Make vs Buy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Make vs Buy - Assignment Example The restaurant is intended to sell diverse products, which include buffet, pizza, soup, sauces and desserts. In addition, the restaurant will have a self-service soda bar. Although there are other companies such as McDonalds serving the area, the prices of their products are not affordable to most people in Florida. Moreover, these companies do not have physical locations in the area but rely on suppliers. This means that Papa Geo has the potential of competing effectively in the market and possibly gaining competitive advantage (Jeffries & McGrath, 2008). The fact that the products of the company are rare in the market consequently highly demand makes the company more competitive. This will ensure that the company records high sales volume. Moreover, the company will register high sales volume because they produce variety, which gives consumers the ability and freedom of choice. Finally, the company strategy is effective because it attracts children too, which will boost sales since it will be assumed to a family restaurant (Jeffries & McGrath, 2008). The offers given by financial lending institution will be enough in setting up the business and repayment period is reasonable, which will grant the owner the opportunity to repay comfortably. Therefore, the business can be set up but it requires effective analysis and forecasting due to uncertainties in the business environment. Proper financial budgetary planning is fundamental in achieving the company’s strategy. Sale forecast forms the most critical part of this budget proposal because, it is through proper and accurate forecasts in sales that the entrepreneur would be able to determine the amount to repay either in monthly or annual basis. The above sales forecasts are made with the assumptions that one unit in the company goes at $7, and each individual in the 15-minute area purchases one unit

Puerto Ricans and black Americans Essay Example for Free

Puerto Ricans and black Americans Essay In his memoir â€Å"Down These Mean Streets†, Piri Thomas searches for belonging in the racially stratified American nation of the 1940’s and 1950’s. Thomas explores how his race as well as his physical appearance compels him to seek identification with black Americans. Throughout the narrative Piri struggles with his father’s privileging of whiteness and rejection of their visible black racial heritage. Piri questions his father’s abandonment, as he sees it, of their racial identity and of Piri as he attempts to navigate the United States process of assimilation. While Piri struggles with his rejection by larger society as a Puerto Rican, he is conscious that he has another avenue open to him, identification as a black American, and despite his father’s objections he deliberately explores that option as a way to find some sense of belonging and acceptance. Piri was born at Harlem Hospital and is raised in East Harlem where he learns to identify himself along racial and ethnic lines with the other Puerto Ricans and black Americans that make up his world. When his father moves the family beyond Piri’s comfort zone to Italian turf, just a few blocks away, Piri becomes aware of himself as an outsider. For the first time, Piri must face the dilemma of being a darker-complexioned Puerto Rican and being labeled as black. At this point in his young life, Piri’s identity is firmly rooted in a Puerto Rican heritage reinforced by his mother’s desire to return home to the Caribbean. Piri remembers his mother’s sentiments: â€Å"Momma talked about Puerto Rico and how great it was, and how she’d like to go back one day, and how it was warm all the time there and no matter how poor you were over there, you could always live on green bananas, bacalao, and rice and beans. ‘Dios mio,’ she said, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever see my island again† (Thomas 9) Piri’s mother serves as a guide that emphasizes her homeland in Piri’s imagination. Although Piri’s family has no hope of ever returning to Puerto Rico, Piri holds onto his Puerto Rican identity and firmly resists anyone’s labeling of him as black American. Another factor in his resistance to a black identification is the white appearances of his mother, sister, and brothers. Piri shares the darker complexion of his father who negates his African heritage by stating that his dark complexion is due to ‘Indian’ blood and even on occasion exaggerates his Puerto Rican accent to emphasize his ethnic difference from black Americans. Even at a young age Piri recounts feeling as though his dad favored his lighter-complexioned siblings and treated him in a harder and rougher manner: â€Å"Pops, I wondered, how come me and you is always on the outs†¦How come when we all get hit for doing something wrong, I feel it the hardest? Maybe ‘cause I’m the biggest, huh? Or maybe it’s ‘cause I’m the darkest in this family† (Thomas 22). As a child Piri can already sense the difference in the way his father treats him. As an adult he confronts his father about his behavior and associates his bitterness toward him to the racial self-hatred that his father experiences after his arrival in the United States. In an interview, Thomas acknowledges that although he was conscious of the difference in his appearance at home, it was outside of the home and initially at school where he felt the real impact of being Afro-Latino (Hernandez, 5). In his memoir it is after his father moves Piri outside of his comfort zone again and crosses boundaries by moving his family to a majority white community in Long Island that Piri begins to experience exclusion by his peers. At a school dance after he overhears a group of white students expressing disgust and resentment at his audacity in asking a white girl to dance with him, he comes to understand his outsider status at school and refuses to return, which eliminates his only educational resource for obtaining higher paying legal employment later on in life. In addition, Piri recounts another instance in Long Island when he was treated as a trespasser also because of his expressed romantic interest in a white woman. In this situation a white man bombards him on a train with racial epithets for being accompanied by his white girlfriend. In anger Piri transfers his hate for his racial predicament to his girlfriend during sex. He remembers, â€Å"In anger, in hate, I took out my madness on her† (Thomas 90). Piri’s actions following this racist experience complement his father’s use of white women to ease the pain of racism. Piri associates his father’s marriage to his white mother and later infidelity with another white woman as an attempt to nullify his blackness. Piri does not verbally claim that this is the motivation for his father’s attraction to white women. However, Piri acutely senses that Poppa correlates whiteness to superiority and advancement because of his father’s harsher treatment of him in comparison to his fairer siblings and the gradual removal of his family from the barrio and communities of color. Sanchez hypothesizes that while in Puerto Rico, â€Å"Poppa protects himself against his ancestral black blood by marrying Piri’s mother, whose white skin gives him racial privilege and cultural capital† (122). From his father, Piri learns to use white women as a tool to ease his own racial discomfort. Piri is attracted to a fair-complexioned Puerto Rican woman named Trina who becomes his girlfriend. However, unlike his mother who rejects the notion of racial privilege among her family members, Trina is aware of the power position she holds as a white Latina. After a party, Trina comments on her position and the privileges it allows her, â€Å"I can drink anytime I want to†¦After all, I’m free, white, and over the age† (Thomas 112). Piri picks up on her claim to racial privilege and the difference Trina acknowledges between their disparate situations within the American racial hierarchy. In response to Trina’s drunken statements, Piri attempts to assert a dominant position over her by punching her in the face but instead he injures his hand. Facing racial discrimination as black men is a disempowering and emasculating experience for Piri and his father. Affirming superiority over women is one way that they are able to reaffirm their masculinity and reject a black identification. The association of â€Å"black† with the position of inferior social status in the United States and the correlation between women and inferiority in Puerto Rico converge within the context of the Puerto Rican American experience to equate black to woman. Asserting superiority over women aid Piri and his father in rejecting a black identity. Claiming this position over white women in particular implies that they are capable of transgressing a racial line that black men cannot. In Thomas’s narrative, female characters are repeatedly used by Piri and other men to assert their own masculinity and superiority over women and therefore, through substitution, to assert their humanity and negate their inferior racial status. In his narrative, Thomas juxtaposes his family’s home in Babylon, Long Island to Harlem in order to portray Long Island as the mainstream American community that he is excluded from and Harlem as a peripheral community to the dominant one that rejects him. After Piri realizes he is the victim of racial discrimination at a job interview, he decides that he will no longer pursue employment and acceptance in mainstream American society. Instead he finds self-employment and comfort selling and using drugs while living in Harlem. Thomas writes: â€Å"But I was swinging in Harlem, my Harlem, next to which Babylon was like cotton candy white and sticky, and tasteless in the mouth† (Thomas, 105). Thomas contrasts Harlem to Long Island: the former where he finds belonging and safety among the racially marginalized and underground drug culture where he can alleviate the pain of non-belonging and the latter as exclusionary and unwilling to allow him to pursue upward mobility through legal societal structures. Despite the handful of lessons that Piri picks up from his father that allow him to retain some sense of self and manhood in the United States, Piri is furious at his father for abandoning him by rejecting the racial plight of Afro-Latinos and aligning himself with whites and a non-black Puerto Rican identity that causes him to exaggerate his foreign origins and deny any African ancestry. Piri confronts his father and expresses his anger at him for rejecting their shared racial identity before he leaves his family on a journey to the southern states: â€Å"Poppa, don’t you know where you at? Or are you seeing it, Poppa, and making like it’s not there†¦You protect your lying dream with a heavy strain for a white status that’s worthless to a black man† (Thomas 151). Even though Piri leaves home without his father’s support, he has already internalized several of his father’s coping strategies for dealing with American racism which he attempts to employ during his travels and which help lead him to his own survival strategies. Ironically, although he criticizes his father for emphasizing his foreign status as a Puerto Rican, it is the same device that Piri makes use of in the south. Piri’s brother Jose has the white appearance that Piri and his father both covet. Because of this, Piri believes that his father favors Jose and his other fair-complexioned siblings. He is jealous of Jose’s relationship with their father and the ease with which he is capable of assimilating among the white community in Long Island, which represents mainstream America. Because of this, Jose with his white skin, nearly blond hair and blue eyes, represents the image that Piri once felt he embodied but learns that he does not. In an effort to try to gain some sympathy from his family about his racial position, he attempts to force Jose to see how he is like him and that they share the same African ancestry. In a discussion with Jose about his plans to go on a journey south with his friend Brew, Piri is determined to make Jose aware that his black skin is also a part of his brother’s heritage. In an angry response, Jose defends his claim to whiteness and insists that Piri is making the choice to identify as black: Jose’s face got whiter and his voice angrier at my attempt to take away his white status. He screamed out strong, ‘I ain’t no nigger! You can be if you want to be. You can go down South and grow cotton, or pick it, or whatever the fuck they do. You can eat that cornbread or whatever shit they eat. You can bow and kiss ass and clean shit bowls. But – I –am white! † (Thomas 145) Jose’s outburst reveals his understanding that being black is identified with the lower rungs of the socio-economic hierarchy. However, what he does not realize is that whereas he has the power to choose a racial identity, whether it is white, black, or Indian, Piri does not. Piri’s visible racial difference hinders him from assimilating into mainstream America, being socially accepted by whites, or pursuing economic mobility in the same fashion as Jose. Jose explains away Piri and their father’s dark skin by suggesting that in addition to their Spanish ancestry they also have some Native American blood. Native American heritage is seen as an alternative to the black and white binaries used in the United States and allows an individual a place above that of black Americans in the American racial hierarchy. Jose explains away Piri’s dark skin to his white friends by claiming a Spanish and Indian mixture, however Piri rejects this identification in favor of an Afro-Latino identity. Despite the racial rejection that Piri experiences by his father and brother, Piri comes to terms with his blackness partly through his friendship with two black Americans, Crutch and Brew. In a conversation about the racial politics of the south, Crutch piques Piri’s curiosity about the south by describing a similar dilemma to the one that Piri faces: Places like Georgia and Mississippi and Alabama. All them places that end in i’s an’ e’s an’ a whole lotta a’s. A black man’s so important that a drop of Negro blood can make a black man out of a pink-asshole, blue-eyed white man. Powerful stuff, that thar white skin, but it don’t mean a shit hill of beans alongside a Negro’s blood (Thomas, 120). Crutch describes to Piri the historical assignment of mixed-raced people to the black race, even if an individual’s ancestry is mainly of European origin. The image conveyed reflects Piri’s own background growing up with family members with the light hair, skin and eyes of Europeans. Crutch’s description of the importance that â€Å"a Negro’s blood† plays in assigning individuals to racial categories in the south initiates Piri’s interest in traveling there. His journey south serves as a quest to gain an understanding of the racial issues that plague him and his father. Although his father has abandoned Piri to experience life as a black man on his own, Piri continues on his travels with his father as an underlying motivator to discover a place of racial belonging that they both can fit comfortably into. In his southern travels, Piri feels more heavily the weight of his skin color in instances such as when he is forced to sit in the back of the bus despite his remonstrations that he is Puerto Rican or when he is refused service at a whites only restaurant. Despite his initial proclamation that he is interested in going to the south to discover his own identity as a black man and the socio-political constraints of that position, Piri continues to assert his difference and racial privilege as a Latino in the same manner as his father. Without his father’s guidance, Piri completes his travels down south and through other adventures before deciding to make Harlem his home, which is the only place where he really feels as though he belongs. Brown comments on Piri’s return to Harlem: â€Å"Only on the streets of Spanish Harlem, with his boys, does Piri have a sense of ‘home,’ even when he is strung out on heroin and literally homeless, crashing with whomever he can† (Brown, 33). Piri doesn’t make that transition to black American nor does he find a way to assimilate into mainstream America. In contrast to his father, he chooses to return to Harlem, a marginalized community on the fringe of mainstream culture where he is comfortable with his Afro-Latino identity and where he finds belonging among the same streets where he felt accepted during his youth. Piri remembers that the â€Å"world of the street belonged to the kid alone. There he could earn his own rights, prestige, his good-o stick of living. It was like being a knight of old, like being ten feet tall† (Thomas 107). The gangs and streets serve as Piri’s community as a youth; however, once he grows older, the drug underworld is where he turns to alleviate the pain of not belonging. The youth gang culture that Thomas romanticizes in his memoir has grown to unprecedented heights and takes on a new life in the writing of the subsequent generations. BIBLIOGRAPHY Thomas, Piri. Down These Mean Streets. New York: Vintage Books, 1967 Sanchez, Marta E. â€Å"La Malinche at the Intersection: Race and Gender in Down These Mean Streets. † PMLA. 113. 1 (Jan 1998) : 117-128. Brown, Monica. Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizens in Puerto Rican, Chicano, and Chicana Narratives. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002 Hernandez, Carmen Delores. â€Å"They Have Forced Us to Be Universal†. Interview with Piri Thoma, 5/6 Mar. 1995. Retrieved from http://www. cheverote. com/reviews/hernandezinterview. html , June 4, 2009

The Blameless Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter - The Suffering of the Blameless Pearl   Ã‚   The Puritan life is based purely on sin. The Puritans believe that all people are sinners and are thus despised and hated by God. Sinners are subject to the worst punishments and suffer the worst torment. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, several characters serve as models of sinners in agony from their error. Both Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne bear the punishment of their adultery, which evidenced itself in their daughter Pearl. While Dimmesdale plagues himself with guilt and Hester lives with the brand of the scarlet "A", it is Pearl who receives the worst penalty, suffering for a sin which she did not even commit. The village where she resides associates her with the circumstances of her birth, branding her with a reputation as difficult to bear as her mother's. Although many in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter endure the results of sin, none have punishment equal to that of little Pearl's.    From the moment she is born in the cold, heartless prison, Pearl is placed under scrutiny. The townspeople see her as a visible reminder of sin, and it isn't long until even her own mother searches for evil in her. The girl is described as "the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!"(Hawthorne 103). With her fascination from an early age with the scarlet letter, Hester believes that Pearl's very reason for existence is to torment her mother. Hester fails to realize that the letter is just something bright and significant to which Pearl reacts; instead, she sees every glance, every word aimed at the letter, every touch of Pearl's tiny fingers to her bosom as an added torture resulting from her adultery. Hester, considering Pearl's very existence, goes so far as to question if the impish child is even her own. "Thou art not my child! Thou art no Pearl of mine!"(Hawthorne 99) she tells Pearl, only half-jokingly. In her own way, she wonders whet her Pearl was sent to her by God or by a demon wishing to cause her pain. She is not alone in this speculation; many of the town's citizens believe there is something of the Devil in Pearl.

How a Friend Change My Life

Friends Really Do Change Your Life I believe friends can impact your life. Whether negatively or positively, the people you surround yourself with have a significant impact on where your life takes you. Specifically, I believe my best friend got me to where I am today. I am now and have been on a path to success since she entered my life. Four years ago, I was a trouble maker, rule breaker and all out rebel. The girls that I surrounded myself were known for their bad attitudes and party habits.I have watched their lives get destroyed because of the decisions they made. I believe by stepping away from them, I have become a more structured and overall better person. During my friendship with my former group of friends, I had no rules. I stayed out hours past midnight, threw parties without my parent’s permission or knowledge, and didn’t care who I associated myself with. Thankfully, I was level-headed enough to never give in to the pressure of trying drugs or alcohol. I w as only in it for the fun.Four of these girls, however, lacked the better judgment I was lucky enough to have. They drank constantly, smoked pot, and ditched school almost every day. After several years of this, I had had enough. Unfortunately, by associating myself with this group I had somewhat ruined my reputation. Even though I stayed away from drugs, people at school assumed I was just as crazy as the rest of the girls. The girls eventually dropped out of school and I was left trying to find people that would accept me.I knew of another girl at school that I hadn’t talked to in a few years. She was in Honors classes and theater, so we rarely crossed paths. Our parents, however, were best friends and always encouraged her and I to hang out but we never found much in common. After separating myself from my former group, she and I became friends. I quickly found myself realizing what true friendship really was and was surprised to have found it with someone I had once thoug ht to be so different from me. Four years later, we are best friends and closer than anyone could imagine.Through the lives of my former friends, I have seen what my path could have been. I could have been without a high school education, without a job, without my dignity and without a true friend. I have learned that who you associate yourself with can have a strong impact on your future. By becoming friends with someone I thought was on the right path, I, myself, can see a bright future ahead of me. I am extremely thankful to have found someone who helped me get on this path. I believe that without her, I would not be who I am today.

Communication Methods Essay

As a manager of a large rehabilitation center that provides short term care rehabilitation services, adding long term care services will require hiring and training new employees. It is important that managers understand the appropriate communication methods, why they are important, and what internal and external relationships that must be considered. There are a few appropriate communication methods manager can use in this organization such as emails, memos, team meetings, flyers, and powerpoint presentations. A mailing list can be implemented to send out emails with information or by sending flyers via USPS. Holding team meetings is a great to provide information to staff members as well as receiving employee feedback and suggestions to improve the quality of care. Although there are many methods of communication, holding staff meeting is the best way for information to flow from managers to employees, and employees to managers. Communication is important in the rehabilitation center as many services are provided by multiple physicians. â€Å"Communication between provider and consumers affects every facet on the health continuum from health promotion and disease prevention to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment† (Jones & Bartlett, 2014). The quality of care is dependent upon staff members working together to provide care. This requires effective communication to pass health information, and share knowledge with each other to find the proper treatment plan. The use of flyers in the community allows for communication between the organization and the community, informing them of the addition of long term care services. This is important to reach the organizational goals. There are many internal and external relationships that must be considered when expanding services. Internal relationships include managers of other departments such as marketing, and staff members. Marketing  managers have knowledge of the demand for long term care services in the community and can provide the manager with that information. Staff members may be useful to help provide long term care services or train new employees. â€Å"The success of new organizational forms depends on managing inter-organizational relationships through external communication† (Johnson & Chang, 2000). External relationships such as other organizations in the community as well as the community should be considered. Other organizations can provide insight on what services are currently available locally and the need for long term care. Reaching out to the community by hosting or attending events will help to draw in customers for the new service and gain information on cultural needs of the community. Communication is key to providing quality care in a busy rehabilitation center. The use of emails, flyers, and team meetins are great ways to effectively communicate with staff members. Communication is important to ensure proper care is provided and the patient is satisfied with the outcome. Internal and external relationships must be considered receive feedback on internal operations, and understand the demand for care in the community. References Johnson, J., & Chang, H. (2000). Internal and External Communication, Boundary Spanning, and Innovation Adoption: An Over-Time Comparison of Three Explanations of Internal and External Innovation Communication in a New Organizational Form. Journal Of Business Communication, 37(3), 238-63 Jones & Bartlett ( 2014). Retrieved from http://www.jblearning.com/samples/0763755575/55577_ch01.pdf

of mice and men1 essays

of mice and men1 essays In John Steinbecks novel, OF MICE AND MEN, his theme of following your dreams and not being selfish was very clear. By opening the story with two dominant characters, George and Lennie, talking about their dreams to by a piece of land and build there dream place he showed us a great relationship between two friends. As the story continues they begin to carry out their plan. George and Lennie are going to a farm to look for work. During the interview the boss notices that George is answering all of Lennies questions, and this makes the boss suspicious. George explains that Lennie is not to bright. When the two friends are back in their bunk they meet Curley and his wife. Throughout the entire story Geprge and Lennie are continually discussing their dream plans; they have already begun to save money. Because Lennie likes to pet soft things Slim gives Lennie a puppy. Lennie is extremely large compared to the small puppy and George makes Lennie put the puppy down for fear that he might hurt it. Carlson Finally convinces Candy to kill his old blind dog. While Candy is waiting for this to happen George and Lennie then begin to once again discuss their dream. Curley decides to get in on the action. Curley later hits Lennie for laughing at him. Lennie is must bigger than Curly and ends up crushing Curleys hand. The group decides to say that Curley hurt his hand in a machine so that no one will get fired. Lennie later goes and visits Crook, a black man who normally does not associate will white men. Crook eventually invites Lennie into his shed and Lennie shares his dream plan with Crook, who decides he wants in on the plan but only because he will become lonely. Curleys wife then enters the scene and threatens Candy, which causes Crook to become scared and decide to not be part of the dream plan. After Lennie went home Curleys wife came to visit him and disco ...

Entrepreneurship And Special Interest Tourism The WritePass Journal

Entrepreneurship And Special Interest Tourism Abstract Entrepreneurship And Special Interest Tourism ). A key segment of the tourism sector that has gained increasing importance over the past few years is Special Interest Tourism (SIT). SIT has come to be recognized as a key contributor to this sector. According to estimates by Mintel (2002), over one-third of British consumers have either participated or engaged in a special interest holiday. Evidence by Shaw Williams (2002) has also shown that SIT is dominated by small businesses. Page et al. (1999) has further pointed out that small business are at the cornerstone of tourism development in local economies and that most travelers would come into SMTEs operating services. This raises a fundamental question: why does SIT appeal to small business enterprises? This paper seeks to address this question by exploring on SIT and SMTEs operations in the industry. The paper also details some of the management problems that might be facing such businesses during their early operations. Before exploring further, it is worthwhile defining the terms: Special interest tourism and Small Tourism Enterprises. Special interest tourism concept SIT has been given a varied set of definitions. Hall Weiler (1992) proposed that SIT occurs when the decision and motivation to travel are primarily determined by a particular special interest. Derrett (2001), Swarbrooke Horner (1999) and Douglas et al. (2001) expanded on this definition by characterizing SIT as a form of tourism: motivated by the desire to engage in new or existing interests undertaken for a distinct purpose or reason That is line with the principles of sustainability. In simple terms, Special Interest Tourism refers to the provision of customized tourism activities that cater for the needs and interests of individuals and groups. Ecotourism is a prime example of special interest tourism. For example, in Brazil, ecotourism has become very popular due to biological and scenic diversity. Ecotourism and special interest travel is experiencing a rapid growth in Brazil as the two major aspects of segmented tourism (MacDonald 2012). This new class of travelers has in the recent years transformed the tourism industry and changed the trend in tourism from the traditional holidays that characterized mass tourism to more specific prestige holidays (Poitevin 2012). Global warming has also given rise to a new niche in tourism. With the melting of icecaps and vanishing of coral reefs, a new nice tourism has developed (Climate tourists) whose primary motives to travel are driven by a special interest (Poitevin 2012). Antarctica Diving Expedition is a prime example of this particular special interest tourism package offer. This type of special interest tourism appeals mainly to tourists whose motives of travel are educational. The Antarctica Diving Expedition offer tourists with a unique opportunity of sightseeing above and below water insights into the white continent (Poitevin 2012). The Antarctica Diving experience also allows tourists to explore the subjective components such as the wildlife and the associated adventurous features. As noted by Trauer (2006), the growth of the SIT sector reflects the changing trend of tourism from the traditional mass tourism to one driven by specific interests. Its importance in the tourism market is evident by its remarkable growth in various countries. Studies by McKercher Chan (2005) have shown that 81% of US adults who travel are historic /cultural travelers. The number of SIT tourists has been found to be more than other tourists, with their stays even longer (Mackay et al. 2002). Small and Medium Tourist Enterprises (SMTEs) Having defined special interest tourism, it is equally important to understand what we mean by small business tourism enterprises. For the purpose of this analysis, we define SMTEs as comprising of all business in the tourism industry which are small by nature, owned and managed by sole operators and which employ up to 50 employees (Buhalis 1996). There is now an emerging consensus that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have an important role to play in the tourism industry. For example, in New Zealand, SMTEs play an important role of economic development, contributing to the social fabric of the local communities (MacDonald 2011). Similarly, the Australian tourism industry is dominated by small businesses that employ not more than 20 workers. 88% of the businesses in hospitality sector (restaurants, cafes and accommodations) comprise of the small businesses. Also, the cultural and recreational service sector in Australia is dominated by small businesses, with over 96% of the businesses comprising of the SMEs (Breen ). These small tourism businesses have a sizeable influence on tourism experience and the ability to offer personalized products to Niche markets (Macleod 2003). Why SIT appeal to small businesses Ecotourism and other special interest travels are known for their connection to nature. It is precisely this reason that special interest tourism appeal for many of the small business enterprises. Larger organizations are known to be profit driven, often have little regard to sustainability development. On the other hand, the very fact that SMTEs are small by nature and locally owned implies that they are more sustainable. With regards to this, small enterprises are viewed one of the vehicles through which sustainability issues can be spread in the STI sector. The focus on small-scale, environmentally sensitive and locally owned developments has led to the development of small business enterprises in the SIT sector. The priori assumption is that given their relatively small nature and local ownership, then SMTEs are viewed as contributing towards sustainable development. Whilst there is some indication in tourism literature that small business enterprises improve sectoral linkages, there seems to be no comprehensive mechanism for evaluating their contribution to sustainability objectives. Researches which expressly address this connection are noticeably lacking (Roberts Tribe 2008). The priori assumption is that by being small and locally owned, SMTEs are automatically more environmentally focused than the larger enterprises. This is not necessarily true and in fact, some authors have questioned this automatic conclusion. Hamzah (1997) argues that despite the growing demand for small-scale accommodation in Malaysia, these small scale developments have deteriorated into grotesque enclaves, adversely affecting marine life and ecosystems. Nonetheless, there are many positive examples where small tourism entities have proved to be environmentally benign such as in the Maho Bay Resort in the US (Roberts Tribe 2008). Market liberalization and other aspects of globalization also play a critical role. Globalization impacts and the increased market liberalization have provided small business entrepreneurs with opportunities to tap into the growing SIT sector. Large businesses enterprises have always ignored market niches. On the other hand, the small business enterprises have reaped the benefits of market niches by identifying customer needs and tailoring new niche products for potential future customer segments in the tourism industry (Peters Buhalis 2004). Niche markets provide SMTEs with an attractive opportunity to compete with the larger enterprises and to dominate the SIT sector. Their desire to tap the latent consumer demand in niche markets is what has led to their dominance in the SIT sector. In fact, Hall Weiler (1992) conceptualizes SIT as a predecessor of Niche Tourism. However, the choice to pursue a niche market does not necessarily imply the success of the business. Similar to other business decisions, this decision requires critical assessment. Whilst niche markets may provide opportunities to tap into new and untapped resources, it requires different management skills in order to ensure success. Small business enterprises are also more flexible and can react quickly to the changing market demands. Their typical flat hierarchy management structure provides them with the opportunity to make decisions faster and to react promptly to market changes (Peters Buhalis 2004). And given the rapid changes of the SIT sector, it is not surprising that the sector remains largely dominated by SMTEs. However, McKercher Chan (2005) have challenged the importance of the SIT sector as a potential growth sector for SMTEs. They argue that whilst tourists participate in a range of activities at a tourist destination, this rarely translates into strong commercial opportunities. They also point out that tourists who visit certain destinations of special interest may do so for secondary reasons. For example, tourists who visit museums may not necessarily be cultural tourists and their visits could only be part of their wider tour. Although these arguments may have some relevance, there is need for further research to be done to confirm their assumptions. Challenges facing small business in early operations Indeed we have identified the vital role played by SMTEs in the tourism sector. We’ve also identified the reasons why the SIT sector is dominated by the SMTEs. Equally important to highlight are the challenges that these small business face in their early operations. Whilst, SMEs play a critical role in the growth of the SIT sector, it should be noted that they are more vulnerable to failure especially during their early years of operation. According to a study by Buhalis (2011), 40% of SMTEs fail within the first 3 years and close to 60% over the 10 year period. Despite their unmatched abilities to stimulate the growth of the tourism industry through rapid injection of cash into the sector, SMTEs are often typified by a lack of management expertise and strategic vision (Buhalis 1996). Their inability to utilize managerial tools to address their strategic problems is their major weakness. A key characteristic of SMTEs is their informal organizational structure. SMTEs operate informal organizational structures, wherein both the management and operations are run by the family of the proprietors. As such, family principles usually prevail over business practices, thereby causing managerial problems.   The lack of management expertise in SMTEs inevitably originates erratic production and delivery procedures which may impact negatively on customer satisfaction and jeopardize the image of the business (Buhalis 1996). With such informal organizational structures, irrational decisions may be made which may adversely affect the business. Marketing is yet another point of weakness. Not only are SMTES usually unaware of the marketing tools and techniques but are also product oriented, failing to understand the changing consumer needs. The lack of marketing research debilitates their knowledge of the changing needs of consumers and prevents them from improving their services (Buhalis 1996). Further, promotional activities of small businesses are usually ill-targeted, inconsistent and uncoordinated (Poitevin 2012). Most SMTEs thus tend to rely upon tourism intermediaries to promote their offerings. Their dependence on these intermediaries limits their control over their businesses. For example, European tour operators control accessibility to tourism destinations, especially given that they own most of the airlines. As such, intermediaries tend to reduce the bargaining power of SMTEs within the distribution channel (Buhalis 1996). Further, these weaknesses are magnified by the fact that most SMTEs are illiterate in IT, hence are not able to take advantage of opportunities in the emerging electronic markets. The illiteracy of SMTEs in IT can be seen with their under-representation in most computer reservation systems and global distribution systems (Buhalis et al. 2011). Their illiteracy prevents them from benefiting from emerging electronic markets and this ultimately endangers their competitiveness and market share. Perhaps the greatest weakness with SMTEs is their deficiency in managing the human resources. The small size and the seasonal nature of problems experienced by SMTEs provide little opportunities for employing professionals, offering staff training and competitive salaries (Poitevin 2012). As such, most of the SMTEs would tend to rely mostly on personal skills and staff enthusiasm and thus face competitive disadvantages over the larger enterprises which have all the required resources for employing proficient personnel. In light of these management problems, there are political issues that also come into play and which cannot be ignored. Despite the growth in demand of special interest tourism, it is striking to note that SMTEs have not been accorded the necessary support from the government. For example, a UK study by Simpson Docherty (2004) identified distrust of government agencies as impacting on a large number of SMTEs. Governments have a critical role to play in order to support SMTEs. As Elliot (1997) suggests, government is a marker of economic influence and plays a mandatory role as regulators in the market. Page (2003) further points out that governments should help SMTEs enhance their competitiveness through stimulation of new ideas and innovations, and by providing them with support and assistance at a fledgling stage. The reality however is quite the opposite. For example, in the UK, SMTEs are poorly treated. Whilst the UK government is pinning all its hopes on SMTEs and entrepreneurs to pull the local economy away from a double-dip recession, it is striking to note that these small businesses are poorly treated. Almost every year, SMTEs are overcharged by  £3.6bn for basic products and services, compared to what the larger enterprises are charged (Poetvin 2012). Robert Tribe (2008) further notes that in many special interest tourism destinations, little is known about the critical role played by SMTEs in the sustainability progress. In addition, SMTEs are generally politically weak, lacking a strong lobbying voice for protecting their interests (Poetvin 2012). Clearly, the challenges facing SMTEs are enormous. With the tourism sector growing more professional and given increased emphasis on quality management; SMTEs typical lack of a strategic vision, management and business expertise and their illiteracy in IT may become a liability to these businesses (Buhalis 1996). This necessitates the need for more strategic management schemes for SMTEs, strengthening their political voice and government support. Conclusion It is clear that the past few years have seen the growth of Special Interest Tourism. Over one-third of British consumers have either participated or engaged in a special interest holiday. A key feature of the SIT sector is the dominance of small business enterprises. The SIT sector has appealed to these businesses for a number of reasons. First, the focus on small-scale, environmentally sensitive and locally owned developments has led to the development of small business enterprises in the SIT sector. Second, small business have targeted market niches, identifying customer needs and tailoring new niche products for potential future customer segments. On the other hand, the large business enterprises have always ignored market niches. And thirdly, SMTEs are more flexible than large organizations and thus can react quickly to changing market demands.   However, a recent study by McKercher Chan (2005) has argued that whilst tourists may participate in a range of activities at a special interest tourist destination, this rarely translates to strong commercial opportunities. These assumptions are yet to be confirmed. SMTEs face a range of management challenges especially in their early operations. SMTEs typical lack of a strategic vision, management and business expertise and their illiteracy in IT are a major hindrance to their success. There is need to have in place strategic management schemes for SMTEs, establish a strong lobbying voice and government support. Nonetheless, SMTEs remain the cornerstone of tourism development. With tourists evolving toward seeking individualized and unique experienced as opposed to the traditional mass holidays, Special Interest Tourism will continue to gain more prominence. Reference Ali-Knight, J.M., 2011. The role of niche tourism products in destination development. Sunderland: Business Education Publishers, pp. 1-14. Breen, J., Bergin-Seers, S., Jago, L. and Carlsen, J., 2005. Small and medium tourism enterprises: the identification of good practice. Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism. Buhalis, 1996. ‘Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium sized tourism enterprises’. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, vol.6 (1) Buhalis, D., Leung, D. and Law, R., 2011. Etourism: critical information and communication technologies for tourism destinations. CAB International Cooper, C.   and Sheperd, R. 1996. Educating the educators in tourism. 1st ed. Surey: World Tourism Council. Derret, R., 2001. ‘Special interest tourism: starting with the individual’. In: Douglas, N. and Derett, R (eds) Special Interest Tourism. Australia: Wiley. Douglas, N., Douglas, N. and Derrett, R., 2001. Special Interest Tourism. Sydney: John Wiley Sons. Elliot, J., 1997. Tourism: Politics and Public Sector Management. London: Routledge. Hall, C.M. and Weiler, B., 1992. Special-interest tourism. Canada: John Wiley Sons Hamzah, A., 1997. ‘The evolution of small-scale tourism in Malaysia: Problems, opportunities and implications for sustainability’. In M.J. Stabler (ed.) Tourism Sustainability – Principles to Practice. Oxon: CAB International.acKay, K.J., Andereck, K.L, and Vogt, C.A., 2002. ‘Understanding vacationing motorist niche markets’. Journal of Travel Research, 40(4), pp. 356-363. Macleod, D.V.L. (Ed.), 2003. Niche tourism in Question Interdisciplinary perspectives on problems and possibilities. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, Crichton publication. McKercher, B., and Chan, A., 2005. ‘How special is special interest tourism?’ Journal of Travel Research, 44(1), pp. 21-31. Mintel, 2002. Special Interest Holidays, Leisure Intelligence. Page, J., 2001. Tourism- a modern synthesis. 1st ed. London: Thompson Publishers. Page, S.J., 2003. Tourism Management Managing for change. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Peters, M. and Buhalis, D., 2004. Family hotel businesses: strategic planning and the need for education and training. England, UK: University of Surrey Poitevin, M., 2012. Following Antarctics tourism product: the general management challenges and issues facing small tourism enterprises (STEs). [viewed on 22nd July 2013] available from http://interestmeonit.weebly.com/1/post/2012/7/following-antarctics-tourism-product-the-general-management-challenges-and-issues-facing-small-tourism-enterprises-stes.html Roberts, S. and Tribe, J., 2008. Sustainability indicators for small tourism enterprises an exploratory perspective. University of Surrey, UK, Taylor Francis publishers. Shaw, G. and William, A., 2002: Critical Issues in Tourism: A Geographical Perspective. 2nd Edition. England: Blackwell Publishing. Simpson, M., and Docherty, A. J., 2004. ‘E-commerce adoption support and advice for UK SMEs’. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 11, 315-328. Swarbrooke, J., and Horner, S., 1999. Consumer Behavior in Tourism. Great Britain: Butterworth-Heinemann. Trauer, B., 2006. ‘Conceptualizing special interest tourism frameworks for analysis’. Tourism Management, 27(2), pp. 183-200. World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC), 2012. Tourism in the UK contributes more to GDP than automotive manufacturing. [Viewed on 22nd July 2013] available from wttc.org/news-media/news-archive/2012/tourism-uk-contributes-more-gdp-automotive-manufacturing/

Definition and Examples of Relative Pronouns in English

Definition and Examples of Relative Pronouns in English In English grammar, a relative pronoun is a  pronoun that introduces an adjective clause (also called a relative clause).   The standard relative pronouns in English are which, that, who, whom, and whose. Who and whom refer only to people. Which refers to things, qualities, and ideas- never to people. That and whose refer to people, things, qualities, and ideas. Examples and Observations One of the smaller girls did a kind of puppet dance while her fellow clowns laughed at her. But the tall one, who was almost a woman, said something very quietly, which I couldnt hear. (Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969)Spaghetti at her table, which was offered at least three times a week, was a mysterious red, white, and brown concoction. (Maya Angelou, Mom Me Mom, 2013)Wilbur was what farmers call a spring pig, which simply means that he was born in springtime.(E.B. White, Charlottes Web, 1952)On the plus side, death is one of the few things that can be done just as easily lying down. (Woody Allen, The Early Essays. Without Feathers, 1975)An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.(attributed to John Buchan)[T]o hurt innocent people whom I knew many years ago in order to save myself is, to me, inhuman and indecent and dishonorable. I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this years fashions.(Lillian Hellman, letter to the chair of the U.S. House Committee on Un-American Activities, May 19, 1952) He was a Frenchman, a melancholy-looking man. He had the appearance of one who has searched for the leak in lifes gas-pipe with a lighted candle; of one whom the clenched fist of Fate has smitten beneath the temperamental third waistcoat-button.(P. G. Wodehouse, The Man Who Disliked Cats)The people who had it hardest during the first few months were young couples, many of whom had married just before the evacuation began, in order not to be separated and sent to different camps. . . . All they had to use for room dividers were those army blankets, two of which were barely enough to keep one person warm. They argued over whose blanket should be sacrificed and later argued about noise at night.(Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston, Farewell to Manzanar, 1973)In the office in which I work there are five people of whom I am afraid.(Joseph Heller, Something Happened, 1974)Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Moms. Never sleep with a woman whose trou bles are worse than your own.(Nelson Algren, quoted in Newsweek, July 2, 1956) Franz Ferdinand would have gone from Sarajevo untouched had it not been for the actions of his staff, who by blunder after blunder contrived that his car should be slowed down and that he should be presented as a stationary target in front of Princip, the one conspirator of real and mature deliberation, who had finished his cup of coffee and was walking back through the streets, aghast at the failure of himself and his friends, which would expose the country to terrible punishment without having inflicted any loss on authority.(Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia. Viking, 1941) That and Which in American English Interestingly enough, American usage manuals and US editorial practice for almost a century now have been based on the fiction that a clear functional separation between that and which should exist- which is either an interesting case of a collective illusion taking hold among educated members of a speech community or a  modern-day revival of the 18th-century impulse to bring natural language into line with logic and thus remove its perceived defects. Whatever its motivation, prescriptive teaching, in this case, has not been without effect: a comparison between British and American databases . . . shows restrictive which to be seriously under-represented in American English in comparison to British English.(Geoffrey Leech, Marianne Hundt, Christian Mair, and Nicholas Smith, Change in Contemporary English: A Grammatical Study. Cambridge University Press, 2012) Who, Which, That, and the Zero Relativizer Three relative pronouns stand out as being particularly common in English: who, which, and that. The zero relativizer [or dropped relative pronoun] is also relatively common. However, . . . the relative pronouns are used in very different ways across registers. For example: In general, the relative pronouns that begin with the letters wh- are considered to be more literate. In contrast, the pronoun that and the zero relativizer have a more colloquial flavor and are preferred in conversation.(Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad, and Geoffrey Leech, Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Pearson, 2002) That and zero are the preferred choices in conversation, although relative clauses are generally rare in that register.Fiction is similar to conversation in its preference for that.In contrast, news shows a much stronger preference for which and who, and academic prose strongly prefers which.

Master thesis proposal Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Master thesis - Research Proposal Example The pandemic of HIV/AIDS threatens not only the local population but has widespread ramifications for the rest of the world and needs to be addressed urgently and incorporated as intrinsic part of business strategy and social responsibility by the global business community. Financial aids to the sub Sahara is critical for developing infrastructure for the development processes so as to enable the local population to become self reliant and become proactive participants. The regions boast of the huge natural resources, rich in minerals and precious metals like gold, platinum, diamond etc. which are presently being exploited by the foreign agencies with scarce regard to the welfare of the local population. Financial aid would serve as the major incentive for promoting democratization of the republics and reinforcing equitable distribution of wealth through programmes and policies. The approach needs to be focused on literacy and development processes to promote income generating activities designed to raise the standard of living. But the rampant corruption in the sub Sahara greatly dissuades the donors which may defeat the objective of aid. According to a BBC report, ‘corruption is costing Africa more than $148bn dollars a year, increasing the cost of goods by as much as 20%, deterring investment and holding back development’ (BBC, 2002). The corruption has been found to be the most insidious factor that infiltrates almost all strata of society of Sub Saharan Africa. From the high level political grafts to low level bribing of police and custom official has become the norm that de-accelerates the development process. It therefore, becomes the major instrument adversely impacts the objectives of financial aid and must be addressed to improve and improvise the outcome of the same. What is financial aid’s effect on the Sub Saharan

Camayd freixas interpreting ICE Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Camayd freixas interpreting ICE - Assignment Example Although the office of the clerk at the U.S. District Court had already contracted interpreters almost one month ago, they could not talk about it, since they were not at liberty to do so with the fear of compromising the impending raid. This investigation was reportedly led by ICE from the executive branch with the help of U.S. District Court from the judicial branch. The court had moved to a remote location for two weeks which formed part of their continuity of operation exercise just in case there was no disruption from any emergency such as flood or tornado. In the process of interpretations during the first day, we had sluggish beginning due to the malfunctioning of the barcode booking system of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This meant that we had to sort out the documents manually and the office of the U.S. Attorney assisted us in processing the documents. Because of this, few, less than a third, detainees could be arraigned on Tuesday. We made rotations in shift due to the many numbers of interpreters available that day. Although the court adjourned after 4pm, there was an overnight prosecution work that planned on a 7am to midnight court during the next day. I found out more facts about the Agriprocessors such as the factual statistics of arrest and number of employees. However, the more I found out, I felt blind sighted in an assignment that I never needed any part. Although I mastered the whole rationale of the secrecy involved, I understood clearly that the interpreter of the contract is the one with the right to decline a job that have conflicts with his intuitional morals. I had however been deprived of this opportunity. I was already in anyway and at some point I considered withdrawing seriously from the assignment as a federally certified interpreter for the first time in 23 years due to conflict of interest. Nevertheless, I had both the contractual and ethical obligation to have a withdrawal in case of conflict

Consider the role of the hero in a Sixteenth-Century work and a Essay

Consider the role of the hero in a Sixteenth-Century work and a Seventeenth-Century work (16th and 17th Century English Literature) - Essay Example Britomart, the central character Book III of in Spencer’s â€Å"Faerie Queen† is assigned with the role of a sophisticated representative of the Elizabethan patriarchal society, the eponymous heroine in the â€Å"Duchess of Malfi† appears to be the projection of a freewill feminine zeal against the patriarchal authority of the Jacobean Era (Roider). Though the texts deal with the patriarchal zeal of the authors’ societies, their central characters reflect these patriarchies in opposite fashions. While the silhouette of Britomart’s character is determined by the author’s conformation with the existing patriarchal structure of the society, the heroine in â€Å"Duchess of Malfi† appears to be in conflict with her society. On the surface level, Britomart’s quest for the Queen seems to glorify the position of women in Elizabethan society. But if she is examined from a more critical perspective, she appears to be a perfect patriarchal heroine who, though, is free of the negative chauvinistic view of the society. The gender constructs of both of the Elizabethan and Jacobean societies appears to be the same and to be the typical features of a patriarchal society. But the compliance levels of the two heroines with the expectations of patriarchy from the â€Å"inferior sex† differ from each other. In his analysis of the social constructs, Adam Polgar refers to the fact that Britomart’s characters is laden with what the Elizabethan expects from a woman. She is not only the warrior lady in concrete sense, but also a moral warrior who fights for her chastity, the moral expectation of her society. He more likely views Britomart’s quest for her future husband as her effort to save her chastity and loyalty to her future husband. Therefore she appears to be the perfect heroine for the Elizabethan readers. According to him Britomart’s armor that symbolizes her chastity, is the social construct of her gender and she complies with this

Math Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math - Essay Example The writer compares the ordeal underwent by these discipline to that facing mathematics in the contemporary world. The teachers have oriented there students towards believing that cramming formulas is the only best way to pass mathematics. The students do not get the chance of knowing the various dimensions since they only have to substitute the given values in the formula. Lockhart argues that the belief inflicted by the teachers is what makes the student perceive mathematics as no art. Lockhart presents a conversation between Simplicio and Salviati who go on to stress about the failure of the teachers to make mathematics easy to their students (Lockhart 6). The conversation brings a reader to realizing that the teachers only require the students to master the techniques without considering the context and the whole process. The failure by the standard mathematics curriculum triggers Lockhart to propose the relivening of aesthetic in mathematics as the only way to promote the love f or this subject. He disapproves the so called â€Å"ladder myth† associated with the contemporary mathematics. The ladder myth makes students to concentrate only on the theory part without considering how the structures of the questions came to be; consequently diminishing the art nature. The writer concludes by proposing a standard school mathematic curriculum whereby lower school math students consist of the explanation about the origin of various mathematics aspects. The last part of the curriculum is Calculus. Question 2 I agree with Lockhart’s view that the curriculum has fabricated the real mathematical model to a sculpture that scares the students away. The contemporary mathematics education has forced the students to go direct into mastering the techniques and not appraising the real context and process (Lockhart 4). This design acts as the basis for the witnessed failure by most students to embrace the existence of mathematics. Most of the students get scared at the first view of a â€Å"long formula†, such as that for calculating surface area of a cylinder (2?r2 + 2?rh). The teacher requires the students to master this formula otherwise they will not get the right answer. This has acted as the most surprising part of the modern education. As stated by Lockhart, the curriculum, teachers included, do not understand that the students need to get a broader perception about the context implied. Lockhart’s comparison of math to art proves strong since the involved teacher could have broken the surface area of a cylinder as the sum of the surface area of the two circles (at the top and bottom) plus that of the area of the triangle (2?rh). Considering the nature of math teaching, the educators should be fully responsible for making math interesting to the kids. The educators have failed in recovering the need for studying and embracing math. The curriculum accentuates that the only expectation from math education is to perform wel l in the subject while living out the need for real knowledge useful in the long run. It orients the students to believe that cracking the exams is the basis for studying math. The educators need to realize that the math students are just like other human beings who usually become at ease with something they can relate to. As asserted by Lockhart, they should consider making math curriculum be practical and relevant to the kids’

Dubai Port World Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Dubai Port World - Research Paper Example In taking this customer-centric approach, DP World is building on the established relationships and superior level of service demonstrated at its flagship Jebel Ali facility in Dubai, which has been voted "Best Seaport in the Middle East" for 15 consecutive years. In 2008, DP World handled more than 46.8 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units) across its portfolio from the Americas to Asia - an increase of 8% on 2007. With a pipeline of expansion and development projects in key growth markets, including India, China and the Middle East, capacity is expected to rise to around 95 million TEU over the next ten years. In the fast-paced world of today where technology is the dominant factor, it is essential for businesses to retain their customers in order to grow and expand. Dubai Port World has been concentrating on improving its organizational performance through a great deal of investment in its human resources. With a fully functional human resources hiring and compensation plan, DP World is one of the few companies in the field that can be looked up to in this field. DP World seeks to establish long term relationships with its customers and for that purpose it has constantly focused on its organizational performance. It is necessary for the company to identify the variables that affect its performance. Though there are various accounts regarding different variables being the most important ones that affect organizational performance, it cannot be ascertained that one of these is the most dominant without proper research. However, the three most important variables whose effect on organizational performance outweigh the effects of other variables are: communication, motivation and commitment. The direct effect of these variables has had proven improvements in organizational performances of other corporations in the past. It is necessary thus, to understand which of these three variables has the greatest positive (or negative) impact on the organizational performance, measured in terms of output and productivity, of Dubai Port World Company. Hypothetical Framework It is necessary to underpin a hypothetical framework to any research for the purpose of meaningful analysis and conclusions. The hypothetical framework for this research will be based upon published research and observations in human resource behavior. The framework for this report would be that communication, motivation and commitment are three independent variables that improve

Math Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math - Essay Example The writer compares the ordeal underwent by these discipline to that facing mathematics in the contemporary world. The teachers have oriented there students towards believing that cramming formulas is the only best way to pass mathematics. The students do not get the chance of knowing the various dimensions since they only have to substitute the given values in the formula. Lockhart argues that the belief inflicted by the teachers is what makes the student perceive mathematics as no art. Lockhart presents a conversation between Simplicio and Salviati who go on to stress about the failure of the teachers to make mathematics easy to their students (Lockhart 6). The conversation brings a reader to realizing that the teachers only require the students to master the techniques without considering the context and the whole process. The failure by the standard mathematics curriculum triggers Lockhart to propose the relivening of aesthetic in mathematics as the only way to promote the love f or this subject. He disapproves the so called â€Å"ladder myth† associated with the contemporary mathematics. The ladder myth makes students to concentrate only on the theory part without considering how the structures of the questions came to be; consequently diminishing the art nature. The writer concludes by proposing a standard school mathematic curriculum whereby lower school math students consist of the explanation about the origin of various mathematics aspects. The last part of the curriculum is Calculus. Question 2 I agree with Lockhart’s view that the curriculum has fabricated the real mathematical model to a sculpture that scares the students away. The contemporary mathematics education has forced the students to go direct into mastering the techniques and not appraising the real context and process (Lockhart 4). This design acts as the basis for the witnessed failure by most students to embrace the existence of mathematics. Most of the students get scared at the first view of a â€Å"long formula†, such as that for calculating surface area of a cylinder (2?r2 + 2?rh). The teacher requires the students to master this formula otherwise they will not get the right answer. This has acted as the most surprising part of the modern education. As stated by Lockhart, the curriculum, teachers included, do not understand that the students need to get a broader perception about the context implied. Lockhart’s comparison of math to art proves strong since the involved teacher could have broken the surface area of a cylinder as the sum of the surface area of the two circles (at the top and bottom) plus that of the area of the triangle (2?rh). Considering the nature of math teaching, the educators should be fully responsible for making math interesting to the kids. The educators have failed in recovering the need for studying and embracing math. The curriculum accentuates that the only expectation from math education is to perform wel l in the subject while living out the need for real knowledge useful in the long run. It orients the students to believe that cracking the exams is the basis for studying math. The educators need to realize that the math students are just like other human beings who usually become at ease with something they can relate to. As asserted by Lockhart, they should consider making math curriculum be practical and relevant to the kids’

Case Examines the Issues of Formulating a Set of IT Objectives Aligned Study

Examines the Issues of Formulating a Set of IT Objectives Aligned With Corporate Strategy - Case Study Example MDCM’s marketing and sales department also lacks in contributing to the organizational growth despite fairly good human resource productivity. Further, the supply chain of the organization is not structured and organized in an effective approach which gives rise to perplexity in the workplace. Thus, the key objective of MDCM is to enhance the efficiency of these sectors in order to re-introduce business growth at this point of time (Jeffery, M. & Norton, J. F., â€Å"MDCM, Inc. (A): IT Strategy Synchronization†). It is worth mentioning that in every sector, from finance to marketing and sales along with the supply chain operations, MDCM managers are facing similar problems with the flow of information. It is also intrinsically related to the technological developments of the organization. To be specific, the finance department complains that the data which are received from other departments are behind the times and thus lack in efficiency. This requires to be renovated through appropriate IT planning, as updated data is termed to be quite effective in developing accurate forecasts of the organizational progress which further leads to the management decision-making (Jeffery, M. & Norton, J. F., â€Å"MDCM, Inc. (A): IT Strategy Synchronization†).... Due to this reason, the department requires a self-service technology which will provide customers with the opportunity to help them with the extra services and reduce the burden of sales staffs. This will also ensure enhanced productivity in the department. The supply chain operations were further effected by the unsystematic progression of goods purchased and delivered to the ultimate customers. Therefore, the department requires a systematic resource planning technology which will organize and simplify the entire process including the logistics outsourcing (Jeffery, M. & Norton, J. F., â€Å"MDCM, Inc. (A): IT Strategy Synchronization†). Stating precisely, the prime objective of MDCM is to introduce a highly effective IT system in the organization which will ensure efficient financial planning, better productivity in marketing and sales and an organized framework for the supply chain operations. However, the key objective of the organization at this moment is to ensure its growth and satisfying increment in shareholder value. This certainly requires an effective short-term planning from the IT department. 2.0. Competitive Forces Analysis 2.1. Threat of New Entrants MDCM has a broad network in the international market comprising of various developed and developing economies which reduces its operational cost to a great extent. This certainly provides the organization with the strength to restrict the new entrants. Moreover, the organization deals with medical products which are recognized to be strictly restricted with the legal barriers and also requires a large amount of investment. Technological support is considered to be one of the key requirements of the industry which again limits the threat of new entrants. However, the switching costs of customers

Meditation on Yellow by Olive Senior Essay Example for Free

Meditation on Yellow by Olive Senior Essay Olive Senior is a Jamaican poet who explores Caribbean history. Her poetry often conveys her displeasure of colonization and the suffering Caribbean people endured. Meditation on Yellow explores the colonization and exploitation process carried out by the Europeans. This poem strong conveys Senior discontentment as it relates to the exploitation of the land and the Amerindian tribe. It through the use of symbolism, language and repetition the brutality of colonization is conveyed. Symbolism is used to portray the harsh reality of colonization. In Meditation on Yellow yellow is symbolic of the innocence of the Amerindians and the purity in their mind and soul upon encountering the Whites. This is noted in the phrase but we were peaceful then child-like in the yellow dawn of our innocence. The fact that these Amerindians had no idea of what was to come their way and that they offered the best of what they had to the Europeans makes this encounter even more sad and advantageous. Furthermore, yellow is symbolic of sickness and infection. This is reflect in the minds of the Europeans as it was infected with the yearning for wealth and power. Due to this infection the Amerindian we turned into slaves, the land was exploited and the Europeans began colonization. The use of symbolism conveys the extremes which these two set of people existed, the Amerindian being kind and pure and the Europeans being cold-hearted and greedy. Seniors use of language is certainly a powerful tool in expressing her displeasure as it relates to the enslavement of the Amerindians. Throughout the poem she uses sarcasm and humor which highlights her mocking and belittling of the Europeans. The phrase had I known I would have brewed up some yellow fever grass and arsenic is an example of sarcasm. In this phrase there is a contrast between the gesture of hospitality of ethnic which is the fever grass and the bitter sinister intentions of killing the Europeans with the arsenic poison. The sarcasm continues in the phrase despite the differences in our skins, our piss was exactly the same shade of yellow. This highlights that regardless of ethnic and racial differences we are all the same. The striking, crude comparison stresses the need for equality and for readers to take note. Furthermore Olive Senior educates us that these Amerindian displayed passive resistance as they deliberately burnt the bread of the Europeans since they we treated badly. The phrase for which management apologizes certainly indicates they there was no remorse or sorry for these actions. The use of sarcasm highlight Seniors hatred towards the colonization process and her view on the Europeans. Repetition is also used to place emphasis on the greedy and materialistic nature of the Europeans. This type of repetition is known as anaphora. The line but it was gold in your mind gold in your eyes gold in the crown .. gold the prize highlights the obsession these Europeans had with gold and their gluttonous nature. Moreover, their unreasonable wants and desires are also highlighted through repetition. This is noted in the line want it strong wan it long want it black want it black want it green want it dread. Additionally there was repetition in the in line silver was you armor silver the cross of your Lord silver the bullet I bite This repetition emphasizes the many different forms of silver and the destruction that the silver symbolizes . The silver was representative of Iron Age Technology and represents the Europeans military superiority over the stone age Amerindians. Collectively the repetition of these lines alerts readers of the suffering these Amerindians endured to please the cold hearted Europeans. The use of these techniques clearly depicts Seniors displeasure and the unfortunate struggles of colonization.

Analyse the star persona

Analyse the star persona FILM AND TV STUDIES WORK PROGRAMME ESSAY QUESTIONS 1. Analyse the star persona of any actor of your choosing. What traits connotations and values does that star persona embody and to what extent does he or she bring the same traits, connotations and values to each role? You should answer with close reference to at least THREE films. In this essay I am going to analyse the star persona of one of Bollywood most successful actor, Shahrukh Khan, also known as SRK. Shahrukh Khan has made over fifty movies over the years; starting from 1992 he made his debut film Deewana (1992) which gave him box office hit. This gave him the most successful launch of his career in the Bollywood film industry. His role in the film gave achieved him Filmfare for the best Debut Award. There are three films of Shahrukh Khan that I am going to use close reference to, they are, KKHH (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Something Happens 1998), K3G (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness 2001) and (Chak De! India Come On India 2007). The reason I chose these movies as these movies are very well known for big the success of his acting part in these movies. KKHH is a story of a simple stylish, sensuous and ambrosial love triangle story. Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) the tomboy Anjali (Kajol). They are both students at St Xaviers College. They are the best of friends. One day Tina, (Rani Mukerji), the principals daughter enrols the college. She is from London and is very beautiful, feminine and sophisticated and the opposite of Anjali. Rahul falls for her as they meet for the first time. Anjali then realises that she has feeling for Rahul and did not realise the careless comment on his part that she had heard, which equated love with friendship. This causes the love triangle to unfold. When one day Rahul confesses his love for Tina to Anjali, Anjali leaves the college, to forge the heartbreak that has caused her. Tina and Rahul marry and have a daughter whom they name Anjali. Tina dies after childbirth but has written a series of eight letters. On Anjali birthday she asks about where her name has come from. Rahul daughter Anjali believes that the older Anjali can make her father happy again and decided to help him reclaim his lost love. Rahul then meets Anjali again at a camp where Rahul daughter has enrolled, where her namesake is the counsellor. The namesake discoverers without the knowledge of the girl, the truth of her new charges of parentage. Rahul finds the old feelings reviving. But Anjali has bowed to her familys wishes and is engaged to another man. Complications ensue, but all ends well as Anjali fiancà © steps aside to let the fated couple marry at last. Richard Dyer in his book says â€Å"A star image is made out of media texts that can be grouped together as promotion, publicity, films and commentaries/criticism†. SRK falls directed into all these mentioned. Promotion is one big main thing is what makes SRK. Although he is worldwide famous primarily to the South Asian ethnicity around the world, most of the promotion is spread over India itself. SRK is one of the famous Bollywood star pin ups in India. He also has fan clubs publications (which is largely controlled by the studios), fashion pictures, ads where he endorses a merchandise like affordable cars, Pepsi and soap where it is usually shown in India and other neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. SRK works well in this advertisement as people in India love him. He is a person who came from a middle class working background to a top successful actor. He is also the very few actors who made it in Bollywood as this industry is very hard to enter if either you have close family in the industry, like father, grandfather, brother or sister. He has had no-one like this, and he made it to the top. He makes public appearances and also cameos in supporting his other actors in the Bollywood song videos scenes such as I See You 2006, Saatiya 2002, Heyy Baby 2007 and Luck By Chance 2008. Promotion is probably the most straightforward of all the text which constructs a stars image, in that it is the most deliberate, direct, intentioned and self-conscious. Publicity is theoretically different from promotion in that it is not, or does not appear to be â€Å"deliberated† image-making. It is â€Å"what the press finds out†, â€Å"what the star lets slip in an interview† and is found in the newspapers and magazines. In content, this is much controlled by SRK agents and studios. A one important is the notion of the vehicle. The films he does have a distinct and privilege place in the stars image. It is after all films stars that are to be considered their celebrity is defined by the face of their appearing in films. However SRK is a phenomenon of cinema and of a general social meanings and there are instances of stars whose films may actually be less important than other aspects of their career. Mostly important is the nation of the vehicle. Films were often built around the star image. Stories might be written expressly to feature a given star, or books might be bought for production with a star in mind. The film K3G 2001 was one of the highest grossing Indian films overseas until 2006. This film is a family movie and the cast are all top Bollywood actors, such as Amitabh Bachan, Jaya Bachan, Sharukh Khan, Kajol, Hritik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. The plot of the movie is about Rahul (SRK), who is the adopted by Yash (Amitab) and wife Nandini (Jaya) who was able to give birth to son Rohan (Hritikh). The father is the richest famous businessman in India. He believes in keeping tradition and is against love marriages. When Rohan comes back to India after overseas studying for few years, he falls in love with Anjali (Kajol). Yash decides to arrange marriage for son Rahul, but Rahul tells his father that he wants to marry Anjali. His father is angered by this, as he is not opting for his choice of high class society girl unlike Anjali who is middle class girl. Rahul apologises to his father Yash and promises to do whatever he asked for, and as he goes to tell Anjali that he is going to be married, he sees that Anjali father has passed away suddenly. After seeing that Anjali and her sister has no family and no one to live with, he marries Anjali on the spot. When he brings her home his father is more angered and disowns him and says that because you were adopted and not the blood of mine, you acted like this. Rahul is upset and hurt hard, shares emotional goodbye. The story goes on to the younger brother Rohan who goes on a mission to get his brother back close to the family. This film shows love, drama, family tradition ECT. This story was written and directed by Karen Johor. SRK was picked for the role of Rahul as he is well suited for this character. Karen Johor has worked with both actors SRK and Kajol in his past movie KKHH which was a success and he even used Kajol in this movie to play Anjali, as they had chemistry in KKHH being a love couple. SRK can bring tears to an audience, with his acting skills in all his movies. SRK made this movie what it is, as he brought his own personal feelings into it. Losing a father was one scene in the movie which he can relate to, as his father passed away in 1981 before he became successful. So this shows that he was chosen for that movie as he suited the role. We may know the first of all points at which star is effective in the construction of character. These can be considered from two points of view: the fact of a star being in the film, and their performance in it. As regards the fact that a given star in the film, audience, foreknowledge, the stars name and his appearance already signify that condensation of attitudes and values which is the stars image. Having SRK made K3G successful but also with the help with other fellow top cast members. In the film Chak De! India SRK plays the role of the coach for the Indian women hockey team. He used to be the star player of the Indian mens cricket team but as he lost one match to Pakistan, India people felt he let Pakistan win as him being Muslim. Indian cricket team asked him to be the role of the Coach which no man would like to participate in India. The film goes on, from him having the typical slow team with no team game. He guides them to play well and win the championship. This film role suited SRK to play this part. He is the heart of India for past fifteen years and everyone in India looks up to. His role in this made this movie the top gross movie of 2007 and was declared a â€Å"Blockbuster† in U.S. Of all of SRK films that make him successful his stars image fit with all the traits of the character. For example in all three movies talked about in this essay, the role SRK usually plays is the man who gets the girl of his dream. He is also shown as the popular man, mature, and also family man. He can play these roles well in all his movies that he has done.

Female Genital Mutilation :: essays research papers fc

As you are reading this article, there are between eight and ten million women and girls in the Middle East and in Africa who are at risk of undergoing one form or another of genital cutting. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, or female genital cutting, has been practiced for several thousand years in almost 30 African and Middle Eastern nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates between 100 and 132 million women and girls worldwide have been subjected to FGM and an estimated 2 million are at risk each year. Every day innocent girls go through excruciating pain everyday without even knowing why. Some die and others are cursed to live a life full of health complications. But where is this practiced and what exactly is FGM? FGM currently occurs in 28 African countries and is found among some ethnic groups is Yemen, Oman, and the United Emirates, as well as parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. Within practicing African countries, prevalence ranges from 5% to almost 100% of women affected (Female Genital Mutilation). There are also increasingly found in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the USA, primarily among immigrants from these countries. FGM is illegal in most western countries, and , now, in many African nations, although laws are ignored and it is still practiced, either secretly in private homes or clinics, or by sending unsuspecting girls back to the parent’s home country for a â€Å"vacation†, to get circumcised. FGM involves the removal of genital tissues from girls and it is performed in different ways, depending on the culture or location where it takes place. There are 4 different types of FGM that are practiced throughout the world today. Table 1 lists the 4 types of FGM and a brief description of each. In the Nursing magazine, Margaret Brady mentions how that out of all, Inbulation is the type of FGM most often performed in African countries- usually by untrained women working under primitive conditions and without anesthesia. The cutting instrument may be a razor blade, scissors, kitchen knife, or a piece of broken glass. Thorns, catgut, or horsehair may be used to hold the raw skin edges together. The same un-sterilized instruments may be used for many procedures, so blood borne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis B virus are easily transmitted (50-51). When women have their babies, they have to be cut open and then sewn up again.

For The Love of Junk Food

Everybody have an uncontrollable weakness to a certain type of junk food. That desirable craving you have to satisfy right then and there. Being able to binge once you see a platter or buffet table with all the junk food in the world, we just don’t like the idea of eating increments at a time. We as a society like the idea of a quick cheap fix whenever hunger comes over us. Instead of either taking leftovers from last night’s dinner, or getting up extra early before work or school to fix a proper breakfast, or pack a proper lunch, we rather go to the local corner store to pick up two Twix bars and a sprite to hold us over. We love taking the easy way out of things. In the article, Is Junk Food Really Cheaper? , the author Mark Bittman targets the difficult topic of how people make excuses that eating healthier is way more expensive than just taking a family of four plus people to a local fast food restaurant. Bittman made his target audience families that are somewhat busy with extra-curricular things. For Bittman to help his targeted audience he went out to local stores and did price comparisons and he also did survey’s on why parents would rather choose a twenty piece nugget from Mc Donald’s over a hot healthy home-cooked meal. Bittman, the Brooklyn, New York native, is a NY Times Opinion columnist. ( Bittman’s Minimalist column was in the dining section of NY Times for over thirteen plus years. He holds the title of being the lead columnist for the Times Dining section and also the lead food writer for The Times Magazine. Bittman graduated from Clark University with a bachelor degree in psychology. Bittman is the author of fifteen cookbooks. He is married with two adult daughters. Not only is Bittman a writer but he is also a chef. Since Bittman has had experience with feeding a family of four in the past he can understand why some families would rather eat out than fix a meal, but he still feels that there should not be an excuse to cook dinner at least once or twice a week. Bittman explains how our society not only make prices an excuse for eating unhealthy but he also explains how we as people say that cooking is too time consuming after a long day of work. In this article, Bittman seem to approach the issue with anger because of the many excuses given for not making a proper meal for the family. He threw in facts and opinions of everyday people that deal with these kinds of decisions. Being a chef and a father of two, Bittman understands the importance of cooking a healthy meal and sitting it on the table. Bittman stated that â€Å"the core problem is that cooking is defined as work, and fast food is both a pleasure and a crutch. (Bittman)† That sentence alone explains why most parents do not come home and cook for the family. They feel as if it’s another job. Bittman argued in the article that though it may seem as if buying processed and junk food is cheaper, it’s really not! He gave an example of having a family of four and going to Mc Donald’s buying each person a meal. The total of the meal came out to be approximately thirty dollars. If the parents were to go to the local grocery store and buy a roast and broccoli, the total will only end up being fourteen dollars. Bittman also brings attention to how over the years the inflation price of fresh produce has gone up while for fast-food restaurants it has decreased. This brings more attention towards spending money on unhealthy food. Bittman stated in the article â€Å"that overconsumption of fast food â€Å"triggers addiction-like neuroaddictive responses† in the brain, making it harder to trigger the release of dopamine. In other words the more fast food we eat, the more we need to give us pleasure; thus the report suggests that the same mechanisms underlie drug addiction and obesity. (Bittman)† Bittman grasp the audience attention by letting them know that eventually their bad habits of taking the easy way out will catch up to them and harm them. Putting themselves in grave danger of potentially, let’s say, having a stroke or even dead maybe. It’s noticeable in the article that Bittman is fed up with the excuses. Bittman’s article is very relatable because he is basing it on average households around the world. Bittman wrote this article to target families that take the easy way out. Though this article is intended for families, single people, and couples should also take heed to the information given. Eating healthier is how you keep yourself looking and feeling young. Bittman’s purpose of this article is to inform everyone that eating take out every night is unhealthy and that there should be no excuse as to why a person cannot come home and cook a decent meal. Bittman encourage families across the nation to challenge themselves into cooking more than usual. Bittman wan this readers to understand that cooking once a week is better than not cooking at all, he also want them to see that cooking can be enjoyable. He doesn’t want his reader’s to think that cooking is a hassle and a burden to get accomplished. Mark Bittman’s article, Is Junk Food Really Cheaper, made such a bold entrance and informative ending that it came and conquered the message. Bittman put enough facts into this article that it should definitely make a person think twice about feeding their family take-out food two nights in a row. The details of the articles flowed with bold points along with opinions from Bittman and others. It was like Bittman came to the podium and laid it all on the table. Bittman gave several examples on how eating out is more expensive than cooking a meal throughout this article. Since Bittman is a family man he knew what components to insert in this article to grasp the attention of his targeted audience. This article was straight forward and to the point. Though Bittman went in about the topic from the very beginning he never lost his focus on what he was coming to execute. If Bittman’s article, Is Junk Food Really Cheap, can grasp hold of my attention as a college student he can very well grasp the attention of a parent that wants to keep their family live and healthy.

Ducati

Memorandum Subject: Ducati: In Pursuit of Magic (A) Date: Feb. 19th 2013 Ducati is one of the premium motorcycle producers specializing in sport segment superbike from Italy. The company experienced booming in sales and reputation in 1996-2001. This boost had attracted Texas Pacific Group to pursue controlling interest in the company for higher expected future return. The economic boom somehow masked the mistakes made by Ducati during the period. When sales started to decline during 2002-2005, three major problems started to become more obvious among the management team: * Product discontinuity. Cost disadvantage compared to Japanese producer. * Decline in sales in U. S. market. Ducati needed to addresses these problems to put the company back on track. Before offering solutions to any of the problems mentioned above, we would like to dig into details about the industrial background, company strategic positions, and competitive advantages and disadvantages about the company. These an alyses are especially beneficial to help identify potential opportunities and threats of the motorcycle industry and its sport segment. Five forces analysis are supplemented to our analysis. Threats: * Rivalry: rivalry among industry and the sports segment came from United States and Japanese motorcycle makers. There are intense competitions among brands for entire industry as well the sport segment. A major competitor for cruiser is Harley-Davidson, and Honda and other Japanese motorcycle producers constitute major competitors for the sport segment. * Currency fluctuation: exchange rate posted issues for international operations. Ducati and fellow motorcycle companies engaged in operations all over the world, exchange rate fluctuation generated uncertainty for the company.This is for both the industry and for the sport segment. * Substitutes: there is a high incentive for alternative transportations for the US market. This hurt the industry as well as sport segment. * Government re gulation: Chinese government posted regulations that prohibited motorcycle usage domestically for various reasons. This makes it hard the entire industry as well as the sport segment. * Entrant barriers for industry: low entry barrier due to three reasons. First, people with knowledge can build motorcycle easily. Second, low capital requirement for entrants. Last, there are low switching costs for customers. Opportunities: * Entrant barriers: high for the sport segment due to technology advancement, better design and engineer work, high capital requirement for entrants and distinctive incumbency advantages for established brand. * Buyer’s power: low. This is caused by the brand power and the brand loyalty. People want to pay premium for the bike to feel cool and different. There is a huge demand for motorcycle. * Higher buying power in BRIC. Consumers in those countries are more likely to spend on motorcycle. This is beneficial to the industry, especially the sport segment. M ore diversified riders lead to market growth. There are more women riders than ever before. This is beneficial to the industry and to the sport segment. The following part included company analysis and analysis of company’s strategic position. * Value drivers and competitive advantages: * Use a unique Desmodrimic valve control system to increase the engine performance * Use a engine that were built in a L-twin design to improve aerodynamics and weighted lighter * Special motorcycles had a low-hum sound. * Frame gave greater rigidity, handling power, and enhanced speed.It offered more compact design architecture. * Superb in-house design and external design team teams. * Related field that increase value: Ducati Corse racing, apparel, local Ducati clubs, Ducati museum, Ducati riding experience training course, Ducati. com and Ducati’s multi-franchise distribution points and mono-franchise Ducati retail stores. * Cost drivers: * The large research and development for con secutive years. * Marketing cost associated with selected motorcycle publications. * The production line used the lean manufacturing, which decreases the production costs. Competitive disadvantages: * Cost disadvantage. Japanese motorcycle makers can produce cheaper bike with advanced technology. * Product discontinuity. Evolution of products that consumers do not recognize. * Do not intend to stretch and extend business to cruiser motorcycles, i. e. limited customers. * Relatively low market share than major Japanese companies, which occupied about 78% of total market share. This lead to low brand recognition. Even though Ducati has its competitive advantages, it does not mean that these advantages are sustainable.In order to determine whether Ducati will remain competitive, Barney’s VRIO framework is going to be applied. Hence, four questions are going to be addressed in this part of the case study, which are the Question of Value, the Question of Rareness, the Question of Imitability, and the Question of Organization. * The Question of Value: * Ducati has a group of highly skilled engineers and an in-house design team which allow the firm’s products to have the attribute of speed, performance, and innovation. Such capability helps fulfill customers’ needs and perceptions. Ducati is positioned to be fast with good braking ability. The ability of producing sport bike with speed and safety makes its customers feel safe and reliable while using the product, which helps the firm to build up good company’s reputation. * The Question of Rareness * All the Ducati’s bikes use the Desmodromic valve control system which enhances the engine performance and only Ducati uses this system in the market. * All Ducati’s engines were built in the unique L-twin design which gives the benefit of improved aerodynamics and lighter weight.This design is rare since the two cylinders of the engine are mounted at a 90-degree angle, which it h as to work with the unique Desmodromic valve control system to reach its full ability. Moreover, it gives a unique low-hum engine sound which makes Ducati’s engine even more special. * The Ducati’s tubular trestle frame design was evolved from the Fornula One-inspired tubular trestle with Ducati engineers’ special design to enhance the performance features of the bikes. * The Question of Imitability * With Ducati’s investment in research and development, it would be hard for competitors to just imitate Ducati’s newest technology. Ducati’s in-house design team creates a barrier to imitation since its job is to design completely new model. Moreover, Ducati started to use online resources to gain insight into customers’ needs and perceptions. * Ducati’s Italian styling and origin lower the possibility of its design being imitated, yet it is worth to be noted that MV Agusta is owned by an Italian investment group and its designer M assimo Tamburini had worked in Ducati before, which make it easier for MV Agusta to imitate. * The Question of Organization * Ducati started to invest a lot of money in research and development, which boosted from â‚ ¬3. million in 1997 to approximately â‚ ¬26. 5 million in 2005. Such investment enables the Ducati to fully exploit the potential of its engineers and design team. * The internal culture of Ducati encouraging creativity and teamwork allows the engineers and design team to interact and be innovative. * The building of Ducati museum – the â€Å"World of Ducati† – allows Ducati to give museum and factory tour to enhance visitors’ experience, build up brand loyalty, and signify the company’s ability to be innovative or to create a dream. * Ducati’s purchase of Gio.Ca. Moto and joint venture with Dainese help to build the Ducati brand by selling a wide range of products including Ducati apparel and accessories. * The establishm ent of Ducati Corse Racing team helps to publicize the Ducati brand by participating in professional motorcycle racing. The team also demonstrates Ducati bikes’ high- performance features. * Ducati’s support in enthusiasts’ clubs and the establishment of the Desmo Owners Club (which promotes Ducati’s event to the clubs) help to build the Ducati brand and brand loyalty. The Ducati’s eight country-specific websites not only have information on bike models, but also provide a virtual tour of Ducati’s world headquarters in Bologna, which enhances the customers’ perception to the Ducati brand. Moreover, the websites allow buyers to customize their bikes and also give feedback, which again help Ducati to gain insight into its customers and fully exploit its ability in producing high quality sport bikes. * Ducati has been attempting to build a strong brand by encouraging its dealers to restructure the stores to be in the Ducati-store format. We proposed three alternatives to tackle the problems associated with our problems. 1. We propose to sell Ducati to produce synergy to premium car maker such as Lamborghini. This provided cost savings and promoted efficiency. 2. Improve and extend U. S. market to gain market share and profits by invest in human capital and better IT system. This corresponds to positive U. S. outlook after 2006. 3. Invest in Research and Development to carry out revolutionized products. In this way we are trying to replicate the revolutionized products that help the company out of trouble in 2003.Our recommendation is alternative #1. Before analyzing #1, we would like to point out the drawbacks of the other two options. For alternative #2, it would take two years before the U. S. market become the largest market in the world for the motorcycle business. This postponed schedule is unsatisfied to the investment group who foresee better and immediate solutions for our problems. Another challenge for the U. S. market currently is that in the short run, competition and the low demand makes it hard for individual company to capture large profits.For alternative #3, large amount of research and development input will somehow reduce return for the investment group in the short run. This might not be the primary interest for the investment group that takes controlling interest of the company. On top of that, there are uncertainties involved in the new product even with shortened new product issuance period. Lastly, new product development does not bring current return to the investment group, which is potentially not preferred. Alternative #1 is the best one of all.It can potentially offer the best price for the investment group in that it can eliminate the downside risk for the company to go under. On top of that, business combination with powerful company such as Lamborghini would provide synergy. This synergy will provide cost saving for Ducati. First, since a lot of parts are produc ed in those shops, it is way much easier to produce it for themselves than for outside partners for the company. It can also cut down non-necessary division or labor for the cost saving purposes.Additionally, acquirer with strong financial background can assist in expanding the U. S. market and engage in research and development process to produce a revolutionized product. I predict when the alternative# 1 get implement, the market share of Ducati will rapid increase. Because company such as Lamborghini has enough capitals to innovate different types of motorcycles. With the good fame of Lamborghini, their product will be wide noted and get into the market earlier than the competitors. Ducati will have a bright future and sustainable growth under that company.