurs when individuals are integrated into the world and being to gain new ideas and values of socialization.Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist during the late 19th century and early 20th century, believed that culture is collectively formed and only exists collectively, meaning that culture can only be developed by a group of people and not by an individual. He believed that culture has many relationships with society, including a logical relationship (the idea that power over individuals belongs to certain cultural categories, and beliefs such as God), a functional relationship (the idea that culture creates common beliefs amongst individuals in society, strengthening social order). However, the unctionalist explanations are based on a more traditional society. They are outdated as some ideas do fit todays multi-cultural society. The classical Marxist theory culture as a way of expressing a ruling class ideology. This is where the bourgeoisie control the superstructure of society, the proletariats (working class) creating a false class consciousness, which further creates a false description of reality and the relationships between them and the proletariats. They also believe that culture reinforces the class structure. This means that culture is a way of maintaining the ideas of what each class can achieve.For example, the classical Marxist theory believes that in society, the rich population will always achieve higher than the poorer population, as they can afford to carry on their education to the highest level, whilst the poorer population are sifted out of the educational system at the earliest possible stage. The classical Marxist theory does not take into account the times when the working class rejects their control under the ruling class. This can be in the form of riots, strikes or even a group of people, who are in their own subculture who share the same beliefs about the relationship between the working class and the ruling class (e. . skin heads, punks). Neo-Marxist believes that the working class are being distracted from revolting against the ruling class. One of the most widely adopted forms of neo Marxism is the Frankfurt school. Two of its key members, Theodor Adorno an d Max Horkheimer, came up with the theory of â€Å"the culture industry†. This is the idea that popular culture is like a factory that produces standardized cultural goods (e. g. film, radio, magazines) that are used to manipulate mass society into being content, no matter how poor the quality of their lives are.They believe that mass culture encourages the working class to buy things that are false needs, which leads to a commodity fetishism. This is when capitalism affects the way people interact with each other based on the economic class the belong to. For example, under capitalism, everything that can be exchanged becomes a commodity. Things like labour can become a commodity, by selling your labour to an employer you are commoditizing yourself, and that defines the kind of relationship you and your employer will have.Overall, the neo Marxist theory sees that the population are passive victims of mass culture, who are distracted from the realisation of the quality of the ir lives. Neo-Marxists at the Birmingham University adopted Gramsci’s idea of cultural hegemony. This was an idea thought up by the Italian Marxist Antonia Gramsci, that capitalism would have to face and tolerate oppositional cultures. These are usually sub cultures, particularly within youth culture, that stand against capitalist values.Stuart hall gave the example of the skinhead as an oppositional culture, as he argued that they do not follow the norms and values set in place by capitalism, and resist capitalist views. This theory however is highly theoretical and lacks primary data. Feminists believe that culture is dominated by male ideas. They believe that men control women to serve their own interests, and that women are seen as â€Å"second class citizens†. The idea that females from an early age, are brought up being brainwashed by culture and society into thinking that women cannot strive to achieve high goals like men can.This is visible in the mass media. F or example, in many soap operas and sitcoms, women are portrayed as home makers, cleaners or secretaries, whilst men a portrayed as having high powered jobs. In the 1950’s, all advertisements for thing like kitchen appliances or cleaning products where women orientated, and many T. V commercials for these often saw the male as the breadwinner, returning home from work to his wife. However, this theory is becoming outdated as women in contemporary society are given the same opportunities as men.For example, women now have equal job opportunities as mean, as many of them are entering previously male dominated occupations. The interpretive, interactionist approach or the action theory as it’s more commonly known, is the idea that culture is made up of every bodies individual actions in society. It believes that people’s views and explanations of culture are moulded by the social groups in which they belong to. These interpretations of culture by individuals in soci ety come together to form what is known as the actionist theory. This theory however does not take into account shared beliefs or a value consensus.It also conflicts with the idea that culture cannot be formed by an individual, and can only be formed when there is a group of people. Semiotic culture attempts to define culture as types of symbolic human activity, creation of signs and a way of giving meaning to everything around. In this idea, culture is understood as a system of meaningful symbols, signs words and images. This approach can be adopted by any theorist (e. g. Marxist, feminist) no matter where they stand on the sociological spectrum. Post modernists theories of culture are based around the idea that society is adopting new cultures all the time.This is what is known as cultural diversity. Post-modernists believe that individuals are free to choose and design their own culture and identities. They also may pick up a hybrid culture, which is a mixture of different cultur es that is usually found in countries where there is a large culture diversity. Overall, I think that most of the theories have valid plausibility and evidence, especially Horkeimer’s and Adorno’s neo_marxist theory. However, Theory I find most plausible is the functionalist theory. I find that it has the most supportive evidence out of all the theories.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Biopsychosocial Perspective Essay

Psychologists past, present, and future desire the answer to one basic question; â€Å"what factors influence a person’s physical and mental health are they related if a relationship exists†; thus Health Psychology emerged. In pursuit of the answer several models or perspectives came about. Over time psychologist realized that focusing on one causal factor results in partial information for analysis of health and illness. Thus, the biopsychosocial model became the primary perspective used and is the focus of this paper. â€Å"This perspective recognizes that biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces act together to determine an individual’s health and vulnerability to disease; that is, health and disease must be explained in terms of multiple contexts† (Straub, 2012, p. 16). Achieving an understanding of biopsychosocial perspective requires a description of the systems and three contexts of this theory, examination of the influence of this theory on the biomedical viewpoint, and examination of how the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors influence a person’s health. Through a hypothetical scenario an illustration of the ways in which all three factors interacts and influences an individual’s health and well-being will emerge to reaffirm understanding. Three systems and contexts The biopsychosocial model consists of systems and three contexts: immune system, endocrine system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system, as well as biological context, psychological context, and social context. As most humans know the immune system is how people fight off disease and illness. If the immune system is weak then the disease or illness will take over and weaken its host. The endocrine system is the glands within the body and the hormones produced by the glands. The nervous system controls the glands  through stimulation. The hormones released from the glands interact throughout the body to maintain homeostasis. The nervous system comprises the brain, the sensory organs, the spinal cord, and all the nerves connecting these organs with the rest of the body. The primary job of the nervous system is controlling the body and communication within its parts. The cardiovascular system is the blood, blood vessels, and the heart. The primary job of the cardiovascular system is to carry oxygen, nutrient, cellular waste products, and hormones within the body. All these systems work together to keep the body functioning and healthy. If any system is weak for any reason the body is vulnerable to disease and illness. The systems work together within the human body, but they also interact with the biological context, psychological context, and social context to influence health and well-being (Albery & Munafo, 2008). The biological context examines how genetics influence health. The psychological context examines how psychological influences (coping strategies) affect health and illness. The social context examines how social influences (culture, family, society†¦.) affect health and illness. These systems and contexts work together like the gears of a clock to influence an individual’s health and well-being. If a gear gets nicked the clock starts to slowly lose time, but repair the gear and the clock is good as new. This is true of the biopsychosocial model of health and well-being also. The biopsychosocial model was not the first model psychologist used to explain health and well-being it was the biom edical model. Influence on Biomedical Model The biomedical model considers the absence of disease is physical wellness. This model is good practice but it has limitations. The biomedical model focuses on health and well-being as biological issues with biomedical solutions (Sutton, Baum, & Johnston, 2005). On the other hand, the biopsychosocial model takes into account the whole person leading to extensive research in many aspects of wellness. It addresses more than physical well-being as many people now are ill but they have no presence of disease. Socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity and generational differences all play important roles in this model of wellness (Marks, Murray, Evans, & Estacio, 2011). The biopsychosocial model is an expansion of the biomedical model. This new model agrees that biological issues influences health and  well-being, but also believes that psychological and social issues influence health and well-being as well. Three factors influence on health and well-being A 30 year old mother of four children under 10 goes to her physician complaining of extreme fatigue and a loss of energy. Many people would say â€Å"of course you are tired. You have four young children†. She has high blood pressure, but her medication controls it so that is ruled out as the cause of her fatigue. Her doctor runs blood work, sends her for a sleep study, and asks questions about social and psychological issues that could be bothering her. When all the results are in there is no answer for her fatigue so the doctor diagnosis her with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which means that no one knows why you are tired. Over the next several years she is in and out of her doctor’s office. The fatigue has such a toll on the woman that she gets sick easily and more often. Until she turned 30 this woman only had seasonal allergies and never got the flu or a cold. Now she seems to be sick more than not. Using the biopsychosocial model to examine this woman’s health and well-being will show how the biological, psychological, and social contexts as well as the systems are interacting to influence her health. When the doctor was questioning the woman about her psychological and social well-being he was ruling out depression as the cause. The woman is not fatigued because she is a busy mom rather the cause is a deficiency of a chemical in the brain. Through the numerous visits to her doctor she learns of a vitamin D deficiency, an underactive thyroid, and finally the root cause of her fatigue; Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder which affects an individual’s waking hours as a result of insufficient sleep. This disorder leaves the woman needing to take medication to sleep and medication to stay awake, but still feeling fatigued about half the time. The systems involved in this individual’s health issues are the nervous, endocrine, and cardiovascular. Looking back at the clock analogy, three of the gears of her clock have nicks. Since three of her systems are weak this woman is vulnerable to disease and illness. The biological context of her health is the deficiency of t he chemical within the brain. The psychological context of her health is how she copes and over comes the issues surrounding her disorder. The social context of her health is how her family, friends, and  community react to her disorder. On a daily basis she struggles to function adequately. She is now 37 years old and works as a substitute teacher, working on her masters, wife, and mother. Every day she wakes up feeling as though she could go back to sleep and did for the first two years. She could sleep eight to nine hours at night get her kids off to school then sleep all day till her kids get home. With the medication she takes now the day time sleepiness is not as severe, but can still be overwhelming some days. Imagine the social issues that can arise as a substitute teacher if her medication is not working and she falls asleep while with students. Trying to function with narcolepsy when life previous to the disorder consists of outdoor activities, energy, and multi-tasking can cause psychological issues. Having a strong social support system, following medical advice, and a strong will to succeed keep the woman psychologically strong. The woman does struggle in her academic life, but refuses to give up. So tir ed and rundown daily she fights thru any issues that arise from the disorder that now runs her biological, psychological, and social life. Although, her clock may lose time as a result of the nicked gears, she duck-tapes the nicks and reset her clock daily. Narcolepsy is a life altering, mysterious neurological disorder that can pose serious problems for the ones affected by it.   Although, there is no cure for narcolepsy research shows that with medication, education on the disorder, counseling, support from family members and friends, that there can be some relief from the symptoms. Conclusion Over time psychologist realized that focusing on one causal factor results in partial information for analysis of health and illness. Thus, the biopsychosocial model became the primary perspective used and was the focus of this paper. An understanding of the biopsychosocial perspective attained through a description of the systems and three contexts of this theory, examination of the influence of this theory on the biomedical viewpoint, and examination of how the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors influence a person’s health. The hypothetical scenario looked at a woman with narcolepsy and the issues she faces daily from a biopsychosocial perspective. References: Albery, I. P., & Munafo, M. (2008). Key Concepts in Health Psychology. Thousand Oaks, Ca: SAGE Publications. Marks, D. F., Murray, M., Evans, B., & Estacio, E. V. (2011). Health Psychology: Theory, Research, and Practice 3rd Edition. Thousand Oaks, Ca: SAGE Publications. Straub, R. O. (2012). Health Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach 3rd Edition. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Sutton, S., Baum, A., & Johnston, M. (2005). The SAGE Handbook of Health Psychology. Thousand Oaks, Ca: SAGE Publications.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Gender inequalities in school essays

Gender inequalities in school essays The study conducted explored the elements, which affect male and/or female students in a learning environment. The results indicate that male students may be more likely to be considered bourdons in the educational process than assets. Also, the consideration of implementing single-sex classrooms was taken into deliberation, and how the effects of single-sex classes could better aid female students advancement. The educational opportunity available to youth is universally available to all males and females alike in the United States. Or is it? Numerous studies examine the inequalities of education between genders. Studies range in subject matter from terms of educational access, attainment, to field studies. The value of educational research, and more particularly, its contribution to theory and knowledge has recently come under a series of sustained attacks. Moreover, the focus of the studies often times depict females as the victims within the educational system without regard to males and their perceived access to the education process. One theme of the topic Gender and Education assumes one unmitigated axiom that woman and men interact differently. Deborah Tannen, the founder of Genderlect Styles theory, supports this opinion. She clams that male-female conversation is cross-cultural communication. It is also believed that female communication focuses on connection, and in contrast, male communication focuses on trying to achieve status and maintain independence. Where does this difference in communication style come from? Many communication scholars argue that our educational system creates and encourages these differences. (Griffin, 2003). Qualitative studies far outnumber the quantitative reports available. Many researchers argue that the product of qualitative research should be a trustworthy report, that is accessible to a wide educational audience, with bias-free data, subjective distortion and capable of fresh insi...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Odyssey essays

Odyssey essays The epic The Odyssey has a collaboration of claims in reference with family and relationships. Not only is the story about an immortal man pampered by the wishes and desires of the Greek gods to travel home after twenty years away from home as a punishment, but as a breakdown of a man and wifes relationship over a struggle of time apart. The marriage bond between Odysseus and Penelope in this book is somewhat distorted. There are situations that may be looked upon by others in our time period as being immoral and sinful. It is these situations that breakdown an argument between what is justified right and wrong in a marriage. Odysseus has been away from his kingdom in Ithaca for the past 20 years. Not only has he been away from his kingdom and people, but his wife Penelope and his only son, the prince, Telemachus. Over these profuse years apart from one each other Penelope has stayed desolate, not marrying another to take place of the man she has wept for in thought of his return almost every night. By todays standards it is sometimes quite uncommon to hear of a widow or widower staying single and carrying on a relationship with anybody else than the one that they lost. At times money, property and materialistic objects can blind a relationship into wrong thoughts and perceptions that are spite and ill willed. While in The Odyssey it seems to be a case of a man sacrificing everything and doing whatever it takes to get home to his wife and child. There is no obstacle he cannot over come, no wall that is too high, and no ocean large enough that he can and would not conquer to see these two represent ations of his life. With these we learn that Odysseus falls into traps of deception, as well as lust and has to give up being true to Penelope in order to stay alive and continue his journey. Many do not agree with the idea of Odysseus, the man, engaging in extra marital affairs. I mean hes only doing it to con...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Black Panther Party Research Essay Research Paper

Black Panther Party Research Essay, Research Paper Guns, Social Welfare, and Revolution: The Black Panther Party In late September of 1966, at a little poorness centre in North Oakland, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale began to outline the Ten-Point Platform and Program, therefore making the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. From this creative activity rose a complex patriot organisation with chapters throughout the United States that sought to educate the people politically, and from that instruction give the people the desire to ramp a revolution in order to hold their demands and political docket fulfilled. The Black Panther Party was the prototype of the patriot option throughout the late sixties and 70s, and they had the demand to make alteration within what they believed to be the racist power construction of the United States. The Black Panther Party was able to form the people, and take portion in actions that would assist to implement societal alteration. The Panthers created timeserving plans for the Black young person in order to assist construct up the community. In add-on, the Panthers besides staged many presentations and protests that non merely brought together the Black community, but besides benefited the cause of equal rights. Despite all of the good facets that the Black Panther Party brought to the Black community and civil rights motion ( or possibly because of these facets ) , the F.B.I. and United States authorities believed the Panthers to be one of the United States greatest internal jobs. In hindsight, it becomes obvious that the US power construction was flawed in their apprehension of the Black Panther Party and their ends. Yet, in malice of this misinterpretation, the Black Panther Party was able to somewhat forestall the authorities s flawed manner of analyzing political groups to predominate into the hereafter by agencies of the Panther s bequest. The Black Panther Party was created on the belief that the United States was structurally racist, and that this racism was trying to genocide the Black race. The Black Panther Party believed that to antagonize this racism, they needed to destruct the power construction, and replace it with a merely system of authorities. Racism was non merely some self-conceived impression taken up among the members of the Black Panther Party. Racism had been happening in America by agencies of the slave trade even before the United States was called the United States. With the terminal of bondage, it was expected that Blacks would be able to incorporate into the remainder of American society and be provided with the warrants of all work forces populating in the United States as determined by the Constitution. However, it was non expected that the white community would be as opposed to this alteration as they were. The ultimate signifier of racism was portrayed in the White supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan. This group terrorized Black people throughout the South, every bit good as any sympathisers of the Black battle. In 1930 Dr. Arthur Raper was commissioned to bring forth a study on lynching, at the clip a much excessively frequent pattern in the South. He discovered that there were 3,724 people reported lynches in the United States from 1889 through to 1930. Over four-fifths of the peopled that were lynched were Negroes, and less than one-sixth of whom were accused of colza. Practically all of the lynchers were Whites. Of the 10s of 1000s of lynchers and looker-ons, merely 49 were indicted and merely 4 have been sentenced. In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to back up an anti-lynching measure because he argued that the white electors in the South would neer forgive him and decline to vote for him at the following election. The tolerance that the constabulary and the authorities had for lynching showed the disregard of the President and Congress in doing appropriate statute law and implementing that statute law to halt the pattern of lynching. As the laden began to contend back against the oppressors throughout the Civil Rights motion, the pattern of lynching began to slowly lessening, nevertheless, the force against Blacks persisted. Thirty old ages after Dr. Raper s study on lynches, rabble force and constabulary ferociousness against Blacks still occurred on a regular basis in the United States ; the authorities was still non looking out for Black Americans. In 1966, police ferociousness was a job in many countries of the state. The freshly formed Black Panther Party for Self Defense sent a strong message in turn toing this job: they wanted constabularies ferociousness to halt, and to make this they proposed the maneuver of self-defence. The thought of self-defense, along with the group s chauvinistic positions is portrayed in the Black Panther Party s ten-point plan. The Ten-Point Program was based on simplenesss that any citizen of the United States would want. Composed by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, the Ten-Point Program became a cardinal constituent in the organisation of the group. The plan stresses freedom for those who were being oppressed, and an terminal to the inhibitory authorities. The Program besides strongly advocated the usage of guns for self-defence and stressed the 2nd Amendment. With 1000s of transcripts of the Ten-Point Program in manus, Newton, Seale, and Bobby Hutton went throughout the Black community jointing the Program to the people, garnering support. The three so went on to put up the 1st official central office of the Black Panther Party in North Oakland. After the creative activity of this office in Northern Oakland, involvement in the Black Panther Party began to increase throughout Oakland ; subsequently this involvement spread on a national degree, with chapters in 48 provinces, and a few international chapters every bit good. The Black Panther Party was in all facets of the term, a nationalist group. The Panthers felt that the authorities was incapable of supplying a merely authorities for all work forces, peculiarly Black work forces, and that the authorities should be replaced with a system that could see justness. The Black Panther Party s Ten-Point Program accurately inside informations this end. The Ten-Point Program was a basic desire for Black America to acquire what White America was granted without inquiry, and what Black America had been deprived of. The Programs demands were simple: freedom to find the fate of Black communities, full employment, an terminal to development of Black communities by Capitalists, nice lodging, wellness attention, an terminal to patrol ferociousness, an terminal to war, and tests for Blacks with a Black jury as opposed to an all White jury. To be granted these demands, the Ten-Point Program provinces, it is their [ the Black community s ] right, it is their responsib ility, to throw off such authorities, and to supply new guards for their future security. The Ten-Point Program and Platform boldly called for an overthrow of the authorities, and encouraged people to take up weaponries to protect themselves against these fascist constabulary forces. The Panther s were recommending radical alteration, and the people were listening. One of the grounds that the Black Panther Party was able to garner and keep so much support throughout the Black community was because they were genuinely concerned with breaking the community. Before the sta rt of the party, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale were both involved in the North Oakland Neighborhood Anti-Poverty Center. At this centre Newton was a community organiser, while Seale was the chief of a young person work undertaking. This experience in working with the community doubtless helps to explicate why most of the societal plans that the Black Panther Party developed were so successful. The plans created by the Black Panther Party, which were operated by Party members, were referred to as SPR or survival pending revolution. The first such plan was the Free Breakfast for Children Program. At its tallness, the plan was a immense success, feeding 200,000 kids daily. The plan started in a Catholic church in the Fillmore territory of San Francisco, so spread to every major metropolis in America where there was a Party chapter. Other societal services that the Black Panther Party began to supply were free wellness clinics, food market giveaways, the fabrication and distribution of fre e places, school and instruction plans, senior conveyance and service plans, free bussing to prisons and prisoner support plans, and legal assistance plans, among many others. For the most portion, these plans were all successful in supplying Blacks and other minorities with much needed societal services. Some plans were so successful, such as the Free Breakfast for Children Program, that the authorities was forced to follow similar plans throughout the state. Peoples within Black and White Communities began to recognize that the Black Panther Party was more than a clump of Black work forces with guns ; people began to recognize that the Black Panther Party could supply some replies to jobs within the community. Despite being criticized by the FBI as transporting out a Communist docket with SPR, the Black Panther Party was able to set together over 35 societal plans for the improvement of the community. Not merely was the Black Panther Party was able to supply many societal benefits for the community ; the Black Panther Party was besides highly active in the Black political battle and release motion. The Panther s called for an terminal to subjugation and offered revolution as an option. They were able to politically educate and form immature Blacks who were willing to contend for the party. In Oakland, the Black Panther Party invariably patrolled the hogs with guns in an effort to forestall constabulary ferociousness. The Panthers educated themselves on every gun jurisprudence on the books and were able to avoid being arrested in most instances ; nevertheless, in some cases, members of the Black Panther Party were arrested merely for the fact that they were Black work forces with guns. A polar event for the Black Panther Party occurred due to patrol over exerting their power and hassling Huey P. Newton and Bobby Hutton because they had guns. The result of Newton and Hutton s confro ntation with the constabulary left Hutton and a police officer dead, and landed Newton behind bars for manslaughter. The resulting Free Huey motion brought together the community every bit much as any other action that the Black Panthers took portion in. Young Whites, angry at America over the Vietnam War, joined immature urban Blacks in mass meetings to intone in unison: Free Huey! The laden combat back against his oppressors was a message that any adult male, Black or White, could appreciate. The will of the people in their battle to liberate Huey was able to assist Huey Newton acquire out of gaol three old ages after his apprehension, acquitted of all charges. Another case when the Black Panther s used their power to act upon political relations was when a group of Black Panthers, led by Bobby Seale, stormed into the California State Legislature to protest a gun-control measure. The group delivered their message to the legislative assembly, and was subsequently arrested in path b ack to Oakland. All of the members arrested spent a short clip in gaol for upseting the peace, but were neer convicted of any offense. The fact of the affair was that the Black Panther Party made their political voice heard. Despite being arrested and imprisoned, the message that the Panther s were seeking to acquire across was heard, and there was no manner that the White power construction could halt it. With the formation of the Black Panther Party and their chauvinistic positions within Ten-Point Program and Platform, the Black Panther Party had an enemy. The group that opposed the Black Panther Party the most was the F.B.I. The F.B.I. Director, J. Edgar Hoover, called the Black Panther Party the greatest menace to the internal security of the U.S. The F.B.I. viewed the formation of societal plans by the Black Panther Party as forcing a Communist docket. Alternatively of dissecting the message that the Black Panther Party was seeking to acquire across, the power construction could merely see Black work forces with guns. The F.B.I. made it a end to stop the organisation of the Black Panther Party in 1969. The most utile arm that the F.B.I. had in their armory to destruct the Black Panther Party was a counterintelligence plan competently name COINTELPRO. Through the usage of this plan the F.B.I. was able to destruct the party by agencies of its field offices and the aid of local cons tabulary. These bureaus frequently were involved in covert activities that involved slaying and mayhem. With the slayings and apprehensions of much of the hierarchy of the Black Panther organisation, the party began to easy demise throughout the seventies. A brief resurgence occurred in 1977 when Huey Newton returned to Oakland after several old ages of expatriate, but internal struggle within the party and continued F.B.I. activities brought the Party to an about nonexistent province by the 1980s. The Black Panther Party was founded on the thought that the power construction of the United States was racialist, and that it needed to be replaced. In trying to accomplish this end of revolution, the Panthers were able to construct up the community to convey people together, and allow their voice be heard. Many of the societal plans that the Panthers implemented have survived into the present twenty-four hours. Despite the best attempts of the F.B.I. to destruct the Jaguars and their ideals, the Panthers bequest of Black political power and community service will populate on forever. Plants Cited Black 3Community Bulletin: San Francisco Edition. Black Panther Party, Ministry of Information. August 1970. Chemical bond, Julian. A Time to Speak, A Time to Act: The Movement in Politics. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972. Cagno and Lolley. The Bequest of the Black Panthers. . Hilliard, Daivd. This Side of Glory: The Autobiography of David Hilliard and the Story of the Black Panther Party. Boston: Small Brown, 1993. Jones, Charles E. The Black Panther Party Reconsidered. Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1998. Marine, Gene. The Black Panthers. New York: New American Library, 1979. Schanche, Don A. The Panther Paradox: A Liberal s Dilemma. New York: David McKay Company, Inc. , 1970. Spartacus Education. 9 April 2001 The Black Panther Party and its Annihilation by COINTELPRO. . The Huey P. Newton Foundation. .

Friday, October 18, 2019

Godfrey Hounsfeild Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Godfrey Hounsfeild - Essay Example Furthering his career, he was employed at the Central Research Laboratories of the Electronic and Music Industry spearheading the completion of "Britain's first large solid-state computer and eventually adapting that design for use in transistors." These experiences ushered him to the idea of building the CT scanner. During 1967, Hounsfield hit the idea of building a computer-assisted tomography (CT) scanner, a computer which will aid in the analysis of X-ray data. His invention surpassed the traditional X-ray by presenting a more accurate picture of any organ in the human body. His device "use information from many X-ray scans of the same area, taken at different angles, to generate a composite image." Furthermore, this new machine is more convenient for patients as they can comfortably lie on their back during the whole examination. The precision and sensitivity of the CT scan made it important in the diagnosis and treatment of nuerological disorder. The revolution in technology facilitates the invention of more advanced CT scanners which can build images in less than a second and allows better spiral scanning.

POPULAR CULTURE AND HUMANITIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

POPULAR CULTURE AND HUMANITIES - Essay Example This is certainly probable because the artifact does not mirror the world around them (Naremore & Brantlinger, 1991). At first, John will be perplexed by the robot and may not decipher what it is. The capability of the robot to mimic human behaviors and activities, inclusive of speech, will be of utmost importance in shaping John’s reaction. In such case, the robot will be like a person, though not â€Å"a real person.† The novelty of the robot will make John think that the robot is a divine device, but â€Å"evil,† and a threat to his existence. As the fear subsides, interaction between John and the robot will increase, as it dawns to John that the robot is neither â€Å"godly† nor â€Å"evil† after all. The robot may be programmed to interact with John on matters that are familiar to John such as culture and language. To this end, the robot heralds an incremental cultural benefit to John, which stirs his consciousness. The robot can turn out to be a valuable tool in cross cultural exchange between â€Å"John’s world† and the mainstream culture. The robot will act as a bridge between John’s world and the modern

Government as a Social Tool or Business Partner Essay

Government as a Social Tool or Business Partner - Essay Example It should be noted that when the governments prioritizes corporate subsidies and allocate less fund for welfare payments, it just emphasizes that corporations are much needy than the public. This is even more strongly felt now that the country is operating on a tight budget. Theory then states that the private sector should be solely responsible for the provision of social programs. This paper opts to offer an insight to this issue by looking at the economic argument for and against corporate welfare. It is irrefutable that corporate welfare is one of the most debated social and economic issues. The term "corporate welfare" is coined by Ralph Nader in 1956 in order to describe the "benefits conferred on corporations as compared to any corporate payment, or goods or services provided, to the government." With this definition, Nader looks beyond the benefits conferred and costs incurred by a particular program by looking at the government's costs and benefits. For example, if a program involves the government giving more to private companies than it gets back, then it is considered as corporate welfare. ... Corporate welfare can take the form of direct grants to business, programs that provide research and other services for industries, and programs that provide subsidized loans or insurance to business. A good example is the Ohio Loan Law in 1837 which "required the State to give tax revenues to private canal, turnpike, and railroad corporations while permitting them also to charge tolls" (Nader 1999). Others include the Market Access Program for the agricultural department, the Advanced Technology Program, and Technology Reinvestment Program (Stansel n.d.). These moves emphasize these companies importance to the local government. The common argument for corporate welfare is more economic than social. It should be noted that tax perks like tax holidays and tax breaks are commonly used by governments in order to encourage the inflow of foreign direct investment. This is more apparent in developing countries where the economy is largely dependent on foreign players. The main argument for this is that "economy is dependent on business stability and that corporate development is directly linked to job growth" (Perryman 1996). When tax breaks are offered, companies can operate more efficiently by cutting down on operational costs. Tax breaks are also potent ways to attract more companies thereby increasing the locality's production and income. The presence of corporate subsidies also ensures the stability of the business sector. When the government provides corporate welfare, it in fact, works in ensuring that companies continue to operate efficiently. It should be noted that corporate welfare includes provision o f funds, projects, and programs which aids business organizations in research and development, marketing, and in their production efforts.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation Assignment

The U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation - Assignment Example It also finds that the political philosophy depicted in these is that pertaining to the state rights. Introduction United States has operated under a set of two rules. One of these is the Articles of Confederation, which was ratified in 1781, in Maryland. The second one is the US constitution, which was ratified in 1788, in New Hampshire, and which has served to replace the Articles of the Confederation (Kimberly, 2009). There are certain similarities between the US constitution and the Article of the Confederation. These similarities are particularly depicted in the relationship between the states and the federal government and have also been pivotal in informing the federal government responsiveness. This paper responds to various questions regarding US constitution and the Articles of the Confederation. Response to Question 1 There are certain similarities between the US constitution and the Article of the Confederation. Section 1 of the article IV of the constitution accords cred it, as well as full faith to every state as pertains to records, judiciary and public acts. On the other hand, this can also be found in the Article of the Confederation and it is the pillar of section IV, in a move that is deliberately aimed at securing and perpetuating mutual friendship. Secondly, in section 2 of article IV of the constitution, it is stated that each citizen shall be accorded the privileges, as well as enjoy immunities from other states. In the case where a person flees justice from one state, the state reserves the right to demand for the arrest and submission to the state in which the person fled. This is also reflected in Article IV of the Article of the Confederation, in stipulating that except fugitives, vagabonds, and paupers, all other citizens are accorded privileges such as those of the natives in other states. Thirdly, Article IV of the confederate of states bars a state from seeking embassy, receiving embassy or according establishing treaties, among ot her ways, with other nations without the consent of United States congress. On the other hand, this is contained evident in section 3 of article IV of the constitution that no state shall engage territorial affairs without the consent of the congress. Thus, the similarities between the Articles of the Confederate and the constitution are felt in the area regarding the relationship between the states and the Federal government. This similarity has been accounted based on the fact that the Articles of the Confederate were very crucial in informing the making of the constitution, as far as the area of the state relations is concerned (Hall & Feldmeier, 2013). Response to Question 2 The provisions of the constitution, as had earlier served by the Articles of the Confederate of states has served in the making the federal government less responsive to the people’s needs. One area that can be seen is power distribution and limitation. As far as checks and balances are concerned, it may not be disputed that a desirable liberal system is that which contains various devices for limiting power via checks and balances. Such a system functions based on constitution and law, as well as based on interactions between the institutions and individuals. This is because the allocation of excessive powers to one arm would have been accompanied by the

Evaluating Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating Ethics - Essay Example However, there is no written code of ethics of the company.1 However, company works on the basis of stewardship in which it defines its relationship with the external world and its member community especially. This stewardship includes some priority areas set by the company which outlines its responsibilities towards the community and external world. These priorities include the active conservation of nature, responsible use of the outdoor activities, adapting responsible business practices to enhance and improve the external world, â€Å"foster opportunities to increase participation in human-powered outdoor recreation, with a focus on youth2†. It is because of this reason that REI has been developing eco-sensitive products. â€Å"Everyone at REI is charged with nurturing the spirit of openness, honesty and integrity that is so much a part of the fabric of the REI culture. Doing the right thing is a way of life here. REI has taken a firm stance on business ethics and social compliance. We hold ourselves and our vendors, both domestic and international, to high standards and take seriously our commitment to act as a concerned corporate citizen. Our strict sourcing code ensures that goods carrying the REI label are manufactured with due regard for workers and the environment.† (REI) The above quote strictly outlines various ethics of the company. It not mentions about REI’s values but also clearly mentions about the commitment of its employees. In terms of training, REI strive to deliver it on two counts. One to its employees and second to its customers so that its policy of the conservation of nature can be achieved through development of eco-friendly products. Further, in terms of monitoring, REI works as a Co-op where its members are regular visitors besides since employees of the organization itself have the desire and passion about the outdoor activities therefore monitoring at the company take place on multiple counts. First

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Government as a Social Tool or Business Partner Essay

Government as a Social Tool or Business Partner - Essay Example It should be noted that when the governments prioritizes corporate subsidies and allocate less fund for welfare payments, it just emphasizes that corporations are much needy than the public. This is even more strongly felt now that the country is operating on a tight budget. Theory then states that the private sector should be solely responsible for the provision of social programs. This paper opts to offer an insight to this issue by looking at the economic argument for and against corporate welfare. It is irrefutable that corporate welfare is one of the most debated social and economic issues. The term "corporate welfare" is coined by Ralph Nader in 1956 in order to describe the "benefits conferred on corporations as compared to any corporate payment, or goods or services provided, to the government." With this definition, Nader looks beyond the benefits conferred and costs incurred by a particular program by looking at the government's costs and benefits. For example, if a program involves the government giving more to private companies than it gets back, then it is considered as corporate welfare. ... Corporate welfare can take the form of direct grants to business, programs that provide research and other services for industries, and programs that provide subsidized loans or insurance to business. A good example is the Ohio Loan Law in 1837 which "required the State to give tax revenues to private canal, turnpike, and railroad corporations while permitting them also to charge tolls" (Nader 1999). Others include the Market Access Program for the agricultural department, the Advanced Technology Program, and Technology Reinvestment Program (Stansel n.d.). These moves emphasize these companies importance to the local government. The common argument for corporate welfare is more economic than social. It should be noted that tax perks like tax holidays and tax breaks are commonly used by governments in order to encourage the inflow of foreign direct investment. This is more apparent in developing countries where the economy is largely dependent on foreign players. The main argument for this is that "economy is dependent on business stability and that corporate development is directly linked to job growth" (Perryman 1996). When tax breaks are offered, companies can operate more efficiently by cutting down on operational costs. Tax breaks are also potent ways to attract more companies thereby increasing the locality's production and income. The presence of corporate subsidies also ensures the stability of the business sector. When the government provides corporate welfare, it in fact, works in ensuring that companies continue to operate efficiently. It should be noted that corporate welfare includes provision o f funds, projects, and programs which aids business organizations in research and development, marketing, and in their production efforts.

Evaluating Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating Ethics - Essay Example However, there is no written code of ethics of the company.1 However, company works on the basis of stewardship in which it defines its relationship with the external world and its member community especially. This stewardship includes some priority areas set by the company which outlines its responsibilities towards the community and external world. These priorities include the active conservation of nature, responsible use of the outdoor activities, adapting responsible business practices to enhance and improve the external world, â€Å"foster opportunities to increase participation in human-powered outdoor recreation, with a focus on youth2†. It is because of this reason that REI has been developing eco-sensitive products. â€Å"Everyone at REI is charged with nurturing the spirit of openness, honesty and integrity that is so much a part of the fabric of the REI culture. Doing the right thing is a way of life here. REI has taken a firm stance on business ethics and social compliance. We hold ourselves and our vendors, both domestic and international, to high standards and take seriously our commitment to act as a concerned corporate citizen. Our strict sourcing code ensures that goods carrying the REI label are manufactured with due regard for workers and the environment.† (REI) The above quote strictly outlines various ethics of the company. It not mentions about REI’s values but also clearly mentions about the commitment of its employees. In terms of training, REI strive to deliver it on two counts. One to its employees and second to its customers so that its policy of the conservation of nature can be achieved through development of eco-friendly products. Further, in terms of monitoring, REI works as a Co-op where its members are regular visitors besides since employees of the organization itself have the desire and passion about the outdoor activities therefore monitoring at the company take place on multiple counts. First

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Do Companies Have a Responsibility Not to Destroy the Environment or Should Profits Be Allowed at Any Environmental Cost Essay Example for Free

Do Companies Have a Responsibility Not to Destroy the Environment or Should Profits Be Allowed at Any Environmental Cost Essay We can see a change in every organizational activities, as in marketing, for example Mc Donald change their previous red logo, in green one, A new one, for a new eco-system protecting plan. In this research we are going to see many element, which will prove that companies have a responsibility to take care about the environment. In this research, a melting pot of arguments will be show, to understand if businesses and factories have to pollute instead of adapting their way to work in function of environment and sustainable development. Real fact will help to understand the point of view. Firm’s activities have big environmental impact, its take a major part of naturals resources and reject in the environment. Oil and chemicals industries are not the only companies, which polluted. Every single firm consumes raw material as water, energy and others. It’s also rejected some substances more or less harmful in the environment. More over the intensive consumption of raw material have big impact on the extinction many species, or animal can become endangered. Deforestation in some country appears because companies want to produce more and more, always more. If firms continue to take resources as now, there will be an exhaustion of raw material as oil and gas. Climate change is partly caused by every reject by firms, in terms of polluting gas, chemical stuff and pollution in the see. As â€Å"good planet† said in their article, a cellulose factory has been closed by the government because they notice that to much pollution as been providing by this factory. In fact, around this factory the Baikal lac was very pollute. The vice Prime Minister Arkadi Dvokovitch announces that the factory will be close as soon as possible: â€Å"We decided to close the plant cellulose Baikalsk†. As the government said, a care project is taking part in this area of Russia. The fact that firms do not respect the environment can be dangerous in different way. In this case, 1700 peoples became unemployed, because it shutting. Population becomes less and less happy because of the different ways of pollution of the country. That is why everyone losing something: government loses reputation, to let factories pollute in the country. Firms have to be shutdown because its disrespect the environment. The reputation is very important for a company; it is one of the most important things to maximize profit. People’s way to speak about a company makes it stronger, if its have a good reputation. More often companies can have a bad rap; When it is important to see what are peoples problems and what are the environmental problems, company are less fascinate. Furthermore, it is usually the bigger business, which pollute the most. It is possible to make profit, and make a maximizing profit not in spit of polluting. But head directors prefer giving money to government as fines, instead of polluting less and earn less money. Refers to the case of Pfizer industry, which is one of the biggest pharmaceutical firms from France. As Bschool wrote in an article, Pfizer has the most important record of polluting action in all categories: â€Å"Pfizer has a bad record on numerous fronts†. This big company has been fined many times by authorities, for environmental violations, in terms of air contamination, because rejected lots of hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere. After many recommendations by government, Pfizer industry did not take care about it, and preferred continued to earned money and maximizing profit. This unconscious act proves that head manager who where at the top of the firm did not think about environmental and social problem, and did not feel concerned by security. According again to Bschool, In 2009, the company became more open minded and aware of what she did, and try to reconsolidated the public opinion with an offer to charity: â€Å"In 2009, Pfizer gave more than $60 million to charity, amounting to an astounding 24,2% of its total net profits for the year. † Thanks to regulation and authority to act in this different case, because we all know that is not the only to act in this way with people and environment. Nowadays, people become more and more involved about the protection of the environment. People, company and government try to find together some alternative to stay on the road in term of ecology. At the begging of the XIX century, the industrial revolution and the economy are based on the absolute search of gain. It is difficult to get back and primary think to the development instead of maximizing profit. Therefore company and government had to make some agreement for sustainable development. For example, according to Jonathan Maxwell, SDCL’s CEO: â€Å"Reducing demand for energy is potentially the most cost- effective and rational way of reducing emissions and improving the security of energy supply. The UK regulator, Ofgem, recently predicted in its first annual Electricity Capacity Assessment that the amount of spare capacity in the system could fall from 14% to 4% in the next 3 years, raising the specter of outages and price rises. This ground-breaking agreement between SDCL, Kingspan and Johnson Controls represents a major step forward towards a scalable and replicable solution, funded through energy savings achieved†. This kind of action is present nationally and internationally. Government want to reduce a lot Co2e emissions in the world; that is why big action concentrate many countries all around the world. States have to sign a convention, and adopt comportment after that. The majority of restriction are involved by the OMC (World Trade Organization). Refers to the professor Michael Porter, teacher in Harvard Business School, the â€Å"Porter hypothesis† (citation). Supporting his thesis from 1991, the main idea of environmental regulation is to institute programs firms reducing some externalities. Mr. Porter said also if companies are doing it by themselves it is considerably normal that business’s profits, by definition necessarily decrease. So the profit of factory can decrease if companies are adopting new rules for sustainable development. In different case, it is better making profit than take care about the environment and sustainable development. The first of a company is to make profit, and more precisely a maximization of profit. A lot of Head business managers prefer pollute and make profit, rather than adopts rules for ecology, and change the global way of the firm. A survey on the green economy post show that around 34% of executives polled preferred to stay on a good move with their company and prefer see the whole economy of the business on prosperity: â€Å"According to this Survey, 34% of executives polled said that their firm’s immediate financial goals were of more importance than practicing sustainability  Ã‚ ». There are lots of problems in changing methods to produce for a company, the management of the polluting rubbish, change machine that will be less dangerous for the environment. So that is why manager do not care about nature and public opinion. Even if there are many inconvenient, it is possible to see company which was able to accept this change in term of environment protection. As we see in the introduction, Mc Donald changes many things in the company. For example the logo, to be in coherence with sustainable development, the logo was red and now its green, the environment color. After that, it is not only a picture of a good company, which wants to have a good behavior with environment; there are some benefits that Mc Donald can catch benefits. Referring to Bob Langert, who is VP, Corporate social responsibility at Mc Donald’s corporation: Energy is really our No. issue, he said. When you look at the dollars we spend, and the impact we have on the environment, and the progress we can make to do better, and use our size and influence to make a difference, its energy. Bob Langert tell us this information in an interview, in a US TV channel called alternative channel To conclude, we saw different aspect from makin g profit instead of taking care about the environment. Along this research it is prove that it is better to contribute to sustainable development and be aware of consequences of pollution. Even if it is hard to renounce to earn lots of money and make a maximize profit for business. Help nature and it will reward you. Bibliography * McDonald’s Golden Rules for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability | Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Causes: The Alternative Channel Blog. McDonald’s Golden Rules for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability | Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Causes: The Alternative Channel Blog. Web. * The 10 Most Socially Irresponsible Big Brands | BSchool. com Business Schools Directory. BSchoolcom Business Schools Directory The 10 Most Socially Irresponsible Big Brands Comments. Web. * Une Usine De Cellulose Qui Pollue Le Lac Baikal Va Fermer. Une Usine De Cellulose Qui Pollue Le Lac Baikal Va Fermer. Web. * Corporations and the Environment. Global Issues. N. p. , n. d. Web. * Sustainable Development Capital LLP. Sustainable Development Capital LLP. Print 2012 * Robert A. G. Monks and Nell Minow, Power and Accountability, 1991 an on-line book, originally written 1991 * Richard Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism (Allyn and Bacon, 1999), pp. 233-236 * Resources for the Future RFF. org. Resources for the Future RFF. org. N. p. , n. d. Web

Monday, October 14, 2019

Marketing and Strategic Analysis of Virgin Active

Marketing and Strategic Analysis of Virgin Active 1. Introduction The UK has had an overwhelming increase in the leisure industry market involving gymnasiums. This report will include a strategic review of Virgin Active and also evaluate the challenges and opportunities faced by Virgin Active. The topics, included in this report will be: description of the organisation, comprehensive strategic analysis (detailed analysis of internal scan, environmental scan and core competencies), a SWOT analysis of Virgin Active and challenges faced by the organisation. Furthermore, alternative strategic options and managing change will also be discussed. Strategic management is important for all organisations, with out regards to their size or position in the market. The definition strategic management has not been agreed, however, the outcome of defining strategic management is similar. Armstrong (2002, p. 38) suggests strategic management is, that managers are looking ahead at what they need to achieve in the middle or relatively distant future. Also, Constable (1980) suggests strategic management as the management process and decisions that determine the long-term structure and activities of the organization (Thompson, 1993, p. 6). Both definitions focus on the importance of decisions to be taken for the future, by managers, so that the organisation is sustainable. This report will analyse the effectiveness of Virgin Actives strategies and also, strategies they can initiate. 2. Virgin Active 2.1 The Business Virgin was founded by Sir Richard Branson in 1970 and is one of the most well known brands in Britain. Their portfolio is diverse and ranges across from market to market such as trains, soft drinks, publishing, cosmetics, holidays, mobile phones, extreme sports, music, space tourism and the finance industry. (Appendix 1) The organisation has over 200 companies globally, and has approximately 50,000 employees. The total for Virgin in 2008, exceeded  £10 billion (Virgin, 2009) Sir Richard Branson (1990) was anxious to build the best, state-of-the-art club on the market, providing genuine value for it customers, in first class surroundings. Hence in 1999, Virgin opened their first gymnasium. Customers were attracted to the facilities and high level of customer service, and demand has grown steadily over the years. There is now 167 gyms and, approximately 900,000 members worldwide (Virgin Active, 2009). Despite Virgin Actives success, like all other organisations, they have competitors. Virgin Actives main competitors are Living Well and Fitness First, who are also globally known and placed. 3. Strategic Analysis 3.1 Internal scan The brand name Virgin, is a very valuable asset for Virgin Actives. Richard Branson (2002) said; In our customers eyes, Virgin stands for value for money, quality, innovation, fun and a sense of competitive challengeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We often move to areas where the customer has traditionally received a poor deal, and where the competition is complacentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We also look to deliver old products and services in new ways. The brand name Virgin is extremely well known throughout the UK. A brand name is an indication of what to expect from a product a quality statement of a value-for-money signal (Hollensen, 2006). The most successful move Virgin Active have made so far, is the  £20 million invested, for a major refurbishment and upgrade programme. Despite these strengths, these can become weaknesses of the organisation. Frequently companies can become overly convinced with their brand name, and start putting less attempts in developing the business. Thus, the organisation is under threat of not developing, or being able to sustain gloomy days in the future. The development in staff can also decline. Although  £20 million was invested by Virgin, none of it was spent on employees. And so, a opportunity for Virgin is to invest more time and finances on staff training. Leaders in the UK often lack dedicated attention from their supervisors to help develop in a planned fashion through continuous learning, both from job experience and more formal training activities (Addison, 2006, p380). It is important to have up-to-date staff development and training, as technology and the environment is constantly changing. If employees performance is weak, then the main priorities and strategies of the organisation become weak. 3.2 Environmental scan External environment must be taken in to consideration, when developing a organisations strategies. The environmental analysis determines the organisations opportunities and threats. Thompson (1993, p. 246) said, managers should always be attentive to changes and their decisions and actions should be both reactive and proactive as appropriate (Appendix 2). Thompson is defining the significance of managers adapting to different strategies depending on the environmental changes. The social environmental issues in the gymnasium market, is always changing and plays a crucial rule on deciding strategies. Virgin Active have forecasted expectancy growth, so they have a special discount for elderly people (55 years old plus). These grey consumers are relatively rich. The over-fifties own around three-quarters of the worlds financial assets and control half of the discretionary budget (Hollenson 2006, p. 48). Yet, there is also many elderly who are financially restricted due to the increase i n utility bills, and were unfortunate to have no savings. This is why Virgins strategy of decreasing prices for the elderly has been effective and also, as the elderly have started becoming more fit in this day and age, it has also had a positive outcome. Additionally, the smoking ban in Britain, showed signs of a healthier Britain. Also, due to many campaigns and advertisements issuing obesity and illnesses, the majority of the public have become self aware of health issues. Due to Hollywood/Bollywood and the general media, people are also becoming self conscious about their appearance. The stereotypical students have also changed theyre appearance, from the well known drinking, junk food eating, smoking danger zones to a more healthy-living lifestyle, recent surveys show. About one in four students is now teetotal, says National Union of Student Services and among the rest of the student population there is a growing appetite for exercise facilities and healthy eating (Coughlan, 2006). Technology is ever changing, hence why Virgin Active spent  £20 million to update their systems and keep up-to-date with modern technology. Taking these aspects into consideration is vital whiles planning strategies. According to the environment, changes in strategies should also be taken into consideration. 3.3 Purpose, objectives and strategy When developing an organisations purpose, it should take into consideration why do they exist, whom will they serve and how its value will be increased. It is vital to consider the organisations future challenges and opportunities. According to Lynch (2006,p. 340), there is three sections that help build the purpose of the organisation and should be examined at an early stage. The purpose of a organisation: shaped by vision, leadership and ethics Virgin Actives vision is to promote wellness by bringing positive change in youre life (Virgin Active, 2008). This vision shows that it is going beyond its current climate, which is achieving sufficient revenue. Leadership in an organisation is crucial as the directors choices and the social responsibilities policies influence the purpose they define. Virgin Active is run by an independent board and is mostly shareholder owned. The Executive Director, Mathew Bucknall, has combined industry experience and who also developed Virgin Active by overtaking Holmes Place, an established, popular gymnasium in the UK (Murray, 2006). This shows that the business is run by specialists who have great expertise in their field. Meaning, taking these elements in to account the objectives of the organisation is to expand their gyms by promoting health and wellness. Virgin Actives mission statement (Appendix 3) , shows that their goal is to be known around the world as a fun unique gym, available to everyone, who is offered, regardless of age or body size. Also, their goal is to expand their business in Europe within in the next three years (Virgin Active, 2008) . Also, without a capable strategy, Virgin would not have been able to become globally known (e.g. South Afica). Strategies used by Virgin Active in order to expand and also become available to all ages where: By offering different memberships to customers with various needs, E.g. offering 2 month old babies to 15 year olds a class called Club-V. Virgin Active recently invested  £20 million throughout their clubs to up-date workout machines and for refurbishment. They also took over Holmes Place, gaining all their current locations throughout Britain, tremendously helping their goals for expansion. 3.4 Core competencies A core competency makes the company different from others. Hamel and Prahalad (1990) said, core competency has three issues; it provides customer benefit, it is hard for competitors to imitate and it can be leveraged widely to many products and markets. Virgin Actives core competency would be their brand name. As mentioned before, their brand name is what makes them stand out from other gymnasiums and is generally what customers would pay extra for. Virgin Actives competitors can not take away the well known reputation that the name Virgin holds, for example, respected and trustworthy. However, the smaller gyms such as LA Fitness also have a selling unique selling point (core competency). LA Fitness are very well known for their as their personal trainers are highly qualified and highly skilled in getting the results the customer wants. This shows that all organisations have their unique selling point, which should be sustained by effective strategies. 4 SWOT Analysis 4.1 Strengths Virgin Actives most crucial strength is there successful brand name and also their strong management skills. Every venture Virgin has taken part in, it prioritises its consumers needs and wants. Virgin is an organisation that is market-driven. Market-driven organisations focus on the consumers concern throughout the company. All departments recognize the importance of the customer to the success of the business (Jobber 2004, pp. 8-8). Virgin has an exceptional reputation throughout Britain. A brand name is an indication of what to expect from a product a quality statement of a value-for-money signal (Hollensen Svend, 2006). The managing director, Mathew Bucknall invested the  £20 million for refurbishment and upgrades. This was a powerful strategy for Virgins present and future. Virgin Active accommodate all ages by providing different memberships; with special classes for the elderly to special classes for children Club V (Special child care fitness for children and entertainment) Allowing parents work out freely. Other gymnasiums do not offer this, including Fitness First. Due to the acquisition of Holmes Place, Virgin Active has gained central locations for its gyms, increasing the reputation and accessibility to the consumers. 4.2 Weaknesses Virgin Active do not reduce their price and also sale volumes are limited as the gymnasiums can become overcrowded. Virgin Active depend on the brand name, too much. Fitness First and Living Well are two large competitors The club has increased their fee, for a normal member, from  £45 in 2005 to  £61 in 2007. This is due to the refurbishment, however, no member was given a news letter. Members were given a small letter Members are not informed in the correct method about changes, as fees increased from  £45 to  £61 from 2005 to 2007 (due to refurbishment) and members were given a small letter, not a sincere letter or a newsletter. 4.3 Opportunities Although Virgin Active give discounts to the elderly, can take more advantage of the increasing grey population by having special classes, helping the elderly and making things easy for them. Virgin Actives current opening times are 6:00 am to 10:30 pm, Monday to Friday, but as many people find it hard to go to the gym in these times e.g. taxi drivers, bus drivers, restaurant workers, bar staff etc, the gym should have a couple of late night openings available for consumers that cant attend before 10:30pm. 4.4 Threats The gymnasium may have to invest in new services, as with a rising life expectancy, the elderly that are members me not stay satisfied with the current service. A decrease in an active population is also a threat. Fitness first, one of Virgin Actives competitors has given women a specialised section for weight training, this could become a threat in the long term as women may enjoy the privacy. small percentage would pluck up the courage to enter the male dominated free-weights area (Kiernainder, 2006). 5 Strategic Challenges One weakness from the SWAT analysis affecting the way Virgin Active operates is its two main competitors, Fitness First and Living Well. These competitors can have a direct impact on Virgin Active, in many ways, such as both competitors have branches world wide. A issue that is confronting Virgin Active, is that of Fitness First. Fitness First has recognised that 54% of customers going to the gym are women, thus giving them more priority. The organisation have decided to give a free-weights section, dedicated just to woman. small percentage would pluck up the courage to enter the male dominated free-weights area (Kiernainder, 2006). Also, they have health clubs run by women, for women (Fitness First, 2008). This has proved to be a success, and Virgin Active should consider to implement afew changes, to make sure they are reaching their goal, of a business that evolves around the consumer. It is important that a organisation is doing the best it can, so that customers truly believe th ey have made a good choice by joining. Living Well is also a globally known gymnasium, but, they do not offer anything special except from one day free passes which Virgin Active and Fitness First do not offer. Fitness First offer a free day pass, but afterwards, the customer must pay for their memberships. Virgin Active does not offer neither. The membership for Fitness First and Living well are relatively cheaper than Virgin Active. Virgin Active do not invest in training staff, hence customers could leave, due to bad customer service. See Appendix 4 6. Strategic options and choice Virgin is a global brand. Meaning, Virgin Actives strategy should be based upon expanding the business and developing the numbers of members. This form of strategy option is defined as the expansion option. The model (See Appendix 5) identifies the essential characteristics of this strategy option. Strategies must remain sustainable, for Virgin to continue with its expansion. As mentioned before, their goal is to open more clubs in Europe, they are already globally operated and have also recently acquired Holmes Place. Yet, there is more strategies that Virgin can consider without major costs included. As the grey population is rising, the organisation can take advantage of this and provide special classes, made for the elder. This would make it less complicated, easier, and user friendly for the elderly. In addition, Virgin Active could start opening later hours a couple of days a week, as this would differentiate them from there competitors and increase customers as the very few gy ms that are open till late, are reasonably busy. This would be a good strategy option for customers who currently cant make it to the gym, due to work. Another, relatively low cost strategy, would be to cater for woman. As Fitness First have already started a exclusive section for woman only, this would be a good choice to make Virgin Active diverse and would give them a unique selling point over most competitors. These are fairly low cost strategies that would bring more customers, meaning expanding the company. 7. Management of implications and uncertainty Every business should implement their strategies, in other words put them into practise The prime aim in implementing strategy is to deliver the mission and objectives of the organisation (Lynch, 2006, p. 610). Taking uncertainty into account is important when undertaking strategies. Driskill and Goldstein (1986) defines uncertainty as the perceived lack of information, knowledge, beliefs and feelings necessary for accomplishing organizational tasks (Palenchar and Robert, 2007, p. 126). The uncertainty table (Appendix 6) defines the two types of uncertainty as fuzziness and ambiguity. Fuzziness is present when definitive, sharp, clear or crisp distinctions are not made ( Emblemsvag and Endre, 2002, p. 844). Ambiguity is present when there is a inconsistency in deciding among different alternatives or a couple or more alternatives have been left unspecified. Virgin Active has ambiguity uncertainty, because there is uncertain issues the might deal with, such as customers may want to st art exercising outdoors rather than indoors or the more elderly may want to join the gym. Another threat could be, people becoming more green or because of nowadays easy lifestyle people may become lazy or obese, having a knock on affect on memberships. Managers maybe making the correct decisions, but staff who execute these strategies might not be doing it in the correct way. This could lead to deficiency. Managers must be ready and aware for changes that could take place, and should try utmost to apply correct strategies depending on the current issue taking place. An example of this could be, that there is no certainty that people will feel the same, as they could go towards being green. There are already fifty Green Gyms operating in the UK (Valle, 2007). Green Gyms are allowing people to exercise in the outdoors, without destroying the environment. Green Gyms are targeting people who want to make new friends, loose weight, and improve the environment. Research shows that, because the activities they undertake are not repetitive and aimless like other types of physical training, Green Gym participants tend to become more active in their daily life (ibid). To tackle this uncertainty, Virgin Active could have some outdoor classes, instead of indoor. The outdoor classes could be yoga or jogs in a remote park. And if it becomes popular, Virgin Active could advance more outdoor activities. The process of implementing a strategic change and doing it in such a way that it lasts, is evidence of the close relationship between an organisations personnel and any external specialists concerned. (Sadler.1993) Virgin Actives main purpose was to expand their club by promoting wellness. Virgin Active have implemented their objective, which is open to everyone, without age or build being a problem. The strategies the club achieved were; The Club-V for infants, discounted memberships for the elder, the acquisition of Holmes Place and spending  £20 million for improvement to the gymnasiums. The Virgin brand name, is definitely a asset to Virgin Active. Although the brand name is a strength, it can also become a weakness as some businesss become to proud of the brand name and forget to put effort into the organisation. There is also none indications of staff development. Invested my management, was  £20 million but none of the finances were spent on staff. Uncertainty can also impact on the strategies being planned. Thats why scenario planning were suggested so Virgin has an idea of issues which may occur in the future or impact current strategies. This is very useful as it produces problems and solutions. For any business to be successful, it is vital that they are ready for change and that correct planning has taken place to ensure the success of which ever strategies are chosen. 8. Appendices Appendix 1 1968 First issue of student magazine 1970 Start of Virgin Mail Order operation 1971 First Virgin record shop opens in Oxford Street, London 1972 First Virgin Recording Studio opens at The Manor near Oxford 1973 Launch of Virgin Record Label. Virgin Music Publishing is established 1977 Virgin Records signs the Sex Pistols 1984 Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Cargo are born 1985 Virgin Holidays is formed 1987 Virgin Records America is founded. 1988 Virgin Megastores opens new stores. Virgin Hotels launches. 1990 Virgin Megastores arrives in Japan 1991 Virgin Publishing (Virgin Books) is formed 1992 Virgin Records is sold to Thorn EMI 1993 Virgin Radio hits the airwaves with Virgin 1215AM 1994 Launch of Virgin Vodka and Virgin Cola 1995 Virgin Direct Personal Financial Services opens for business. 1996 V2 Music is created. Virgin.Net launches. Virgin Trains is launched. 1997 Virgin Radio is acquired by Chris Evans. Virgin Cosmetics launches 1999 Virgin Mobile launches Virgins first telecomms venture. 2000 V.shop, Virgin cars, Virgin Wines and Virgin Travelstore all launch 2001 Virgin Money brand is created. Virgin Experience launches 2002 Virgin Money introduces the Virgin Credit card. Virgin Mobile in the USA. 2003 V.Shops merges completely with Virgin Megastores 2004 Virgin announces the launch of Virgin Galactic developing space tourism for everybody 2005 Virgin Mobile launches in Canada 2006 Two new businesses in South Africa Mobile and Money http://www.virgin.com/aboutvirgin/allaboutvirgin/thewholestory/default.asp Appendix 2 Definition of reactive and proactive outcomes Reactive outcomes. The environmental analysis will highlight important strategic changes over which the organisation has no control but to which, if they happen, it will need to be able to react. Proactive outcomes. The environmental analysis will identify positive opportunities or negative threats. Then, the organisation will have to develop a proactive strategy to deal with the situation. (Ref: Lynch, 2006, p. 79) Appendix 3 Virgin Active mission statement: To challenge the norm, shake up the fitness industry, and restore average gym offerings with the revolutionary concept of a life centre.   Our huge all-encompassing facilities deliver innovative solutions for health and wellness, while providing excellent value for money. Accessible to everyone; young, old, big, small, Virgin Active is a place where individuals can uncover their personal potential and have fun in the process! (Virgin Active, 2008) Appendix 4 1 Members who left due to bad customer service. 2 Members who left due to other reasons. Appendix 5 Expansion method matrix Company Inside Outside Internal development Exporting Overseas office Overseas manufacture Multinational operation Global operation Merger Acquisition Joint Venture Alliances Franchises Merger Acquisition Joint venture Alliances Franchise Turnkey Licensing Home Country Internati-onal (Ref: Lynch, 2006, p. 467) Appendix 6 Management of implications and uncertainty Uncertainty Fuzziness The lack of definite or sharp distinctions Vagueness Cloudiness Haziness Unclearness Indistinctiveness Ambiguity One-to-many relationships Discord Disagreement in choosing among several alternatives Dissonance Incongruity Haziness Conflict No specificity Two or more alternatives are left unspecified Variety Geniality Diversity Imprecision (Ref: Klir and Yuan, 1995)