Airborne Express Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Airborne Express - Essay Example Now it was easier for companies to invest in jets and pose threat to profitability of firms. With respect to the power of suppliers, it can affect the relationship between a business and its customers by influencing the quality and price of the final product. Power of buyers had great impact on the profitability as they began to negotiate in groups and enjoy discounts and lower costs. Availability of substitutes is high in the industry and with the advancement of technology and better systems, more promising channels flared up, inflicting damage to the profitability of the industry. Competitive prices also lead to a decline in its profitability levels. Competition from conventional rival has had the biggest impact in depressing industry profitability: the express package delivery industry has become more concentrated in recent years, because of mergers between companies and bankruptcies of many firms. What strategies did Airborne adopt to try and increase profitability? Why was it un able to gain any competitive advantage over FEDEX and UPS? Generally Airborne strategies focused on gathering information about competitors in the market, the service’s uniqueness, description of key clients, channels for distribution, pricing strategy, expenses and research and development.

Marketing Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Communications - Essay Example Marketing communication can be described as a tool which is utilised for the promotion and branding of a firm as well as its offerings (Govoni, 2004). The impact of organisation on the overall marketing process and marketing communication identifies the factors affecting those processes. Marketing communication can also be described as an assimilation of various ideas, designs, and campaigns in order to percolate a particular message to the target audiences. According to the traditional marketing communication, there are five major tools used in communication (Kotler, 2004). These are advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, direct marketing and public relations. Media can be described as the medium through which these communication tools reach the target audience. For a long time, a predictable and formulated mix has been used, for example, different communication and media mix is used for business-to-consumers and business-to-business audience (Williams and Cutis 2012). Tec hnology and social media have complicated the traditional marketing mix and organisations have now started to explore. Recent slowdown in the economy has increased the pressure on the already overloaded marketing department. Managers are now required to create innovative strategies with even lower budget. Every department is now accountable for the budget they get. This has also led to internal competition. Apart from that, organisations are increasingly realising the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethics. Businesses have started incorporating these activities in most of their marketing and communications plans. The accountability and authenticity of these programs and campaigns are still questionable, it is clear that the marketing communication is rising from its traditional form to a more innovative, creative and comprehensive approach (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). In the current essay, a review will be done on the marketing communication tools and theories . The current disadvantages of these tools and future strategies will be discussed, with the help of relevant corporate cases. Theory and principles Based on numerous studies and research work, marketing communication theories are established. They are the result of years of consumer surveys, and analyses of the perception, changing preferences etc. The importance of these theories lies in the fact that, understanding of these theories is of immense help in formulating a strong communication strategy. Below are few of the established and widely used theories of marketing communication; AIDA Model This is one of the first models of communication strategy. AIDA stands for attention, interest, desire and action. Though in the year 1911, another factor, satisfaction was also added, the model is better known by its four factors; Attention- this is the first step of a communication process. Here the strategy is to get the attention of the customers. Presentations of revealing facts and fi gures or identification of a preliminary problem are few of the strategies which can be used in this step. Interest- once the marketer has gained attention, the next step is to generate interest and maintain it. The objective is to keep the interest of the consumer

Global marketing ethic and culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global marketing ethic and culture - Essay Example hese two giants turned into a contentious issue that included business rivalry, questions over ethics, loss of jobs and nationalistic feelings, to boot. This paper examines the issue from the above mentioned angles and applies management theory to the case where relevant to establish linkages between theory and practice. The first and foremost issue that was raised by the proposed takeover is the fact of monopolistic tendencies arising out of a conglomeration of two business giants. The next issue is that of undervaluation and the correct pricing structure to be applied in such a case. Further, the interests of stakeholders have to be considered as well. Finally, the issue of job losses and nationalistic sentiment playing upon the emotions of the parties involved in the debate has to be considered as well. The proposed takeover and the aftermath of the proposal turned into a business saga replete with all the action and drama one would normally associate with a business thriller. When Kraft first approached Cadbury with an intention to purchase it at a valuation of $16.2 Billion in late 2009, the offer was rejected outright by Cadbury which claimed that at this price Cadbury was undervalued. Subsequently, the offer bid was revised and Kraft even went to the extent of mounting a hostile takeover bid. After a corporate battle that lasted well over two months, both parties announced in January this year that they have agreed to a merger between the two at a valuation for Cadbury at $18.9 Billion. As one of the trade journals put it, â€Å"The historic acquisition of Cadbury International by Kraft Foods Inc. of US has just been concluded. After a five-month siege, Kraft Foods on the 19th of January, 2009 won the highly-publicised battle for Cadbury, turning its hostile approach friendly and securing the support of the UK confectioner’s board in its takeover bid. As the dust settles, industry watchers are asking what this remarkable development holds for the global

Energy Resource Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Energy Resource Plan - Essay Example energy production systems pollute the environment through emission of green house gases in to the atmosphere, which adversely affects humans and animals through climate change and health related issues (Carlson 2005). The renewable energy includes the energy sources that can be that can be used over and over again. It includes energy sources such as solar, geothermal, wave and wind energy, amongst other self-sustaining alternative energy sources. However, in order for renewable energy to be sufficient, large amounts of sources need to be harnessed, since they produce a relatively little energy. In other words the ratio of the energy produced to the energy source harnessed is relatively small compared to the non- renewable energy, whereby a small amount of the energy source produces substantial amount of energy. However, once used, these sources are irreplaceable (Schaeffer 2007). These include coal and petroleum products amongst others. They are a major cause of environmental degradation through emission of green house gases in to the atmosphere, and water pollution through oil spills as well as land degradation through mining of coal. The first and most important thing that each person ought to do in order to conserve the environment is to minimize the use of non-renewable energy. This will help in reducing the rate of environmental degradation through energy production from non-renewable sources. This can be accomplished through the use of solar energy for lighting, wind energy, and natural gas among other renewable energy sources. Electrical appliances, especially the air conditioners, refrigerators and lighting should remain switched off whenever they are not needed. People should also use energy efficient equipment such as less fuel consuming vehicles or the use of bicycles instead of vehicles that consume high energy as well as emitting green house gases to the environment. People should also insulate their living rooms more in order to minimize heating

The effectiveness of the various corporate governance policies and Essay

The effectiveness of the various corporate governance policies and approaches in the USA and United Kingdom - Essay Example The paper tells that during the last two decades, the business world witnessed a number of corporate scandals like the bankruptcy of Allegheny, Enron, Tyco, Global Crossing, WorldCom, and others. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers fuelled up the global financial crisis of 2008-09. All these corporate scandals and bankruptcies have raised the importance of corporate governance. The ultimate victim of all these scandals and crisis are the stakeholders who lose a large sum of money invested in the companies involved in these scandals. The investors take their investment decisions based on the information disclosed by the companies. Therefore, any type of wrongdoing or incomplete disclosure can cost a lot to the investors. Thus with every financial crisis and corporate scandals the relevance of corporate has increased largely. Governance refers to governing someone with the help of some specified system, policies and principles. Thus, corporate governance is the principles, specified proc esses, policies, and systems used to govern a company. The principles of corporate governance acts as the guidelines used to control the activities of the company so that it can it can achieve its objectives and at the same time add value to the organisation in such a way so that the stakeholders can be benefited in long run. Thus, corporate governance helps the management to operate in such a way so that not only the shareholders but also the other investors, employees, customer and the society as a whole benefit from the actions of the company. (Centre for International Private Enterprise, 2002, p. 3-4). The basic premise behind the principles of corporate governance is to enable the organisation to conduct its activities with fairness, maintain transparency in its operations and transactions, disclose all the relevant information, comply with all the rules, regulations and laws, be responsible and accountable to all its stakeholders, and maintain the code of ethics while conducti ng its activities. Practice of ethical activities is an important part of the corporate governance. Good corporate governance enables the company to achieve investors’ confidence and achieve goodwill in the industry. Thus, corporate governance is not only important for the stakeholders but also for the company too (Thomson, 2009). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) describes corporate governance as a system through which companies and other business organisations can be controlled as well as directed. Corporate governance helps to setup a structure through specifying the responsibilities and the rights of the various members of the companies like the board of directors, employees, and shareholders. Corporate governance sets the rules, regulations and the processes of decision making regarding the activities of the company. The corporate governance helps the company in setting up the companies objectives and goals, as well as enabling the company assess its performance and helps in achieving them.

Elevator Failures in Housing for the Elderly Essay Example for Free

Elevator Failures in Housing for the Elderly Essay The advent of multi-stored housing apartments that can be of up to 30 stores imply that any one who has a problem standing or being in elevators for a long time may be forced to seek alternatives which in most cases are non existent. However, the use of elevators should not have been a worry if only they were well functioning and regularly serviced (Fernandez 2008). According to residents, taking a lift is a risk in that they are prone to breakdowns and in most cases it is only one of the up to four lifts that is functional (Fernandez 2008). Some buildings have elevators that breakdown so often that one would rather do without them. The elderly due to their reduced performance are worst affected by the problem; most of them have health problems that do not allow for strenuous activities like walking up storied building (Fernandez 2008). According to a resident at Kingsborough apartment, the problem is compounded by the slowness with which mechanics respond in cases of emergencies (Fernandez 2008). Mechanics take up to nine hours to respond to cases of emergency regarding elevators. Some residents have lost their limbs in efforts to escape from jammed lifts while the loss of time that elevator complications lead to cannot be quantified (Fernandez 2008). Others have lost their lives trying to escape the confines of jammed elevators. Though residences fail elevator inspection test, nothing is being done about the failures; the death of an 89 year old woman which is partly blamed on elevator failure has not even raised concern on the issue (Fernandez 2008). Being stuck in elevators for up to 20 minutes an hour is common and most folks casually chat about it (Fernandez 2008). 151 elevators failures were recorded by Kingsborough extensions in 2007-2008; a record breaking figure for a housing development for the elderly (Fernandez 2008).

Online And Traditional Classroom Learning

Online And Traditional Classroom Learning Over the past decade, researchers have demonstrated that technology can be a useful and effective tool to administer education. Although, nothing can take the place of the teacher in terms of developing students education, online education is making their way into classrooms and homes now. The teachers are not the only ones who can open the door to education for students whereas the computer plays an additional role in helping students education technologically as a useful tool. Although you cant get the direct interaction; online learning provides convenient learning. (Shoeman-Jones 2009) With the economic conditions changing people are opting to go online. More people are working and going to school which will make them competitive and give the working man options about his education. However, online learning can be effective for students if its used wisely. The main focus of online is convenience but it can also be an alternative to get outside beyond the walls and connect to soci ety rather than sitting in a classroom. Computers are used for just about everything but can it really replace the classroom? In fact, education and technology, if we understand it in its broadest sense, is changing everyday in every way. Therefore students have several different options that can best suit their needs. Researchers agree that Technology is so advanced and sophisticated but can it really take the place of the teacher who can motivate, organize and manage the whole class by creating the pleasant aura of active teaching and learning process, but many have drawn quite different conclusions in addressing the following questions: 1. What are the advantages of a classroom setting? Classroom Vs Online 3 2. What are the disadvantages of a classroom setting? 3. Can Online Education be just as effective as the classroom? 4. What are the implications of Online Learning? This review of Teacher Vs Online focuses on these four questions. What are the Advantages of a Classroom Setting? In an influential article, Neobrain, Wright, and Cleaver (2009) argued that everyone need a person who can both understand their needs, their weak points and strong points and also know the most effective and suitable methods for the students to make them realize themselves what they are going to do is right or wrong. For the students in the classroom, computers are amazingly useful machines that, in almost no time, can perform sophisticated operations and solve difficult questions, which even the teacher, let alone students, cannot do. With that said the teacher can know who is following his teaching and who is not and give relevant examples during his teaching to keep the class interested in the subject he is explaining. Another advantage of classroom learning is that the teacher can give students the real essence of education by nourishing students hearts and opening students minds during the classroom teaching. Also, students have the advantage of having face-to-face interaction with the teacher which enhances their classroom experience. (Wonacott 2002) Teachers feel that they can assess their students better through weekly interaction in the classroom. In classrooms with a smaller teacher-to-student ratio, students can even get more direct assistance. Because there is real time interaction and students and their instructor speak instead of typing, more ground can be covered in less time. An instructor or student can point to a page in their text. The instructor can write Classroom Vs Online 4 information down on a white board. Students can discuss information with each other, and because they are speaking in person, there is less chance that one of them will be misunderstood. One thing that is affected by the Online Learning is the social interaction. (Anderson 2007) Social Interaction is important because traditional classroom teaching also provides students with the opportunity to have real social interaction with one another. This interaction in turn allows for the students to help one another in terms of academics or in terms of personal issues. Good learningis collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated (Fulford, 6). When students sit in chairs next to each other they learn from each others mistakes and learn social interaction skills. Also, traditional schools offer sports, recreation, student clubs and organizations, and other activities that allow you to form friendships and social networks. Good social interaction is a key part of living well. Study after study shows that good friendships, family relationships and health as the most important things to have in order to be happy and fulfilled. In this sense, again the computers performa nce is nothing compared to the traditional classroom. What are the Disadvantages of a classroom setting? In a traditional classroom environment, there are usually anywhere from twenty to thirty children and one teacher. In some cases, that teacher might have a teachers aid or an assistant teacher. This is where the disadvantage starts- it is simply impossible for one person to give each student the one-on-one attention or instruction that may be required. In a classroom of twenty to thirty students, there are going to be several students with differing learning styles and academic strengths and weaknesses. (Alavi Gallupe 2003) Classroom Vs Online 5 Which brings to light the next disadvantage of a traditional classroom. In a traditional classroom environment, its not uncommon for students to become bored or frustrated. Some students learn better by visual means, others will learn better with auditory means, and still others are going to learn better with a hands-on approach. It is virtually impossible for a single teacher to accommodate all methods of learning when he or she is responsible for teaching a large number of students. Thus, children who do not fall into the traditional learning method category are far more likely to fall through the cracks, become bored or discouraged, or to display behavior problems in the classroom. (Shoeman-Jones 2009) The traditional classroom environment works well for a large number of students, but there are many others who simply have difficulty learning in this environment, have difficulty interacting with peers, or who require more one-on-one attention and time to grasp certain concepts. In traditional classrooms, lecture is the main form of learning. One characteristic of traditional learning is: The student is forced to be in the same time day in and day out. With the economic changes we are facing in todays age and tuition cost rising, students are working. The career fields are more competitive and people are not alone seeking employees with an education but also experience. So with that said, students are seeking alternative options for acquiring an education so they can remain competitive in todays job market. Sitting in a classroom is not an ideal setting for some students. Being able to pace and not have strict time constraints on assignments can be beneficial. Some students have odd working hours and dont have the time to get to class on time and that can cause stress mentally and physically. Also, students have Classroom Vs Online 6 finally found themselves able to help themselves and get self-educated even long after finishing the class. (Shoeman-Jones 2009) Perhaps this may be the most significant fact that makes the difference between the teacher and the machine. You can cover more material and ground at your own pace and complete the class early. On the other hand, Classroom learning does have its disadvantage especially competing with convenience. Can online education be just as effective as the classroom? With so many advancements with the internet you have many options for online learning. From websites that exists to help elementary students prepare for statewide tests, to middle and high schools having the opportunity to take classes online and complete make up work. The internet has certainly made learning convenient and a much simpler process. Giving students flexibility in learning may push someone that may otherwise decide not to finish high school or even enroll in college into completing to a different decision. Also most students work either full or part time therefore having the option to take classes online is a great advantage for them. Education is now one of the many opportunities available for consumers on the Internet. The online student population is expanding by 30 percent a year, with over 75 percent of traditional colleges and universities getting into the market, according to experts. With the Internet, distance degrees have become a viable and valuable option fo r the individual who may not be able to enroll full-time in a traditional brick-and-mortar institution. (Neal) What is online education? Who can take online classes? Is an online degree the same as a degree from a college that you take on campus? These are some questions that you may want to know the answers to before deciding to enroll in online classes. According to, www.blackboard.com online education can be Classroom Vs Online 7 defined as an approach to teaching and learning that utilizes Internet technologies to communicate and collaborate in an educational context. This includes technology that supplements traditional classroom training with web-based components and learning environments where the educational process is experienced online. Anyone with access to the internet can take classes online. Whether you obtained your degree online or on a campus your degree is treated the same as long as the institution is accredited. Colleges offering online or blended classes have online learning tools that you take your classes at and participate in discussions. At Florida State Community College they use a platform called Blackboard. On Blackboard you can also view your grades and email other classmates, teachers also use this site to post messages to the students. You can also take exams and quizzes on blackboard. Unless there is scheduled maintenance Blackboard is accessible twenty-four hours per day, seven d ays per week. This is convenient for the students, and makes life much easier. Since September 11, 2001, the number of overseas inquires about online learning has jumped 40 percent. (Neal) There are many advantages and disadvantages that students take into consideration before enrolling in online classes. One of the best advantages to online classes is flexibility. Online classes do not require you to commute. In some cases, students travel from more than one campus. Most students like that they can make their own schedule, choosing to take your classes during the day or even in the middle of the night. When taking online classes you dont have to sacrifice a lot of your free time, especially when you can do work any time day or night. Classroom Vs Online 8 Students really dont have to leave the comfort of their own home, not to mention time saved on traveling to class and the amount of money saved on gas. You dont have to worry about what youre going to wear to school. Some students dread participating in class, they may not be scared to speak to others but sometimes having all eyes on you may make your uncomfortable. Participating with online discussion gives you a voice that may have otherwise have never been heard. Moving away from shyness and also giving you a better participation grade. If youre not a good note taker, dont worry, most of the lectures are already written out for you and you can go back and look at it anytime that you would like. If you have small children you can care for them and take your classes without having to send them off to daycare. Weve seen the commercials on television all the time, mostly of students in their pajamas and imagine that it could be us. Not having to go into a classroom and listen to a lon g lecture that you may think is so boring can otherwise be seen online and you dont have to worry about dosing off. Some students may have otherwise recorded the lectures in order to listen to again at a later time, now they can go back to it on the schools learning tool. Being able to complete assignments at home without any distractions from other classmates is also an advantage, especially for those who have a short attention span. Another advantage of online learning is the accessibility of learning materials. No matter your program of study you will more than likely able to find classes pertaining to your degree. Being able to control the timeframe in which you obtain your degree is another advantage, most colleges offer accelerated degree programs. Even though you may be earning your degree faster than most does not mean the task will not be difficult, you have to be dedicated in obtaining your degree or you may fail. You can also work on more the one degree Classroom Vs Online 9 program at a time. Make sure that you have a laptop so that anytime you have free time you can pick it up and get to work. Another advantage is that in some online classes most tests and quizzes are given online giving you the opportunity to use your textbooks. Even if the tests are timed you are more likely to score higher if you have the information in front of you to pass the test or quiz. If you have good time management skills and do not find yourself procrastinating often then online learning may be a good option for you. What are the disadvantages of Online Learning? There are many disadvantages as well to online learning. One disadvantage that students complain about is face to face interaction with other students and the teachers. One of the most common disadvantages that students have is the lack of supervision which leads to procrastination. Some students need constant motivation from teachers and students in order to succeed, so if you are not able to work on your own you shouldnt consider online classes. Even though you can wake up in the middle of the night to complete a paper at the last minute you find yourself doing it more often due to the lack of supervision. Usually students with poor study habits fail at online learning. Self-Pace is a lot of hard work and dedication. Usually online classes require you to read more and complete more assignments versus traditional classroom whereas you would take notes. Another disadvantage is that most online classes usually cost more than the classes taken on campus. With the rising cost of tuition and books, online fees are not far behind and doubling every year. Be sure to check with your college of choice when making this decision. Even though you may be saving with travel expenses you need to make sure that you are not paying so much more for your classes that saving on the traveling is not a Classroom Vs Online 10 big difference. If youre only reason to take online classes is to save money on traveling you may want to check on the cost of your online course first before making your decision. You also have to be very computer savvy or succeeding with an online course will be nearly impossible for students. With most online courses you are on the internet most of the time so you may want to make sure you are very familiar with the internet before starting an online class. To develop your computer skills to take online classes, you can take a computer course on most college campuses, and this should be done before signing up for online classes if you think you need better computer skills. Some online credits may also not be transferable so you may want to make sure that you check with your advisor before trying to transfer any credits. Not every school in the nation has migrated to virtual world completely. Make sure that you also that you find a fully accredited program. Conclusion Taking the advantages and disadvantages into consideration will make your decision easier when considering your education. Whatever path you decide to go be sure to weigh all of your options, and do what is best for you and not what others may think is best for you. We all have different learning styles so what may be the best option for me may not be the best option for you. Many have earned their degrees online or through blended classes and their degrees is just as good as the person who earned it in a traditional classroom environment. Just be very careful in choosing am program that is accredited or the classes youve taken could not only be a waste of time but also money. When it comes to education, there simply is no one size fits all answer. The teacher has got a unique human brain that can perform teaching in a way that the Classroom Vs Online 11 computer, a mere artificial brain, cannot do. Well when it comes down to it, traditional classroom will always win, you cannot put value on the long time study of a profession thats proven to be effective but if youre willing to step outside box consider taking at least one class online, just to see if its right for you. Remember you have to fail sometimes in order to succeed. Classroom Vs Online 12