Section 1 -- Question 4 ----------------------- Satellites Orbit The E

Section 1 -- Question 4 ----------------------- Satellites orbit the earth doing our bidding in ways that enrich the lives of almost all of us. Through electronic eyes from hundreds of miles overhead, they lead prospectors to mineral deposits invisble on earth's surface. Relaying communications at the speed of light, they shrink the planet until its most distant people are only a split second apart. They beam world weather to our living room TV and guide ships through storms. Swooping low over areas of possible hostility, spies in the sky maintain a surveillance that helps keep peace in a volatile world. How many objects, exaclty, are orbiting out there? Today's count is 4,914. The satellites begin with a launch, which in the U.S. takes place at Cape Canaveral in Florida, NASA's Wallops Flight Center in Virginia, or, for polar orbiters, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. One satellite in 20 is crippled by the jolt of lift-off, or dies in the inferno of a defective rocket blast, or is thrust into improper orbit. A few simply vanish into the immensity of space. When a satellite emerges from the rocket's protective shroud, radiotelemety regularly reports on its health to round-the-clock crews of ground controllers. They watch over the temperatures and voltages of the craft's electronic nervous system and other vital "organs", always critical with machines whose sunward side may be 300 degress hotter than the shaded part. Once a satellite achieves orbit--that delicate condition in which the pull of earth's gravity is matched by the outward fling of the Page 2 ------ crafts speed--subtle pressures make it go astray. Solar flares make the satellite go out of orbit. Wisps of outer atmosphere drag its speed. Like strands of spiderweb, gravity feilds of the ea rth, moon, and sun tug at the orbiting spacefarer. Even the sunshine's soft caress exerts a gentle nudge. Should a satellite begin to wander, ground crews fire small fuel jets that steer it back on course. This is done sparingly, for exhaustion of these gases ends a craft's useful career. Under such stresses, many satellites last 2 years. When death is only a second away, controllers may command the craft to jump into a high orbit, so it will move up away from earth, keeping orbital paths from becoming too cluttered. Others become ensnarled in the gravity web; slowly they are drawn into gravitational that serve as space graveyards. A satellite for communications would really be a great antenna tower, hundreds or even thousands of miles above the earth, capable of transmitting messages almost instantaneously across the oceans and continents. Soon after the launch of ATWS-6, "the Teacher in the sky", (a satellite designed to aid people) NASA ground controllers trained its antenna on Appalachia. There is brought evening college classes to schoolteachers whose isolation denied opportunity for advancement. The use of Satellites is growing rapidly and so is the different jobs for them.

Kanzi a bonobo ape Essays

Kanzi a bonobo ape Essays Kanzi a bonobo ape Essay Kanzi a bonobo ape Essay Worlds are the lone species that has evolved an advanced system of communicating between persons. Whereas other species communicate through ritualized and repetitive vocals, calls, or gestures, worlds have developed lingual systems that can show a literally infinite assortment of separate and distinguishable ideas both vocally every bit good as written. This unbelievable evolutionary spring is what distinguished worlds from all other beings on Earth. But it ca nt, nevertheless, go unmentioned the unbelievable communicating systems animate beings, more specifically Primatess have created. Animals are among us in many forms and sizes, with many different communicative abilities. Whether it is calls, oinks, gestures or copulating calls, these communicating tools are merely understood by members of the same species ; we can analyse these communicating tools through lingual ethology, as mentioned in talks by utilizing a comparative attack is good because it sets a criterion by which commu nicating systems can be evaluated. Throughout this class of survey, the construct of linguistic communication as the separation between animate beings and worlds has prevailed. We as worlds can both bring forth and grok communicating through linguistic communication, where the inquiry arises on how well animate beings can make this. Further, as we have seen in readings and other beginnings, many claim that it is done linguistic communication that our consciousness and cognitive accomplishments are developed. While most consider animate beings to be animals of wont, I plan to take a different mentality on this ; that is to see how pygmy chimpanzee, more specifically Kanzi, a pygmy chimpanzee ape acquired lingual competence.Kanzi was a pygmy chimpanzee who did this after attach toing hisfemale parentto Sessionss where she was taught linguistic communication through keyboardlexigrams, but showed small involvement in the lessons. It was a great surprise to research workers so when o ne twenty-four hours, while Matata was off, Kanzi began aptly utilizing the lexigrams, going non merely the first ascertained ape to hold learned facets of linguistic communication naturalistically instead than through direct preparation, but besides the first observed pygmy chimpanzee to look to utilize some elements of linguistic communication at all.With all that set in head, I plan to farther look into the claims about Kanzi s lingual abilities from a research position and distinguish between Kanzi s Language production and comprehension public presentation. By looking at factors such as environment, behavior and attitude, I hope to convey together all of my research, ideas and critical reappraisals on great ape linguistic communication. Language is a manner for worlds to pass on and bring forth ideas, emotions and reactions to merely about everything in day-to-day modus operandis. However, while linguistic communication is an plus which enables people to gestate their universe, it is by no means a necessity. This is demonstrated by the ability of physically handicapped individuals ( e.g. , the deaf ) and mentally disabled individuals ( e.g. , victims of intellectual paralysis ) to pass on utilizing symbols. Symbols are a alone tool, a manner for non merely handicapped individuals to use but besides other species, such as Primatess. Lexigrams which are â€Å"arbitrary symbols that represent a word are used with Researchers and pygmy chimpanzees to pass on with three computer-monitored lexigrams panels incorporating 384 symbols and words. Similar keyboards have helped kids and grownups with linguistic communication deficits† ( SOURCE ) .Though the symbols are non ocular representations of the existent word bein g used, it is still a manner of exemplifying comprehension between worlds and pygmy chimpanzees that are able to get lingual competence. Kanzi developed this acquisition really early in his old ages merely by exposure to the lexigrams system. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, Kanzi s trainer beganby distinguishing linguistic communication production from comprehension, underscoring that the important precursor of linguistic communication competency is the apprehension of non spoken referential symbols. She focused on the significance that the apes derived from words instead than how they produced them. Savage-Rumbaugh saw comprehension as the path into linguistic communication ( Johnson, 1995 ) since it is simpler to interpret an thought in one s head into a grammatical sequence of words than to decrypt a sentence spoken by another, whose purposes are unknown.With respects to Kanzi, this lead to a displacement off from intensive preparation Sessionss to an attack in which Kanzi was treated as a underdeveloped human baby ( Johnson, 1995 ) . The findings of this undertaking, in which Kanzi learnt to appreciate word order and other syntactical cues, led Savage-Rumbaugh to reason that pygmy chimpanzee possess fundamental syntactical ability. ( Johnson, 1995 ) This evident success of research with Kanzi was attributed to her exposure to linguistic communication early in her life and tutoring instigated by the animate being s wonder ( Johnson, 1995 ) . Critics responded that animate beings tie ining vocal sounds with objects was far from radical ( Johnson, 1995 ) . However Savage-Rumbaugh argued that tests with words in fresh contexts ( Johnson, 1995 ) revealed that the Pan troglodytess responses were non automatic. Savage-Rumbaugh reported that her Pan troglodytess demonstrate the fundamental comprehension accomplishments of two and a half twelvemonth old kids, understanding complex sentences and spontaneously utilizing symbolic linguistic communication in their communicating. However for many linguists, the trademark of linguistic communication is non comprehension but public presentation, the ability to bring forth progressively complex sentences within the confines of grammar ( Johnson, 1995 ) . The position that mental experiences are non comparably shared between worlds and nonhuman Primatess is prevailing among linguists ( Mitani, 1995 ) and has been enforced by Noam Chomsky s statements that witting idea is merely made possible by the innate mechanism to decrypt the syntactical construction of linguistic communication ( Mitani, 1995 ) . He adheres to the position that the grammar, present in all linguistic communications, has its beginnings in the nervous connexions, alone to human encephalons. Chimp raised from birth in an environment where spoken words and the linguistic communication board ( arbitrary symbols to which one can indicate to convey an object or action ) were spontaneously used to pass on with him

Legal Regulation of Overtime in Saudi Arabia Research Paper

Legal Regulation of Overtime in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example In addition to the law, Ministerial Resolutions are used to supplement the KSA Labor Law. This research focuses on how overtime is regulated and calculated in Saudi Arabia. The Labor Regulation, which is the Royal Decree No. M/51 of 23rd Shaban 1426 Hejra  or 27th September 2005 is the main statute the deals with issues relating to labor. According to the Saudilegal.com website (20150, this law came into force in 2006, thereby overriding the then existing Labor and Workmen Regulation. The Labor Regulation is thus used to guide employer-employee relations, including matters relating to overtime. Under the KSA Labor Law, Article 98 states that if an employer uses the daily work criterion, a worker is not supposed to work for over eight hours in a day. For employers who use the weekly criterion, the law limits the workers to work for not more than forty eight hours in a week. In addition, during the holy month of Ramadan, the working hours for Muslim workers are reduced to not more than six hours in a day or for not more than thirty six hours in a week. Other employees who belong to different religions are not affected during the month of Ramadan. If the employer requests his employers to work hours beyond these limits, then the additional workers hours are deemed to be overtime. The employers are then required to pay their workers for these additional hours. Overtime is usually restricted to only two hours per day (L&E Global, 3). This means that an employee should not be asked by his employer to work for more than ten hours in a single day. Article 99 of the Labor Law provides that the labor minister can change the total number of working hours described in article 98. These hours may be increased from eight to nine hours in a day for certain types of workers or industries. This may be done in cases where the worker is not required to work continuously. In addition, the

Visual Representation of Public Health Leadership Theory Assignment

Visual Representation of Public Health Leadership Theory - Assignment Example Similarly, the visual representation is directly linked to healthcare organizations, this is more specific, as compared to the literature of Zalenznik, A. (1977), which discusses the leadership aspect, but does not link the discussion directly to health care organizations. The visual representation is also diverse, with regard to the purpose of healthcare organizations. In the literature, Vladeck (1992) considered that the major purpose of healthcare organizations is only the public interest. However, in the visual representation, it has been shown that healthcare organizations have other responsibilities that are not tied to the public, to fulfil. For instance, this shows that healthcare organizations have responsibilities to fulfil for the employees of the organization, other organizations of same interest and the state, and finally, the community and society, which can be labelled as the public. In addition, the visual representation provides a system that healthcare organizations can adopt in order to ensure that they fulfil their mandate to the public. In the literature, there was no provision of a system that could help healthcare organizations and their leaders to protect their clients, and fulfil their mandate to the public. However, by clarifying the values that a leader should embrace, as well as the different relationships they should value and strengthen, the visual representation offers public health organizations and leaders a way of ensuring that they fulfil their mandate appropriately. The visual representation is also broader in its approach to leadership in public health. This is not inclined to only one aspect of leadership, as in the case of Vroom (2007), who only addresses the situational aspects of leadership in public health. The visual representation has addressed the values of a leader, relationships, outcomes, as well as antecedents. This has also shown how the leadership values can be acquired by an individual.  

Vanishing (Disappearing) Middle Class in U.S.A Essay

Vanishing (Disappearing) Middle Class in U.S.A - Essay Example According to the research, the shift is being attributed to a fall in wages and job market that is slowly weakening. In a new report that was published by Autor (2010), the work force in the U.S.A is rapidly splitting into two main categories, the high paying jobs and the corresponding low paying jobs. In this regard, it can be noticed that demographics about the middle income earners is missing. The effect of the disappearing middle class is taking a toll on America’s young men who are turning out to be potential employees. This situation simply means that irrespective of the field which they would want to join, they have to increase their educational levels to secure employment chances. Having high school qualification alone may not be enough to warrant a good job unlike in the past. Despite of the many disadvantages that have been associated with this trend, there is a group of people who seem to have benefited. Advanced degree holders have been having gains in the job opportunities available. This is just for the fact that job opportunities have remained a preserve of the highly educated or the low class. For this reason, the few that have gained employment in this season have benefitted from the better remunerations associated with the jobs (Wessel, 2011). One of the key culprits for this alarming development is technology. It has been witnessed that knowledge and skills exhibited by the middle class group are fast becoming irrelevant or obsolete with respect to industry needs. The introduction of computer and robot technology has meant that clerical works in companies and assembly line productions can be done by few people who have the required knowledge to run the machines (Price, 2010). Introduction of computer technology has led to a sharp reduction in the amount of human capital in companies. The jobs that have been left available are only those requiring low education, something that has led to an increase in the low

Business Essays Marketing Strategies HSBC

Business Essays Marketing Strategies HSBC HSBC Marketing Strategies One of the largest banking and financial services organisation in the world is known as the HSBC Group. It has established businesses in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. In 1991, HSBC holdings were incorporated in England, with its head office based in London. In 1999, the company established its international brand name, which ensured that the Groups corporate symbol became a familiar sight all across the world. HSBC differentiates its brand name from those of its competitors by describing the unique characteristics which distinguish HSBC, namely being, The worlds local bank. As at 31st December 2004, its total asset was valued at  £660 billion. It has over 9,800 offices worldwide. It employs over 253, 000 people, across different countries and territories. Its shares are held by around 200,000 people in some 100 countries and territories. The companys shares are also traded on most of the worlds renowned stock exchanges, namely, London, P aris, New York, and Bermuda stock exchanges respectively. One of the major tools it uses for functionality on a worldwide scale is the companys use of information technology. Its e-business channels include the internet, PC banking, interactive TV, and telephone banking. It maintains its own private network (intranet and extranet), in which HSBCs websites attracted 900 million visits in 2004. The HSBC group provides a comprehensive range of financial services namely: Personal Financial Services: It has over 100 million personal consumers worldwide (including Consumer Finance customers). It provides a full range of personal finance services, including current and savings accounts, mortgages, insurance, loans, credit cards, pensions, and investment services. It is one of the worlds top ten issuers of credit cards. Consumer Finance: The Companys Finance Corporations consumer finance business ensures point of sale credit to consumers, and lends money and provides related services to meet the financial needs of everyday people. In 2004, it completed the integration of its former household businesses. Commercial Banking: HSBC is a leading provider of financial services to small, medium-sized and middle market enterprises. The group has over two million such customers, including sole proprietors, partnerships, clubs, and associations, incorporated businesses and publicly quoted companies. In the UK, 209 Commercial Centre were launched to provide improved relationship management for higher value small-medium-sized enterprise customers, while in Hong Kong, Business Banking Centres, were expanded to provide a one-stop service. Corporate Investment Banking and Markets: Tailored financial services are provided to corporate and financial clients. Business lines include Global Markets, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Transaction Banking, and Global Investment Banking. Global Markets includes foreign exchange, fixed income, derivatives, equities, metals trade, and other trading businesses. Corporate and Institutional Banking covers relationship management and lending activities. Global Transaction Banking includes payment and cash management, trade services, supply chain, securities services, and wholesale banknotes businesses. Global Investment Banking involves investment banking advisory, and investment banking financing activities. Private Banking: HSBC is one of the worlds top private banking businesses, providing financial services to high net worth individual and families in 70 different locations. HISTORY OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION The HSBC group evolved from The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, which was founded in 1865 in Hong Kong with offices in Shanghai, London, and an agency in San Francisco, USA. The company expanded primarily through already established offices in the banks name until the mid 1950s when it began to create or acquire subsidiaries. The following are some of the key transitions in the Groups growth and history since 1959. In 1959, HSBC acquired the British Bank of the Middle East formerly known as the Imperial Bank of Persia. In 1965, it acquired a majority shareholding of the Hang Seng Bank Limited. In 1971, the British Bank of the Middle East acquired a minority stake of 20% in the Cyprus Popular Bank Limited, which currently trades as the Laiki Group. In 1972, Midland Bank acquired a shareholding in UBAF Bank Limited (now known as British Arab Commercial Bank Limited). In 1978, the Saudi British Bank is established under local control to take over the British Bank of the Middle Easts branches in Saudi Arabia. In 1980, it acquired 51% of New York States Marine Midland Bank (now known as HSBC Bank USA). At the same time Midland acquired a controlling interest leading German private bank, Trinkaus and Burkhardt (now known as HSBC Trinkaus Burkhardt KGaA). In 1981, HSBC established a branch in Vancouver, Canada. In the same year the Group acquired a controlling interest in Equator Holdings Limited, wh ich was a merchant bank engaged in trade finance in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1982, Egyptian British Bank S.A.E. is formed, with the HSBC group holding a 40% stake. In 1983, Marine Midland Bank acquired Carroll McEntee and McGinley (now HSBC securities (USA) inc.), a New York based primary dealer in US government securities. In 1986, HSBC Australia was established. In 1987, it acquired the remaining shares of Marine Midland and a 14.9% equity interest in Midland Bank (now HSBC Bank Plc). In 1991, HSBC Holdings was established (as mentioned previously); its shares were traded for the first time in London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. In 1992, it purchased the remaining equity stake in Midland Bank. In 1993, it moved its head office to London. In 1994, HSBC Malaysia was established. In 1997, the group established a subsidiary in Brazil, Banco HSBC Bamerindus S.A., and acquired Roberts S.A. de Inversiones in Argentina, HSBC Brazil, and HSBC Argentina, respectively. In 1999, shares of HSBC began trading on a third stock exchange, New York. In the same year it acquired, Republic New York Corporation, which was then integrated into HSBC USA Inc and its sister company Safra Republic holdings S.A. (now known as HSBC Republic Holdings Luxembourg). At the same time Midland acquired a 70.03% stake in Mid-Med Bank Plc (now HSBC Bank Malta Plc.), the biggest commercial bank in Malta. In 2000, HSBC acquired CCF, one of the largest Banks in France. Its shares were also traded on a fourth stock exchange, Paris. The group also increased its shareholding in the Egyptian British Bank to over 90% and then later renames it HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. It went on to acquire Demirbank TAS, now HSBC Bank A.S., Turkeys fifth largest private Bank in 2001. Additionally, it signed an agreement to purchase 8% stake in the Bank of Shanghai. In 2002, it acquired Grupo Financiero Bital, S.A., de C.V., one of Mexicos largest financial services groups; and a 10% interest in Ping An Insurance Company of China Limited, the second largest life insurance operation in China. In 2003, it acquired Household International (now HSBC Finance Corporation), a leading US consumer finance company; and Lloyds TSBs Brazilian assets including Losango Promotora de Vendas Ltda, a major consume credit institution. Four French private banking subsidiaries combine to form HSBC Private Bank France. The companys insurance brokers at the same time formed a joint venture Beijing HSBC Insurance Brokers Ltd, in which it has a 24.9% stake. Hang Seng Bank also acquired about 16% of Industrial Bank Co. Ltd, a mainland Chinese Commercial Bank, and HSBC agrees to purchase 505 of Fujian Asia Bank Limited (now known as Ping An Bank Limited). In 2004, it acquired the Bank of Bermuda Ltd, a leading provider of fund administration, trust, custody, asset management, and private banking services. It also opened in a fifth stock exchange, the Bermuda stock exchange. In the same year it acquired about 20% of the Bank of Communications Limited, Chinas fifth largest bank. EXISTING LITERATURE REVIEW Around the world corporations are increasingly becoming aware of the enhanced value that corporate branding strategies can provide for an organization. According to Weitz and Wensley (1988), they define marketing strategy as an indicator that is specific towards which activities are to be targeted and the types of competitive advantages that are to be developed and exploited. Implicitly, the strategy requires clear objectives and a focus in line with an organisations corporate goals; the right customers must be targeted more effectively than they are by its competitors, and associated marketing mixes should be developed into marketing programmes that successfully implement the marketing strategy, Varadarajan (1999). A strategic market plan is an outline of the methods and resources required to achieve an organisations goals within a specific target market. It takes into account not only marketing but also all the functional aspects of a business unit that must be co-ordinated. These functional aspects include production, finance and personnel. Environmental issues are an important consideration as well. The concept of the strategic business unit is used to define areas for consideration in a specific strategic market plan. Each strategic business unit (SBU) is a division, product line or other profit centre within a parent company. Each sells a distinct set of products to an identifiable group of customers, and each competes with a well defined set of competitors, Dibb et al. (2001). Each SBUs revenues, costs, investments and strategic plans can be separated and evaluated apart from those of the parent company. SBUs operate in a variety of markets, which have differing growth rates, opportunitie s, degrees of competition and profit making potential. HSBCs business units includes, personal financial services, consumer finance, commercial banking, corporate investment banking and markets, and finally, private banking. Strategic planners within the group therefore must recognise the different performance capabilities of each business unit and carefully allocate resources or strategically implement its business objectives in order to meet the companys long term goals. They must also ensure that the business units complement each other for the greater good of the overall business. The process of strategic market planning yields a marketing strategy that is the framework for a marketing plan. A marketing plan includes the framework and entire set of activities to be performed; it is the written document or blueprint for implementing and controlling an organisations marketing activities. Thus a strategic market plan is not the same as a marketing plan; it is a plan of all aspects of an organisations strategy in the marketplace, Dibb et al. (1996). A marketing plan, in contrast, deals primarily with implementing the marketing strategy as it relates to target markets and the marketing mix, Abell and Hammond (1979). To achieve its marketing objectives, an organisation must develop a marketing strategy, or a set of marketing strategies. The set of marketing strategies that are implemented and used at the same time is referred to as the organisations marketing programme. Most marketing programmes centre on a detailed marketing mix specification and include internal controls and procedures to ensure that they are implemented effectively. Through the process of strategic market planning, an organisation can develop marketing strategies that, when properly implemented and controlled, will contribute to the achievement of its marketing objectives and its overall goals. However, Harris (2002) argues that companies operating in the financial services market, particularly the big four retail banks (HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds TSB, and the Royal Bank of Scotland (with its acquisition of Natwest), primarily rely on generic marketing strategies. To formulate a marketing strategy, the marketer identifies and anal yses the target market and develops a marketing mix to satisfy individuals in that market. Marketing strategy is best formulated when it reflects the overall direction of the organisation and is co-ordinated with all the companys functional areas. The strategic market planning process is based on an analysis of the broader marketing environment, by which it is very much affected. Marketing environment forces such as legal forces, political forces, technological forces, economic and competitive forces, societal/green forces, and regulatory forces, can place constraints on an organisation and possibly influence its overall goals; they also affect the amount and type of resources that a business can acquire, Dibb et al (2001). They also do create favourable opportunities as well, such as internet banking in which HSBC and Merrill Lynch created an online banking and investment facility, which has proved profitable for both companys as a whole, Eppendorfer et al. (2002). Marketing enviro nment variables play a part in the creation of a marketing strategy. When environment variables affect an organisations overall goals, resources, opportunities or marketing objectives, they also affect its marketing strategies, which are based on the factors mentioned previously. They impact consumers needs, desires and they affect competitors plans. Now, according to Polito (2005), branding in the classic sense is all about creating unique identities and positions for products and services, hence distinguishing the offerings from competitors. Corporate branding employs the same methodology and toolbox used in product branding, but it also elevates the approach a step further into the board room, where additional issues around stakeholder relations (shareholders, media, competitors, governments and many others) can help the corporation benefit from a strong and well-managed corporate branding strategy. Not surprisingly, a strong and comprehensive corporate branding strategy requires a high level of personal attention and commitment from the CEO and the senior management to become fully effective and meet the objectives. Corporate branding is a serious undertaking that entails more skills and activities than just an updated glossy marketing facade with empty jargon. A strong corporate branding strategy can add significant value in terms of helping the entire corporation and the management team to implement the long-term vision, create unique positions in the market place of the company and its brands, and not the least to unlock the leadership potential within the organization. Hence a corporate branding strategy can enable the corporation to further leverage on its tangible and non-tangible assets leading to branding excellence throughout the corporation, Polito (2005). HSBC as stated in the latter has in recent years acquired a vast number of companies across the globe and adopted them fully under its international corporate brand with great success and within a surprising short timeframe. A strong brand is about building and maintaining strong perceptions in the minds of customers. This takes time to establish and many resources to keep, but eventually no one remembers what the local banks used to be called, and HSBC has managed to transfer the brand equities from the acquired brands into its own corporate brand equity. There are several benefits for employing a branding strategy that a corporation can exploit. First of all, a strong corporate brand is no less or more than the face of the business strategy, portraying what the corporation aims at doing and what it wants to be known for in the market place. The corporate brand is the overall umbrella for the corporations activities and encapsulates its vision, values, personality, positioning and image among many other dimensions. Think of HSBC, which has successfully implemented a stringent corporate branding strategy. HSBC employs the same common expression throughout the globe with a simple advertising strategy based on the slogan The worlds local bank.  This creative platform enables the corporation to bridge between many cultural differences, and to portray many faces of the same strategy. Additionally, HSBCs brand name has enabled a number of key mergers and acquisitions (mentioned previously) around the globe, which has so far strengthened its market presence in the banking world, Brand Finance (2000). The Marketing Strategies of the HSBC Group 2005 Towards the end of 2003, HSBC launched Managing for Growth, a strategic plan that provides HSBC with a blueprint for growth and development during the next five years. The strategy is evolutionary, not revolutionary. It builds on HSBCs strengths and it addresses the areas where further improvement is considered both desirable and attainable. HSBC concentrates on growing earnings over the long term at a rate which will place it favourably when compared with its peer group. Also it focuses on investing in its delivery platforms, its technology, its people and its brand to support the future value of HSBC as reflected in its comparative stock market rating and total shareholder return (TSR). HSBC remains committed to benchmarking its performance by comparison with a peer group. Its core values are integral to its strategy, and communicating them to customers, shareholders and employees is deemed as intrinsic to the plan. These values comprise an emphasis on long-term, ethical client relationships; high productivity through teamwork; a confident and ambitious sense of excellence; being international in outlook and character; prudence; creativity and customer focused marketing. Under the managing for growth scheme, eight strategic imperatives were identified as the key marketing and business strategies for 2004 2008. They are: Brand: make HSBC and its hexagon symbol one of the worlds leading brands for customer experience and corporate social responsibility Personal Financial Services: drive growth in key markets and through appropriate channels to make HSBC the strongest global player in personal financial services Consumer Finance: extend the reach of this business to existing customers through a wider product range and penetrate new markets Commercial Banking: make the most of HSBCs international customer base through effective relationship management and improved product offerings in all the Groups markets Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets: accelerate growth by enhancing capital markets and advisory capabilities focused on client service in defined sectors where HSBC has critical relevance and strength Private Banking: serve the Groups highest value personal clients around the world People: attract, develop and motivate HSBCs people, rewarding success and rejecting mediocrity; and TSR: fulfil HSBCs TSR target by achieving strong competitive performances in earnings per share growth and efficiency. RESEARCH APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED Research Approach The research approach will be carried out using the positivist case research approach. According to Cavaye (1996), positivist epistemology tries to understand a social setting by identifying individual components of a phenomenon and explains the phenomenon in terms of constructs and relationships between constructs. The theoretical constructs describing the phenomenon are considered to be distinct from empirical reality. Hence, empirical observations can be used to test theory. This looks at the world as external and objective. Positivism employs four major research evaluation criteria: a good research should make controlled observations, should be able to be replicated, should be generalizable and should use formal logic. Under positivism, case research findings are not statistically generalizable to a population, as the case or cases cannot be considered representative of a population, however case research can claim theoretical generalizability. This will also include comparing, contrasting and critically evaluating past and present papers, articles, journals, and established theories that have been published on the subject matter. Methodology Employed Multiple-Case Study Design This project uses the multiple case study method in order to enable analysis of data across cases and relating it to the theoretical perspectives in the available literature of marketing strategy. This enables the researcher to verify that findings are not merely the result of idiosyncrasies of research setting (Miles and Huberman, 1984). According to Yin (2002), in such a method it is important to use: multiple sources of evidence. The appropriate number of cases depends, firstly, on how much is known about the phenomenon after studying a case and secondly, on how much new information is likely to emerge from studying further cases (Eisenhardt, 1991). This paper detailed analysis about the marketing strategies employed by HSBC, in comparison to its other major competitors, namely Barclays Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Citibank. Analysis of the marketing strategy of HSBC is evaluated with regard to the organisation meeting customer needs and requirements, advertising strategies and the need to increase its customer base and market share are all addressed. One wants to see if there are any matches with regard to the theoretical literature of marketing strategy and what the empirical evidence gathered says and also any mismatches. This also relates to the literature review. Qualitative Data Cavaye (1996) states that qualitative investigation refers to distilling meaning and understanding from a phenomenon and is not primarily concerned with measuring and quantification of the phenomenon. Direct and in-depth knowledge of a research setting are necessary to achieve contextual understanding. Hence, qualitative methods are associated with face-to-face contact with persons in the research setting, with verbal data (Van Mannen 1989) being gathered. Qualitative data can be collected in a number of forms. One major form of qualitative evidence is interviews, which may be recorded and later transcribed. Qualitative data are rich, full, holistic real their face validity seems unpeachable; they preserve chronological flow where that is important (Miles 1979). In spite of the abovementioned, qualitative data have weaknesses (Miles 1979; Miles and Huberman, 1984). Collecting and analysing data is time-consuming and demanding. In addition, data analysis is not easy, as qualitative data analysis methods are not well established. Recognised rules of logic can be applied to verbal data in order to make sense of the evidence and to formally analyse the data. Rubin and Rubin (1995) state that it is most desirable to disclose the identities of both the case and the individuals interviewed because, The reader is able to recall any other previous information he or she may have learned about the same case from previous research or other sources in reading and interpreting the case report. The entire case can be reviewed more readily, so that footnotes and citations can be checked, if necessary, and appropriate criticisms can be raised about the published case. Nevertheless, there are some occasions when anonymity is necessary. The most common rationale is that when the case study has been on a controversial topic, anonymity serves to protect the real case and its real participants. The second reason is that the issuance of the final case report may affect the subsequent actions of those that were studied. Quantitative Data This is concerned with measuring aspects of a market or the population of consumers making up the market. This includes soft approaches such as consumer attitudes as well as the hard things such as market size, brand shares, purchase frequencies etc. Quantitative data on a market or consumer group can be obtained through carrying out a census, obtaining the relevant measures from every single consumer or player in the market. In practice, research through a census collection is very rare; for one thing it is usually prohibitively expensive to obtain data from every individual (the government only carries out a population census once every 10 years) and even if the money is available the timescales involved are likely to be too long to meet commercial deadlines, Meier (1991). Furthermore, a census is unnecessary since the alternative; sampling can normally produce adequate and acceptably reliable data for a fraction of the cost. Quantitative research is, therefore, nearly always based on more or less rigorous sampling methods which have in common the assumption that the data from the samples can be taken to represent, within estimated levels of accuracy, the population or universe from which they are drawn, (Hague 2002). Types of Quantitative Data The range of information which can be and is collected through quantitative research is enormous if not infinite. In relation to deciding how data should be collected, all the possibilities can be categorised into a simple threefold classification: 1.Market measures 2.Customer profiles or segmentation 3.Attitudinal data. Market measures quantify and describe a market. Common examples include: market and sector size; shares of the market held by suppliers or brands; penetration levels (what proportion of all potential consumers own or buy a product); purchase and consumption frequencies; patterns of consumption and seasonality. Data of this type is very essential for any manager developing or reviewing a marketing plan for a company, product group or brand name like HSBCs hexagon logo. Market measures taken from a sample are generally projected or grossed up to the total market or population, e.g., the proportion of households in a sample found to be without a PC can be multiplied by available estimates of the number of total households to provide an indicator of untapped potential. A vital concern in the marketing of a product or service is knowing and understanding the potential customer base; what type of people or organisation are they? What other types of products or services do they own or use? What is required to meet this need is customer profiling or segmentation data and it is quantitative in nature because reliable breakdowns are needed for the whole market or population, Buck (1990). Hague (2002) argues that profiling data can take various forms: socio-demographics (age, sex, income and occupation group, education level, home tenure etc); geo-demographics; various business classifications such as company size, industry etc. for business to business research or it can relate to consumer behaviour (ownership of various products, purchase or usage levels, media exposure etc.). Unlike market measures, consumer profiling data can be collected only from consumers (including organisations in the case of business to business research) although the distribution or manufacturing levels in the market may also need profiling. Attitudinal data is used in a quite general sense to cover concepts such as awareness, perceptions, beliefs, evaluations, preferences and propensities. In other words they are, in their various forms, subjective and reside in the minds of individuals. Much market research under this is concerned with attitudes and attitude measurement because attitudes and your marketing may mould consumer choice in your favour. Attitudes are of course very much the subject of qualitative research which is often concerned to identify relevant dimensions and categories of attitudes. In quantitative research, the focus is on establishing the degree to which specific attitudes exist among the market and population. The most important tool for data collection under quantitative research is face to face interviewing. However, in situations where over a hundred firms need to be interviewed, due to the cost attached to carrying out such a task, doing a telephone interview would seem more appropriate. The methods used to record data and data analysis here, is predominantly through questionnaires. Most questionnaires used in quantitative research involve a predominance of pre-coded or closed questions and the layout of the response points can help to minimize problems of mis-recording. More problematical, however, is the recording of open-ended questions, such as why did you buy this product, then? This usually leads to a lengthy or rambling response from the individual, in which what is said is then summarized or abbreviated and there is no way of knowing whether what is recorded reasonably reflects the response given. In the case of this paper, due to the short deadline associated with writing this paper, one was only able to get a telephone interview (primary data collection method) from a senior manager of customer relationship management at one of HSBCs flagship branches in the London area. Additionally one has also used multiple sources of evidence, i.e. secondary sources of information, articles, journals, established theories, HSBCs annual report, comments by top management within the organisation are analysed and also the companys website are all used to evaluate and address the effectiveness of its use of market strategy to increase its market share and customer base. The remainder of this paper proceeds as follows, analysis of findings, overview of the marketing strategy, criticisms, summary and conclusion. ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS Central to achieving a companys corporate vision is the need to build up a loyal customer base of satisfied customers. HSBC did not overtake its major competitors by chance in acquiring foreign financial institutions; it developed a clear marketing strategy based on a desire to fully satisfy a carefully targeted set of market segments. As the BBC (2004) gathered, a quarter of HSBCs 2003 profits were made in the UK, and it made around  £70 profit per customer. Additionally, the bulk of its profits came from acquisitions elsewhere, US personal loan firm Household International and HSBC Mexico. Although Household International operates in the UK, HSBC says its British market accounts for less than 10% of this divisions profits. Market segmentation is at the core of robust marketing strategy development. This involves identifying customer needs, expectations, perceptions, and buying behaviour so as to group together homogeneous customers who will be satisfied and marketed to in a similar manner. One segment will differ from another in terms of customer profile and buying behaviour, and also with regard to the sales and marketing activity likely to satisfy these customers. Having sufficient knowledge of these customers is fundamental. It is important to remember that the process of market segmentation involves more than simply grouping customers into segments. Shrewd targeting of certain segments and the development of a clear brand positioning are part and parcel of the market segmentation process. Now, HSBC launched a marketing strategy called Managing for growth, which is to cover and deal with its strategic outlook for the period 2004 2008. From the company website, they have stated that they will deliver this by; focusing on enhancing HSBCs revenue generation culture, develop its brand name further (hexagon logo), manage costs strategically, maintain a prudent credit/market risk stance, and invest further in its people. Addition ally, acquisitions still remains an integral part of their strategy. As stated from the companys website, they will concentrate on growing earnings over the long term at a rate which will place it favourably when compared with its peer group. It will also focus on investing in its delivery platforms, its technology, its people and its brand to support

Videogames and Violence Essay -- Violent Games Ethics Morals Essays

Videogames and Violence In 1979 the United States was vehemently attacked by aliens from outer space, an event that was to forever change life on our planet. The release of Space Invaders for the Atari Video Computing System became an instant hit. Kids stopped listening to music, playing sports or going to movies, choosing instead to defend the nation from alien attack, from the safety of their television sets. The success of Space Invaders launched the video game revolution as the demand for personal game consoles soared (Atari). Videogames soon became the preferred leisure activity for children, forcing parents and critics to question the possiblibility of ill effects. With the advent of new technology, parents have even more reason to be concerned today. On October 26th of 2001, Sony released its Playstation 2 game console to the public. It features a 300mhz processor with 32 megabytes of RAM and 42 sound channels. Compare this to Atari's 1.19mhz processor with 4k of ROM and mono sound, and it is easy to conclude that today's systems deliver lifelike sound and graphics. Unfortunately these advancements in technology and gaming quality have been utilized into creating games that more often than not contain highly violent plots, action, and graphics, forcing critics to once again question the ethics behind such games. Three students were killed at a Kentucky high school in 1997 by 14-year-old gunman Michael Carneal. Testimony was given in a Congressional hearing on violence in videogames that Michael's only experience with handguns came from playing video games (Rattiner). On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold launched an assault on their schoolmates of Columbine High School, murdering 13 and wounding 23 bef... ... and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol. 78, No. 4, 772-790. April 2000. http://www.apa.org/journals/psp/psp784772.html "Atari Video Gaming System." http://retrogamer.merseyworld.com/atari2.htm Cesarone, Bernard. "Video Games and Children. ERIC Digest." ERIC. 1994 http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed365477.html Cesarone, Bernard. "Video Games: Research, Ratings, Recommendations." ERIC. November 1998. http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed365477.html Choi, Suzanne. "Computer Games and Violence: A Child's Friend or Foe?" University of Calgary http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dabrent/380/webproj/sue.html Rattiner, Marlen. "Video Game Violence." About.com 29 March 2000 http://videogames.about.com/games/videogames/library/weekly/aa032900a.htm

FDI

However, these institutions may also bring with them relaxed codes of ethical conduct that serve to exploit the neediness of developing nations, rather than to provide he critical support necessary for countrywide economic and social development. When a multinational invests in a host country, the scale of the investment (given the size of the firms) is likely to be significant. Advantages The possible benefits of a multinational investing in a country may include: HARD – Train the labor skills, other company start losing skilled workers. Improving the balance of payments – inward investment will usually help a country's balance of payments situation. The investment itself will be a direct flow of capital into the country and the investment is also likely to result in import substitution and export promotion.Export promotion comes due to the multinational using their production facility as a basis for exporting, while import substitution means that products previously i mported may now be bought domestically. Providing employment – FDA will usually result in employment benefits for the host country as most employees will be locally recruited. These benefits may be relatively greater given that governments will usually try to attract firms to areas where there is relatively high unemployment or a good labor supply. Source of tax revenue – profits of litigation's will be subject to local taxes in most cases, which will provide a valuable source Of revenue for the domestic government.Technology transfer – multinationals will bring with them technology and production methods that are probably new to the host country and a lot can therefore be learnt from these techniques. Workers will be trained to use the new technology and production techniques and domestic firms will see the benefits of the new technology. This process is known as technology transfer. Increasing choice – if the multinational manufactures for domestic mark ets as ell as for export, then the local population will gain form a wider choice of goods and services and at a price possibly lower than imported substitutes. National reputation – the presence of one multinational may improve the reputation of the host country and other large corporations may follow suite and locate as well.Disadvantages The possible disadvantages of a multinational investing in a country may include: Environmental impact – multinationals will want to produce in ways that are as efficient and as cheap as possible and this may not always be the best environmental practice. They will often lobby governments hard to try to ensure that they can benefit from regulations being as lax as possible and given their economic importance to the host country, this lobbying will often be quite effective. Access to natural resources – multinationals will sometimes invest in countries just to get access to a plentiful supply of raw materials and host nations are often more concerned about the short-term economic benefits than the long-term costs to their country in terms of the depletion of natural resources.

Technologies in the Classroom essays

Technologies in the Classroom essays I use technology in my pre-K classroom at this time. I use computers, video, recorders, videos, a camera, and the Internet. I use the computers to show them how they can write words on the computer, such as their names and words from the letter of the week. We also have educational games, like Jump Start Phonics, Spanish, and a math game. We also have other non-educational games for the children to play as well, such as Putt-Putt, Winnie the Pooh, and Castle. In these programs there are useful activities, such as getting from point A to point B through a maze, a Simon type game where you have to remember what order the colors flashed. I also use a recorder in my listening center. The children listen to books on tape and we also use it to record them retelling a story we have been talking about with our curriculum. I use videos to show educational videos when our curriculum calls for maybe a unit on sea animals. I think videos are over used in the classroom. I have seen som e teachers use them for entertainment purposes not educational purposes. Children love to have their pictures taken and I do a lot of this in my classroom. I also use it outside the classroom to show them about places I have visited and things I have seen, such as a windmill. Not many children have seen one much less know what one is. I also use the Internet a lot in my classroom to look up things to go with my curriculum, such as different types of animals to show the children and also for information on the animals. I use it also to look up different lesson plans or activities for my children. The Internet is the most powerful tool I have used so far, it helps me out a lot in my classroom. The children love to see different types of animals, insects, the solar system, and people on the net. ...

One Who Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest essays

One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest essays The novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" had many important events with in its binding. These events helped the reader follow along with the story. It also made the story what it is. The characters also helped moved the story along. They were all very strong characters. In, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", the main character is Randle P McMurphy. He sort of comes off as a New York tuff guy. In my opinion McMurphy is a hustler, considering his gambling and how he's always trying to manipulate other patients to his benefit. Chief Bromden is a six foot eight, half bread Indian. For years, Chief has fooled the staff and patients in the ward into thinking that he's deaf and dumb. Though it was by accident, McMurphy is the first person that Chief has spoken to in years. Throughout the book, Chief seems to open up to McMurphy Big Nurse is a picky and mean. On the outside, she's always smiling, but inside she's full of hate. The biggest reason she despises McMurphy is because he threatens her perfect little world. One important event is the vote held on the watching of the World Series. McMurphy had actually won the vote, but still wasn't able to watch the game. McMurphy didn't get to watch the game, but in a sense still won, This sense was that he still had influenced the patients to actually Another important event is the fishing trip. Big Nurse strongly disapproved the trip, and she showed it. She posted newspaper clippings of bad weather reports and tragedies at sea, right next to the sign up sheet for the trip. Despite the fear that some of the patients felt, they went The beginning of the party is somewhat important. It's shows how good of a manipulator McMurphy really is. Though Mr.Turkle knew he could get fired, McMurphy was able to talk him into letting Candy Girl and Sandy into the ward. ...

The Principles of Sustainable Development Research Paper

The Principles of Sustainable Development - Research Paper Example Based on this definition, we are able to see sustainable development as a system that is able to connect time and space. By thinking of the world as a system that affects space, we are able to understand that air pollution in North Africa, has the capability of affecting the quality of air found in Asia, etc. Furthermore, by thinking of the world as a system that affects time, we are able to understand that our present activities will definitely have an impact on how the future generations live (Watts, 2013). The principles of sustainable development are therefore rooted in these concepts of system thinking. Sustainable development helps us to understand the world we live in, its environment, and how our activities are able to affect the environment, and how we can handle these activities for purposes of conserving the environment (Nemeth, 2012). Based on these facts, there are seven major principles of sustainable development. One important principle is the integration of economic and environmental decisions. According to this principle, the economic decisions that are made must reflect the consequences that these decisions would have, on the environment, health and social well being of the society. This, therefore, means that any economic decision that the government enacts should not have the capability of affecting the environment. For example, there is a debate on whether the United States should drill oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Proponents argue that oil drilling would improve the economy of United States, while those against oil drilling denote that, drilling of oil would destroy the environment (Scherer, 2009).  Ã‚  

Post-occupancy evaluating of low income housing in the Kingdom of Essay

Post-occupancy evaluating of low income housing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(Research plan) - Essay Example This concept is a new policy, as well as a new trial, for it has been chosen as the issue to discuss the housing policy for this category which will be assessed by post occupancy evaluation method. However, what does POE mean? There are a number of definitions of POE, all generally in accord with, and built around, the central theme of the simple statement (Preiser et al., 1988) that â€Å"post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is the process of evaluating buildings in a systematic and rigorous manner after they have been built and occupied for some time† Vischer ( 2001, pg.23). This defines POE as â€Å"any and all activities that originate out of an interest in learning how a building performs once it is built, including if and how well it has met expectations†. ... The MCDF was one of the top contributors to investigating the success of low-income housing. This is done through investigating the satisfaction of the users within one of their projects. Objectives/ more aims 1- To study the theory of post-occupancy evaluation, its emergence, and its importance. 2- To understand the importance of POE for creating better houses for low income people. 3- To critically evaluate literature about international housing policies and compare it to housing policies in Saudi Arabia using POE approach. 4- To assess a case study by using the post-occupancy evaluation of the:------ METHOD a- Functional aspect b- Social views c- Technical factors ----- 5- To evaluate building performance, by incorporating the feedback from the residents. Research Questions: To what extent are the users satisfied with current housing design? What is post-occupancy evaluation? Why is it important? How is it applied How did it emerge? What are the international housing and Saudi hou sing policies? What are the differences? How to assess a case study by using POE for functional aspect, social views and technical factors? How to evaluate building performance by taking account of resident's feedback into account? methodology Literature Review : Define both the area and the nature of POE that enhances the understanding of the concept, the scope and the process of POE, international policies for low-income housing, low-income housing in Saudi Arabia and analyze case study. Questionnaire design methodology: It will be designed based on POE theory, and will deliver the questionnaire to the residents of Algazalh district. How many people? How many sites? Please define much more detail Clearly say what you will do POE is not just theory