Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Whatever the source, the opportunity should be able to generate profit. The business idea in this case came up due to an unmet need in the market. The entrepreneur after visiting several restaurants trying out different Indian cuisines was disappointed as he could not get really good fresh spices. After careful research, he discovered that there was lack of reliable source of good quality spices at an affordable cost and this presented an opportunity for a business venture. The idea could be exploited through development of a new product (high quality freshly ground spices). An entrepreneur has to consider the target market and aim at fulfilling unmet needs (Shane, 2003). As such this was a good idea as the market was untapped and many customers (restaurants) were in need of fresh good quality spices. Another aspect is that the idea should not be easy to imitate hence creating barriers for new entrants (Butler, 2004). This product was to be made using a new production process and storage system and this was made possible by use of a well qualified engin eer who could make such spices. The entrepreneur was well connected with people who knew buyers of spices and hence no problems with distributing the product (Greene, 2011). The idea was also feasible due to the fact that it does not require heavy investment as the production process is very simple. It involves use of freshly ground spices but which would not loose taste due to storage. Other producers were unable to store spices due to loss of taste hence could not fulfil the needs of the customers (Hougaard, 2005). Another advantage was that, since the idea was new there was no dominant design established. This could have hindered the entry of the new venture. Honest Tea was established in 1998 and the entrepreneurial opportunity arose when one of the founders discovered an unmet need in the beverage industry. After consuming beverages on a hot day, his thirst was not quenched thus

Capital Structure Essay Example for Free

Capital Structure Essay Capital structure is how a company finances its overall operations and growth by using funds from equity or debt (Investopedia, 2012). Of course, every company must determine its preference on its debt-to-equity ratio and determine which capital structure works best for them. Some approaches to analyzing capital structure are: 1.EBIT – EPS: This analyzes the impact of debt on earnings per share (EPS). Optimizing shareholder’s wealth is the optimum goal and therefore, this approach analyzes the high EPS based on an expected range of earnings before income taxes (EBIT). 2.Valuation: Determines impact of debt use on shareholder’s value by determining the level of debt at which the benefits of increased debt no longer outweigh the increased risks and expenses associated with financing (Wenk, 2012) 3.Cash Flow: Analyzes a firm’s debt capacity by using the weighted average of cost of capital (WACC). The WACC is a calculation of a firm’s cost of capital in which each capital source (bonds, stock and other long-term debt) are proportionally weighted to determine how much interest the company has to pay for every dollar it finances (Investopedia, 2012). Look more:  capital budgeting examples essay Part of Competition Bikes’ (CB) main consideration in the decision to merge or acquire Canadian Biking is working capital. Lets use the EBIT – EPS approach to determine how to maximize shareholder return while minimizing the cost of capital. We currently know Canadian Biking’s moderate sales forecast of EBIT figures for the next 5 years (Year 9 – 13), therefore we can apply the EBIT – EPS approach to choose an optimal capital structure. The total of capital sources in each of the 5 years is $600,000. We will use EBIT – EPS to determine which assortment of bonds*, preferred stock, and common stock is the best option to increase Canadian Biking’s EPS. The five alternative capital structures include: Option 1: 100% Bonds (fully financed) Option 2: 50% Preferred Stock 50% Common Stock (no bonds) Option 3: 20% Bonds 80% Common Stock Option 4: 40% Bonds 60% Common Stock Option 5: 60% Bonds 40% Common Stock *Annual bond interest rate is 9% After using the EBIT – EPS approach using the forecasted EBIT amounts for Years 9 through 13, we can average the EPS for each of the 5 years to determine which capital structure produced the highest EPS. The EPS averages computed for the capital structure options are: Option 1: Average EPS = .0452 Option 2: Average EPS = .0542 Option 3: Average EPS = .0526 Option 4: Average EPS = .051 Option 5: Average EPS = .0494 Based on the EBIT – EPS approach, the recommended capital structure is option 2, â€Å"50% preferred stock 50% common stock†. This is the best capital structure mainly because there are two things to consider: 1) long-term debt and associated interest expense and, 2) equity and # of common shares. Option 2 is the best capital structure because there are no bonds and therefore, no interest expense. For example, if we look at option 1 in Year 9, and the bond interest is 9%, then the bond interest expense is $54,000 (.09*600,00). This lowers the income before taxes by $54,000. Although companies can finance debt and use the interest expense deduction to lower their taxable income, it doesn’t make sense for Canadian Bikes to fully finance their capital, because the interest expense costs outweigh the benefit of the tax deduction, resulting in a significant decrease in total income available for common stock. Additionally, because the capital structure consists of 300,000 shares of preferred stock, the company must pay dividends of 5%, reducing the company’s total income available for common stock by $15,000 (.05 * 300,000). Although this reduces the total income available for common stock, the company will maximize its EPS by only having 50% capital in common stock. This reduces the total number of common shares outstanding, which means less shares to divide the total income among. Therefore, Option 2 is the most optimal capital structure that considers minimizing long-term  debt expenses and the optimal number of common shares in order to maximize shareholder return. CAPITAL BUDGETING: Competition Bikes’ is considering building a manufacturing facility in a new Canadian location. The total investment for this project would be $600,000 USD. This consists of $400,000 to build the facility and an additional $200,000 in working capital to support operational costs. The company has projected cash flows over the next five years; therefore we can use cash flow budgeting methods such as net present value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) that consider time value of money for long-term investments (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). Net present value analyzes the profitability of a project by determining the difference between the present value of the project’s cash inflows and outflows followed by subtracting the initial investment. (Investopedia, 2012). The decision rule applied to NPV is fairly simple, if the NPV is positive, invest; if the difference is negative, do not invest. Competition Bikes applies NPV to forecasted low and moderate sales for the next 5 years. After using the forecasted sales for low demand, the total present value (after subtracting cash outflows from inflows) is $560,719. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000 from this amount, the NPV is -$39,281. This is a significant warning that the company should not proceed in building a manufacturing facility. On the other hand, if we use the forecasted sales for moderate demand, the total present value is $608,447. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000, the NPV is $8,447. Therefore a positive NPV indicates the company should proceed with building the manufacturing facility. The biggest concern is determining which NPV to lean towards based on low or moderate sales. Unfortunately, the risk of having low sales outweighs the profitability benefit of having moderate sales. It is too risky for CB to move forward with the investment based on the NPV of low sales (-$39,281). In order for the company to profit from this investment, CB would need to have a moderate sales demand at minimum! The present value in NPV is calculated using an interest rate, also known as the required rate of return. CB’s required rate of return is 10%. When this interest rate is altered or calculated to make the total present value equal to the initial investment, the NPV becomes equal to zero; this is called the internal rate of return (IRR) (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). The IRR is what a company can expect to earn from investing in the project and the higher the IRR, the more desirable the investment. The calculated IRR for low demand cash flows is 8.2% and the IRR for moderate demand cash flows is 10.4%. Based on these IRR figures, the company should not pursue the capital investment because the average IRR between both low and moderate sales is 9.3%. This is below the company’s required return on capital (hurdle rate) of 10% to pursue a capital investment. Again, the company would need to have a moderate sales demand, at minimum for this capital investment to be profitable and should therefore not pursue building a new manufacturing facility. WORKING CAPITAL: CB must effectively obtain and manage working capital for the expansion of the operation. CB must first look at their operating cycle, cash conversion cycle and free cash flow factors in order to improve production and management of working capital. Let’s discuss the company’s current status of each of the working capital and cash flow factors and determine how the company can improve in these areas. First, the operating cycle involves CB sending the distributor a monthly invoice for all raw materials ordered with terms of net/30 days. This can be improved by renegotiating the payment terms will distributors to net/15 days. This would increase cash flows by improving payment turn around time and accounts receivable collections. Additionally, the company can improve its relations with its distributers to increase effectiveness of its collection process. Another operating cycle factor is ordering and paying for inventory. Currently, the company pays for inventory in the month following production and all inventory ordered for the month is used leaving inventory levels (at the end of each month) at consistent levels. In order  to improve working capital the company should utilize and lower its year ending inventory balance. For example, at the end of Year 8, the company had $91,573 worth of inventory left over. The company should utilize the current inventory on hand before ordering similar raw material items. This will decease cash flows and leave fewer inventories on hand at the end of the year. Currently the average time in inventory is 25 days. This is a substantial turnaround time currently, however in the future, the company can consider replacing labor workers with fixed asset items to improve production time. This will satisfy customer demand by decreasing delivery time and improve cash flows by invoicing customers more frequently than 25 days after production. CB’s cash conversion cycle factors also impact working capital. Currently, the CB’s suppliers invoice at the end of the month for orders that month with terms of net/15. CB does an excellent job of preserving its cash flows by paying the invoices on the 15th of the month following the order.. CB can improve its working capital by negotiating for longer payment terms, i.e. net/30 days, allowing for more time for the company to earn money to pay their invoices. If this is not possible, the company can improve its forecasting measurements for ordering supplies and order the majority of the supplies needed for the month at the beginning of the month. This would increase the amount of time the company has sufficient supplies on hand without having to pay more money, (because the suppliers will still invoice for the orders at the end of the month, regardless of how early in the month the supplies were ordered). This can increase working capital because it acts as a contingency plan, to reduce the likelihood of running out of supplies, avoiding delays, or ordering supplies in excess. Free cash flow factors also affect CB’s working capital. Currently, the company recognizes depreciation in both manufacturing overhead and as depreciation expenses depending on the fixed asset. The company can use their depreciation data to increase management of cash flows by predicting when the company will have to spend a significant amount of money to replace an asset when its useful life expires. This will prepare CB for those unwanted although necessary – fixed asset costs. Currently the  corporation’s marginal tax rate is 25%. The company can consider obtaining working capital by financing debt. This will leave the company with an interest expense at the end of the year, which is deductible from gross earnings and results in paying lower taxes. After CB improves its working capital, let’s discuss how CB can use its working capital for the lease vs. buy option for a factory building in Canada. CB can use its working capital to cover the $50,000 down payment (or buy out option if they decide to lease) and $200,000 for operational costs of the new factory. According to the data provided for the lease vs. buy option, the lease option will preserve cash outflows of $12,339, (purchase cash outflows are $333,999 and lease cash outflows are $321,660). Therefore, the company should lease the manufacturing facility to preserve cash outflows. Leasing the facility will also allow CB to deduct annual interest payments (6% interest) from the gross earnings to lower their tax payments. This will increase the company’s net earnings at the end of the year, also resulting in higher retained earnings and increased shareholder value. MERGER OR ACQUISITION: CB should consider many factors when deciding to merge or acquire Canadian Biking. Let’s analyze the pros and cons between a merge vs. acquisition and determine what the best move would be for CB. First off, if the company were to merge with Canadian Biking, the potential EPS would increase by approximately .021. This shows potential for increased ownership earnings, but is it significant enough? At the same token, the price/earnings ratio for Canadian Bikes at the end of Year 8 was 9 and CB’s was 70. This shows that CB’s current investors are expecting greater earnings in Year 9 and are willing to pay $70 for $1 of current earnings. This is not the case with Canadian Biking’s investors. Unfortunately a low P/E ratio of 9 indicates that investors are not expecting a significant growth in company earnings. This raises a concern if the merge will result in a potential increase of .021 in EPS. On the other hand, a merge would result in lower costs because CB would not be purchasing Canadian Biking outright. Canadian Biking also has a lower cost competition bike that can decrease production costs and complement CB’s current bike model being offered. This will result in  greater net earnings and cash flows. If the company were to acquire Canadian Bikes, CB can expect a gradual increase in cash inflows over the next 5 years. However, the current offered sales price for Canadian Biking is $286,000; this is 30% more than what the company was valued at, at the end of Year 8. Although CB has enough working capital to make the purchase, it would take 5 years of gradually increasing cash inflows to recoup the price tag of $286,000. This means it could take approximately 5 years, before shareholders saw a significant increase in earnings per share. Based on the pro and cons, CB should merge with Canadian Bikes to lower their production and delivery costs, increase net income, EPS and cash flows, and preserve working capital. The price to acquire Canadian Biking is simply unreasonable based on predicted cash inflows over the next 5 years. The merger will enhance CB’s market position in Canada by having a local distributer to handle all customer orders and provide cost effective and great customer service to the growing Canadian market. References Investopedia. (2012). Capital Structure. Retrieved from http://www.kotzinvaluation.com/articles/capital-structure.htm Investopedia. (2012). Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/wacc.asp#axzz2Azkq4E2V Investopedia. (2012). Net Present Value. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/npv.asp#axzz2Azkq4E2 Pearson Education, Inc.. (2008). Horngren Accounting. Retrieved from http://wpscms.pearsoncmg.com/wps/media/objects/6716/6877765/hha08_flash_main.html?chapter=nullpage=1042anchory=nullpstart=nullpend=null Wenk, D. (2012). Using an optimal capital structure in business valuation. Retrieved from http://www.kotzinvaluation.com/articles/capital-structure.htm

The Evolution of Democracy in Georgia Essay -- European Europe History

The Georgian people made its choice on 26 May 1918, when it voted for democracy and pluralism in the conditions of a free Georgia. 26 May was destroyed by Bolshevik bayonets, but the idea of freedom and democracy remain undefeated in the Georgian - Statement of the National Democratic Party, 1988.1 In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Caucasian country of Georgia (map below) was among the vanguard of forces seeking the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was the only republic to join the Baltic in flatly refusing to even consider signing Gorbachev's new Union treaty in 1990.2 Agitation for Georgian independence led to a series of bloody clashes with the authorities that only served to further radicalize the nationalists. When discussing the prospects for independence, many Georgians mentioned the short-lived Georgian Democratic Republic, which managed to survive for "three halcyon years... 1918-1921, the period lovingly referred to by Georgians as 'independent Georgia'."3 This brief period was critically important for the development of a Georgian nationalism. In effect, the existence of Georgia as an independent nation led to the birth and initial growth of nationalism in Georgia. The history of Georgia from 1917 to 1921 shows a steadily increasing national feeling, which wa s not crushed by the Soviet invasion and later formed the basis of the strong separatist tendencies of the Georgians in the final decades of the Soviet Union. Before the Russian Revolution, Georgian national feeling was so subdued as to be effectively negligible. The absorption of feudal Georgia into the Russian Empire in 1801 and the subsequent Russian administration of the country were widely accepted as necessary for the protection of the country a... ... 192. 27. Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 118. 28. Zourab Avalishvili, The Independence of Georgia in International Politics, 1918-1921 (Westport, Connecticut: Hyperion Press, Inc., 1990), 64 - 65. 29. Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 126. 30. Ibid., 148. There was also talk in Berlin of installing some German prince as King of Georgia, but this was abandoned once the strength of the Socialists in Georgia was understood. 31. Suny, Georgian Nation, 195. 32. Ibid., 201. 33. Nasmyth, Georgia, 301. 34. Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 196. 35. Suny, Georgian Nation, 199. 36. Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 182 - 183. 37. Nasmyth, Georgia, 52. 38. Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 197 39. Ibid., 197. 40. Ibid., 199. 41. Suny, Georgian Nation, 207. 42. Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 203. 43. Ibid., 328. 44. V. I. Lenin, quoted in Kazemzadeh, The Struggle, 324. 45. Suny, Georgian Nation, 208.

Human resource training and development Essay

1.0 INTRODUCTION Employees play a vital role in organization performance. Effective training and development are very important because it can help an organization to improve on its performance as well as on its productivity. Gilmore and Williams (2009) pointed out that only the trained workforce can effectively respond to the new challenges as well as to the existing ones in their jobs .Basically, skills are capacities and expertise in particular occupation. Gilmore and Williams (2009) continue saying that higher productivity is increasingly driven by skills. Besides, the degree of competitive advantage of a firm depends increasingly on its skilled labor 1.1 Definition of Training Training is the modification of behavior through learning (Kisire, 2010). The main aim of training progress is to help employees to do things differently for better performance and to increase their level of job satisfaction. Basically, training touches on knowledge, skills and abilities. Thus training should be done strategically in order to meet the long term development of the people and achieve organizational goals. In fact, it is only when employees understand very well the right way to do their jobs that the employer can hope for excellent results. 1.2 Justification for Training by (Armstrong 2011) †¢The knowledge or skills cannot be acquired satisfactorily in the workplace or by self directed learning. †¢Different skills are required by a number of people which have to be developed quickly to meet new demands and cannot be gained by relying on experience. †¢The tasks to be carried out are so specialized or complex that people are unlikely to master them on their own initiative at a reasonable speed. †¢When a learning need to be common to a number of people, has to meet that which can readily be dealt with in a training event or programme e.g. induction, essential IT skills, and communication skills. †¢Training helps the organization to gain competitive advantage. That is, the training practices have to help the business to grow and improve customer service by providing employees with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. †¢Training prepares employees to use new  technologies, function in new work systems such as virtual teams, and communicate and cooperate with peers or customers who may be from different cultural backgrounds. †¢Training helps organizations provide high quality service for example through quick responds to clients needs. 1.3 Development Bernardin (2010) describes development as learning opportunities designed to help employees grow. Developing people in organizational context is to help them to progress within their careers. One key factor in employee motivation and retention is the opportunity employees want to continue to grow and develop job and career by enhancing their skills level of performance and productivity .Gary Dessler (2011) describes training as a process with 4 steps that an employer uses to give new or present employees the skills required for effective performance. Training and development process emphasize on what employees want in training and development opportunities. Providing training to employees benefits both organization and employees themselves. 2.0 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT †¢Training raises knowledge and skills required for efficient performance of a particular job, while development is a continuous general and dynamic expansion of skills and knowledge, and is aimed at long term career growth rather than immediate performance. †¢Training focuses on short term (basing on the current job) while development focuses on the long term (the future careers) e.g. finding a mentor within your organization to introduce you to the structure and culture at senior levels in your organization and give you more exposure to senior management. 3.0 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND EDUCATION †¢Purpose of learning: In training the employee acquire new skills and knowledge while in education the purpose is to acquire or deepen mindset or profession. Thus education is general and wider in general purpose than training. †¢Length of the learning process: in education it takes one to four years while in training it takes one to five days or several weeks. †¢Place of delivery: Training is generally imparted at the work place while education is imparted in schools or colleges. †¢Training effect: Training  has immediate effect as compared to education. †¢Change: In education, change program requires one to be skillful at thinking, transformational, deeper and more radical while in training needs to be skillful at doing shallower and more superficial programs 4.0 NEED FOR TRAINING †¢Increases organizational commitment †¢Develops the cognitive, physical and spiritual dimensions of the employee †¢Improves job performance †¢Contributes to flexibility to adapt to changing internal and external factors †¢Develops interpersonal skills †¢Creates an interesting and challenging environment †¢Fosters greater organizational stability less employee turnover and conflicts †¢Helps reduce costs in the secretariat †¢Heightens employee morale †¢Increases knowledge and awareness of the total environment †¢Helps achieve overall organizational objectives †¢Helps retain a competent and efficient workforce †¢Develops creativity and problem solving skills †¢Helps improve and acquire technical skills. 4.1 Aligning Strategy and Training. To be effective, training must play a strategic role in supporting business. Employers today want to make sure their training programs are supporting their firms’ strategic goals. 4.2 Planning and delivering learning events and programs †¢Training Needs Analysis It involves the determination of the types and specific training necessary to improve current knowledge, abilities and skills of the workforce. This can be done through personal, task and organizational level of analysis. The data can come from target participant supervisor’s management, and even from customers, using multiple data gathering methods like survey, interview, observation at work, and performance appraisal results. Other possible sources of training needs are the long-range human resource plans of the company, practices of other organizations, requests for training of affiliate/subsidiary companies, and legislation requirements. The Training Needs Analysis (TNA) results serve as important inputs in designing the  training program. TNA should be done regularly to ensure that training would respond to the needs of trainees. †¢Training Design This pertains to the planning of the entire training program. It starts with the identification of the goals and objectives that should be achieved. The topics or contents to be covered and the appropriate training methodologies for adult learning are then determined. The corresponding visual aids and learning materials are also specified. The training design and the TNA are usually done by the training staff of the organization and sometimes by outside consultants. The services of training consultants are usually availed of the large companies for this purpose. A typical training design will contain these parts: Training Title Venue Date Goal Specific Objectives Sequences of Topics Time Allocation Per Topic Methodology Resources Needed Evaluation The training objectives of the training design are a critical element that should be written properly to be able to decide on the contents, methodology, and the duration of tackling the topics. The preset objectives also become the basis for evaluating the success of the program. The standard criteria for objective formulation is SMART. Whether the training will facilitate the learning of cognitive, affective, or psychomotor skills, it is important that the objectives are specific, measurable/observable, attainable, relevant to training goals, and time-bound. On the other hand, the choices of any or a combination of the following training methodologies will largely depend on the objectives, type of participants, and the duration of the training. †¢Training Implementation Implementation covers the logistical aspects like venue, food, budget,  equipment, resource persons, transportation, and participants. These should be properly attended to during the actual conduct of the training. Therefore, training programs are done within the company or outside depending on the nature of the program and the financial capability of the organization. In cases where the organization has earmarked a sufficient budget for major training program especially for managers, these are done outside of the company with external consultants as trainers. Companies like Fortune Medicare Inc. and Nestle Philippines have this kind of practice. Based on the above-mentioned importance of training, specific training conducted by the organizations may be classified as technical or behavioral training. The skills/technical type focuses on facilitating the learning of competencies related to the employees’ knowledge and skills. The behavioral type, on the other hand, pertains to ensuring the learning of competencies related to the workforce attitudes and habits. †¢Training Evaluation This last phase of the training process requires the assessment of the conduct of the training activity. The evaluation is concerned with the measurement of the training success or effectiveness to establish whether an investment in a particular training has paid off. The training effectiveness is usually determined based on the achievement of the previously set objectives and results, considering the needs, methods, and other areas of training administration. According to Kirkpatrick (1998), there are four levels of evaluating training programs. These are the (1) reaction; (2) learning; (3) behavioral change; and (4) impact to organization. The reaction level measures the participants’ feedback right after the conduct of the training. Feedback are taken related to attainment of objectives, processes, methodologies, time, reading materials, resource persons/facilitators, and other logistics of the training. On the other hand, participants’ learning level determines what specific skills, knowledge or even what they learned is commonly asked at the end of the training period. There are many ways by which the training evaluation can be done. The use of the questionnaire form administered at the end of the training is very often done to measure the reaction level. However, it should be noted that using a questionnaire form is only one of the methods to evaluate training. Other ways to assess training according to Hargraues  and Jarius (2000) are: (1) formal or informal interviews; (2) feedback from line managers; (3) feedback from the Training Unit; (4) meet a cross-section of suppliers or customers; (5) discuss with staff who attended; (6) wander into offices and talk to people; (7) number of requests to attend other events; (8) academic or practical standards reached; (9) formal certification; and (10) a cost- benefit analysis. While the paper & pencil or practical test is used to assess knowledge learning of the participants. A good example of this is the pre-test and post-test method using different designs. The learning is usually also undertaken simultaneously within the reaction level. The behavioural change level assesses the changes on the attitude and/or habits of the trainees after the training that is usually observable at the workplace. This will involve a follow up of the trainees in coordination with the immediate supervisor. Examples of behavioural indicators are attendance, promptness, courtesy, cooperation, and level of participation. The impact to organization level measures the effect of the training on the unit where the trainees belong and on the entire organization. This level can focus on productivity sales profits, and customer satisfaction. 4.3 Identification of Training Needs †¢Appraisal Systems Many organizations see performance appraisal schemes as an integral part of their employee development strategy. Schemes vary considerably from one organization to another, and nowadays may have a variety of names, but almost all of them include the identification of training needs as a key component. Most also consider the longer-term career options available to employees, and allow them to express their preferences. It follows that anyone with responsibility for training and development should influence the design of the scheme and ensure that notice is taken of the information generated by it. This is not always readily achieved. Sometimes the scheme will focus on short-term performance issues, and line managers may not regard the consideration of developmental issues as important. The appraisal may also be considered to be confidential within the department concerned. Sometimes the section covering training and development needs is detachable, so that the training function only gets to see the appropriate information. This approach has its merits, but excludes the underlying performance issues  which contribute towards identifying the training and development needs. There are many issues to be addressed when designing and implementing an appraisal scheme, and some of the aims of the process may conflict with each other. For example, a scheme linked to the determination of pay increases may inhibit the appraisee from being honest about aspects of the job that he or she finds difficult, whereas it is precisely these aspects that must be discussed to identify training needs. Care is required to minimize these conflicts . †¢Survey Methods Surveys can be very useful in the gathering of data, including information on attitudes. People usually participate willingly if the completion of a survey form is not too complex or lengthy and if they think some good will come out of the exercise. When designing a survey you must decide on: 1) the size and nature of the sample 2) the format of the questions 3) exactly how the survey is to be conducted. †¢Interviews Interviewing is a technique that can appear to be very simple when used by an experienced practitioner. Although some people are naturally better at interviewing, the key skills of a good investigative interviewer are all capable of being learned. The first two skills are common to all types of interview – questioning and listening. These two investigative skills are inseparable; one supports and reinforces the other. For trainers these skills are crucial not only at the stage of identifying training needs but also during instruction and evaluation. Many trainers who recognise that the ability to talk well is vital often underestimate the importance of questioning and listening. Hearing, which is an ability that may be difficult to improve, is not the same as listening which is a skill that can be significantly enhanced by training. Questioning is something that everyone can do, but which some people learn to do much more effectively than others. In an interview to determine training needs, the interviewer may be delving into very emotive and sensitive areas. To ensure that the interviewee feels comfortable in talking about these issues, the interviewer must appear to be listening. To ensure that full understanding is attained, the interviewer must not only appear to listen, but must actually do so with real concentration. †¢Job and Task Analysis There are many reasons for analyzing jobs and tasks. One common reason is to provide a basis for job evaluation; another is to be precise about requirements in a selection situation. There are also many different systems of analysis. Some seem to generate a multitude of documents; others use highly involved and sophisticated methodology. Different types of analysis are: Job analysis; Task analysis; Skills analysis and Fault analysis. 5.0 TRANSFER OF TRAINING Be relevant, avoid difficult material. Transfer is more likely if systematic training and just in time training approaches are used. 5.1 Systematic Training We have to ensure that training is specifically designed, planned and implemented to meet defined needs. It is provided by people who know to train and the impact of training is evaluated. Systematic training follows five steps ADDIE) model. Effective training uses the systematic approach with an emphasis on skills analysis. The focus of training should be to develop transferable skills. The training should be evaluated on the basis of the extent to which it has achieved its purpose. 5.2 Just in Time Training It is delivered as close as possible to the time when the activity is taking place. The training will be based on an identification of the latest requirements, priorities and plans of the participants. 5.3 Types of Training Armstrong (2012), indicates that training programs or events can be concerned with any of the following: †¢Manual skills including apprenticeship †¢Information Technology(IT) skills †¢Team leader or supervisory training †¢Management training †¢Interpersonal skills such as leadership, teambuilding and group dynamics †¢Personal skills for example assertiveness, coaching, communicating and time management. †¢Training in organizational procedures or practices such as induction, health and safety, performance management, equal opportunity  or managing diversity policy and practice. 6.0 IMPLEMENTING TRAINING PROGRAMS (TRAINING METHODS) 6.1 On the Job Training On-the-job training is training that takes place while employees are actually working. It means that skills can be gained while trainees are carrying out their jobs. This benefits both employees and the business. Employees learn in the real work environment and gain experience dealing with the tasks and challenges that they will meet during a normal working day. The business benefits by ensuring that the training is specific to the job. It also does not have to meet the additional costs of providing off-the-job training or losing working time. Requirements for effective On the Job Training (OJT) programs by (CIDP 2008a) †¢A policy statement that describes the purpose of OJT and emphasizes the company’s support for it. †¢A clear specification of who is accountable for conducting OJT. If managers conduct OJT, this is mentioned in their job descriptions and is part of their performance evaluation †¢A thorough review of OJT practices (program content, types of jobs, length of program, cost savings) at other companies in similar industries. †¢Training of managers and peers in the principles of structured OJT †¢Availability of lesson plans, checklists, procedure manuals, training manuals, learning contracts and progress report forms for use by employees who conduct OJT †¢Evaluation of employees levels of basic skills (reading, computation, and writing) before OJT. The virtual classroom: This is another training technique as presented by Dessler (2011). It uses special collaboration software to enable multiple remote learners, using their PCs or laptops to participate in live audio and visual discussions, communicate via written text and learn via content such as PowerPoint slides. Informal learning: Informal learning occurs e.g. through capitalizing on work related discussions, for example, to place tools in strategic areas like cafeteria to take advantage of the work-related discussions taking place. Apprenticeship Training: An apprenticeship program combines on-the-job training with academic instruction for those entering the workforce. Also called dual-training programs because of the combined occupational and in-class components, apprenticeships help individuals put their academic skills to practical use in various careers. Whereas internships are often  short-term, rarely lasting more than a year, apprenticeships can last as many as four or five years. Apprenticeships also differ from internships in that most apprentices are paid, with salary increasing as the apprentice completes parts of the program.. Job Instruction Training: (JIT) is a step-by-step, relatively simple technique used to train employees on the job. It is especially suitable for teaching manual skills or procedures; the trainer is usually an employee’s supervisor but can be a co-worker. Lectures: Don’t start out on the wrong foot. For instance, don’t open with an irrelevant joke or by saying something like â€Å"I really don’t know why I was asked to speak here today.† Give your listeners signals if for example you have a list of items, start by saying something like, â€Å"There are four reasons why the sales reports are necessary†¦.the first†¦. Again be alert to your audience, maintain eye contact with your audience during your presentation, and break a long talk into a series of 5 minutes talks Programmed learning: It is a learning methodology or technique first proposed by the behaviorist B. F. Skinner in 1958. According to Skinner, the purpose of programmed learning is to â€Å"manage human learning under controlled conditions†. The medium can be a textbook, Personal Computer (PC), or internet. Programmed learning is a step by step, self learning method that consists of three parts: presenting questions and facts to the learner, allowing the person to respond, and providing the learner feedback on the accuracy of answers. The advantage is that it reduces training time Computer based training (CBT): A type of education in whic h the student learns by executing special training programs on a computer. CBT is especially effective for training people to use computer applications because the CBT program can be integrated with the applications so that students can practice using the application as they learn. Training via the internet and learning portals. The training may include posting videos, written lectures or power point slides or sophisticated simulations. This method may be applied in colleges where the employer use internet based learning to training. Company’s also convey their employee training through their internal internet portals for example by contracting with service providers such as skill soft (www.skillsoft.com) or for health and safety training, pure safety (www.puresafety.com) to deliver online training courses to the firms employees. Mobile learning: This refers to delivering  of learning content on demand via devices like cell phones and i-phones whenever the learner wants to access it. Audiovisual and traditional distance learning techniques: Audiovisual tools including DVDs, films and closed circuit TV e.g. firms’ use various distance learning methods for training which may include traditional correspondence courses as well as video conferencing and internet based classes. Behavior modeling: It involves showing trainees the right (or Model) way of doing something, letting each person practice the right way to do it and providing feedback regarding performance. The basic behavior modeling procedure is: †¢Modeling: first trainee watch DVDs, showing model persons behaving effectively in a problem situation. †¢Role playing: the trainees are given roles to play in a stimulated situation. †¢Social reinforcement: the trainer provides praises and constructive feedback based on the trainee performs in the role play. †¢Transfer of training: finally trainees are encouraged to apply their new skills when they are back on their jobs In summary: Training and development applies both On-the-job and Off-the-Job training methods On the Job Training Methods: On the job training takes various forms including apprenticeships, job rotation, creation of assistant to positions, orientation, delegation, vestibule training, promotion and transfers and self directed training programs Off the Job Training Methods include training by management institutions, lectures, seminars and conference, case study, brainstorming, management games and role playing 6.1 Advantages of Off-the-job Training method †¢Non production error: the employees are trained outside the work environment therefore they are not involved in production process as in on the job training method. †¢Economy: A large group of trainees are trained simultaneously at a time. †¢Free on production: when the trainees are not involved in production process, the production activities can be carried without any interruption hence, it runs freely, moreover, costly errors and injurious can be avoided †¢Less time of training: training will take less time because the trainees are not involved in production. †¢It is free from pressures of working environment †¢Risk free of damaging organization’s valuable equipment. This is because  they are not trained using organization’s facilities. †¢Off- the- job development techniques remove individuals from the stresses and ongoing demands of the work place, enabling them focus fully on the learning experience. In addition they provide opportunities for meeting people from other departments or organizations. Thus individuals are exposed to useful new ideas and experiences while they make potentially useful contacts. 6.2 Disadvantages of Off-the-job training method †¢Lack of feedback: there is lack of feedback to employees because they are trained away from the organization work environment. †¢Expensive: organization has to prepare extra place for training outside the actual environment. †¢No production: employees are kept away from the actual work place, thus the organization bears cost without output. †¢Outside the work station: employees are unknown with actual machines and equipment thus transfer of training is sometimes difficult. †¢Not effective: as employees are trained in an artificial classroom they are unfamiliar with actual environment as result of which it requires long time for them to learn. 6.3 Advantages of On-the-Job Training Method †¢Organization doesn’t have to pay a training company or college therefore it is less costly. †¢Senior highly skilled and experienced staff can teach new staff the exact skills needed for a particular job †¢The business can acquire an experience in house training team hence no need for trainees to adjust to real work situations and trainers †¢It builds relationships/bonds between learner/teacher in the work place. 6.4 Disadvantages of On-the-Job Training Method †¢Productivity can be interrupted †¢Senior highly skilled and experienced staff has to leave their job to teach/train. †¢Skills learned are job specific leaving staff less flexible to changing roles. †¢Working environment can be busy, noisy and not conducive for learning. †¢It may lead to high rate of spoilage of material and damage of valuable equipment 7.0 IMPLEMENTING MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Management Development and training is any attempt to improve managerial performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes or increasing skills. It thus includes in-house programs such as courses, coaching and rotational assignments, professional programs such as management seminars and university programs such as executive MBA programs. The ultimate aim of such development programs is to enhance the future performance of the organization itself. For this reason the overall management development process ideally consists of assessing the company’s needs for example to fill the future executive openings, appraising the managers’ performance and then developing managers themselves (CIDP 2008a). The program should make sense in terms of the company’s strategy and goals. This means involving top management in formulating the program’s aims and in specifying competencies and knowledge outcomes. The most popular development methods include classroom based learning, executive coaching, 360-degree feedback, action learning, mentoring and job rotation. 7.1 The Management Development Process It includes assessing the company’s strategic needs for example to fill future executive openings or to boost competitiveness, appraising managers’ current performance and developing the managers and future managers. Development programs aim to fill specific positions, such as CEO, for example, GE Caterpillar Company spent years developing, testing, and watching potential replacements for CEO before finally choosing Jeffrey Immelt (Dessler 2011). In any case, assessment is usually part of development programs. 8.0 METHODS OF MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS 8.1 On-the-Job Methods On the job methods are usually preferred in management development programs. Often such training is informal. The supervisor trains the worker as he performs the work. David (2009), says there are four major on-the-job development methods: †¢Coaching/understudy Approach: here the trainee works directly with senior manager or with a person he or she is to replace. The training of mangers by his or her immediate supervisors- is by far the most effective management development technique; unfortunately, many managers are either unable or unwilling to coach those they supervise. On- the job  coaching must be tempered with considerable restraint- managers who cannot develop unless they are allowed to work out problems in their own way. †¢Job rotation: It involves shifting mangers from position to position so they can broaden their experience and familiarize themselves with various aspects of the firms operations.The trainee can be a recent college graduate, and spend several months in each department, learning the department’s business by actually doing it. Or can be a senior manager being groomed for CEO by being exposed to a range of domestic and foreign challenges.   †¢Training positions: Trainees are given staff posts immediately under an experienced manager, often with the title of assistant. Such assignments give trainees a chance to work with and model themselves after outstanding managers who might otherwise have little contact with them. †¢Planned work activities: This involves, giving trainees important work assignments to develop their experience and ability. Trainees may be asked to head a task force or participate in an important committee meeting. Such experiences help them gain insight into how organizations operate and also improve their human relations. 8.2 Off-the-Job Methods The most common off the job development methods are in-house classroom instruction and management development programs sponsored by universities and organizations such as American Management association. Almost every management development program includes some form of classroom instruction in which specialists from inside or outside the organization teach trainees a particular subject. Classroom instruction is often supplemented, with case studies, role playing and business games or simulations. For example managers may be asked to play roles on both sides in simulated labor- management dispute. Some organizations send selected employees to university-sponsored management programs. Many major universities have such programs, which range in length from one week to three or more. Off-the-Job Management Training and Development Techniques †¢The case study Method: The case study method presents a trainee with a written description of an organizational problem. The trainee then analyses the case, diagnoses the problem and presents his or her findings and solutions in a discussion with other trainees. E.g. crime investigation, u  can write a script showing all the procedures. The scenario aim is to develop specific training skills, such as interviewing witnesses. †¢Management games: Management games are effective; people learn best by being involved. With computerized management games trainees divide into five or six person groups each of which competes with the others in simulated marketplace. Each group must decide for example how much to spend on advertising, how much to produce, how much inventory and how many of which product to produce. Thus they make computerized decisions. †¢Outside seminars: Many universities and companies offer web-based and traditional classroom management development seminars and conferences. E.g. specialized associations such as Society of Human Resource Management, provide specialized seminars for their professional members. †¢University related programs: Many universities provide executive education and continuing education programs in leadership, supervision etc. these can range 1 to 4 day programs to execute development programs lasting 1 to 4 months. The advanced Management Program of Harvard’s graduate school of Business administration is a well known example according to (Dessler 2011). Students are experienced managers from around the world. The school uses cases and lectures to provide them with the latest management skills. †¢Role playing: The aim of role playing is to create a realistic situation and then have the trainees assume the parts or roles of specific persons in that situation. The role play can trigger the discussions among the role players/trainees. The aim is to develop trainees’ skills in areas like leadership and delegating. †¢Corporate Universities: Many universities particularly the larger ones establish in-house development centers; IBM is one of the examples. In-house development centers typically offer a catalogue of courses and programs aimed at supporting the employers, management training and development program providers and web-based education portals to create packages of programs and materials. For example Brain and Company, a management consulting firm, has such a web based virtual university for its employees. It provides a means not only for coordinating all the company’s training efforts but also for delivering web based modules and cover topics from strategic management to mentoring. †¢Executive Coaches: Firms retain executive coaches to develop their top managers’ effectiveness. An executive coach is an outside consultant who questions the executive boss, peers,  subordinates and sometimes family in order to identify the executive’s strengths and weaknesses and counsel the executive so he or she can capitalize on those strengths and overcome the weaknesses. †¢The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Learning System: SHRM, encourages HR professionals to qualify for certification by taking examinations. The society offers several preparatory training programs. The self-study option includes text and DVD. The college/university option provides classroom interaction with instructors and other students. 8.3 Other Methods †¢Panel Discussion †¢Skill Practice †¢Problem-Solving Activity †¢Questionnaire †¢Role Play †¢Physical Continuum †¢Presentation †¢Synergy Activity †¢Lecturette †¢Observation †¢Project †¢Fishbowl †¢Full-Group Discussion †¢Experiential Activity †¢Feedback Activity †¢Story †¢Inter-group Discussion or Exchange †¢Interviewing †¢Index Card Match †¢Information Sear †¢Anonymous card †¢Demonstration †¢Dyadic Discussion or Exchange †¢Games †¢Group Inquiry †¢Contracting †¢Creative Activity †¢Checklist †¢Closing Circle †¢Brainstorming †¢Case Study †¢Reference †¢Trio Discussion or Exchange †¢Writing Task †¢Self-Assessment and Self-Evaluation †¢Small Group Discussion †¢Whip †¢Peer Consultation †¢Peer Teaching †¢Simulation †¢Read and Discuss †¢Read and Teach Group †¢Mental Imagery 9.0 CONCLUSION Organizations make arrangement for development of its executives so as to improve efficiency of management. Managers need generalized knowledge in lieu of technical skills on particular job. Therefore, training of executives is often known as development. It is good to focus both on Training and development to ensure that our team members are able to perform to the best of their ability, not only in short term (their current job) but also in the long term (their future careers). REFERENCES Bernardin, H. J. (2010). Human Resource Management: An Experiential Approach.5th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Dale Carnegie and Associates (2006), Managing Through People, New York, USA David M.(2009), Human Resource Development. UK. Oxford University Press. Dessler G. (2011), Human resource Management. 12Th Ed, USA, Florida International University Prentice Hall. Dessler, G. (2011). A Framework for Human resource Management. 6th Ed. Delhi: Dorling Kndersley. Kisire, S. J. (2009). Simple Revision Guide Human Resource Management. Nairobi: Bernard Bongo DPW. Noe A.R. (2002), employee training and development 2nd ed. New York, McGraw-Hill. Swart Juani et al (2005) Human resource Development: Strategy and Tactic: UK, Jordan Hill Oxford. Stoner A et al (2009), Management 6th edition, Pearson Education, New Delhi. Williams, S. (2009). Human Resource Management. New York: Oxford University. Wright M. P et al, (2003), Human Resource Management,Ggaining a Competitive Advantage. New York, McGraw-Hill Irwin. CIDP (2008a), Developing Senior Managers’ Fact Sheet (revised in January 2008). CIPD (2008b) Management Development Fact Sheet (revised February 2008)

Psychology’s Classical Theorist Essay

In the field of psychology, Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung, developed three distinct theories of personality that to this day, continue to be the foundations on which all modern psychological theories are built. All three of these remarkable men knew and worked with each other. When Adler and Jung praised Freud’s book on dream interpretation, they were invited to join Freud’s circle of peers, who met weekly at his home in Vienna, Austria (Engler, 2006). At these meetings they discussed new and groundbreaking aspects of psychopathology (Comer, 2008). Freud, Adler, and Jung are unequivocally the most influential figures in modern psychology (Comer, 2008). Freud’s concept of the id, the ego, and the superego, are the underlying factors that began all three schools of thought and that provide the foundations of modern psychology (Engler, 2006). Freud believed that the id had no contact with reality and worked on the pleasure principle and hedonistic wants, with no morality involved. The ego develops as children experience the demands and constraints of reality. It uses reasoning to make decisions. The superego is concerned with right and wrong, it is the moral compass, the conscience in each individual (Comer, 2008). Freud believed that people are unaware of the most important personality processes. Like an iceberg, only the small portion of the conscious mind is accessible and above the water. The preconscious, just out of reach, and the subconscious, deeply repressed, is below the water completely. These are the reason for most problems with behavior and the personality, according to Freud (Nystul, 2006). Freud also theorized that the personality was formed by early childhood experiences, called psychosexual stages (Engler, 2006). If a child’s basic needs are not being met during one of these stages, the child may become â€Å"fixated† or stuck in that stage. For example, if an adult smokes, he or she could be said to be â€Å"orally fixated.† According to Freud, infants at the oral stage use their mouths to explore their environment (Engler, 2006). Freud’s emphasis on sexuality is one of the main reasons why Adler and Jung disagreed with him. They thought that Freud put entirely too much emphasis  on the libido and sexual energy in children. Freud and Adler met every Wednesday for eleven years (Comer, 2008). In 1911, Alder, along with eight colleagues, broke away from Freud’s circle to form the school of â€Å"Individual Psychology† (Engler, 2006). Adler’s theory differed from Freud’s in that it focuses on the person as a â€Å"whole.† The Adlerian term, individual psychology, refers to the human being as indivisible, as opposed to Freud’s view of an individual being, internally divided (Engler, 2006). For Adler, each aspect of the personality points in the same direction (Nystul, 2006). Adler saw how humans connect with one another, with family, with friends, with community, and with society as a whole. He believed that this interconnectedness is essential for an individual to develop and to thrive (Comer, 2008). Each person develops uniquely, according to acquired experiences, both past and present. The process starts at infancy, as children compare themselves to older children and adults, they experience feelings of inferiority (Engler, 2006). This is a normal reaction to the awareness of not being able to do as one pleases. These feelings motivate people to strive towards usefulness and to become contributing members of the family, the group, and the society at large (Nystul, 2006). Carl Gustav Jung, long an admirer of Freud, met him in Vienna, Austria in 1907, after Jung praised Freud’s book, â€Å"The Interpretation of Dreams† (Comer, 2008). At this historical meeting they talked for 13 hours (Nystul, 2006). Freud thought that Jung, twenty years his junior, was to become his heir apparent. In 1910, Jung did become the first president of the International Psychoanalytic Association (Engler, 2006). However, in 1914, Jung broke away from Freud, primarily because he disagreed with Freud’s view of sexuality (Nystul, 2006). Using his own theories, he then began the school of â€Å"Analytical Psychology.†Jung’s theory of personality divides the psyche into three distinct parts: the ego, consisting of the conscious mind, the personal unconscious, which contains thoughts, memories, and experiences  that are not presently conscious, but can be, and the collective unconscious (Nystul, 2006). The collective unconscious could be described as a â€Å"psychic inheritance† (Comer, 2008). It could also be a type of reservoir of the human experience as a species. Yet, the individual is never conscious of its presence (Feist, 1985). Jung’s â€Å"Archetypes of the Personality† evolve from the collective unconscious. These are the persona and its shadow, the female anima and male animus, and the self. Jung felt that until balance could be found within these archetypes in each individual, the complete realization of the self could not be achieved (Comer, 2008). The son of a pastor, Jung had a great interest in spirituality and its effects on the personality. His studies and knowledge of eastern philosophy, yoga, and meditation have certainly had an impact on his theories and have contributed greatly to today’s holistic approach to overall health (Nystul, 2006). Jung’s theories and writings have had a major impact on contemporary thought in many areas such as art, music, and literature (Douglas, 2005). Jung also coined the term â€Å"synchronicity,† which can be defined as â€Å"meaningful coincidences† occurring in everyday life (Engler, 2006). Jung claimed that there exists a synchrony between the mind and the phenomenal world of perception in each individual. For example, thoughts of an old friend fill one’s mind in the evening. The next morning, that particular friend calls, or news about them is received, out of the blue. However, no physical evidence has been found to support this idea (Strogatz, 2004). Although Freud, Adler, and Jung had their unique theoretical differences, they also shared many commonalities. For instance, they all utilized hypnosis and dream interpretation as therapeutic tools to treat their patients (Comer, 2008). They also all agreed on the importance of early life experiences and the existence of unconscious processes (Nystul, 2006). In the field of psychology, Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung, developed three distinct theories of personality that to this day continue  to be the foundations on which all modern psychological theories are built. In their day, these three men were on the cutting edge of the newest science of western civilization. If not for Freud, Alder, and Jung psychology would not have evolved into the field that it is today. References Comer, Ronald, J. (2008). Fundamentals of abnormal psychology. (5th edition). New York, NY. Worth Publishers. Douglas, C. (2005). Current psychotherapies. (7th Edition). (pgs. 96-129). Itasca, Ill. F.E. Peacock. Engler, Barbara. (2006). Personality theories. (7th Edition). Boston, MA. Houghton, Mifflin Company. Feist, J. (1985). Theories of personality. New York, NY. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Nystul, Michael (2006). Introduction to counseling, an art and science perspective (3rd Edition). Boston, MA. Pearson, Allyn, & Bacon. Strogatz, Steven, H. (2004). SYNC: How order emerges from chaos in the universe, nature, and daily life. New York, NY. Hyperion. NOTE FROM AUTHOR: The only comments from my professor were about APA formatting, like margins, and double spacing the bibliography. No points were lost for this.

The Impact of Social Media in Our Daily Lives

The Impact of Social Media in Our Daily Lives What Is Social Media? Social media is an electronic tool that serves to connect people remotely at their convenience. Some of the versions of this tool are LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, among others. MEDIA INFLUENCE FEMALE PERCEPTION OF THE BODY IMAGE. AGREE OR DISAGREE? There are several reasons why social media is important in our everyday life as outlined herein: Reason 1.  It helps people connect with their friends and make some new ones as well. Reason 2.  It helps people share what they are doing or details on where they are with the rest of the world. Reason 3.  It is also an avenue where you can order social media essay online or buy social media essay as well. What Social Media Are the Most Popular? Pinterest The importance of images on the web cannot be overemphasized and that is why Pinterest continues to gain praise as the only platform that has attracted the highest number of unique visits on a monthly basis. It makes use of the pinboard-style which is quite enticing and can be used to collect best images. Pinterest is also infiltrating the shopping market even as retailers take to using it. WhatsApp This tool has become one of the most popular platforms for instant messaging and can either work with data or internet connection to send or receive messages. Other than that, you can send voice messages, photos, and videos too. WhatsApp comes with customized features as well such as notification sounds, profiles, and wallpapers. Better still, you can allow it to connect to the address book on your phone for all your contacts to be transferred to it. Facebook This is the most popular social network on the internet with a record number of active users and those who take the time to log in on a daily basis. Just after WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger is the second most popular app in the world, used for messaging. You should also expect the dominance of Facebook to continue in future after its acquisition of Whatsapp. Twitter If you need access to instant news, then, twitter should be your number one choice. Twitter is a microblogging network that allows you to share different kinds of multimedia content through tweets. Many individuals continue to use it throughout the world as they enjoy the aspect of unfiltered feed. It is simply the best platform to discover what is happening in the rest of the world instantly. How Social Media Influence Us Social media has both positive and negative influence on individuals. The Good Immediate access to information Twitter delivers instant details on what is happening around you and the rest of the world from various sources hence, it is impossible to miss a thing. A level playing field for business Previously, for your business to be known you had to invest heavily in advertisements. Contrary to that, nowadays businesses can speak to the world through social media, which is a better option. The Bad Talk without action Though social media is an invaluable communication tool, today we see hashtag conversations that cause people to vent on these platforms but no action is taken in the end. Hiding behind anonymity It goes without saying that many are using social media to hide their identities for mischievous reasons. Hence, habitual pranksters and trolls have found a haven on this platform. VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA CAUSES VIOLENCE IN CHILDREN Where Will Social Media Be in 10 Years? It is true that in the coming days you should expect a revolution in the world of social media. Some of the things to expect are that businesses will be keen to align their strategies in accordance with social media trends. The other thing that businesses will do is train their call center, staff. That will be in line with responding to Twitter, WhatsApp, and Messenger questions directly sent from clients. This will ensure prompt responses and better customer service for enhanced productivity. Social media is already part of our lives and we need to embrace it. However, it is important to set boundaries on the extent to which we should allow it to control our lives. If you need a social media essay, feel free to place an order. We can help you with writing any type of academic paper. Focus on something more important than a  college degree.

Musical Genre of the Decade essays

Musical Genre of the Decade essays I would just like to comment on a poll I recently saw on CNN SHOWBIZ tonight. The question asked Which musical genre was the dominate genre of the decade? I believe that there were three prominent music genres of the 90's. Alternative Rock became a way to release anger. Hip Hop music came into its own and took the world by storm. Techno or 'rave' music provided a way 'out' from the teenage hardships. These three genres truly defined the 90' music scene. Alternative Rock was a rebellion of 80's pop rock. It was hard and truthful, something 80's pop rock wasn't. It emerged in the early 90's producing such bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Nirvana. It gave a healthy release of aggression of the days teens. This gave way to such heavier acts like Korn, which in turn tried to stamp out pop music. In the past Rock bands have lived on in the memories of others, and so will the world of Alternative Rock. I mean when was the last time you saw the name of a disco star on a T-shirt? Hip Hop emerged a new form of music in the 90's. It was the child of 80's rap music. Hip Hop became a way for young urban Black artists to express their musical talent. The fame, fortune and sex appeal of most Hip Hop was enough to lure most people to its deafening beats. Some grand masters, like Puff Daddy and Dr. Dre, have even acquired their own record labels respectfully. Hip Hop music lends its ear to young urban youths; this has branched off to suburban youths as well. Hip Hop has not gained its full momentum, but it will speed past it in the years to come. Techno music or 'rave' music has a special place in the music of the 90's. Techno and rave go together like rock and concerts or hip hop and jams. Raves are places were dancers, DJs and dopers come together to experience the essence of techno music. But young people have also attacked raves for the use of hard drugs. But techno isn't all about drugs. Such prominent techno or ...

Interesting Metal Facts and Properties

Interesting Metal Facts and Properties Most of the elements in the periodic table are metals, plus there are numerous alloys made from mixtures of metals. So, its a good idea to know what metals are and a few things about them. Here are several  interesting and useful facts about these important materials: The word metal  comes from the Greek word metallon, which means quarry or to mine or excavate.The most abundant metal in the universe is iron, followed by magnesium.The composition of the Earth is not entirely known, but the most abundant metal in the Earths crust is aluminum. However, the Earths core likely consists mainly of iron.Metals are primarily shiny, hard solids that are good conductors of heat and electricity.About 75% of the chemical elements are metals. Of the 118 known elements, 91 are metals. Many of the others possess some of the characteristics of metals and are known as semimetals or metalloids.Metals form positively charged ions called cations through loss of electrons. They react with most other elements, but especially nonmetals, such as oxygen and nitrogen.The most commonly used metals are iron, aluminum, copper, zinc, and lead. Metals are used for an enormous number of products and purposes. They are valued for their ability to strength, electrical and thermal properties, ease of bending and drawing into wire, wide availability, and participation in chemical reactions. Although new metals are being produced and some metals were difficult to isolate in pure form, there were seven metals known to ancient man. These were gold, copper, silver, mercury, lead, tin, and iron.The tallest free-standing structures in the world are made of metals, primarily the alloy steel. They include the Dubai skyscraper Burj Kalifa, the Tokyo television tower Skytree, and the Shanghai Tower skyscraper.The only metal that is a liquid at ordinary room temperature and pressure is mercury. However, other metals melt close to room temperature. For example, you can melt the metal gallium in the palm of your hand,

What is the Quran about according to Fazlur Rahmans Major Themes of Essay

What is the Quran about according to Fazlur Rahmans Major Themes of the Quran - Essay Example The book Major Themes of the Quran by Fazlur Rahman attempts to unravel the intricacies of the Quran with special focus on themes such as God, prophecy, modern society, and disclosure as concerns a stout Muslim and a western scholar (Rahman 19). The Quran is a document aimed at man, with an indication as the guidance for humankind. It has a reference of God’s proper name as Allah, with the name appearing over 2500times in the Quran. His existence as per the Quran is functional as the creator and sustainer of the universe and man. In addition, He is the giver of guidance for man, judges out man individually and collectively as well metes out to him merciful justice. God is the dimension that makes other dimensions possible, giving meaning and life to everything else. He is the all-enveloping, infinite, and the only infinite being. Without God’s activity, the activity of nature and man are wrong, purposeless, and wasteful. The Quran, therefore, emphasizes and re-emphasizes the power and majesty of God (Rahman 23). Concerning the purpose of man, the Quran emphasizes that a man was created specifically to serve God in accordance with his command and through choice. God, therefore, in his outgoing mercy provides man with the necessary knowledge to realize just and fair ends. The choice of whether to use the knowledge and power for good or evil is, therefore, the crucial test for man. The Quran does not prove God but points to him from the existing universe. God is the only one who has created the laws by which nature works. The Quran invites man to make discoveries on the laws of nature and to use it for human good. The Quran proposes that man is God’s creature just like any other created being. However, he is distinguished from the rest of natural creation in that after fashioning him, he breathed his own spirit into him. Man is given free choice in order to fulfill his

Alfred Stieglitz's Photograph of Marcel Duchamp's Fountain Term Paper

Alfred Stieglitz's Photograph of Marcel Duchamp's Fountain - Term Paper Example The paper "Alfred Stieglitz's Photograph of Marcel Duchamp's Fountain" focuses on analysis and research about Alfred Stieglitz's photograph of Marcel Duchamp's Fountain art work. Stieglitz placed the ‘Fountain’ at the viewer’s eye level, brought it close, and magnified its presence. He further rotated it slightly on its axis to set up just a touch of tension, and lighted it from above such that it looks dramatically isolated against its setting yet also veiled, moody and mysterious. Duchamp’s ‘the Fountain’ is viewed through the eyes of Albert Stieglitz. The photograph is white in color that is made of the spectrum of colors. It is made of porcelain which is a polished/breakable material. Stieglitz took an ordinary object, gave it meaning by positioning it in such a way that its useful significance was overshadowed by the new one with a new title and a new point of view, thus creating a whole new thought for that object. Alfred Stieglitz life s panned from 1864 to 1946. Stieglitz was the most respected photographer of his time, and he fought for the recognition of photography as a valid form of art. He is one of the figures who revolutionized the American photography. Luminous-Lint finds it hard to imagine the direction that photography would have taken without the involvement of Stieglitz. He was a promoter of other people’s works, illuminating them with his photo works. The ‘Fountain’ was brought to 291, and when it was there it was photographed by Stieglitz who was greatly amused by Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’.

An integrated marketing communications programme for Rapanui Essay

An integrated marketing communications programme for Rapanui - Essay Example ...........................................5 Introduction Integrated marketing communication can be defined as the way of integration of all the methods pertaining to promotion of brand in order to promote a specific product or service among the targeted customers. Its goal is to make all aspects of marketing communication like sales promotion, advertising, direct marketing, public relations, online communications, social media and personal selling to work together as a unified force maximizing the cost effectiveness rather than permitting each to work in isolation. It integrates and coordinates all chosen communication and marketing tools, sources and avenues into one seamless programme that is designed for maximising the impact on customers and other end users at minimum possible cost (Kitchen and Pelsmacker, 2004, p.20). The integration affects entirely the company’s marketing channel; business-to-business, internally directed and customer focused marketing communications. Classic communication methods in fashion industry Marketing communications can be defined as the communications in marketing that is used to create a favourable image towards a brand of product or service, an idea or a person. Marketing communication allow the marketers to inform, motivate, persuade and remind consumers. Companies entering the market with fashion clothes can use all elements of communication mix in their advertising, communication, personal selling and sales promotion and public relation. Advertising Any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by any identified sponsor. The pages of professional magazines and newsletters are common avenues for advertising information related to the product of firm. Effective communication by means of advertising and media can make a distinction of its firm from its competitors who are less focused (Blakeman, 2007, pp.25-30). Sales promotion These are short term incentives which encourage the purchase or trial of service or product like discount for access to database over a limited time period. Publicity and public relation The programmes are designed to protect or promote the image of company or those of its products including product literature, exhibition and articles about the product of organisation in professional or in consumer publications. Personal selling Personal selling can be defined as the face-to-face interaction with one or more prospective purchasers for the purpose of making sales. Sales are generally the primary means of selling business goods and services in business-to-business marketing. Each component of marketing communication has its specific functions and own features and can be most effective in reaching a specific communication target. However, the greatest beneficial effects for the company can be achieved by integrating the individual elements of integrated marketing communication. Contemporary communication methods in fashion industry A n umber of emergent and contemporary issues affecting both the practice and understanding of professional marketing communications have become a concern for decision making and is value centred. A wide range of accessible communication options and the areas of professional practice need to be managed and incorporated under the leadership of integrated marketing communications. Marketing communication earlier includes the dominant paradigm of the agency of advertising but now it is changing. In recent years, the emergence of specialist services companies providing

Academic Honesty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic Honesty - Research Paper Example The present paper has identified that teachers occupy the central position in determining the academic honesty of students because students visualize their teachers as role models for them. This also has a strong relationship with the contemporary business scenario. In an attempt to gain competitive advantage and maximize their profits, many businessmen have opened schools and employed them as a means of business without academic sense and knowledge of what tutors to hire to meet the needs of a particular educational level. In order to inculcate honesty in students, it is imperative that the teachers hired are first checked for the same through properly designed strategies and tests. Often, tutors hired have little emotional association with their profession apart from earning money. Many tutors work only for money and have no long-term plans of setting an ethical base for the prospective citizens of the society through their teaching and moral conduct. Such tutors tend to be forgetf ul of their duties. They tend to miss lectures, come to the class later than the start time, and leave the class earlier than the break-off time. Even if they are fulfilling their duties completely as expected of them, they tend to send a negative signal to many honest students who don’t cheat in the exam by not taking action against those who do cheat in the exam. Many tutors tend to knowingly overlook the act of cheaters for such reasons as lack of courage to stop them, fear of insult by the students and unwillingness to display harsh attitude. Such tutors serve as a potential source of discouragement.

Search warrants and warrantless searches, can either make or break a Research Paper

Search warrants and warrantless searches, can either make or break a criminal case - Research Paper Example the one that will determine whether the defendant will be free to go before the trial is conducted or whether to hold them in the cells to await the trial in the courts (Scheb, 2011). Warrants are orders from the court that are issued by the judge, magistrate or supreme court official, that authorizes law enforcement officers to perform a search of an individual, a certain place, or even a motor vehicle as a proof of a criminal offence that is happening or did happen. There are certain jurisdictions, which do respect the law, its rules and a basic right to privacy which puts constraints on the control of police investigators and forces them to require a search warrant in order to conduct any search (Gardner et al., 2009). There are only few scenarios where this rule of law can be accepted, and that is when there is a hot pursuit. This is mostly when a criminal decides to escape from the crime scene. The police are forced to run after them, and in this scenario they can enter by force into the property that he has chosen to hide (Bernnat et al., 2011). In United States of America under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the police investigators are only required to conduct any search when having a warrant that has been issued by the judge, magistrate or the Supreme Court official. And this must also have a credible course. All the searches that are to be conducted have to be of a reasonable course and to the specifics. When a certain case from the archive is checked; Kentucky v.King, No.09-1272, where the ambush by the police in Lexington, was out of a mistaken judgment. The police officers witnessed a drug deal going on in a parking lot, and they hurriedly ran into a certain apartment house having a complex look for a suspect who had presently sold cocaine to an informer. When the case was heard by the Kentucky Supreme Court, the evidence was suppressed. It was stated that any risk of the drugs being destroyed was as an outcome of the

Academic Honesty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic Honesty - Research Paper Example The present paper has identified that teachers occupy the central position in determining the academic honesty of students because students visualize their teachers as role models for them. This also has a strong relationship with the contemporary business scenario. In an attempt to gain competitive advantage and maximize their profits, many businessmen have opened schools and employed them as a means of business without academic sense and knowledge of what tutors to hire to meet the needs of a particular educational level. In order to inculcate honesty in students, it is imperative that the teachers hired are first checked for the same through properly designed strategies and tests. Often, tutors hired have little emotional association with their profession apart from earning money. Many tutors work only for money and have no long-term plans of setting an ethical base for the prospective citizens of the society through their teaching and moral conduct. Such tutors tend to be forgetf ul of their duties. They tend to miss lectures, come to the class later than the start time, and leave the class earlier than the break-off time. Even if they are fulfilling their duties completely as expected of them, they tend to send a negative signal to many honest students who don’t cheat in the exam by not taking action against those who do cheat in the exam. Many tutors tend to knowingly overlook the act of cheaters for such reasons as lack of courage to stop them, fear of insult by the students and unwillingness to display harsh attitude. Such tutors serve as a potential source of discouragement.

Persuasive speech on child sex abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Persuasive speech on child sex abuse - Essay Example The immediate impact could be adverse, but in the long run, the future of these children is put into test especially the kind of adult people they become. III. National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) in 2007 reported that of all the cases confirmed or substantiated as either child neglect or abuse, 9.3 percent of them were related to sexual abuse (â€Å"The national centre for victims of crime† web). These figures translated to a total of 83,800 victims in that year alone. This is a worrying trend in the modern world, despite reports indicating of a declining trend in this problem. This number represents a high number of children who have to suffer for no cause under the arms of people who are supposed to be offering them protection and love. Such reality should raise alarm to all of us since at one particular time we will be parents in case we are not are already. None of us I am sure would want their children to suffer sexual abuse or molestation. IV. Thesis Statement: due to the numerous negative effects associated with child abuse, there is needed to implement laws that will ensure that children are treated properly without worry. First I will discuss the effects of child sexual abuse, followed by proposed solutions to the problem, which would be focused on promoting good treatment among the children. Finally, I will share on the various benefits associated with adopting laws meant to oversee proper treatment of children in the society. I. Disturbing figures indicate that 1.6% or 16 out of every one thousand children suffer from rape cases, as reported by the Bureau of Justice Statics report. Annually, close to 16% of the youth in the United States are sexually abused. Results from different studies in 1986, 2000, 2002 and 2005 reveals similar results that 63% of women who had suffered sexual abuse by a family member also reported to have been

Morality in war Essay Example for Free

Morality in war Essay Is war ever moral? I feel that War is a necessary part of life. Sometimes force is the only way to defend yourself or others. We are all equals, and It is immoral to take the life of anyone, but it is also immoral to let the life of anyone be taken. We have a responsibility to help each other because cooperation is the only way the human race can survive; we also have a right to defend ourselves. This means that if someone else is threatening you or anothers life, and you are capable of helping, you have an obligation to protect yourself or them. Lethal force will never be moral, but what if it’s the only way to protect someone? Let’s say that an attacker has broken into your house and is holding a gun to you and your family. You also have a gun pointed at the assailant. In this hypothetical situation we must assume that the only way to save your family is to kill the attacker. You must make a choice to kill the attacker or let the attacker kill you and your family. Both options are immoral, so one has to ask if its more immoral to kill the attacker, or to let the attacker kill your family? The obvious choice to me is to kill the assailant. I feel this is the right choice because of two reasons. One, our responsibility to protect ourselves and our family is larger than the responsibility to not do harm to another. The second reason has to do with the proportion of damage. The attacker would be doing more harm in killing my family and me then I would be doing in killing him. This example allows us to see, on a small scale, when lethal force is necessary. Things get more complicated when we look at entire countries rather than just one family, but my view point remains the same. Lethal force is only permitted when it is the only option to defend yourself or others. War is necessary because people sometimes make immoral decisions that put others in a position where there is no other option, but is war ever moral? Killing is always immoral, and killing is part of war, so parts of war are immoral, but does this mean war is inherently immoral? Sometimes it is the least immoral choice; this makes it the most moral choice, so it is sometime moral. I believe that many of the wars we have had have been immoral. I don’t think that the United States has been justified in it’s actions every time. â€Å"It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. † Vladimir Putin. I feel that it is in part due to the classical â€Å"male† approach to ethics which focuses on â€Å"independence, autonomy, intellect, will, wariness, hierarchy, domination, culture, transcendence, product, asceticism, war, and death,† Jaggar, â€Å"Feminist Ethics,† 1992 One can see that these characteristics would allow for war to be more often morally acceptable. A â€Å"feminist† approach to ethics would focus more on â€Å"interdependence, community, connection, sharing, emotion, body, trust, absence of hierarchy, nature, immanence, process, joy, peace, and life. †Jaggar, â€Å"Feminist Ethics,† 1992 These characteristics allow for a more peaceful world. The Syrian regime was accused of using chemical weapons against it’s own people in september of 2013. The weapon of mass destruction â€Å"Sarin† may have been used, and this action is against international law. The United states felt obligated to step in and punish the Syrian Government for this because they felt it was in the worlds best interest to not let these atrocities go unpunished. It could be more dangerous to let them get away with it because international law could fall apart and the world could turn to anarchy if nothing is done to punish wrong behavior. This being said, what is the best course of action to punish the Syrian government if they did infact use this weapon? Military action was debated, and President Obama was willing to attack if necessary, but I feel this is very dangerous. If the United States were to attack the Syrian government without UN approval It could have the same effect as doing nothing. This is because the united states would also be breaking international law, and this could also cause the UN to fall apart. If strong countries like the US bypass UN approval on military actions then International law means nothing. â€Å"The world reacts by asking: if you cannot count on international law, then you must find other ways to ensure your security. Thus a growing number of countries seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction. This is logical: if you have the bomb, no one will touch you. † -Vladimir Putin. In addition, military action would not be morally acceptable in this situation because it would not be in self defense; it would be an act of aggression causing more harm than good. A diplomatic approach would be a step in the right direction for this particular situation. This real life situation allows us to see how we can judge the morality of an action on a larger scale. In conclusion, war can be moral, but it is only a strategy to attain peace and safety for a group. All other options should be explored before war can be considered; this is because war involves some of the most immoral actions possible; the killing of others. â€Å"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime. †- Ernest Hemingway http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/quotes/e/ernesthemi108407. html#zB7XwPTRbCpbv7my. 99 http://www. nytimes. com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria. html? _r=0.

Shangri La Hotels Business Analysis

Shangri La Hotels Business Analysis Introduction Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad is an investment holding company and also a public limited company. This company was incorporated on June 29, 1971 and currently having a total of 2364 employees. Its headquarters is located at the Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang. This company is engaged with the operations of services such as hotels and beach resorts, golf course and clubhouse, property management and investment and commercial laundry. The Companys segments has two segments, which include hotels, resorts and golf course, which is engaged in hotel, beach resort and gulf course business; investment properties, which includes rental from offices, shoplots and apartment and rental of car parks, and others, which include commercial laundry services and investment holding. Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad has many hotel branches located at many different states and locations in Malaysia. Also, customers may have an infinite choice of luxury possibilities with Shangri-La Hotels as there are over 66 hotels located across the globe. Most importantly, customers may find themselves living in a hidden paradise once they chose to stay in Shangri-La Hotel. They can feel relaxed in the luxurious guestrooms, pampering themselves in a 5 star rated hotels with all the supreme services and facilities. As of December 31, 2010, Shangri-La Hotel (M) Berhad hotel had its properties included Rasa Sayang Resort Spa, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Traders Hotel Penang, Golden Sands Resort, Palm Beach Resort and Rasa Ria Resort. However, its subsidiaries include Shangri-La Hotel (KL) Sdn Bhd, Komtar Hotel Sdn Bhd, Golden Sands Beach Resort Sdn Bhd, UBN Holdings Sdn Bhd, UBN Tower Sdn Bhd, Pantai Emas Sdn Bhd, Madarac Corporation and Wisegain Sdn Bhd. The principal activities of the Company are investment holding and the operation of a beach resort, namely Rasa Sayang Resort. In Malaysia, Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad owns the 29-storey, 720rooms Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur. On the other hand, it also owns the Golden Sands Hotel, Komtar Hotel and Palm Beach Hotel in the island state of Penang. Shangri-La hotels always differentiate their service to match with customers taste and demand. Company Background The company was incorporated in Malaysia on 29 June 1971 under the Companies Act, 1965. The company was limited by shares with the registered name Taman Developments Sdn Bhd. On 7 September 1974, the name was then changed to Rasa Sayang Beach Hotels (Penang) Sdn Bhd. The company was converted to public company on 23 February 1977 under the name of Rasa Sayang Beach Hotels (Pg) Berhad. On 1 September 1982, the company was listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE). Yet, the company was delisted from KLSE on 21 December 1987 due to a general offer made by Perlis for the entire issued share capital of the Company and acquired more than 90% of the issued share capital of the company. On 2 January 1992, the company assumed its present name. The company had successfully merged with UBN Holdings Sdn Bhd which comprised the acquisition by the company from Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd and Landmarks Berhad, the entire issued share capital of UBN Holdings Sdn Bhd on 21 September 1992. However, the company was re-listed on the KLSE on 1 December 1992 with the company undertook a bonus issue and subsequently a public issue. Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad has its own vision for achieving the goals to be the best hotel. Its vision is to be the first choice for our guest, colleagues, shareholders and business partners. Whereas Shangri-La hotels also has its mission at all the time which is to delight our guests every time by creating engaging experiences straight from our hearts. The company is operating based on the following principles: Ensuring leadership drives for results. Making guest loyalty a key driver of the business. Enabling decision-making at the guest contact point. Creating an environment where colleagues may achieve their personal career goals. Demonstrating honesty, care and integrity in all relationships. Ensuring policies and processes are guest and colleague friendly. On top of that, Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad is operating under all professional persons in order to make Shangri-La hotels to be the top hotel in the world. Board of directors include : Tan sri A. Razak bin Ramli (Chairman) Kuok Oon Kwong (Managing Director) Datin Rozina Mohd Amin (Executive Director) Dato Haris Onn bin Hussein (Independent Non-Executive Director) Dato Seri Ismail Farouk Abdullah (Independent Non-Executive Director) Datuk Supperamaniam a/l Manickam (Independent Non-Executive Director) Dato Dr Tan Tat Wai (Independent Non-Executive Director) Tan Yew Jin Dato Khoo Eng Min Ravinder Singh Grewal Sarbjit S Joseph Patrick Stevens (Alternate Director to Ravinder Singh Grewal Sarbjit S) Business What is the basic requirement of a hotel in order to satisfy customers? Hotel is basically belongs to service industry which mostly provide accommodation services to people for a comfortable stay. Service is very important to a hotel as it will bring to customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Shangri-la Hotels (M) Berhad are definitely the best hotel which provides high standards of services to customers as it had awarded Best Business Hotel Brand in Asia Pacific by the Business Traveller 2012. Under Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad, it has currently 9 brands of hotels in the service industry. It includes, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Shangri-Las Rasa Ria Resort Kota Kinabalu, Shangri-Las Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa Kota Kinabalu, Putrajaya Shangri-La, Traders Hotel Puteri Harbour Johor, Golden Sands Resort Penang, Shangri-Las Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa Penang and Traders Hotel Penang. Every hotel under Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad are doing very well as mostly hotels are ranked five stars hotel and have a very good reputation among customers. Every hotel has its own special attractions such as Traders Hotel always located in the city which easier attach to the entertainment. Whereas Shangri-La hotel offers stylish and luxurious environment for customers. In order for a hotel to maintain and improve its business, Shangri-la hotels always push their services to a higher level as services are the main key to bring in more businesses. Its five-star reputation always maintaining a world-class service at all the time. Stylishly decorated, the luxurious guestrooms at Shangri-La hotel present large clear windows with beautiful city views. Memorable and satisfaction of every customer became the crucial mission of Shangri-La hotel. Shangri-La hotel differentiate its rooms according to customers preference. Rooms can be chosen in Deluxe room, Executive room, Horizon Executive room, Premier room and Executive Suite. Customers are able to choose their rooms to prefer a better environment and comfortable stay in the hotel. There are varieties of services provided by Shangri-la Hotel in order to satisfy customers and bring customers loyalty to the business. Facilities provided by Shangri-la Hotel are partially free of charge for customers to fully utilize such as the facilities of fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, steam room, sauna, massage, aerobics or dance studios and many more. The beautifully landscaped outdoor swimming pool is the facility always satisfied the customers as they are able to relax and enjoy the fascinating environment. The fitness centre is also an important facility for hotel as many people nowadays are going to fitness centre every week. This had become a habit to them and the fitness centre is an important place for them to workout. In Shangri-La hotel, there have the facilities of clinic to provide medical service for customers who in ill. This will make customers convenient as they do not need to go clinic outside and able to rest in the hotel after getting medical treatment. Shangri-La hotel also provide disabled facilities for handicapped such as handicapped toilet as to satisfy them although they are people with disabilities. Customers are able to choose non-smoking rooms or smoking rooms according to their preference. Safe deposit box also provided to let customers safe keeping their important documents or expensive goods. Parking facilities and valet service are provided for customers who looking for a stay in the hotel. Services such as the complimentary shoeshine service is provided for customers who staying in the hotel for a period of time and looking for shoeshine service. Postal and courier service also provided in order for customers to deliver documents or packages. Laundry service provided for customers who want to wash their clothes. Those services are provided to easier customers as they are not necessary to looking those service outside. Child care or babysitting service also provided in the hotel as some parents have some urgent things to do, they can looking for babysitting of their babies. A hotel can be occupied without few facilities, but cannot be occupied without restaurants and bars. Shangri-La hotel features the impressive selection of international, award winning restaurants, including the award-winning Restaurant Lafite, which serves the finest western cuisine. There are five awesome restaurants and two bars located inside the hotel. The wide selection of dining options makes Shangri-La hotel a best location for travellers who enjoy fine cuisine, and also makes the hotel an excellent location for businessman to convene meetings and conferences. Not only that, Shangri-La hotel provides free breakfast or drinks for customers at the cafà © while they preparing rooms for customers. This implication done by Shangri-La hotel is to concern the desired expectation of customers and try to satisfy customers by exceeding customers perceived expectation. Shangri-La hotel also provides 24-hour room service which customers are able to request dishes or drinks with a simply phone call. 24-hour room service is best required by businessman who went out for business meeting and came back late night. It will satisfy them with a delicious meal and the fast delivery. Few shops are located inside the hotels such as the foreign exchange counter and gift shop. Foreigners are able to exchange their currency in the hotel and tourists can purchase gifts in the shop. As now technology became more important, Wi-Fi is the best tool for tourists and businessman. Free Wi-Fi access is provided for every room guests in order for them to access to the internet. Shangri-La also provides travel and transportation service for customers. Airport connection is one of the service included, guests can choose to reach hotel by hotel limousine pick-up, express train or taxi. This usually is made for foreigners and tourists. Hotel limousine pick-up can be chosen with different types of cars. Car rental service and travel agency also provide for customers in order for them to visit any places nearby the hotel. This services provided for customers so they do not need to look at outside of the hotel and can be avoid scamming. Many business amenities are offered to businessman such as the meeting rooms, binding service, laser printing, scanning and photocopying services in order for them to prepare important documents in their trip. Prompt and fast check-in and check-out service also attract customers as they dont have to wait for so long with the service process. Helpful and cheerful receptionists are also type of service that the hotel provided for customers. Receptionists and customer service can help the customers to solve problems such as the changes of rooms or handle complaint. Outstanding staff will satisfy customers as they provide great and wonderful service for them. Hotel employees with smile and cheerful look will make the customers feel happy and satisfied in terms of hospitality service. By according to the feedback received online, Shangri-La hotel can said to be the highest positive feedback received by the customers. Most customers are satisfied and happy with the services provided by the hotel. Satisfied customers will promote and recommend to others with the great services they received at the hotel. Positive word of mouth can improve the reputation of the hotel and this enable the hotel to attract more customers. Customers satisfactions always brings Shangri-La hotel the effort to do better and it leads to customers loyalty where customers will come back to visit the hotel next time. Shangri-La hotel always maintain a high standard of services as they believe service is the crucial rules of a successful hotel. This is how Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad do business in a fully competitive environment and yet did so well in the service industry. SWOT Analysis A companys successfulness always depends on the strategy that the company used to improve its business. SWOT analysis is one of tools that most companies like to use to determine the companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threat. Hotel industry such as Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad also need SWOT analysis to use as a guide for the business and distinguish between today situation and future situation. SWOT analysis will be very effective and useful for Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad to improve its strengths and opportunities and yet minimize the weaknesses and threats. Strengths, which are the beneficial aspects of the organization or the capabilities of an organization, which includes human competencies, process capabilities, financial resources, products and services, customer goodwill and brand loyalty. One of the strengths of Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad is the brand name. Brand is very important for every business as it helps to internationally recognized for its luxurious hotels and resorts. Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad is said to be an aspirational brand to the public. Besides, the leadership and management skills of Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad is well known for its fine and tuned management that is capable enough to run the whole corporation. It helps Shangri-La hotels provide great and excellent service for every customer. Next, the high quality service of Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad also attract a large number of repeat customers which form a loyalty between them. In addition, another strength of Shangri-La hotels is its five-star venture that won numerous awards including the leading spot as the Top Asia Hotel in Malaysia, Best Luxury Hotel in Malaysia by the 2012 Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Awards and World Luxury Hotel Awards Global Winner in the Best Luxury Business Hotel and Best City Hotel category 2011. These awards build up a branded image for Shangri-La hotels and reputation in the hotel field. Not only that, Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad also is the leading corporation on its line of food expertise in various cuisine from eastern to western. Many customers visit Shangri-La hotels are mostly due to the delicious and relaxing restaurants. Clean and tidy of the hotel rooms are the main reason of customers likes to visit Shangri-La hotels as they always satisfied with the environment. Weaknesses, which deteriorate influences on the organizational success and growth. There are little of weaknesses of Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad as they always minimize their weaknesses and transform to their strengths. One of the weaknesses is the inadequate of staff with qualifications as Shangri-La only hires personnel with skilled expertise and the draught for manpower. This may affect the shortage of workers and influence the performance of the hotel. Furthermore, the concept of Shangri-La is outdated and does not appeal to younger generation. They rather go for hotels such as Hard Rock Hotel or G Hotel. Next, the maintenance cost is too high to handle as Shangri-Las hotel and resort must be excellent to its quality for accommodation. This will increase the expenses of Shangri-La hotels and thus the price of the hotel room will also increase. Opportunities, that are presented by the environment within which our organization operates. These arise when an organization can take benefit of conditions in its environment to plan and execute strategies that enable it to become more profitable. As economy of Malaysia had improve steadily nowadays and tourism sector is growing and booing in the recent years making the demand for hotels to increase significantly. Economy of the country will directly enhance the tourism sectors, thus service industry such as hotel will be attractive. Besides, online market is one of the opportunities that helps the growth of Shangri-La hotels as it ranks No.1 in the Tripadvidor website. Technology helps Shangri-La hotels to attract customers as it is kind of marketing and promotion strategy. On the other hand, partnership with international airways, KLIA, is one of the opportunities that more foreigners will be able to visit Asia. This in return increases the occupancy in hotels. Besides, as the steadily growth of economy had increase the job opportunities in Malaysia and this will occurs the lack of human resource. Thus, the lack of human resource will encourage expatriates to come and work in Malaysia. These are the upper class people and usually require hotels for their choice of stay. Threats, one of the threats facing by Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad is the competition of the business. Rival hotels are setting up their base in Asia and lower their prices making it more competitive. Those competitors will influence the sales of Shangri-La hotels. Guesthouses will also compete as they provide much lower rate and affordable to all people. Low budget hotels are the competitors which offering lower costs of accommodation for customers to compete with Shangri-La hotels. In addition, spreading virus such as SARS and H1N1 and robbery cases will discourage people not travel overseas and thus affected the business of Shangri-La hotels. SWOT analysis is one of the tools that are very important and effective for every business to determine the situation of the business and thus making improvement for it. Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad will keep providing great service for customers after doing SWOT analysis as understand the internal and external determinants of the business. Marketing Strategies (7 Ps) A companys success is not only depends on the effectiveness and efficiency of the companys management. It also need to focus in marketing which is the important process of communicating the product or service with customers. Customers are important as without customers, a company will not grow and success. In order to grow a company, customers satisfaction need to get into details. Shangri-La hotel is a company which marketing its services to the customers. Therefore, Shangri-La hotel must has its marketing strategies to achieve the companys goals. Marketing strategies defined as the marketing logic by which the business unit hopes to achieve its marketing objectives. Marketing strategy consists of specific strategies for target markets, marketing mix and marketing expenditure level. Marketing mix is the most common strategy used by many company. Shangri-La hotel is one of the companies which implement marketing mix strategy. Marketing mix consists of 7Ps for developing an effective marketing strategy. It consists of product, price, people, process, promotion, place and physical evidence. The first P Product, usually defined in the capacity of goods or services. Product can be differentiated with quality, design, variety and features. The product of Shangri-La hotel is providing services to customers instead of goods. Shangri-La hotel provides online customer service for customers and customers can get to know the hotel with their website provided. Accommodation service is the main service a hotel provides for customer. So, in order to satisfy customer, types of rooms are playing an important role. There are five types of rooms provided for customers according to their preferences. A hotel must always satisfy customer and build a good relationship with customer through service provided in order to get loyal customer for the hotel and yet maintaining a long term business. Shangri-La hotel provides variety of facilities for convenience their customer to enjoy the stay from the time check-in until check-out. Facilities can be included exclusive room facilities, hotel facilities, dining and entertainment, sport and leisure for customers. Services with intangible are the helpful services provided by receptionists and the smiling face welcoming customers by the staff. The second P Price, is the amount of money for customers to pay for accommodation service in the hotel. Shangri-La hotel always fixed the price according to the types of rooms chosen by customer. Customers are able to make booking online as to convenient them for make comparison and know the price. Online booking usually will requested customers to choose few options according to their choices and they can pay the total amount of the room by using credit card. Besides, online booking will convenient foreigners as it provide currency converter for them to convert into their currency. Pricing strategy using by Shangri-La hotel is based on the service ordered by customers, so customers will be more satisfy with the service because the hotel provide service according to customers order. Discounts and allowances will be given by Shangri-La hotel in the off-peak seasons as to attract more customers to increase sales. By giving discounts in a special room rate, customers can have the chance to stay in the hotel with a relatively lower price and the hotel can build the customer loyalty at the moment. Customers also can made their payment with cash or card as to convenient customers and prevent hassle of customers. The third P People, relate to persons who involve in the process of interaction. People can be classified into target customers and service personnel by Shangri-La hotel. Target customers of Shangri-La hotel are mostly from upper-class or those who posses higher financial ability. Shangri-La hotel is mostly targeted customers of tourists and businessman. Tourists who come from overseas are willing to stay in a luxurious and expensive hotel as they are of higher financial group and likes with relaxing lifestyle. Besides tourists, businessman is another target customer who mostly required to stay in a five star hotel as their expense will be paid by company. By choosing a five star hotel by business travelers, it will create a good image of the company he/she represented. Whereas the people of service personnel involve in the interaction, Shangri-La hotel must recruits and hires employees with skills and attitudes. Skills can be relate to the qualification, ability and competency. Attitudes are those behavior that every staff in the hotel must be acquired such as helpful, responsive and smiling. Shangri-La hotel has provided training programmes for all the hotel employees to make improvement. With skills and attitudes, employees are able to satisfy customers in any issues and lead them back to loyalty. The fourth P Process, refers to the systems used to assist the organization in delivering the service. For example, when enter a hotel, you welcomed by staff with smiles, check-in service is fast, baggage is taken to room, have a great service from the restaurant and facilities, and finally ended trip and baggage delivered to you. This is the process in Shangri-La hotel. Shangri-La hotel demonstrate process involve in delivering services. Fast check-in process is the key of first impression of customer as reservation will be served directly by the receptionist. Besides, when customers are in hunger and order dishes through room service, a fast delivering process is enough to satisfy customers. If customers want to make a complaint regarding the non-working of air-conditional, the fast process of making complaint and solve the problem is very important. Shangri-La hotel always help customers to solve problem as they care of customers. The fifth P Promotion, usually made to attract more customers to increase sales. Shangri-La hotel usually have promotion and special offer to build long term relationship with loyal customer. Shangri-La hotel is using advertising and online marketing to make promotion. Advertising can be regarded as the banner and brochures of the hotel. Technology had become very important nowadays as most people know how to surf internet. Online marketing is the trend to promote Shangri-La hotel. Customers can book hotel rooms at other website such as booking.com and agoda.com. Those websites are able for customers to leave feedback regarding their stays. Positive feedback will successfully attracted more customers to visit the hotel. Furthermore, customers are able to pay less for more with special offer and promotion made by Shangri-La hotel. Customers can enjoy delicious meals at the restaurant with the special offer made in particular day such as Valentines day. Positive word of mouth is one of the ways for promotion as satisfied customers will recommend other customers to visit the hotel. The sixth P Place, where customer can receive the service. Shangri-La hotel is a world-class hotel as hotels are distributed all over the world such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Australia and etc. New hotels are built by according to the demand chain management as the company knows what places are demanded by people for a hotel. There are three Shangri-La hotels in Penang, two at Batu Feringgi and one located in Georgetown. Batu Feringgi Beach is one of the tourist attractions in Penang. Foreign travelers love to visit the beach and this had made the popularity of Rasa Sayang Resort and Golden Sands Resort. Traders hotel is located in Georgetown where most of the businessman likes to visit. Hotels located in the city will be more preferable by travelers as they can go visit any place nearby. Places of the locations of Shangri-La hotel are wonderful and it has its own specific environment. The seventh P Physical evidence refers to services in tangible. The most common physical evidence of Shangri-La hotel is the brochures which mostly customers can requested at the counter. Business cards of receptionists or managers can be regarded as physical evidence as it can be used for next visits or recommendations. Customers can enjoy the beautiful and extraordinary designs of the outdoor swimming pool as it is regarded as the physical evidence. When customers made payment of the hotel room, an invoice of payment will be received by customer. It belongs to physical evidence as shows that customers are able to enjoy the optimum level of satisfaction of services. Service Issue Shangri La Hotel Berhad is a limited company that operates throughout Malaysia. Although Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad is doing good in the service industry, there have some issues that need to be improved and overcome. One of the issue faced by Shangri La Hotel Berhad is the insufficient manpower to conduct the daily operations. This is because Malaysia is facing lack of workers and is importing workers from other foreign countries. The link between manpower and Shangri La Hotel Berhad is fairly simple as manpower is proportional to productivity. The more people are available to work, the faster projects can be completed or the more projects a company can take on. Conversely, a lack of adequate manpower prevents businesses from completing tasks. The lack of productivity translates into a reduction in revenue and profit, which in some cases means the business cant stay operational. Hence if Shangri La do not handle this issue adequately, the efficient and effectiveness of the company will be affected. The second issue faced by Shangri La is the standards of the hotel staff not on par. With the increasing challenges the hotel sector is facing globally and the escalating demand for tourism products and services, especially in the emerging markets, there is urgent need for players in the region to offer high quality performance standards to survive. As stated, because of insufficient workers, Shangri La has to hire foreign workers in order to balance up the workforce. Foreigners on the other hand are usually hired from third world countries because of their low cost. This in return has taken toll on the overall performance of the company. Therefore, Shangri La should also look into this matter. The third issue is about the maintenance handled by Shangri La. As noted Shangri La Hotel Berhad is engaged in the operation of hotels and beach resorts, a golf course and clubhouse, property management and investment and commercial laundry. In the field of golf courses and clubhouse, maintenance is the upmost important. Shangri La on the other hand is doing just average based on the reviews. Because Shangri La Hotel Berhad is a five star company, they should be able to improve their maintenance and achieve excellence. As stated, maintenance is important in the hospitality trade as it reflects the service provided by Shangri La to their customers. Besides that, Shangri La also engages in beach resorts, having one in Batu Ferringhi and one at Sabah which is the more popular ones. Based on the reviews of the hotels, Shangri La Hotel Berhad has received complaints on the lack of entertainment provided on the beachfront which is also one of the issue faced by Shangri La. The beach itself is already amazing to enjoy. However, being viewed for their excellence, Shangri La Hotel Berhad should enhance a solution to that matter. Several reviews stated that there is nothing for the people to do at the beach but loafing around making the stay boring and unworthy. All these issues should be addressed by Shangri La Hotels Berhad as to maintain their international standards. If these service issues are solved, there is no doubt that Shangri La Hotels Berhad will achieve excellence in their line of trade. Latest Venture / Business Plan Although Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad already owns 66 hotels all over the world and has long term customers, Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad want to keep expand and differentiate its business in order to provide more service to the public. This is also a way to get more income and try to satisfy customers in a long run. Recently, Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad have some new business plan and latest venture for its business. For example, they planned to have some major renovation programme for certain resorts. For example, some renovation would be held in Rasa Ria Resorts Garden Wing guestrooms. When the renovation is fully completed, those improved room products will give the resort a stronger business platform for the companys future growth and well to compete strongly in this competitive marketplace. They try to satisfy customers of their specific services provided which cant be found among competitors. This will lead to a competitive advantage for them and customers will looking forward for new venture and service provided by Shangri-La hotels (M) Berhad. Besides, Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad has planned to