Ethical Pursuations Essay

Each of the three different theoretical approaches proposed for public relation ethics has admirers and detractors as well. All the three theories require practical ways of incorporating them into public relation campaign, using the suggested pyramids (Barney & Black 1994:233-244). Virtue ethics involves fostering a strong internal moral compass to guide anyone in choosing the right action. It requires one to first develop ethical judgment by stimulating the moral imagination in order to recognize ethical issues. This can only be achieved in a campaign through ethics brainstorming sessions or ethical reflection time, and this is where individuals considered ethical implications and report back to the team or through discussion with an independent ethics consultant, who could then highlight potential ethical issues in the upcoming campaign and stimulate debate on appropriate approaches. This approach allows other virtue tests that accord with their values and enables them to set relevant virtue objectives to be revisited and tested at the end of the campaign. Virtue ethics becomes a formative step in public relations process, rather than a reactive process once a problem arise. However, it is flexible, by the fact that in the middle segment pyramid, each of the facts used can be assessed in the campaign using a virtue approach tactics. Virtue ethics clearly has benefits for practitioners who are seeking ethical guidance but many times it is be inadequate alone. For example tests using external virtue referents like a ‘significant other’, are ‘at odds with the idea of developing virtues by purchasing the internal goals of a practice’ (Baker & Martinson 2001: 148-275) Deontology involves following a prescribed set of duties or obligations for example, religious rules such as ‘Thou shall not lie’, and one of its common deontological positions in public relations is advocacy, and this is the belief that provides practitioners specific behaviors that are ethical against an agreed standard like a professional ethics code at the same time, they can easily promote clients self-interests above all other interests when compared to virtue ethics and consequatialisim; in addition deontological approaches are also useful in the campaigns communication phase and this enables them to assess ethics of messages and communication outputs when compared to virtue ethics, as well as consequantialism. Their approaches are useful because they clarify the limits of reasonable behavior by providing absolute prohibitions, and directives for specific acts, however at times, although occasional their inflexibility can be problematic (Baker 1997: pp. 197-210). Lastly but not least, consequantialism uses the approach of judging actions by their customers. One of the well-known techniques of consequentialism is ulitarianism; where an assessment is made of who has been affected, and determines in what ways, and consequently the right action that is supposed to be taken which creates maximum total benefit. Their main method of determining the outcome involves drawing a flow chart or a mind map which is cumbersome. Their only closest related test is the benefit or harm assessment, in which calculation is made about whether the benefits to stakeholders outweigh the harm (Baker 2002: 191-205). The approach is clearly a very crucial component of public relations, but on its own at many times it obscures the means used to obtain a desired outcome, for instance, a pure consequantialist can endorse a lie if it ultimately resulted in more happiness or a more wide-spread benefit than truth-telling (Barney & Black 1994:244-248). Conclusion The two approaches; virtues ethics and consequentialism to public relations have benefits but they have serious limitations. One can only manage these limitations by using deontological approaches, because it has a high persuasive power with respect to public relation practitioners.

Marketing Environmental Analysis

PEST, SWOT and Porter’s five forces analysis are three very useful tools for both identifying the threats and opportunities in general and competitive environment and setting up company’s marketing strategy. What are PEST, SWOT and Porter’s five forces and their usefulness. PEST is an acronym for political, economic, social and technologic. 1. The political area has huge impact on the operation of the firms(e. g. tax, business law, political stability) 2. The economic condition can also directly influence the general performance of the company(e. g. conomy depression, interest rate, exchange rate, inflation rate) 3. As for social factors, by fundamentally determining the target market, it can also be essential for the success or failure of strategies. (e. g. religion, culture, demographic issue) 4. Finally, the technological factors are becoming the majority for mostly organization, which can increasing the benefit as well as decreasing the time and cost. (e. g. the pace of technologies change, incentive of technology) Usually prior to competing SWOT, PEST helps to spot the four elements for better understanding the macroenvironment faced by firms. After analyzing the four factors, it is important for company to identify the key drivers for change, thus focus on that to shape its strategies. Meanwhile, by scanning the general environment, co. can therefore also detect weak signals that make the discontinuity of the environment, which may fundamentally change the competitive environment (Johnson et al, 2011). Ginter and Duncan (1990) argue that macro-environment analysis can act as an early-warning system by giving org. time to anticipate opportunities and threats and develop appropriate response. SWOT is structured planned method used to evaluated strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. By using matching and converting, company can either find or develop their competitive advantages. Matching is used to find competitive advantages by matching the strengths to opportunities. Converting is to apply conversion strategies to convert weaknesses or threats into strengths or opportunities. Porter's five forces analysis is a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development formed by Michael E. Porter at 1979. More precise than PEST, it helps the industrial organization to illustrate the competition intensity in competitive environment (microenvironment) thus decide the attractiveness of specific market. Combining three analysis In corporate strategies level, all three of them can be used to audit the marketing environment in order to get a systematic, critical and unbiased appraisal of its operation. (where is the co. now, where does the co. want to go and how should the co. rganize its resources to get there) In business strategy level, it also important that because of the increasingly rate of change in market environment, three of the analysis need to achieve contingent approach to shape the strategies to avoid overcome by competitors. Example: PEST e. g. construction firm: operating on narrow profit margin, react to change I interest rate. Johnson &Johnson: baby-care product, react to change in birth rate, thus change the target market to adult female(being kind and gentle to woman’s skin as well as that of babies) SWOT A consultancy firm S: Reputation, expertise W: Unable to deal with multi-disciplinary assignments because of size or lack of ability O: Well established position with a well defined market niche T: Other small consultancies looking to invade the marketplace Five forces Coca-cola: Present a detailed analysis of the various positioning strategies that may be pursued by a firm (20 marks). What are the keys to successful positioning (30 marks)? 1. Positioning is to shape the org. o suits the preferences of customers and lead to high consumer loyalty thus building a powerful brand. 2. Market mix, perceptual map 3. There are two levels of positioning strategies: a. Business level strategies (Brand positioning) Business level strategies are positioning the org. among other org. It is market oriented and can be either market-wide or directed at a particular market (niche approach). b. Generic business strategies (Porter)— (competitive advantages) 4. Key to successful market positioning a. A well-positioned brand should appeal to the particular needs of a customer segment because a differential advantage proposition is created. b. There are four key dimensions for a successful positioning: Clarity, Consistency (Favorability), Competitiveness (differentiation), Credibility (Explain†¦.. ) c. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of brand-positioning strategies, there are three components we need to consider: intended position, actually position and perceived position. Perceived position is the most important, which will lead to the above-normal performance of the corporate. According to research, benefit positioning and user position is more effective than feature positioning and direct benefit positioning is more effective than indirect benefit positioning (Fuchs et al, 2009). d. To keep the brand equity, repositioning is very important. We need to realize that positioning is a ongoing process. Competitive advantage is positioning of a single offering in relation to a unique set of potential customers and competitors. For an organization to achieve consistently above-normal market performance, it must create a sustainable competitive advantage (Aaker, 1989). The logic of SCA is that a buyer to purchase offering X, the buyer must perceive the expected utility to him of that offering exceeds the value to him of any alternative solution, that is it must create superior value for its customers. The basis of competitive advantage is increasing the benefit receive by the customers or decreasing the cost. Which lead to different strategic focus on either low cost or differentiation (additional product benefits). So competitive advantages can be porter’s generic strategies or market orientation. (explain†¦. )

Salesforce.com - community - ERP, CRM, Business Intelligence, and Essay

Salesforce.com - community - ERP, CRM, Business Intelligence, and Intranet and Portal Development - Essay Example The portal is provides employees with a one stop shop for all their policy, HR, content needs. Allow customers to be capable of login to their account place and observe their orders and consignment information, log cases for matters they are experiences, update their profile, converse in groups about the products. Allow suppliers to be capable to communicate and work together with the XYZ engineers and leaders at XYZ Industries around their orders; monitor the status of the orders (Kao 22). Customers: account login, attain shipment information, view orders, update profile, log compliments and feedbacks and converse in groups. Suppliers: connect with XYZ engineers, leaders, monitor order status, view payment details and monitor order movement. Employees: log in to assess HR, Policy and content needs (Kao 22). System Diagram (High Level): Develop system diagram to demonstrate the key workings of the Architecture. ERP System: assess all of XYZ customers and forecast information is consolidated in the CRM resolution, so business owners can receive current forecasts and create reports automatically (Mall 178). In addition, through consolidation of this data, management can get a more international view of the issues driving real purchase decisions. CRM-Improved contact and rapid liberation of information will decrease the time essential to close even the principal of deals (Satzinger 208). Fast liberation of requested in sequence would consequence in the competitive benefit that may just push those explanation sales over the top (Mall 178). System Context Diagrams represent every external entity that may interrelate with a classification. Such an illustration pictures the organization at the middle, with no issues of its interior organization, bordered by all its interacting environments, systems, and activities (Mall 178). Security Protocols: A security protocol is an abstract or tangible protocol that executes a security-oriented operation and

Saudi and US cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Saudi and US cultures - Essay Example We don’t know each other personally, but at least the Sheik who connects us. If someone from the tribe has a problem, he will collect money from people who want to contribute. The role of everyone in the tribe is to support his\her relatives because the more together we are, the stronger we become. In America, however, people’s family usually just refers to their immediate, â€Å"nuclear† family – or maybe to grandparents. Many people with the same name do not consider themselves related. So Saudis have a broader conception of family than Americans do. Another different thing is a wedding. Saudi Arabia’s weddings cost men an arm and a leg because they have many obligations before and after the marriage. For example, men must pay a dowry for women, who they want to marry, which costs them at least seventy thousand riyal (more than seventeen thousand dollars). Also, the expense of the honeymoon is all on men which is going to cost around twenty thousand Rails (six thousand dollars). In America, however, weddings can be whatever the couple wants and can afford, and often costs are split amongst the people getting married. It is less formal (sometimes) and also subject to a lot of different cultural or religious values, whereas in Saudi Arabia things tend to operate in a similar way every time. People there get married at earlier ages. The average age of marriage is between 23 and 25 years old, so this amount of money is not easy to get. In other words, when a starting salary is your primary income, this dowry is difficult to make. In this situation, you need support from your relative, and they always do help. For instance, when my brother got married three years ago, he received a total of sixty thousand Rails (sixteen thousand dollars) from our relatives. We call that a marriage support. Without needing this money, American people can get married whenever they can

British imperialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British imperialism - Essay Example In the first section of this Chapter, Stereotyping the coloniser and colonised, Johnson argues that one should make certain distinction between racism as an ideology of superiority of some biological races of humankind over the others, and racialism, which is, in his interpretation, merely a use of category of race in social sciences (2003, p. 107). Consequently, he argues that the racist ideas were relatively uncommon among the British population of late 18th to mid-19th century, when it was anticipated that the colonised population would swiftly cast away its ‘unenlightened’ mores and adopt to supposedly superior British culture. However, the â€Å"slow progress of change† in Westernisation of colonial peoples led to the rise of the ideas that blamed such intransigence on the supposedly backward inclinations of the ‘natives’ themselves (Johnson 2003, p. 108). The development of evolutionary theory, according to Johnson, facilitated the acceptance of the idea of inequality of the races, which led to the transition from racialism to racism in colonial ideology (2003, p. 109). Nevertheless, as Johnson points out, not all the members of colonial administration or British intellectuals dealing with the problems of relations with ‘natives’ were racist; he refers to progressive views of Mary Kingsley, David Livingstone and others that contravened the dominant racist discourse (2003, p. 111). Eventually, as Johnson remarks, the changing perceptions of racial identities after the First World War led to the relative decline of racist sentiments among British colonial administration and settlers, though campaigns for self-government of the colonies were still regarded as treasonous (ibid, p. 112). In the second section, Segregation, class and identity, Johnson turns his attention to the practices of formalised segregation. He lists several reasons for its establishment: concern among the colonisers over the possibility of di sease contagion from the native populace; the fear of the natives’ revolt; a desire to re-create British conditions of life in the ‘new’ place (Johnson 2003, p. 112-3). Another aspect of the segregation system was an abhorrence of racial mixing by the British Colonial society, which Johnson compares to the same sort of feeling towards sexual relations between persons of different social classes in Britain proper (2003, p. 114-5). Nevertheless, such attempts at minimising social contacts between representatives of different racial groups were constantly undermined by the necessity of trade interactions, the joint service in the colonial troops, etc. (Johnson 2003, p. 115). Johnson also notes the importance of class hierarchy in the colonial society, where race and class distinctions overlapped on the lower levels of social structure, while the local elites were treated by the colonial administration as almost equals (ibid, p. 115-6). Segregation in the settler col onies such as the Cape Colony or New Zealand was effectively used to cement the loyalty of the white population to the Empire and to remove chances of native elites using British political instruments or institutions (such as franchise) for their own benefit (ibid, pp. 117-8). Even though Johnson concludes that the intents of the British Empire as regarded conquered peoples were basically benevolent (2003, p. 108), and that

Gender Theory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gender Theory Paper - Essay Example Cultural Approach The cultural approach to gender development is based on the culture of a particular society. Culture comprises the idiosyncratic beliefs, traditions and value systems that are inherent to a particular society. Culture influences gender development through societal expectations about traits and manners appropriate to either male or female members of a particular social order, thereby defining gender roles in day to day life (Appelbaum et al. 2003). Critical Approach The critical approach to gender development is based on the standpoint and the queer performative theories that are focused on societal structures and practices that lead to stratification of people in to groups that possess different privileges unique to each group. For example, men in most cases are accorded the dominant group over women and also enjoy greater privileges in matters of leadership and socio-economic engagements of the society. Critical theorists postulate that the dominant groups advance their interests and viewpoints and impose them on the minority. On the other hand, the subjugated groups become empowered when they realize their plight and fight to overturn the prevailing circumstances so that their viewpoint is accorded consideration (Beck et al. 2006). Biological Theory The biological theory is based on the premise that gender development and differences arise as a result of biological processes that determine how the brain of an individual works. The theory attributes differences in characteristics between men and women to the variance in the functioning of the brain caused by chromosomal and hormonal differences. Women possess two x chromosomes while men possess an x and y chromosome. On the other hand, sex chromosomes in men and women are produced in varying quantities thereby causing the behavioral differences (Perrin, 2003). The biological approach is valid with regards to male and female hormones. Andrea & Moretti (2009) argue that men and women exhibit di fferent characteristics based on their hormonal and chromosomal differences. Androgens are the male sex hormones that lead to the development of male characteristics and in adulthood, males tend to behave more aggressively than their female counterparts with estrogen and progesterone. High level of oxytocin in women is associated with sociability and emotions (Arnold, 2011). It is therefore generally expected that women exhibit greater reaction emotionally to traumatizing experiences than men. This highlights the reason why women are regarded as weak in terms of withstanding stress. The sex hormones exhibit different physical characteristics in men and women whereby men develop strong muscle and are able to undertake vigorous exercises compared to women who possess a tender physical structure. Further more, the hormonal activity in women especially with regards to menstrual cycle and pregnancy leads to irregular mood swings that are typical of the female gender (Andrea & Moretti, 20 09). Interpersonal Approach The interpersonal approach to gender development is based on interpersonal factors that contribute to the development of masculine or feminine characteristics. This approach can be explained through the psychodynamic theory that focuses on childhood development within a family that accentuates interpersonal bonds thereby affecting a child’s sense of identity. It can also be explicated through the

Investing In mutual funds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Investing In mutual funds - Essay Example Banks, share markets, mutual funds, insurance sector and real estate are some of the common investment areas normal investors are looking for. Bank investments are normally the best method of investment because of the less risk associated with it. Most of the banks have insurance protection for the investor’s money and hence it is safer than other types of investments. Bank deposits normally divided into two categories like savings account which yields less interests and term deposit which yields higher returns. Share market investment is the most risky investment option since the value of money undergoes immense fluctuation every day based on the changes in the share values. There is no protection for the investors in this sector as we have seen in the destruction of share values due to the current economic crisis. The main attraction of share market investment is the possibility of high yield in a short term. Real estate and investment also depends on the market conditions. Investment in insurance sector is also comparatively a safer method of investment though the return may not be as good as that from share market investment or mutual fund investment. â€Å"Mutual funds can offer the advantages of diversification and professional management. But, as with other investment choices, investing in mutual funds involves risk. And fees and taxes will diminish a funds returns.† (Invest Wisely: An Introduction to Mutual Funds) Compared to share market investment, mutual fund investment is safer because of the professional management of our invested money. Share market investment is mostly controlled by the investor himself and hence the possibility of achieving a good return depends on the investor’s competence in analyzing the trends in stock market or company performances. On the other hand in mutual fund investment, the investor’s money is managed by fund managers. The mutual fund managers are highly skilled and they know better than us

Analysing organisation. Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Analysing organisation. Wal-Mart - Essay Example A firm existence in the American market and exploitation of every opportunity and space during the initial establishment years has enabled Wal-Mart to enjoy a unique brand name. It was a successful strategic move for Wal-Mart to concentrate on the US market, and establish firmly on home soil. From the exploits of the home market, Wal-Mart had enough experience and sufficient resources to make investments abroad. Wal-Mart has coverage for retail business in more than fifteen countries today, with branches in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa and the UK among many others (Wal-Mart, n.d.). This presentation highlights the various concepts that can be associated with Wal-Mart as a global player in the retail industry. SWOT analysis is relied upon in the design, with the initial part highlighting the strengths and opportunities that an insider at Wal-Mart would quickly give while the second section highlights threats and weaknesses that are critical to the company. General review is a biased outlook on the positives of the company as opposed to the critical review that criticises various business concepts and approaches adopted at the company. Data Collection Information on SWOT from primary and secondary sources made the bulk of research, with an explanation and discussion on the main issues making up the presentation. SWOT as the main theme of the paper identifies with the needs of understanding the operations from an internal as well as an external perspective (Broughton, n.d.). The discussion is not exhaustive on the SWOT analysis but only a selected few items picked formed the discussion on which to base the presentation. General Review (Strengths and Opportunities) Ownership Wal-Mart began and remained as a family business as Walton dedicated his entire to the service and development of the company. Such level of commitment for the management of business usually enables the manager to set organisational objectives above any other interest. Evidently, the success of the corporation as one of the main global players in the retail industry owes much to the man-management techniques that Walton applied (Walton and Huey 1993, p32). As an individual, the president of the United States recognised Walton’s contribution to business and awarded him for his achievement just before his death. This is a milestone achievement for an individual leading an important business player as Wal-Mart in the global economy. Walton retained great influence on the decision making processes at the company in many aspects, despite the fact that the listing of the company implied that he donated some of the leadership to the shareholders. His contribution to the running of the business is undisputed and perhaps, therefore, Wal-Mart’s successes owe much to his roles in the company. The demise of Sam Walton in 1992 paved way for another Walton, Robson who took over as chairperson of the Wal-Mart Board a few days later. Tradition Since its establishment in 1962, Wal-Mart has kept off temptations of changing the market approach from the initial vision of the pioneer (Frank 2006, para.6). Sam Walton envisioned a retailing busines s with a unique pricing strategy that would target the lower end markets by initiating price cuts. Targeting the specific market niche in the retail business and making it possible to stick to it was perhaps the strongest business ideas adopted by Walton. In the modern business strategy applied at Wal-Mart, pricing is a uniquely important tool implemented for the initial objective laid down by Walton several decades ago. In all the retail outlets

Voting and High School Essay Example for Free

Voting and High School Essay Background of the Study The era of computer system has spread very fast, wide and extreme conduct of required data. Voting System for the Central Board of Student High School Department in San Sebastian College Recoletos – Manila is still using the manual process, now the proponents are ready to change the free of manual using process. This study would help them with this attributes efficiency, convenience and security not just to the integrity of voting but also the protections of the high school student voters. Based on DepED Order No. 79, s. 2009 Revised Standard Constitution and By-Laws of Supreme Student Governments in Secondary Schools signed by Secretary Jesli A. Lapus â€Å" that the significant roe, and contributions of the Supreme Student Government (SSG) in the school and in line with Students Government Program (SGP) of the Department of Education-Center for Students and Co-Curricular Affairs (DepED-CSCA), the enclosed Revised Standard Constitution and By-Laws is hereby issued for implementation in all Secondary School.† Since the beginning of elections in San Sebastian College- Recoletos High School Department,there are different problems such as fraud ,cheating , and slow process of counting ballots and human errors which can’t be removed to the mind of the voters. But the proponents believe that those irregularities will not break the will and heart of a true sebastinian. Voting must be exercised freely, safely and intelligently within voting precints. As in the present of how is the process of voting in the existing voting system works manually, manual election usually takes a long time before proclaiming the winning candidate while computerized election usually takes a short period of time before proclaiming the winning candidate. Voters will write the name of their chosen candidate in an piece of paper given by the committee and it will be placed inside a ballot box, At the end of the voting period, the assigned canvassers will count the votes manually and thus it result to human errors and slow process of tallying of votes, in order to pursue a secure and honest election, it is the function of the proponents to provide the students the means to credible system of election. Proponents define manual election as a system that counts votes using paper audits stored by a ballot box. Objectives of the Study 1. The general objective of the study is to develop an automated based voting system for San Sebastian College-Recoletos High School Department. Specific Objectives 1. The main objective of this research is to develop automated based voting system for the San Sebastian College-Recoletos High School Department. 2. It will provide a faster and easy way to vote candidates during the voting season. 3. It will ease the pain of providing hundreds of ballots but this system will totally will remove the cost and effort of printing ballots. 4. It will secure the confidential information about the result of the last election. 5. To introduce an automated voting system for San Sebastian College-Recoletos High School Department. 6. To provide a user friendly system for the high school students. 7. To employ a more organized and accurate way of electing a new board members for the high school department. Scope and Delimitation of the Study The Proponents will develop a voting system that prepares a voting process for San Sebastian College-Recoletos High School Department by creating a computer based voting system that will help the commissioners count the number of votes. 1. Voters can also see the pictures of the candidates while voting and because of that can easily identify to whom they will give their vote. 2. The System has a back-up system to save the number of votes. 3. It will only take 5 minutes for the students to vote to avoid wasting of time. 4. It has a log in security attempt limited for 3 times. 5. The proponents are planning to use Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 to realize the goal. The coverage of this study is from June to Sept 2013. 6. The researchers limit the study to Sebastian College-Recoletos High School Department. 7. The candidates are not allowed to manipulate their number of votes; the election commissioners cannot alter the voting process. 8. This system has a delimitation that the users should know, the system doesn’t have a print out of ballots. Definition of Terms Automation – process which involves the electronics and computer technology which the participation of human is less. Automated Voting System – A technology which is much faster and efficient more than the old voting system, it also involves the participation of information and communication technology individuals. Ballot – A tangible thing wherein the cast of votes writes here. Also exists in old voting/electoral process. Ballot Box – A tangible thing wherein the votes of the voters stores here for counting. Canvassers – An individual who canvass votes and plays a vital role in old voting system. Election Commission – In charge of overseeing the implementation of election procedures. Inquiry – process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or solving a problem. Precincts – a table, place where you will vote.

Children and War Essay Example for Free

Children and War Essay How do children experience war and what coping assistance do they need from adults? What can we do to raise children in war torn times. According to a report by the London based International Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, an estimated 300,000 children in more than 80 countries are participating in armed conflict. I personally feel that children experience war because adults bring them into this conflict. Professor Henninger mentioned in his post, â€Å"Culture plays a big part,† in how children around the world experience war. Children are seen as innocent and many times are used as undetectable threats in war zones because who would suspect that a child is carrying a bomb or other various weapon devices such as hand-grenades and high powered guns. According to my research on this topic, children are used to having a safe haven and during war safety cannot be a permanent item, which is what children will need. The class text mentions that children’s memory is affected by not so pleasant images of being around a war zone, children can become desensitized to violence which could cause children to display violent behavior; reasoning on moral issues are affected, plus numerous other issues such as anxiety and depression are items children experience during war. It is unfortunate during war time in various areas, young girls can become victims of rape and often young girls are used as â€Å"Soldiers wives† in various foreign countries (Garbarino, Kostelny Dubrow 1998), where they are made to live in slavery and care for the soldiers every need, which includes intimate needs. This is why some of these young girls become pregnant and are then often time abandoned while the solider finds a new young female victim. Research has shown that once these young girls have babies, they seen as outcast and cannot return back to their regular family unit, due to most family members have been killed due to war zones. Young female and male children both experience major disruption to their family unit. I have seen on new reports where children became instant orphans and most likely saw their parent or parents murdered during war and then the child is left to care for themselves or many times they may have to care for other siblings. Young males may lose their fathers permanently due to war and this loss may place this young man as the â€Å"Head of household†, where their maturity level is not consistent (Weisenmiller) with taking over such as important role for the family. Coping Assistance for Children of War How children will experience war is also based on how the adults around them handle the situation. For example, if the parent is able to be with the child by offering comfort during such a climatic time and by being upfront with the child or children of what is happening, this will help ease the anxiety caused by war. The United Nations in the past held special sessions on how to deter the affects of war on children who live in war zones on a worldwide level. Special curriculums have been set-up in many war torn countries to allow children to either discuss, draw, or play act events that occurred to them during war, so they share their story and not hold things in, which could cause more stress in their young life. Assistant for children involved financial backing, which many times under developed countries do not have the mean, so international help organizations cans step in and provide the children with the physical and psychological help they would need to recover. Children need coping assistance that will help provide their basic everyday needs such as food, shelter, reassurance of safety and assistance with social development. Social programs such a UNICEF, Salvation Army, Red Cross, along with family, friends and the community will help children cope during times of war. When a child is raised in war torn times, they need to feel valued and make them become part of the community again by assisting in keeping them in school, healthy, have food and water available. Children need truthful information provided to them during war times because it is very important that they have an understanding of what is happening around them. Overall, support from parents, the community, friendly nations is important in helping to raise children during war time, and also help the child keep a sense of childhood when war issues arise. References: Berk, Laura E. (2009), Child Development Eight Edition. Pearson Education Clements, Paul T, Jr., PhD,R.N., C.S. (2001). Terrorism in America: How do we tell the children? Journal of Psychosocial Nursing Mental Health Services, 39(11), 8-10. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/225547648?accountid=828 Garbarino, J., Kostelny, K., Dubrow, N. (1998). No place to be a child: Growing up in a war zone. Jossey-Bass Weisenmiller, M. (2007, May 11). Health: Trauma haunts children in war zones. Global Information Network. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/457557903?accountid=8289

The Marketing Of Movies Film Studies Essay

The Marketing Of Movies Film Studies Essay In 1910s, the era commonly known as the birth of movie marketing, the big focus was on the movie stars. As motion picture audiences grew, so too did the importance of the actors. It was producer Carl Laemmle who originated the publicity stunt, an orchestrated media event where something dangerous or spectacular related to the movie is performed in order to draw further attention to its opening. After asking Florence Lawrence, a famous movie star, to join his IMP production company, he announced to the press that Lawrence had died in the car accident. After news of her death had created a sufficient stir, he placed a full-page advertisement in papers to deny the story. That was one of the first deliberate marketing strategies in the industry and it changed the movie marketing system dramatically. (Block and Wilson, 2010:19). As the stars of movies became more and more identifiable, the publics curiosity about them grew to be insatiable. This then started an era of using movie stars to promote movies and ultimately, it opened a whole new field of movie marketing. From 1920s, film distributors had started to employ marketing teams to create and produce publicity materials like press books, which were intended to encourage cinema managers in the exploitation of the film product. Film historians tend to look at early press books in order to study the history of movie marketing itself. Each press book would carry information about the film and its production, such as the plot synopses, the cast, background information and all the details of the availability of posters or other promotional aids such as lobby cards or standees life-size cardboard cut-outs of characters from the film (Moat, 2003-2010) to be put in cinema foyers. Press books were also used to promote ideas like recipes, competitions, quizzes and tie-ins with the local shops, as well as suggested text for local newspapers. The peak of the press books popularity lasted from the 1920s until the beginning of 1950s, when film distributors started to have more money to spend on promotiona l strategies, and film going was at its height. By the mid 1950s, theatre attendance had dropped to only 50 percent of what it had been in 1946. (Lees and Berkovitz, 1981) To make things worse, the U.S Department of Justice had launched an antitrust suit against the Big Five film companies Paramount, RKO, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. and MGM. After eight years of negotiations, these studios and three minor studios of that time Columbia, Universal, and United Artists agreed to what became known as the Paramount Consent Descree. (Pomerance, 2005:12) From now on, studios could no longer marshal under their own vertical structures the entire movie-making process, from acquisition of script material through pre-production, filming, editing, marketing, distributing, and exhibiting and therefore could no longer predict in advance what the profit range would be for the films they systematically produced. As the audience were less likely to visit the theatre, films had to have a more profound contact through the plot or use of vi sual effects. As a result, exhibition practises were modified in many ways after 1950 to lure the audience back: widescreen processes like CinemaScope and Cinerama, advance reservation road show bookings for major features, more intensive use of cinematic colour, the use of more exotic locations and lushly scored, quasi-symphonic or jazzy music. (Pomerance, 2005) However, what makes a hit? is the big question that has been on the minds of everyone involved in the movie business since its early days. (Lees, 1981:142) The uncertainty engendered by this shaky state of affairs causes, quite naturally, a parallel state of anxiety about decision making. There are no guidelines to consult that will indicate anything other than approximate probability. Film marketing has therefore two definitions. One is giving the public what they want. The other is making the public want what you have got. In the eyes of many movie marketers, this amounts to a very clear distinction between bad and good. (E.Squire, 2006:67) The problem is that there is usually no sure way to tell what the public wants. In late 1960s, film makers had started to use marketing research as a method of predicting the audience acceptance. Its goals were clear: determine a statistical picture of the kinds of people who go to movies, find out if certain projects will meet with public favour and learn how to market films that have already been made. (Marich, 2009:29) However, producers could watch the results of market research, trade paper reports of grosses, but the numbers for one film could never predict how the next one would do. In the 1970s, for example, there were three kinds of films one did not make: science fiction, sports and Vietnam. The films in those subject categories had all bombed, so it was assumed the public was turned off by the subject matter. (Stringer, 2003) Vietnam was depressing, science fiction was for buffs, and who wanted to see movies about boxing when they could see real sports at home, for free? Star Wars (Lucas, 1977), Coming Home (Ashby, 1978) and Rocky (Avildsen, 1976) buried these arguments forever, although the same thinking persists. For example, the presence of stars in the cast was said to be insurance that a film would be successful, but in Star Wars, for example, there were no famous names. Interestingly, the American film industry changed more between 1969 and 1980 than at any other period in its history, except perhaps for the introduction of sound. During that time, profits for the most successful motion pictures rose from the hundreds of thousands to the hundreds of millions of dollars. (Curran, 1998) The sixties were also highly marked by the rise of television. Although still too expensive, it opened a new window for film marketers. The film that is often credited with changing how movies are distributed and marketed was Jaws (Spielberg,1975), the first film to open at a thousand theatres and to use network television to support it. Made by Universal Pictures, the studio liked the complete film so much that it began a TV advertising campaign that cost an unprecedented $700,000 (Block, 2010:506) The film opened on 490 screens, setting the standard for subsequent wide openings for Hollywood films. Universal was looking to ramp up the marketing for Jaws to levels never seen before. Three nights before the film was scheduled to open nationwide, the studio saturated the networks during peak prime time hours with a barrage of thirty-second trailers. When it opened on June 20, Jaws become a national sensation. After the Jaws experience in 1975, multi-disciplined marketing departments were created, which included specific divisions for publicity, creating advertising, media buying, and promotion. (Cook, 2000). The follo wing chart depicts Jaws franchise films all-release worldwide box office revenues versus their production costs. (Block, 2010:507) Equivalent 2005 $s Against the rule of films one should not make in 1970s, George Lucas began developing his concept of a mythical science-fiction action adventure film named The Star Wars, set in the distant future and featuring a cast of characters. Universal and United Artists passed on it, but 20th Century Foxs Alan Ladd Jr. offered Lucas $10.000 to develop the screenplay. (Bakker, 2008:101) The head of Foxs advertising department, David Weitzner, began working on the film in February of 1977 and hired the successful advertising agency of Smolen, Smith and Connoly, which had previously created campaigns for such movies as Carrie (De Palma,1976) and The Omen (Donner, 1976). Donald Smolen began his task by examining the initial marketing research that had been conducted. The reports from the early screenings were not very encouraging said Smolen. We were told not to spend too much money, because the research showed it was just another science-fiction movie. (French, 1997:32) They certainly were not too excited about it, with the exception of Ashley Boone, the vice president of distribution at Fox, who kept touting the film, saying it is going to be a hit. When Fox screened the film for Smolen and his partners, they were not impressed. At this point, there were so much missing from the film it was not fair to judge it, although we did. However, my job was to make sure the f ilm was sold. In that regard it did not make any difference what the research showed or what anybody thought about the film. We were just trying to sell the film in the best possible way. (French,1997:32) To pump up pre-release interest, Lucas inventively tapped science fiction conventions, released a comic book and a novelization. The film opened to long lines at 10.00 am on May 25,1977 in a mere 43 locations across the United States. (Lucasfilm Ltd, 2004) No one knew it was going to be a big hit remembers David Prowse, actor playing Lord Vader. Nowadays, we take for granted that a big blockbuster will go out with thousands of prints and open in May. But back then the summer special effects blockbuster did not exist. (Prowse,2010) Although there were certainly fewer movie theatres in operation during the 1970s compared with today, a wide release of a mainstream, non-specialised film at that time typically meant a few hundreds engagements. Lippincott, former Lucasfilm Ltd. Vice President for Advertising admits that if the film was redone today, on the basis of the way movies are released with a couple of thousands prints, it probably would have been unsuccessful. Theatres did not want the movie. We were lucky to get forty theatres to open it (Gross, 1999:55) What is more, until the mid 1970s, movies were poor cousins of television when it came to merchandising. Sound tracks and books had always brought income to producers and studios, but the manufacturers who bought licenses to make other kinds of products such as toys or t-shirts figured that regular weekly exposure on television was the key to selling their goods. In comparison, movies seemed to be quick, one-shot affairs, not around long enough to sustain a product in the marketplace. (Curran, 1998) All that changed with Star Wars. The phenomenal success of most of the scores of Star Wars items showed that all sorts of products could ride on the coattails of a hit film. It also showed that through shrewd merchandising, a studio could make millions of dollars above and beyond income from movie theatres. The studios tend to define merchandising as any instance of an outside company using a film title or an image from a film on a product or as part of an advertising campaign. (Smith, 20 02:34) The latter case is called a tie-in, and as its name suggests, it is a partnership of two different companies in a unified advertising strategy. George Lucas agreed to reduce his salary as a film maker, reportedly $100.000, in exchange for Fox agreeing to let him have the films merchandising rights and other, lesser non-cash considerations. At the time Star Wars hit theatres, it had just ten licensees, but that mushroomed when the science fiction movie exploded in the box office. According to The Licensing Letter, the original merchandisers were Kenner for toys, games and crafts, Factors and Image Factory for t-shirts and posters, Ben Cooper for childrens costumes, Twentieth Century Records for soundtracks, Ballantine for paperbacks, Marvel for comics, Don Post Studios for various masks, Ken Films for edited home movies, and George Fenmore Associates for souvenir programs. (Marich, 2009:144) Star Wars was the real birth of the modern movie licensing business and it caught a lot of people by surprise. Six months after the release of Star Wars the much anticipated range of toys still was not ready. Puzzles, jigsaws and other items that could be produced with relatively short lead times begin to dominate toy shops across America, but Kenner had simply not had enough time to create its product. It became apparent to everyone at the company that they were going to miss the all-important Christmas toy purchasing period. Worried that by the time its products were available, the Star Wars obsession of Americas children would be over, the company devised the Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package. (Lucasfilm Ltd, 2004) This was a large envelope available in toy stores. It included a certificate which the recipient would have to post to Kenner, remembering to include his or her name and address. The recipients would then, as soon as the toys were produced and before they were av ailable in shops, receive the first four of Kenners Star Wars action figures: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2 and Chewbacca. Kenner, which is now owned by Hasbro, still to this day has a Star Wars license for different merchandise. To compare, in 1997, by adding just four-and-a-half minutes of new footage to the original film, at a cost of $10m, roughly the cost of the entire original movie, George Lucas has managed to recycle Star Wars back to the top of the box office and make it the most successful picture of all time in the US. When it opened on May 25, 1977, Star Wars took $2.6 million in six days from a timid 32-screen release. On January 31, 1997, the re-release exceeded all expectations with $35.9m from 2,104 screens. (Duncan, 1997: 16) When George Lucas decided to digitally revamp the Star Wars trilogy for re-issue, Lucasfilm and 20th century Fox were left with a marketing conundrum. How do you build awareness for a film that is possibly the best known picture ever made? We went into re-release without a marketing template explains Gordon Radley, president of Lucasfilm. (Lucasfilm Ltd, 2004) Star Wars is more than a cultural phenomenon, it has such an impact on the hearts and minds of cinema-goers and no trilogy has ever been re-released on such a large scale. Lucas himself had strict guidelines for the worldwide re-release: it was to emphasise the in-theatre experience- the big screen as the best possible way to see Star Wars as well as stressing the unique chance to see all three films in a relatively short scape of time. Less than a year before the Star Wars relaunch, the new trio was titled The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition and given the tag line Join the Celebration! Back on The Big Screen! (Lucasfilm Ltd , 2004). Although the average American has seen the film many times, US posters used the phrase See It For The First Time. (Duncan, 1997:16) Working with Lucasfilm, Fox marketers have approached Star Wars in terms of raising the consciousness of an existing, long-lasting brand name. The important thing was that we were not bringing a new film out says Jim Gianopulos, president of 20th Century Fox International. We didnt have to raise awareness. In 1996, before the release, Star Wars merchandising held the number two sales spot. (Smith, 2002:35) Star Wars action figures were the biggest selling toy after Barbie and has made more than $3 billion since the release of the film in 1977 twice the amount the franchise itself has earned. The unprecedented $2 billion tie-in with PepsiCo that was struck in May 1996, became the cornerstone to promoting Star Wars as a brand name again. (Duncan, 1997:16) During the latter part of the decade, intoxicated by the success of Jaws and Star Wars, Hollywood developed a blockbuster complex. The following table depicts franchise films originating in the 1970s. (Block and Wilson, 2010:533) Equivalent 2005 $s in Millions of $s Rank Franchise Number of Films in Franchise All-Release Worldwide Box Office 1 Star Wars 6 $6,872.9 2 Jaws 4 $2,238.9 3 Rocky 6 $2,060.6 4 Superman 5 $1,797.0 5 The Godfather 5 $1,139.2 The event movies, franchise films, and instant blockbusters that drove the box office of the 1980s became more expensive, more high-tech, and more international in the 1990s, although the profits became even harder to realise. By the early 1990s, sophisticated marketing techniques such as advertising testing, the use of the internet and product placement in films, became firmly rooted in the business. As production and marketing costs soared, more and more movies opened with huge grosses only to fade after the first weekend, replaced by another movie the following weekend. Nobody could predict that in a summer packed with big-budget mainstream studio fare like Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Lucas, 1999) and Wild Wild West (Sonnenfeld, 1999), Artisan studio would score the most stunning coup in recent times by propelling Blair Witch Project, a grainy, low-tech documentary, to $250 million at the box office worldwide. (Marich,2009:96) Interestingly, the writers of the film spent less than $100,000 to make and present it in documentary style. As a result, with sequels, videos and licensed merchandise, it became the most profitable low-budget films in cinema history, as depicted in the following table. (Block, 2010:520) Top 5 Blockbuster Movies Lowest Production Cost versus Highest Revenue All-Release Domestic Box Office, 1960-2009 Equivalent 2005 $s in Millions of $s Rank Film Initial Release Domestic Box Office Production Cost 1 The Blair Witch Project 1999 $177.3 $.04 2 Easy Rider 1969 $191.7 $1.9 3 American Graffiti 1973 $402.0 $3.30 4 Psycho 1960 $209.9 $5.3 5 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2002 $266.4 $5.4 Thanks to a revolutionary use of the internet and word-of-mouth, the movie stood out amongst the onslaught of $200 million movies with corporate tie-in partners and $50 million advertising budgets. Bound by a small marketing budget, the internet proved to be the one outlet where the money spent paid off in spades. The Web completely levels the playing field; you cant out-spend somebody on the Web the Artisans studio marketing head, John Hegeman said. Its against the grain of every other media; you create a message and give it time to breathe. If the environment is interesting, you can hold onto the fan base longer, as opposed to a 30-second ad thats here and gone. For us, it was the most important and impactful delivery mechanism (Hegeman, cited in Stanley, 1999) Co-director of the movie, Eduardo Sanchez, created the Blair Witch Project website to outline the story of the Blair Witch and lure potential investors- before the screenplay had even been written. He also planted a false information that the murders shown on-screen were real, not staged by film makers. Of course the events depicted in the movies were not real, but the controversy they caused helped boost interest and ticket sales. Rather than posting a typical promotional movie site with Shockwave presentations, cute screen savers, a few trailers, and an opening date, Sanchez created a Web site that is an extension of the movie rather than just an online advertisement. In addition, just before the general release of the film, The Science-Fiction Channel aired a mockumentary, Curse of the Blair Witch (Sanchez, 1999b), which, supposedly, investigated the legend behind the movie. The program contains actual interviews of relatives and friends of the three main characters. (Sanchez, 1999b) Since the whole legend was fictional, including the myth of the missing students, the program can be treated as another marketing mechanism for the film. Despite this, it gives more background information on the legend that is hinted at in the film. Then, at the Cannes Film Festival, the producers distribute flyers containing information about the cast. The missing posters of the actors of the film were also put up. These marketing strategies and also the authentic feel of the movie made many viewers believe that the whole documentary was real, even though the film was listed in the fiction category. This decade also saw industry consolidation accelerate. By the end of the 1990s, bigger companies dominated the entertainment industry and companies such as News Corporation (20th Century-Fox and Fox Broadcasting), Time Warner (Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema), and Viacom (Paramount, Blockbuster Video, and CBS) were changing the dynamics of ownership. (Bakker, 2008:122) Studios were no longer part of companies focused primarily on movies and TV shows. These companies ushered in an era of more intense research, which was conducted at a higher cost. Everything was tested, from story concepts to TV commercials. These companies were also able to raise vast pools of funds from investors both in United States and around the world. Movies were still shown on film, but there were signs that the end of the celluloid era was upon us as movies entered the electronic age. Digital technology was used first to store information, then to edit movies and TV shows, and later as a tool in special effects, leading ultimately to the beginning of digital cinema, which would transform production, distribution, and exhibition. At the same time the internet gave easy access to an abundance of information and fast communication. When in 1993 only 1.3 million people used the Internet, by the year 2000, over 300 million people had access. (Bordwell, 2003:274) Soon after, the DVD was introduced as a digital consumer entertainment format and seemed likely to replace videotape. However, mainly due to evolving technology, the U.S film industry faced many new difficulties as a new century dawned. Film piracy exploded, thanks to digital copying and internet access. Also box-office revenues swelled due to increased ticket prices as supposed to larger audiences. In real terms, theatres were earning less from tickets sales that they had in the 1980s. (Stringer, 2003) In the meantime, the costs of film making and marketing were rising faster than the income. Nonetheless, theatrical motion pictures remained central ingredients in the media mix. Films spawned television series, video games, comic books and other merchandise material. The press tracked top-grossing films as if they were a sports team. The industry might have been riddled with economic problems, but film was securely at the centre of Americas and the worlds popular culture. Bibliography draft: Bakker, George (2008) Entertainment Industrialised. The Emergence of the International Film Industry, 1890-1940, University Press, Cambridge. Bassom, David (1999) Star Maker, StarBust, May 1999, pp. 40-45. Bhuvaneshwari (2005) Star Wars: A Star Brand, IBSCDC, May 2005, pp. 1-8. Block, Alex Ben and Lucy Autrey Wilson (2010) Blockbusting, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., New York. Cook, David (2000) History of the American Cinema. 9 Lost Illusions: American Cinema in the Shadow of Watergate and Vietnam, 1970-1979, MacMillan, New York. Curran, David (1998) Guide to American Cinema 1965-1995, Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport. Dale, Martin (1997) The Movie Game. The Film Business in Britain, Europe and America, Cassell, London. Duncan, Celia (1997) Marketing Focus: Star Wars Trilogy, Screen International, March 1997, p. 16. Endicott, Robert (2000) Studios Soar to New Box-Office Nirvana Advertising Age, July 2000, p. 10 E.Squire, Jason (2006) The Movie Business Book, McGraw-Hill Education, England. French, Lawrence (1997) Selling the Force, Cinefantastique, February 1997, pp. 32-37. Hayward, Susan (1996) Key concepts in Cinema Studies, Routledge, New York. Izod, John (1988) Hollywood and the box office, 1985-1986, MacMillan Press, Hampshire. Kempster, Grant (2005) Star Wars, Film Review, August 2005, pp. 12-16. Lehu, Jean-Marc (2007) Branded Entertainment: Product placement and brand strategy in the entertainment business, Kogan Page, London. Lees, David and Stan Berkowitz (1981) The Movie Business, Random House, New York. Marich, Robert (2009) Marketing to Moviegoers: A Handbook of Strategies and Tactics, second edition, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale. Pham,Andrew and Neil Watson (1993) The Film Marketing Handbook, BAS Printers Limited, Hampshire. Pomerance, Murray (2005) American Cinema of the 1950s. Themes and Variations, Oxford International Publishers Ltd, Oxford. Prowse, David, actor playing Lord Vader in Star Wars trilogy. Face-to-face interview (notes), 20 September, 2009, Glasgow. Smith, Jim (2002) The Star Wars Story- Part One, StarBust, May 2002a, pp. 34-41. Smith, Jim (2002) The Star Wars Story- Part Two, StarBust, June 2002b, pp. 26-33. Smith, Jim (2002) The Star Wars Story- Part Three, StarBust, July 2002c, pp. 28-34. Stringer, Julian (2003) Movie Blockbuster, Routledge, New York. Wasko, Janet (2003) How Hollywood Works, SAGE Publications, London. Miller, Neil The Ultimate Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Photo Gallery, http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/the-ultimate-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-photo-HYPERLINK http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/the-ultimate-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-photo-gallery.phpgallery.php (accessed 22.02.2010) Royal Albert Hall Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix http://www.royalalberthall.com/about/history-and-archives/timeline-detail.aspx?search=20030626 (accessed 18.02.2010) Granville, Williams Bestriding the World http://www.mediachannel.org/ownership/granville.shtml (accessed 22.03.2010) Entertainment Marketing Letter Product Placement On The Rise In Broadcast Network Primetime Shows, http://www.epmcom.com/products/entertainment/eml (accessed 10.03.2010) Koster, Olinka Harry Potter and the not-so-wizard Coca-Cola wheeze http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-79086/Harry-Potter-wizard-Coca-Cola-wheeze.html (accessed 23.03.2010) Moat, Janet Selling the Movies, http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tours/marketing/marketingtour1.html (accessed 24.10.2009) Grover, Ronald Twilight, the Movie: This Seasons Harry Potter? http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2008/tc20081114_235548.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_companies (accessed 22.03.2010) MPAA Marketing budget 2007, http://www.mpaa.org/researchStatistics.asp (accessed 10.01.2010) Box Office Mojo Proud American, http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=proudamerican.htm (accessed 21.01.2010) Thilk, Chris Harry Potter series http://www.moviemarketingmadness.com/blog/2004/06/03/7005/ (accessed 5.09.2009) Filmprofit, Producers Marketing Package http://www.filmprofit.com/samples/ProdMarkSample.pdf (accessed 01.01.2010) Stanley, Tim, High-Tech Throwback marketing of Blair Witch Project, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_36_40/ai_56023086/ (accessed 10.11.2009) Star Wars:Bonus Material, prod: Lucasfilm Ltd., USA, 2004. Curse of the Blair Witch, dir: Eduardo Sanchez, USA, 1999b. Unknown, Twilight word of mouth and buzz marketing http://www.socialmediamarketinguk.com/twilight-word-of-mouth-marketing-and-buzz-marketing (accessed 2.04.2010)

The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala Essay

The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala "I declare the National, uhh, sorry...the Canadian National Museum of Philately officially open." - Minister for Multi-Culturalism, Masala Although there are moments in Masala when the surface dialogue is loaded with irony and satire, the background or ambient sound of the film is also used to examine the central theme of the film, the search for personal and cultural identity. This theme of cultural representation and personal identity is additionally expressed through director Srinivas Krishna’s technical approach toward the function of sound in the film. In fact, the different approaches to life and art that distinguish one culture from another are evident in a brief comparison of the employment of sound in the Japanese films Gonza The Spearman and Fireworks and the Canadian production Masala. The influence of Western technical conventions upon Krishna’s use of sound, both through the narrative and sub-narrative (or background sound), is quite distinctive. Masala presents the viewer with an approach toward sound that is clearly influenced by the culture the film was created in, using dialogue and backgr ound sound to enhance the central theme of the search for cultural and personal identity. As a result of different cultural approaches to the art of film making, Japanese directors such as Masahiro Shinoda (Gonza) and Takeshi Kitano (Fireworks) typically employ sound in an effort to enhance the storytelling aspect of cinema. This ‘storytelling’ approach to film supports the gratuitous use of sound effects to emphasise punches, kicks, and the extreme violence and excessive amounts of blood that have come to signify fight scenes in Japan cinema (particularly to ... ..., just as the real estate agent states "Your momma gave you a bum steer when you were 4 years old. We need to clean that up right now. If we don’t clean that up right now, you will be emotionally prohibited from creating wealth." In short, the use of sound in Masala is the culmination of the life of Krishna - the character - as a minority struggling for both personal and cultural identity in an increasingly satirical world, and Krishna - the director - using film, specifically dialogue and background noise, to ask questions about social and cultural status. Krishna’s eventual death - a reaction against stereotypes - and his grandmother’s acceptance and desire for the technology (among other facets) of a foreign culture - a shattering of stereotypes - reveal that director Krishna’s intent is to raise questions, to provide a solid background for deeper discussion. The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala Essay The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala "I declare the National, uhh, sorry...the Canadian National Museum of Philately officially open." - Minister for Multi-Culturalism, Masala Although there are moments in Masala when the surface dialogue is loaded with irony and satire, the background or ambient sound of the film is also used to examine the central theme of the film, the search for personal and cultural identity. This theme of cultural representation and personal identity is additionally expressed through director Srinivas Krishna’s technical approach toward the function of sound in the film. In fact, the different approaches to life and art that distinguish one culture from another are evident in a brief comparison of the employment of sound in the Japanese films Gonza The Spearman and Fireworks and the Canadian production Masala. The influence of Western technical conventions upon Krishna’s use of sound, both through the narrative and sub-narrative (or background sound), is quite distinctive. Masala presents the viewer with an approach toward sound that is clearly influenced by the culture the film was created in, using dialogue and backgr ound sound to enhance the central theme of the search for cultural and personal identity. As a result of different cultural approaches to the art of film making, Japanese directors such as Masahiro Shinoda (Gonza) and Takeshi Kitano (Fireworks) typically employ sound in an effort to enhance the storytelling aspect of cinema. This ‘storytelling’ approach to film supports the gratuitous use of sound effects to emphasise punches, kicks, and the extreme violence and excessive amounts of blood that have come to signify fight scenes in Japan cinema (particularly to ... ..., just as the real estate agent states "Your momma gave you a bum steer when you were 4 years old. We need to clean that up right now. If we don’t clean that up right now, you will be emotionally prohibited from creating wealth." In short, the use of sound in Masala is the culmination of the life of Krishna - the character - as a minority struggling for both personal and cultural identity in an increasingly satirical world, and Krishna - the director - using film, specifically dialogue and background noise, to ask questions about social and cultural status. Krishna’s eventual death - a reaction against stereotypes - and his grandmother’s acceptance and desire for the technology (among other facets) of a foreign culture - a shattering of stereotypes - reveal that director Krishna’s intent is to raise questions, to provide a solid background for deeper discussion.

Linux vs Windows TCO :: essays research papers

There has been significant interest in the broader business community regarding the difference in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) between the Linux and Open Source solutions on one side and Microsoft's proprietary Windows solutions on the other. Microsoft software is licenced to users on a feeforproduct basis, whereas most Linux and open source applications are available free of charge. There are, however, installation and support costs to consider. We will take all such costs into consideration in the models we present. While it is difficult to qualitatively analyse all of the TCO factors at play, it is possible to produce a reasonable firstpass quantitative estimate for the instantiation and operation of a complete computer environment and network infrastructure for a smalltomedium organisation, to illuminate the TCO differences between these two competing platforms. To that end, we have modelled an organisation with 250 computerusing staff, an appropriate number of workstations, servers, Internet connectivity, an ebusiness system, network cabling and hardware, standard software, and salaries for IT professionals to establish and support this infrastructure and technology. We've also added IT training for the staff along with expenditure items for ancillary IT systems and external consulting staff to assist in making it all work. We ran the model with two options: firstly, purchasing brand new hardware and network infrastructure explicitly for establishing this organisation's computer systems; and secondly, using preexisting hardware and infrastructure. We also simulated the IT expenses over a 3 year period, mimicking the operational lifespan of many corporate computer systems, and amortising the purchase and installation costs over that period of time. Throughout this comparison, we will be presenting the raw data as well as the explicative methodologies used in the determination of the overall costs. While we have taken care and effort to present a holistic analysis, we are mindful that no organisation is likely to operate with the exact parameters presented here, and we therefore recommend the use of the document as a guide only. Consider this document as a primer which you can use to generate an enhanced TCO model specifically tailored for your organisation, by removing those line items which don't make sense for your site and adding additional costs which are specific to your organisation. Further, while this document makes express use of technology and services found within the IT industry, it is intended for an audience of nonIT executives within small to medium sized organisations. The final results are summarized in the tables below. One compares the TCO difference between Standard Linux (namely the one that isn't acquired with a prepaid support contract) and Microsoft's platform. The second compares Red Hat's managed Enterprise Linux and Microsoft's platform. Linux vs Windows TCO :: essays research papers There has been significant interest in the broader business community regarding the difference in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) between the Linux and Open Source solutions on one side and Microsoft's proprietary Windows solutions on the other. Microsoft software is licenced to users on a feeforproduct basis, whereas most Linux and open source applications are available free of charge. There are, however, installation and support costs to consider. We will take all such costs into consideration in the models we present. While it is difficult to qualitatively analyse all of the TCO factors at play, it is possible to produce a reasonable firstpass quantitative estimate for the instantiation and operation of a complete computer environment and network infrastructure for a smalltomedium organisation, to illuminate the TCO differences between these two competing platforms. To that end, we have modelled an organisation with 250 computerusing staff, an appropriate number of workstations, servers, Internet connectivity, an ebusiness system, network cabling and hardware, standard software, and salaries for IT professionals to establish and support this infrastructure and technology. We've also added IT training for the staff along with expenditure items for ancillary IT systems and external consulting staff to assist in making it all work. We ran the model with two options: firstly, purchasing brand new hardware and network infrastructure explicitly for establishing this organisation's computer systems; and secondly, using preexisting hardware and infrastructure. We also simulated the IT expenses over a 3 year period, mimicking the operational lifespan of many corporate computer systems, and amortising the purchase and installation costs over that period of time. Throughout this comparison, we will be presenting the raw data as well as the explicative methodologies used in the determination of the overall costs. While we have taken care and effort to present a holistic analysis, we are mindful that no organisation is likely to operate with the exact parameters presented here, and we therefore recommend the use of the document as a guide only. Consider this document as a primer which you can use to generate an enhanced TCO model specifically tailored for your organisation, by removing those line items which don't make sense for your site and adding additional costs which are specific to your organisation. Further, while this document makes express use of technology and services found within the IT industry, it is intended for an audience of nonIT executives within small to medium sized organisations. The final results are summarized in the tables below. One compares the TCO difference between Standard Linux (namely the one that isn't acquired with a prepaid support contract) and Microsoft's platform. The second compares Red Hat's managed Enterprise Linux and Microsoft's platform.

Opinion About Macbeth Essay

Macbeth tells a story of a brave strong warrior the king of Scotland becomes his successor by murdering him and then he’s defeated. Before we meet Macbeth , we form an opinion of him based on what other people say about him for example; the king of Scotland Duncan says ; † O worthy gentlemen oh valiant cousin.† This shows their related, well bred and worthwhile. And the bloody man says; † But all too weak for brave Macbeth well he deserves his name.† This suggests he’s a well known brave solider. Macbeth surprises us with his reaction to the witch’s prophecies, because when they tell him he’s: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and shall be king. He’s stunned and full of disbelief as he says; † A prosperous gentleman; and shall be king stand not within the prospect of belief.† he thinks he’s taking someone else’s tittle of them because he says; † I know I’m thane of Glamis but how Cawdor t he thane of Cawdor lives† Then he wants to know more of what the witches said to him. â€Å"Stay you imperfect speakers tell me more.† he gets tempted about what they said to him. â€Å"If good why do to that suggestion.† This shows that he’d like to be king then he thinks of murder. â€Å"My thought whose murder yet is but fantastical.† This suggests he wants to murder the current king of Scotland, to get what he wants. But he doesn’t want to do it; he wants to leave it to fate. But Lady Macbeth influences him to do it, by saying that: he doesn’t love her, if he did it he would make him more of a man and that she’d do anything for him. In act 1 sc IV we see more thoughts of murder as he thinks, I’m either going to have to step over him or give up because he’s in my way. He’s thinking this about the prince of Cumberland .now he thinks of the murder of Duncan and says; â€Å"stars, hide your light so no one can see the terrible desires within me. I won’t let my eye look at what my hand is doing, but in the end I’m still going to do that thing I’d be horrified to see.† He says he’s going to do it but dose not want to she the things he’ll do. We first see Lady Macbeth in act 1 sc v, we realise a few things about her she ambitious and influences Macbeth an awful lot â€Å"Glamis thou art, Cawdor and shall be what thou art promised.† This means she thinks and knows some how she will make him be king, this boosts him and he thinks he can do it. She also has a low opinion of Macbeth, â€Å"yet I do fear thy nature; it is too full of the milk of human kindness.† She thinks he’s too nice and kind to do it.† Art not without ambition, but without wunes should attend it.† This says got ambition but he not got the guts to do it or go through with it. She trying to influence him by saying; â€Å"that I pour my sprits in thine ear and chastie with the valar of my tongue.† this means she going to fill him with evil and talk him in to it. Lady Macbeth influences Macbeth in many ways the first way we see is that; she say was drunk and when he was he promised that he would kill Duncan. She tries to say that he doesn’t love her, but by what he says and dose he loves her â€Å"my dearest partner in life.† and then she trys to make out he’s a coward, because he doesn’t want to kill King Duncan. She says she would do it so why wouldn’t he, she try to say he letting her down if he doesn’t do it she tells him he’d be more attractive if he did it. She keeps saying if she’d made a promise she would have kept it. I conclude that lady Macbeth did influence him in some ways because she’s the one who finally made him do it but overall I think it was both of them as he thought of murder before he even saw her.

Professional School Counseling Essay

The 5 themes are character education, bullying, social-conflict, academics, and mental illness. Additionally, this paper will include important elements of school counselor identity, function and ethics. A section of the paper will give biblical values and insights related to the subject of professional school counseling. The experience of research has provided the reader with the personal reflections concerning school counseling and a discussion of the commitment to provide biblically grounded, ethical and empirically based services from the point of view of the writer. Introduction Children are in a society where the world is rapidly changing. Due to influx of social and economic changes and problems that are brewing within the homes of our students: these problems tend to spill over into the schools. The problems that are presented in the schools are escalating, when you think that things are improving. The purpose of this paper is to give some insight on the problems that professional school counselors faced in our schools. Every problematic area is not covered in this paper because it is so much research on many degrees of issues that professional counselors face. We propose that with the proper training, programs and support of the schools, counselors will be able to see a positive change. History and Development The factors leading to the development of guidance and counseling in the United States began in the 1890s with the social reform movement. Formal guidance programs using specialized textbooks did not start until the turn of the twentieth century. In 1958 the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) was enacted, providing aid to education in the United States at all levels, public and private. One of the consequences was the compulsory education movement and shortly thereafter the vocational guidance movement, which, in its early days, was concerned with guiding people into the workforce to become productive members of society. The social and political reformer Frank Parsons is often credited with being the father of the vocational guidance movement. His work with the Civic Service House led to the development of the Boston Vocation Bureau (Sandhu, 2000). Guidance and counseling in these early years were considered to be mostly vocational in nature, but as the profession advanced other personal concerns became part of the school counselor’s agenda. Introduction of Topic Professional school counselors are certified and licensed educators with a minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling that make them uniquely qualified to address all students’ academic, personal/social and career development needs by designing, implementing, evaluating and enhancing a comprehensive school counseling program that promote and enhance student success (Sandhu, 2000). Professional school counselors are employed in elementary, middle/junior high and high schools; in district supervisory positions; and counselor education positions. Professional school counselors uphold the ethical and professional standards of ASCA and other applicable professional counseling associations, and promote the development of the school counseling program based on the following areas of the ASCA National Model: Foundation, delivery, management and accountability. Five Aspects

Promotion: Performance vs Seniority Essay

According to the latest statistics published in the New York Times a 70 percent of the American workers think that promotions have to be based on performance rather than promotions by seniority. The first thing that needs to be said is that it is a personal decision. In my opinion, promotions have to be based on performance, because workers have good incentives, the best employees deserve the better positions quickly and the enterprises can have good employees. My first argument suggests that modern enterprise needs to produce more goods without spend money and time. The enterprises have to hire the best employees who need good incentives to work in them. The promotions by good performance rather than by seniority are very interesting for a young professional, because if he works well, he can get a better position in the company. For example, some companies have programs to hire young talent professionals. Second to take into account is that if the better employees had the opportunity to sit in a high position in the company early, they would have a better performance rather than another senior employee. To illustrate this point one need only refer to the several polls that some economics’ magazines have taken in successful companies and these polls show there are more young and capable workers than ever in the past, because there are a program of promotions by performance. Third, equally relevant to the issue are the companies with promotions base on good work have a better laborer climate. Enterprises give good incentives to hire capable workers and they give their better work. They can be happy in the company. Thus, I prefer to promotions have to be based in a good performance rather than promotions by seniority, in the due to the fact, worker have a good incentives, the best employees deserve the better positions quickly and the enterprises can have good employees.

Research Paper on Drug Use Essay

Drug use in today’s society is something that has become too common. We have a large percentage of our population using drugs for numerous reasons. The stresses of our fast paced lives can be the reason we need drugs to keep up. We sometime take these drugs with out thinking of the future consequences and risk that might be attached to them. We have to teach society of the dangers of drugs and the treatment available to quit using. We have too many people using drugs in our society today. â€Å"In 1996, 50. % of high school seniors had used some illegal drug at some time during their life, 40. 2% during the previous year, and 24. 6% during the previous month. † This shows that at least half of the senior class in high schools use or have use drugs. These numbers are from 1996 from then to now the number has grown drastically. If these people are using drugs as seniors it most evident that they will use drugs after high school. â€Å"A 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that among all youths aged 12 to 17, 6% had tried prescription drugs for recreational use in the last month. Kids as young as 12 years old are using prescription drugs to get high this tell me that their parent are to busy to supervising them or just don’t care enough to prevent them from doing so. If teenagers can use the drugs they have at home to get high how are we supposed to prevent them from using them? People don’t use drugs simply for the fact to get high, but also to cope with problems in their lives. When someone uses drugs to deal with the stresses of the everyday life it is easier to develop an addiction to the drug. A study based on a sample of 20,291 individuals drawn from the community at large found that more than half of those who met the medical criteria for diagnosis as drug abusers also suffered from one or more mental disorders at some point during their lifetime. This included 28% with anxiety disorders, 26% with mood disorders (depression), 18% with antisocial personality disorder, and 7% with schizophrenia. Some had multiple disorders. The prevalence of mental disorders varied with the drug being abused, ranging from 50% of marijuana abusers to 76% of those who abused cocaine. Almost half of the drug abusers also suffered from alcohol abuse at some point during their lifetime. † People don’t only use drugs get high or deal with the stresses of life, but also to deal with the problems with in them. People use drugs to cope with their anxieties, depression and schizophrenia. With the drugs the people feel that the disorder they have does not exist. They believe that they are everyone else and there is nothing wrong with them. â€Å"Initial low-level involvement with drugs may result from peer pressure, drug availability or other risk factors in an individual’s social or family environment. Many individuals use drugs to fit in with friends or to be excepted by a crowd of higher popularity than them. This happens a lot in high school with younger students being pressured by upper classmen. People sometime do things without thinking about the repercussions of their actions. â€Å"Some people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than street drugs†¦. But prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have prescriptions for them. That’s because a doctor has examined these people and prescribed the right dose of medication for a specific medical condition. The doctor has also told them exactly how they should take the medicine, including things to avoid while taking the drug — such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking other medications. They also are aware of potentially dangerous side effects and can monitor patients closely for these. † Someone might take someone else’s prescription drug with alcohol not knowing that there could serious risk in doing so. For a childish mistake like mix the wrong prescriptions together a person can dead. â€Å"Whether they’re using street drugs or medications, drug abusers often have trouble at school, at home, with friends, or with the law. The likelihood that someone will commit a crime, be a victim of a crime, or have an accident is higher when that person is abusing drugs — no matter whether those drugs are medications or street drugs. † There more consequences to using drugs then just the health risk. You can be arrested for using another persons prescriptions just you can for using street drugs. Some prescription drugs such as opioids can make you hallucinate. This becomes dangerous because the person under the influence of the drug can be driving a vehicle and cause an accident putting their life and others around them in danger. 17,000 people die from all illicit drug use, Direct and Indirect a year. 7,600 people die from Non- Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Such As Aspirin a year. † People don’t realize how many people actually die from drug abuse until they see the numbers. People need to think before taking drugs an realize that every action has its consequences. If your using drugs do it for the right reason not to get high to forget your problem. You might get rid of your troubles for a short amount of time but they be back when your sober. Drugs can either help you or hurt you, but you have to decide.

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay Example for Free (#5)

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay Strategic Plan (66) , Business model (48) , Catering (14) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints For any journey the path must be defined with clear and recognizable details for it to be successful. The concepts of markers and landmarks which define the direction of a journey apply to that of any business. We need detailed plans and objectives as well as landmarks and directions we would like the business to travel. The objective of Two Brothers food truck is to create a trusted and popular place for people of the Wenatchee valley to enjoy a quality meal using locally sourced goods and services at a value which all residents of the valley can easily afford. With this detailed strategic business plan we will discuss the concepts which will guide our plan and the obstacles we may face and how we will work to overcome them. Strategic Objectives, Measures, and Targets The objective is the same in all business and that is to keep the business operational and profitable. The profitability of any business is the main reason for which we strive to open and operate businesses; this fact will be  the main reason to implement fundamental financial objectives. The concept of Two Brothers food truck is to keep costs low, maximize profits while maintaining quality ingredients and service to the consumer. The main factor which way affect the profitability of the food truck is locally sourcing fresh ingredients due to the grow cycle of our region. At some point the truck will have to purchase items from a vendor or local grocer to maintain inventory levels. However the other menu ingredients like breads, meats, and dairy items will in most cases be readily available thanks in part to the availability to local butchers and dairies, we plan on baking our own breads. Thanks to the lack of competitive restaurants using locally sourced items we see no issues wit h these items. Methods of Monitoring and Controlling Two Brothers Strategic Plan We understand the importance of a happy employee and their relation to happy customers and relationships play a major role in any business. We strive to build relationships with the community and place high regard on personalized service to each person that visits Two Brothers whether it our guests are local or people visiting the Wenatchee valley. One major way we intend to ensure this will happen is to always empower our staff and make our staff feel like they are part of this business and guide them to feel as emotionally invested in the ideas and concepts of Two Brothers food truck as we do. We plan to offer incentives like shift meals, paid time off after time invested in the company, profit sharing, company events, and bonuses for college students whom receive exceptional grades, we feel the food truck should be a stepping stone and an example of characteristics they can take with them into their careers. We feel that investing the time and energy in our staff and showing them we care as much about them as we do the business will encourage them to feel the same and want to invest time and energy in our customers to ensure their return business and the customers overall satisfaction. Marketing and Information Technology Strategies and Tactics In today’s era of social media and more and more people using their mobile devices for everyday operations we feel we need to maintain that connection. Luckily for Two Brothers food truck the Wenatchee valley is relatively small and offers great coverage for mobile data with most carriers. We would like  to take that a step further and offer a Wi-Fi hot spot as well as charging stations for most devices, we would like to power these items using mainly solar energy to add to the concept of a sustainable culture we are trying to maintain with the business. We understand the importance of technology and social media in the operations of business and how technology can be an aid in our business operations. We plan on focusing our attention on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and other social media outlets to advertise our business which will provide the customer with daily information on specials as well as access to coupon programs we provide. Using social media will provide an outlet for our customers to provide reviews and feedback on our business. Many people feel that bad reviews can hurt a business; we feel that bad reviews provide an opportunity for us to make a new friend and change a process which may harm our business with future guests. Two brothers would also like to develop a smartphone application for iOS and Android which we find is also lacking with many businesses in the Wenatchee valley. This application will also provide instant access to our business as well as letting us track our market. As far as marketing outside of social media we plan to brand our image using items like car clings, bumper stickers, clothing, and sponsorship of local team sports, we feel that the Wenatchee valley is a closely knit tight community and word of mouth and these visual cues will travel fast into making Two Brothers a household name in the Wenatchee valley. Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Issues Regulatory conditions for mobile food service entities like Two Brothers food truck are rather strict in the Wenatchee valley. We will need to focus on consumer safety within the regards of the regulations put forth by the local health department and maintain or equipment and employee paperwork to remain compliant with these standards. Another important element of the food truck will be a base of operations where we store product and prep for day to day operations. This facility will also have to fall within the guidelines set forth by the health district to ensure food and consumer safety. Two Brothers also plan to offer beer and wine at some point in the future operations of our food truck which is legally allowed in Washington State. We will also have to follow the guidelines set forth by the Liquor Control  Board which are monitoring levels of service, age appropriate clientele, and ensuring on premise consumption only. All of these aspects will be factored into our operational details and regulations will be posted per Washington State RCW’s. Business Model and Strategic Plan Part I The goal is to bring a cross section of favorite foods to the community. Some of these will consist of a local high school favorite the Zombie. The Zombie is fluffy dough stuffed with a variety of meats and cheeses then baked to perfection. Other culinary options will include the popular Cuban sandwich as well as bratwursts, homemade fried chicken, fresh cut fries, and several types of wings and sauces. The goal is to bring in as much locally grown items as well as using local providers for most of our items, keeping it home grown is one of our mottos. We also plan and scratch making as many items as we can to provide the highest quality and freshest product possible, another concept lacking in our town. The goal is to bring the highest quality foods for the most reasonable price that we can. I our idea will be to closely follow what Costco tries to bring to their customers. The goals of Two Brothers food truck are to bring items to customers with little or no access within walking d istance to their locations. We will highlight our operating times to ensure each location we stop at will have ample time to order and receive their items in a fashion congruent with their time frame. We will also provide an â€Å"Order Early† option via text, email, and phone orders so that clients will be able to bypass lines and pick up items whilst on the go. Wenatchee is a smaller mid-size market with many businesses and average options for quick lunch options. Wenatchee offers the same fast food and casual dining as larger cities with a sprinkling of mom and pop restaurants which make up the rest of the options none of which offer high quality ingredients with reasonable pricing structures it is usually either quality or fair price, Two Brothers will accomplish both high quality and fair pricing by operating on volume sales to move business. The plan for Two Brothers is to hand craft all possible food items to cut costs and increase quality of our products because we believe that the more hands something touches through the supply chain the more cost it involves in the end product. This will set us apart from most other options locally and  create an amount of exclusivity of market. What will also help Two Brothers is the relative lack of food trucks within the Wenatchee valley area. We plan to monopolize this fact and create a structure where we remain the top contender with first to market entry with home baked breads, oven roasted meats, and locally grown produce (when available). We will market on our commitment for high quality, price friendly foods which focus on family and togetherness. The vision that I see for the Two Brothers is for it to grow into a family run business with maybe two to three locations in total in the valley, keep it home grown and support the valley by staying true to family, friends, and c ommunity. While the quality and reputation of the establishment are paramount, so is the success of profit. Once I am able to show continued growth and a solid profit margins the possibilities are limitless for expansions. Are good profit margin will also allow for commitments like sponsoring a little league team, giving us a positive public image. The guiding principles or values would be to stay true to myself stay grounded if the business does become a success, and keep my promise to the customers by providing them with fresh food and a fun experience at Two Brothers. The culture of the business reflects my culture and that of my family, and when I say culture I mean that of respecting everyone whom we interact with. We will have a diverse menu because I want a diverse crowd. The social responsibility and ethics would be making sure we only provide fresh ingredients, only buy from the best, and never serve anything that is subpar our internal motto is â€Å"create what you would want to eat.† I will not hesitate to take the opportunity to make things right and apologize on behalf of the business, always treat others the way I want to be treated, and with respect. The business cannot be a success if the mission or vision statement is not only followed but also if the staff and owners do not promote what they inspire. The vision is to have the business grow, but it can do only that if the customers are treated with respect. We as a business must keep our word or promises on the service and products we say we will deliver on. For the business to be successful every promise made must be followed up by not only the owners, but also by staff, and those who we conduct business with Two Brothers. The only way to maintain a competitive advantage over larger chain restaurants, sandwich shops, and fast food joints, is to keep the promise we made in our mission statement,  and continue to stay focused on what is most important, the customer. Strategic Plan Part II: SWOTT Analysis The business world of today the rate of a business succeeding is far outweighed by the rate at which they fail and this needs to be understood when undertaking these endeavors. One of these factors to success or to failure is external factors and how they will work in the operations of a business. In this paper there will be a definition of some external factors for the Two Brothers food truck and how well the business adapts to these factors. We will analyze the supply chain and as well as the operations into consideration along with the identification of other issues and opportunities that may happen. Economic, Legal and Regulatory Forces and Trends One of the biggest driving external forces that can impact my business is the need for people to know where their food is coming from and that it is a good and healthy choice for them. Today’s focus on obesity has many people turning away from the fast food chains like McDonald’s and turning to options like Chipotle for healthier options and knowledge that their food is coming from excellent sources and is handpicked as well as made fresh daily. The Wenatchee Valley is very compact so the ability for people to travel for lunch is easy except the only real options are fast food restaurants dominating a large percentage of the choices. Because these health trends are extremely popular among the many in the valley it is wise to include social factors of healthy living are a huge positive trend for the food trucks fresh philosophy. The active population of the valley is more likely to be health conscious because it is the goal to be in shape and fit with the amount of outdoor recreation in the valley and surrounding areas. Therefore, by eating healthy homemade options provided by the truck, the average Wenatchee resident is a positive external force. Competitive analysis as an external force that we can use to measure the possibility of success or failure or trends which may affect the business. Since the food truck is in the Wenatchee valley and we are known for our agricultural history there is a large population of Hispanics thanks in part to the long history agriculture and the need for skilled labor. Mexican cuisine and  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Taco trucks† are quite prevalent in the area and a different style food truck would be an outlier among the usual fast food chains and the family-owned restaurants. This provides an advantage as the food truck has something new, and different to offer. In addition, the resta urant is mobile and can be available in various areas gives it advantages over restaurants and most other food trucks since most are mainly stationary and no longer mobile. Because the food truck will be in a mobile we can monopolize areas where many people work with the least amount of food options available, we have to cater to them this way and offer a quick high quality option for lunch. The Wenatchee valley also has many spots for tourist exploring attractions of the city and events that could support the food truck. Since the warms temperatures of the valley in the summer and the mild winters, I expect people to at least stop for food or for something to drink year round as well as eventually becoming a destination spot for locals. External technological forces/trends could go either way depending on how the business is opened. First impressions do matter – as much as businesses do not want them too especially in the era of social media. Wenatchee is a smaller town so word of mouth spreads quickly via sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Craigslist so in this situation, it is very important that the food truck makes a strong first impression. Also the local newspaper is a popular source of information to the valley and perhaps some sort of coupon or deal in the newspaper would be a good way to attract residents to the restaurant. Because the written part of paper has its counterpart on the web, online advertising would probably be an attractive option in attracting the many tourists which visit the city all year round. Supply Chains Organizations Impacts Considering the resource logistics for any business, a strong force that can negatively/positively affect the food truck is the cost of transportation of materials. Originally, the plan was to hand pick fresh material daily through local growers and vendors. However, this would be inefficient and extremely expensive. It makes more sense that these material are obtained from a local source which can deliver on a weekly basis. These items should be items that would definitely have to be locally or regionally located because they have to contribute to the buy local stay local theme. For  example, the vegetables would mainly be locally grown within the season and meats locally purchased and regionally harvested while any baked goods would be homemade by us using regionally sourced materials. Identification of Issues or Opportunities Culture is another internal force, which can make the food truck a great and popular option. Having a family-owned business with a small group of friendly employees makes a huge difference in how a local business is perceived. Hiring employees who not relate well with the business owners generally results in employees perform their duties but may not love the business or take part in the enjoyment that the owners may have in operating the business; in other words, these employees will do their job but they will not have the passion that family has operating the business. Generally, the friendly service that customers will receive from the deli will likely be an incentive for them to return again. The feeling should be relaxing enough that customers will want to continue to hang out after their meal if they have the time. Over time, places like these become a sort of â€Å"favorite† hang out for people; this is very similar to how bars become places where people can hangout and relax while socializing and eating. With technology being so prevalent and because this is a tight knit valley, it is expected that people will have want to socialize so providing portable seating will be an important element. Leadership is an essential part of any business and can lead to better efficiency. It’s very important for the business to have a good set of leaders. In a small business situation the leaders should be the owners, there is a sense of warmth and gratitude when being greeted and served by the owners/operators. Sometimes, a customer may ask a certain question that requires a bit of prerequisite knowledge about a certain type of food or product and to answer the question. When the owners are available, and a part of the general operations, that knowledge is passed on the other employees when the owner is serving guests. Good leadership also is integral to making a business run smoothly. There usually has to be someone â€Å"in charge† that can direct people around in case they are lost. In this  case, if an employee is making a certain product and is confused on how to finish it or continue with it, the owner can usually step in and aid in the completion of the product. Therefore, a good leader will run the business in a smooth manner while the lack of a leader can result in the business losing money because of customer dissatisfaction (due to problems such as excessive wait for food, bad service, bad food, etc.) The internal strategy will be to keep consumers pleased and to keep their visit to the food truck memorable so they would want to come there again. Operating the food truck as a fun family oriented business will keep people hopefully wanting to hangout and comeback for that family open arms feel. Possibly providing outdoor games and events will give the customer something to keep them occupied and enjoy their stay. To keep the menu a bit unique, there would be a diversified menu by serving specific options and specials on different days of the week. There would also be incentives provided in the form of discounts, punch cards and options for catering a large group of people, such as parties, weddings or other events. Economic forces and trends that can benefit or work against the food truck are most definitely included the price of oil and prices of raw materials. Because transportation is a must in any business to bring items to the truck and the truck to the clients, rising gas prices will hurt business and cost more. Similarly, a lack of local items in the area will also exacerbate the situation and raise prices of raw materials to be used by the food truck. Nice weather in the summer and good snow in the winter increase the draw of tourism to the valley this would increase the number of potential customers increasing business. In regards to regulatory forces/trends that would affect this business would be the health inspection and how they regulate length of time a certain product is fresh. As an example, if health regulations of food trucks are usually more stringent and regulated than say a brick and mortar business since the food truck has the ability to become mobile and the options of  safe storage of foods is limited more so than the regular restaurant. By not following health procedures and safety, laws would be broken and there would be the risk of the business closing or people being hurt by contaminated foods. Because this is a small food truck business, it would not be too difficult to make changes unless the changes are extreme – like the change corresponding to the reliable sourcing of local goods. Making changes to the menu or making different items is usually just a change in how a certain product is prepared. Because food trucks usually provide food made on premise and is easily adaptable to many items this will not be very difficult if changes needed to be made. However, if people were to ask for particular items or drinks these would have to be purchased and that could take some time for delivery. The food truck is a small scale business; it is easier to apply changes than it is for bigger businesses that may be spread out in several locations. The most recent global issue for most business right now is the price of oil. Gas keeps the trucks moving and the equipment operating whether they are buying items, operating as in cooking food items, or moving from location to location gas is an unavoidable cost and rising prices could pose a threat to the sustainability of the business. Other options of clean energy can be examined to ensure the best operating options for the business. Providing great service seems almost nonsensical as every business strives to do so. Small businesses have to make greater strides in this department. Consistency is the key in order to be consistent a system or process is needed for every detail. When there are definite procedures for the everyday tasks the employees and the customers know what to expect. For instance the opening and closing procedures will have specific tasks and duties every day. This type of consistency will keep a positive momentum. Strategic Plan Part III: Balanced Scorecard The reason an individual opens a business is to be successful and make a profits to provide as their livelihood. My vision and my mission for my  business are to be one of the most popular food trucks in the Wenatchee Valley area. In addition, should be a highly respected business and not just another business serving food. Getting to know the customers on a personal basis and prove friendly service that is appreciable and that leaves customer with a sense of superior service that keeps them coming back. But mostly, the food truck will provide great food that people will enjoy to eat and crave. The vision for the food truck is to see it open and available to travel to multiple locations throughout the Wenatchee Valley so that the entire valley can access the unique options we offer. Because the initial location will be near the main medical facility and high school in the southern part of the valley, it can hold a considerable market share over other restaurants in that area of the valley since no other locations exists. After that the financial perspectives include market share, the vision influences the market share in this way and it allows for enhancement of profitability and the competitive position. More restaurants around the valley use the same supply chain operations that the initial food truck would have, keeping the costs relatively the same. Increasing the number of food trucks would, also help to lower prices of raw materials because the business would be buying larger quantities for more trucks and use volume pricing. This in turn would reduce the cost of spending but would increase the profits. The mission values are to provide great tasting food to a large variety of people of different social groups and to provide great service. To achieve such a goal, it is very necessary that some objectives for customer service and employee satisfaction are put into place. Obviously, the amount of satisfaction that the employees will have will translate to a higher level of service they provide to customers. Therefore, increasing employee satisfaction is a must for the food truck. Stimulating and offering incentives to the employees is a great way to keep them productive. A method of stimulating the employees would be to rotate the duties. A rotation of duties ensures that all of the employees understand the functions of the different stations but they also understand all the cleaning duties as well and knowing each station helps in the overall  understanding of the business. This, in turn, affects their productivity and how they relate to the customers. The satisfied customers, in turn, helped to enhance the customer’s value perspective in areas such as customer retention and customer value. Providing warm, friendly service is an asset to the food truck will have and will set it apart from other options in the valley. An objective that should be maintained is to keep the same level of service and customer satisfaction going throughout time. Ways to measure customer satisfaction is how customers react to the food truck on social media sites such as Facebook and Craigslist or frequency in which they visit. Offering a punch card with a reward is way to measure the frequency that they visit the food truck. Obviously, a majority of people frequenting the food truck signifies that the truck is a popular destination and signifies the mass popularity of the truck. Noticing changes in trends can help an owner to understand where problems may exist. An important strategic objective that should be respected in the organization of the food truck is keeping service quick and without any hassle and maintains a high level of quality and service. To achieve this objective, the food truck needs to, again, maintain a fast and reliable service plan for the company. This requires planning, as the employees need efficiently to produce the product that the customer wants. This is not only encompassing the employee perspective but also the customer service perspective. Popular restaurants usually have a method through which they create menu items in an efficient manner. They create recipes and options on the menu which staff and customers can use to guide their experience and production processes. This orderly method that will be developed is essential for the business to run properly because it reduces the work that the employees do and allows the customer more freedom in choosing how they want their foods prepared as well as options available. In addition, I feel like this will be a necessary feature of the food truck because other restaurant businesses serving food create items from various  ingredients and recipes will also be producing their products in a similar procedure. Therefore, to keep competitive and streamlined to business practices of the industry this method should also be used in the food truck. Designing and building a strategic objective is a crucial element for any business to operate successfully in the world today. Creating a mission statement with clear and defined objectives will help guide the business through their operations and should be looked to consistently to maintain the objectives set forth by the business creators. By doing this the management and operations of the business will be understood and how the business relates in the marketplace and how to operate through growth and handle competitors. A foundation of objectives will maintain the core concept of the business when changes or shifts in the market place occur and when new strategies need to be developed to handle these changes. The foundation of any business operation is the consumer and the major influence on whether they become a customer for life is the employee. These two factors are the direct drivers for any business and their happiness can bring about failure or ensure success. When the mission and core values are established and clear then it becomes easier for these two factors to provide the success businesses need to remain operational and sustainable. Reference Pearce, John A. , & Robinson, Richard B. . (2009). Strategic management. formulation, implementation, and control. United States: McGraw-Hill. Thompson, Arthur A. , Gamble, John E. , & Strickland, A. J. (2006). Strategy: winning in the marketplace: core concepts, analytical tools, cases. United States: McGraw-Hill Companies. MacDonald, Denise. (2008, October 15). Mcdonald’s marketing strategy. We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you