Personal and Profesional Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal and Profesional Development - Essay Example On the other hand, professional development is a continuous improvement in a person’s career, not a one-time thing; it aims at assessing and skill improvement to increase one’s value in an organization. This enhances individual’s future in an organization especially with the ever changing and advanced world of modernity and technological enhancement (Masters, Wallace & Harwood, 2011). Professional development includes several facilitated learning opportunities which range from college degrees or university to formal coursework, seminars, conferences as well as informal learning, Professional development is known to be intensive and collaborative due to its evaluative stages. Therefore, it has to be noted that Professional development comprises several approaches that include the following, reflective supervision, lesson study, consultation, mentorship, coaching and technical assistance. There are several individual who participate in professional development on the daily basis from different fields with an aim of enhancing their demand at the place of work, for instance, health practitioners, lawyers, teachers, military officers and accountants just to mention a few, engage in professional development with an objective of lifelong learning as a way of improving professional competence in order to boost their career, to keep pace with ever-changing technology and practice or sometime to comply with a measure put in place by organizational regulatory body, in some cases individuals may be subjected to meet the professional development courses as a requirement established by human resource department (Wadhwa, 2008). Personal development, on the other hand, may comprise the art of developing other people too. This can be achieved through roles, for instance, mentoring or teaching by the way of personal competence.( for example, a manager who has particular skill, may use it

Beyond Worlds Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beyond Worlds Introduction - Essay Example in 2002. He has also translated books and poems as well as having written other story collections. Agueros has been the recipient of many awards for his writing including the most recent Asan World Prize for Poetry (Poets.org). Though Agueros was an American, his parents had migrated from Puerto Rico. His father, who had worked as a police officer in Puerto Rico, came to New York in 1920, only to be able to work in factories and restaurants. Eleven years later, Agueros’ mother came to be a seamstress in the garment district. As immigrants living in a poor part of New York, his family received an early form of what is now welfare. As a graduate of high school in 1953, Agueros spent four years in the Air Force. It was after his discharge that he received a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in English in 1964 where he won the first of many literary awards in playwriting and poetry. He went on to obtain a Master of Arts in Urban Studies in 1970 from Occidental College (Espada). In â€Å"Sonnet Substantially Like the Words of F Rodriguez One Position Ahead of Me on the Unemployment Line,† Agueros writes a poem about business. In this poem, there are several uses of symbolism, using music and yo-yos to talk about business and how the average person can be taken advantage of in it. He appears to evoke his own frustrations about how it is difficult to ever be heard by corporations and to get jobs (Agueros, 2003). In â€Å"Halfway to Dick and Jane: A Puerto Rican Pilgrimage,† Agueros discusses the triumphs and trials that an immigrant encounters when coming to America. He describes it in such a way that readers can feel that Puerto Ricans may feel as though they have lost a part of who they are when they come to America. However, in his comparison to storybook characters Dick and Jane, he seems to suggest that even those characters were created in a fictional society and established an identity so migrants

Identifying The Vision Statement Qantas Tourism Essay

Identifying The Vision Statement Qantas Tourism Essay To overcome these issues, Qantas must modify aircraft sizes and engines to become more fuel efficient and reduce CO2 emissions over coming years. During the next two years, Qantas should plan to reduce industrial conflict by reorganizing the communication system and its organizational structure, making it more flexible and adaptive, thus empowering employees with project management responsibilities. Grievance procedures must be improved with a formal process to resolve work conflicts. Qantas must maintain and increase its corporate customer market share in order to remain profitable and successful. Qantas has undertaken significant changes over the last decade to cope with internal and external factors such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 which effectively reduced the demand for international travel. Qantas initially reduced its international travel flying capacity by 11%.    The factors that had caused Qantas to change were that Qantas had to become: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A more competitive, efficient and profitable business with less competition in the domestic markets. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Qantas had to pay taxes and levies paid by other business in Australia   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Qantas had to make an increased profit and pay a dividend to its shareholders which increased over the years of management. The main factors, which caused Qantas to change was that, the business was under government ownership until 1995, with a classical/scientific management structure Over the next 5 years Qantas aims to hedge fuel prices and use more efficient aircraft to limit further fuel costs improve employee/employer relationships by reducing the number of employment relations disputes and retain corporate market share by enhancing facilities and lounges to appeal to corporate travellers.   Ã‚   IDENTIFYING THE VISION STATEMENT The Qantas story began in March 1919, when former Australian Flying Corps officers W Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness heard of a  £10,000 ($20,000) prize offered by the Federal Government for the first Australians to fly from England to Australia within 30 days.   McGinness travelled to Yanko in western New South Wales to see Sir Samuel McCaughey to ask if he would fund their entry in the race. In Palestine the two young lieutenants had flown a Bristol fighter presented to No.1 Squadron by the millionaire industrialist. Sir Samuel agreed to finance their venture, but died before a suitable aircraft was found. The Qantas story is inextricably linked with the development of civil aviation in Australia. It begins with fragile biplanes carrying one or two passengers in open cockpits and progresses to the new Airbus A380s flying some 450 people half way around the world in a day. A few determined individuals overcame formidable obstacles to establish the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd (QANTAS). Supported by committed staff and loyal customers, the airline persevered through war and peace to serve the nation and build an enterprise. Today, Qantas is widely regarded as the worlds leading long distance airline and one of the strongest brands in Australia. Qantas continues to provide outstanding service to its customers and is at the forefront of the international civil aviation industry. The future holds many challenges for Qantas maintaining safe operations and world class product standards while building a viable and competitive position long term for the airline.As Qantas doesnt have any formal mission statement it pays more importance only on its vision. The Qantas Groups long term vision is to operate the worlds best premium airline, Qantas, and the worlds best low fares carrier, Jetstar. To achieve this vision, the Group is focused on five key elements: Safety is first priority A firm commitment to worlds best safety practices and reporting Right aircraft, right routes Fleet renewal delivering one of the worlds most effective fleets flying on an optimal route network Customer service excellence Consistent customer service excellence as the basis of the business Operational efficiency Achieving simplicity and further productivity across the business Two strong complementary brands Qantas and Jetstar as the best premium and low fares brands respectively The Kangaroo Symbol The original Kangaroo symbol appearing on Qantas aircraft was adapted from the Australian one penny coin. The winged kangaroo symbol was created by Sydney designer Gert Sellheim, and first appeared in January 1947The Flying Kangaroo was later placed in a circle in 1974. In June 1984 Qantas unveiled an updated logo conceived by Tony Lunn of the Lunn Design Group, Sydney. The Flying Kangaroo lost its wings once again and was refined to a more slender, stylised presentation. PEST ANALYSIS The PEST analysis stands for Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors that are needed to be analyzed from the industrys external environment. It is important to cover this to further understand the condition of the airline industry in Australia. Political factors The liberal policy environment has also favoured new entrants. While the domestic airline industry is largely deregulated, Australias airline industry remains quite regulated at the commonwealth level. Australias international aviation policy has been multiple designation The industry deregulation in 1990s has given way to a more restrained form competition between Qantas and Virgin. One of the political issues that concern the airline industry is the effects deregulation. Deregulation was based on the contestable market theory (  1982) which suggested that governments should seek to promote contests for markets, even those where large firm size and limited competitors existed. Regulation was believed to encourage competition based on service quality rather than price, limit operational flexibility, and create no incentives for improving efficiency and productivity. However, it has been argued that deregulation has shifted competition from service to price (1998). On the other hand, among the airline companies around the world, one significant political issue taking place is the emergence of global alliances. Economic factors The past events like volcano eruption and SARS has affected flight security in the eyes of the customer. Every environmental issue including the impact of increase of fuel , which either affects basic costs of flights or affects the likeability of customers to book a flight. Some industry participants have argued that financially distressed carriers have cut prices in an effort to raise short-term cash, depressing market prices below efficient levels and threatening the financial security of healthy carriers. Another economic concern is the fact that the airline economy of the US is in a huge upset after the September 11 attack. Some of the companies declared bankruptcy while others are still struggling to survive (2003). . There is substantial evidence that entry, particularly by low-cost, low-fare airlines, has a substantial effect in constraining fare levels in markets served by the new carriers. Social factors The labour market is tight ,especially in skilled fields requiring more motivation and knowledge The demand for personnel in distant countries will increase the need for foreign-language training. Consumers are more demanding Today, consumers are more demanding especially in terms of service quality. Fortunately, the airline industry can be considered as the pioneer of customer relationship management as they are the first sector to introduce the frequent-flyers program to increase the loyalty of customers (2002). Airline industry also needs very skilled people as their workforce. Technological factors The growth of the information industries is creating a knowledge-dependent global society and information will be the primary commodity of more and more such industries New and larger airplane designs with remote access technology would enable airline companies to achieve better economies of scale. Technological factors include head to head competition in the technological innovations in the industry. Larger planes or aircrafts with remote access technology could provide significant cost savings by allowing the engineers, who were responsible for maintaining the aircraft, to access essential information on the companys systems from wherever they were in the world, using remote web access. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE The Airline is one of the major industries in the world today and is majorly affected by Michael Porters Five Forces model. The following write up conducts an analysis on how the model affects the airline industry today. Threat of New Entrants.   One of the forces that Porter describes is Entry into the industry. In the world today, the airline industry is so saturated that there is hardly space for a newcomer even to squeeze its way in. The biggest for this is the cost of entry. The airline industry is one of the most expensive industries, due to the cost of buying and leasing aircrafts, safety and security measures, customer service and manpower. Another major barrier to entry is the brand name of existing airlines and it is really difficult to lure customers out of their existing brands. On the other hand, a newcomer could enter this saturated market easier with a completely new concept and technology. Bargaining Power of Suppliers.   The airline supply business is mainly dominated by Boeing and Airbus. For this reason, there isnt a lot of cutthroat competition among suppliers. Also, the likelihood of a supplier integrating vertically isnt very likely. In other words, we probably wont see suppliers starting to offer flight service on top of building airlines. 3 Bargaining Power of Buyers.   The bargaining power of buyers in the airline industry is quite low. Obviously, there are high costs involved with switching airplanes, but also take a look at the ability to compete on service.  Is the seat in one airline more comfortable than another? Probably not unless we are analyzing a luxury liner like the Concord Jet.   4 Availability of Substitutes.   What is the likelihood that someone will drive or take a train to  his or her  destination? For regional airlines, the threat might be a little higher than international carriers. When determining this we consider time, money, personal preference and convenience in the air travel industry. Competitive Rivalry.   Highly competitive industries generally earn low returns because the cost of competition is high. This can spell disaster when times get tough in the economy.  In case of the Airline industry, this is the most important force today, especially since the market is completely saturated. There are more service providers than needed in both local as well as international markets. The various airlines are competing for the same customer, which also results in strengthening the buyer power, another of Porters forces. Moreover, a lot of airlines such as Qantas Airways and Emirates have a brand name which they have to defend so they compete in doing so. The airlines are continually competing against each other in terms of prices, technology, in-flight entertainment, customer services and many more areas. SWOT ANALYSIS QANTAS STRENGTH How the Qantas Group responds Improving Margins As economic showing a significant progress, Qantas margins are also improving. Diversified Business Qantas range of subsidiary business operates in different sector but all of them supporting airlines industrys activity, such as catering, baggage handling and engineer. This also helped them to control supplier and aircraft maintenance cost. Oneworld Alliance Oneworld Alliance is a management company founded by Qantas, American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Purpose of this centralized management company is to helping each other with nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ core business activity such as marketing, engineering/maintenance, and online ticketing to reduce cost thus give the company allowance to cut ticket price. Members of the alliance are also possible to transfer passenger for connecting flight. Efficient Use of Resources Qantas have a home ground advantage as Australia national airlines. Its subsidiary company also provide great resources for Qantas core business. QUANTAS WEAKNESS How the Qantas Group responds Reliability Concerns Qantas has been involved to some incident with some of their aircrafts in 2008/09. Although nothing ended in major accident, its affected companys safety image. Problems with the staff A staff problem action, often referred to as a wildcat strike, is a strike action taken by workers without the authorization of their trade union officials. It has been hit with worst strike in the company history in 2009, caused a major delay that also affected other flights. QANTAS OPPORTUNITY How the Qantas Group responds Maintaining the highest standards of safety Commitment to safety as first priority, underpinned by industry-leading policies, systems and training Adapting business strategy to manage changing economic conditions Two flying brands strategy to adjust capacity, pricing and market segmentation as the market moves up or down Remaining competitive in a challenging and volatile industry context Fleet renewal to reduce longterm costs and grow revenues Strong alliance relationships and strategic investments to spread risk and opportunity across markets and provide network depth Qantas: innovations to drive higher satisfaction and improved customer advocacy; focus on the end-to-end customer experience; improvements in product consistency across the fleet including aircraft reconfiguration; brand renewal; pursuit of efficiencies to lower the cost base; Customer Charter established Jetstar: effective capacity management; strong promotional campaigns; ground-breaking strategic alliance relationships (eg AirAsia); Pursuing growth opportunities in emerging markets Qantas alliance relationships with carriers in emerging markets Jetstar pan-Asian strategy including Jetstar Pacific (Vietnam) and Jetstar Asia(Singapore) New technologies Breakthrough product and service innovations such as Next Generation Check-in Commitment to technologically advanced aircraft (eg Airbus A380, Boeing 787) Operating in an environmentally sustainable manner and managing carbon risk Fuel efficiency program, investment in advanced technologies and fuel efficient aircraft, air traffic management leadership, sustainable aviation fuel development -Carbon offset schemes, partnerships with environmental organisations and engagement with employees QANTAS THREATS How the Qantas Group responds Responding to unexpected shocks and crises Purpose-built Crisis Management Centre with detailed crisis management plans Scenario planning supplemented by simulated crisis training exercises Managing currency and fuel price fluctuations Award-winning Treasury function Hedging, including options, to enable participation when oil prices are low and protection when oil prices are high Shrinking Aviation Industry Aviation industry got hit real hard as a result of global financial crisis. IATA traffic data showed a 4.6% drop in international passenger traffic and 13.5% drop in international cargo and stated that the worldwide aviation industry shrinking by all measures. Intense Competition The competition in this industry is super fierce.. Qantas are currently head to head with every major airlines in the world. CORE COMPETENCIES AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Strong brand: Qantas is a globally recognized brand that enjoys excellent brand equity and outstanding customer loyalty (with over 4.6 million members of its frequent flyer program); Qantas connects Australia to most major destinations in the world in every continent. Moreover, Qantas has a well regarded management team which has helped the company to gain the brand value. World class in flight entertainment: Qantas is one of the oldest airlines in the world that has an excellent and well updated in flight entertainment system . As a result, Qantas is universally known for its comfort and timeless travelling experience. Qantas Airlines offers a wide range of in flight features and amenities  for each of the different traveling classes. Qantas prides itself on offering each passenger a pleasant and comfortable flight, with top notch costumer service. Comprehensive experience and expertise: Qantas has long experience and abundant expertise in   1) both domestic and international flights; 2) both a full service airline(Qantas) and low cost carrier(Jetstar); 3) all levels of passengers (premium segment, economic segment, and budget segment) Differentiating Factor Jetstars quick rise to be one of the worlds most successful low-cost carriers places the Qantas Group well in terms of product offering and differentiation. Its strong fleet order book of A380s and B787 Dream liners gives it a significant competitive advantage over other airlines. Qantas ability to re deploy Jetstar planes on lower yielding routes will be a good competitive advantage while demand is weak. FINANCIAL RATIOS ANALYSIS Current Ratio The Current Ratio is one of the measures of financial strength.It reflects whether that company has enough assets to pay its liabilities. In 2008 the Current Ratio was 0.73 In 2009 the Current Ratio was 0.88 It shows that Qanats Current Assets has increased, which is a positive result and mark of success. Return on asset ratio The Return on Asset Ratio measures how efficiently profits are being generated from the assets employed in the business when compared with the ratios of firms in a similar business. In 2008 it was 0.071 In 2009 it was 0.009 It shows that return on the assets has decreased by almost 80%. The reason behind this is again recession. Gross margin ratio In 2008 it was 0.3 In 2009 it was 0.2 It shows that Gross profit has decreased a bit in 2009 due to economic downturn, but it is still better as compared to other airlines STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS Introduce all business class flights The major source of profit for Qantas is from the business class. Keeping this in mind Qantas should introduce few new aircrafts which includes only business class passengers. Economy class seats shouldnt be there in such flights. This will help the company to generate more revenue and will also give a different and high class experience to business class passengers. Allow to use luxury lounge for economy class Qantas should allow its economy class passengers to use the luxury lounge at the airports on payment basis. Customer should be allowed to use luxury lounge if they are willing to do so, for which they only need to pay little extra. This will help the company to generate money without making any investment. And not only this, it will also benefit the passengers of economy class they comfort is the 1st priority of every human in this modern world. so nobody would mind to pay a little amount for this comfort and relaxing experience. Introduce segways at big airports Qantas can introduce segways at the huge airports like Frankfurt International,   London (Heathrow). This will help the passengers to commute easily at the airport with more comfort and less tiredness. Provide organic food and herbal food Qantas can provide organic and herbal food to its passengers. Everybody is too concerned about their health, keeping this in mind organic food would be a good option for them. POTENTIAL FALLOUTS It is because of the bilateral agreements in the aviation industry, the competition has been reached to its final stage and now it is become very tough for Qantas Airline to maintain high standards and survive in the competition. The airline is facing challenges not only in international, but in the domestic market where it was a market leader earleier. Companies like, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways are picking up fast and taking the market share of Qantas. REFERENCES Bea, F.X. Haas, J. (2001). Strategisches Management. Tuebingen: Vahlen. Hamel, G. Prahalad, C.K. (1996). Competing for the Future. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Kotler, P. Keller, K. (2006). Marketing Management. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/company/global/en http://www.investopedia.com/features/industryhandbook/airline.asp http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/01/qantas-airline-known-and-considered-to-be-the-leading-long-distance-airline-in-the-world.html Competitve Analysis Presentation from lovebaby193

Migration and Putlecan Identity :: essays research papers

Migration: Its’ Causes and Effects within a Mexican Sub-Culture â€Å"Migration uproots people from their families and their communities and from their conventional ways of understanding the world. They enter a new terrain filled with new people, new images, new lifeways, and new experiences. They return †¦ and act as agents of change.† (Grimes 1998: 66) The migration experience is one that has deeply altered and affected the lives of many peoples, including Mexicans and specifically Putlecans. Some say that the vast numbers of these people who decide to migrate is a new phenomenon. But there is actually a rich and complex history to it that goes back as far as the 1600s. This paper discusses the causes that stimulated migration to and from the Putla region, and the effects these migration patterns had on the identity of the Putlecan people. Only half a century ago, in 1940 a majority of the Putlecan people were not content with the way their lives were being run, and were seeking solutions to their problems. Under President Porfirio Diaz the Putlecan people were offered a dramatic solution: the Bracero Program. The Bracero Program gave workers a new opportunity: migration. By migrating into either Mexico City or even the north, the United States, they hoped to find a more prosperous means of living. The program offered to thousands of Mexican workers the chance to work farms in the United States and get paid good wages. Unfortunately, it had its failings. As rewarding as the program may have seemed, it turned out to be anything other than what these people had hoped for. â€Å"Some did manage to save enough to build a home, but most had their illusions crushed by the hard work and the meager salaries paid. (Grimes 1998: 40-41)† Basically, the program was a way for the American employers to exploit Mexican workers and pay them little, so that they would wind up with the benefits instead of the workers. The program ended in 1964. This represented the first major wave of Putlecan migration of the 20th century. So what is Putla? Where is it? You could say it’s in the state of Oaxaca, in the Mixtec region, in the subregion of Mixteca de la Costa, on the pre-Hispanic and colonial north and south trade routes, or in the Valley of Putla where Mixteca Alta, Mixteca Baja, and Mixteca de la Costa meet. This region has a rich history of triumphs and losses, which helped sculpt what it is today.

Alliance Boots Marketing Essay

Task 1 (L.O.1.1) What is the Marketing Process? There are many different definitions of the Marketing Process, here are just two of them. i) â€Å"Marketing is the social process by which individuals and organizations obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging value with others.† (Kotler and Armstrong 2010) This basic definition of marketing explains how societies and organisation interact, where an organisation fulfils the wants or needs of individuals. In return, the organisation hopes to make a profit. ii) â€Å"Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational goals† (Marketing Principles, BPP Learning Media,2010 pg.6) This definition looks at marketing more from the view of an organisation. It takes into account a lot more factors, such as the marketing mix, and looks at marketing as something that has to be done in order to achieve their goal, ie. Profits. The marketing mix is essential for an organisation to establish both its target market and unique selling point, it uses the 4 P’s to help find these. The four P’s are the idea of modern marketing theorists and they cover the ways that an organisation can influence consumers to buy their particular brand. The Four P’s are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product: A product is anything that can be offered to the marketplace for consumption that will satisfy a need or want. It is not just something physical (tangible), it can also be a service provided e.g. cleaners, psychics etc., where, once the transaction is finished the consumer does not have anything to show for the money spent. These are non-tangible goods. The packaging of a product is important, not only as protection, but for communication (how to use a product), to remind consumers of the brand, and also to express company brand values (fair trade, supporting charities etc.). (appendix 1.1.1) Price â€Å"Costs will dictate the minimum price that can be charged in order to make a profit† (Marketing Principles, BPP Learning Media Pg.19)  Except for Loss Leaders, the purpose of a product is to make a profit for an organisation. The product must be bringing in more money than it’s costing to make or it’s not a viable source of income. This involves balancing a range of factors. Some examples are: 1. The price of competitors: If a product costs too much when compared to a similar product, the company could price itself out of the market. 2. What the target market is willing to pay: â€Å"The amount your target market is prepared to pay for your product depends on its features and the target market’s budget.† (http://www.learnmarketing.net/marketingmix.htm). 3. Consumers Perception: Some consumers will equate the price of goods with quality. What matters for a product in relation to pricing is the average price paid. Eg. Fashion & technology starts off with high prices, while FMCG’s start low Place   Traditionally in the 4P’s, place refers to distribution. It is concerned with where the product is bought and consumed, and getting the product in the right place at the right time (S. Hilliard, notes). Distribution also concerns itself with where a product is made, how it is stored and how many people are involved with a product before it reaches the shelves. The more people involved, the more expensive the product. If the producer of a product sells directly to the public, they must be easily accessible. There are three main distribution strategies available: 1. Intensive Distribution: This can be used for impulse or low-priced goods e.g. Coca-Cola. 2. Selective Distribution: This is used when a product is sold in a few places. Products still gets to wide geographical markets, but at the same time, feels like there’s some exclusivity to it. Eg. John Rocha at Debenhams. 3. Exclusive Distribution: Is when a product  is given to a sole distributor. The product is usually high-priced. Eg. Ferrari dealers or boutique clothes. Promotion Promotion is the means by which information about a product is communicated. It is done through advertising and Public Relations, where the company pays for, and so has control over information given to the consumer (Tesco’s Computers for schools programme). Publicity is uncontrolled and so can have a bad, as well as a good impact on a company (BP’s Gulf of Mexico’s oil spill). It is vital for businesses to have good reputations since the internet is so easily accessible to the public nowadays, and news is not so easily forgotten. Promotion also involves the selling efforts of staff involved with a product. If a consumer is happy with service they would be more likely to come back to the same store but may not talk about it to other potential clients, on the other hand, if a consumer has a bad experience in a place they are far more likely to tell other people about it. You can find examples of this all over social media sites. Promotional offers are also helpful in stimulating a demand for goods, especially impulse bought goods. Eg. Boots pharmacy’s â€Å"Three for the price of two†. Task 2 (L.O.1.2) Alliance Boots Marketing Approach: Charles Revlon said â€Å"In the factory we make cosmetics, in the store we sell hope†. This can also be said of the company this assignment will be looking at. Alliance Boots marketing approach is both market and consumer based. They have necessary goods like prescription medicines & opticians, but they also have their health and beauty ranges in-store, they are also a major pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor, in doing this they have become a world leader in their field. Their revenue at year ended 31March 2012 is  £23 billion, up 18.4% on 2011. Their trade profit was almost  £1.03 billion, up 12.4% on the previous year and 88% over the last five. The cause for this is that they been increasing their direct ownership in emerging global markets, they have also been increasing joint ventures with companies such as Farmexpert & Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals Corporation in China (Alliance Boots Annual Report 2012 Pg.7). They have brought their products such as No.7 and Boots Laboratories into countries where they do  not have a retail presence through selling to independent pharmacies and online. In their stores, the organisation is very concerned with customer care. They have training programmes for their staff when launching a new product so staff can be informed in case of questions from the public. At the moment they are refitting stores and opticians so as to make them more accessible to consumers. Boots are continuing to develop their website, and also their BootsWebMD.com page, a health. The Boots brand is the most recognisable pharmacy-based health and beauty brand in Europe and their No.7, Soltan and Botanic ranges are synonymous with good quality and good value (Appendix 1.2.2). This and other promotions like their â€Å"Only at Boots† offers are what they use to keep themselves ahead of competitors. They seek to give consumers the best possible value by reducing prices where possible and also increasing their â€Å"Advantage Card†, and in doing so promote brand loyalty, which leads to extra sales. The organisation has gone into multiple charities to continue with improving the brands name and keeping itself in the public’s mind. They understand that the â€Å"link between good Corporate Social Responsibility and good business is vital† (Boots Annual Report 2012 Pg44). In this, they encourage their people to volunteer in charities that benefit local communities, and have developed a good reputation by doing so. They have volunteers that travel to the developing world to help promote eye-care in collaboration with Vision Aid Overseas. (Appendix 1.2.1) In the U.K. especially, Boots have a very selective strategy when looking at where to put their stores so as to maximise their profits. They place their flagship stores in the heart of major towns or cities for all the consumer’s needs, their local pharmacies are healthcare focused for communities, high street stores are geared towards health and beauty, and finally their stores in airports for travellers’ last minute needs. Task 3 (L.O. 2.1) SWOT Analysis of Alliance Boots Strengths * They are world leaders in a market that has potential for long term growth and so are at the forefront of technology * 69% of a survey asked why they shopped at Boots said it was because of the range of products in  their store(*table down the bottom*). They have a wider selection than competitors in their market. * With training programmes for Boots staff, especially for their own brand products, consumers can be more informed about any questions or worries they may have without necessarily having to go to a doctor. * Their brands are well trusted by consumers so they have a loyal group of consumers. * Through BCM, their Contract Manufacturing business, they manufacture special prescription medicines for individuals. * Boots have an excellent reputation when it comes to delivery of prescription medicines for patients’ needs Weaknesses * As a major organisation in their field, any negative publicity could cause major damage to the brand’s name. In 2011 Alliance Boots offered members of its final salary scheme the chance to take part in a so-called â€Å"pensions increase exchange†. This would see members handed a one-off increase to the value of their pensions in place of annual inflation-linked rises. This may lead to problems for them in the future if pensioners do not get enough money to see them all the way through old age which, in turn, could see consumers look at Boots in a bad light. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/8820994/Alliance-Boots-could-be-open-to-pension-mis-selling-claims.html) * During a recession, people are more willing to buy generic brands, in doing this, the organisation may lose out on selling their own brand products and so lose out on profits. Opportunities * Boots are continuously evaluating franchise opportunities in selective countries with large populations, and growing healthcare expenditure that they have not yet penetrated. * They have attempted to tackle the weakness mentioned above by releasing their own generic brand of pharmaceuticals, â€Å"Almus†, which has been released in six countries, after the recent launch in Germany. * In certain health and beauty stores (mainly stores inside shopping centres), the group have just started to sell sandwiches and drinks to give consumers a place to grab a quick lunch. When it comes to profit, to paraphrase another company’s slogan â€Å"Every Little Helps† . Threats * Boots had an excellent market position; it was in this position that the company had to deal with changes in the external business environment. There were supermarket chains like TESCO that entered the personal care market with big plans and stores that covered every product line that the customer would deal with. Naturally, supermarket chains threatened the niche that Boots was ruling and these large retailers had much more to offer than just drugs, drawing in crowds from all parts with a comprehensive product package under one roof. * Other more direct competition, like Superdrug have been a threat to Boots recently. They have launched their own brand of cosmetics which has meant that Boots, in response have had to lower their prices. Pest Analysis of Alliance Boots Political With governments increasing the number of medicines available for purchase for minor illnesses, Boots have been able to sell a lot more over the counter products to consumers without them having to go to the doctor for prescriptions. The American company Walgreens have bought a stake in the organisation. â€Å"The U.S. government is becoming the largest payer of prescription drugs could be a larger long-term challenge for pharmacy reimbursement.† (http://eupolitics.einnews.com/article_frame/120352863) There is a view that this has been done as a way for Walgreens to hedge their bets, in case it becomes problematic getting reimbursed from a government trillions of dollars in debt. Economics With the worldwide recession at the moment, a lot of companies are finding it hard to run a business profitably. Alliance Boots seem to have made their industry recession-proof. Consumers may go without holidays or nights out, but it seems the population still can’t do without their health and beauty products. Although, consumers do seem more brand aware and are more receptive to lower priced or generic brands. Sociocultural Factors A person’s social environment includes their living and working conditions, income level, educational background and the communities they are part of. The organisation seems to understand this and in developing worlds where they have a market presence they support multiple charities, Doctors without  Borders in Africa and South America. â€Å"As an organisation focused on pharmacy-led health and beauty, promoting and supporting a range of initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of the communities in which we serve is a natural extension of our business activities.† (http://media.allianceboots.com/app_media/alliancebootscsr/home/pdfs/AllianceBootsCorporateSocialResponsibilityReport.pdf). Closer to home, they understand how the government are trying to promote a more healthy lifestyle (although not doing a whole lot to encourage it, reduce taxes on health products/ fruit)* and are trying to capitalise on the idea. Technology Through Boots â€Å"Centre of Innovation†, the organisation tries to get new entrepreneurs to get in contact with them. If a product is good enough Boots may help fund it with a view to the product going into their stores. In the U.K., they are trying to lower their carbon footprint by fitting new stores, and refitting existing stores with sky lights, sun pipes and solar panels. These stores have seen their carbon emissions reduced by a third. Task 4 (L.O.2.2 & 2.4) Buyer behaviour is the study of the why, when, what, where and how consumers buy a certain product. To steal a line from the real estate industry, the three most important things in marketing are segmentation, segmentation and†¦ segmentation. Research places groups into different segments and allows an organisation to know the geographic, demographic, and psychographic variables (target market) to aim their products at. The two products this assignment will be looking at are 1) â€Å"Boots Winter vaccine† and 2) â€Å"FCUK men’s deodorant†. (Appendix 2.2.1, 2.2.2 & 2.2.3) The stages of buyer behaviour are: * Need recognition * Information search * Evaluation of alternatives * Purchase decision * Post purchase evaluation (Marketing Principles BPP Learning Media Pg. 132) Need recognition: 1) A person vulnerable to influenza and wants to protect against it. 2)  Consumer needs a new can of deodorant. Information search 1) Internet search, Emails ( If the consumer has an Advantage Card) 2) Ask friends, TV adverts, flyers from the last time shopper was in the store Evaluation of alternatives: 1) Talk to a GP. Are the GP’s services more hygienic? 2) Is the price okay for the product compared to the other products like Lynx, Nivea etc, does it smell better than the other products? Purchase decision: 1) Confirm that factors important to the consumer are met. 2) Price is right, product smells good. Post purchase evaluation: 1) Did the vaccine work? Were the standards of the consumer met? 2) Does the spray do what it was bought for? Segmentation: Geographic: As seen in task 2, Boots have strategically placed stores to maximise their consumer base and profits. (Flagship stores corner shops, airports etc.). Demographic: Appendix 2.2.4 1) Winter Flu Vaccine: * With winter starting soon Boots are beginning to promote their Winter Flu vaccination service. This will be aimed at a wide demographic. * This vaccination is strongly recommended for: * persons aged 65 and over †¢ Those with a long-term medical condition such as diabetes, heart or lung disease †¢ People whose immune system is impaired due to disease or treatment †¢ Persons with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40 †¢ Pregnant women (can be given at any stage of pregnancy) †¢ Residents of nursing homes and other long stay institutions †¢ Healthcare workers †¢ Carers †¢ People with regular close contact with poultry, water fowl or pigs. (http://www.boots.ie/winter-flu-vaccination-service.aspx) 2) FCUK men’s deodorant: Boots target market for this and all other â€Å"designer† body-sprays are males aged from 16 to 35. These are consumers (usually) with plenty of discretionary income and who may feel more under pressure to look their best. They don’t always worry about money when it comes to this. Psychographic: 1) Winter Flu vaccine Boots aim this product at people who are security and status seeking. If this is to work for them they cannot afford to be lackadaisical when it comes to hygiene. They can instil confidence in their consumers simply because they are such a well-known brand, and if they had any negative press it would surely be widely reported on. 2) FCUK men’s deodorant: This product is a more expensive option than a lot of the competitive products Boots have for sale. It’s also a bit more expensive than if consumers were to go into a supermarket and buy the same product. As FCUK is a well-known brand, consumers who are status seeking could be looked at as a potential target-market base, but consumers who have the â€Å"Hedonistic† approach to life would be more appropriate. Task 5 L.O. (2.3& 2.5) Boots target-market ranges from the pharmacies they supply as part of their wholesaling and distribution right through to what they hope will be their loyal consumer. Through wholesaling, they must ensure their products are the best quality for the best price when compared to rivals like Superdrug. If they were to be found to lack the quality of their rivals it could have a lasting damaging effect on the organisation. (Boots estimate the goodwill of their name in their joint ventures to be worth  £4.7billion). As a pharmacy store Boots are aimed at consumers who are security and status seeking. Recently their â€Å"First Leaf† advertisement for the autumn/ winter begun on television and was aimed at mothers who want to avoid illnesses in their family throughout the winter with vitamins and throat sprays, and at the  same time promotes luxury items like bubble-bath and autumn coloured hair-dyes. The â€Å"advantage card† is a major factor in how Boots target their market. They have been able to understand their target market so well that they send separate offers to individuals based on their spending habits, which encourages consumers back to the store and can only be an advantage on their behalf. The card has also gotten excellent reviews from consumers on websites like reviewcentre.com. Boots are in a very strong position for the challenges that may face them in the next few years. Although with the â€Å"green movement† becoming a more prolific part of lifestyle segments, they could promote their CSR, which does a lot of charity works in developing countries they have employees in. They do not test on animals, or have testing carried out on their behalf. With governments looking to provide more cost-effective ways of managing healthcare, Boots could possibly expand in communities through weight- management programmes, health check-ups and smoking cessation advice. But if they don’t do this I still think they’ll be fine.

Changes in Politics Dbq

Kailas Samaha APUSH Kirts 7 October 25, 12 Changes In Politics The United States of America is a country known primarily for being founded upon the principles of equality, and liberty. An aspiration the nation has always been centered upon is creating an equal basis for each individual inhabiting the United States. The nation has always taken a great sense of pride in the voting system it possesses, but unfortunately there was a time when this glorified system was not available to the public.After the war of 1812 came to an end the public began to discuss the topic of voting heavily. The most significant changes in participation in both political campaigns and elections in the United States took place within the years of 1815 to 1840; and this was because of a dramatic change in activism, as well as a dramatic increase in the level of campaigning. Within the years of 1815 and 140, political activism grew immensely within the United States.Although compared to present day, the amount of voters is comparable to nothing, for the time period having almost 27 percent of the inhabitants of the United States able to vote, was ground breaking. 25 years later the amount of individuals that were entitled to voting rights increased over 50 percent, leaving the grand total at 80 percent of inhabitants were entitled to vote. (Doc. A) An outcome of a grand increase of voters, was a grand increase of political views and sentiments regarding not one, but many different issues within the political realm of the nation.Although most individuals whom were granted the right to vote saw it is as extremely positive change in all aspects, there were few who viewed the concept of voting as a chaotic concept, they stated â€Å"the tendency of universal suffrage is to jeopardize the rights of property and the principals of liberty† (Doc. B) This quote states that everyone having the right to vote, puts the rights people have to their individual property in jeopardy, as well as the basic principals of liberty the nation is founded upon.Some on the other hand, were opposed to the idea of voting as a nation because they believed it opened a door to catastrophe due to the immense amount of conflicting viewpoints. Although, the people that had the mentality of creating fiasco were few and far between, most thought, â€Å"Political combinations between the inhabitants of different states are unavoidable† (Doc. C) This quote reinforces the idea that the â€Å"combination â€Å" of political outlooks was unavoidable, especially outside of ones home state.Opposing viewpoints proved to be rare within individuals from the same regions, whereas contrasting notions proved to be mostly within the North of the nation, and the South. By individuals being granted the privilege to vote, they did not only gain a ballot, but they gained a voice in their countries, which gave them a feeling of belonging and importance. Given this voice was stated â€Å"By the authority of that political liberty which has been promised to us equally with our fellow men, solemnly publish and declare†¦ â€Å"that we are, & of right ought to be,† entitled to equal means to obtain equal moral happiness,† (Doc.E) This quote entails that with the right to a political voice comes the basic right to the pursuit of happiness, distributed equally within all people. Regardless of the common celebration that came hand in hand with the right to vote, came also the inevitable impact that a large amount of political disagreements had on voting. Inevitably, approximately have of the United States were in accordance with one candidate, and half with the other. A firm supporter of mister John Quincy Adams stated â€Å"When I first arrived in America Mr.John Quincy Adams was president, and it was impossible to doubt, even from the statement of his enemies, that he was every way calculated to do honor to the office. † (Doc. F) This quote shows one of the many strong political views that were displayed within the United States in regard the presidential candidates. Although at the time the large quantity of controversy seemed like a negative thing, it played a massive role in the way political candidates campaigned, therefor an entirely new era of campaigning was sprung upon the nation.Within the years of 1815 and 1840, more specifically halfway between both, revolutionary and drastic forms of campaigning became common within political campaigns. Candidates were familiar with the idea of identifying with the â€Å"peoples†, a word frequently used to establish somewhat more of an intimate connection (Doc D. ) This word was used not only to establish an intimate connection, but also to establish a sense of trust and support.Another way candidates would identify with the voters would be to be depicted doing things that any common man would enjoy doing. An example of this is portrayed when candidate Harrison is shown standing alongsid e a barrel of hard cider, a common drink amongst the population of the United States. Harrison states that he is bringing a feel of â€Å"hospitality† to the country as depicted in the advertisement. (Doc. I) This advertisement portrays Harrison as â€Å"one with the middle class† , which was an important tactic brought fourth in the era of 1815-1840.Another key element in the uproar of campaigning and voting was the increase of media coverage relating to the elections. In the year of 1810 the idea of press covering political America was rare, but by the year 1835 the amount of newspapers that did such had tripled in quantity. The reason media coverage proved itself to be so important was because it was extremely influential in the eyes of the general public, seeing as it gave them inside views to knowledge of the national problems at hand.The participation that was shown by not only candidates, but the general public in both campaigns and voting within the years 1815 to 1840 proved to be revolutionary and extremely influential in the turn out of the United States. The monumental rise in the participation of the people in political standpoints layed down the base for the idea of liberty within the nation; the idea that every member of the country was entitled to their own beliefs, and entitled to portraying them publically. The ideologies established within the 1815 to 1840 era changed the modern world significantly due to activism in the general public.