Virtual Learning Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Virtual Learning Environments - Essay Example VLE's or Virtual Learning Environments are better known as E learning environments aimed at providing appropriate learning elements for students to meet online and exchange academic perspectives regardless of time and spatial considerations. (Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), The VLE has eliminated geographical and cultural barriers in learning and has innovated the conventional means of physical learning in class room based academic strategies characterised by the presence of a teacher with time constraints. (Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), Academic opinion has thus regarded this as a form of constructive learning overcoming the conventional mode of "transfer of knowledge" by a teacher based upon the focal role of computer networking across geographical boundaries. In this vein this essay explores whether the academia has actually benefited from the infusion of new technology and some legal issues presented by the activities with in the "Walled Garden". (Costa, A.C., Verburg, R., Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002).The paper also argues that the transition within the conventional modes of physical teaching will take time to absorb to this new concept of the Walled garden. The literature has shown a redefined role for the teachers and the learners due to the introduction of the VLE's.This is particularly so as we are looking at the modern teacher as a facilitator rather than an instructor who is able to interact with the students outside the traditional class room. (Costa, A.C., Verburg, R., Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), The VLE is a product of the higher data transfer speed and broader bandwidths which has allowed the production of high quality multi-media communication (MMC) tools which are aimed at facilitating the student base to offer a richer media for students to interact and communicate their academic concerns. (Gaver, W. 1996). However the use of the VLE has come with its own social and technical nuances for the academia as the professors and students alike show reluctance in accepting the technological "threat" to their traditional educational environments. (Gaver, W. 1996), For example the traditional learning systems were still unfamiliar with peer collaboration, freedom of expression and academic criticism and tolerance of different political views. Thus the success of the VLE as an educational aid is not solely based upon the sound technological infrastructures and improved interface design but upon the design of social environments which the Walled Garden aims to create. (Gaver, W. 1996), This would require careful planning ,defining of roles and regulating any chances of unpleasantness amongst the members as new attitudes and learning styles are encountered. Even though the VLEs are learner-centred environments the danger is that

Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations Essay Dont know that the police came to ask e own b acksm n to tix their only pair ot handcuffs, and start to ask questions such as how did they know it was Pip that helped the convict? ) 2. Pips convict shows his appreciation for Pips loyalty by claiming to have stolen the food and file himself, protecting Pip. 3. The hostility between the two convicts is apparently caused by the first convict trying to get the second convict to the guards, showing he was willing to return to Jail and give up his short lived freedom to do so. The second convict pleaded that he was minding his own business when the first convict attacked, and would have been murdered if the guards had not shown up. Chapter 6- He Climbed Down the Chimney. (Mr. Pumblechook claims that the only way that the convict could get inside was through the chimney. Pip is the only one who knows this is false, because it was Pip who stole the food and file to give to the criminal. ) 1 . Mr. Pumblechook is Joes uncle and, therefore, Pips brother-in-law. He gets Pip into Satis House by

The Philosophy of James Patterson Essay -- James Patterson Description

The Philosophy of James Patterson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James Patterson should be included in an anthology because he has mastered the art of description and plot. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capable of creating lives in his books like no other author from past or present. He has created a fictional world inside of his Alex Cross series, where many fans of his like to live. With each new book he can fill a mind with unbelievable detail and imagery. A small two book series, nicknamed the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“bird booksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, blew away many critics. With this mini-series he ventures into biotechnology and the worlds in its view on longevity. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s known for venturing off the normal path of writing. He goes where many authors donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t, into religion, romance/humor/history, and a womanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s murder club. A few examples are Letters for Nicholas, The Jester, Cradle and All, and the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“number booksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?(1st to die, 3rd degree).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patterson has been affected by many things in his life. The greatest thing was most likely his involvement in the company J. Walter Thompson, an advertising company. After his wife died in 1984, he focused all his energy into the company. Four years later he became CEO, then in 1990 he became chairman, and in 1994 he became the World-wide Creative Director (Author & Artists, page 209). He has said working for the company opened up his mind to bigger ideas in his books. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s what helps him write the masterpieces we see today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pattersonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s main influence in the action/mystery genre is the Alex Cross series, but three other books stand out too. Besides the Alex Cross series, his other major bestsellers are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Thomas Berryman Numberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“When the Wind Blowsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Lake Houseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. His first novel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Thomas Berryman Numberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? won an Edgar award in 1977. It was critiqued as a wonderful change from the normal thriller, written with a faultless ear for real speech and an accurate eye for real people. Even now, it is still said that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the plot is subtle and provocative, the characters are complex and compelling, and Patterson's writing here makes it a pleasure to deal with every pageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Amazon.com (2nd source), A reader). Then after some success with Alex Cross, he came out with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“When the Wind Blowsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The La ke Houseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? a few years later. These books take a wild spin on bio-engineering, fusing wings into a human. It was met with some skepticism at first, but many rea... ...y have only made him stronger. He has also succeeded not only in writing but in the corporate business too. When asked what he is going to do after Alex Cross, he said that he had no idea and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s how he likes it. What a philosophy. By taking life as it comes he can give back the most spontaneous reaction. He says he looks forward to many more years of writing. So many people look forward to him in those years. Works Cited 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Author & Artists volume 25, contemporary author encyclopedia (no author), pages 209-213, Copyright 2004 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0446600458/ref=cm_rev_sort/104-1297017-7468716?customer-reviews.sort_by=byExactRating_5&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&x=10&y=12, 2005, A reader 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0446607657/ref=cm_rev_next/104-1297017-7468716?%5Fencoding=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=byExactRating%5F5&n=283155&customer-reviews.start=11&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER, 2005, Locke, Josephine Anna (1st review down) 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0316603287/ref=cm_rev_sort/104-1297017-7468716?customer-reviews.sort_by=byExactRating_5&x=11&y=5, 2005, Ufowriter (2nd review down) The Philosophy of James Patterson Essay -- James Patterson Description The Philosophy of James Patterson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James Patterson should be included in an anthology because he has mastered the art of description and plot. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capable of creating lives in his books like no other author from past or present. He has created a fictional world inside of his Alex Cross series, where many fans of his like to live. With each new book he can fill a mind with unbelievable detail and imagery. A small two book series, nicknamed the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“bird booksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, blew away many critics. With this mini-series he ventures into biotechnology and the worlds in its view on longevity. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s known for venturing off the normal path of writing. He goes where many authors donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t, into religion, romance/humor/history, and a womanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s murder club. A few examples are Letters for Nicholas, The Jester, Cradle and All, and the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“number booksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?(1st to die, 3rd degree).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patterson has been affected by many things in his life. The greatest thing was most likely his involvement in the company J. Walter Thompson, an advertising company. After his wife died in 1984, he focused all his energy into the company. Four years later he became CEO, then in 1990 he became chairman, and in 1994 he became the World-wide Creative Director (Author & Artists, page 209). He has said working for the company opened up his mind to bigger ideas in his books. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s what helps him write the masterpieces we see today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pattersonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s main influence in the action/mystery genre is the Alex Cross series, but three other books stand out too. Besides the Alex Cross series, his other major bestsellers are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Thomas Berryman Numberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“When the Wind Blowsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Lake Houseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. His first novel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Thomas Berryman Numberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? won an Edgar award in 1977. It was critiqued as a wonderful change from the normal thriller, written with a faultless ear for real speech and an accurate eye for real people. Even now, it is still said that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the plot is subtle and provocative, the characters are complex and compelling, and Patterson's writing here makes it a pleasure to deal with every pageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Amazon.com (2nd source), A reader). Then after some success with Alex Cross, he came out with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“When the Wind Blowsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The La ke Houseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? a few years later. These books take a wild spin on bio-engineering, fusing wings into a human. It was met with some skepticism at first, but many rea... ...y have only made him stronger. He has also succeeded not only in writing but in the corporate business too. When asked what he is going to do after Alex Cross, he said that he had no idea and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s how he likes it. What a philosophy. By taking life as it comes he can give back the most spontaneous reaction. He says he looks forward to many more years of writing. So many people look forward to him in those years. Works Cited 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Author & Artists volume 25, contemporary author encyclopedia (no author), pages 209-213, Copyright 2004 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0446600458/ref=cm_rev_sort/104-1297017-7468716?customer-reviews.sort_by=byExactRating_5&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&x=10&y=12, 2005, A reader 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0446607657/ref=cm_rev_next/104-1297017-7468716?%5Fencoding=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=byExactRating%5F5&n=283155&customer-reviews.start=11&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER, 2005, Locke, Josephine Anna (1st review down) 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0316603287/ref=cm_rev_sort/104-1297017-7468716?customer-reviews.sort_by=byExactRating_5&x=11&y=5, 2005, Ufowriter (2nd review down)

Education in the Philippines Essay

During the period of colonization by the United States, Education in the Philippines changed radically, modeled on the system of Education in the United States of the time. After theSecond World War, changes in the US system were no longer automatically reflected in the Philippines, which has since moved in various directions of its own. Filipino children may enter public school at about age four, starting from Nursery up to Kindergarten. At about seven years of age, children enter elementary school (6 to 7 years). This may be followed by secondary school (4 years). Students may then sit for College Entrance Examinations (CEE), after which they may enter tertiary institutions (3 to 5 years). Other types of schools do exist, such as Private schools, Preparatory schools, International schools, Laboratory High Schools and Science High Schools. Several ethnic groups, includingChinese, British, Americans, and Japanese operate their own schools. Elementary schooling is compulsory, but 24% of Filipinos of the relevant age group do not attend, usually due to absence of any school in their area, education being offered in foreign languages only, or financial distress. In July 2009 DepEd acted to overcome the foreign language problem by ordering all elementary schools to move towards mother-tongue based learning initially. The order allows two alternative three-year bridging plans. Depending on the bridging plan adopted, the Filipino and English languages are to be phased in as the language of instruction for other subjects beginning in the third and fourth grades Secondary schooling is of four years duration only. Although secondary schooling is compulsory, some Philippine news media have reported that since the 2000s, many Filipino students who began studying at private high schools, are forced to transfer to public high schools because of increasing cost of living and private school fees and financial distress. Many public elementary/high schools in the country are already overcrowded. The school year in the Philippines starts in June of one year and ends in March of the next, with a two-month summer break for April and May, one week of semestral break (the last week of October), and a week or two of Christmas break. History and development Earlier times Further information: Ancient Philippine scripts In pre-Spanish times, education was informal unstructured in some areas. Children were provided more vocational training and less academics (3 Rs) by their parents and in the houses of tribal tutors. When the Spanish arrived in Manila, though, they were surprised to find a population with a literacy rate using a system of writing known as baybayin which was higher than the literacy rate of Madrid. Spanish period Main article: Philippines education during Spanish rule Under the Spanish, education indigenous population was initially left to religious orders, with primary education being overseen by parish friars who generally tolerated the teaching of only religious topics. The friars, recognizing the value of a literate indigenous population, built printing presses to product material in Bambayin. The friars, generally poorly educated themselves, were especially hostile to local population, termed indios learning to speak and read Spanish, which would have made available access to the same body of knowledge the friars had. Secular education was completely neglected; with only one public primary school operating in Manila as late as 1830. A 1714 royal decree creating secular universities was never implemented. A 1702 decree creating seminaries for natives was implemented only in 1772. Access to education by the Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the Educational Decree of 1863 which provided for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government; and the establishment of a normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary instruction was secularized and free and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory. In 1866, the total population of the Philippines was only 4,411,261. The total public schools was 841 for boys and 833 for girls and the total number of children attending these schools was 135,098 for boys and 95,260 for girls. In 1892, the number of schools had increased to 2,137, 1,087 of which were for boys and 1,050 for girls. By 1898, enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000 students. First Republic. The defeat of Spain by American forces paved the way for Aguinaldo’s Republic under a Revolutionary Government. The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries were closed for the time being but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of Interior. The Burgos Institute in Malolos, the Military Academy of Malolos, and the Literary University of the Philippines were established. A system of free and compulsory elementary education was established by the Malolos Constitution. American period Main article: Philippines education during American rule. Further information: Thomasites An adequate secularized and free public school system was established during the first decade of American rule upon the recommendation of the Schurman Commission. Free primary instruction that trained the people for the duties of citizenship and avocation was enforced by the Taft Commission per instructions of President William McKinley. Chaplains and non-commissioned officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium of instruction. A highly centralized public school system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission by virtue of Act No. 74. The implementation of this Act created a heavy shortage of teachers so the Philippine Commission authorized the Secretary of Public Instruction to bring to the Philippines more than 1,000 teachers from the United States called the Thomasites between 1901 to 1902. These teachers were scattered throughout the islands to establish barangay schools. [7]The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the Philippine Normal University) to train Filipino teachers for the public schools. The high school system supported by provincial governments, special educational institutions, school of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes were established in 1902 by the Philippine Commission. In 1908, the Philippine Legislature approved Act No. 1870 which created theUniversity of the Philippines. The Reorganization Act of 1916 provided the Filipinization of all department secretaries except the Secretary of Public Instruction. Two decades later, enrollment in elementary schools was about 1 million from a total of 150,000 students in 1901. [7] After World War II In 1947, by virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of Instruction was changed to â€Å"Department of Education. † During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools. Marcos era In 1972, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture by Proclamation 1081. Following a referendum of all barangays in the Philippines from 10–15 January 1973, on 17 January 1973 President Marcos ratified the 1973 Constitution by Proclamation 1102. The 1973 Constitution set out the three fundamental aims of education in the Philippines, to: ? foster love of country; ?teach the duties of citizenship; and ?develop moral character, self discipline, and scientific, technological and vocational efficiency. On 24 September 1972, by PD No 1, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports was decentralized with decision-making shared among thirteen regional offices. In 1978, by PD No 1397, the Department of Education and Culture became the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of education covering both formal and nonformal education at all levels. Section 29 of the Act sought to upgrade education institutions’ standards to achieve quality education, through voluntary accreditation for schools, colleges, and universities. Sections 16 & 17 upgraded the obligations and qualifications required for teachers and administrators. Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to private schools. The Act also created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. Fifth Republic On 2 February 1987, a new Constitution for the Philippines was ratified. Section 3, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution contains the ten fundamental aims of education in the Philippines. In 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 117, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports . The structure of DECS as embodied in EO No. 117 remained practically unchanged until 1994. On 26 May 1988 Congress enacted Republic Act 6655, the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988, which manndated free public secondary education commencing in the school year 1988-1989. On 26 May 1988 Congress enacted RA 6655 which made free public secondary education to become a reality. On 3 February 1992, Congress enacted Republic Act 7323, which provided that students aged 15 to 25 may be employed during summer or Christmas vacation with a salary not lower than the minimum wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% by the government. On 3 February 1992, Congress enacted RA 7323 which provided that students aged 15 to 25 may be employed during summer or Christmas vacation with a salary not lower than the minimum wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% by the government. The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report of 1991 recommended the division of DECS into three parts. On 18 May 1994, Congress passed Republic Act 7722, the Higher Education Act of 1994, creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which assumed the functions of the Bureau of Higher Education, and supervises tertiary degree programs. On 25 August 1994, Congress passed Republic Act 7796, the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994, creating the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education plus the National Manpower and Youth Council, and supervises non-degree technical-vocational programs. [17] DECS retained responsibility for all elementary and secondary education. This threefold division became known as the trifocal system of education in the Philippines. The trifocal education system of the Philippines. In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education Act, was passed transforming the name of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). RA 9155 provides the overall framework for (i) school head empowerment by strengthening their leadership roles and (ii) school-based management within the context of transparency and local accountability. The goal of basic education is to provide the school age population and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values to become caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens. [8] In January 2009, DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Agency for International Development to seal $86 million assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access to quality education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and the Western and Central Mindanao regions.

John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

John Steinbeck was born in 1902, in Salinas, California. He was the third eldest of the four children born, but was the only male in the family, besides his father. He graduated from Salinas High School in 1919, and attended Stanford University, but leaving without a degree. He was employed in the beginning as a sales clerk, farm labourer factory worker. Later, in 1925, he became a construction worker in New York. He wrote his first novel, â€Å"Cup of Gold†, in 1929. During the period of the 1930’s, he produced most of his eminent novels such as â€Å"To A God Unknown†, â€Å"Tortilla Flat†, â€Å"Dubious Battle†, â€Å"Of Mice and Men†, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ‘The Grapes of Wrath’. The themes of his books can all be classified as social novels dealing with the economic problems of rural labour, but there is also a streak of worship in his books, which does not always agree with his matter-of-fact sociological approach. After 1935, his novels moved to more serious fiction, often bellicose in its social criticism. The novels are mostly set in remote farms or by the usual rustic country side. He died in New York City in 1968, and his ashes lie in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas. Part 2: Exploration of the setting of ‘Of Mice and Men’ The context of this novel mainly focuses on a small working ranch in the Salinas Valley of Northern California, sometime during the 1930’s. It starts beside a stream, close to the Salinas River, a few miles south of Soledad. The four major settings are the clearing by the pond, the bunkhouse, Crook’s room and the barn. The action occurs over a period of four to five days and in only four specific locations: a wooded area next to the Salinas River, a bunkhouse on the ranch, the stable hand’s room on the ranch and the main barn. The tight structure of setting, revolving around single locations and continuous timing, almost makes the novel seem like a play. It takes place during the Great Depression, hence the main characters seem poor and desperate for work. Steinbeck had chosen the area of Soledad because in Spanish, it means loneliness, and therefore adds to the essence of Steinbeck’s story which tells us of how to part-brothers go to find work. Part 3: Historical Context The Great Depression (1929-1939) – * Was a time of extreme hardship for people in Australia * Was caused by the stock-market crash on Wall Street, 1929 * Before this happened, unemployment issues in Australia was already at 10% * After the crash, unemployment in Australia more than doubled to 21% in mid-1930, and reached its peak in mid-1932 when almost 32% of Australians were out of work. Migrant Farm Workers – * In the early 1930’s thousands of desperate workers across America migrated to California * California advertised an abundance of fertile land, and many migrants were agriculturists * Because the massive drought had encompassed the Great Plains, many farmers abandoned the land * Californian farmers produced mostly fruits and dairy products, but the central valleys of California were poorly irrigated The American Dream – * Is essentially an idea that suggests anyone living in the US can succeed through hard work and has the potential to lead a flourishing life * Was created in the 1600’s, by immigrant workers on farms Part 4: Meaning of the title The perfect schemes made by smart organisms (mice and humans) often go wrong because they were not thought out thoroughly. The failing schemes leave nothing but grief and pain, but in the end, it promises joy.

History and Geography of Turkey

History and Geography of Turkey Population: 77,804,122 (July 2010 estimate) Capital: Ankara Bordering Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, and Syria Land Area: 302,535 square miles (783,562 sq km) Coastline: 4,474 miles (7,200 km) Highest Point: Mount Ararat at 16,949 feet (5,166 m) Turkey officially called the Republic of Turkey, is located in Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia along the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. It is bordered by eight countries and also has a large economy and army. As such, Turkey is considered a rising regional and world power and negotiations for it to join the European Union began in 2005. History Turkey is known as having a long history with ancient cultural practices. In fact, the Anatolian peninsula (on which most of modern Turkey sits), is considered one of the oldest inhabited areas in the world. Around 1200 B.C.E, the Anatolian coast was settled by various Greek peoples and the important cities of Miletus, Ephesus, Smyrna, and Byzantium (which later became Istanbul) were founded. Byzantium later became the capital of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. The modern history of Turkey began in the early 20th century after Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk) pushed for the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and a war for independence. According to the U.S. Department of State, the Ottoman Empire lasted for 600 years but collapsed during World War I after it participated in the war as an ally of Germany and it became fragmented after the formation of nationalist groups. After it became a republic, Turkish leaders began working to modernize the area and bring together the various fragments that had formed during the war. Ataturk pushed for various, political, social and economic reforms from 1924 to 1934. In 1960 a military coup took place and many of these reforms ended, which still cause debates in Turkey today. On February 23, 1945, Turkey joined World War II as a member of the Allies and shortly thereafter became a charter member of the United Nations. In 1947 the United States declared the Truman Doctrine after the Soviet Union demanded that they be able to set up military bases in the Turkish Straits after communist rebellions began in Greece. The Truman Doctrine began a period of U.S. military and economic aid for both Turkey and Greece. In 1952, Turkey joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and in 1974 it invaded the Republic of Cyprus which led to the formation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Only Turkey recognizes this republic. In 1984, after the beginning of governmental transitions, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group in Turkey by several international organizations, began acting against Turkeys government and led to the deaths of thousands of people. The group continues to act in Turkey today. Since the late 1980s however, Turkey has seen an improvement in its economy and political stability. It is also on track to joining the European Union and it is growing as a powerful country. Government Today the government of Turkey is considered a republican parliamentary democracy. It has an executive branch that is made up a chief of state and a head of government (these positions are filled by the president and prime minister, respectively) and a legislative branch that consists of the unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Turkey also has a judicial branch which is comprised of the Constitutional Court, High Court of Appeals, Council of State, Court of Accounts, Military High Court of Appeals and the Military High Administrative Court. Turkey is divided into 81 provinces. Economics and Land Use Turkeys economy is currently growing and it is a large mix of modern industry and traditional agriculture. According to the CIA World Factbook, agriculture consists of about 30% of the countrys employment. The main agricultural products from Turkey are tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulse, citrus, and livestock. Turkeys main industries are textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining, steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, and paper. Mining in Turkey consists mainly of coal, chromate, copper, and boron. Geography and Climate Turkey is located on the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The Turkish Straits (which are made up of the Sea of Marmara, the Strait of Bosphorus and the Dardanelles) form the boundary between Europe and Asia. As a result, Turkey is considered to be in both Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia. The country has a varied topography that is made up of a high central plateau, a narrow coastal plain and several large mountain ranges. The highest point in Turkey is Mount Ararat which is a dormant volcano located on its eastern border. The elevation of Mount Ararat is 16,949 feet (5,166 m). The climate of Turkey is temperate and it has high, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The more inland one gets, however, the harsher the climate becomes. Turkeys capital, Ankara, is located inland and has an average August high temperature of 83ËšF (28ËšC) and January average low of 20ËšF (-6ËšC). References Central Intelligence Agency. (27 October 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Turkey. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Turkey: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108054.html United States Department of State. (10 March 2010). Turkey. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm Wikipedia.com. (31 October 2010). Turkey - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey

What were the causes and effects of World War I Essays - Free Essays

What were the causes and effects of World War I Essays - Free Essays What were the causes and effects of World War I title = What were the causes and effects of World War I World War I was a military conflict from 1914 to 1918. It began as a local European war between Austria - Hungary and Serbia on July 28, 1914. It was transformed into a general European struggle by declaration of war against Russia on August 1, 1914 and eventually became a global war involving 32 nations. Twenty - eight of these nations, known as the Allies and the Associated Powers, and including Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and the United States, opposed the coalition known as the Central Powers, consisting of Germany, Austria - Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. The immediate cause of the war between Austria - Hungary and Serbia was the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914, at Sarajevo in Bosnia by Gavrilo Princip, a Serb nationalist. (Microsoft Encarta, 1996) On July 28 Austria declared war against Serbia, either because it felt Russia would not actually fight for Serbia, or because it was prepared to risk a general European conflict in order to put an end to the Greater Serbia movement. Russia responded by partially mobilizing against Austria. Germany warned Russia that continued mobilization would cause war with Germany, and it made Austria agree to discuss with Russia a possible change of the ultimatum to Serbia. Germany demanded, however, that Russia demobilize. Russia refused to do so, and on August 1, Germany declared war on Russia. (Microsoft Encarta, 1996) The French began to mobilize on the same day. On August 2, German troops invades Luxembourg and on August 3, Germany declared war on France. On August 2, the German government informed the government of Belgium of its intention to march on France through Belgium in order, as it claimed, to prevent an attack on Germany by French troops marching through Belgium. The Belgian government refused to allow the passage of German troops and called on the witnesses of the Treaty of 1839, which guaranteed the justice of Belgium in case of a conflict in which Great Britain, France, and Germany were involved, to observe their guarantee. Great Britain, one of the witnesses, on August 4, sent an ultimatum to Germany demanding that Belgian justice be respected. When Germany refused, Britain declared war on it the same day. Italy remained uninvolved until May 23, 1915, when, to satisfy its claims against Austria, it broke with the Triple Alliance and declared war on Austria - Hungary. In September 1914, Allied unity was made stronger by the Pact of London, signed by France, Great Britain, and Russia. As the war progressed, other countries, including Turkey, Japan, the U.S., and other nations of the western hemisphere, were drawn into the conflict. Japan, which had made an alliance with the Great Britain in 1902, declared war on Germany on August 23, 1914. The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. (Microsoft Encarta, 1996) The outbreak of war in 1914 set in motion forces more gigantic than any previous war had seen. Two million Germans were on the march, the greater part of them against France, and there were another 3,000,000 trained men to back them up. France had nearly 4,000,000 trained men at call, although they relied on only 1,000,000 active troops in the first clash. Russia had more millions to draw upon than any, but their mobilization process was slow, a large part of their forces were in Asia and even their great potential strength was to a large extent canceled out by lack of munitions. (Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart, 1984) The growth of these tremendous forces had been due primarily to a military gospel of mass. Known by Clausewitz, the Prussian military philosopher, who drew his inspiration from Napoleons example, the spread of this gospel had been stimulated by the victories of the Prussian conscript armies in 1866 against Austria and in 1870 against France. It had been assisted also by the development of railways, which enabled far larger numbers of men to be assembled, moved and supplied than had been possible previously. Therefore the armies of 1914 - 1918 came to be counted in their millions compared with the hundreds of thousands of half a century earlier. (Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart, 1984) The essential causes of World War I were the attitude of intense nationalism that permeated Europe throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, the political and economic rivalry among the nations, and

Product Review of Do 2 Learn

Product Review of Do 2 Learn Visit Their Website In search of emotions cards to use as part of my social skills programs and the article I wrote on Emotional Literacy, I found Do2Learn.com, a great resource for emotions, but with a range of other offerings. Not everything on offer is of equal quality or value, but the unique quality of the free games and social skill songs make the whole site worth adding it to your favorites. In an effort to make a full offering of activities as well as their super interactive games, the publisher put up some kind of lame art and writing activities. They are overly simple, lack much specificity and replicate things that are free on other sites. The interactive games, on the other hand, are super for children with disabilities, especially students with poor skills and an interest in computers. They are also great for classrooms with Smart Boards or Promethean Boards, as these boards act as giant touch screens, and students with poor motor skills get a bit of gross motor activity in as well. A Mix of Free and Inexpensive Games and Resources The free computer games and songs come with some companion activities, which are generally sold as inexpensive digital files delivered to your email. Resources for Emotions I stumbled on the site in search of emotions cards. I have a set that was already in my classroom, but I wanted to find other resources to recommend to my readers. I stumbled on the feelings cards that  you can print on your color printer. It uses the faces of real models, faces that reflect diverse ages, races and ethnic backgrounds. And when I found the ​Feelings Game, another free resource, I was delighted. I have been using it with my class on the Smart Board in my classroom. My students take turns tapping the sad or angry person on the nose. It also has three levels, from matching the face to the emotion, moving on level 2, where you read a scenario, and choose how a person would feel, and finally reading a scenario and naming the emotion you see on the persons face. There is a second free activity is the Facial Expressions game, which allows children to manipulate facial simulations to mirror human facial expressions. In some ways they seem kind of creepy, but students on the autism spectrum love the computer, and it does help them isolate specific aspects of facial expressions, from the direction of the eyes to the shape of the mouth. A Cursory Survey of Disabilities and Disabilities Terms It seems that the creators of Do2Learn are attempting to create a comprehensive special education website, but the informational pages are cursory at best. The disabilities sections offer both definitions of the disabilities and an adjoining page that lists strategies. And List is the right word: the strategies are dense and dont provide the logic behind choosing specific interventions. They are not written with enough specificity to inform the novice, nor enough structure to help professional plan interventions. Worksheets and Activities for Students with Disabilities The Do 2 Learn team also attempt to provide a broad range of activities, activities for students from a range of ages, disabilities and challenges. I work in the same field, and know the challenges of creating attractive worksheets and materials to support the range of needs for children. They include fine motor activities like cutting, letter recognition and Math activities. I find the activities they create worthwhile, but with poor production values. By all means, feel free to use them, but they are not the reason for a trip to Do 2 Learn. Picture Cards Do2Learn has created their own pictures cards to be used for Picture Exchange. They seem pretty comprehensive, and may work as a suitable substitute for PECS, Boardmaker symbols or Pogo Symbols. They claim to have over 2,000 symbols, but without access to their picture making system, its hard to gauge the range and readability of the pictures. Still, Id check them out before purchasing one of the other two systems. Do 2 Learn: The Destination for the Feelings and Emotions Resources Put Do 2 Learn in your favorites, if you are doing social skills and emotional literacy activities. These are outstanding. The color and math Mahjong games will be fun for your students, as well. Put shortcuts on the computers your students use, especially for young students or students with emerging skills. They will enjoy them. The other activities that make it worth the trip are the social skill songs for safety. Not songs you will want on your IPod; still, paired with short videos they are catchy and will help young students with disabilities remember important steps to guarantee personal safety. By all means, make the trip. Check out Do2Learn and see if they have resources you can use. Visit Their Website

COUNTRIES WITH HIGH ADULT AND CHILD MORTALITY RATES Essay

COUNTRIES WITH HIGH ADULT AND CHILD MORTALITY RATES - Essay Example Selection of Angola for this analytical study was based on the fact that, the nation has the necessary resources to improve its healthcare system, yet it is one among several African nations with the highest rates of mortality and morbidity. The country also experiences acute shortage of human resources in the health sector, especially nurses. This research paper attempts to give insight into the current state of Angola’s health system, by considering responsible government institutions, healthcare delivery, nursing education and accreditation, and roles that nurses can play to aid in improvement of the country’s health outcomes. Government Angola is a republic, meaning that its government is chosen by the electorate. The country currently has a stable executive government framework. The president is usually a leader of the coalition or party that gets the highest number of votes in the National Assembly (NA) elections. The president heads the executive branch of govern ment and he or she may serve one or two five-year terms. It is also the president who nominates provincial governors. These governors then elect district administrators for further devolution of resources (UNICEF, 2008). State of Health Angola’s state of health is currently among the worst around the world, as shown by high infant mortality rate at about 154 deaths for every 1,000 newly born babies, and a mortality rate of 260 deaths for every 1,000 kids under the age of five. The country also has a diminished life expectancy of 40 years (USAID, 2010). These shocking statistics are attributable to widespread prevalence of malaria, acute respiratory diseases like pneumonia, diarrheal diseases like cholera, malnutrition and tetanus, coupled with inadequate access to healthcare. The high rate of mortality in Angola is accentuated by the nation’s lack of properly trained healthcare professionals and infrastructure damaged during the civil war. Another significant fact to d enote is the high maternal mortality rate, estimated to be 1,700 for every 100,000 births (WHO, 2010). This exceedingly high proportion can be attributed to prevalence of malaria and hepatitis, among other pregnancy-linked conditions which are left untreated. Angola is also facing several communicable ailments like sleeping sickness, tuberculosis and leprosy. Nonetheless, malaria is the greatest cause of mortality in the country, with approximately 35 percent of reported annual deaths being as a result of this disease (Costa Mendes et al., 2013). Culture and Traditional Medicine In Angola, adoption of traditional medicine and healing practices can be traced back about four millennia. The fundamental assertion that underlies traditional medicine in the country is that, it developed from    experimental observation of the manner in which man reacted to certain environmental triggers. Traditional medicine is no longer extensively practiced in Angola due to adoption of modern medicine and because about 56 percent of the populace lives in urban areas. However, people in rural areas still believe in traditional medicine and many consume purported healing portions (Connor, Averbug & Miralles, 2010). Healthcare System and Delivery Healthcare service delivery in Angola faces acute human resource issues, especially shortage and lack of qualification among care providers. There are also widespread cases

American life between the years 1919-1929 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American life between the years 1919-1929 - Essay Example Besides, there were hysterical fears regarding the red Russia, which were attributed to the influence caused by Bolshevik revolution that had occurred earlier in 1917; in fact, this paper will focus on exploring significant issues concerning life between the years 1919 to 1929. During this period, there was anxiety heightened by epidemic attack, which had convulsed the America at the end of the war; in fact, some people had a belief that there were labor tribulations fomented by Bolsheviks. Moreover, this led to campaigns against people who were suspected of having relations with radicals that had been deported to Russia due to cases of Wall Street bombing that led to death of thirty eight people (Aboukhadijeh 1). Furthermore, it was during the same period that a number of state legislature was passed, which involved laws on criminal syndicalism. Besides, this prohibited advocacy of violence in the effort to securing social change, through use of words to achieve the same were not cr iminalized. Conservative businesspeople abolished their association with unions, thereby leading to a reflection of cases referred to as â€Å"judicial lynching.† These cases led to conviction of people such as Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti; in fact, this case involved prejudice by the judge against the defendant due to the mere fact that they were foreigners from Italy, however, this led to rallies made by liberal radicals, and this led to their execution (Aboukhadijeh 1). It was during the same period that America saw the spawning of Ku Klux Klan after the reaction of the war aftermath; in fact, this was seriously spread during the 1920s (Aboukhadijeh 1). Moreover, this was related to notions against Catholics, Jews, Pacifist, Communist, birth-control, evolution, and internationalist; thus, Klan was spreading vigorously to the Midwest of south peak in the mod 1920s, thereby affecting more than five million American citizens. Later in 1920s, there were efforts, made b y some American to end this movement through the congressional investigation after a stern warning. This period was also faced with increased number of immigrants, who entered and settled in the country; in fact there approximately eight hundred thousand, whereby two-third came from southern and eastern part of Europe. On the other hand, it was during the same period, the Congress focused in ending the breach with Emergency Quota Act of 1921, whereby immigrants from Europe were constrained in duration of year based on the quota (Aboukhadijeh 1). Later in 1924, there was a replacement of the Immigration Act with a stopgap legislation that had been formulated in 1921. In fact, this led to reduction of the three to two percent of the national origins for those who migrated. Apparently, there were prohibitions against immigrants from Japan, since America was not allies with this country; in fact, others in this list included Canadians and Latin Americans. Therefore, the immigration act in 1924 was the end of the immigration that has been unrestricted; thus, by this moment America has turned into country with numerous ethnic communities. There were efforts aimed at organizing the labor unions but they were all in vain due to ethnic difference, which led discrimination based on social class and political solidarity. During this period, there were progressive reforms aimed at prohibiting the support for crusading churches and women, due to Eighteenth Amendment in 1919 (Aboukhadijeh 1).

Applications of Environmental Valuation for Determining Externalit Article

Applications of Environmental Valuation for Determining Externalit Cost - Article Example However the regulators and the companies alike have difficulties in converting the physical consequences of such abating into monetary terms. This becomes necessary to guide the regulators and the companies to fix the priorities in adapting various technologies on the basis of the costs and benefits of the individual processes involved. In the case of goods and services that are being traded in a competitive market it becomes easier to value the externalities. The 'externalities' denote the external effects caused by positive or negative spillovers from the production of a product or service. The agency involved in such production of the product or service may be asked to provide additional technology or processes to reduce the negative impact of such externalities. In this case the cost of such externality will be shifted to the producer. Alternatively the consumer may be charged more to discourage the use of the particular product which has a negative externality and in that case the social cost of the externality is borne by the consumer. But problems may arise when the product or service is not traded in the market. ... In a process of evaluation of the benefits of abatement the first step is to estimate the effect of the emissions on the health, visibility, deterioration of materials and depletion of natural resources and damages to the natural environment. The logical next step is to convert the effect into dollar terms. For instance the deterioration on the steel structures caused by the emission of Sulphur dioxide can be arrived as a percentage on the weight of the structures over a period of year and later on this percentage can be converted dollars. This way the cost of replacing the deterioration of steel structures can be calculated. Thus damage functions can be established for all effects of environmental pollution including the health hazard to human beings caused by air pollution. It thus becomes possible to model all the physical effects which in turn help to arrive at the quantitative effects of changes in various levels of pollution. The final step in assessing the monetary value of th e environment impact can be calculated by ascribing a dollar value to the physical changes. However in spite of spending more time and efforts on the research on the qualitative and quantitative effects of environmental pollution no certain models could be developed. This has made the damage function models somewhat ineffective in estimating the value of environmental impact precisely. Willingness to Pay (WTP) Studies: In the example of steel structures the cost of replacing can be ascertained by taking into account the market value of the replacement or repairs to the structures. This may turn out to be a good estimate of the monetary value of damages. But in those cases where it is difficult to monetize the physical changes like in the case of a health hazard due to pollutions of

Strategic Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Financial Management - Essay Example The operating margin and operating profit stood at 7.7% and  £115.6million respectively compared with 8.3% and  £111.3million respectively in the same period last year. The Company has taken on an extra five-year bank facility with Handelsbanken, hoping to increase their overall facilities to  £740 million (Yahoo Finance) Without profit, a firm would be unable to attract outside capital. That is why I identified the profitability ratios as the most efficient and effective way to evaluate the financial performance of the Wetherspoons Company. The profitability measures enable me to evaluate the company’s profits in relation to the level of assets, or owners’ investment as stipulated in the company’s financial statements. I looked into statements dating back from 2010 to 2014. I calculated Return on Capital Employed (RECE) by determining the ratio between the operating capital and the capital employed. This helped me know how well the firm utilizes the capital employed. In 2014, the Return on Capital Employed (RECE) for the company was 12.94%, as compared to 11.83% in 2013.It means that the company has had a steady increase on its return on capital employed thus showing that the Company keeps on improving its’ utilization of capital employed. To begin with, I established the Gross profit margin by determining the ratio between gross profit and net sales. The gross profit of the firm in 2014 was  £79.4m, compared to  £76.9m in 2013, which translates into a 3.1% increase in profit. This growth in gross profit margin serves as a good indicator that J D Wetherspoon firm is progressing well and promises good returns on investment. The decrease in the net profit margin of J D Wetherspoon can be attributed to external forces such as taxes. I established the assets turnover by determining the ratio between sales revenue and total assets to find out how efficiently J D Wetherspoon

Close Reading of a Poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Close Reading of a Poem - Essay Example You can almost see the speaker in the poem throwing tantrums at "daddy" blaming him for all her misfortunes. At best, the speaker in the poem did not attempt to hide her anger towards her father and her husband nor did she attempt to conceal her love for both men who tormented her and ruled her life for years. All throughout the poem, the speaker struggles to deal with her loss, her love and her hatred of her father. The speaker has unresolved issues against her father which she believed to be the root of all her sufferings and pain as an adult. Note that the speakers father died when she was ten so she never really had the chance to outgrow her fathers influence on her as most children do. In line 6 and 7 of the poem, the speaker said â€Å"Daddy, I have had to kill you / You died before I had time†. Her fathers death left a big hollow in the life of the speaker and she felt that even in death, her father still have influence over her. Actually, the idea of killing in the poem is more like a figure of speech. The speaker had always been scared of her father as a child and she wanted to get rid of the influence that her father had over her by "killing" her father. The idea of "killing" can be interpreted as "outgrowing" the influence of her father over her. Since her father died be fore she had the chance to breakaway from his domination, the speaker felt that she was trapped and unable to "kill" the feeling of being dominated. As the speaker in the poem reached adulthood, her feelings for her father remains almost childlike. If you take a closer look at the lyrics of the poem you will notice that the tone of the poem is purposely made childlike. Instead of addressing her father in a more formal tone that adults use, the speaker insistently called her father "daddy". At the time when this poem was written, adults usually refer to their fathers using the formal word "Father" and only little children venture to call their parents "mommy and daddy". What

Strategic Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Financial Management - Essay Example The operating margin and operating profit stood at 7.7% and  £115.6million respectively compared with 8.3% and  £111.3million respectively in the same period last year. The Company has taken on an extra five-year bank facility with Handelsbanken, hoping to increase their overall facilities to  £740 million (Yahoo Finance) Without profit, a firm would be unable to attract outside capital. That is why I identified the profitability ratios as the most efficient and effective way to evaluate the financial performance of the Wetherspoons Company. The profitability measures enable me to evaluate the company’s profits in relation to the level of assets, or owners’ investment as stipulated in the company’s financial statements. I looked into statements dating back from 2010 to 2014. I calculated Return on Capital Employed (RECE) by determining the ratio between the operating capital and the capital employed. This helped me know how well the firm utilizes the capital employed. In 2014, the Return on Capital Employed (RECE) for the company was 12.94%, as compared to 11.83% in 2013.It means that the company has had a steady increase on its return on capital employed thus showing that the Company keeps on improving its’ utilization of capital employed. To begin with, I established the Gross profit margin by determining the ratio between gross profit and net sales. The gross profit of the firm in 2014 was  £79.4m, compared to  £76.9m in 2013, which translates into a 3.1% increase in profit. This growth in gross profit margin serves as a good indicator that J D Wetherspoon firm is progressing well and promises good returns on investment. The decrease in the net profit margin of J D Wetherspoon can be attributed to external forces such as taxes. I established the assets turnover by determining the ratio between sales revenue and total assets to find out how efficiently J D Wetherspoon

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Business - Essay Example e symptoms that Mendez is experiencing: tight financial position, increasing expenses, high employee turnover, and requests to increase salary are all manifestations of a deeper problem: the lack of appropriate promotions and advertising strategies for his chain of dry cleaner stores. There was no mention of any efforts placed by Mendez on promotions, which is one of the 4Ps in marketing. 1. Status Quo. Mendez could do nothing and wait for hell to break lose. By doing nothing the following advantages would be derived: no additional costs to be incurred. However, the disadvantages are: continued losses, high employee turnover, possibility of closing more stores, demotivated employees, and high overhead costs. 2. Promote the Chain of Dry Cleaner Stores. This option could still be subdivided into two categories: (1) traditional and conservative promotion and advertisement in mediums which would cater to the local community; or (2) invest on technological improvements such as going web-based in promoting and advertising their services. Traditional or Conservative Promotional Efforts would entail lesser costs since the promotional activities and advertising efforts would be tailored to the local community only. Mendez could initially run promotion through giving discounts for bulk laundry and giving coupons for frequent customers. He can also advertise in local radio, newspapers or magazines of the services they offer and the promotional campaign being instigated. This option could initially be implemented by Mendez coupled with developing training and maintenance of employees. In doing so, employees would feel more secure and would have something to look forward to in terms of development of skills and future prospects. Investing in Web-based Technology is an attractive option if Mendez financial position can support and sustain the growth. It would promote his services on a wider scale and thereby increase clientele and market share. However, this alternative is

Marketing Considerations and Plans Essay Example for Free

Marketing Considerations and Plans Essay McDonald is one of the most internationally recognizable companies within the hospitality industry. Although I have not worked with McDonald ever, I am quite familiar with it as one of closest friends has been working with the marketing team of this restaurant chain for last four years. He keeps telling me about his company, how it runs its business so that it can maintain its top position within the fast food sector world wide. Apart from listening to my friend about his company, I also do research on McDonald by reading stories relating to McDonald published in various magazines, newspapers and on various websites as I am a fond of McDonald food staffs and love this fast food restaurant chain. McDonald Corporation listed in New York stock exchange has emerged as one of the world’s largest chain of fast food restaurants. It is most popular for its hamburger. Its customer base is so huge that worldwide it sells its products to around 47 million people on daily basis. The menu of McDonalds includes various sorts of burgers like hamburgers, cheese burgers etc. , products made of chicken, different sorts of breakfast items, French fries, various kinds of shakes, desserts and soft drinks. Mcdonald’s, however, quite often gets criticized over the healthiness of its products. These products are considered to be one of the important factors which are taking active part in increasing obesity in the western countries. The company, however, has made some effective measures in response to the rising obesity trend in the western countries and the criticism over the healthiness of its signature products. It has made some modifications to its menu by introducing several healthy food items like different types of salads, wraps and fruits. In spite of getting criticized over the healthiness of its products and having increasing competition within the industry, McDonald has been able to maintain its strong position within the industry it operates in. Its popularity has not decreased. Thus it would be quite interesting to look at the sources of its competitive advantage which have helped it to win the competition. In order to examine the sources of competitive advantage of McDonald, the strengths of the company will be analyzed in detail as strength of any company can be defined as a distinctive competence of the firm that gives it a competitive advantage in the market place. A firm can gain its strength from its financial resources, the image of its brand, leadership quality within the market and buyer-supplier relationships. (Competitive advantage, 2010; Ghosh, et al. n. d) In case of McDonald’s, its biggest strength is its brand image. Since McDonald’s is one of the most known chains of fast food in the world, its brand recognition seems to be its biggest strength. Its marketing campaign always focuses on brand recognition through continuous promotion of the brand name. Through its extensive marketing campaign world wide the company has been able to create an image in the people’s minds and introduce them to the fast food culture. Its customer base ranges from kinds to old generation. It has nearly 30,000 branches in as many as 120 nations across the world. However, 80 percent of its revenues are generated from the market of eight countries including US, UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Brazil and Germany. The company has been able to expand its stores on the basis of three core strengths- cleanliness, delivery speed and customer care. McDonald has created a corporate symbol and through its highly successful marketing campaigns all round the world it has been able to develop a brand image and establish its logo in the minds of the people across the world. People are attracted to this logo and brand image and this attraction brings them to the stores. Although a number of competitors have emerged in the fast food industry, its rigorous marketing campaigns which are based on the company’s internal resources, external conditions and its relations with its shareholders have been able to strongly maintain its brand value in the market. (Ghosh, et al. n. d; Vijayarani, n. d. ) The brand name will not work in longer run unless brand value is mixed up with high quality product value. In order to obtain and maintain a strong position in the market, every company needs to use an appropriate marketing mix and product occupies one of the most significant positions within the marketing mix. Product value has been one of the greatest strengths of McDonald’s. When a customer enters into a McDonald’s store he/she know what to expect. The company places huge importance on its human resource and takes appropriate steps to satisfy it customers as well as its employees. As far as the product related issue is concerned, the company is also found to be quite innovative in introducing new products according to changing trends and tastes of the people. Not only that, it also offers different menu to the people living in different countries according to their tastes and the country’s culture. Fro example, in India it offers a menu which is completely different from its international offerings. In the stores situated in India, it has eliminated ham, mutton and beef burgers from the menu. India is found to be the only country where McDonald offers vegetarian menu. Which is more interesting is sauces, cheese etc, are also completely vegetarian in India. In India according to changing taste and preference of the customers, it has introduced Chicken Maharaja Mac. Thus the biggest strength of McDonald lies in the fact that it brings an internationally reputed brand with high class food quality and brilliant customer specific product features. This strength provides the company with huge competitive advantage. Vijayarani, n. d. ; Ghosh, et al. n. d) Till now only the sources of competitive advantages of McDonald have been discussed. But in order to survive amidst strong competition a company has to possess sustainable competitive advantages. Hence, it is now the time to look into sustainable competitive advantages of McDonald’s. For a company, its sustainable competitive advantage can be defined as the advantage which seems to be difficult or unfeasible for other co mpanies to own or infiltrate. The brand value, cost structure, vibrant customer care or its patent can be considered as sustainable competitive advantages for a company. An advantage should be considered as sustainable advantage only if the advantage has a distinct character or it is proprietary in nature. The sources of sustainable competitive advantages for McDonald’s can be as follows: ( Reidenbach and Goeke, 2006; Vijayarani, n. d) In order to build sustainable competitive advantage there should be a good integration and coordination between the company’s managerial and organizational process. If such integration takes place then there would be created the essential value as everyone will be chasing a common goal. In order to develop sustainable competitive advantage an organization is required to learn and introduce changes according to the need of the time and it should always be flexible towards changes that takes place in the external environment of the company, such as changes in customer’s taste and preferences, changes in government or legal restrictions, and development in the areas of technology. For McDonald’s, one of the principal reason behind surviving within current market competition is that the company is placing its focus on sustainable competitive advantages by making efforts to integrate organizational behavior with managerial expertise. McDonald’s, however, did not recognize the need of building sustainable competitive advantage previously. Earlier McDonald’s used to ignore this advantage as it was more interested in expanding its outlets across the globe than focusing on its core advantages. As a result of it, the company did not experience any massive change in its revenues with opening up of new outlets. In fact, it suffered huge loss unless it recognized the importance of building sustainable competitive advantage. The company was right in detecting the need of the hour and bringing about changes in its management process in order to possess completive edge over its competitors. ( Lamb et al. 2008; Levy and Weitz, 2001) A company can obtain an excellent position in the market through its financial, structural, and technological assets. All these assets significantly help in building sustainable competitive advantage for an organization. McDonald’s has been able to obtain a strong position in the market by its abundant financial resources along with plentiful structural and technological assets. Since 2003, the company has started to concentrate on identifying and implementing these assets in right direction that would bring improvement to the company. Thus these assets build one of the greatest advantages for the company. (Lamb et al. 2008; Levy and Weitz, 2001) Apart from all these, the vision and mission with which the company started its journey can be considered as one of the biggest competitive advantage fro McDonald’s. McDonald’s ability to sustain its dream over the years has provided it with a huge competitive advantage over its competitors. When a brand revolves around its vision in order to sustain and work in lieu with it, this results in developing significant sustainable competitive advantage for the brand. The McDonald’s started its business in order to help those people who did not have much time to cook or were too busy to go to an appropriate restaurant. The vision of McDonald’s was to offer quick service, and high quality food staffs at cheap rate. Over the years the company has been able to sustain this vision. Lamb et al. 2008; Levy and Weitz, 2001) Thus to sum it up it can be said that McDonald’s has been able to implement its best value based strategy by utilizing all its advantages which are unique to it and can not be copied by any of its competitors and thus it has build its competitive advantages which the company has been able to sustain over the years.

Double Consciousness In Black Culture

Double Consciousness In Black Culture In his book The Souls of the Black Folk, WEB Du Bois is considering the situations the Africans, who were American citizens after the American Revolution war faced. These where people who were slaves afore time and had become American citizens after being freed from slavery by Abraham Lincoln. The whites looked down upon these black Americans, who were African Americans. They also mistreated and despised these African Americans. The whites considered themselves superior than the blacks and believed that nothing good could come out of these black Americans. The whites considered the black Americans poor and chaotic. They denied the African Americans the opportunity to access basic requirements like education, health care and running businesses. Through this treatment, the African Americans found themselves in a state of confusion. They looked at themselves through the eyes of other people (Du Bois, 12) and considered themselves inferior to the whites. They believed that they were Amer icans and, at the same time, their color and discrimination made them believe that they were Africans. These Negros never wanted to give up any of the two statuses because they believed it had some good to offer, a situation that put them in the state of double consciousness (pg 13). They therefore held on to their African culture and at the same time wanted to embrace the American culture and lifestyle. Double consciousness is a situation where one is convinced of who he or she is and at the same time believes to be what other people thinks he or she is. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at ones self through the eyes of others, of measuring ones soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, (Du Bois, 12). Such people hold on to the two personalities thus trying to live like two souls competing for one body. In Du Bois account, the concept of double consciousness was aggravated by the whites stereotypes which made the Negros (the African Americans) to doubt the truth they had about themselves, racism that made black Americans to be segregated from the American community and the understanding that the Negros were both African and American. The Afro-American strove to attain self-consciousness and change his double consciousness to a satisfactory truer self (Du Bois, 13). Even though the African Americans desired a better self, they were not ready to change any of the two natures to suit the other. They had to make use of their formerly dispersed, wasted and forgotten mind in order to get out of the problem they were facing. As a result, the African Americans formed a movement that helped them to revolutionalize America and the world and enable them to participate fully in the development of their country. The African Americans employed their skills such as poetry, literature, plays, concerts and music to express what they felt and how they wanted the whites to treat them. They came together and formed an alliance where they used plays and music to discourage stereotypes and discrimination. They formed an alliance and named it the Harlem Renaissance. This alliance grew and became popular among the African Americans. Wor ld War 1 and the social and cultural changes in the United States accelerated the growth and popularity of the alliance during the start of the 20th century. The Harlem renaissance brought democratic reform to the American people. However, the Renaissance ended abruptly due to the great depression and their assumptions about the importance of culture that did not related to the social and economic realities. The African Americans sought better standards of living in other parts of the United States of America. They migrated from the southern farmlands to the northern industrial and town areas. At first, the African Americans received some level of acceptance by the whites and they lived with them in the Northern cities. They established their businesses and started growing in their economic status. Despite this, the whites still looked down upon the blacks and controlled most aspects of their lives like in markets and the economy at large. The blacks found a better life in the neighborhood for some time. This led to a higher influx of the Whites from the south leading to their increase in population. The population of poor blacks in the region increased, as most of them were jobless and from poor background. This situation led to increase in social evils as some became thugs, formed groups of thugs, and disturbed the peace of the people in those areas. Du Bois uses the veil as a metaphor through out his work. In his book, Du Bois stated that the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil (Pg 12). A veil is like an opaque curtain that separates different groups of people. It makes people to be ignorant of what is taking place in the other group because they cannot see it. The veil makes things obscure and acts as a mask preventing the whites from seeing what is of importance in the whites. It covers, hides and conceals the blacks who are born in the veil making them invisible to the American whites. Du Bois indicates that the veil makes the experience of the African Americans invisible to the whites. In a sense, he wants to lift up the veil for us to see and understand what is taking place inside the veil. The veil that separated the whites and blacks was color. This veil followed the people throughout their lives from birth to death. This means that the veil of color separated the way the backs and whites treated each other in all aspects of their lives with the blacks being discriminated in social life, political life, in hospitals, churches, schools, streets, jails and even in graveyards (Allen Jr. Pg 2). Color separates people in the United States making them live as different communities in one region. This causes harm to the inhabitants and destroys democracy. The African Americans feel alienated but at the same time feel themselves as worth people with their own culture and traditions. This thought gives the blacks a dual perception, which Du Bois referred to as double consciousness. Du Bois suggested that the African Americans have an important identity valuable and profitable to all the inhabitants of America. The current conditions in which they thrive prevent this identity from developing or becoming fully and exploited. Through their various cultures, the white Americans put blocks and divisions on the black Americans. Du bois philosophy has been useful in development of American political theories. It has also influenced many people in the tradition of Africana theory. It has been important in development of the race theory through his argument that race has some real meaning even though it is difficult to define that meaning. The book addresses the concept of domination where some people use their race to dominate others and exploit them. Such is evident in the world today. Still the whites are marginalizing the blacks and alienating them in major aspects of development of the American nation and the world at large. The whites have not fully agreed that the blacks can provide much in development than they can do. The whites still discriminate the blacks and deny them good opportunities in education, social standing and in political issues. As a result, the double consciousness still exists in the blacks to some degree. The blacks, however are struggling to overcome this and have been seen contending with the whites in the social, economic and political aspects. The American political theory today has undergone transformation, becoming better than it was decades ago. Science and social science philosophies have helped broaden the intellectual horizons thus improving the prospects of the political theory. This has helped reconcile the conflicting philosophies and traditions of the African Americans and the White Americans (Held, Pg 14). The transformation has also enabled the common citizens to track and participate in the formulation of the political theories and policies. The policies have largely accommodated the African Americans and allowed them to participate actively in the political activities of the American Nation. The new political theory has reviewed the aspects of sovereignty, democracy and justice to all people (Held, 16). Despite all the transformations and struggles the African Americans have made to avoid racism and discrimination, it is notable that this still exists up to now. According to Brown N. Kimberly (2010), Du Bois desire was to see double consciousness eradicated (Brown, 31). Double consciousness still exists but it is no longer an urgent objective. Discrimination and racism still exist, although it is at a lesser degree than it was during the time of Du Bois. Some people are still struggling with their identity and mixed cultures as was experienced by the African Americans. Political instability and social injustices experienced by the people aggravate this problem. Economic disparities and differences in social standing makes some people look down upon others and make them to develop to some degree the double consciousness problem. The political status of the Backs in the American nation has undergone major transformations. Today, the black Americans have a share in political posts in different ranks. This shows that the whites have accepted the contribution of the African Americans and their social standing, intellect and role they play in society. The African Americans of today are not be haunted by the double consciousness as much as it were with those of some decades ago. The new political theory has changed much in terms of policy on how all people aught to treat others. As a result, the African Americans have equal opportunity with the whites in access of all services needed by them. Even though this is the case, there are still some stereotypes. Some of the people still feel superior and thus mistreat others because of their color, race and ethnicity. The whites need to recognize the struggles of the black Americans and recognize them fully as human and treat them with the respect they deserve. They should recognize them as part of them and fully incorporate them in all development plans and activities. The whites need the intellect, resources and power of the African Americans in running the activities of their nation corporately. Cited work Allen Jr. Ernest (1992): Ever Feeling Ones twoness: Double Ideas and Double Consciousness In the Souls of Black Folk, Contributing in Black Studies: Vol. 9, Article 5 Held David: Political Theory today, Stamford University Pres, 1991 Brown, N. Kimberly, Writing the Black revolutionary Diva. Indiana University press, 2010 Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk, Forgotten books,2008

Sociohistorical context of UFO conspiracism Cold War tensions :: Essays Papers

Sociohistorical context of UFO conspiracism Cold War tensions More than one analyst (e.g. Jung 1991, Peebles 1996) has noted that UFOs, whatever their true age, only really took off as reports, folklore, and entertainment during the Cold War. They fit into a general pattern of tension and confusion concerning such things as national identity, global security, and human survival. Carl Jung, writing when the contactee phenomenon was reaching a crescendo, emphasized the "space messiah" theme in UFO reports and entertainment. Our more evolved elders were here to save us from ourselves. In the 1970s, abduction reports began to bring home the idea that alien contact may be more for the aliens' benefit than anything. And now, from its position at the heart of US ufology and its firm position in contemporary entertainment, alien abduction exerts an influence making an alien and/or government collusion plausible to many people. Themes of literature and movies Tensions from the great global political contest of the second half of this century formed the subject of much news and academic output, but were also at the core of a great deal of entertainment. We can see this in sci-fi movies from this era: "The Day the Earth Stood Still," in which nuclear weapons testing provokes stern warnings from our galactic neighbors; "This Island Earth," where Earth scientists are forced to help their alien counterparts in a losing battle against an unseen enemy; "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," interpreted as either a McCarthyite warning of Communist infiltration of a denunciation of McCarthyism; and even the many monster movies like "Them" with its giant ants, comments on the destructive effects of heedless technological tampering with nature. Science fiction was not alone in discussing fears about invasions from outside or betrayals within, but it was perhaps the most effective genre in projecting these fears onto the increasingly vast and impersonal s creen provided by scientific views of the cosmos. Actual cover-ups It also bears repeating that, during this period, public confidence in institutional authorities was repeatedly shaken, not least by several actual government cover-ups. Projects of questionable ethical or pragmatic import undertaken by various government agencies under the cloak of "national security" did not always remain secret. A few, like the notorious MK Ultra and Cointelpro psychological control programs, confirmed fears that the government was not above experimenting on its own citizens to achieve its goals. But there were also such exposed cover-ups as the Watergate break-in, the Iran-Contra exchanges, and the eventual confirmation that atmospheric nuclear weapons tests in Nevada had deadly effects on uninvolved citizens downwind.

Rc Cola Marketing Plan Essay

I. Executive Summary The 2013 Marketing Plan of Adobo Connection chain of restaurants outlines an approach in sales promotion as a newly established restaurant in Metro Manila and to sustain in the preceding years of business. Since the establishment couldn’t afford a commercial advertisement, we believe that providing leaflets and other kinds of cheaper advertisement as our sales promotion. To sustain in the preceding years, a product diversification for a new target market is our proposal. The sales target are roughly around P 500, 000, 000 for next year or a 5% projected increase in sales. 1 II. Company Background A. Company History Established by a Harvard Business School graduate, Mr. Jerome Uy, Adobo Connection is a chain of restaurants that showcase the food and feeling of the Filipino home to everyone. Having around P 5, 000, 000 as an initial capital, the first store was opened in November 2010 in Makati. Backed by the same team that won the Best Foreign Franchise in the 2009 Entrepreneur Franchising Awards, Adobo Connection is now one of the fastest-growing Filipino franchises having 40 stores in Metro Manila and another 9 stores soon-to-open. 2 A. Company Marketing Organizational Chart 3 B. Current Marketing Situation A. Market Situation Adobo Connection now is one of the fastest-growing Filipino franchises and the largest food franchise dedicated to our national dish. The initial investment is at least P3.75 Million (including the franchise fee), depending on the size and condition of the location. The restaurant’s main buyers are Filipinos. They prefer Adobo Connection because of its delicious food at an everyday-affordable price, good ambiance and quick service. B. Company Situation 1. Historical Company Data | 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Sales| 1 700 000 000| 2 390 000 000| 3 260 000 000| Company Market Shares| 7.05%| 10.04%| 14.11%| Sales Revenue| 120 000 000| 240 000 000| 460 000 000| Row 1 shows the industry sales of the whole adobo restaurant from 2010-2012. Row 2 shows the company market share of Adobo Connection in the entire industry. Row 3 shows the sales revenue of Adobo Connection from 2010-2012. 4 2010| Sales| Market Share| Adobo Connection| 120 000 000| 7.05%| Adobo Republic| 80 000 000| 4.70%| Others| 1 500 000 000| 88.23%| Total| 1 700 000 000| 100%| 2011| Sales| Market Share| Adobo Connection| 240 000 000| 10.04%| Adobo Republic| 150 000 000| 6.27%| Others| 2 000 000 000| 83.68%| Total| 2 390 000 000| 100%| 2012| Sales| Market Share| Adobo Connection| 460 000 000| 14.11%| Adobo Republic| 300 000 000| 9.20%| Others| 2 500 000 000| 76.68%| Total| 3 260 000 000| 100%| C. Competitive Situation Adobo Connection major competitor is Adobo Republic. This competitor has different strategies, valuations, competitive advances and niches in the market. With its niche market and undeniably fair-priced offerings, Adobo Republic has entered the process of expansion and currently has 3 branches, with more to come. And is continuously expanding and creating new stores with great and comfortable ambiance. New home-style meals are currently being developed to offer a wide variety of dishes to their customers. 5 COMPETITIVE LIST OF ADOBO CONECTION AND ADOBO REPUBLIC PRODUCTS AND ITS PRICES ADOBO CONNECTION| PRODUCTS| REGULAR| WITH SOUP & DRINK| Adobo Specialties| Solo Serving| Kuya’s Fried Chicken Adobo Meal| 99.00| 115.00| Kuya’s Fried Pork/Mix Adobo Meal| 109.00| 125.00| Chicken Adobo saGata Meal| 109.00| 125.00| Pork/Mix Adobo saGata Meal| 119.00| 135.00| Mama’s Sweet Chicken Adobo Meal| 99.00| 115.00| Mama’s Sweet Sweet Pork/Mix Adobo| 109.00| 125.00| Lola’s Classic Chicken Adobo Meal| 109.00| 125.00| Lola’s Classic Pork/Mix Adobo Meal| 119.00| 135.00| ADOBO REPUBLIC| PRODUCTS| REGULAR| ADOBO GALORE(w/ Salted Egg & Tomato)| Solo Serving| Adobo Diablo(Hot & Spicy Pork w/ Adobo Rice)| P120.00| Adobo saGata(Chicken, pork, or Mix w/ Steamed Rice)| 115.00| Adobo Pork (W/ Adobo Rice)| 115.00| Adobo Mix (Chicken, Pork w/ Adobo Rice)| 115.00| Adobo Chicken (w/ Adobo Rice)| 110.00| Adobo Liver (w/ Adobo Rice)| 110.00| Adobo Squid (w/ Steamed Rice)| 110.00| Adobo Flakes (w/ Adobo Rice)| 100.00| 6 D. Distribution Situation Adobo Connection Franchise main office is located at Jollibee Center 9th floor, San Miguel, Pasig City. It has several stores in Pasig, Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Taguig, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Caloocan, Malabon, Calabarzon area, and Cebu. At present, the company has grown from 18 to 45 branches nationwide. There are 8 branches in Manila; 7 branches in Calabarzon area; 5 branches in Quezon City; 4 branches in Makati; 4 branches in Mandaluyong; 2 branches in Pasig; 2 branches in Muntinlupa and 1 branch in Taguig, Pasay, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Caloocan, Malabon and Cebu and others are under construction in some places. E. Macro Environment Situation The Philippines has long been undermined with long-term structural problems such that sustainable economic development is yet to be a dream come true. It has been affected by the crisis in a decline in these aspects: export and foreign direct investments. Heavily dependent on electronic and semiconductor exports, the Philippines has seen a downward trend in its export earnings as countries in demand of these exports are now in recession. Foreign direct investments (FDI) lowered because of investors losing confidence in the financial market. Lower Foreign direct investments mean slower economic growth. Having such power and confidence, Adobo Connection has now reached its popularity in the market world. With the continued use of Adobo Connection brand, logo, and system; Research & development and new menu offerings; HR, legal, and finance consultation and Continuous training; Graphic design for marketing and store designs; Inclusion in public relations and national marketing campaigns and efforts;and Quality control and audits, it achieved lots of development in a short period of time. And it motivates the owners to re-create and conceptualize Adobo Connection to better cater to its market with much more affordable costs than any other adobo restaurant. 7 IV. Opportunity and Issue Analysis A. Opportunity Analysis The main opportunity facing Adobo Connection is as follows: 1. It is the fastest-growing Filipino franchise as of the current year 2. They expand intensively into other parts of the country. 3. Adobo Connection could add more services to satisfy their customer’s needs and wants. B. Threats Analysis The main threats facing Adobo Connection are as follows: 1. High competition with mass fast food chain. 2. Some customers prefer a home cooked adobo. 8 C. Main Strength The main strength facing Adobo Connection is as follows: 1. Serves many variety of adobo’s (pork or chicken; sweet, spicy; wet or dry) 2. It is affordable 3. Concentrated brand identity 4. Great locations of branches 5. Great ambiance 6. Good quality of employees 7. Growing many number of franchise 8. Young and professional managers were selected carefully, trained and developed to lead store teams in their quest to achieve high food, services, cleanliness and condition. D. Weakness Analysis The main weakness facing Adobo Connection is as follows: 1. They do not offer meals that can satisfy group customers 2. Not all Filipino’s know their food chain 9 E. Issue Analysis The main weakness facing Adobo Connection are as follows: 1. Should the Adobo Connection diversify their product into fried food, family-size sodas, etc in order to sustain their place in the market? 2. Should Adobo Connection enhance their services offered? 3. Should Adobo Connection increase its advertising and promotion expenditures to match competitors’ expenditures? V. Objectives A. Financial Objective 1. Continuous P 1 000, 000, per day sales 2. To achieve the target sales of P 500,000,000 – 600,000,000 at the year of 2015 B. Marketing objectives 1. To promote Adobo Connection with minimum cost of advertising. 2. To expand the number of franchise outlets from 42 up to more in different malls in metro and also in the other places local and international. 3. Create customer’s loyalty though service qualities efficiency. 10 VI. Marketing Strategy A. Target Market Adobo Connection will focus in aiming young adults and adults as their market segment. B. Positioning Adobo Connection will position as offering â€Å"Home quality service, best value yet quantity wise food†. Adobo Connection is a fast-food chain where you can feel your heart most. By diversifying their product adding new services but would maintain good quality of employees, fast service of food, variety of choices and great ambiance to their food chains customers would come back for more. Customer would not look fast food chain as same old monotonous menu again but would truly enjoy the burst of colorful Filipino cuisine. C. Pricing Strategy Adobo Connection will maintain their affordable prices for their target market as young adults with no works or with adults with works but in a tight budget. D. Services Adobo Connection will maintain their good quality services such as the ambiance, great employees ,fast service of food, But we intent to add more services in order to be more known and unique with the other fast food chains. 11 * Bottomless Barako connection- where student and office workers can do their works or share their experiences with their social society by the Wi-Fi connection and unlimited coffee offering. * Suggestion Hotline – where customers can directly speak out their suggestion or even complains. E. Sales Force Adobo Connection will meticulously select their managers carefully, trained and developed to lead store teams in their quest to achieve high food, services, cleanliness and condition. There employees most especially cooks are required to be trained with six months of training to master a high quality yet fast services of food. Crews are also mandated to have passion in serving their customer who will treat them as their visitors in their house. F. Distribution Channel Adobo connection will focus on putting their stores inside the mall, near school and beside office buildings. Hopefully they could also put up stores internationally. G. Advertising Adobo connection will use low cost promotion yet would reach their target market. It is the most low cost yet highly effective advertising for small and growing business by using the social media as their medium. 12 VII. Action Program ACTION PROGRAM| PERIOD| ACTIVITIES| PERSON/ DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE| BUDGET| 1. SERVICE| DECEMBER-onwardsJANUARY to DECEMBER| BARAKO BOTTOMLESSCONNECTIONADOBO SWAK| OPERATION DEPARTMENT| P 823,200| 2. SALES FORCE| JANUARY to DECEMBER| EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTHSTORE OF THE YEAR AWARD| STORE MANAGERS, OPERATION MANAGERS| P 197,600| 3. DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL| JANUARY to DECEMBER| FRANCHISING| OPERATION DEPARTMENT| P 3.5 Million| 4. SALES PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING| DECEMBER-onwardsJANUARY to DECEMBER| PRINT ADPOSTERSFLYERSSTREAMERSTARPAULINBROCHURESOCIAL NETWORKSSELFIE #ADOBO CONNECTION CONTEST| MARKETING DEPARTMENT| P 25,539,366| 13 The action program no.1 refers to the BARAKO BOTTOMLESS WIFI CONNECTION, it tells about having a free wifi connection in the store and purchasing the barako coffee bottomless at all day, all night in just 49php only. ADOBO SWAK where in there’s a adobo rice in a cup and on the top there will be a special adobo dish in it, and ice tea also for the drinks in just 45php only. As indicated in action program no.2 our company will have our own website. The website allows the surfers to get more information about our company and updating reports about us this website will feature about our history, corporate, products, franchising, stores, investor’s information and feedback. And also, surfers will be able to email us their comments and suggestions. The operation department will be responsible with thus action program, and the allotted budget is P 125,000. Employee of the month refers to the incentives that the company will give to the employees who will perform their tasks we ll. Every month store managers will be choosing the best employee. The recipient will get an incentive of P 200 worth of gift certificate. This program will be enabling the sales force to do their best and boost their morale. The allotted budget for this is P 117,600. About the citation of the company to the branch which earned an outstanding sales and focus on the product quality, cleanliness and efficient service. The â€Å"Store of the Year† will received P50,000, while the â€Å"Model Store† which is the second place will received P30,000. The person responsible will be the Operation Manager. The allotted budget for this is P80,000. 14 Action program no.3 refers to the Franchising, The initial investment is at least P3.75 Million (including the franchise fee), depending on the size and condition of location. For the 5-year franchise fee of P650,000, you receive: ​Use of the Adobo Connection brand, logo, and system; Site procurement assistance; Store design assistance; Initial recruitment and training for the whole team; Opening team support; ​and the Adobo Connection Operations Manuals.​ For the continuing fees of 5% of sales (2.5% royalties, 2.5% marketing support), you receive:​ Continued use of Adobo Connection brand, logo, and system; Research & development and new menu offerings; HR, legal, and finance consultation;​Continuous training; Graphic design for marketing and store designs; Inclusion in public relations and national marketing campaigns and efforts;​and Quality control and audits.​ As indicated in action program no. 4 our company will develop a new advertising campaign through PRINT AD, POSTERS, FLYERS, STREAMERS, TARPAULIN, and BROCHURE and also in SOCIAL NETWORKS by launching their new menu, the introduction of new product line as well as traditional adobo recipes. SELFIE #ADOBO CONNECTION CONTEST, where in there will be a contest about taking of pictures with their favorite dishes in adobo connection and it will be posted on https://www.facebook.com/adobocon and we will see how many likes will they get and they will have a chance to win different prices. 15 BREAKDOWN OF THE EXPENSES FOR THE ACTION PROGRAM ACTION PROGRAM| ACTIVITIES| BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES| TOTAL| 1. SERVICE| BARAKO BOTTOMLESSCONNECTIONADOBO SWAK| 49php/servingWifi connection plan with phone P1,400 X 12 months X 49 stores = 823,20045php/serving| P 823,200| 2. SALES FORCE| EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTHSTORE OF THE YEAR AWARD| P 200 X 12 months X 49 stores=117,600P 50,000 + P 30,000= 80,000| P 117,600+P 80,000= P 197,600| 3. DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL| FRANCHISING| | P 3.75 Million (including the franchise fee), depending on the size and condition of location.| 4. SALES PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING| PRINT ADManila BulletinP 133,799Addt’l. 80% full colorPhilippine StarP 121,600Addt’l. 80% full colorPosters P98/pieceFlyers P 3/pieceStreamers P 400/pieceSelfie AC Contest1st Prize = 10,0002nd Prize= 5,0003rd Prize=3,000| P 133,799 x 1.80 x 52 weeksP 121,600 x 1.80 x 52 weeksP 98 X 49 stores X 10 pcs./ storeP 3 X 49 stores X 8,000 pcs./ storesP 400 X 20pcs. X 49 storesPhp 18,000 cash prize| TOTAL PRINT ADP 23,905,346+P 48,020P 1,176,000P 392,000+P 18,000TOTAL = P 25,539,366| 16 VIII. PROJECTED PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT Projected Profit and Loss Statement Adobo Connection Projected Profit and Loss Statement For the year ended December 2013 Income Net salesP372 000 000 Royalties and Franchise fees___8 450 000 Total sales380 450 000 Expenses Cost of Sales: Inventory, January 1 P1 420 000 Purchases 57 000 000 Total available for sales 58 420 000 Inventory, December 31 1 690 000 60 110 000 Operating Expenses: Salaries and Wages 2 000 000 Sales Promotion 180 000 Rent Expense 9 600 000 Light and Water 1 920 000 Licenses and fees 120 000 Depreciation and Amortization 45 000 Repair and Maintenance 35 000 Miscellaneous _ _ 420 000 14 320 000 Income from Operation 74 430 000 Internet Expense 31 500 000 Income before Income Tax 24 600 000 56 100 000 17 IX. Control A. Efficiency Control 1. Predictability a. Rational people need to know what to expect b. Satisfaction of taste and benefits of the customer 2. Distribution Efficiency a. Manage the service time of food b. The taste and freshness of food when it reaches to the customers 3. Awareness efficiency a. Hands-on manager who keeps an eye on the inventory and staff and uses her calculator and brain to make sure the food is priced fairly and b. prepared accurately and served efficiently 4. Market efficiency a. Observe the pricing of food 18 B. Budget Control 1. Check the financial reports every month of the year 2. Monthly monitoring of menu pricing to accommodate any inflation the restaurant is absorbing from its suppliers, or periodically discontinues menu items that are too expensive to make as a result of inflation. 3. Monitor the sales and markets of the company every quarter of the year 19 C. Appendices Places| Adobo Connection| Adobo Republic| Makati| 4| 2| Quezon| 5| 1| Mandaluyong| 4| 1| Pasig| 2| 1| Manila| 8| 1| Pasay| 1| | Muntinlupa| 2| | Las Pinas| 1| | Paranaque| 1| | Caloocan| 1| | Malabon| 1| | Calabarzon| 7| | Cebu| 1| | Taguig| 1| | Total Number of Stores 39 6 20