Monday, September 30, 2019

Weddings Events and More E-Business Plan

Weddings, Events, & Beyond E-Business Plan Mary Weathersby Capella University May 15, 2011 I. Company Description Weddings Events & Beyond opened our doors in May of 2002 as a partnership. We have been continually expanding and now are a large firm with six full time planners, six assistants, four full time Accounting and Finance employees, two full time Human Resources employees, my partner, and myself. At this time we have a website that gives examples of our event planning capabilities with some pictures of events we have planned.We have decided to take the next step and implement a more advanced site where our customers can see the stages of their event as it is planned. It is our goal to allow the customer to log into our site at anytime and see what the plans for their event are and request changes if it is their wish. We would also like to implement a Secure Socket Layer so that our customers can pay their account on-line. Making our company more accessible through use of the Internet will help us to expand to the outlying areas that before now were more difficult to reach.The business model that Weddings Events & Beyond is striving to become with the Internet site is that of a â€Å"multi-channel merchant† or â€Å"bricks and clicks† merchant. This is the type of firm that has both a physical store, as the primary channel of income, and is introducing an online service. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 595) II. Marketing Plan Internet marketing is a little bit more complex than regular marketing in that we as a firm will have to show that we have the capability to develop a more positive and long term relationship with our customers. Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 362) We must develop a marketing plan which brings in all ranges on new customers from the bride and groom and their guests all the way to the business whose events we will be planning. We will be planning to show the consumer our unique qualities and capabilities such as the fact that every st ep of the planning of their event will be available for them to view on our site. This will require opening an account for each customer where they can log on to receive the most up to date work done on their event planning.This will also allow them to request changes until the closing date of their event. The following categories will be included in our marketing plan: A. Target Audience 1. Customer characteristics: We as a firm will be targeting the bride, the groom, and their families for the weddings and for the events we will be targeting the business community and upper to middle class families who normally do not have the time to plan and organize their special events. 2. Age demographic: Will be adults from the 20-50 year range. 3. Customer geographic: At this time we service only the state of Arizona.We travel all over the state as needed by where the event is being held. After implementation of e-business we will be targeting the states of California and Nevada as well. Ev entually with expansion we plan to cover major cities across the US. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 345 – p. 367) B. SWOT analysis (strengths weakness opportunities threats) 1. Strengths: One of the main strengths we possess is that we are one of only four companies in our area that plans Weddings and Events. We will be the first among the four that will be making a more immediate Internet presence.Making use of our services through the Internet will make us more accessible and give us a wider reach for customer than any other firm. We are the most established firm having been in the business making a name for ourselves for the longest period of time. Our planners have at least an associate’s degree in planning. They have been planners for a minimum of three years and have strong customer service skills. 2. Weakness: At this time we have no planners trained in e-business as will be take approximately four weeks to accomplish.We are right now in only the state of Arizona, but with the implementation of our e-business we plan to expand to cover California and Nevada. In order to do this we will need more planners and assistants. Hiring new people means we need to start training in all areas of our business including e-business models. This training will take time and resources to accomplish. We will also begin competing with other firms located in California and Nevada. These competitors will be listed in the competitive analysis portion of this plan. 3.Opportunities: We are convinced that the opportunity for the firm with the implementation of an e-business presence is great. Being the first firm to make ourselves more accessible to people on the go gives us a greater advantage over our competitors. The implementation of our e-business will allow us to reach outside of Arizona. This will eventually help in leading to country wide expansion. We will be able to advertise our business on affiliate sites such as Invitation sites, bridal dress sites, caterin g sites, and bridal registry sites.With the implementation of Internet marketing through ads, social networking, and search engine optimization we will be able to open up a market that was before now closed to us. 4. Threats: In becoming an e-business we will be implementing both a CRM plan and an ERP plan. We will now be competing with other Event Planners through Internet channels. Occasions, is just one of the other firms that we will be competing with. This firm is introducing a software program that helps the customer plan their own special event.We will need to convince these customers that using our firm will give them better results and free up their valuable time. We will be incurring larger travel expenses as well as payroll increase. If our e-business plan does not show a profit in the next 24-36 months we could lose both the e-business and our â€Å"bricks and mortar† store. We would have a harder time compensating for the losses. The price of implementing these n ew e-business models will be substantial and if our new Internet site does not bring in the expected increase in business it would be very hard to pay off these expenses.We will need to make sure that we are optimizing our Implementation of the Website through, search engine keywords and other Internet sites that would bring the consumer back to our site with as few clicks as possible. To decrease the threat of our competitors we will need to stay on our toes and keep our website updated as well as making sure that we are ready for anything. C. Competitive analysis: The leading competitors in our field are: TLC Wedding Consultants, which is at this time a two man operation which deals exclusively with weddings and holy communions. Occasions, this is a newly formed Event planner whose main ervice is a software program that helps the customer to plan their own events. Specialty Events, this is a three party team that organizes business events exclusively. This company plans seminars a nd company parties. They have not at this time branched out to work any other events. Competitors brought in to play by our expansion into an e-business will include new business in Nevada and California. Weddings by Nancy, is a firm out of Nevada who have been around approximately three years. They have a site that shows pictures of weddings they have planned and gives contact information for their store.At this time they are strictly a â€Å"bricks and mortar† firm. Their information website is ranked fourth in the search engine ranking. Events for Every Occasion is out of Nevada. They have three trained planners. Their website gives information about the types of events they plan as well as pictures and has reviews from previous customers. This site is currently ranked second in search engine results. Anywhere Anytime Events is a full service firm of three planners working in California. This firm has no website at this time. They do have newspaper and television ads and a client base of about six regular firms that they plan events for.California Event Planners is full service firm with a website that has customer reviews, photos, and contact information. They ask for permission to e-mail visitors to their site, they are at this time ranked number one in search engine results. This is the site we need to bump and take over in search engine results. Our firm, Weddings Events & Beyond, is the only full service planner in a 100 mile area. We are the largest firm and will be the first to become a major presence on the Internet offering to allow customers access to their planning results 24 hours a day. D.Marketing Strategy 1. Promotion: We will be promoting our firm through Social Networking on both Facebook. com and MySpace. com. It is our intention to put our name and services on the websites that reach the largest population possible through as many internet sites as possible. Social networks are one of the most used ways of communication with others . Facebook. com logged over 300 million members worldwide in September of 2009 and had 92 million unique visitors while MySpace. com logged 130 million members worldwide with over 64 million unique visitors. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 21) Promoting our name and services on these two social networks would help us reach a significantly larger audience that any of our competitors. We will also be using the services of Search Engine Optimization to help us use the right key words to make sure we are accessible to the customers looking for wedding and event planners. In order for the customer to find us using a search on the Internet we need to be able to be located by search engines. Through the use of Search Engine Optimization we will know the appropriate terms for use in order to be more easily found.Using this service will also help to ensure that we are linked to other sites that will put us closer to the top of search results. (SEOmoz) 2. Advertising: We will be adding a new form of advertising to help us with moving into the new e-business market. In addition to our usual advertising of yellow page and newspaper ads we will also begin Internet marketing. We will be using two forms of Internet marketing: â€Å"Viral Marketing† which is the â€Å"process of getting customers to pass along a company’s marketing message to friends, family, and colleagues, which is the online version of word of mouth. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 390) This type will help get our name out there faster than in the real world. The second form of Internet advertising we will be using is that of â€Å"direct e-mail marketing†. This type of marketing is highly effective. We will be sending e-mails to a group of Internet users who have shown interest in our services at one time or another. With this kind of advertising we would send out regular e-mails to people who have pulled up our website and asked to receive e-mails from us. The customer would then have to â€Å"o pt-out† to stop receiving the e-mails. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 43) This form of advertising is a mix of both on-line and off-line marketing since we will be using both the printed off-line version as well as having Internet advertising. 3. Public relations: Both through word of mouth and viral marketing we will be working on our public image helping to increase our public relations. As long as we stay true to our word and keep our customers happy this should not be a problem. III. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer relationship management (CRM) is the repository of customer information it will record and save all contacts a customer or prospective customer makes with our firm.This plan will also generate the customers profile from what they initially gave us upon entering our site through what categories they view concerning interest in types of events. There will also b e features that are possible for the event. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p356) This is how we will k now what our customer is interested in and give a general idea of their price limitations so that an initial plan can begin being implemented. The touch points that we will be using are: telephone network, Internet, mail & fax, staff contact, and our sales force.As part of our Internet touch point we will be asking visitors to our site for personal information and permission to e-mail them. We will be collecting data through sites that deal with all aspects of weddings and other events as well as sites that deal with bridal registry sites, incitation engraving sites, and visits to our facebook and MySpace sites. 1. Map of customers relationship with the firm. This will let us know how we got this customer as well as this customer’s preferences and if they refer any new customers. We will also be keeping a log of emails and phone conversations with customers throughout the planning of their event. . Product and usage summary. This will let us know which of our services each cu stomer is looking for and how often they return to us to help plan other events. 3. Profitability measures. This will let us know how well our Internet advertising is doing and if it is bringing in new customers. 4. Contact history. This will be summarizing the customers contact with the firm across delivery channels such as Internet and hard copy advertising. 5. E-mail company responses. This will help us to know how our email advertising is doing and how many people have come to our site and signed up for email from us.IV. Architecture plan Weddings Events & Beyond will require a multi-tier architecture plan. Since we already have a web page which lists our services and how to contact us we will need to build on this site to include, customer contact information, plans for events, security for customer payment of services, email integration which will allow customers to correspond with their planner, and a section that will allow employees to communicate with each other concerning finance, human resources, and management communication within the firm.This will require us to outsource to another company to produce the necessary hardware components. We will be implementing the following components: 1. An e-commerce website that will be hosted by NetSuite. com allowing us to scale our business with an application that ties the business together across E-commerce, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relations Management, Financials, and Human Resources. This website will expanded to help track customer contact, customer event plans, customer e-mail capabilities, a Secure Socket Layer for customer payments, and employee communication capabilities. . New staff that will be in charge of maintaining this system as well as training staff on the new system. At this time we estimate that we will need two to three new employees that will do this. 3. New equipment and software to facilitate e-business. The new equipment will be computer systems that will be netw orked and implemented with the modules for our e-business expansion. The software will also be for working with all NetSuite models including ERP, CRM, and SCM, Competitive Vision, our competitive tracking firm, and BPIR our new benchmarking partners.V. Enterprise Resource Plan (ERP) The ERP plan that we will be implementing will make access to financial data and all aspects of the Human Resources Department easier for our staff. This will allow the staff to run credit information on prospective clients as well as work up account information so our finance department can accurately prepare invoices, spreadsheets, and all other accounting data. This will also allow planners to input their own expense reports for quicker calculations.The Human Resources applications of the new system will make it easier for staff to check their time sheets, medical coverage, 401k, vacation and sick day’s status, and commission status. This should cut down on the amount of time needed by that de partment to do this for each staff member. The implementation of these two systems will also make it easier for management to review all of this data without the need of printing multiple reports freeing up the time needed for this from all departments. VI. Supply Chain Management (SCM) The scope of our SCM needs at this time is limited to information and inancials. We will be working with NetSuite in this area as well, to maintain integrity with our other systems. We are a service organization that helps our customers decide and plan the aspects of their special event. We work closely with caterers, floral designers, Churches and reception halls. We do not make deposits or pay for any of these things. However, we do keep tabs on what stage of planning these services are at, in order to keep the customer up to date but at the same time not bogged down by all these companies calling them. (Laudon & Traver 2010 p. 77 1. Information chain: We will need to maintain customer information so that we can keep up to date information on our site for each customer. The information we will need concerning the customer is: A. Name B. Billing address C. Telephone number D. E-mail address E. Vender Preferences (so we know who we will be working with) 2. Vender information chain: We will also need to maintain information on all the vendors that we work with as well as full descriptions of what each vendor offers. The information we need from each vendor is: A.Name B. Address C. E-mail or website D. Telephone number We need to have this vendor information so that the customer knows what each one offers and can save the time it takes to call around looking for the right vendor. This will help to narrow the choices thus making it easier on the customer. The knowledge of what each vendor offers is crucial in helping to save time for our customers. We would also like to add links for the different vendors to our site so that the customer can shop around from our site in as few cli cks as possible.In return the venders would also have a link to our site posted on theirs. 3. Financial flow: For this area we will need to make it possible to maintain the customer’s credit card number and verification code. This will also make it possible to help our customer even further by allowing us to keep records of what the customer wants from each vendor and verify payments have been made. VII. Competitive Tracking (Knowledge Management) We have found that there is a need to implement a program for competitive tracking in order to better understand our business environment.The information that will be gained from a competitive tracking system will help us in making key business decisions for the entire firm. In order for us to remain competitive with other planning firms we need to understand what they are doing, (Competitive Vision 2011) We have decided that it would serve our interests best at this time to get a software program through Competitive Vision. This pr ogram is a web based competitive intelligence solution offering as easy way to collect, organize, and evaluate competitive information.Some of the benefits of implementing this software would be: * Better understanding of our competitive landscape * Enhancing our strategic planning process * Facilitating more effective information sharing among our shareholders * Lowering costs related to the competitive intelligence effort. Through this software we will be able to view competitive information in an SWOT business model. We will be able to create industry and competitor profiles. The competitive tracking information will be consolidated for easier understanding and be managed in real time. The cost of this software program will be $ 500. 0 per month for the first five users. As we continue to expand into other cities across the United States we will be able to expand our user base at which time our monthly fee would go up to compensate for those additions. Implementing this competiti ve Intelligence software will take the guesswork out of finding out what our competitors are doing. VIII> Benchmarking. Benchmarking will be in partnership with BPIR (Business Performance Improvement Resource) which is a firm that helps in the process of finding how to improve our company’s performance standards and researches the performance standards of our competition.We want to keep a customer service rating of 100% satisfaction and a performance rating of 95% and higher. This is our current level as we make the plans for implementing our e-business. The changes that are going to be happening over the next 8-12 months should no cost us the satisfaction of our customers. Through BPIR we will be conducting a quarterly review in the following areas: 1. Best Practices which are the practices that are known to produce the highest results. 2. Performance Measures which is a periodic review to see whether our staff is performing at their peak. 3.Self Assessment which is an asses sment each employee takes showing how well they think they are doing 4. Competitor Analysis which is a system that helps to show how our competitors are doing and what level their benchmarking is at. 5. Website reviews which is how we will determine how effective our website is and where we rank in search results. This will help us to make sure that we are able to continue being the first choice of our prospective customers. IX. Conclusion. As you can see there are quite a few things that will be changing once we break into the world of e-business.We are looking forward to the time when this implementation and training process are completed. As it is we have a long hard road ahead of us. But, taking our â€Å"bricks and mortar† firm to a â€Å"bricks and clicks† firm will be step in the direction of progress which every firm must go through eventually. This is a large step but one we must take if we are to stay ahead of our competitors. This type of business model fall under the description of an e-tailer, meaning we have a regular firm with an Internet website that handles the Internet side of our business. Our website will be based on a sales revenue model. (Laudon &Traver 2010 p. 8 & 70) The implementation plan we have outlined will have an economic impact on the business because the initial cost of implementing the ERP, SCM, and CRM will be expensive. We estimate total cost of core services to be in the price range of $ 100,000 dollars. This includes the website development and hosting. The cost of competitive tracking and benchmarking will be separate as well as the man hours that it will take our people to become trained. The cost of competitive tracking will be $500 dollars per month through Competitive Vision. The benchmarking will be approximately $500 dollars through BPIR ever quarter.The risks we take in this are that we would be putting all this money out to become an e-business and there are never any guarantees that we will be succe ssful. By implementing our e-business we will be mortgaging our current business model but, this would be the case with any kind of expansion process. The benefits of this plan are that we would be able to reach a larger customer base and begin servicing California and Nevada before moving into those areas full scale with a new store and new employees. Future forces that would affect us would be if any of our competitors also implement this same idea.We are looking at this happening in the next five years but we plan to be well ahead of the game by that time. This plan at the onset will mean more work for our management staff but once it is fully implemented and our people are fully trained they will be able to do twice as much work in half the time. This will free up more time to give our staff the necessary evaluations to verify they are doing their jobs right. As you have seen every member of the firm will need to be trained in the new systems and we will need to hire new employe es who have the necessary e-business knowledge to help us succeed.The final thing we need to include here are the timelines for implementation and training. The implementation is estimated to take between six and eight months. Executive training will begin around two months before completion and be accomplished in three hour increments, three times a week for four weeks. This is so that we will be ready when full implementation is accomplished. Staff training will begin one month prior to completion and will be done in three hour increments twice a week for four weeks ending on or around the completion date.X. References Laudon, K. C. , & Traver, C. G. (2010). E-commerce: business, technology, society. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice Hall. SeOmoz. (n. d. ) The beginners guide to SEO. Retrieved April 15, 2011 from http://www. guides. seomoz. org . Competitive Vision. (n. d. ) Retrieved June 1, 2011 from http://www. competitivevision. com BPIR (n. d. ) Business Performance Improvemen t Resource. Retrieved June 3, 2011 from http://bpir. com NetSuite (n. d. ) Retrieved on May 24, 2011 from http://www. netsuite. com

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Central Evaluation Unit Essay

The XIII Directorate of the European Union has a Central Evaluation Unit (CEU) which is tasked with evaluation of applications for grants from academics under its â€Å"cooperation and foundations† scheme. This scheme distributed relatively small grants to fund cooperative research between universities in the EU. All applications were sent to the CEU’s processing unit (CEUPU) by university liaison officers (ULOs) who are based in around 150 universities. The process flow of the CEUPU can be shown in the following page. As can be seen, the turnaround time can be shortened even more if the checkers will have direct access to the ULOs and coordination done directly. This can be achieved by use of email with the secretaries just copy-furnished. Also, the document tracking can be automated so that everyone knows where the documents are at any given time, using the identifier code that has been established for each application. In all, the application will be handled by the following people: 1. The ULOs who receive it and send to CEU. 2. Receipt clerk that checks that forms are complete. 3. Coding staff – set up a unique identifier for the application, encodes the data in the system. 4. Senior secretary that assigns the application to the next available checker. 5. Checker assesses the application. Half of the time, there is a need for additional information or data, and this must be conveyed to the secretary. 6. Secretary sends a query to the ULO 7. ULO secures the info from the applicant and sends back to secretary 8. Secretary sends to checker assigned 9. Checker decides 10. Auditor composes and sends acceptance/rejection letter. The problem of the CEUPU process is that there are too many steps and people involved in the process. First, the process can be automated and the application documents scanned. Then, the file can be sent electronically to the checkers so that they can be evaluated. Direct communication by the checkers to the ULO can be made for any inquiries/ additional data needed. Auditors prepare the acceptance or rejection documents ULOs receive application for grants Additional info and requirements sent back Request letter sent File sent to secretary who then makes a request for the collection of any information missing or additional information required Yes NO Checker evaluates the application Decision is made by the checkers to accept or reject Additional information needed? Senior secretary of the checkers assigns file to the next available checker 8 receipts clerks check each application for completeness of all necessary forms Applications arrive from 150 ULOs, placed in the â€Å"in-tray† NO YES Pro forma front sheet attached to documents 2 clerks place identifier on the form and encode it into the information system COMPLETE?

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Math 101 Course Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Math 101 Course - Essay Example I had always been a little apprehensive about studying Math. However, I found the Math 101 course specifically designed to cater to students like me. All the concepts were explained clearly and in a simple manner so that I could understand them well. This course has given me a strong foundation in basic math such that I am able to understand and appreciate various mathematical concepts in a wider perspective. I therefore feel more confident about the subject now.Looking back, I feel that my learning was initially clouded by the apprehension I had regarding the subject. However, as I attended the classes, I gained confidence and was able to understand various concepts like curve sketching, linear equations, matrices, numerical sets and exponential and logarithmic functions. I also feel that if I had spent more time practicing some of the concepts like exponential and logarithmic functions and linear equations, I would have been able to perform better in the course.Regarding the topics that were covered in this course, I found two topics - linear equations and exponential and logarithmic functions – a little difficult to understand. I would suggest using additional problem solving exercises and application exercises to improve this course material.Since I have overcome my initial anxiety about studying math and my performance in this class has been much better than I expected, I feel more confident on the subject. I feel that I have achieved all the course objectives that were listed in the course syllabus. Completing this course has given me the confidence to assess and interpret results in real world situations. I feel that the knowledge I have gained through this course will help me in effective decision making and develop good written communication skills while working in collaboration with others in a professional scenario.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Your thoughts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Your thoughts - Essay Example f literature that is useful for a teacher to understand the culture of a classroom and the students’ psychology, nothing compares to a practical experience gained by a teacher in the classroom. A teacher learns a lot by observing the students and other teachers. To learn the best way, it is advisable for a teacher to take some classes as a silent observer among the students while another teacher is teaching. The first and the foremost thing I have learnt from other teachers is management. This includes controlling the students’ discipline and finishing the curriculum within the required duration. One thing that I have particularly learnt is never to bring my ego in while dealing with the students. 2. Students like Ernest (special needs) need that extra attention from the teacher sometimes in order to succeed. In some classrooms they have so many students that it is hard for the teacher to give that one on one attention that may help the student progress. So by Ms. Hodges implementing the current tactics into her curriculum it really will help Ernest especially the group work. Some kids feel more comfortable learning from other kids, because some kids may feel inferior working with the teacher. What do you think? Ans. There is no doubt in the fact that the age difference of a student with the person he/she is working with makes a lot of difference when it comes to understanding things and participating in activities. Age difference between a student and a teacher is much more than that among two or more students. Students generally take teachers for their parents, and would only be able to expose themselves in a restrained manner. Students are influenced by the seniority and maturity of the teachers. As a result, they are likely to consider their questions too immature to be asked, when the questions might not be immature at all. On the other hand, when students are working in groups with other students their age, they are psychologically relieved and have

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Epistemology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Epistemology - Essay Example First and foremost, this paper also deals with how theories are studied so that people may interpret and understand information, and develop them to form their own research studies. This is known as hermeneutics, and phenomenology would refer to how individuals study the philosophies of the world and what exactly it means to them. For this study, it is important to understand that without these theories, human beings would be lost when it comes to how they understand the world. Knowledge has to come from somewhere and this is illustrated in this paper through the mention of various research methodologies and approaches, dispositions and cognitive theories. As the study declares qualitative and quantitative approaches are two main approaches when it comes to research methodology. At this point it is important to first understand both qualitative and quantitative approaches in order to understand how research studies are brought about, as well as the epistemology and ontology approaches when it comes to research work. In a qualitative study, the researcher is not so interested in obtaining a set of facts, but rather is more interested in gaining insight into a perspective (Johnson, 1984). The philosophy of the qualitative approach is that knowledge and facts are subjective and that problems cannot be fully understood in isolation. In this light, should problems arise, they should be viewed as part of a complex pattern of links and relationships.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Healthcare Workers and Patient Expectations of Death Essay

Healthcare Workers and Patient Expectations of Death - Essay Example Focus is on information gathered from a chaplain of the Sisters of Charity Hospice for the elderly and terminally ill. Interview with the Chaplain Fr. R.J. is a 30 year-old Roman Catholic priest, on study leave abroad from his chaplaincy with the Sisters of Charity Hospice for the Aged in Manila, Philippines. He explained that the Hospice was set up in the 1980s, and it provides healthcare services for sick and dying elders. The Sisters of Charity can be traced to the charismatic Mother Teresa of India, who spread her Christian humanitarian mission in peasant countries of the world. Asked about his perceptions of the work of the Sisters of Charity in Manila, Fr. R.J. said they provide medical and humanitarian care to elders who have been abandoned by their poverty-stricken families. As to his knowledge about the expectations of death among the patients, Fr. R.J. stressed his spiritual role in hearing confessions and counselling. He added to say that foremost among the apprehensions o f the elders were their fear of the unknown in passing awayfrom life, feeling of loss and isolation from their family, and the final pain of dying added to the continuing pain caused by terminal ailment.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Distributive Justice and Ownership Rights Coursework

Distributive Justice and Ownership Rights - Coursework Example This is equivalent to forcing other people to work for the needy, which may be treated as unjust. From this perspective, distribution process is unjust and is oppressive to those people who work an extra mile in search for wealth.Nozick, in his entitlement theory, discusses the various ways that a person may be entitled to legal property (453). To begin with, one may legitimately own property by acquiring previously unheld properties. In such a process, one follows a legal process to ensure that they can own that property. Secondly, a person may acquire a property that was previously held by another through a transfer process. The transfer process implies that the property exchanges hands from one person to another. A good example is when a person sells their land to another person through a legal process. In this case, the person pays for this land or is given without exchange of any material property. For instance, when a person inherits land from their parents may not pay anything but the transfer process can be initiated. However, Nozick notes that there are many illegal ways that a person can acquire a property including fraud or stealing. However, the distributive justice seems to fail in controlling the illegal acquisition of justice. While the rectification of injustice helps to correct cases of injustice in ownership, it lacks the essential thoroughness that a just distribution should encompass.The historical and current time distribution principles depict the flawed nature of the distributive justice.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Maldives and Sustainable Development. Understanding and Developing the Essay

Maldives and Sustainable Development. Understanding and Developing the Role of Tourism in the Economy of Maldives - Essay Example This paper examines the role of tourism in the economy of Maldives in order to recommend specific programs that promote sustainable development. In this light, this paper begins with a general overview of Maldives by emphasizing on its geographical features, and the unique culture of the Maldivian people. After this, an intensive look at the economy of Maldives is done by crucially studying its top three sectors: tourism, construction, and fisheries. Then, the discussion is narrowed down on tourism by having an in-depth look at current tourism statistics, current market segments, and major products and services. This part is closely linked at an analysis of the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the economy and environment of Maldives. This paper concludes with a presentation of specific programs that can be used to promote sustainable development in Maldives. The Republic of Maldives is an archipelago that is consisted of 26 coral atolls, located in the northern Indian Ocean. It is comprised of 1,190 islands, and 200 from which are inhabited (Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation, 2009). Its capital island is called Male’. Its climate is warm and tropical, and seasonal changes are determined by the two yearly monsoons—the northeast monsoon and the southwest monsoon (Corporate Travels and Tours, 2011). The Maldives has a population of approximately 350,000. Its type of government is Independent Republic, while its primary religion is Islam. The currency used in this country is Rufiyaa (1 USD = MRF 15.42). B. People and Culture The culture in the Maldives is tightly linked with the geographical features of the country. As claimed by Red Dot (2009), the physical features of the Maldivian people differ from one atoll to the other, attributing to the genes passed on by South and Southeast Asians, Africans, and Arabs. It can be said that this racial mix has also marked the differences in the Maldivian people’s language, beliefs, and sub-cultures (Countries and their Culture, 2012). The mixing of cultures is evident in the Maldivian arts and craftsmanship. For one, the musical instrument used by Maldivian people called bodu-beru (big drum) resembles that of common African drums. Also, the dhoni is a unique Maldivian sailboat that has an overall design similar to the dow of Arabian countries. Last, the fine artistry behind the wooden beams in Maldivian antique mosques can be attributed to the architecture in Southeast Asian countries. Maldivians are known for their adaptation skills and positive outlook in life. They are generally cheerful, welcoming, and hospitable. In terms of their belief system, Maldivians still appreciate the upholding of unity and oneness in faith, but modernism has delivered a whole new culture with new sets of ideas and attitudes to the people. II. Maldives: Economy According to United States Virtual Presence Post or USVPP (2012), the economy of Maldives is based primarily on tourism and fishing. However, the other key sectors of Maldivian economy are construction, distribution, telecommunications, shipping, aviation, and banking support. A. Background on Economy The Maldives has achieved substantial economic growth over the last several decades (USVPP, 2012). In 2009, the country attained the highest GDP at around $1.3 billion, which is about $4,300 per capita. Tourism, the primary contributor of GDP, remained relatively strong due to the increase in tourist visits as evidenced by the growth in total bed-nights (The World Bank, 2011). However, it was also in 2009 when Maldivian economy shrank by 4 percent. Indeed, as USVPP (2012) further asserted, the fall in tourist arrivals, external financial, and product exports were all contributed by the global economic crisis that severely hit the country during that year As

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Transmission media Essay Example for Free

Transmission media Essay 1. What kind of transmission media would you recommend for each different building and department of the medical instrument company and why; I would use Cat 6 and the required appropriate connectors, using full-duplex transmission, for each building . It has a much higher throughput than Cat 5 and is more flexible than Cat 7 and less expensive than Fiber. 2. What type of media would you recommend using to connect the two buildings and why, and  I would recommend Multimode Fiber (MMF) to connect the two buildings because the distance is within the MMF limitation (due to attenuation) of a few miles and is cheaper than Single-mode Fiber (SMF). Also, fiber is capable of very high throughput and is very resistant to noise. 3. What kind of media should the company request from the its ISP for connecting the corporate WAN to the Internet? UTP is fine from the ISP. The company will just need to have the appropriate modems and connectors to ensure compatibility with the company’s network. If the connection to the ISP is analog we will need to convert it to digital for our network and back to analog when we reach outside the network. I would have the network configured as a MAN with each building having being a LAN. The sales departments desire to conduct video training sessions requires much greater throughput than the access of servrers in another department and the use of fiber will assist in this. The Fulfillment department will be setup with a WLAN (wireless local area network) to facilitate the use of scanners on forklifts interacting with inventory databases.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Case Study Analysis Ppaer Essay Example for Free

Case Study Analysis Ppaer Essay Introduction A number of problems were made during the recent hiring process. This case Study is an attempt to identify and recommend ways to improve this process. From the information that has been obtained, I believe that a lack of employee experience and a lack of prior planning and follow up resulted in a failure to accomplish all the task necessary to hire the new employees in a timely fashion. ?Background Carol Robins, a new campus recruiter for ABC, Inc. , in early April he was able to hire 15 new trainees who were destined to work for Monica Carrolls,  the operations supervisor. From the interviews that were conducted, it appears that Carl was unable to accomplish all of the tasks necessary so that the new hires could begin work. These tasks included documentation, drug testing, material preparation for the orientation, and facility scheduling. Monica Carrolls did contact Carl on May 15 concerning his process with the hiring process. Other employees had failed to keep the paper copy of the master orientation manual current so that it can be quickly copied. Another factor appears the rapid expansion of the company. Alternatives With more than one problem a major focus on a number of different Solutions, such as, Prior planning by Carl could have eliminated some of the issues; however, Carls in experience would probably still have resulted in there being some problems. The company has failed to provide relatively inexperienced employees, like Carl, with comprehensive procedures and job practices. Under the topic of supervision, Monica Carrolls could have made contact more often with Carl. But her job, as operations manager, does not include his supervision. Another solution to the supervision problem could be to increase the staff in the human resources department. However, on examination this does not appear to be the most efficient solution due to the increased costs. Another solution would be to maintain the master New Employee Orientation manual in electronic format. Having the manual in electronic form allows for easy updating of the policy and procedures, and prevents inadvertent loss or damage to that document. This method is cost effective and easily implemented. ?Proposed Solutions. A New Employee Checklist will be created with all pre-employed tasks listed on it. ?The Employee Orientation manual will be maintained in an electronic format. ?Some of the pre-employment tasks will become the responsibility of the potential employees to accomplish. Potential employees will report when the tasks have been completed. A member of the human resource staff will confirm that the task has been completed correctly. ?Employees like, Carl Robins, will be required to submit weekly reports detailing the current status of all potential employees. ?Recommendations New employees are the only way the work of this organization gets accomplished. Everyone efforts to sustain the continued growth and profits of this company cannot be ignored. With the continued growth of the company the proposed solutions that the employee will make on that day may need to be modified as the company becomes larger. I would recommend that a periodic review of the hiring process; looking for ways to improve it. And also a review should be done on an annual basis.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Complications of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Complications of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic sinus surgery, a widely used method in the treatment of chronic sinus disease can lead to major (0-1,5 %) and minor (1,1-20,8% ) complications. These complications are still important nowadays. Central nervous system (CNS) fistula, hemorrhage, meningitis, orbital injury and even death are major pathologies. These are usually the result of injury of fovea ethmoidalis or orbital structures [1-4]. If the skull base anatomy and its possible variations are well known these risks will be minimized. ‘Fovea ethmoidalis’ which seperates ethmoid cells from anterior cranial fossa forms the roof of ethmoidal labrynth [5, 6]. Fovea ethmoidalis adheres to lateral lamella of cribriform plate which is a medially located very thin bone [7]. Keros [8] classified the depth of olfactory fossa as the height of lateral lamella in 1962. According to his classification if the height of lateral lamella MATERIAL-METHOD Two hundred paranasal sinus computed tomographies performed for various reasons as a total of 400 hemisides of paranasal region were analyzed retrospectively. Patients under 18 years of age, with a history of prior surgery, trauma which led to massive destruction of bones and patients with congenital anomalies were excluded from the study. A hundred of the patients were female (18-77 years old, mean age: 36,91) and 100 male (18-76 years old, mean age:34,25), respectively. MDCT scanner (Siemens Medical Solutions, Enlargen, Germany) with consecutive 1mm thick sections were obtained and coronal multiplanar reconstructions were performed. Bone algorithm was used. In our study , we measured that the depths of olfactory fossa, identifying Keros types, the distances of the ethmoidal roof from hard palate, the distances between upper and lower limits of the orbita bilateraly. The height of ethmoid roof was calculated by measuring the distance between ethmoid roof and the upper limit of orbit a. Measurements in coronal sections were performed at the level of the optic nerve just posterior to the orbital globe. Also the shapes of the bone from the confluence of ethmoidal fovea with lateral lamella are called type 1 if its shape looks like a broken arrow (broken wing) and type 2 if its shape is flat (flattening) and forms of the asymmetry were investigated. Keros typing, ethmoid roof height and asymmetric shape of the fovea were investigated in both sexes whether there is a relationship between them. NCSS statistical analysis (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2007 Statistical Software (Utah, USA) was performed with the package program. Data were evaluated by descriptive statistical methods (mean, standard deviation), as well as comparisons between groups one-way analysis of variance, in the sub-group comparisons Tukeys multiple comparison test, in the binary comparisons of groups and independent t test, in the qualitative comparisons of data chi-square and weighted kapp a compatibility test was used. Results significances were evaluated at p RESULTS: According to the classification of Keros, 3.75% of the patients Keros type I (n = 15), 59.5% Keros type II (n = 238), 36.75% Keros type III (n = 147). Keros type III is more common in males (n=86, 43%) than females (n=61, 30.5%) (p = 0.017). The shapes of fovea ethmoidalis in 97.25% (n = 389) of the patients were the broken arrows (type 1), while 2.75% (n = 11) of the shapes were flat (type 2) . In 54 cases (13.5%) an olfactory fossa Keros type asymmetry, in 11 cases (2.75%) foveal shape asymmetry was found. In seven patients (3.5%) as well as the foveal shape asymmetry also Keros olfactory fossa type asymmetry was seen . Keros type I patients’ orbital maximal height average were measured 33.07  ± 1.24 mm, Keros type II patients 32.57  ± 1.97 mm, Keros Type III patients 33.31  ± 2.11 mm respectively. In the male patients , the average heights of the orbits of Keros III group were significantly higher than Keros group II (p = 0.034). The olfactory fossa depth was measured at an average 6.45  ± 2.16 mm on the right , 6.39  ± 2.21 mm on the left. The average depth of the olfactory fossa in males (6.7  ± 2.45 mm) was higher than in females (6.13  ± 1.84 mm) (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference between the olfactory fossa depth between type 1 or type 2 foveal shape. Right and left olfactory fossa depth which were used for detection of Keros typing was compared. In 93 patients (46.5%) from the total of 200 patients asymmetry was detected. In 55 patients > 1 mm (27.5%), in 38 patients had > 2 mm (19%) difference was found. Forty-eight of them female and 45 were male. In seven of the same patients showed foveal shape asymmetry also. Average right ethmoid roof height 7.59  ± 2.25 mm ,average left ethmoid roof height was measured 7.75  ± 2.38 mm. In men with type 2 foveal shape the groups average height of the ethmoid roof (9.59  ± 2.77 mm) was higher than the foveal shape of type 1 group (7.66  ± 2.36 mm) (p = 0.042). In women, the average height of the ethmoid roof of type 2 group (8.75  ± 1.76 mm) was higher than type 1 group (7.34  ± 2.11 mm) (p = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference was observed between the averages of heights of ethmoid roofs in Keros type I, II and III patients. Right and left ethmoid roof heigh ts were compared in total of 200 patients. There was an asymetry between left and right sides in 93 patients (46.5%) . In 55 patients > 1 mm difference (27.5%), in 38 patients had > 2 mm difference (19%) was found. Forty-nine of them were female, 44 of them were male. Five of the same patients showed asymmetry in the shape of the fovea also. In 54 patients (27%), asymmetry was observed in both ethmoid roof height and olfactory fossa depth . Twenty-nine of them were female, twenty-five of them were male. In the same group; the foveal shape in four patients showed asymmetry also. For the Keros type I patients both sides of the olfactory fossa depth asymmetry ratio was found to be more (53,3%) than the other types. For the same measurement, the ratios were found 40,8% and 29,4 % with Keros type II and type III respectively. Kerosian ethmoid roof height of both sides in patients with type I, asymmetry ratio was found to be greater (40.0%). For the same measurement, the results were 33.3% and 29.4% in Keros type III and type II respectively. In the Keros type I patients foveal shape asymmetry was found to be greater (20.0%) than the other types . The foveal shape asymetry for Keros type II was 4.2% and 4.08% for Keros type III respectively. DISCUSSION: The ethmoid sinuses have special importance especially in patients undergoing sinus surgery . Because these sinuses are close to vital organs such as the anterior cranial fossa, dura, orbita, optic nerve and anterior ethmoid artery [12, 13]. During endoscopic sinus surgery, the maximum likelihood of injury of the skull base is in Keros type III cases in which olfactory fossa are deep [9]. In 1962, in Keros’ study with 450 patients, type II patients at a rate of 70.16% (which was the most common type in that study), type III 18.25% and type I 11.59% of the patients [8]. In our study 3.75% of the patients were Keros type I (Figure 1), 59.5% of the patients were Keros type II (Figure 2), 36.75% of the patients were Keros type III (Figure 3) . After the point of the junction of fovea ethmoidalis with cribriform plate as well as the depth; the shape and symmetry of these structures are also important . In our study, in 93 patients (46.5%), olfactory fossa height asymmetry was detected and in another 93 patients (46.5%) foveal shape asymmetry was found. In 54 cases with height asymmetry there was also shape asymmetry (27%). In a study made by Basak et al. [14] in Turkey on 64 children with Keros type I, type II and type III incidences were explained in the following way; 9%, 53% and 38% . Anderhub et al. [15] researched 272 cases of German children for the analysis of cases of ethmoid roof . The results of their study were as follows: 14.2% of the patients Keros type 1, 70.6% of the patients Keros type II, 15.2% of the patients Keros type III . In Jang and his collegues study [16], on 205 adult patients, type II was the most common (69,5%). In Alazzaw and his collegues study [17] on 150 patients with 3 separate ethnic group type I 80%, type II 20% and type III 0% of the patients were detected. In a study made by Elwany and et al. [18] on 300 Egyptian 42,5% of type I, 56,8% type II and 1,4% type III were found respectively. In this study, the type II olfactory fossa was the commonest type in men (66.7%), while the type I fossa was commonest in women (53%). In a study made by Souza et al. [19] on 200 Brazilian with type I 26,3%, type II 73,3% and type III, 0,5% of reported cases. Solares et al. [20] in United States examined 50 cases, 83% of the cases type I, 15% type II and %2 type III respectively. In a study in Turkey Erdem et al. [21] showed 8,1% in 136 patients with type 1, 59,6% type II, 32,3% type III; Sahin et al. [22] in 100 cases detected 10% of the patients type I, 61% type II, 29% type III. Dr. Satish Nair [23], found that 77,2% of type II in the study, 17,2% of type I and 5,6%. of type III 5,6% respectively. As seen in the studies, differences are observed between different countries. In a study by Lebowitz et al. [24] 200 paranasal tomographies were interpreted. In 86 of the cases, olfactory fossa shapes were symmetric and their heights were the same. Ninety-six cases had shape asymmetry, 19 cases had height asymmetry in olfactory fossa, one case had both shape and height asymmetry. In a study made by Dessi et al. [11] on 150 Italian patients, 10% identified asymmetry of the height of the olfactory fossa. In Fan and et al. [25] studies’ on 160 Chinese patients, 15,6% of cases showed olfactory fossa height asymmetry, 38,75% of cases had foveal shape asymmetry. Souza et al. [19] showed ethmoid roof height asymmetry in 12% of the cases, contour asymmetry in 48,5% of the cases. Michael Reiss et al. [26] studied 644 patients, of which 31 % was detected height asymmetry. Kizilkaya et al. [2] reported that in 37,95% patients was detected height asymmetry. Dr. Satish Nair [23] identified height asymmetry in 11,7% of the cases. In the same study, ethmoid roof heigh t and contour asymmetry was found in patients at the highest rate with type I (67,8%); than 32,3% and 40% with type II and type III followed. In a study made by Kaplanoglu et al. [27] on 500 patients ; in 80% of cases was found height asymmetry, the foveal shape asymmetry was detected in 35% of the patients in the same study. Our current study in patients with Keros type I both olfactory fossa depth and height of the ethmoid roof asymmetries had greater percentage. But in our population Keros type I is less seen. However, most of the skull base injuries were seen in Keros type III cases at a prevalance of 36,75% in our study in which olfactory fossa depth and height of the ethmoid roof asymmetry rates were quite high (respectively 40,8%, 33,3%). Preoperative computed tomography must be interpreted in detail. Especially Keros typing must be done and all the variations should be evaluated carefully. CONCLUSION In patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery; knowledge of anatomic details and average lengths of skull base and their neighbouring structures and the possible variations of anatomical structures are very important for the prevention of complications that may occur during the operation. Therefore, the preoperative evaluation of paranasal sinus CT by considering the various possibilities is necessary and inevitable. REFERENCES 1. Hemmerdinger SA, Jacobs JB, Lebowitz RA. Accuracy and cost analysis of image-guided sinà ¼s surgery. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2005; 38:453–60. 2. E. Kizilkaya, M. Kantarci, C. C. Basekim et al., â€Å"Asymmetry of the height of the ethmoid roof in relationship to handedness,† Laterality, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 297–303, 2006. 3. May M, Levine HL, Mester SJ, Schaitkin B (1994) Complications of endoscopic sinus surgery: Analysis of 2108 patients incidence and prevention. Laryngoscope 104: 1080-1083. 4. Ulualp SO. Complications of endoscopic sinus surgery: appropriate management of complications. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008; 16: 252-9. 5. Stammberger HR, Kennedy DW; Anatomic Terminology Group. Paranasal sinuses: anatomic terminology and nomenclature. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl 1995; 167: 7-16. 6. Stammberger H (1993) Endoscopic anatomy of lateral wall and ethmoidal  sinuses. St. Louis Mosby-Year Book 13-42. 7. Terrier F, Weber W, Ruefenacht D, Porcellini B. Anatomy of the ethmoid: CT, endoscopic and macroscopic. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1995; 144: 493-500. 8. Keros P. On the practical value of differences in the level of the lamina cribrosa of the ethmoid. Z Laryngol Rhinol Otol. 1962; 41:809–813. 9. Ohnishi T, Yanagisawa E. Lateral lamella of the cribriform plate – an important high-risk area in endoscopic sinus surgery. Ear Nose Throat J. 1995;74:688–90. 10. Lee JC, Song YJ, Chung YS, Lee BJ, Jang YJ, et al. (2007) Height and shape of the skull base as risk factors for skull base penetration during endoscopic sinus surgery. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 116: 199-205. 11. Dessi P, Moulin G, Triglia JM, et al. Difference in the height of the right and left ethmoidal roofs: a possible risk factor for ethmoidal surgery. Prospective study of 150 CT scans. J Laryngol Otol. 1994;108:261–2. 12. Zacharek MA, Han JK, Allen R, Weissman JL, Hwang PH. (2005)Sagittal and coronal dimensions of the ethmoid roof: a radioanatomic study. Am J Rhinol 19: 348-52. 13. Ohnishi T, Tachibana T, Kaneko Y, Esaki S (1993)High-risk areas in endoscopic sinus surgery and prevention of complications. Laryngoscope 103:1181-1185. 14. Basak S, Akdilli A, Karaman CZ, et al. Assessment of some important anatomical variations and dangerous areas of the paranasal sinuses by computed tomography in children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2000;55:81–9. 15. Anderhuber W, Walch C, Fock C. Configuration of ethmoid roof in children 0-14 years of age. Laryngorhinootologie. 2001;80:509–11. 16. Jang YJ, Park HM, Kim HG. The radiographic incidence of bony defects in the lateral lamella of the cribriform plate. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 1999;24:440–2. 17. Alazzawi S, Omar R, Rahmat K, Alli K. Radiological analysis of the ethmoid roof in the Malaysian population. Auris Nasus Larynx 2012; 39: 393-6. 18. Elwany S, Medanni A, Eid M, Aly A, El-Daly A, Ammar SR. Radiological observations on the olfactory fossa and ethmoid roof. J Laryngol Otol 2010; 124: 1251-6. 19. Souza SA, Souza MMA, Idagawa M, Wolosker AMB, Ajzen SA. Computed tomography assessment of the ethmoid roof: a relevant region at risk in endoscopic sinus surgery. Radiol Bras 2008; 4: 143-7. 20. Solares CA, Lee WT, Batra PS, Citardi MJ. Lateral Lamella of the cribriform plate. Software-enabled computed tomographic analysis and its clinical relevance in skull base surgery. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008; 134: 285-9. 21. Erdem G, Erdem T, Miman MC, Ozturan O. A radiological anatomic study of the cribriform plate compared with constant structures. Rhinology 2004; 42: 225-9. 22. Ã…Å ¾ahin C, YÄ ±lmaz YF, Titiz A, Ozcan M, Ozlugedik S, Unal A. Analysis of Ethmoid Roof and Cranial Base in Turkish Population. KBB ve BBC Dergisi 2007; 15: 1-6. 23. Nair S (2012) Importance of Ethmoidal Roof in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. Open Access Scientific Reports; 1: 251. 24. Lebowitz RA, Terk A, Jacobs JB, et al. Asymmetry of the ethmoid roof: analysis using coronal computed tomography. Laryngoscope. 2001;111: 2122–4. 25. Fan J, Wu J, Wang H, Lang J, Lin S. Imaging analysis of the ethmoid roof. Ling Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zai 2005; 69-71. 26. Reis M, Reis G. Height of Right and Left Ethmoid Roofs: Aspects of Laterality in 644 Patients. Int J Otolaryngol 2011; 508907. 27. Hatice Kaplanoglu, Veysel Kaplanoglu, Alper Dilli, Ugur Toprak, Baki HekimoÄÅ ¸lu. An Analysis of the Anatomic Variations of the Paranasal Sinuses and Ethmoid Roof Using Computed Tomography. Eurasian J Med 2013; 45: 115-25. 1

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Choctaw indians :: essays research papers

The Choctaw Indians   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Choctaw Indians is a tribe of Musksgean stock .The Choctaws were once part of a larger tribe that included the Greeks and Seminoles and are considered one of the five civilized tribes (Cherokees , Greeks, Choctaws , Seminoles, and Chickasaws) . At one time Choctaw territory extended from Mississippi to Georgia, but by the time Europeans began to arrive in North America they were primarily in Mississippi and Louisiana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Choctaw Indians were into cultivation , they hunted and raised corn along with a host of other crops. One of their chief religious ceremonies was a harvest celebration called , â€Å"The green corn dance.† According to one legend, the Choctaw were created at a sacred mound called Nanih Waiya, near Noxapater ,Mississippi.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1540, the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto led the first European expedition through Choctaw territory. Fighting broke out after the Choctaw refused to supply the Spaniards with a guide and transportation. The Spaniards were in the wrong because the Choctaw Indians were friendly especially with the French and allied with them during the intercolonial wars between France and England . Some Choctaws fought with Jackson at New Orleans against the British.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1830, the United States Government passed the Indian removal Act. This act called for Eastern Indians to be moved West to make room for white settlers. The Government then forced the Choctaw to sign the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. The Treaty exchanged the Tribe’s Eastern land for an area in the Indian territory, in what is now Oklahoma.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Free Macbeth Essays: Foreshadowing the Apparitions -- GCSE Coursework

Foreshadowing the Apparitions in MacBeth One would question the credibility of the enigmatic apparitions within Macbeth's renowned Act IV, Scene i. Shakespeare gains the audience's acceptance of the three mystically summoned apparitions through methodically foreshadowing a supernatural event is about to occur. Each stance of Shakespeare's foreshadowing -- cauldron potions, Hecate, the second witch's awareness of MacBeth, and stage direction -- contributes to the believability of the apparitions' appearance in the play. The fact the witches were mixing a "poisoned (IV,i,5)" concoction upon the entrance of MacBeth implies "trouble (IV,i,10)." Three witches circling around a cauldron, throwing in items such as "baboon's blood (IV,i,37)" foreshadows something dark and mysterious will happen. Hecate, the queen of the witches, "commends (IV,i,39)" the witches for their "pains (IV,i,39)," upon entrance to the witchery drenched stage. Hecate also uses a device similar to the royal we. She implies that the entirety of the populous will benefit from the outcome of the p...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Crushing the Native Americans

After the Civil War, Indians inhabited almost half of the United States. White Americans were urged to move west and settle, not taking regard that Native Americans already lived there. By the late 1800s most Indians had lost their land and had been driven onto reservations. Eastern Indians had already been forced to the west. A number of tribes weren't cooperative with moving onto reservations and changing their customs. This caused many battles between whites and Native Americans.During the Gold Rush of 1849, a lot of Native Americans were killed by white disease and minors burning their villages. These events were significant because they contributed to an up rise between white Americans and Indians. On November 29, 1864, Colonel John M. Chivington led an attack on the Cheyeane and Arapaho. They killed and scalped men, women, and children. I believe this was important because it showed the disregard for the tribes and how ruthless the whites were against them, but also warranted a treaty. The Fetterman massacre that took place in December 1866 was a big part of theSioux War of 1865-1867. Red Cloud, the Sioux Chief, lured Fetterman's army into an ambush and wiped out all of them. This took place again because of gold rush invasion and only shows the results of someone trying to take another's homeland. http://www. indians. org/articles/native-american-indians. html The Native American Indians were forced out of their homeland, resulting in many issues and events including the Trail of Tears. Most of them eventually converted to the European way of life by dressing the same and changing their religion to Christianity.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Mrs. Beth Namara

Encouraging an individual to communicate their needs, preferences and personal beliefs affecting their personal care is very important in health and social care. As care workers we have to always consider people’s preferences even if it is not what we would like as individuals. There may be cultural considerations that I might need to think about as a person but this does not stop me from encouraging an individual to communicate what they want.When I realize that the service user is not able to communicate their needs, preferences and personal beliefs with ease, I am always patient and give them more time or use other methods of communication to find out. (58. 1. 1) As a care worker it is my responsibility to promote effective communication at work by being able to understand both verbal and non verbal messages the service users use. I know how to communicate well with the service users and to listen to their needs attentively in order to understand the message they put forwar d for me.For example I maintain eye contact all the time with the person I am talking to, listen carefully, use my body gestures to show them that I am listening and interested in what they are telling me. This gives them the assurance that I am listening to what they are telling me and I respect what they are telling me. (58. 1. 1) Sometimes I ask the family, friends or previous care workers for advice or seek for information about their needs, preferences and personal beliefs. For instance some service users prefer a bath to a shower or a strip wash, I have to respect that even If I feel that it is more practical to have a shower than a bath.Some service users prefer to have a bath three times a week I respect their choice and do exactly what pleases them as long as it is what they want and it is their choice. I avoid imposing my own views on them even if their choices conflict with what I feel is right. (58. 1. 1) Some service users have their religious beliefs or cultural needs regarding their personal care , It is my responsibility to always find out about these beliefs and respect them to avoid offending the service users I support and their family without intending to do so.There are some service users who prefer care workers to be of the same gender as them. For example there is a female service user who does not accept male carer workers in her house. This is respected by the company I work for and every service provided to her has to be a female because that is what she prefers (58. 1. 1) In conclusion , by listening to what the service users want or prefer , following their choices or getting information and advice from their family and friends is very important in health and social. By doing this, the service users will be satisfied with the level of the care they receive.In order to be able to provide support for personal care safely, care workers have to know how to help the individuals understand the reasons for hygiene and safety precautions. S ource of support in personal care can influence people’s habits and values, for instance some service users bathe or shower daily while for others it is twice a week or once. People’s attitudes to the care of their teeth, hair, nails, shaving also differs and it my duty as a care worker to explain to them the reasons for hygiene and safety precautions. (58. 2.1) Service users who usually have little contact with the public are not so much into grooming themselves like those who keep going out to mix with others. Those who stay home most of the time are usually less motivated to pay attention to personal hygiene. For example one of the service users I support is disabled but very active, he is involved in many charity organisations and loves going out to socialize at different events. He pays too much attention to his hair, teeth, nails and shaving so that he can look his best all the time.When ever I am doing his personal care I do everything according to his choice as longer as it is in line with the safety and hygiene policy of health and social care. As a care worker it is my responsibility to promote healthy and safe practice in relation to hygiene rather than imposing my own standards to service users I support daily. (58. 2. 1) I do make sure that the skin of an individual is washed and kept clean because any breaks to it leads to a risk of infections entering the body.I know very well that the outer layer of the skin is constantly being renewed, the shed cells are replaced with new cells. The skin also produces sweat and sebaceous glands that produce sweat and other oily substances that maintains the water proofing of the skin. If I do not take good care of it the dried sweat, dead skin and sebum can build up and be a breeding area of a range of bacteria or leading to bad smell which can be unpleasant. (58. 2. 1) I always make sure that the teeth of the service users are cleaned at least twice a day so that food particles can be  removed .If the teeth are not cleaned properly this can lead to mouth infection, tooth decay and gum disease caused by the decomposed food particles. It is my responsibility as a care worker to support the individual to understand the reason for keeping their teeth clean or oral care hygiene. (58. 2. 1) I do make sure their hair is washed and dried properly, most of the people I support are aged and their hair is dry and more brittle. I use mild shampoo with conditioner mostly to wash the hair then rinse it well and dry it.Some prefer their hair to be dried with the hand drier and others demand that I use the towel to dry it. Some service users get hair care services from hair dressers and it is my responsibility to ring and book for them hair appointments. (58. 2. 1) When I am doing hair care, i check for head lice which can be easily spread between people who have close head to head contact. Well conditioned hair makes it more difficult for the eggs to latch on to the hair. In conclusion, personal hygiene is not only about preventing the spread of infection, it also improves the way people feel about themselves.Service users usually feel better when I give them a bath or a shower, washed hair and cleaned boost their self esteem. The feedback I get from them shows that they really feel good after a nice bath, creaming, hair care, oral care and clean clothing. As a care worker it is my duty to promote and demonstrate good hygiene practices and be positive role models. Some service users I support need to be sensitively reminded and educated about hygiene and I do that when I see it is necessary the person has no idea about the importance of hygiene. (58. 2. 1)It is very important that I use protective equipments, protective clothing and hygiene techniques all the time when I am doing personal care in order to minimize the risk of infection. Germs can spread very easily from one person to another especially if they get onto clothes, hair, beddings and other materials. Therefore, it is my responsibility to limit the spread of infection by making sure I use correct precautions such as washing and protective equipment, gloves and aprons when supporting people with personal care to reduce the spread of infection.Most of the service users I support are aware of these universal precautions that they are in place to protect them and everyone involved from infections. I also apply hand gel to clean my hands and rinse my hands when I remove gloves and put them in the correct bin provided according to waste disposal policy. (58. 2. 2) I use protective equipments all the time when dealing with bodily fluids, clinical wastes or hazardous substances . Then after I dispose all used personal protective clothing either in the bag supplied by health services or in a plastic bag which I tie up and place in the main bin.I also make sure that I put the dirty laundry such as soiled bedding or clothes in the correct laundry bag provided to use. I avoid putting the dir ty laundry or the soiled linen on the floor because the soiled linen can spread infection. More to that , I always use people’s own toiletries when helping them with personal care, I do this mostly when I am supporting some one in a communal or a sheltered home. Germs can harbor in creams, make up, combs, hair bands, hats, hair nets and can easily spread from person to person if shared.Sharing toiletries and equipments among so many people also compromises a person’s individuality. As a care worker my own hygiene has also to be of high standard, I make sure I wear clean clothes each day which have been washed and ironed properly. After worker I change into a clean wear to go in home and this helps to reduce the spread of infections. Each day work clothes are washed separately from other clothes in the house, I use a hot wash and conditioner to kill all the germs and bacteria. (58. 2. 2)Reporting concerns about the safety and hygiene of equipments or facilities used for personal care to the manager or any body else concerned is very important not only for the safety of the service user but for the carer and others people involved. (58. 2. 3) Facilities and equipments used for personal care have to be in good working order, safe and clean to use otherwise, there can be accidents. As a care worker I also have a responsibility under health and safety law to ensure the safety of all people using the premises, I have to be observant so that I do not put anyone at risk of danger or harm.I have to make sure that equipments are checked regularly and all electrical equipments are tested and confirmed to be safe. As a care worker I have to be familiar with the correct working of equipment, such as the hoist, the chair lift, the electric bath chair and others because this will help me to know when things are not right. (58. 2. 3) I do make sure that I check every equipment before use and I do not use anything that might cause harm. If I check and notice that the equipment is faulty, I take them out of use make report and record the faulty as my employer’s policy or social and health care policy requires me to do.I know very well that dripping taps can be a hazard and if hot water drips from a tap while a person is bathing the service user can suffer serious burns. I also report other concerns like those of sharp edges on bath seats which can cause skin tears not only to the service user but to the carer and other people. (58. 2. 3) I do also report Items such as dirty or unhygienic bath mat, commodes, bath hoists, electric bath chairs and other unclean items that can easily spread infections to my manager or any other appropriate person.For the dirty bath tub, I do make sure that I scrub it with the cleaning materials before using it, this reduces the level of infection and makes the bathing place clean and pleasant to use. During the induction, I was told the benefit of reporting any concern about the safety and hygiene of equi pments or facilities, If I do not report it, that means I will be answerable in case of any thing, therefore, in order for me to cover my back in case of anything happens, I have to make sure I report to my manager or supervisor about any concern. (58. 2. 3)Control and exposure to hazardous waste is taken seriously in health and social care, this is about protecting the carer workers, the service users and others against hazardous substances such as the bleach, incontinence materials and other body wastes. COSHH is an abbreviation for Control of substances Hazardous to Health, the dangers of using such substances can be skin irritation, nose and throat irritation, allergic reactions and inhalation. (58. 2. 5) Waste materials I encounter during my daily care job include urine, feaces, incontinence pads, catheter and stoma bags, sanitary items, sputum, vomit and blood.During the induction it was clearly explained to me and other carer workers who attended that such body wastes should not pose any risk therefore, it should be wrapped properly, ensure that it is free from any excess liquid and disposed off properly. (58. 2. 5) All waste materials have to be handled with care because there are risks involved such as contracting gastrointestinal infections resulting in diarrhea and vomiting.The policy also emphasizes that all care workers  should know that it is important to safely dispose the waste because other people have to deal with it after it is disposed. Therefore, it is my duty as a care worker to make sure all the waste is wrapped and disposed in a bag or container provided. According to my work place policy, bags containing wastes should not be overfilled as these can be a risk to moving and handling as well as splitting open and contamination. Therefore, I always make sure the waste bags are filled up to the right and recommended level then tie them properly and make them ready for disposal.Keeping people safe is my priority as a care worker , liquid w astes such as urine, feaces, vomit and blood I dispose them in any normal sewage system, Incontinence pads, sanitary items, wound dressings, used gloves and aprons I dispose them in the yellow bag, soiled foul linen in the red bag which has inner dissolvable liner. I put the linen in the white bag which is usually provided for it, dispose house hold waste in the black bag and the sharp equipments such as needled and pins in the yellow sharps box.I make sure before I handle any wastes, I wear my apron, gloves and after I wash my hands properly. (58. 2. 5) Supporting individuals to make themselves clean and tidy after using toilet facilities is my responsibility as a care worker. After assisting service users to use toilet facilities, I have to make sure that, I support them to cleanse thoroughly to prevent them from becoming sore. I know very well, if the traces of feaces and urine are not cleaned properly can cause soreness and infections.I always make sure that there is enough toil et paper and wipe the service user from front to back, this is referred to as the correct way because it prevents traces of feaces being drawn towards the vagina and urethra which can cause infections. (58. 3. 2) There are individuals who always ask for running water to cleanse themselves after using the toilet this is either their culture or it is according to their religious faith. This is very common with service users who are Muslims by faith or have a culture of washing themselves after toileting rather than using toilet tissue.When the bidet facilities are not available, I provide them with water in small buckets or big bottles to wash themselves after using the toilet. Some of the service users I support prefer using moist baby wipes or toilet tissues after suing the toilet. (58. 3. 2) Most of the female service users use feminine wipes because they are soft, gentle and non irritant to clean their genitals after using the toilet. I always make sure a hand washing liquid is re adily available and I encourage the service users to use it to wash their hands properly.Some of my service users do not like to wash their hands after using the toilet, in this case I do remind them about the importance of washing hands. It is my responsibility to ensure that soap and hand washing liquid is provided at all the sinks in the house to make it easy for the service users to wash thoroughly, then a hand towel is provided for drying the wet hands. In conclusion, it my duty as a care worker to support individuals to make themselves clean and tidy after using toilet facilities. (58. 3. 2)Whenever, I enter service user’s home, after checking if the individual is ok, I check the room temperature to make sure it is ok for the person I am going to support. Sometimes I do ask them if the temperature is the right one or there is need to regulate it. This depends on what they want at that time, I usually do this in winter season or when the weather is too cold for the indiv idual. I also make sure the area where personal care is going to take place is warm and free from draughts. First, I close the windows then after prepare and make sure the heating is on to warm the room.  (58. 4. 1)After a bath or a wash most service users feel cold , therefore, it is my duty to make sure that I keep their bodies warm. I usually spread their towels and clothes on the sides of the radiator to take the chill off and make sure they are not too hot. I also ensure that the spread clothes are just on the sides and do not block the warm air flow from the radiator into the room. When ever I am running baths, I run the cold water first and then the hot water last, the reason why I do this is because hot water can cause serious burns or scalds to service users.I was warned by my manager to be careful when running hot water in the bath because a number of burns accidents or scalds in the health and social care sector have been reported to the health and safety Executives. (5 8. 4. 1) The hand book about guidelines on safe water temperatures were handed to all the care workers who attended the induction with me. The people I support are vulnerable and more at risk of burns, some of them have dementia, others are old with health problems like diabetes. All those mentioned may not be able to judge or control the water temperatures on their own.Most of the people I support have limited mobility and cannot be able to get out of the bath quickly if the water is to hot, therefore it is my duty to always do risk assessment before taking anyone for a bath and take measures to reduce the risks. I make sure the water is at an appropriate temperature, for the bath it has to be 44 °C, for the shower it has to be 41 °C, for the wash basin it has to be 41 °C and 38 °C for a bidet. Thermometers are provided for the care workers to check the water temperature, it is my duty to report the water that is not within the recommended temperatures.It is also my respons ibility not to leave the tap running because this does not only waste water but can also cause scalds. Service users do not only need support in baths but also in oral care to prevent tooth decay and other dental problems. (58. 4. 1) As a care workers, It is my responsibility to encourage and support service users to manage their own personal care so that they are independent as much as possible. Supporting personal hygiene activities in ways that maintain comfort, respect, dignity and promoting active participation is very important in health and social care.It is my responsibility to find out how much a service user can do independently, I usually get this information from their care plan , family or friends and by being observant as individuals’ condition and needs keep changing. (58. 5. 1) I encourage service users to participate actively and help them by giving the right level of support. For example, those who can manage to clean themselves after toileting I let them do it independently and some who are not able to, I give them the required support while maintaining respect and dignity.I avoid giving less support to those who need it because this leads to individuals feeling neglected or not supported. I know very well it is also not good to give too much support that is not required because this takes away individuals independence. I make sure whatever I do for the service user shows respect and dignity, I avoid taking over their independence because this shows disrespect or devaluing an individual. (58. 5. 1) I make sure that I offer the service users the opportunity to use toilet facilities before they wash, bathe or get a shower, this helps in minimizing unnecessary hustle or pain that can be caused by movements.I ensure that individuals, who are experiencing pain, do not move unnecessarily and the prescribed pain killers are given to them before the shower, bath or any wash. By doing this I am maintaining comfort, showing maximum respect and dignity. (58. 5. 1) I always make sure that the area where the personal hygiene is going to take place is private, I get all the required materials to use ready before hand, offer the service users a choice to decide on their own what they prefer, either a bath or a shower and I respect their cultural and religious beliefs.When it comes to toileting I always ask them to find out which kind of toiletries they like to use, I ensure all the equipments for use are safe and in good order. I do find out how much the service user can do independently, make sure the person knows how to call for help in case they need it and I do not rush them. Last but not least I give them maximum respect and dignity which is very important because this makes them feel secure, loved and cared for properly. Some times an occupational therapist can be needed to offer the service user advice on how to use some equipments and how they can manage independently.  (58. 5. 1)Most of the individuals I support liv e in their own homes and some are in sheltered accommodation but in separate apartments. After doing laundry work, I sort clothes properly, put all the clean ones neatly on hangers and in drawers. I always make sure that service users’ hair combs and brushes are kept clean after use, sometimes I encourage service users to remove any hair in them as a way of killing boredom.For example last week I used the following sentences to encourage Mrs. T to clean her hair equipments â€Å"It seems your combs needs your attention Mrs.  T, can you have a look† she laughed so loud and immediately started to remove the hair and dust from them. (58. 5. 2) I do make sure that all the old creams and make up are discarded because they can harbor germs and cause infections. Some of the service users do no like throwing away their stuff, therefore in this case i use persuasive words such as â€Å"Mrs. J, don’t you think this old cream or make up will cause an irritation on your skin, it is not advisable to use any cream if it is expired†.I always make sure that I hand a tissue to the service user to use and remind them that make up can create stains on clothes which can be difficult to remove or wash clean. For example, Ms. L was putting nail vanish on her finger nails, I gave her a napkin to protect her skirt from the vanish spills, at first she did not want to use it, but I said to her with a smile that â€Å"Ms L, let me hope you this skirt will not be in the bin on Friday†. She asked me, why? I replied to her, I do not this vanish we will be able to remove this vanish from this fabric once it spills there.She immediately asked for the napkin to protect her beautiful skirt from the vanish stains. (58. 5. 2) I do make sure individuals I support use clean razors which are in working order and foils of electric and safety razors used for wet shaves are clean and not blunt. Some service users have a tendency of not discarding their razors even if they are blunt, in this case I use my persuasive communication language to help me sensitize them about the dangers of using such gadgets.For instance Mr.  G had an attachment to his Phillips old shaving razor despite of the fact that it was blunt and not working properly, I said to him in a calm and polite way that his razor was responsible for his blisters that come up after every shave. He defended his razor and suggested changing the after shave, I made it clear to him that his idea will not solve the problem unless the new razor was bought. I gave him the names of places like Argos where he can get the same razor on sale and cheap, he listened to my advice and replaced the old one. (58. 5.2) I encourage individuals who prefer doing their personal care independently to keep their combs, shaving razors, make up, creams and clothes in their respective places because this makes their rooms to look neat and organized. By giving them praises such as well done Ms. L your bathroom and bed room look very beautiful today and everything is in order, such statements motivate them. For those who cannot tidy their rooms or bathrooms, it is my responsibility to do it for them the way they like them to be. Some Individuals like their personal care items to be near them all the time or on the table next to their chair.If it is their choice I do respect it as longer as they are safe and will not be harmed by any item. (58. 5. 2) During the training and the induction as care workers we were trained to tell what is normal for an individual and what is not, this helps in preventing discomfort or any serious health problem happening. Because of individuality, what is normal to Mr. J can be abnormal to Mrs. M and it is always my duty to notice and note any changes or concerns and report immediately. Since my work involves providing daily support to service users, I can easily tell if there is even any slight change in some oneshealth. (58. 6. 2) For instance I know the nor mal urine has to be clear and straw coloured, however it usually stronger in the morning and appears more yellowish or orange. I understand very well that passing urine should be pain less and normal, if I observe that the individual is finding it difficult, I report to the manager immediately. If I realize the individual’s urine is cloudy and smells fishy, this is a sign that the individual has an infection. I report this immediately to the manager and write it down in the log sheet.Sometimes I do contact the individual’s doctor to book an appointment for the service user to be examined. For example some months ago I noticed that Mr. D’s colour of urine had traces of blood, I informed my manger who told me to ring the service user’s GP and book a medical appointment for him. Later on it was found out that he had the infection in his urethra which was treated and his urine colour is normal now. (58. 6. 2) I always record any abnormal urine colour in the l og sheet and report to my manager or the supervisor the concerns immediately.I make sure the service user is informed of any abnormality or changes in their urine and for those who are independent I always keep reminding them to check the colour of their urine and inform me if they have any concerns. As with urine, what is normal feaces with one service user may be abnormal for another, therefore, it very important that i keep an eye on the colour and texture of their feaces. If I observe that the feaces of the service user are dry that means they are constipated, then I have to encourage them to take fluids and to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.During the food and nutrition course, we were trained that it is important to give service users a diet of food with enough fibre to prevent constipation. (58. 6. 2) Laxatives have been prescribed to some service users with constipation problem, I was advised to always record the food and drink taken by each service user. I usually ask the service how their stool nature is and if they are going toilet normally. Doctors have often been referring service users to dieticians so that they can recommend changes to their diets.Since most of the people I support are elderly, I have not been encountering women of child bearing age who need help with their menstruation periods. But still I do support ladies to keep themselves hygienically clean as women. I support them to wear panty liner or incontinence pads. to keep themselves clean. (58. 6. 2) Recording and reporting on an individual’s personal care in agreed ways is very important in health and social care. According to my work place, all care workers must record any personal care if necessary they can be asked to report what has been done as personal care .It is vey important to record accurately on any sort of support that I give service users and note down all the health changes that I notice. The organisation I work for provided each service user with a care plan and a log sheet. It is the log sheet where each and every task done daily has to be recorded down and the name of the carer signed against it.. (58. 6. 3) As a care work I have to make sure that the recorded information is accurate because there could be serious consequences as a result of poor record keeping.For example one service user declined a bath and I recorded it down, but when the social worker came to visit him, he complained that he has not been getting personal care. The recorded bit of information worked against him because I had put down all the excuses he was giving me to avoid a bath. When they read for him what was in the log sheet he remembered that he was the one who declined a bath but not me the care worker who did not do my duty properly. By recording all that information saved me so much or else I could have faced the disciplinary committee or expelled from work. (58. 6.  3)According to my work place policy all the recorded information has to be true, for instance there is a care worker who was suspended because of recording what he had not done. He recorded what was to be done on Friday in the log sheet on Wednesday, unfortunately the service user was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night by the ambulance. On Friday morning the carer did not turn up because he had to do his private business, the office was called by the family member of that service user to inform them that his door locked door was locked and is in the hospital the carer should not go in on Friday.When the social worker read the information in the service user’s log book was showing the carer was in the house Friday and found the service user ok which was not true. The manager was informed about the contradicting information in the log book then the care worker was called to the office to come and explain what exactly happened and found all the inaccurate information, it was considered to be fraud because the care worker wanted to earn money he had not worked for. Dishonesty is not allowed when recording information and he was warned after facing the disciplinary committee. (58. 6. 3)

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Launching Strategy Essay

Purpose: Alpen Bank is facing potential growth opportunities in terms of launching a credit card to the Romanian market. The overall goal is to increase annual profit by â‚ ¬5 million within two years of launch. Selection of the right target audience, while applying the appropriate launching strategy is the direction of our focus. Our goal is to extend the Alpen Bank premium service to customers via a new product market. Predictions of economic growth in Romania, proves that the market is growing increasingly ripe for credit cards. Therefore, the issue is not whether or not Alpine Bank should launch a credit card in Romania. The concern of Alpine Bank should be when to launch said services in Romania. Current models, statistics, and research are conclusive; the time to invest in Romania is now. Position Statement: The recommendation standing and supported by enclosed financial statements are as follows: Launching a credit card in the Romanian market would meet the stated purpose by targeting the affluent and most affluent audience (Exhibit 1). The marketing approach will consist of direct sales in conjunction with branch cross selling (Exhibit 2). Also the use of magazine and television advertising strategies will enhance our position. This approach will add support for the recommendation of taking advantage of a primarily non-penetrated market. Reason: The opportunity to invest in the Romanian credit card market yields potential revenue growth, along with increasing the life time value of each customer, new and existing. With Romania entering the European Union, Alpen Bank has been prompted to re-visit its previous credit card approach in the emerging economy. Additionally, there has been an increase in luxury products and purchases, displaying increased consumer purchasing power, a potential indicator of an increased interest in credit card. Furthermore, Romania is in a transition period, with cards gaining favorability over cash payments. Alpen Bank hopes to build upon prior methods explored in Romania by competing banks in penetrating the credit card market. Decision Options (Exhibit 6): 1.Launch a credit card in Romania. 2.Do not launch a credit card in Romania. Decision Option 1 a.Add a new market: Alpen Bank can continue its successful venture in Romania by adding a credit card to its portfolio. This will foster a continuing growth in an increasingly affluent Romanian upper class. As purchasing power is determined by income level and accumulated wealth, the affluent class is more able than the middle class to make purchases on credit. b.Increase revenue: Current models and predictions indicate a strong opportunity to significantly increase the yearly revenue by investing in the credit card market. Calculations display how the venture will increase the life time value of each customer, ensuring future growth. (Exhibit 1) Decision Option 2 a.Focus on existing markets: Venturing into the credit card market could draw resources away from core Alpen Banking services already in effect for the Romanian market. b.Assure no potential risk: All investments come with inherent risks. By investing substantially into an exploratory market, Alpen Bank is running the risk of not meeting the expected outcome. The potential monetary risk could run into the millions of dollars, along with an incalculable risk to reputation. How to measure Decision Option 1 a.Establish a customer base with the affluent and most affluent: By building upon the currently excising clientele, along with attracting untapped segments of the prosperous Romanian upper class. By comparing the actual number of clients utilizing the Alpen Bank credit card with the models and predictions made pre-credit card launch. (Exhibit 4) b.Increasing revenue from the credit card launch: Expected revenue from the credit card enterprise is projected to be â‚ ¬6,698,391 within two years (Exhibit 2). By updating current calculation models with on-going information as the enterprise proceeds allows for ongoing monitoring of predicted return on investment. The lifetime value of customers will also be assessed on a yearly basis, predicting the value of loyal, long term users of credit cards. How to measure Decision Option 2 a.Projecting further growth without credit card. Venturing into the Romanian credit card market taps resources away from current banking business. Investments could also be put to use in other areas, such as higher frequency of branches opening or improving services currently offered. b.Customer awareness of the bank’s premium brand: By investing in already offered business services. Alpine Bank is committed to improving our superior line of service currently offered to the Romanian clientele. Critique of Decision Options 1 Per limitations of senior management, the investment into the Romanian credit card market must prove itself profitable within two years, yielding at least five million euro. Investing in developing a profitable line of credit cards comes with several risk factors. Predictions of profit could be erroneous, leading to a less than expected return on investments. This in turn could lead to revocable and irrevocable damage to reputation, potentially resulting in a net loss of customer over short and long term. Projections of the positive effects of Romania’s’ recent acceptance into the European Union could also be incorrect. By investing time and energy into a new business venture, current banking services could suffer from subconscious neglect by employees involved in both enterprises. Critique of Decision Option 2 A decision not to invest in the Romanian credit card market will be a hinder of growth. Currently, competing banks are investing and have invested in the growing credit card market. By delaying a venture, Alpen Bank is permitting competitors to gain establishment and credit market branding. Alpen Bank currently holds the potential necessary for a successful venture into the credit card market. By failing to employ said resources, Alpine Bank is neglecting talent and opportunity, which could lead to failure in expected profitability. Being accepted into European Union brings increasing prospect of higher return on investments in the credit card market. By choosing to stay out of the market, Alpine Bank is also forcing excising customers to other banks for credit card services. As experienced in other emerging markets in developing countries, credit card customers are less likely to switch from one credit card to another. Therefore, failing to introduce a line of credit cards now will make it increasingly difficult to attract customers when Alpen Bank eventually starts its credit card venture. Action plan: Goals: †¢Launch a credit card †¢Reach the affluent and most affluent †¢Launch marketing and adverting that appeals to our audience Action Steps: Short term †¢Marketing Plan: Release a Premium Marketing Plan that is focused, achievable, compelling, and simple. As evident by exhibit 1, the chosen target group is the affluent and most affluent segments of the Romanian population. By ensuring a proper understanding of the dynamic characterizing the targeted demographic, we are able to construct the appropriate marketing plan. This will instill the programs, tactics, incentives, and budgets necessary for a strong image and a consistent message reaching the targeted customers. †¢Marketing: Investing in direct sales and branch cross-selling holds the highest effective rate of potential customers reached. These two methods also have the lowest cost per customer. Combined they ensure the most effective tactic in recruiting customers to Alpen Bank’s credit card. (Exhibit 2) †¢Advertising: Magazine and television advertisements. Our advertising goal is to capture the attention of perspective applicants as well as converting prospects involved with other credit card venues. Establishing a clear message for the audience is essential in launching advertising Alpen Bank’s advertising campaign. â€Å"A premium clientele deserves a premium banking experience.† The launch of the campaign considers the sophisticated, vernacular culture of our Romanian clientele. The goal is to assure the same quality experience in our established bank while adding an innovative credit card product to allocate more options for our clientele. -Magazine advertisements could feature admired Romanian model Diana Dondoe, to highlight Alpen Bank’s image of being an upscale and exclusive provider of banking services. -Television advertisements could consist of 30 second runs of a Romanian couple being picked up by their driver and dropped off at the premier launch of the credit card. These are some alternatives in order to illustrate how the product could be marketed. †¢Launch of promotional events by the Alpen Bank’s public relations department. Evening events could be held at elegant local venues for charitable fundraising purposes. Long term †¢Continuing growth in the Romanian market, with special focus on the credit card market. †¢Attracting customers to Alpen Bank by focusing on its premium image and superior services. †¢Expansion in the credit card market, to have established a customer base of 200,000 customers five years following initial launch. †¢As the Romanian economy is growing, the percentage of population with a disposable income is increasing. Alpen Bank will focus on attracting new members of the affluent segment of the population. †¢Increase the lifetime value of each customer, by further expansion of the financial services offered. †¢Increase credit card utilization by informing clientele of benefits associated with credit card purchases, along with temporary potential incentives offered in order to change consumer habits. Risk and Countermeasures †¢The chosen target demographic of affluent and most affluent Romanians could prove itself too limited for effective penetration. However, as the Romanian economy is growing, the targeted demographic is also expected to expand in size. Therefore, even if the current market niche is too limited, it is expected to grow substantially over the next two to three years. †¢The expected profit of five million could not be achieved within the timeframe of two years. As limitations set by senior management calls for a substantial profit to be made within a relatively short amount of time, there is a risk of the time restraints not being met. Yet these restrictions add a clear vision, enabling a structured approach in order to meet the expected outcome within the set timeframe. Final recommendation and conclusion By venturing into the Romanian credit card market, Alpen Bank is capitalizing on a ripe product opportunity. Current predictions and models consistently indicate that by pursuing the recommended strategy, Alpen Bank will see profits grow by a minimum of â‚ ¬6.6 million over two years. Romania’s recent acceptance into the European Union, accompanied with an increase in purchasing power among the affluent fragment of the population will ensure a substantial return on investment. (Exhibit 4, 5)