A Womans Place in Fantasia and So Long a Letter Essay -- Fantasia So

A Woman's Place in Fantasia and So Long a Letter Throughout history women have always had to stand behind their men (whether it be rules, tradition, etc.). In almost every history context, whether it about wars or people, they have almost been written by men for men. It is not even until this century that women in this country have gained new grounds for the equality that we hope will be as substantial with men’s equality. Despite women’s hopes for equality, there is always old traditions that are so hard to be break that they sometimes keep women in inferior positions. In these two novels, Fantasia and So Long a Letter ,we will explore how the women in these novels deal with modernity and the ways in which it conflicts with some of the traditions of their society. In So Long a Letter, the main character of the novel, Ramatoulaye is coming to grips of the hardships placed upon her when her husband takes on a second wife. In Ramatoulaye’s case, we see her conflicting emotions for she considers herself a feminist modern woman, however she is still somewhat submissive to the ways of tradition. She ponders on the alternatives, yet she comes to one conclusion, to stay with her husband. Her marriage paralleled that of her good friend’s Aissatou, however Aissatou was able to forge ahead with a new life that did not involve polygamy. Armed with her education and her strong will, Aissatou did not let tradition or fear sustain her in a relationship that she deemed degrading. Aissatou is the embodiment of all the hopes that Ramatoulaye and Aissatou had when they were young, to become strong independent women who would hold their heads up high in times of hardship. Ramatoulaye is envious of her friend Aissatou who is able to cut ... ...y had to, for they needed to recruit the help of all Algerian to help them in their cause. However, as time passes these freedoms are revoked. The women are left veiled once again and domesticated to the indoor. We’re able to see that Cherifa’s freedom as a fighter has changed. As the Revolution has ended, she is no longer able to run around freely as a man. In old age â€Å"[Cherifa] is housebound, As she sets her voice free, she sets herself free again; what nostalgia will cause her voice to fail presently†. Through these two novels, we’re able to see the quandaries that women must face when modernity and old customs come head to head. Both of these women remain brave and to try to sustain their new found freedoms, despite any difficult encounters. It is these women with their fierce ideals that would make them pioneers for all women liberation movements.

Application of Epidemiology Concepts Essay

Introduction Epidemiology is defined as â€Å"the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related stated or events in specific populations and the application of this study to control of health problems† (Gordis 2003). Over the past year Cohort 7 has grown to appreciate the value of the epidemiology and the  practical application of this knowledge. As current and future leaders in healthcare systems, it is important to not only to understand the concepts learnt in epidemiology, but to use these concepts in the drafting of policy, the designing of programs and in making contributions to national, regional and international healthcare systems. The three epidemiological concepts to be discussed are; estimating risk, study design and ethical & professional issues in epidemiology. The basics of each concept and its importance shall be outlined followed by a discussion of the perceived benefits to policy makers and populations at large and the application of each concept individua lly. For the purpose of this discourse, I have selected the chronic non-communicable disease, type 2 diabetes to illustrate the applications of the listed concepts through the eyes of a policy maker and programme designer. This paper shall be closed with a summary of the application of the concepts and a conclusion. Concept I: Estimating Risk Risk has been defined as â€Å"the probability of an event occurring† (BMJ). In our current course of study, epidemiology, risk is often used to express the likely-hood that a particular outcome will happen after a particular exposure. It is important to understand risk and exposure in the capacity of policy maker. Chronic-Non-Communicable-Disease (CNCDs) is a growing concern nationally, regionally and internationally. In Trinidad & Tobago the prevalence of diabetes is estimated to be as high as 1 in 5 of all adults (Ministry of Health 2010). Diabetes is the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult blindness in Trinidad & Tobago. The measurements of risk are; absolute risk or incident rate, relative risk, attributable risk and odds ratio. According to Gordis 2003, absolute risk is the incidence of the disease in the population, i.e. the number of new cases of the disease in a specified population over a given time. The incidence of diabetes in Trinidad & Tobago has been estimated as 1,000 cases per year (John Hopkins 2012). This information about the absolute risk of diabetes has an important implication in public health policy formation. It tells the policy designer in the Ministry of Health that there would be an estimated 1,000 new cases of type 2 diabetes per year and so the current out-patient clinics for diabetics would need to be expanded. With that number of new  cases per year there will be a greater demand placed on the Ministry of Health’s Chronic Disease Assistance Programme (CDAP) and more funding will have to be allocated to deal with diabetes. Since absolute risk gives no consideration to risk factors or exposure, it is necessary for the policy designers and planners to look at the other measurements of risk to formulate appropriate plans to reduce spending associated with the morbidity and mortality of this CNCD. This benefits the country as it improves the well-being of the human resource. Relative risk is defined as the probability of exposed persons developing disease compared to non-exposed persons developing disease (Gordis 2003) while attributable risk is the amount of a disease incidence that can be attributed to a given exposure. The odds ratio or relative odds can simply be defined as a measure of association between an exposure and an outcome. It represents the odds that an outcome will occur given a particular exposure, compared to the odds of the outcome occurring in the absence of that exposure. Knowledge of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes is valuable in looking at the relative risk, attributable risk and relative odds of type 2 diabetes. A risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease (Burt 2001). The risk factors for type 2 diabetes are; family history of diabetes, increasing age, ethnic background, inactivity, metabolic syndrome, being overweight and history of gestational diabetes in women (Joseph 2010). In designing policies and programs to combat type 2 diabetes, there would be an attempt to target members of the population with these risk factors. It would be prudent to provide funding to institutions which are conducting studies to clarify relative risk, attributable risk and relative odds in diabetes as these studies would help in the understanding of the etiology of type 2 diabete s. Concept II: Study Design There are four basic study designs; cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, cohort studies and randomized clinical trials. As stated previously, it would be prudent to fund institutions conducting studies to clarify relative risk, attributable risk and relative odds in type 2 diabetes as such studies would aid in the understanding of the etiology of type 2 diabetes. In clarifying the etiology of type 2 diabetes in a given  population better strategies for management and prevention of the diseases can be adopted. In the capacity of policy and programme designer, it is useful to have an understanding of study design so that the proposals for studies which can produce the greatest data on etiology in the shortest time-span can be selected for funding. In cross-sectional studies both the exposure and disease outcome are determined simultaneously for each subject (Gordis 2003). The prevalence of the disease can be determined with this type of study; hence the study can also be ca lled a prevalence study. The prevalence of diabetes in Trinidad & Tobago is one in every five adults (Ministry of Health 2010). Cross-sectional studies are useful to policy writers and programme designers as it provides a ‘snap shot’ of how many individuals within the population have the disease. However the association with the risk factors does not prove temporal relationship. For the justification of policy and programmes, etiological relationships must be established. These etiological relationships can be justified through case-control and cohort studies. Case-control studies are useful in examining the possible relation of an exposure to a certain disease. At the beginning of the study individuals with the disease (cases) and individual without the disease (controls) are identified. The exposure of both of these groups is then compared. So in the case of type 2 diabetes, persons with type 2 diabetes can be identified (cases) then separated into two groups on the basis or exposure to a given risk factor. Persons without type 2 diabetes (controls) can also be identified than separated on the basis of exposure to the same risk factor. Then the two groups of exposed individuals can be compared. By identifying cases & controls and looking at exposure, the relative risk, attributable risk and odds ratio can be calculated. Case-control studies are invaluable in finding the etiology of disease. In cohort studies the researchers select a group of individuals from a given population. These individuals are then categorized as either exposed or non-exposed. Cohort studies can either be prospective or retrospective. In prospective cohort studies the exposed and non-exposed individuals are followed forward in time and the development of disease is noted. In retrospective cohort studies the end result, i.e. disease or no disease is noted at the starting point. The researcher can then trace the individuals backwards through time to determine their exposure or non-exposure.  Prospective cohort studies are expensive and time consuming as they may take many years to be completed. In the case of diabetes, it may take many years for exposure to lead to disease. Retrospective cohort studies may be better for proving causal relations in diabetes, but records may not be easily available. The high prevalence of diabetes is a good justification for conducting a cohort study. Once again relative risk, attributable risk and odds ratio can be calculated. A randomized clinical trial is an experiment in which the effectiveness of a mode of treatment is evaluated. Cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies are all observational studies. However, in randomized clinical trials, the effectiveness of treatment modalities are measured. Usually individuals for the study are assessed for eligibility before hand and subsequently randomly placed into one or an alternative treatment group. The merits of preventive strategies can best be illustrated by means of randomized clinical trial. Considerable work has been done in ascertaining the risk factors of type 2 diabetes. After review of the literature I have concluded that there is the need for more experimental studies for better management of type 2 diabetes. As a policy writer and programme designer it is critical to ensure th at approvals are granted for ethically sound randomized clinical trials. It is important to note that a good knowledge of study design is essential to a policy makers/ programme designers. The type of study to approve for funding will undoubtedly be based on maximum benefit to the population, cost effectiveness and ethical considerations. Concept III: Ethical & Professional Issues in Epidemiology The ultimate objective of epidemiology, according to Gordis, is â€Å"to improve human health†. Ethical consideration must be high on the agenda in public health since epidemiological findings are socially relevant, often publically funded and the research is conducted on human subjects. As discussed previously, there are two broad types of studies in epidemiology; the observational studies which include the cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies and the experimental study or randomized clinical trial. As a policy writer and programme designer, I am obligated to ensure that investigators and researchers obtain informed consent from their subjects, where possible, and that there is privacy and confidentiality. There is a  need for research on type 2 diabetes to be conducted in Trinidad & Tobago and the wider region so that there is relevant and timely data for the implementation and improvement of policies for reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with typ e 2 diabetes. There have been many studies which contribute to the body of knowledge compiled by the International Diabetes Federation. While there is merit in conducting observational studies, I believe that there must be more experimental studies aimed at improving the prevention and management of diabetes. In the design and execution of experimental studies, the rights of the individuals and the welfare of society must be balanced. Careful oversight of experimental research can protect individual confidentiality while ensuring that there is no conflict with the welfare of society. Even though there is the objective of improving human health, there is debate on how much of the findings should be made available to the subjects in both observational and experimental studies. While I believe that the findings of research should be held in the public domain, it is important not to create undue panic or hope of a ‘miracle cure’ when publishing results. Summary Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related stated or events in specific populations and the application of this study to control of health problems. Consequently the objective of epidemiology is to improve human health (Gordis 2003). The three epidemiological concepts discussed were, estimating risk, study design and ethical & professional issues in epidemiology using the disease type 2 diabetes for illustration. It is important for a policy writer/ programme designer to understand risk and the measurement of risk so that there are policies and programmes that benefit the greatest proportion of the population are designed and implemented in the reduction of the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes and its associated morbidity and mortality. Studies, both observational and experimental, should be encouraged but these studies must be conducted within the confines of ethics and professionalism. Ethics and professional are integral building blocks of study design since the findings are socially relevant, public funds are often used and the research is conducted in human subjects. There must also be publishing of  the findings of these studies but researchers should neither create undue panic nor give false hope. Conclusion The three epidemiological concepts discussed for this paper were; estimating risk, study design and ethical & professional issues in epidemiology. These were discussed concepts through the eyes of a policy maker and programme designer using the disease type 2 diabetes for illustrations. Studying the distribution and determinants of health-related states is not simply a course that constitutes part of a master’s degree that a student must â€Å"pass† or â€Å"get over† but rather a guiding principle to be incorporated into decision making, so that the application of this study can truly be used to control health problems. These health problems can range in simplicity from common childhood ailments to pandemics. Therefore participants in this course of study are expected to make sterling contributions to national, regional and international healthcare systems based on understand of concepts learned in epidemiology. Bibliography 1. Burt BA. Definitions of Risk. Department of Epidemiology School of Public Health University of Michigan, 2001. 2. Center for Statistics in Medicine BMJ Statistics Notes. (Undated) Retrieved May 13, 2014. URL:http://www.csm-oxford.org.uk/index.aspx?0=1292 3. Gordis Leon. Epidemiology. 3rd edition. Philadelphia: Elsevier 2004. 4. Josepha Joseph, Johan Svartberg, Inger Njà ¸lstad, Henrik Schirmer. Incidence of and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in a general population. The Tromsà ¸ Study. Scand J of Public Health, 2010;38 (7):768-775. 5. 6. Last JM, ed. A dictionary of epidemiology. 4th edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Pacs Essay

Groups and Teams at Kluster 1. What are the challenges of working together as a team? How have members of the Illuminator project overcome these challenges? What are the benefits of a team-based approach? Teamwork is a huge factor of the success for many companies around the world. The performance of teamwork in the workplace will bring the sense of trust, loyalty and security among every worker. The morale and productivity will be higher as a result of that. However, working on a team has its own challenges. Working with people that have different personalities, ideas, cultures, backgrounds, ages, needs and values is one of the most challenges that teamwork faces during its performance. Conflict, mistrust, poor performance can be created as result of these differences. Finding a way to overcome these obstacles is the foundation of a strong and successful teamwork. Illuminator project has overcome these challenges by respecting and using every skill and idea that each team member delivers. That makes every team member feel important and productive. Also communication among each member is very critical for the success of the Illuminator project. Today, teamwork has been found to be as a better way on using every employee’s talent and skill toward a more effective and efficient organization. † Management has found that teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events than are traditional departments. Teams have the capability to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband. † Robbins and Judge, pg 323. 2. What type of individual would fit in well on the Illuminator team? What characteristics are important? According to the engineer of the Illuminator project, each team member should have self-disciplined and self-leadership. Individuals that are careful, reliable, organized, hardworking, persistent, and honest are those that are more likely to give a higher performance than those that lack any of these characteristics. Conscientious personality which describes someone that is responsible, persistent and organized would fit in well on the Illuminator team. Also, someone who is emotionally stable meaning a confidence, calmness and secure personality would fit in well on this team. . How has technology changed the way we do business? Identify how Kluster has embraced technology in its operations. Advanced technology such as computers and computer networks have changed and helped businesses on being more efficient and effective. Downsizing, outsourcing and empowerment are some of the substantial gains of the organizations due to the technology. New ways of communicating among members, stor ing information and researching for ideas and ways to achieve and succeed are result of the advanced technology. Kluster has taken advantage of the technology by using the telecommuting as a way of communication among team members. Since members of Kluster project live in different areas and some of them travel to different cities, it’s very important to communicate with each other at all the time. Therefore telecommuting through Web based program has made it possible. â€Å"Telecommuting refers to employees who do their work at home on a computer that is linked to their office. † Robbins and Judge, pg 223. 4. Describe the different parts of the Illuminator team. Why is it necessary to have each of these parts represented? The illuminator team is created by combining different ideas and skills of different individuals. Each team member has to be self- disciplined and committed to their job. As every organization, Illuminator team has the founder, the project designer, the engineer of the team and the project manager. The importance of this system is to keep the work in place and run effectively and naturally. Each member has different responsibilities that need to be established and require different skills. Illuminator project runs under job enlargement design which increases the degree of each member to control, plan and evaluate the work done. â€Å" An enriched job organizes tasks so as to allow the worker to do a complete activity, increases the employee’s freedom and independence, increases responsibility, and provides feedback so individuals will be assess and correct their own performance†. Robbins and Judge, pg 220. 5. Ben Kaufman, founder of Illuminator, says it is important to recognize that sometimes people need a break from the team. Explain what he means by this. Sometimes, personal life issues can cause stress, pressure, disorientation and weak performance. Therefore, it’s very important that every team member to have the right and be able to work sometimes on their own away from the team as long as they work on their job responsibilities. Depending on the personality, some individuals can perform better while under stress when they work alone. Being able to accept that break from the rest of the team, the organization is helping their member to establish his/her responsibilities required for the organization’s success. . What two or three suggestions would you provide to address ways that virtual teams could celebrate successes? How would you implement them? I would give two suggestions that could help virtual team succeed. The first one is to set a time of the day every week for all the team members to participate in a meeting via internet. In this way, everyone will be able to get the same feedbacks, ask questions and receiv e answers at the same time and share their ideas with the rest of the team. So every week the meeting will provide each member with the result of their work, how much has been achieved and where they need improvement. The second suggestion would be for the virtual team to have a leader where the team members can address all their questions and concern. The team leader should be reached at anytime of the day and be able to address these concerns in the best way possible. 7. As a manager, what two or three suggestions would you implement to ensure that individual members were recognized for their contribution? Obviously, financial incentives will help motivate every employee to perform better. A pay raise would be one of the suggestions that would ensure that the good work of a member has been recognized. Also, bonuses such as a paid day off or a gift card would be another suggestion. Employee of the month nomination can be a third suggestion. This way the competition to get any of these recognitions among employees will provide a better performance and more productive workers. Therefore, I as a manager will be able to lead a successful organization.

Cultural Tourism Essay

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world today that consists of eco-tourism, beach tourism, cruises, cultural tourism and business tourism. This essay will mainly discuss the authenticity of cultural tourism. Meethan suggested in 2001 that modern cultures and societies are just as authentic as those that are present since decades and even centuries. Meethan here is correct, because the tourists really seek a dispersed experience in cultures both modern and old. However, many people think that only the traditional cultures and original artefacts come under the definition of authentic cultural tourism. Even the tourists have a different insight of what constitutes the authenticity in cultural tourism. This essay will talk about these issues and their implications for cultural tourism. Cultural tourism, according to World Tourism Organization (WTO), is the visit of the interested tourists to culturally rich destinations and their visit consists of a range of activities such as visits to heritage buildings and sites, attending performances of the local artists, taking part in traditional festivities and pilgrimage of holy places. Many do not agree with this narrow definition by WTO as the cultural tourism is synonymised with the civilizations and the way of living of the historic societies in that tourist destination. The local residents are mostly ignored from the definition and also from the concept of cultural tourism. However, the truth is that the locals make up for the major part of the experience of tourists. Their way of living and the current culture of the residents if often revitalized for enhancing the experience of the tourists. This forced influence on the local cultures for attracting more tourists is hurting the authenticity of the cultures in tourist destinations (Clarke 2003). Although it is true that tourists seek a combination of modern and traditional cultures on their destinations, but they prefer to consume traditional and modern tourism separately. Some of the tourists just fly from East to West for sinking into the beauty of traditional culture. These tourists want to enjoy the tradition by visiting cultural heritage buildings, attending traditional theatres and listening to the cultural songs of the destination. However, some cultural entrepreneurs try to blend the modern aspects with the traditional culture for the promotion of the destinations. There is a triangle of the cultural entrepreneurs, the tourists and the residents of the destination. The culture of the destination is defined by the way of living of the residents and the activities of the entrepreneurs. For the purpose of expanding the business, attracting more tourists and enhancing their sales, the local hosts and cultural entrepreneurs force the residents to change their way of living and link it to the culture. This is done in order to present the tourists with a cultural experience. Hungary has been known for the production wine and the tradition of small wine shops with their own vineyards. These shops and the people involved in the production of wine were of a particular attraction to the tourists as they saw this tradition of wine production as a rich culture. As tourism thrived, there were attempts to increase the production of wines through both, the government authorities and through the cultural entrepreneurs. However, this mass production of wine was not as successful as the wine from small wineries. This is the threat to the authenticity of the culture and the tourists proved that they did not like this blend of modern and traditional culture in Hungary. They proved that they preferred the traditional culture over the modern culture as the mass production of Hungarian wine was not successful. The tourists came to this Hungarian destination for the experience of the traditional small wineries and not for the wine. The tourists also did not get any special treatment by the independent wine producers in Hungary because they considered the tourists as a source of sales. The tourists were not treated any differently from other customers and they were given the sale offer; taste it and purchase it if you like it. This was because the only interest for the wine producers was the revenue from the sale of the wines and nothing more. In this case, the original culture was not touched by the cultural entrepreneurs, and minimal accommodation was made for the tourists such as the use of local wood for furniture. This resulted in the reduction of wine tourism in this area as there was no cultural entrepreneurship. There was nothing more in the offer except the wine, but afterwards some food dishes were also added to the menu but the tourism still was low because of the more complex wine tourism efforts by the other countries. The other countries excelling in wine production attracted more tourists than Hungary because they were able to blend the modern and traditional culture. Another case that supports the view of Meethan is the case of â€Å"Valley of the Arts† which attracted millions of customers each year at the arts festival that was organized by Istvan Marta. The organizers gave a deep thought on the cultural perspectives of the valley and they came to the conclusion that different tourists have different needs. The high spenders would require different type of product than attending just a simple art festival. The venues were made better and redesigned and the marketing efforts were doubled. The organizers attracted sponsorships and media coverage and hence added to the appeal. The locals were also involved and were allowed to attend the shows and these events were transformed into a very fashionable one. Soon the streets became crowded with high end cars owned by the German tourists. Hence, from these two case studies, the lessons learnt are that an entrepreneurial spirit is necessary for the promotion of the cultural tourism focusing on the core of the activity. Hence, modern and traditional cultures need to go hand in hand for the attraction of the international tourists. The commercial intent is necessary but the tradition should be kept alive which is the driving force for the tourists. The tourists should be given added facilities to augment the sales and attract the high spenders and luxury seekers. While Alan Clarke was working in the rural areas of Hungary, the local tradition was kept alive but still the communication technologies had a lot of penetration. The list of available international channels was far more than the number available in United Kingdom. The rural areas had access to Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, French, German, American and Russian channels (Clarke 2003). Jaipur, a culturally rich city of India, is particularly selected as a destination by tourists because of its historical attractions including the handicrafts and the heritage. Jaipur inhibits some of the forts built by the Moguls, centuries old paintings, the preserved sculptures and the traditional excellence in architecture that is preserved in buildings such as mosques. The tourists are also keen to visit Jaipur because of the folklore dances and Sufi music that was inspired by pundits and saints centuries ago. However, the city is continuously gearing up and adding more hotels and hi-tech facilities for the tourists. The core product of tourism in this city is the same for all tourists, but different income level groups can enjoy different class of tourism in this city (Kala 2008). High spenders can opt to spend their evenings in luxury spas while the people belonging to lower income group can live in small hotels and save money to spend on the purchase of handicraft and sculptures. According to a survey on the local residents, around 85% of the residents of Jaipur think that there was an evidence of development of city because of tourism and more entertainment facilities such as pubs, bars, hotels, swimming pools and parks were being developed. In the city, the local small scale industries were also being promoted by the government as the handicraft items were in demand by the foreign tourists. New hotels were also being built for accommodating the increasing number of tourists over time. This has induced employment and created new job opportunities for the local residents. Around 81% of the respondents in Jaipur thought that employment was being generated in the city because of the increasing tourism. Hotels and restaurants are labour intensive and hence they require the locals to work in their facilities. This generates more jobs for the local residents. Increasing tourism had positive impacts on the economy, but the locals have to face the problems such as increased traffic jams in the city and change in the culture. The way of living of the locals change as the standard of living gets better. Once the international tourists start coming in, and development start, then the primary culture is forgotten. 71% of the respondents of a survey in Jaipur commented that the increase in tourism has affected their traditional culture (Kala 2008). This change in traditional culture and way of living could harm the cultural tourism industry in the long term because the tourists will not be attracted to the city once the way of living of the locals is changed. The tourist-host interaction is very important in cultural tourism because it is an integral part of cultural tourism. The cultural tourists expect a spontaneous interaction with the locals and their traditional hospitality. However, if these important elements are vanished from the Jaipur culture, then the cultural tourists will no longer be attracted to the city. From the case studies presented, it is proved that only those tourist destinations have been successful which integrated modern and traditional culture. Authenticity of the culture is affected by designing attractions for the tourists but this depends upon the definition of cultural tourism. The modern tourist, however, can no longer enjoy cultural tourism that is untouched by modernity. There are also some issues when there is a blend of the two types of cultures. If these issues are managed properly, cultural tourism can be of great help to the economy of the destination and it can be responsible for raising the standard of living of the locals too. WORKS CITED Clarke, A. â€Å"The Cultural Tourism Dynamic. † Conference on Developing Cultural Tourism. UK: University of Nottingham, 2003. Kala, N. â€Å"Host Perception of Heritage Tourism Impact with Special Refernce to the City of Jaipur. † entrepreneurs 1, no. 1 (2008): 65-76.

Marketing and Tasty Snacks Jenny

Specimen Paper for UPF Marketing-1 with answers Section A – Multiple Choice Questions – 2 marks each (10 marks) 1. __________________ is the process of evaluating each market segment's attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter. a. Mass marketing b. Market segmentation c. Market targeting d. Market positioning Answer: c 2. _______________ factors are the most popular bases for segmenting customer groups. a. Geographic b. Demographic c. Psychographic d. Behavioral Answer: b 3.The stage is the product life cycle that focuses on expanding market and creating product awareness and trial is the: a. decline stage. b. introduction stage. c. growth stage. d. maturity stage. Answer: b 4. A price reduction to buyers who buy in large volumes is called a(n): a. quantity discount. b. cash discount. c. seasonal discount. d. trade discount. Answer: a 5. A company is practicing ________________ if it focuses on subsegments with distinctive traits that may seek a special combination of benefits. a. micromarketing b. niche marketing c. mass marketing d. segment marketingAnswer: b Section B : Case Study Read Item A and then answer the questions that follow. Item A Tasty Snacks Jenny is studying for her A-levels. At the same time, she enjoys working part time in a local cafe in the village where she lives. She has noticed that the prices charged to customers in the cafe seem to be much higher than the actual costs of making the meals and drinks. She is sure that the owners must be making a good profit. Jenny is now considering whether she should carry on with her studies or whether she should just leave school and set up her own cafe.Jenny could set up the cafe in the village where she lives which is in a tourist area. She is also considering a busier but more expensive location such as the shopping centre in the town near to where she goes to school. A recent advert has caught her attention. It is advertising ‘Franchise opportunities with well known fast food brands’. She would need at least ? 5000 to take up one of these opportunities. Jenny is unsure whether to set up the cafe as a sole trader or as a franchise. Questions: (20 marks) 1.Identify two methods of market research and explain how each method might help Jenny to make her business successful. (10 marks) 2. Jenny is unsure where the best place would be to locate her cafe. She is considering two locations: ? the village where she lives ? the shopping centre in the town near to where she goes to school. Advise Jenny which is likely to be the best option. Give reasons for your advice. (10 marks) Section A- Answers: 1 – c 2- b 3- b 4 – a 5- b Section B – Expected Answers: Q1. Market research methods could include: Explain/Elaborate †¢ surveys questionnaires †¢ focus group †¢ internet research. or primary and secondary research as methods. Q2. Possible areas for discussion include: Analyses- benefit(s) Village location: â₠¬ ¢ likely to cost less to buy/rent and run †¢ convenient for Jenny †¢ tourist area so will get customers †¢ likely to have less competition. Town centre location: †¢ would be more expensive to buy/rent and run †¢ all year round potential †¢ likely to have more customers †¢ likely to be more competition †¢ Jenny will need to travel to work.

Ethic theory on the Workplace Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethic theory on the Workplace - Case Study Example First, there are two kinds of ethical theories, consequentialist and non-consequentialist. There are two consequentialist theories that include egoism and utilitarianism (Shaw et al., 2009). Ethical egoism is the first theory that can be used to give an answer as to what Kehal should do. According to the theory, Kehal should give the gifts that the influential individuals are demanding. In this way, he will be acting in his own interest as prescribed by the theory. This is because it is assured that the airline will be granted the landing rights once the influential individuals receive what they demanded. Once the company has obtained the landing rights, Kehal will receive the promotion as well as a bonus. This will help him to cater for the medical expenses of his ailing parents and sort out all his commitments. Egoism is largely viewed as a consequentialist theory since it focuses on the consequence of an action for the agent instead of the final outcome. In other words, the theory is based on self interest and its major strength is that it evades the possibility of a conflict between self interest and morality. It would be rational for Kemal to offer the gifts to the influential individuals since by pursuing his interest morality is equated to rationality.   The second consequentialist theory that can help in cracking the ethical dilemma is utilitarianism. Based on this theory Kemal should not hand the gifts demanded by the local manager to be given to the influential individuals.

Strategic Management Company Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management Company Report - Essay Example This expansion program made it become the first international hotel brand to have a truly international presence with hotels in Latin America, Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The original goal by PanAm was to assist local entrepreneurs and organisations design, build and operate hotels in important international airway gateway destinations and traffic centres to enrich the international travel experience (InterContinental 2012b). Currently, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts comprises of 169 hotels globally that have a capacity of 57,598 rooms. It has also been named as the World’s Leading Hotel Brand for three consecutive years (2009 to 2011) by the World Travel Awards, the ultimate travel accolade worldwide (InterContinental 2012a). Also, the company is owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), a mega-corporation that owns five other leading global hotel and resort brands. The other brands owned by IHG are Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. Given that the InterContinental Hotel is a significant part of the IHG, most of the available research data is presented within the context of the IHG / group. For this reason, this report too shall evaluate this particular business within the same group context. 2.0. Analysis of the Internal and External environment According to Gillespie (2007) analysis of the macro-environment allows management to get a clearer picture with regards to external factors that are likely to change and which among these will have a greater effect on the future survival, profitability and growth of the organisation. In this document, PESTLE analysis is used to evaluate the macro-environment. Within the same macro-environment, Porter (2008) argued that there are five forces that determine the structure and profitability of any given industry. For this reason, this paper uses the five forces framework to analyse InterContinental Hotel’s indust ry structure. This section also evaluates the internal environment of the company using strategic capabilities. 2.1. External environment 2.1.1. PESTLE analysis I. Political factors The InterContinental Hotels are found in over 60 countries across the world. This represents a diverse geo-political landscape that the company needs to balance. Political factors affect government policies which in turn affect either one or more than one of the five competitive forces that influence an industry’s profitability (Porter 2008). Two key areas that global politics has embraced is offering support for increased international trade and increased interdependence of national economies. This has naturally led firstly to increased business travel and then to leisure travel as the business travellers get exposed to new cultures and tourism sites. This implies that globalization – which Barnes (2008) referred to as increase in international trade, increase in interdependence of nat ional economies and increase in cross-border social, cultural and technological exchange – indirectly promotes the travel and lodging industries. II. Economic factors Both the Asia-Pacific region and in the United States (US) –