Childhood Obesity - 872 Words

As a child I rode the school bus to and from school with my best friend Nicole. She always sat in the seat across the aisle from me because I could not sit with her. Last month we flew to Vancouver. Nearly ten years later I was still unable to sit with my best friend. Nicole is 397 pounds and takes up two airplane seats. There is a new concern that arises daily regarding healthy lifestyle choices. The rates of hypertension, strokes, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have all increased. The increasing numbers of these chronic diseases closely correlate with increased rates of obesity. Every year this growing epidemic progressively victimizing society’s youngest people – our children. Obesity is currently one of the greatest concerns†¦show more content†¦It is understood that not all children are overweight or obese. Parents of children that are of average weight argue that their child does not need to be physically active because they are not overweight. Physical activity is not targeted at individuals who are overweight; physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle. The Active Healthy Kids Canada 2009 Report Card states that only 13% of Canadian children are achieving the recommended 90 minutes of physical activity per day (qtd. in â€Å"Fighting,† par 13). Admitte dly, some children have been blessed with favorable genetics; how frequently they participate in physical activity does not make a substantial difference in weight maintenance. Nonetheless, physical fitness provides children with more than just a healthy body weight. Researchers suggest that there are other valuable health benefits associated with physical activity: â€Å"reduced blood pressure[,] increased lean muscle mass, bone mineral density and aerobic capacity[,] and improved flexibility† (â€Å"Fighting,† par. 33). Critics of a mandatory daily physical education class policy contend that it is too expensive to have their children enrolled in a physical education class. Of course, a new pair of running shoes every year does add up. However, it does not compare to the expenses of extra curricular activities outside of school such as hockey. TheShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity : A Obesity1247 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood Obesity: A Review to Prevent the Risk Factors of Childhood Obesity in Our Community. The rates of childhood obesity Worldwide are alarmingly high! Obesity is a global nutritional concern and leads to horrible consequences on our children and becomes a worldwide pandemic. Worldwide estimates of obesity are as high as 43 million, and rates continue to increase each year. In this study, people will find healthy tips to prevent childhood overweight or obesity to help children in our communitiesRead MoreThe Prevalence Of Childhood Obesity1678 Words   |  7 PagesThe prevalence of childhood obesity has remained a serious matter in the United States over the years despite its recent decline (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Children who are obese can experience the same devastating health effects as adults who are obese – cardiovascular issues, diabetes, breathing problems, and so forth. In addition, children who are obese are more than likely to become obese as adults, therefore the development of a health fair that would highlight increasedRead MoreThe Effects Of Obesity On Childhood Obesity Essay1953 Words   |  8 Pagesfind out what has caused or what the leading factors to obesity are. Researchers are currently still doing research to find out what causes or what may be the lead to obesity. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition which considers a child to be obese if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. (Rendall., Weden, Lau, Brownell, Nazarov Fernandes, 2014). Obesity is on a rise in the Unites States and all over the worldRead MoreEssay on Childhood Obesity1599 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The problem is global and is steadily affecting many low- and middle-income families particularly in the United States. The socioeconomic status of these families contributes to the childhood obesity epidemic. Summary of Article 1 The article, â€Å"Beliefs about the Role of Parenting in Feeding and Childhood Obesity among Mothers of Lower Socioeconomic Status† is a study that was conducted by Alison KalinowskiRead MoreChildhood Obesity : Obesity And Obesity Essay1671 Words   |  7 PagesFight to End Obesity Childhood obesity has increased drastically over the past years and has become a health risk to children. In fact, childhood obesity has doubled in numbers in the past thirty years (Childhood Obesity Facts). Obesity occurs when an individual becomes overweight and can be diagnosed by using the body mass index or BMI scale. Obesity causes many diseases in children which cannot be cured without a doctor, in result, childhood obesity drives high health care costs. The existenceRead MoreChildhood Obesity and Its Effect1260 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood obesity is considered to be a serious issue among our youth. Obesity can cause many types of physical problems, which most are aware of, but it can also cause some undesirable internal feelings within children and adolescents who suffer from it. Self-esteem, or self-worth, is important as it helps develop personality and is a major ingredient to our mental health status (Wang, F. and Veugelers, P. J., 2008). Some have said obesity may e ven have a negative effect on cognitive developmentRead MoreChildhood Obesity : The Adolescent Essay3626 Words   |  15 PagesChildhood Obesity: The Adolescent The Finale Paper Presented to: GEN499: General Education Capstone Instructor: Robert Bass Ashford University By: Ranita Wallace March 27, 2015 Childhood Obesity: The Adolescent Obesity is a growing health problem. Obesity is when individuals are overweight, it causes health problems and is a threat to their lives. Usually obesity is a result from over eating and lack of exercise. Obesity is the cause of many health problems such as diabetesRead MoreChildhood Obesity Essay976 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to a 2010 report by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years. As well as having an impact on health, studies have cited a relationship between obesity and poor school performance as well as a child’s readiness for learning and education. This can be correlated with studies finding â€Å"obese children have a greater risk of social and psychological problems, such as discrimination and poor self-esteem†Read MoreChildhood Obesity : Obesity And Obesity1505 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood Obesity Introduction Childhood Obesity has become more critical public health issue worldwide. However, obesity ratio varies from country to country. In addition, up to a quarter of Australian children are suffering from childhood obesity and obese children are at higher risk to become obese adult. For this reason, child’s weight always matters because it can impact on their health in future. There may be many reasons which affect childhood obesity including sedentary life style, lack ofRead MoreObesity : Childhood Obesity And Obesity955 Words   |  4 Pageswhere the life expectancy of today’s generation is being threatened. Prevention of overweight and obesity is imperative. Parents, especially mothers play a major role in preventing overweight and obesity among the children. Their knowledge of nutrition, food selection and family meal structure has major impact on their children’s food habit. The preschool age is crucial for the children to learn and develop their lifelong hab its. Education starts from home, where parents are the primary source

The University Of Regina s Environmental Sustainability

The University Of Regina’s Environmental Sustainability Introduction The student and staff population of the University of Regina is soon going to surpass a population of 15,000 students. The growing population of the U of R requires administrative and student action to maintaining environmental sustainability. It is crucial to its maintenance to implement environment sustainability. Environment sustainability can be defined as taking responsible actions towards maintaining the environment and eliminating any type of negative impacts that we produce to negate any environmental damages. Summary The University of Regina takes pride in supporting and taking a leadership role in initiatives that will benefit the environment. For instance, the U of R shuts off the lights by 11 pm, as part of the light-off campaign (On the Way to Sustaining a Sustainable Campus, 2016). In some places around the campus, such as the Riddell Centre, there are different containers for paper, bottles and garbage disposal. Categorizing waste and recycling maximizes recycling potential, and minimizes waste output. Additionally, the on-campus residence there are communal garbage disposal room with large bins for different kinds of waste and recycling such as milk bottle bins, garbage bag bins, recycling paper bins, bins for glass, and all flattened boxes to be thrown in one big bin. Residents are encouraged to put their garbage in their respective spots. The Research and Innovation Centre (RIC) hasShow MoreRelatedCloud Computing Industry Analysis8100 Words   |  33 Pagescountry? The future of legal policies appear uncertain and they can easily keep a lid on growth of cloud computing Environmental IT contributes 2% of the world’s CO2 emissions in the world which is the same as the Airline industry[12]. Other than CO2 emission IT produces 2 million tones of electric waste as well. Cloud Computing is one of the ways to reduce the environmental impact of IT industry. Most of the electric waste would become obsolete with the evolution of cloud computing. FigureRead MoreChapter 6 – Analyzing Business Markets23838 Words   |  96 Pagescontacting users or deciders is playing a gatekeeper role. True (easy) p. 107 13. Interpersonal factors have almost no influence in business purchasing decisions. False (moderate) p. 107 14. The business buying process is influenced by environmental, organizational, and individual factors. True (moderate) p. 107 15. Reading an advertisement about a new business service in a trade magazine to which the purchasing agent subscribes would be an example of how a problem might be recognized inRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesELEVENTH EDITION MARKETING MISTAKES AND SUCCESSES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Robert F. Hartley Cleveland State University JOHN WILEY SONS, INC. VICE PRESIDENT PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE MARKETING MANAGER ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER SENIOR MEDIA EDITOR George Hoffman Lise Johnson Carissa Doshi Dorothy Sinclair Matt Winslow Amy Scholz Carly DeCandia Read MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesand implement a well-defined system of rewards and punishments to control employees. THEORY Y Employees are not inherently lazy. Given the chance, employees will do what is good for the organization. To allow employees to work in the organization s interest, managers must create a work setting that provides opportunities for workers to exercise initiative and self-direction. Managers should decentralize authority to employees and make sure employees have the resources necessary to achieve organizational

Reliability of High-Temperature Electronic - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Reliability of High-Temperature Electronic. Answer: Introduction An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) refers to a power semiconductor device usually with three terminals which is primarily used as an electrical switch. IGBTs are gaining great importance in the power electronics from both the served application and installed devices. Currently IGBT module is applicable in a range of applications ranging from wind power production, motor drives, industrial inverters and the HVDC converters(Byron, 2015). A Lot of focus is being put in place for the IGBT module to ensure higher power densities. The higher power densities requires the IGBT to operate under high temperatures. Due to that the system of the IGBT has to be improved to meet the requirements which can allow it to operate efficiently under such conditions of high temperatures. The development of the IGBT power modules has been in the recent past been characterized by the frequent increase in power density with the main aim of reduction of costs of power. The demand for a high power density is directly associated with the current per chip. Increasing the current per chip results in an increase of temperature during operations as shown in the figure below(Christou, 2013). Analyses of the Problem The generator of a wind turbine is usually controlled by a power converter which consists insulated gate bipolar transistors and other components. Increase in the wind speed results to proportional increase of the turbine speed which directly leads to production of high power density. There is a proportional increases in junction temperature with the increase in the power density which is being produced with the IGBT. The temperature which is produced is used to determine the output current which can be achieved by the generator(Claeys, 2013). A power converter which is configured as an H-bridge is usually used for validation. The converter is usually equipped with the Infineon adapter board which is used for monitoring of the thermal behaviour of the components which are usually under the real field conditions(Colin, 2015). State of the Art literature review There are many benefits which are associated with the use of module components which has high junction temperature capabilities such as; the possibility of sinks thermal resistance increasing to ambient, this results in lower cost of the heat sink which has a lower performance such as the case of the windmill generator where higher liquid cooling temperatures are accepted. Due to the increase in temperature all the components which are surrounding the module needs to be adjusted so as to work effectively without the reduction in lifetime. Once there is an increase in the temperature of the module components it call for high attention on thermal management to avoid destruction of the components(Cressler, 2012). For thermal management, the lifetime IGBT module has to be estimate to determine the power cycling capability of the IGBT. Once the junction temperature is high, it results in high stress levels which the device has to undergo thus reduction in the cycle number of the device. The lifetime of the IGBT device in most cases is limited by the package technologies which include the soft soldering and wire bonding. There are new technologies which have been introduced to increase the number of cycles such as the XT technology which has overcome the limitation of the current technologies such as the wire soldering(Flandre, 2014). HiPak Technology. HiPak technology refers to the high power IGBTs which covers a wide range of voltage from 1700V to 6500 V and current such as 400A to 3600 A. This HiPak module exists in different forms such as the single IGBT, dual diode, dual IGBT and also in a chopper configuration. Any IGBT module is made of IGBTs and diodes which are built on the basis substrates that are soldered to a base plate. At the terminals are conductor leads which are mainly used to provide an electrical connection from the electrical circuit to the outside of the module. Under high temperatures and current (Jason, 2015). For the module to work effectively there are improvements which have to be made as discussed below. Solution explanation and evaluation There are many possibilities which I came up with to ensure that the IGBT module is capable of operating under high temperatures of 230oc.I proposed a lot of modification and adjustments to the module components, joining technology and thermal management as discussed below. Chipset The design of the IGBT and the diode chip require a lot of improvement to be able to operate at high temperatures. Controllable and soft switching is very essential when the chipsets are used in the modules with high temperature. This is due to the combination of the large stray inductance and high currents which will normally result in the snappy behaviour and a very high voltage during the turning off(Jones, 2013). For high current using the same technology, the platform has to be upgraded from the initial SPT to SPT+. The technology of the SPT+ works more efficiently as compared to the initial SPT, this is because it offers up to 15 % lower losses while it ensures to maintain the turn-off losses. As shown in figure 2 below. The high temperature which is expected requires reliable and stable operations of all the devices which are beyond the limit. This requires a well-optimized termination design for the diode to reduce the leakages of high temperatures. The figure below shows a range of cool temperatures where by both the diode and the IGBT have been found out to be stable with no thermal runway which is under the direct application of a DC of about 1400V and 1700V which takes not less than 300 sec(Kolawa, 2015). Package There are four main functions of the packaging technology. They include: provision of a current path directly from Bus bar to the chip and back, cooling down the heat which is generated by the module, isolating the electrical contacts from one another and ensuring that the package has mechanical robustness. Considering the improvements which were done on the Gel, terminal, module soldering a new robust product with high voltage and the current were developed(Krozer, 2014). High-temperature capable Gel The silicone Gels to be applied in the prevention of the partial discharge and also seal the atmospheric contaminants and moisture from getting into the system. Moreover, where the system has to remain operational there are environmental rules which require the junction temperature to be stored at -55oc(Lucian, 2012). The current material which to be used for insulation is the silicone gel with the specification of operating between the range of -40 and 230oc.The new operational temperature and the new requirement of the chips called for verification of the characteristics of the material of two alternatives which are Gel E and Gel S. For the selection of alternative gels, dielectric properties together the extended temperature range are the most crucial requirements. The selected potential alternatives gel it had to undergo many investigations and test(Mantooth, 2015). Differential scanning calorimetry and thermos gravimetric analysis have to be carried out to be able to determine the thermal stability of the silicone gels which are to be selected. Thermal gravimetric indicated that both samples Gel R and Gel S dah lost the same amount of weight at the same temperature of 230oc. Physical characterisation focused mainly on the thickness and hardness of the isolation of the materials and also to the components of the system. The main objective is to have an insulating material which is soft and has a good sealing(McCormick, 2011). Carrying out a comparison of the different Gels it is very clear that Gel E had the highest adhesion force. Module Soldering with Spacer The requirements of the packaging technologies increase due to the increase in the operational temperatures; this is aimed at ensuring a long lifetime and high reliability of the IGBT module. Some of the lifetime failures which are identified included; wire bond contact, large area solder joints and terminal solder joints.AS a result of that additional step which was not there initial has to be included in the process of soldering the substrates to the base plate. Where substrate edges are attached a flat aluminium are soldered to the base plate. Mechanically and the reproducible stable spacer is given as a result of these bond, which guarantees a small thickness of the solder. Therefore reducing the tilting of the substrate. Modules without and with spacers have to undergone temperature swings to determine the importance of reliability(Parsons, 2013). Some substrate corners can be observed in all modules after they undergo cycling cracks in the substrate solder. Relating the solder thickness with the crack growth rate at their location it is clear that the locations which had the solder which was the thinnest had the highest crack growth rate as shown in figure 6 below. Therefore the application of spaces to better the cycling capability. High Current Terminals The contribution of resistive power losses of the module is increasing due to the increase in the semiconductor current ratings. Unwanted power impassions are caused by high currents from the bus bar to the power terminals. Moreover, they can cause reliability challenges as a result of the overheating of the internal conductor. This call for investigations of the current path(Willander, 2011). Besides switching losses and dominant conduction, resistive losses happen at many points. On this kind of the module the losses which occur contribute greatly to the overall losses that are witnessed. The terminal contributes a lot to the resistive losses. The chip metallization, the bond wires and the wire bonds are few contributors. To lower the losses that are generated in the terminal, it compulsory that the electrical resistance has to be lowered. Because there is no other good conductor which is affordable like copper it is important to change the geometry of the conductor which is being used(Podlesak, 2016). The terminals which are currently used in the HiPak module are shown in figure 7 below. By the use of the current terminals which are used in the HiPak module, there is a significant reduction in the electrical resistance which is mainly achieved by making the current path shorter and balancing the current density in the conductor. At the same time maintaining the mechanical reliability. With this new designs of the terminals, the wind turbine generator can be able to work at even very high temperatures. Materials used and their temperature limits. The following materials were proposed to be used to enable the wind turbine generator operate at very high temperatures; Aerogel Material; this material is used for insulation and has properties which allows it to perform under in high temperature environments. Aerogel is capable of withstanding high temperatures of up to 2000 degrees centigrade with very little or no transfer of heat to other components of the wind turbine generators. In that way it can be able to insulate the components of the generator effectively. Nickel alloys; Due to the advancement in technology. Nickel alloys can be used in the wind turbine generators. Niobium Alloys; is very dense when alloyed together with tungsten it can withstand high temperature of up 900 degree Celsius in that way it is much possible to be used in the manufacture of components of the wind turbine generator. Molybdenum; this material shows very unique creeps and strength resistance and the ability to withstand very high temperatures molybdenum can be able to withstand up to a temperature of 12oo degrees centigrade Conclusion In conclusion, in most cases, the IGBT is used as an electronic switch in many electrical appliances. It has a wide application in electric power, such as; wind power generation, trains, electric cars, lamp ballasts, refrigerators, stereo systems and even in the air conditioning.(Claeys, 2013). With the increase of the operating temperatures of the IGBT of the wind turbine generator. The user has the choice of utilising the operating temperatures to raise the output current or to increase the cooling cost. The IGBT module can increase its current output up to 12.5% if the operating temperatures are raised between 175oc to 230oc.For that reason good thermal management is very important considering the area in which the module is located. There are many improvements which can be done to the components of the IGBT module to ensure that it is capable of operating at 230oc.The improvement which are to be done include: The introduction of the HiPak technology, which can operate at very high temperatures and a wide range of voltage and current(Flandre, 2014). Use of high Current terminals to reduce the unwanted power impassions which are caused by high currents from the bus bar to the power terminals. Other adjustments which were to be done included the Module Soldering with Spacer to ensure a long lifetime and high reliability of the IGBT module. Application of high temperature capable Gel which are used in the prevention of the partial discharge and also seal the atmospheric contaminants and moisture from getting into the system of the module(Claeys, 2013). References Byron, M. J. (2015). Papers presented at the Conference on High-Temperature Electronics. Chicago: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Christou, J. (2013). Reliability of High-Temperature Electronics. Texas: RIAC. Claeys, C. L. (2013). Proceedings of the Symposium on Low-Temperature Electronics and High-Temperature Superconductivity. Chicago: The Electrochemical Society. Colin, J. (2015). Fourth International High-Temperature Electronics Conference. Berlin: IEEE. Cressler, J. D. (2012). Extreme Environment Electronics. Mnchester: CRC Press. Flandre, D. (2014). Science and Technology of Semiconductor-On-Insulator Structures and Devices Operating in a Harsh Environment. Manchester: Springer Science Business Media. Jason, J. (2015). Proceedings of the Fourth Symposium on Low-Temperature Electronics and High-Temperature Superconductivity. Paris: The Electrochemical Society. Jones, M. (2013). Diamond Switches for High-Temperature Electronics. Texas: United States. Department of the Air Force. Kolawa, E. (2015). 1998 High-Temperature Electronic Materials, Devices and Sensors Conference. London: IEEE. Krozer, F. V. (2014). High-temperature electronics: proceedings of Symposium E on High-Temperature Electronics. London: Elsevier. Lucian, S. (2012). High Temperature Electronics Design for Aero Engine Controls and Health Monitoring. London: River Publishers. Mantooth, A. (2015). Materials for High-Temperature Semiconductor Devices. Paris: National Academies. McCormick, J. B. (2011). High-Temperature Electronics. London: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Parsons, J. D. (2013). N-Type SiC Rectifying Junctions for High Power, High-Temperature Electronics. London: Defense Technical Information Center. Podlesak, T. (2016). High-Temperature Electronics. Chicago: CRC Press. Willander, M. (2011). High-Temperature Electronics. Texas: Springer US.

E-Commerce Performance Hospitality Tourism -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The E-Commerce Performance In Hospitality And Tourism? Answer Introduction The assignment is delving with the preparation of a Tourism E-Commerce Plan. The purpose of the E-Commerce Plan will be discussed. Also, the situation analysis regarding the company will be elucidated. This will be discussing about the company, the details of the organization and its current products and services. A discussion will also be made regarding the description of the target market and the segments that the company is required targeting for the chosen product. The organizations objectives relating to the marketing campaign will get briefly identified. Moreover, the methodology regarding the evaluation of the website will also get discussed. The company that has been chosen for this assignment is Manly Guest House. The guest house is offering the best quality service relating to budget accommodation in Manly, Sydney. This place is considered as the most famous beachside suburb. The guest house is offering a homely atmosphere having private accommodation as well as common amenities such as kitchen as well as bathrooms. The guesthouse is offering best quality budget accommodation in Manly where Single, Double, Twins, Trios and Family Rooms are being offered. The salient features of the guest house are free high speed internet, free wireless access, free towels, free bed linen, complimentary tea and coffee as well as pleasant backyard (Manly Guest House, 2017). Company Description The Manly Guest House is a budget guest house that is located near the beach. The guest house is within a 10-minute walk of Manly Beach as well as Manly Wharf. The Manly Sea Life Sanctuary as well as Sydney Harbour National Park is also within 5 kilometres radius of the guest house. In regard to the property features, it can be stated that there is the availability of self-parking, 24-hour room service as well as laundry facilities at this guest house. There is also the availability of free WiFi in public areas of the guest house. In addition to that, there is the presence of a computer station, a library as well as free newspapers onsite. In regard to room amenities, it can be stated that all the 19 rooms are offering free WiFi, 24-hour room service as well as complimentary newspapers on weekdays (Manly Guest House, 2017). On the ground floor, a guest can do the cooking of their meals in a kitchen that is fully equipped and relax in the TV lounge of the guest house with Foxtel, do t he checking of their emails for free on the computer having high speed internet or the guests might use their personal laptop with wireless connection. There is also the facility for enjoying the sun outside in the backyard of the guest house. Concerning the various kinds of rooms that are available in the guesthouse, it can be stated that there are single rooms, twin rooms, budget double room, standard queen room, trio room, and family room for four people, family room for five people, as well as family room for 6 people (Manly Guest House, 2017). Target Market The target market for the guest house can be identified with the help of surveys, online reviews, Google analytics, Facebook insights as well as Twitter insights. In respect of surveys, it can be stated that the earlier guests are the best resource of qualified information. The guest house does the using of post-stay guest surveys for ensuring that the travellers are having a better stay, and also finding other essential information. The online reviews of Manly Guest House are another area to search for key information. Guests most of the times do the mentioning of things they liked, disliked and what could have been better (Dima, 2014). This information could be used for making the necessary improvements at the guest house. For instance, in one of the reviews for Manly Guest House, the guest did the mentioning of the free beach cruisers, surfboards as well as skateboards (Fatima, 2017). Those additional services are a nice touch, particularly taking into consideration the location o f the guest house near the beach. The guest house is having the knowledge that Manly beach is drawing a lot of travellers to their property. They are capitalizing on their distinctive services and adding extras that most of the guest houses are not doing. The guest house is also planning to do the installation of Google analytics on the companys website, which is considered being a very effective tool (Rusko, 2017). The Manly Guest house is targeting the budget travellers who are searching for a clean, comfortable and relaxing place that is very near to the beach. The Manly Guest House is focusing on quality, luxurious, as well as individualized accommodation in respect of travellers. Its most significant groups of potential customers are those travellers who traditionally do the selection of the distinctive atmosphere of guest houses to the more conventional and sterile surroundings of hotels. To create a home away from home will be ensuring a large number of customers who will be revisiting again (Kant, 2016). The main segment of customers for the Manly Guest House is leisure travellers trying to find an accommodation in Manly. The guest house is planning to get registered at all the main destination-websites in Australia. The guest house is also undertaking the launch of a direct marketing campaign. Since, the guesthouse is located very near to the Manly Beach; the location plays a major role in the marketing strategy focused upon tourists who like to spend some leisurely time at the beach (Huang, 2017). The guest house is also directing their marketing efforts relating to conferencing as well as other events, at the locals in Manly. Objectives The Manly Guest house in order to achieve success and become one of its kinds follows various marketing objectives. This includes: Knowing the Guest: Manly Guesthouse exactly knows the needs of the guest and thereby tries to cater to them. The guesthouse thus provides various facilities so that the guest gets the best value for their money. Ensuring Unique Selling Point delivered to Guest: Every business has some unique selling point considered as a desirable feature for making business. Similarly, the Manly Guest house uses its unique location as selling point to its guests By Being Smart with the Advertising: Advertising is important for every business in gaining visibility. The Manly Guest house also adopts this advertising technique through posting online reviews in its website, surveys, Google analytics and Twitter and Facebook insights. Harnessing the Power of E-commerce for Gaining Visibility: Though increasing number of companies are relying on the Internet and e-mail facilities in driving business, this particular guest house is trying to adopt better means for increasing its profitability and thereby bringing in more business. Through Development of Seasonal and Special Promotions: Promotions considered as stalwart of marketing programme as there is scope for ample creativity. During peak seasons, the guesthouse also does various promotions on its special offers. By Being Consistent and Efficient: The Manly Guesthouse believes in being consistent and efficient in its business that they believe will encourage return visit from guests. This also allows them to convey a message about the guesthouse to their friends and family. Website Evaluation Methodology Website considered the most efficient process for the promotion of offers via the website of Manly Guest House. This allows individual special offer to be clearly visible on the homepage of the guest house via a banner or visual advert, and with the help of a link in the major navigation that helps in bringing customers to the special offers page of the guest house (Standing, 2014). Home page The home page is one of the most important pages of a website as it is responsible for driving in maximum traffic who can finally be potential customers. Thus, the homepage of the Manly Guest House is clear and simple and conveys the visitors about what it does in a simple language (Ren, 2014). Quality Quantity of Content The quality and quantity of the content is important for a website. Thus, Manly Guest house website not only maintains quality but also quantity. The content is crisp and to the point and is devoid of any punctuation, grammar and spelling mistakes (Cao, 2016). Descriptions are also to the point. The fresh touch in the content allows visitors in taking interest in going through the website. Web Architecture The web architecture referred to as a two-tiered architecture dependent on the web browser and the web server (Hua, 2016). The web browser is responsible for displaying information content and the web server transfers information to the clients. In terms of web architecture, the website of Manly Guest House seems perfect. Usability Accessibility Usability refers to how easily the website is usable. This depends on five criteria that include memorability, efficiency, errors, learn ability and satisfaction. On the other hand, accessibility refers to the facility in presenting information with sensory channels that not only include sight but also sound (Sigala, 2017). In this regard, the website of Manly Guest House is not only accessible but also usable. Commercialization Commercialization defined as the procedure in introducing a new thing into the market for the purpose of financial gain. The Manly Guest house has designed its website keeping in mind commercialization that would not only drive business but also increase its profitability. The language of the website should be easily understandable by the visitors. This has to note because in certain cases the first impression is usually the last one. The language should be lucid and have less of creativity (Ren, 2014). Familiar words must be used so that people takes an interest in reading the website. Now in this context if the website language for the Manly guesthouse is considered then it is not only lucid but also written in manner that anyone can understand. Brand image When designing a website the brand image of the company needs portrayal in a heartfelt and human manner (Gavalas, 2014). While accessing through Manly Guesthouse website one can see how the company has designed the website keeping the prime focus on the brand identity. Persuasiveness For a website to be persuasive there should be clarity so that the visitor can get an idea about what the site is dealing with even at a glance (Mohapatra, 2013). The use of superlatives should be less to the best extent possible and focus should be more specific. In this regard, if the website of the chosen guesthouse is considered then the website has maintained all the criteria required for persuading a visitor. Interactivity Website interactivity is essential factor in designing a website. Therefore, to make the website more interactive, the website should incorporate structure that ensures easy navigability. There should be use of varied colours that is to be hyperlinked with the page dedicated for subscription (Gavalas 2014). Moreover, in the era of Smartphone there should be required amount of optimization dome so that the website becomes accessible through the smart phone. There should also be a whole lot of content that should keep the visitors engaged. The website of Manly Guest house is quite interactive in this regard. Social web Social networking is a great way for showing the audience how invested one is in building ones brand image and bringing in business (Ren 2014). Thus, by answering queries of customers or by sharing content that is innovative the company ensures that it mainly focuses on creation of a brand of their interest. Content marketing should never end with the publication of your content. In this regard, the Manly Guest House discussed in report tries to enhance its visibility through promotion in various social media platforms. Mobile communications Mobile communication is a wireless communication where data and voice information transmitted, emitted and received by means of microwave. Some of the examples of the mobile communication include digital and cellular cordless telephones, pagers and satellite based communications. The website of the Manly Guest House provides a booking number to which the visitors can make a call for reservations. Conclusion To conclude, that Manly Guest house mainly concentrates upon the budget travellers who are searching for a clean, comfortable and relaxing place that is close to the beach. The Manly Guest House is giving high priority towards quality, luxurious, as well as individualized accommodation for the travellers. The guest houses most significant groups of prospective customers are those travellers who in general, do the selection of the distinctive atmosphere of guest houses to the more conventional and sterile surroundings of hotels. The guest house is also considering the launch of a direct marketing campaign. As because, the guest house is located close to the Manly Beach, the location plays a key role in the marketing strategy that is concentrating upon tourists who are having the inclination to spend some leisurely time at the beach. Therefore, the marketing objectives of Manly Guesthouse well described in the report. In addition to this, one can also find the website evaluation method ology in the perspective of home page, quantity and quality of the website, web architecture, usability and accessibility, language, commercialization, persuasiveness, social networking and mobile communication. Therefore, when the website of the company analyzed in this perspective, there is perfect implementation of all the aspects. Thus, the chosen company with its marketing strategy and perfect website will be able to draw in more visitors thereby adding them to their guest list Reference Cao, K., Yang, Z. (2016). A study of e-commerce adoption by tourism websites in China.Journal of Destination Marketing Management,5(3), 283-289. Dima, I. C., ?enescu, A., Bosun, P. (2014). Informational stocks and e-logistics management of a tourism company.International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences,16(1), 75-85. Fatima, A., Abbas, A., Ming, W., Zaheer, A. N., Akhtar, M. U. H. (2017). Analyzing the Academic Research Trends by Using University Digital Resources: A Bibliometric Study of Electronic Commerce in China. Filieri, R., McLeay, F., Tsui, B. (2017). Antecedents of travellers satisfaction and purchase intention from social commerce websites. InInformation and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2017(pp. 517-528). Springer, Cham. Gavalas, D., Konstantopoulos, C., Mastakas, K., Pantziou, G. (2014). Mobile recommender systems in tourism.Journal of network and computer applications,39, 319-333. Hua, N., Hua, N. (2016). E-commerce performance in hospitality and tourism.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,28(9), 2052-2079. Huang, C. D., Goo, J., Nam, K., Yoo, C. W. (2017). Smart tourism technologies in travel planning: The role of exploration and exploitation.Information Management. Kant, J. P., Sharma, M. (2016). ECommerce as Key Factor for Tourism Development in India. Manly Guesthouse. (2017).Manly Guesthouse| Budget Accommodation in Manly PH:02 9977 0884. [online] Available at: https://www.manlyguesthouse.com.au/ [Accessed 16 Sep. 2017]. Mohapatra, S. (2013). E-commerce Strategy. InE-Commerce Strategy(pp. 155-171). Springer US. Ren, X., Liu, K., Jiang, H. J. (2014). Research on Mount Tai Tourism E-Commerce. InAdvanced Materials Research(Vol. 1049, pp. 1872-1875). Trans Tech Publications. Rusko, R., Pekkala, J. (2017). About the E-commerce Activities in Finnish Lapland-Perspectives of Consumers and Entrepreneurs: E-Commerce in Lapland. InSocio-Economic Perspectives on Consumer Engagement and Buying Behavior(pp. 175-195). IGI Global. Sigala, M. (2017). Collaborative commerce in tourism: implications for research and industry.Current Issues in Tourism,20(4), 346-355. Standing, C., Tang-Taye, J. P., Boyer, M. (2014). The impact of the Internet in travel and tourism: A research review 20012010.Journal of Travel Tourism Marketing,31(1), 82-113. Wang, J., Shen, C., Wu, J. (2015). Study on Tourism E-Commerce Market in China. InLISS 2014(pp. 1089-1095). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Zheng, H., Liu, T., Dai, Y., Yan, M. (2017). Analysis of Tourism E-commerce Professionals Job Market.Journal of Chinese Economics,5(1).

Why Guanxi Play in Major Role in China Essay Example

Why Guanxi Play in Major Role in China Essay Why Guanxi and Mianzi Play an Important Role in Chinese Business Culture Diana Yuan Zhang University of Houston-Victoria Abstract The paper discussed why guanxi and mianzi are the main factors that directly affect the business and politic side of China, and this is molded culturally for the past five thousand years. And how is this cultural influence becoming stronger than ever before. By contrasting and analyzing guanxi and mianzi, this research paper is intended to point out the differences between values of China and U. S. A, and also the culture of China to have a better understanding why guanxi and mianzi is such a big deal. And end the research paper by how to build and maintain guanxi. Why Guanxi and Mianzi Play an Important Role in Chinese Business Culture The relationship between people is the most complicated thing in the world, the relationship between the Chinese are more subtle. Chinese people believes that â€Å" , † saying that at home one relies on ones parents and outside on ones friends. One thing that is really famous and special in China is how â€Å"relationship† works different from other countries and for foreigners to understand China’s culture and custom better; this is a necessary topic to cover. In order to facilitate the study of Chinese type of â€Å"relationship†, foreigners even create the world â€Å"guanxi†. Wikipedia describes guanxi as â€Å"the basic dynamic in personalized networks of influence, and is a central idea in Chinese society. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Guanxi Play in Major Role in China specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why Guanxi Play in Major Role in China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why Guanxi Play in Major Role in China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In Western media, the pinyin romanization of this Chinese word is becoming more widely used instead of the two common translations—connections and relationships—as neither of those terms sufficiently reflects the wide cultural implications that guanxi describes. † In the west, people commonly handle their business first and if the business is successful, a relationship will be built. However, in China people believe that prospective business partners should build a relationship first and if it is successful, business transactions will be followed. Every transaction make in China mostly start with a good relationship with your business partners and the logical development of close relationships is the Chinese concept of guanxi. Vanhonacker’s (2004) comment, â€Å"In the West, relationships grow out of deals. . . .In China, deals grow out of relationships,† Guanxi stands for any type of relationship. In the Chinese business world it is also understood as the network of relationships among various parties that cooperate together and support one another. Guanxi plays a very important role in Chinese’s life, because it directly affects the business and politic side of China, and this is molded culturally for the past five thousand years. â€Å"China, the great family of nationalities with minor estrangement among, in particular, is a society built based upon Confucianism where people are tied closely into varieties of guanxi, with which the social networks bind millions of Chinese firms into social and business webs, largely dictating their success. † (Wong 2007) Successful people understand this fact. Guanxi is a very important resource and capital, and many successful business people are deeply aware that having the right guanxi is the importance of their own success. They know that human do not live on the planet alone, and every human being has their own advantages and limitations. This is the reason why they know how to share ideas, mutual assistance, and the importance of mutual guidance, so they carefully cultivate relationships with each other. So when one faces difficulties and challenges, one will not be alone, and one will have strength and conviction. A successful person always has their own network of relationship; they work very carefully to operate their Guanxi. Many people has misunderstanding of the word â€Å"Guanxi† is just to ask people for help when you needed, just as some people think that communicative behavior occurs when you need something. When it comes to guanxi we must keep in mind: business negotiated with human. Stanford Research Center has published a survey report, concluded that: a person earns, 12. 5% from the knowledge, 87. 5% from the contacts. As you can see how important contacts play in role of our daily life. In China guanxi it is the key to everything: getting a new driver license, treated by a better doctor, getting into your dream school, landing a distribution deal, even eating at your favorite restaurant on a Friday night. Getting what you want in China means you have to have the right guanxi. Not only Guanxi occurs in China it is just that Guanxi in China can do put things in a whole in level. â€Å"In Europe or America who you know might help you get a job, or get your child into a decent school. In China who you have guanxi with can mean the difference between freedom and jail, justice or discrimination, wealth or poverty. Hayes 2005)† The Chinese term guanxi can also at times mean the â€Å"networking. † In China, the relationship is a complex thing. Commercial activities in china are characterized by guanxi can include side with government agencies, investors, partners, and even the relationship with their employees. By having the right guanxi in China, the company minimizes the setback, risk, and disappointments when doing business. Having the right Guanxi with the relevant authorities in China will determine the competitive standing of an organization in the long term run. In additional certain risks, barriers, and set-ups you’ll encounter in China will be minimized when you have the right Guanxi working for you. That is why the correct guanxi is so dynamic to any successful business strategy in China. In Irene Yeung and Rosalie Tung article they point out one popular saying in these societies puts it â€Å"Who you know is more important than what you know. † â€Å"Who you know† refers to personal connections with the appropriate authorities or individuals. (Young1996). Guanxi can be taken in many forms it does not have to be based on money. What is Mianzi? It is not possible to discuss guanxi without introducing the related concept of mianzi. A related issue, mianzi, or face, is equally important within Chinese social settings and therefore of significant importance in a business context. Mianzi is translated as â€Å"face† and is often interpreted as both the showing of respect (â€Å"giving face†) and ensuring you do not offend people (causing them to â€Å"lose face†). â€Å"In Asian culture, if someone has good face (or quite simply has face), such face means someone has a good reputation in front of ones peers. Interestingly enough, having good face is actually a bankable notion in Chinese culture. Having face in front of ones business colleagues or within a community is literally a statement of that persons value. If someone has good enough face, in some cases they can walk into a lending institution (such as smaller, privately operated banks), and take out a loan on their word only. People with good face are generally dependable, reliable, and safe to do business with. As we say in Western culture, His word is as good as gold. This is essentially what good face means. (Melendez 2007)† In western relationship helps the individual, but in China, they also define the individual. This is why â€Å"miazi† is all connected to â€Å"guanxi†. The concept of â€Å"mianzi† is very hard to explain in a few sentences. As David Yau-fai Ho, the first Asian to serve as the President of the International Council of Psychologists says, face is â€Å"a concept of central importa nce because of its pervasiveness with which it asserts its influence in social intercourse. It is virtually impossible to think of a facet of social life to which the question of face is irrelevant† Also a recent study conducted by the China Youth Daily found that over 93 percentage of the 1,150 respondents surveyed admitted that face is very important to them, with 75 percentage acknowledging that making a mistake in public was, by far, the most humiliating experience they could ever have (Shan, 2005). This study shows that most Chinese will do whatever to avoid looking bad in the public. To Chinese people â€Å"face† is a very important thing, sometimes to the extent of incomprehensible. Before Chinese people think face is sometimes even more important than life. The ancient Chinese idiom a â€Å" †, saying someone greeted a half-died starving man to dinner, but the host speaks very impolitely to him, the starving man feel insulted by the host, so he refuse to eat the dinner that the host offered, and rather starve to death. In today’s world we might think even though the host had a bad attitude, the half-died starving man should still eat the food first and maybe through rock at the host window later if the man felt insult by him. It is really hard for us to understand the face theory of the traditional Chinese culture. We have to realize two things: first, in the Chinese culture, mianzi represent individual social status and social value, that means personal behavior must be consistent with this identity image; secondly, mianzi is an important factor affecting the interpersonal relationship. You can think of face as respect, honor or reputation, you can also think of it as public image, particularly through the eyes of one’s close connection. China and the United State’ attitude toward â€Å"mianzi† are very different, which is the cultural communication problem cannot be avoided. China’s business culture stresses of mianzi should communicate effectively in a harmonious atmosphere. Mianzi play a decisive role in the communication. In respect of the Chinese people, the people have to deal with two major relationships, a relationship between man and nature, also person-to-person relationship. Western culture pays more attention to the relationship between man and nature, so that is why western’s natural science is especially developed. Chinese people are most focused on the relationship between people. If a Chinese person is bad at dealing with interpersonal relationships, then it is really hard for him to gain a foothold in the community. For example, in China, supervisor had convey a concept that is an employee make any mistake that mean he or her had â€Å"bring the shame† to the entire department. Even the â€Å"smear† is personal, it will still be considered as the whole department of â€Å"loose face†. Lost mianzi would be very difficult to re-establish the image of the collective. During negotiations if one feels he or her encountered each other lad to â€Å"loss of face†, the majority of Chinese negotiators will think it is very embarrassing, if the negotiation continue it will feel very awkward, and on the other hand only a small number of United State negotiators will think it is embarrassing. As you can see mianzi is key motivator among Chinese business people. Mianzi factors in many decisions and action taken in the business world, also in day to day life in china just as how guanxi play an important roe also. Understanding both of these concepts, and their importance in business relationships in China, it is manifest importance. It is possible to spend years developing a business network by applying a good guanxi In David Smith article he pointed out that: â€Å"understanding of guanxi, only to spectacularly fail because of a misunderstanding of mianzi†. â€Å"Face and guanxi (roughly spoken as gwahn-shee) work hand-in-hand. Where face is the substance the fuel that makes the Chinese business engine turn over, guanxi is the personalized glue that makes it all stick together as a working dynamic. Melendez 2007)† Chinese Culture Economics and culture are not developing as two parallel lines. They interact and affect each other reciprocally (Wong, 2007). When something goes wrong or you needed something to be done finding the right guanxi seems to be the only way in China. Some people think that the culture of guanxi came from their traditional way of farming production. It i s their tradition with close family relationships as a link to the family extends to the results of the social relation. To observe guanxi culture’s origin we have to think why we need guanxi? The Sole purpose of having the right guanxi is to get the benefits. Then why guanxi will be able to obtain benefit? Because there are some people out there hold benefits? And why the people who hold benefits are willing to have relationship to benefits the others? That is because he has a grasp of the public assets? In western guanxi is not as popular as in China is because; most of the assets they master is private. Even if one has hold of the public interest; the external supervision is very good. Back in ancient China, family is the most important thing in everybody life, from a normal all the way up to the emperor, there is no difference in the way they see family, they take care of the family first before they think of them self. Guanxi culture is deeply rooted in Chinese cultures because property, rights, including social resources never had a clear boundary. After Qin Dynasty establishes authoritarian rule system, the Chinese start to use this concept to rule the country, â€Å" , ; , (Under the whole heaven, every spot is the sovereigns ground; to the borders of the land, every individual is the sovereigns minister. ) In other words, all the rights are owned by the Royal. In such large system, the Royal hold their own family business† so the royal need to hire people to work for them, and then had a huge bureaucratic class. Bureaucratic class exists to do â€Å"steward† for the royal, In addition to their salary; they are not supposed to take any guard reso urces especially property. At the same time, most â€Å"steward† are not â€Å"saints†, and it is very difficult to face such a huge asset that they custody, and they do not want to appropriate to oneself. As assets custody, there are two pathways that they can â€Å"transfer† the assets. First, according to the system of royal legitimately transfer, second, transfer through less legitimate even very legitimate way. No matter which way they chose to transfer the asset, they need the help from other people. The first pick is to transfer to the people that they relatively close to. This way, they are doing a favor, they can earn mianzi and also they can earn gratitude, on top of that they can get something in return. At the same time, as people wants to get the public assets, rights and other resources, they will take advantage of a wide range of opportunities, and desperately to make good relationship with the people who have the rights of resource allocation. This relation is not an ordinary human contact, but to the interests of the benefit they can get. With this kind of â€Å"tacit â€Å"this is where all guanxi and mianzi started. Nepotism is very common for Chinese people, because for a country that used to rule under the Confucius ethics, in handing a lot of thing, the Chinese do not go by the formal or right way, but rely on the nepotism, that is why the community makes guanxi a very big deal. A research says â€Å"About 90 per cent of Chinas billionaires are the children of high-ranking officials. Princelings have fared far better in business than in politics, observed analyst Zhang Hua, who commented on the phenomenon in Hong Kongs Apple Daily in 2007. Not a single (princeling) family has been left behind, he said sardonically. The various families have carved out territories in various industries. The family of former premier Li Peng, for example, controls the countrys energy sector. His daughter Li Xiaolin is chairman of China Power International Development, an electricity monopoly. His son Li Xiaopeng used to head Huaneng Power, another energy heavyweight. The family of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin has moved into telecommunications, while the offspring of former premier Zhu Rongji are strong figures in banking. His son Levin Zhu is the chief executive of China International Capital Corp. The princelings began staking out their dominions in the business world in the 1980s when China was opening up its economy. Armed with their fathers connections, they were able to exploit the opportunities thrown up by Chinas economic transformation. By the 1980s, this economic revolution had led to much public disquiet, and when students staged protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989, much of their anger was initially directed at what they saw as rampant corruption by senior officials and their families. Tan 2009)† This research accurate description of the current situation in China put aside the high-ranking official even if an ordinary citizen who is looking for a good job, having good or right qualification that fit the job will not get you in, you also need to have the right guanxi. Many graduates who accomplished a lot during college, having the all kind of certificate, doing good internships, join ing top organizations, still can’t find a good job, to them they think all their certificate are just a blank sheet of paper. On the other hand, student who use to barely pass their class, lacking thought out college, but just because their family have the right guanxi, just after their graduation they can find a great job with all the benefit. Even though this kind of situation happens in the western too, but it is ten times worse. The people who have no money, no right, no guanxi always have to work for the one who have everything, perhaps this is today’s reality in China, no matter how hard you work, it is very hard for you just go on the top without the right guanxi. Confucianism In China people use more than half of their energy to handle relationship between each other, in another world is to build up the right guanxi. Guanxi interaction has been viewed by many scholars as an idiosyncratic cultural phenomenon (Lee and Ellis, 2000) where Confucianism is the major life philosophy. Confucius was the most influential and respected philosopher in Chinese history. His ideas were the strongest influence on Chinese society from around 100 BC till the early 20th century. The Chinese governments throughout this period of two millennia had made his ideas their official state philosophy. Confucian theories and philosophies were even exported to neighboring countries and honored as wise and noble ideals (Culture 2007). Chinese traditional ethics and cultural summed up that relations between people as â€Å" † (human relation). â€Å"Human Relation† is the specific personal, family, social relations, including interpersonal relationships. Confucian teachings are based on five human relationships that are founded on moral principles, Wu-lune ( ), the basic norms of guanxi, â€Å" , , , , that between the ruler and the ruled; that between parents and children; that between siblings; that between husband and wife; and that between friends. Above the five relationships, parent-child relationship, monarch relations is a fundamental relationship. More than thousands of year, no matter how Chinas feudal society development and changes, and how the different specific content change of human relationships over the years, but none of the Father and Sons (reflectin g kinship), Jun Chen (reflecting the political relations) the foundation of the concept of human relations shaken a bet. Confucian concept of human relations is the most fundamental is the word â€Å" â€Å"(virtue). Where â€Å"? † is father and son as a starting point to solve the problem of the relationship between the individual and the individual; and â€Å"? † solve the â€Å"monarch† The backbone of social relations. Confucianism is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture. Want to know why guanxi and mianzi is such a big thing in China; we have to start off by have a better understanding of Confucianism. Chinese culture has deeply influenced by the Confucianism, Thousands of years of feudal society taught nothing more than The Four Books (The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Confucian Analects, and The Works of Mencius and The Five Classics (The Book of Songs, The Book of History, The Book of Changes, The book of Rites, and The Spring and Autumn annals Traditional thinking of the sense of responsibility, self-control thinking, and loyalty and final piety thinking are the result of the Confucianism and the feudal rule in combination. Therefore, Confucianism is the backbone of social relations. Pros: 1) Emphasis on education. Create individualized teaching methods and attention to individual difference in teaching, adept inspired teaching. 2) Pay attention to morality, decency and propriety, righteousness, consciously comply with truth and goodness. 3) Ideologically adept dialectical thinking, emphasis on the nature of agriculture, emphasis on experience , also that natural cycle are the root that causes of human reason. Promote agriculture-oriented due to actual resources of the ancient China. 4) To promote the country to ? (courtesy, manners), â€Å"ethical political†, if Western culture is the â€Å"intellectual† type than Chinese culture is â€Å"morality† type. Cons:1) Do not pay attention to importance of agricultural production of knowledge, do not pay attention to learning of science and knowledge. Strong sense of political purpose, Confucius is inclined to politics. 2) Do not emphasize to logic but pay much more attention to experience. ) Emphasize that the individual compliance to the group, repressed individual personality ideological unity caused national’s simple-minded filial piety and blind loyalty. 4) Ethical relationships solidified and absolute. The three cardinal guides (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and the five constant virtues (benevolence; righteousness, propriety, wisdom and fidelity) as specified in the feudal et hical code. Parents authoritarian. All these become personal oppression and spirit slaughter. Restrict thinking and way of life of the whole China; it is a forward resistance of history. 5) Ethical concept: hierarchy is most supreme, thus limiting the development of the natural sciences and technology. â€Å"Building upon the thoughts of others, Confucius codified the proper relationships between the ruler and the ruled, the father and son, the husband and wife, the elder and younger brother, and the teacher and student. (Neville 2012)† These are the main focus that Confucius had taught. Neville had said â€Å"All have roles and responsibilities in a Confucian system, and they are not equal. This concept might be very difficult for those who grow up in a society that is shaped by the Declaration of Independence. In many respects, Confucianism substitutes for an independent judiciary that has never really existed in China. â€Å"It provides a structure for moderating disputes and deciding who gets what,† â€Å"That is very different from a Western or an America n judicial system, in the sense that its premise is that not everybody is equal. In fact, people are inherently unequal under Confucianism. (Neville 2012)† Build and Maintain Guanxi Man are social animal, each individual has their own unique ideas, background, attitude, personality, behavior patterns and values. Interpersonal has a big influence on everyone living, working, and even organizational climate, organizations communication, organizational efficiency, and also has a great impact between the individual and the organization. Since we are a member of the society, we have to build relation with others, and right relation help us to get the right guanxi, where guanxi is a huge thing in China’s society. Since Chinese people prefer to do business with people they know and trust this is why after research and learning the Confucianism I listed of seven elements help to build guanxi in China: 1) To build the right guanxi the principle is to treat people sincerely, the prerequisite for building guanxi is trust and the most essential foundation of trust if that you believe in someone, which you have to be a person who is the same outside and inside. Also when you are trustworthiness they can get the feel of â€Å"You got my back, I got your back. 2) Be interested in other, not just let others be interested in you. Being interested in others will make one grateful, and we always like those people who are interest in ourselves. Also being interested in others will make them feel that you are caring. 3) Properly listen to get more useful information. Carefully understand others, and seek what can of help you can provide to the person you want to build guanxi with, to do so you would win th eir goodwill. 4) If you want to build guanxi with others you should try you best to be interest in that person, listen and understand them in your best way. So you can put yourself in other’s show. Being understood is the strongest need, which is why this is very important. 5) Do not promise thing you cannot do. Do not let others produce unrealistic in you. For example if a company promised to do something and it is due as it promised, then the company is showing trustworthiness and other companies would be more inclined to deal with that company. 6) Willing to help others. Small things can cause big change, many small things accumulate can make a tremendous change. You never know who you helping, that person might be the one who can help you in the future, and this is the key to build up guanxi. 7) Time are very valuable, saving one’s time is the most precious gift. You can do that by being on time, making that time with you valuable, and doing things efficiently. After you have built up guanxi with others, you have to maintain your guanxi. Reciprocal favors are the key factors to maintaining one’s guanxi and failure to do so can result in an end to one of your contacts. That is why guanxi can be a never ending cycle of doing favor for each other. Final Thought The finding of this study shows me a very good understanding of how important of guanxi and mianzi are in China when you are living there or doing business with them. Guanxi and mianzi are cultural concept that has been influenced the Chinese life for thousands of years and how Confucianism is the key to everything. Having a better understanding of Confucianism will have a clear perspective of why Chinese make a big deal out of guanxi. Reference Bai, C. , Q. Liu, J. Lu, F. M. Song, and J. Zhang. 2004. Corporate governance and firm valuations in China. Journal of Comparative Economics 32 (4). Dong, Q. , and Y. F. Lee. 2007. The Chinese concept of face: A perspective for business communicators. Paper presented at the Decision Sciences Institute Southwest Region 2007 Meeting, San Diego. Guanxi. (n. d. ). Retrieved September 30, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Guanxi Hayes, R. (2005). China’s modern power house. BBCNEWS, http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4298284. tm Hwang, A. , S. Ang, and A. M. Francesco. 2002. The silent Chinese: The influence of face and kiasuism on student feedback-seeking behaviors. Journal of Management Education 26 (1): 70–98. Lee, M. Y. and Ellis, P. (2000), â€Å"Insider-outsider perspectives of guanxi†, Business Horizons, January/February, pp. 25-30. Melendez , J. (2007). The concept of â€Å"face† in chinese culture. Share your voice on yah oo. http://voices. yahoo. com/the-concept-face-chinese-culture-566703. html Schipani, C. A. , and J. H. Liu. 2002. Corporate governance in China: Then and now. Columbia Business Law Review 2002: 1–69. Shan, Echo. (2005, August 8). Mianzi of Chinese weighs a lot, comes at a price. China Daily. Retrieved July 23, 2008 from http://www. chinadaily. com. cn/english/doc/2005-08/08/content_467216. htm Smith, D. (2012) Guanxi, Mianzi, and Business: The Impact of Culture on Corporate Governance in China. http://www1. ifc. org/wps/wcm/connect/aeae62804b7321708fcdcfbbd578891b/IFC+PSO+26+052112. pdf? MOD=AJPERES Tan, G. 2009. The untold nepotism barons: 90% of Chinas billionaires are children of high ranking Communist officials. Chinesepolitics. http://sub. garrytan. com/the-untold-nepotism-barrons-90-of-chinas-bill The influences of Confucius. (2007) In Cultural-China. Retrieved from http://history. cultural-china. com/en/182History5836. html Neville. F. Understanding China: Confucianism, Guanxi and Face. 2012. Thundeerbird. Understanding China: Confucianism, Guanxi and Face Vanhonacker, W. R. 2004. Guanxi networks in China. China Business Review (May–June). Wong, M. 2007. Guanxi and its role in Business. Chinese Management Studies. Vol. 1. No 4 pp. 257-276. DOI 10. 1108/17506140710828532

ALLEN - Surname Meaning and Origin of Last Name Allen

ALLEN - Surname Meaning and Origin of Last Name Allen The Allen and Allan surname derive from aluinn, meaning fair or handsome. The Allan surname spelled with an a is generally considered to be associated with Scottish clans, including Clan Donald, Clan Grant, Clan MacFarlane, and Clan MacKay. Spelled with an e, however, the Allen surname is generally considered to be English in origin. However, a variety of names from a variety of regions might be anglicized as either Allen or Allan, so the name spelling may not point to your familys origin. Surname Origin ï » ¿Scottish, English Alternate Surname Spellings ï » ¿ALAN, ALLAN Famous People With the Surname ALLEN Ethan Allen - leader of the Green Mountain Boys and an American officer during the Revolutionary WarKris Allen - winner of American Idol, season eightLily Allen - British pop starRichard Allen - minister, educator, writer, and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) denominationMarcus Allen - National Football Hall of Fame member, inducted 2003 Genealogy Resources for the Surname ALLEN ï » ¿100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? Allen Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Allen surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Allen query. There are also separate forums for the ALLAN and ALAN variations of the Allen surname. FamilySearch - ALLEN GenealogyFind records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Allen surname and its variations. DistantCousin.com - ALLEN Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Allen. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005.Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.ï » ¿Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Identify the various demographic characteristics of today's workforce Essay

Identify the various demographic characteristics of today's workforce - Essay Example Hall and Hall classified different cultures under the categories of ‘high context and low context’ (1990). Chinese people belong to the high context culture in which context and non-verbal cues are important to assign meaning to spoken words. This means that the same words can have different meanings in different contexts. Further, work discipline like obedience to command, commitment to a word given and personal relationships are important to the Chinese. This is in contrast to the low context culture, typically as in the US, where the spoken words are precise and unambiguous irrespective of the context, individualism and frankness is more pronounced, and personal relations are subordinate to task completion on time. While on the subject of time, a high context workforce handles multiple tasks simultaneously unlike its counterpart in low context cultures, which concentrates one task at a time (Hall and Hall, 1990). These ideas are reinforced by the five dimension classification of Hofstede and Bond and the seven dimension classification of Trompenars (as quoted by Amant, K.S., 2007). An organization benefits from the services of a Chinese migrant worker due to his/her ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, respect for authority, collectivism and long-term commitment. Respect for authority implies disciplined approach to complete assigned tasks; collectivism implies the ability to be a good team-member and working to achieve team goals rather than individual goals. Organizations benefit by such workers and teams for whose career development and welfare, long-term planning can be initiated. In order to maximize the benefits of demographic diversity in an organization, the manager should foremost recognize and develop a positive attitude for the culture-specifics for each variety and understand the beneficial aspects. Since Chinese workers in a US plant may be new to the local

Choose 1 public Uk company and 1 charity company Assignment

Choose 1 public Uk company and 1 charity company - Assignment Example Today, the firm sells tens of thousands of products and operates in over 12 countries in the Euro and Asia markets. The mission of Tesco is to offer its customers the best products at the best prices ever. It intends to help its customers to save some money on grocery shopping through providing pocket-friendlily high quality prices (Rohwedder, 2006). Tearfund is a UK nongovernmental organization and a Christian charity fund that was founded in 1968 in London (Hollow, 2008). From the organization some more charity organizations have been formed such as the Disaster Emergency Committee and the Micah Network. Tearfund was created from an already existing organization called the Evangelical Alliance as well as the evangelical Refugee Fund which were initially created by the UN. Its initial name was Evangelical Alliance Fund Committee and was headed by George Hoffman. The mission for Tearfund is to give relief funds in places that face some sort of disaster whether it is poverty, war or natural calamity (Barry, 2000). Tearfund also gives funds for development purposes in places where there is minimal development. A look at these two firms reveals that there is a different between nonprofit firms and the for profit firms. The growth rate for the two firms is different. The private for profit firms seem to grow faster as they look for more market. A good example is the Tesco which has been exploring markets outside UK, even in the US where it failed dramatically (Kamal, 2014). The other difference that comes between these two firms is with regard to their expansion strategy. While a profit oriented firm seeks to expand to the markets where the economies are doing well in order to profit from the economy, a charity organization like Tearfund seeks to expand to areas where the economy is not doing so well, because their intention of to give money rather

Strategic Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management Paper - Essay Example The strengths that are associated with the New York Times are based on the concept of diversity that has been incorporated into the main part of the platform. The main creation of news is one that is based on providing diversity at three levels, including the local, national and international realms. More important, the New York Times has expanded into a new market that is able to incorporate several concepts and applications that are a part of the main strengths. The main platform has developed into a news arena that is able to focus on several target markets while providing general news that was a part of the foundation of the company. The weaknesses that are associated with the New York Times are based on the sense of production and research and development that is associated with the company. Instead of creating a specific association with a specific type of production, there is a building into diversity that is all in one newspaper. The production is limited to the multimedia, trends and demands that are from the market. However, there isn’t a niche market or a specific association with diversifying the market in an alternative manner. At the same time, there is a broader range of the market to cover because of the move into globalization with a focus specifically that comes from New York. For the production to continue to work effectively, they will have to continue working toward diversifying the market, working with the changing media and building branches within the business. The internal factors that are associated with the strengths and weaknesses begin with the management. The management is able to provide strength because of the diversity of the company as well as the association with the global market. The internal management compliments this with changing the portfolio that is within the company through news reports and digital media. The association is based on diversity for local

A Third Leg In The Strategy Tripod Commerce Essay

A Third Leg In The Strategy Tripod Commerce Essay In recent times strategy has become a major and significant part of international businesses (IB). A strategy is there to help the organisation to achieve its objectives and goals. There are various factors in the industry that multinationals can take to make investment decisions, nevertheless in the international business environment, it has been dominated by both industry and resource base views. A resource base view lies within the company and not on the outside, it also tells us how the company or organisation will deliver a sustainable competitive advantage and how these resources will be controlled and managed in a way that its end results cant be copied by its competitors and would create a competitive barrier and generate a competitive advantage at a sustainable level Porter 1980).An industry base view is based on a clear understanding of the organisations competitive and economic structure, the challenge here is to position the company in a way that it could gain a bigger po rtion of the profits in the market that the company is operating in and even with new entrants coming into the market place , the organisation should turn its core competencies in an advantage. According to the journal the authors (M.W.Peng, D.Y.L. Wang and Y. Jiang) state that the view of international business strategy emerged through and institution base. They also state that this one of the legs that support and uphold the tripod strategy, and the other two part of the tripod strategy is based on a resource base view and an industry base view. In the journal the authors did a review of four distinct characteristic s or qualities of important research , these four characteristics are :(1)antidumping as entry barriers;(2)competing in and out of India;(3)growing the firm in China and the fourth being governing the corporation in emerging economies. According to the authors they state that there were questions confronting the international business raised by (Peng 2004a), where he identified emerging nations in Asia to indicate a realistic and intermediate phase during the early and late stages of institution transitions. In the article the authors stats two arguments that is based on network strengths and network content. To determine strategy and performance the authors cite (Porters 1980) competitive strategy, which a frame works for industry analysis (Porters Five Force analysis). A third leg in the strategy tripod In the third leg of the strategy tripod the authors state that the industry-base view is rooted in a way the MNEs strategy is based on certain conditions within the nature of the industry that the company has a focus on. They (authors) also state that with a resource based view IB concentrate more internally that externally, as most of the value lies within the organisation. With both industry and resource-based views, it still brings up questions to investment locations. In the tripod strategy the authors cite (Scot 1995:33) where he define institutions as concrete structures , e.g. buildings and as human capital , including political and social aspects which they state , e.g.corruption,economic liberations and ethical norms , these are a few examples from the article that also affect the stability of markets that MNEs operate in. Research by (Lawrence Lorsch , 1969) clearly shows that the dominate part of research is a task environment view , where economic variables were looked at and what the market demand are and a change in technology.(Peng 2008) states that shaping strategies and performance have an impact on both formal and informal institutions. Antidumping as entry barriers Peng citing (Porter 1980) states one of the five forces that govern competitiveness within an industry is entry barriers. Within the IB environment entry barriers give rise to a new term known as liability of foreignness. Dumping is legally defined as an exporter selling goods below price abroad. Mexico is an active user of anti-dumping policy and they have initiated investigations against China. Anti-dumping is a contingent protection and is permitted by the WTO, the law is there to protect market price and minimum pricing protection is inconsistent with regards to anti-dumping legislation. The law was primarily used by four nations, USA, EU, Canada and Australia. During the period 1995-2000 South Africa had 173 anti-dumping investigations and 113 anti-dumping measures imposed, compared to USA with 354 and 219 and India with 400 and 302. In Australia, Customs is responsible for anti-dumping and the Department of Commercial Defence in Brazil and discrimination is also evident, whereb y cases are filled by local companies. Competing in and out of India (Dacin, Goodstein Scot, 2002) state that institutional logic is what shapes a companys strategy. Peng cites (Kapur Ramaurti, 2001) that Indian and non-Indian company strategies are affected by politics, societal and legal changes, also documented in the article is the rise of Indias information technology (IT) and there emergence as the 2nd largest player in the IT field behind the USA. The reason for the growth in India is due to government investing in higher education. Since 1991 India made major changes to its legal and regulatory reforms and this has liberalized the economy and made it a competitive market for IBs. Indian companies abroad are having issues with the local or host countries, where the western countries are passing laws to protect jobs and a ban on contracts to the Indian companies.(Lewin Peeters 2006) state that a lot of MNEs have invested in India because of the quality of work and the value created by the IT industry .MNEs that invested in India are Cisco , I BM , SAP and GE to mention a few , these MNEs also tap into the talent pool and with the arrival of so many MNEs in India , it has forced the local IT companies to be more competitive. Growing the firm in China Chinas growth started in 1978, it embarked on economic reform and prior to that everything was state controlled. The government liberalised foreign investment and trade and relaxed on prices. They invested by educating their workforce and industrial production. IMF research shows increase worker efficiencies are the major factors behind the growing economy, together with new factories , machinery for manufacturing and communications. (Peng Heath , 1996 ) did research that shows the local managers in China and the interpersonal networks has helped informal substitutes and has translated micro into macro , thus linking alliances to grow the company. According to (North, 1990) strategic choices are formed through networks of formal and informal structures, where he states the weakness come from formal institutions and informal institutions with governing relations play a bigger role in organisation strategies and performance. Governing the Corporate in Emerging Economies According to (Jensen Meckling 1976) the system used to govern developed economies is known as the Anglo-America system, they also state that conflicts by both the shareholder and managers are the key conflict issues.(Morck,2000:11)states that concentrated ownership is how most companies throughout the world is controlled. In emerging nations the authors raise issues where key conflicts are based on two principles and this is controlling and minority shareholders. Emerging nations that do not understand the nature of conflict policies in corporate governance becomes disastrous and irrelevant. In South Africa which is an emerging nation, directors are appointed from outside to assist the company in improving its performance. , e.g. Pick n Pay a south African company employed its CEO from the UK (Tesco) , Pick n Pay is a family owned company (90%) with a smaller interest from outside shareholders. IB in emerging economies have to focus on various things other than the companies capabilities and the nature of the business .IBs have to focus on the political aspect , as well as cultural and language. In South Africa they have to understand the countrys diverse race groups, religions and languages as the country has eleven official languages, as for China MNEs are operating on their door step via Hong Kong and with India now a leader in the IT field, the west must work together with both China and India so that capitalise on their resources. Industry-base view and resource-based view are there to maintain a tripod strategy, thus giving the opportunity to IBs to invest in foreign countries and to gain market share

Is Religion Just a Joke? Essay -- Religion Religious Essays

Is Religion Just a Joke? Driving with my friend to the movies one evening last winter we discovered a group of people bundled up and picketing by The Safari movie theatre in Moorhead.à  My friend and I didn’t know what movie we wanted to watch, but these protesters made up our mind.à  We decided to see the movie â€Å"Dogma† because that was the very movie these outraged people were boycotting.à  Sometimes people carry their religion to the point where it has an adverse effect on people.à  This was the case that evening. As we watched â€Å"Dogma,† my friend and I laughed hysterically.à  It wasn’t nearly as bad as the protestors suggested.à  The view the â€Å"outraged Christians† and I seemed to disagree on was they took the movie literally, whereas I personally took it as mere fiction.à  In my opinion, it was just another religious comedy to bring the sometimes-scary topic of â€Å"religion† down to a point that seems more human in the eyes of the average American today. By making the topic of religion humorous, we as a society can take a look at the different aspects of this complicated and controversial issue.à  What is ethically right or wrong has been seen in many issues such as cloning, euthanasia, and abortion.à  Religion, along with these other issues, is often hard to confront.à  With the aid of movies, such as â€Å"Dogma† and â€Å"Keeping the Faith,† we are able to delve into the issue of religion more easily.à  Let us now take a look at these two movies.à  â€Å"Keeping the Faith† starts with a priest, Brian Finn, played by Edward Norton, telling his complicated story to the local bartender in New York who thinks he’s heard it all already.à  Brian tells of a childhood friendship between himself, Jake Schram, and a girl named Anna Reilly.à  The three... ...ck Jesus, a thirteenth apostle played by Chris Rock who was written out of the bible because he was black (having a black savior is okay, but not a black apostle), Mary not being a virgin, after all, â€Å"Do you think Joseph would stay around if he wasn’t getting any?,† and God being a woman.à  Anyone who would take these humorous and outrageous suggestions literally is more of a joke than this movie.à  In my opinion, a movie is just a movie and nothing more, other than to bring into focus a difficult subject matter.à  Therefore, funny movies about religion actually help viewers think critically about religion.à  The protestors seemed to want to make the religious comedy genre be blasphemy on God, where that is not what the movie was trying to do.à  Which brings out the question: Who is making religion a joke?à  -The movies? -Or the people carrying their religion too far?

Communications Plan Essay

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and TSA awarded a $37m grant for expansion projects at Denver International Airport. These funds are being used for the master plan projects. Approximately $11.6m will go towards rehabilitating runway 8/26, and over $1.7m will be used to improve the taxiway system surrounding Jeppesen Terminal. About $8.7m will be used to upgrade runway 16L/34R. About $15m from the TSA grant will be spent on improving the airport’s baggage screening system. Stakeholder Analysis To examine the role of the airport stakeholders a precise definition of stakeholders and their goals for the airport is necessary. The purpose of this section is to identify the airport’s goals from the point of view of each stakeholder group. 1) Passengers For passengers, the airport provides a transition point between the ground and air transportation modes, or a connection point between two flights. Different sub-types of passengers have been identified (Neufville & Odoni 2003): 1) Arriving passengers 2) Originating passengers 3) Transfer passengers 4) International and domestic passengers 5) Charter and low-fare airline passengers 6) Shuttle/commuter passengers These passenger types are not mutually exclusive; rather, an individual passenger may be a member of more than one subtype of passenger categories. Arriving and originating passengers are commonly referred to as origin and destination (O&D) passengers. Independent of the passenger classifications according to the above attributes, the passengers may be viewed in two different capacities in the context of this analysis. First, passengers can be viewed as participants in the economic system, either as business travelers or as tourist/leisure travelers, purchasing services from airport service providers and interacting in different ways with local businesses and the local community. Second, passengers can be viewed as individual travelers that have expectations about receiving quality services, and passing through the airport system in a convenient manner. These two perspectives have different implications on the goals for the airports and will be treated separately in the following sub sections. a) Passengers as Economic Participants Passengers may participate in the economic system in one of several ways: 1) As origin leisure/personal travelers: These are passengers from the local community that use the airport as their departure point for leisure or other personal travel. 2) As origin business travelers: These are travelers representing local businesses, using the airport as their departure point. 3) As destination leisure/personal travelers: These are visitors to the region, for tourism or other personal purposes. 4) As destination business travelers: These are business travelers coming to visit local businesses. If the airport’s traffic is heavily geared toward O&D traffic, then demand at the airport is more heavily dictated by the local economy. In contrast, significant connecting (transfer) passenger levels are less sensitive to the performance of the local economy, but those traffic volumes may represent vulnerability for the airport since they are to a greater degree dictated by a carrier’s viability and route decisions. Passengers contribute toward the financing of airport capital improvement projects through Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) of up to $4.50 per passenger. PFCs are paid directly by passengers through airline tickets and proceeds must be used for capital improvements at the airport that collected them (Wells & Young 2003). The goals for passengers as economic participants relates to the cost of travel: Providing access to low airfares is a key objective for the airport in the view of air passengers. b) Passenger as Travelers When considering the passengers as travelers as a stakeholder group, the focus is on the passenger as an individual. The goal of the airport from the individual passenger viewpoint is, moving passengers quickly and conveniently to where they need to go. This view considers the airport as a transit point from one mode of transportation to another, or as a connection point between two different flights. Ensuring on-time performance was raised as the most important aspect to achieving this objective. 2) Business, Commerce, Tourism, Arts, Sports, and Education Organizations The organizations that in various ways are customers of the airport have been summarized as â€Å"business, commerce, tourism, arts, sports, and education organizations†. Some organizations are direct users of the airport by importing or exporting services (i.e. business travelers) and goods (raw materials or finished goods). Other organizations are indirect customers of the airport as a result of their custome rs (e.g. tourists) traveling through the airport. The term â€Å"organizations† is used to encompass both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Organizations Organizations whose clients arrive through the airport Organizations that are direct users of the airport Importers of services and goods Exporters of services and goods The airport serves as an engine of business activity for the organizations in the region. The airport drives and supports economic activity in several different ways, including both through business activities directly at the airport and through business activities throughout the regional economy (Button & Stough 2000). Underlying goals for maximizing this economic activity include maximizing passenger volumes and traffic at the airport as well as maximizing the number of destinations served and the frequency of those services (Matt Erskine, Greater Washington Board of Trade 2009). As a result of the different types of use of the airport described in the previous paragraph, the priority of one goal over another varies between organizations. 3) Air Carriers Air carriers provide the air transportation service from the airports. Air carriers include both passenger and cargo carriers and are classified into three subcategories (Environmental Protection Agency 2000): 1) Large certified carriers: These carriers have a certificate to carry 61 passengers or more, payload equal to or greater than 18,000 pounds, or conduct international operations. 2) Small certified carriers: These carriers fly aircraft that carry less than 61 passengers, carry less than 18,000 pounds, and do not conduct international operations. 3) Commuter carriers: These are air taxis with a published schedule of at least five weekly round trips between at least two airports. Air carriers select airports based on the passenger demand for service to/from the airports (i.e. revenue generation potential) and based on the cost of operating at the airport. The airlines have the objective of achieving high yields, (Doganis 2002). Airports serve the role of providing access to high yield markets. Attractive airports ensure low cost of air carrier operations at the airport. This includes both minimizing direct fees charged to air carriers through the maximization of non-aeronautical revenues (Dallas Dawson, Tampa International Airport 2009) and minimizing costs incurred by air carriers through delay on the ground (Peter Stettler, Ricondo and Associates 2009). An airport may serve either as a hub for a carrier, with a high portion of that carrier’s flights operating to/from the airport, or as a non-hub airport with a lower portion of flights for a given carrier (Belobaba et al. 2009). In either situation, the airport should act as an efficient hub/connection point, contributing to ensuring air carriers’ on time performance (Pat Oldfield, United Airlines 2009). In addition, it is the expectation of air carriers that airports ensure safety of operations on the airport surface (Kurt Krummenacker, Mood y’s 2009). 4) General Aviation Users General aviation encompasses many types of aviation outside the air carrier definition, including (Wells & Young 2003). 1) Air taxi operators (except those air taxi operators listed in section IV.A.3) 2) Corporate-executive transportation 3) Flight instruction 4) Aircraft rental 5) Aerial application 6) Aerial observation 7) Business 8) Pleasure Several of the goals listed for air carriers also apply to general aviation in terms of on-time performance, low costs, and safety. However, a representative of a business aviation organization defined the primary goal of airports as serving as access point to the national air transportation system by providing good availability and high capabilities in terms of instrumentation and services (Jeff Gilley, National Business Aviation Association 2009). 5) Airport Organization The airport organizational structure varies (Neufville & Odoni 2003) and can be comprised of an individual airport such as Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW) (DFW Airport 2009) or as a group of airports managed by the same organization, such as the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) (Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority 2009). The airport organization is overseen by a board appointed by local governments. In larger airports or systems of airports, a common feature is that the organization includes a separation of operating units which carry out on-going management of airport operations, and they are separate from staff units which have responsibility for (among several other areas) infrastructure development (Neufville & Odoni 2003). The airport itself pays for some capital infrastructure projects. Airport operating revenues come from sources such as landing fees, terminal leases and proceeds from concessions sales. This revenue is used to pay for the airport’s operating expense, but any surplus can be used to contribute toward capital improvements. A set of goals for the airport organization can be derived from studying airports’ strategic plans and objectives and from interviewing airport management experts. The primary objective (sometimes referred to as the â€Å"mission†) of the airport is to provide access to high quality air services to its region. Other goals, such as ensuring strong financial performance and high operational efficiency, are considered as â€Å"means to an end† in that they enable the airport to achieve this overarching goal (DFW Airport 2008; Hillsborough County Aviation Authority 2006). A summary view of the airport’s goals is presented using the structure of Denver International Airport’s strategic plan (Denv er International Airport 2009): 1) Excel in airport management: This goal includes: a) Achieve high security and safety (City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007; Denver International Airport 2009; Hillsborough County Aviation Authority 2006) b) Grow revenue and manage costs (City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007; Denver International Airport 2009; DFW Airport 2008; Hillsborough County Aviation Authority 2006) c) Drive economic growth (Denver International Airport 2009) d) Grow passenger numbers (City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007; Denver International Airport 2009) e) Provide access to a high number of destinations and a high frequency of service (Denver International Airport 2009). This goal relates immediately to the primary objective of the airport described above. Airport management must also achieve a balance where sufficient infrastructure capacity exists for handling traffic while capacity is at the same time not over-built (Paul McKnight, Jacobs Consultancy 2009; Frank Berardino, GRA Inc 2009). Additionally, a key objective for airports is to maximize non-aeronautical revenues since that provides diversified revenues and allows for keeping usage charges to air carriers low, thereby potentially attracting more traffic (Chellie Cameron, MWAA 2009; Peter Stettler, Ricondo and Associates 2009; Seth Lehman and Emma Walker, Fitch Ratings 2009). 2) Provide high levels of customer service: This goal includes ensuring a good experience for both passengers and other customers (City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007; Denver International Airport 2009; DFW Airport 2008; Hillsborough County Aviation Authority 2006). 3) Develop environmentally sustainable practices and minimize noise: This goal includes minimizing emissions, energy consumption, etc., within the airport (Denver International Airport 2009; City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007). Some airports, such as Sea-Tac, are also beginning to expand their focus by considering greenhouse gas emissions not only from the airport-controlled operations but also from airlines and other tenants as well as the public (Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport 2007). Related to this is the goal of minimizing airport-related noise (Neufville & Odonin2003). 4) Develop high-performing employee teams: This goal relates to developing effective and skilled employees (City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007; Denver International Airport 2009) and maximizing employee engagement (DFW Airport 2008). 5) Enhance competitive advantage: This goal includes providing competitive user rates and protecting the airport’s physical infrastructure (Denver International Airport 2009; City of Cleveland, Department of Port Control 2007). Some of these goals may be in competition with each other. For instance, the goal of maximizing non-aeronautical revenue can conflict with the goal of developing environmentally sustainability and providing a good experience for passengers: The latter two goals would be aided by promoting and developing access to public transportation access modes to the airport such as bus or rail. However, the goal of maximizing non-aeronautical revenue is better served by maximizing revenue-generation in the form of parking revenue from private vehicles. In such instances, airport management must balance the competing priorities in order to accomplish the goals of the airport. 6) Investors and Bond-Holders The majority of airport debt is of the general airport revenue bond (GARB) type. GARB means that the bond is backed by revenues generated from airport operations and not backed by any government funding source. The credit ratings agencies Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings participate in this system by assigning grades of investment quality to the airports’ bonds. The ratings agencies’ ratings affect the interest rates and terms of the bonds (Wells & Young 2003). A large number of factors impact the bond ratings, including: 1) Historical and projected population growth 2) Historical and projected employment expansion and mix 3) Passenger growth 4) Airport utilization trends 5) Portion of origin and destination (O&D) traffic 6) The importance of the facility to the overall US system of airports 7) Whether the airport is in a favorable geographic location (e.g. is it a natural hub location?) 8) Airfield capacity and attractiveness of facilities 9) Debt burden and carrying costs 10) Financial strength of carriers with a lot of connecting traffic, and their level of commitment to the airport 11) The role of the airport in the dominant carrier’s network 12) The level of legal flexibility for the airport to change the rates it charges air carriers 7) Concessionaires Airport concessionaires operate passenger services in terminal buildings and may include food and beverage services, retail services, and hotels. Concessions operators pay the airport organization a fixed annual fee and/or a percentage of gross revenues (Wells & Young 2003). Considering the concessions operators’ objective of maximizing profits, the goals of the airport for these operators are deduced to be maximizing passenger volumes and minimizing the fees paid to the airport organization. 8) Service Providers The service providers are private operators that offer services to air carriers and general aviation users. Independent operators may supply these services (e.g. fixed-base operators, FBOs), but some of the services may also be provided by the airport operator, the airline itself, or by another airline. Services provided include (Neufville & Odoni 2003): 1) Supply of aviation fuel and oil 2) Baggage handling and sorting 3) Loading and unloading of aircraft 4) Interior cleaning of aircraft 5) Toilet and water service 6) Passenger transport to/from remote stands 7) Catering transport 8) Routine inspection and maintenance of aircraft at the stands 9) Aircraft starting, marshalling, and parking 10) Aircraft de-icing 11) Passenger handling (e.g. ticketing and check-in) 12) Cargo and mail handling 13) Information services 14) Preparation of handling and load-control documents 15) Supervisory or administrative duties Similar to concessionaires, independent service providers pay a fee to the airport organization which is typically a percentage of gross revenues (Neufville & Odoni 2003). In a parallel to concessionaires, service provider goals for the airport would include maximizing traffic volumes and minimizing the fees paid to the airport organization. 9) Employees The employee category includes both direct employees of the airports organization as well as employees of companies operating at the airport, such as concessions operators. Some employees are organized into unions, such as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU USW West 2009) and Unite Here (Unite Here 2009). The objective of the airport from the perspective of those unions is to provide secure jobs, wages, and benefits (Unite Here 2009). 10) Federal Government The federal government participates in the airport system in three different roles: As a bill-payer, as an operator, and as a regulator. Each of these roles will be addressed in this section. In terms of the government’s role as a bill payer for the system, the Airports Improvement Program (AIP) is administered by the FAA and its funding comes from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which in turn is funded by user fees and fuel taxes. AIP funds can be applied toward projects that support aircraft operations including runways, taxiways, aprons, noise abatement, land purchase, and safety, emergency or snow removal equipment. In order to be eligible for AIP funding, airports must be part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), which imposes requirements on the airport for legal and financial compliance (Wells & Young 2003). The NPIAS has two goals: To ensure that airports are able to accommodate the growth in travel and to keep airports up to standards for the aircraft that use them (FAA 2008). The government’s role as airport operators includes three different agencies: 1) FAA: The FAA is the operator of ramp, ground, local, and departure/arrival air traffic control services (United States Code of Federal Regulations 2010). 2) Transportation Security Administration (TSA): The TSA provides passenger and baggage security screening services. The TSA states that it is the goal for its baggage screening operations to screen for explosives and other dangerous items while maximizing efficiency (Transportation Security Administration 2009). This can be translated to state that it is the goal for the airport to ensure secure transportation of people and goods while minimizing the impact of security measures on legitimate travelers and goods. 3) Customs and Border Protection (CBP): The CBP is responsible for operating passport control and customs inspections at international airports. The CBP states that it is its mission to protect â€Å"our nation’s borders from terrorism, human and drug smuggling, illegal migration, and agricultural pests while simultaneously facilitating the flow of legitimate travel and trade† (Customs and Border Protection 2009). Just as for the TSA, this can be translated to state that it is the goal for the airport to ensure secure transportation of people and goods while minimizing the impact of security measures on legitimate travelers and goods. Lastly, the federal government is a regulator of the airports system. Airports that are included in the NPIAS are subject to a number of federal regulations that are enforced by the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration. The regulations apply to both the airport infrastructure as well as to service providers within the airport systems. The purpose of these rules is to ensure the safe and efficient operations of public-use airports (Wells & Young 2003). 11) Local Government US airports are with few exceptions not private, profitmaking enterprises. Instead, airports are typically owned and operated by public entities such as cities, counties, or local airport authorities (Neufville & Odoni 2003). For instance, Washington’s Dulles and National airports are owned and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airport’s Authority (MWAA). The MWAA is officially a body independent of the local government but its board is appointed by the Governor of Virginia, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the Governor of Maryland and the President of the United States). Similarly, Newark, LaGuardia, JFK, Stewart International, and Teterboro airports in metropolitan New York City are owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 2009). Dallas-Fort Worth Airport is jointly owned by the City of Dallas and the City of Forth Worth (DFW Airport 2009). The government owners in the form of city and local governments are represented by an airport board which is responsible for the strategic direction of the airport and for appointing airport management (Wells & Young 2003). The local government is supported in an advisory role by federally funded Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) who are charged with assisting in planning for aviation and other transportation infrastructure for the local region (Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations 2010). State and local government also contribute as bill-payers for capital improvement projects (Airports Council International – North America 2009). The objectives of the airport from the point of view of the local government is representative of those of the local community it represents and involves both maximizing its positive effects while minimizing its negative effects. One form of positive impact of the airport is in the shape of economic effects. There is significant literature on the economic impact of airports. However, many studies are sponsored by the airports authorities themselves, making them more political than analytical. Although there may be no definitive measure of the economic impact of airports, a structure for the types of impacts of airports to their regional communities has proposed (Button & Stough 2000): 1) Short-term impact from construction, expansion, and renovation of airports 2) Sustained impact in the form of jobs at the airport (direct impact) and off-airport jobs that result from the â€Å"multiplier effect† of the income generated by employees at the airport 3) Stimulus of the local economy as a result of firms and individuals having air transportation services at their disposal 4) Spurring other economic development by crossing thresholds for economies of scale, scope, and density. The authors note that this last form of impact is very difficult to quantify. COMMUNICATION PLAN Communication Objectives The objective of this strategic communications plan is to serve as a road map for how communications will be done between members of the project team as well as the stakeholders.. This plan comprises objectives, strategies and tactics for how team correspondence will be performed between each facet of the project team.. Works Cited Kurt Krummenacker, Moody’s, 2009. Interview of Kurt Krummenacker, Moody’s, by David Schaar, George Mason University. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, 2009. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Facts. Available at: http://www.mwaa.com/about_the_authority/facts [Accessed October 15, 2012]. Neufville, R.D. & Odoni, A.R., 2003. Airport systems, McGraw-Hill Professional. Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport, 2007. Port of Seattle,Seattle-Tacoma International Airport,Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory – 2006, Sarkis, J., 2000. An analysis of the operational efficiency of major airports in the United States. Journal of Operations Management, 18(3), 335-351. Sarkis, J. & Talluri, S., 2004. Performance based clustering for benchmarking of US airports. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 38(5), 329-346. 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