Delta Airlines

The use of new technology, such as internet e-check-in and self-service kiosks, allows the processing of a significant number of passengers to be decentralized from the airport itself. This allows a better use of airport staff resources and reduces bottlenecks while, more significantly, allowing more departing passengers to be processed. Frequent flyers and business flyers who tend to travel with little luggage and appreciate any time-saving measures are currently leading the way in self-service check-in use. The other functions of self service kiosks are the kiosks help customers shave 5 to 15 minutes off the time they have to stand in line. Passengers can use the kiosks to check in for their flights, get boarding passes for originating or connecting flights, select or change seats, request to stand by for an upgrade, check baggage, change flights, and initiate multiparty check-ins. Delta plans to add more than 400 kiosks and enhance functionality to include international check-in and fee collection. With this change, Delta will offer customers more than 800 kiosks in airports nationwide. Airports such as Northwest and Delta airlines are now finding that the self-service kiosk is a valuable tool in the reduction of queues. But while the kiosk technology has been around for some time, it has still taken the industry a lot of coaxing to make passengers comfortable with the technology. The self service kiosk technology includes networked special-purpose microcomputer terminals * Video touch screens * Built-in thermal printers * Magnetic-stripe card reader The TouchPort which is being manufactured by Kinetics USA provides the best of the available technology system for the implementation of the Self service kiosk. The system consists of: * Intel ® P4 Processor 2. 8 GHz * 15† Touch Screen Display (Optional 17† Touch Screen Display Available) * 8† Wide-format Thermal Printer * Magnetic â€Å"Dip† Style Card Reader * Built-in System Support * Snap & Go Installation * Ease of Serviceability * System Reliability * The system is completely customizable and can be modified to include a large number of features as per the requirements of the buyers. Moreover, the system is easy to maintain is not very costly also. Ans2. -Delta customers will benefit from: –  · Broader reach and enhanced functionality – More than 400 enhanced kiosks will be available in 80 U. S. cities by the end of 2002.  · Quicker transaction times – Delta customers who use kiosks will receive a boarding card in less than one minute, on average.  · Dedicated customer service agents – Delta provides customer service agents dedicated to assisting customers with kiosk usage and baggage check. Self-service check-in kiosks are just one product in an array of technology enhancements provided by Delta to make travel easier for its customers. Delta offers the industry’s most extensive line of virtual check-in products available, including virtual check-in through delta. com, a toll-free telephone line, wireless Palm Powered handhelds and Web-enabled phones. Additionally, Gate Information Display Screens (GIDS) and Flight Information Display Screens (FIDS) are other technology products designed to save customers time, while keeping them informed. Delta Air Lines, the world’s second largest carrier in terms of passengers carried and the leading U. S. airline across the Atlantic, offers 5,590 flights each day to 410 destinations in 71 countries on Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection carriers and Delta’s worldwide partners. Delta is a founding member of Sky Team, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Without the use of such information kiosks, the customers had to spend a lot of time waiting in the queue for checking-in the airport. Moreover, the customers who are frequent travelers and business class people who do not have much time get annoyed with such long waiting times. As a result, such a system would definitely help the travelers and a lot of customers would be delighted to use this system and it creates a lot of value for the company as well. Ans3. – These fully automated information kiosks provide a very high business value for the airline industry which is one of the most emerging fields because of the increasing globalization. Thus a large no of people keep travelling for business purposes to various countries. These corporate people do not like spending their precious time waiting in the queue to check-in to the airport. As a result, the implementation of such self service kiosks are always of a very high value for the airline industry as it helps them getting more customers. Yes, they do give an airline company a lot of competitive advantage. When an airline company implements such an information system, by which a customer can do all the things sitting at home and has to just walk in to the airport half an hour before his flight would surely give that company a competitive advantage over the others who are not implementing. Because the customers of those airline companies have to spend a lot of time after coming to the airport when the other company lets them do everything at their convenience. Traveling for business or pleasure isn't what it used to be. In order to develop and maintain brand loyalty while streamlining operations in an increasingly competitive global market, airports, air carriers and hoteliers have been challenged to transform their business processes and integrate new forms of customer-facing technology. Self-service technology has played an important role in this industry transformation. Today, travelers can manage air, hotel, train, and rental car reservations and check-in using kiosk, web or mobile applications. Increasingly, these applications support preferences ranging from dietary restrictions to airplane seating to hotel room/bed types and much more. In addition, travelers can use self-service kiosks while at an airport, hotel or off-site location, bypassing long queues. While selfservice travel kiosks have the potential to improve the traveler experience by making traveling easier, quicker and more enjoyable, some travelers may experience barriers when trying to use them. Self-service kiosks often utilize touch-screens which can be difficult if not impossible for persons to use if they are blind or have low vision or mobility impairments as a result of age or disability. Providers of self-service travel kiosks are increasingly interested in removing such barriers in order to: †¢ Continuously improve the traveler experience and differentiate themselves. †¢ Build brand loyalty in an increasingly competitive global market †¢ Capture market share for the growing segment of travelers with disabilities, whose annual business and leisure.

A comparison of the poems ‘A London Fete’ by George Patmore and ‘Clever Tom Clinch Going to be Hanged’ by Jonathan Swift Essay

The two poems ‘A London Fete’ by Coventry Patmore and ‘Clever Tom Clinch Going to be Hanged’ by the poet Jonathan Swift both share the theme and the horror of public execution, although each poem has a different focus point. ‘A London Fete’ concentrates on the impression the impression that the crowd watching the execution gives to the poet. It expresses the horror that the poet experiences as she watches the crowds attitude towards the execution. The very negative language of the poet expresses how she felt, â€Å"Thousands of eyeballs, lit with hell†¦as when the realm of the damned rejoiced at winning a soul to its will,† compares the event as a vision of hell. The poet describes the crowd as a â€Å"rabble† an uncontrollable force almost like a mob, an evil atmosphere â€Å"as mothers held up their babes to see, who spread their hands and crowed with glee,† everyone in the rabble is involved almost as if they were all one person, all enjoying the entertainment, as it was called during the Pre 20th Century. A crowd would gather around Newgate’s prison, which was a prison in London like death row, during the 1800’s many would have seen the spectacle of a prisoner being brought forth to the hangman’s rope. For many of the people gathered it would have been a form of entertainment almost like a day out and many people would have gathered for the event, waiting with baited breaths. Anticipation rises as the crowd wait for the ‘show’ to begin â€Å"thousands of breasts beat horrid upon hope† depicts how the crowd waited and as more anticipation rose in the already tense atmosphere. â€Å"Blasphemed and fought for places,† describes how everyone wanted a place from which to watch. â€Å"To windows, where, in freedom sweet, others enjoyed the wicked treat,† illustrates how much the people in the crowd enjoyed it, as does â€Å"Thousands of eyeballs, lit with hell. Burnt one way all, to see the rope unslacken as the platform fell† this also shows us that the crowd gathered all stared intently as if they were all one single person. Yet with all the many people there â€Å"a man with yelling tired, stopped, and the culprits crime inquired† the use of vocabulary chosen shows that even though there is a large rabble gathered nobody there at the time knows neither who the â€Å"damned man† is nor the culprits crime was. It didn’t matter about the name of the man, if he had a family or not, even whether he was innocent or guilty, no respect was given to the condemned man. â€Å"The rope flew tight,† the waitings over, â€Å"and then the roar, Burst forth afresh; less loud, but more confused and affrighting.† the crowd has lost its unity, its roar. The use of the word â€Å"common din, the chaos of noises† illustrates the use of how the author describes the pre-hanging scene. â€Å"Clattering and clanging of hateful voices, sickening and stunned the air,† depicts just how much the poet sees the crowd as sinners during this very religious time. â€Å"A thief slunk off with ample spoil, to ply elsewhere his daily toil,† this line tells us that although Public execution was designed to deterrent others from committing crimes others pocketed from the crowd, stealing money, this suggests that the supposed deterrent actually had little effect. â€Å"A baby strung its doll to a stick; a mother praised the pretty trick†¦. two children caught and hung a cat,† Copying the event and the praise received shows that the people considered it to almost be like a show and how it influenced children’s lives even how the children saw of it as a game instead of the dramatic loss of human life. Adults had been little affected even after seeing something so awful â€Å"Two friends went off, in lively chat† Basically it was part of normal life during that time. The poets’ use of language reflects on how she saw the event, its personal, and her view of the crowd as she watched the horrid event and the people almost as bad as the criminals himself. The title itself appears to have a sarcastic tone usually a fete would be a celebration. The poem appears also to be very realistic and quite dramatic with a sinister mood as the crowd is not in anyway sympathetic towards the criminal. ‘Clever Tom Clinch Going to be Hanged’ is also an ironic title seeing as if Tom Clinch was clever then he would never have been caught and the poem also has a comedy feel towards the theme of public execution.

History of Brazil Essay

Brazil the only Portuguese speaking country of South America, was founded by Spanish and Portuguese in the same year of 1500, but was handed over to the Portugal in the agreement of Torsdesillas (Bamber Gascoigne,gtu). Since the time of its colonization from 1500 until the late 1930, export of principal products has been subjected. Joao VI the sole sovereign when returned to Portugal, his apparent to the throne was Pedro, who surged a sequence of progressive political differences, which ultimately led to the independence of Brazil by 1822, leading to an era of kingship by Dom Pedro. His son Pedro II continued his legacy and led a more efficient government more than his father till 1889, where he was deposed by military coup. After that there were two more military coups in 1930 and later in 1964, but since 1985, democracy slowly returned to the snagged state. But in the midst of all the political and military drama, somehow the country’s economy was on the move. The history of the country indicates of its troubled pasts, and its love affairs with military coups, but since the last three decades, the country’s political frame has been stable, leading to ample opportunity for company like ours. Brazil Demography and Economy Brazil today has a population of more than 183 million people, with a high literacy rate of more than 86% (BIGS, Brazil today). A very strong positive indication, of a healthy literate population, briefly a very lucrative consumer mass for our product. Brazil comes in one of the front leaders of a leading economy in the world. It is an elite member of trillion dollar GDP group of the world. It is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and slowly but surely, this country has become members of varied monetary unions, like Mercosur, and G-20. Brazil’s GDP has grown at an alarming 5. 1 % in the financial year of 2007, and with a very strong GDP per capita income of $8800 and also the Brazilian currency BRL$ is very strong, as 1 USD is near about less than BRL$ 2. This 8th largest economy of the world would prove to provide substantial buyers of our product in due course of time. Brazil’s Lifestyle Brazilian culture is a very open culture, with very less of taboos, and from the early times has been into music, and dance. Being a highly diversified culture with a huge mix of ethnic groups, Brazil has a very rich heritage. Music is one of the lifelines of Brazilians, and it can be stated form the fact that, way before their independence, Brazil had its own set of music schools, set up in different part of the country . This 5th largest population of the world is very inclined to towards singing and dancing customs, and being a prosperous nation 98% of the large population has access to television, where their local movie industry which also being the 10th largest in the world is highly well-liked and watched. Brazil’s inclination towards sports is not hidden from the world, and especially their superior liking for football. The population in general is known to be very hard working, but very apposite to recreation in sports and music. Status of demands of subwoofer in cars Brazil has a very large automobile industry, and in the year 2005, Brazil manufactured more than 1.65 million cars only for its domestic market (Elisangela Cordeiro), also according to the Euro monitor consumer electronics reporting Brazil, the in-car electronics such as woofers and media players along with other electronics in the market are available at cheap installment schemes, which are luring the common man into packing his car with accessories, like car speakers and woofers. Brazil has got a very huge young population, which would be our main targets for our products, as woofers are a very mandatory thing for the young generation of Brazilians. Recommendation Our first strategy to enter Brazilian woofer market is to tie up with the local car manufacturers, and to fit in our woofers in the local brands at reasonable prices. Since Brazil has a huge automobile market, we can tap into its boom and accessories the cars with our woofers. Secondly, the basic nature of a Brazilian is very open, and everyone has very strong interest in the different genres of music, we can capitalize on this nature of theirs and we can have ads on the lines of their open nature along with, their music, being played by our subwoofer. The only competition from a brand as repute as ours is from the company â€Å"BOSE†, but it only has its sales distributors, retail and commercial in Sao Paulo, if we can pull up our regional centre in Sao Paulo as well as the capital Brasilia , then we would be miles ahead of BOSE in the Brazilian sphere, as we would be able to reach a lot of people with our products, also these two cities are the main hotspot places for tourists, mainly coming from other regions of Latin America, and we would start catering to the domestic as well as the other Latin American mass would enhance the company’s reputation in nationally as well as in other neighboring countries. We can have our shops in malls and in different youth oriented streets and places, apart from having our outlets at car showrooms. Another thing that is strongly recommended is to tap into local manufacturing structure as Brazil has a very high amount of labor population who work at remunerations which are much aff ordable to us than the labor unit in the US, also the transportation costs would exceed cost price of our product. It is more suitable to link up with government in Brazil for facilitating us with the required formalities, and also the required waivers being handed out to us, in return for the unit which would commence in Brazil, in turn handing out jobs to the local population. Once we establish our market in the region, we can market our product more to the masses by making changes in its core design and, we can create an innovative JBL series subwoofer, which can be in a shape of a football (sphere), which would woo youngsters and football lovers. Further details regarding this matter will be mailed to you from the Research& Development wing. Conclusion Brazil has a very booming economy, and it is being rated with countries like India and China who are, the fastest growing economies of the world. This country has a very reasonable labor population which would cut down our costs by a huge margin, when we start manufacturing here. The regional centers which I have recommended would enhance our market in the country, and we if we can tap into the free nature and love of music of the Brazilians , then we would have not only a huge market in this country but also other Latin American countries who would follow Brazil’s in pursuit. Apart from Brazil’s distressed past of military coups, there is nothing else that negates Brazil as one of the prime future market for our company Work Cited Bamber Gascoigne, â€Å"History of Brazil†, Jan 14th 2008 http://www. historyworld. net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories. asp? historyid=aa88

The Proof of Euler that Captures the Soul of Mathematics Research Paper

The Proof of Euler that Captures the Soul of Mathematics - Research Paper Example The biggest credit to the Homo sapiens is their invention of mathematics; the invention has revolutionized every aspect of learning. Would it be possible for the code to a human gene without mathematics? Or send Neil Armstrong to the Moon? Mathematics has indeed provided clues to phenomenon hidden to human eyes for centuries. Mathematics can give absolute and divine pleasure to a mathematician. This is not only because it is beautiful and capable of artistic divination as any other art but because unlike poetry, music etc it provides complete and absolute satisfaction, purity and above all freedom. It is capable of unrivaled perfection compared to any other art form. A mathematician does not do indulge in mathematics not only because it is useful but because it gives a reason for being. The insignificant human existence can find purpose and greatness beyond its boundaries. To understand this beauty we should take it as an expression of structure and pattern like a painter paints a picture. Just like different colors combine to create a unique masters piece, similar numbers and notations integrating to produce beauty. Just look at the Rubik’s for instance, no human being without the help of mathematics can imagine solving it. It has more solution than many times the stars of this galaxy but with mathematical algorithms, we have accomplished to solves it in as less as 7.9 seconds.

Critical Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Critical Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example Thus, the use of outsourcing has become more relevant in today’s business environment and industries in the international market. Outsourcing usually has numerous advantages to the companies that are outsourcing but this depends on the manner the particular company concerned goes about in the outsourcing. Through outsourcing, the company is able to benefit from reduced prices and better quality goods and services as well as increased selection of products on offer to the consumers. The challenges for outsourcing usually stem from the fact that the company has to meet the legal, business and cultural requirements of the new market that it outsources in. Even if a company manages to overcome the challenges of outsourcing, it may fail to overcome the risks involved such as the loyalty of the staff in the outsourced market as well as other hidden costs. There could be serious problems if the labor or members that work in the outsourced market are not chosen in an appropriate manner or that the initiative is not properly articulated to the members of the company. Kripalani argues that outsourcing of jobs has been met with skepticism in the United States majorly due to the fact that the government and industrialists alike believe that through outsourcing, the countries that outsource take away the job opportunities available to citizens. However, he argues that the United States government should look at the finer details and benefits that may be derived from outsourcing as when handled well, the nation stands to benefit just as the nation that it has outsourced jobs to (Kripalani, 64). His argument is supported by the fact that the ruling party in India has appreciated the economic importance of having a free trade area which allows outsourcing as a creator of employment opportunities for all. Through outsourcing in India, corporations headquartered in the United States stand to

Accord to the requirement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accord to the requirement - Assignment Example These are like, â€Å"How many kids do you have?† and â€Å"Are you married’ A person silence in a business meeting discussion is acceptable in Japanese. This is a way of accepting the business deal. It means there is more troubling on my part as yet, though you need to take it. This way in the video the client failure to utter a word in five minutes during the business discussion meeting, implies its fine. Being silent in a conversation is not an issue in Japanese conversations. Then in the business meeting in Japanese context, one is not supposed ask personal questions like ‘Do you have kid or kids† or â€Å"Are you married†. This is only allowable in case you are acquainted to your business partner. From the previous discussion answers, it is clear that the difference between the Japanese behavioral communication and Japanese is where silence in business meeting in America means that the person is inadequate with the discussion with the counterpart. Additionally, asking private questions in America is normal part of any business conversation. On the other hand, the Japanese don’t entertain this in a business conversation. This is given that the business partners are not yet familiar with each other. The composition of Japanese teams as portrayed on the video is purely of Japan origin and most are female. On the contrary, the American team is composed or I presume from watching the video, people of different cultures and so of different origin. For the Japanese team, their reflection on the culture of organization is one. On the other hand, the American team got different reflections on their culture organization of the business they are representing. The use, of the first name in America is acceptable as a way of introducing oneself in a business meeting. On the other hand, this is not the case in the Japan where one is

Employee motivation and Incentives Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee motivation and Incentives - Coursework Example Positive recognition is another very important factor, if an employee comes up with a great solution to a problem, he should be rewarded and appreciated for his creativity, this will also make the organization competition and the other employees will also put their thinking caps on. The fourth and the last method is by providing stock options to the employees, they will not only work for the same organization but they will start going that extra mile to ensure their growth, these are some of the best ways to hold on to employees who perform well in an organization. The most lucrative of all is the employee stock option, employees start working very hard after buying the shares of an organization and that organization grows by leaps and bounds. Part 2: The most common type of compensation is salary, almost every organization compensates its employees by paying them their salaries, organizations who think out of the box give their employees regular performance related bonuses which is the second type of compensation.

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 1

Business - Essay Example This paper aims at analysing, identifying as well as evaluating the strategies that Ryanair pursues in order for it to maintain its market leadership position. The main focus will be on the strategic management practices that the airline’s management has developed and adopted over time to overcome market challenges as well as stiff competition from its closest rivals for example British Airways. Ryanair is an airline that was founded in 1985 and at its start it concentrated it travel from Waterford to London. The airline has come a long way since then and today it ranks one of the biggest carriers in Europe. The company’s growth is heavily attributed to the management’s decision from its onset to plough back its earnings in expansion programs that have reaped a great deal of benefits to date. In this regard it emerged to be the big airline it is today (Carol & Julian 2000). To elaborate further on its growth trend, the airline started operations with only one aircraft which had 15 seats. In 1986 the company added two more aircrafts and by 1987 it already had a jet aircraft that made it possible for the airline to expand on its route. The company grew rapidly from this time but in 1990 it made a massive loss due to heightened competition from British airways and Aer Lingus. This phenomenon caused the management to embark on a major restructuring exercise. This saw the airline branded as a low fares one; a stance that saw its tribulations turn round as the number of passengers increased enormously after the first low fares announcements. By 1992 passenger traffic had grown by 45 percent due to the steady policy of providing good service at low cost; this translated to 945,000 passengers (Charles & Gareth 2009). The 1990s were the years of steady growth where more and more routes in Europe has been conquered and airlines like British Airways were not in

The role of e.coli ESBL+ Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The role of e.coli ESBL+ - Literature review Example According to Farrell et al during the period 1999-2000 approximately 1291 bacterial isolates causing UTI were collected from different centres in UK and the most prevalent organism was E. coli which was found to be amoxicillin resistant. Other organisms isolated from UK during this period also included cefruoxime resistant Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. In UK most of the E. coli causing community acquired and nosocomial infections are CTX-M producing and its control has been a challenge for the clinicians in the past and the years to come. ESBLs may be of different types like TEM, CTX-M, OXA which includes many ESBLs differing in amino acid substitutions. Among the different ÃŽ ²-lactams available, carbapenems were used against ESBL because they are relatively resistant to hydrolysis by most of the ÃŽ ² lactamases. But, however with the advent of carbapenem resistant strains other alternatives like mecillinam and fosfomycin may be used to treat UTIs caused by ESBL producing E. coli with much success. One of the most common problems hovering human females is Urinary tract infection. The annual incidence of UTIs in women is 12 % with the percentage rising to 18.6 % in the case of females aging between 20-25 years. Approximately 40 % to 50 % of women experience UTIs at least once in their lifetime and of these 25-33% experience a recurrence within 6-12 months. Normally, the urinary tract is sterile but bacterial infection may arise from the perianal region leading to UTI. Pathogens in the bladder may remain dormant or irritations and other symptoms like increased frequency of urination associated with pain and burning sensation, presence of blood and/ or pus in urine, nausea and vomiting, cramps or pain in the lower abdomen, fever and malaise in children, strong urine stench, pain during sexual intercourse and increased urgency of urination. Asymptotic bacteriuria may be prevalent in 8% of the

Christianity and islam Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Christianity and islam - Coursework Example The dramatic increase in knowledge about other cultures and religions, and the establishment of economic and social histories of progress urged people to abandon their pagan and polytheistic beliefs, the worship of multiple deities for Divine Providence. Christianity, as a monotheistic religion, is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus, also called Christ or Messiah (The Anointed One), is the son of God and the savior of humanity. They believe that Jesus Christ suffered, died on the cross, buried and resurrected from the dead to open heaven to those who believe in him and trust him for the salvation of their sins. The Bible is referred to as the word of God in which Christianity is based. Islam, on the other hand, is also a monotheistic religion in which its teachings are based on the Qu’ran, a verbatim word of Allah, the single incomparable God, and the prophet Muhammad’s demonstrations and real-life examples. The word Islam means â€Å"peace acquired by submission to the will of God† while Muslim means â€Å"one who submits to God.† Christianity and Islam are related because of a family likeness and certain similarities in theology. Aside from the fact that they are both born in the spiritual traditions of Abraham, their narratives feature many of the same figures, histories, places, beliefs and traditions. Christianity and Islam originated from one significant place: Jerusalem, the city of David and Christ. It became a very holy place for Muslims such as Mecca and Medina. As for the Christians, there is a continuous presence in Jerusalem since Jesus Christ was born. Christianity and Islam are both dominated by the concept of monotheism or the belief that only one God exists, though they are known in different names: God and Allah. The Islam’s theological belief that there is only one God is called the tawhÄ «d. Both religions believe that God is one, rules, reveals,

The citizens of Oceania Essay Example for Free

The citizens of Oceania Essay The citizens of Oceania live in a society where all of there actions are controlled. Telescreen is the technology they use to help achieve this control. Telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously; any sound that Winston or any other citizen make can be heard, and as long as they are within the field of vision they can also be seen. Telescreen is also constantly broadcasting media that they want the citizens to hear, all of which basically leads to the indoctrination of its citizens. Citizens of Oceania lives are just about completely controlled; there are alarms that wake up the office workers when its getting up time. Then theres the Physical Jerks were the citizens have to exercise and even have a look of grim enjoyment on this face which was expected. Their entire way of living is controlled, and they constantly have the idea that Big Brother is watching you instilled in their mind. Winston works for the Ministry of Truth party in the Department of Records. His job is to alter historical records. The party would simply go into the past and say that this or that event had never happened. There slogan was Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past. Winston had to make certain that all historical events correspond with the Partys beliefs at that time to ensure that whatever Big Brother claims was exact. It is all part of their way of controlling society. I believe that what Winston does for a living for the Ministry of Truth is appalling. There are situations when people do thing that are wrong but they really dont know any better. They are ignorant of the truth. Winston, however, is completely aware that what he does is not just. He even states how he unconsciously started writing during the Two Minutes Hate meeting, Down with Big Brother. He is completely aware of what he is doing and knows that its not right. I suppose, however, that he is sort of caught between a rock and a hard place. Newspeak affects communication of this society by restraining the societies vocabulary. This is simply another means of controlling the citizens of Oceania, and preventing them form committing a thoughtcrime. Citizens have to be extremely careful of the things that they say and this is simply a way of achieving that control. I dont believe that Newspeak could make thoughtcrime impossible though, although, they might be able to control what society is able to say and do I highly doubt that they would be able to actually completely control persons thoughts. Even Wilson thing about bring Big Brother down.

Labor Relations Project and Presentation Essay Example for Free

Labor Relations Project and Presentation Essay Labor Relations is a very delicate part of a business that should be properly reviewed and studied before implementing or changing a businesses conduct. Happy Trails is a medium-sized company that is trying to minimize cost to continue to serve its tenants with a cost effective service. Unfortunately cost has to be reviewed in all possible ways and strategies. We will be covering a few of the advantages and disadvantages of unionizing. A recommendation will be given to help guide Happy Trails. A review will also be conducted of the issues a union might raise during the organizing effort. The steps that should be covered by the LPN’s will also be presented. We will then present the labor practice that the LPN’s should avoid. We will then advise the independent living home management on what we feel they should do. We will cover the arguments and defense the hospital will rise to the unions organizing issues. Then we will take a look at what the company must do if they resist unionization. We will then see what unfair labor practices need to be avoided by management. We will finalize this paper by reviewing what activities Happy Trail management should and should not engage in. Advantages Disadvantages The advisement to unionize, or not, is a complicated stance. There are advantages and disadvantages on both sides of the decision. With a decision to unionize, the LPNs would be protected and guaranteed wages and certain work conditions. On the other hand, Unionizing immediately creates an adverse relationship between members and the employer sometimes out weighing the benefits. In the event that a group of employees has a community of interests coupled with concerns about their treatment as an employee by an employer for any reason, the employees have the right under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). Recommendation In this case, the recommendation for the LPN’s would be to unionize. This would protect them from being over (or under) worked, insure that proper wages and entitlements were established, as well as make sure Happy Trails was not expecting or giving RN level care through the lesser qualified LPNs. Steps to Unionize For the group of LPN’s at Happy Trails, the first step would be to contact the local healthcare union representative mentioned in the overview. This would be a perfect starting resource for information, questions and answers. This is also the step in which the union should become clear about what issues are important and expected to be addressed by the collective bargaining. For the LPN’s at Happy Trails, their issues should be concentrated on wages, minimum hours worked, overtime terms, benefits, as well as clearly understanding the scope of their expected duties. Secondly, the LPN’s would need to decide to join an already established industry union, or to create a union of their own. In either case, a sufficient number of authorization cards (or petition signatures) must be acquired, and the union must be voted in during a union representation election, or by asking the employer to voluntarily recognize the union. The National Labor Relations Board supervises and the union election, and certifies the results (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). The last step is to win a strong union contract. The LPNs in this case would need to negotiate wages paid, overtime payment terms, benefits, and minimum expected hours worked. Any union is only as valuable as the contract agreed upon. Unfair Labor Practices that should be Avoided by the LPNs Generally, most unfair labor practices are committed by the union or the employer. The only unfair labor practice the LPNs should avoid is to not try to coerce their fellow workers to join the union. Should Happy Trails Oppose Unionization? Although unionization of groups like nurses is typically non-traditional, over the past 10 years there have been many registered nurses’ groups that have unionized across the country because of the demand for their employment and the shortage of nurses. Because of the need to have every American be able to afford healthcare, licensed practical nurses are in demand more because of their lower wages. Happy Trails should not oppose unionization. There are many other healthcare facilities in the area who are working with unions Happy Trails would benefit by negotiating with a union also. Because of the unhappy nurses at Happy Trails, trying to block unionization would probably be the worse step for the organization take. Employees may feel that management’s trying to manipulate them and this can decrease employee morale. The nurses may go to any of the other facilities to seek work and representation by the union for better working conditions. If Happy Trails loses more nurses, it may be hard to recruit new workers. Steps to Resist Unionization Tactics and strategies must be implemented in order to resist unionization. One strategy that has been used in the past is to hire consulting firms, also known as union busters (Bennett-Alexander Hartmann, 2007). These firms use methods that discourage employees from voting to have union representation. This strategy is a costly one and should only be used if basic steps are not working. One important step to avoiding unionization is through employee relations (Thomas Associates, 2009). Employee relations programs have the employees best interest in mind. An effective program will help employee/employer communication, which can help resolve any issues or dissatisfaction. If step one does not stop union organizing, the next step is to prevent the union from gaining employee support. Throughout this step the company should inform the LPNs of the cons of signing a union authorization card. If the employees are informed and feel valuable to the company they will be less likely to sign a union card. Information can be provided through meetings, letters, and bulletin boards. If an election campaign begins because 30 percent of employees signed cards, the next step is to resolve any employee issues and to legally convince employees that their best interests are served by rejecting the union. Happy Trails would need to build a strong campaign and reinforce the value of the existing benefits and the excellent working conditions. Arguments against Unionization by Happy Trails Arguments Happy Trails can use against unionization include the following: †¢ Funding the workers’ salary if a union exists †¢ Relationships between employee and employer may be threatened with a union †¢ Union dues paid by employees is taken from their paycheck †¢ The union cannot guarantee anything What unfair labor practices need to be avoided by management? a) Management should not try to control or interfere with union affairs. They should not try to get their favorite/certain candidate to be elected to the union office. b) Management should not discriminate against employees who join or is in favor of brining in a union. They should not discriminate against employees â€Å"who exercise their rights under the law (e.g., terminating, demoting, or giving poor working schedules to such employees).† (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007, pg 666) c) Management should not interfere, threaten or restrain their employees from exercising their rights under the labor law legislation, for example, they should not tell employees that they are not allowed to have unions or they will be punished or terminated if they do bring a union). d) Management should not refuse to bargain with the union. And they should not refuse to bargain in good faith. †¢ Happy Trails’ management team may engage in any number of activities during the unionization. Which of the following would you advise? Explain why or why not? Activities during Unionization Promote LPNs, offer bonuses, and place some into leadership and management roles. Unionization can be a long process but is quite beneficial for the LPN’s. Unions are typically formed because employees are unhappy with their pay, working conditions, or poor benefits. For that reason the activity management should engage in is to actively promote LPN’s, offer bonuses, and place some into leadership and management roles. This is the best tactic to use and could benefit Happy Trails as well as the LPN’s. However, the company has to make sure the tactics do not interfere with the employees’ efforts to unionize. Raises and opportunities must be given to everyone, not just union supporters; otherwise the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) could view the act as illegal and as unfair labor practices. As long as the employer bargains in good faith no law has been broken. Tell employees salary increases must cease to finance the collective bargaining agreement. This option is not viable therefore I do not recommend it. Utilizing scare tactics and threatening to cease salary increases will do more harm than good. Strikes could occur, which would have a negative impact on the company. The LPN’s shouldn’t feel like they are being punished for going with the union. Explain current employee benefits to the LPN’s, comparing them to union promises. Though this option is informative it is timely. There are cons to being in a union such as dues and possible strikes. Providing information to employees could sway their decision especially if they are not familiar with the union practices. However, overall the union has benefited employees, which is why this method could be more wasteful than effective. Most union members have better benefits and pay than non-union members. The LPN’s are aware of the superior wages and benefits other LPN’s in the areas have received therefore there is not much to explain. Threaten to close facility due to union campaign Being that Happy Trails is a health care facility, closing the facility would not be practical. It would also be considered discrimination against employees if they closed the facility down due to the union campaign. The NLRA does not allow discrimination against employees for participating in union activities. By staying open, they have the upper hand and it would give them more opportunity to explain the disadvantages of a union to their employees. Assist in circulation of antiunion petitions. During a unionizing campaign an employer cannot assist in antiunion petitions. Assisting in this activity could be considered interference by the employer. Participating in these activities is illegal and viewed as unfair labor practices. Counter union exaggerated claims on flyers. We recommend the management not to send the flyers with exaggerated counter offers to union claims. The management is not supposed to â€Å"promise wage increases or other benefits if employees don’t join the union.† (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007, pg 673) And they are not supposed to e-mail, post or circulate any intimidating letters or leaflets (flyers). The management can however give pay raises or benefits, but they have to give them all across the boards, not only to the union supporters. However, this tactic is limited if the management decides to do this after the union has applied for the certificate or has given notice to the management to bargain its first agreement. Tell employees they do not need to talk to union organizers, that they may vote against the union, and that the independent living home does not welcome the union. We recommend the management to talk with the employees, and tell them that they have the option to join the union, but it’s not mandatory for them to join. They can also tell the employees that the independent living home does not welcome the union, but if the employees vote for the union, the management will follow the good faith bargaining agreement. Solicit employees to request the return of their authorization cards. We would recommend the management not to ask employees to return the authorization cards (badges) that mean you are letting them go. Employers can not threaten to fire, lay-off or terminate employees for supporting or joining a union. Tell employees they may be replaced if they vote for the union. We would recommend the management not to tell employees that they will be replaced if they vote for the union. That would mean the management is threatening the employees. Management can’t threaten to fire, lay-off or terminate employees for supporting or joining a union. Appeal to the employees to defeat the union. We would recommend the management to talk with the employees and tell them not to vote in favor of the union. The independent living home will do everything possible to raise the wages and benefits as much as possible if the union is defeated. The management has to be careful not to negatively influence the employees against the union. The management can also tell the employees, that if the union is organized, we will treat the collective bargaining process with full faith and not follow any unfair labor practices. The management also can state that we will follow exactly what the law requires. Statistics for union members in United States and California (Statistics, 2013): [pic] Conclusion When making huge changes that change an employees, benefits, pay, rights, and responsibilities it is very important and should be done very carefully. A company must remember how important these changes are to people and what issues could be created if the employees feel they are not being taken into consideration. When an employee feels violated they can go to extreme measure like becoming part of a union. A union can become a huge burden for a company and cost employees money. Many of the reasons why employees look at unions can usually be avoided and handled in house. Employees should also remember that a union cost money and they should search for a union that is worth their money. Unfortunately sometimes employees end up loosing more than winning when they become part of a union. If the people in the union are not doing their job and looking out for all employees then they might just be spending their money and not getting what they deserve. References: Bennett-Alexander, D. D., Hartman, L. P. (2007). Employment law for business (5th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Ch. 14-Labor Law. Pg. 666 673. Labor Union Statistics. Retrieved on February 17, 2013. http://www.bls.gov/ro9/unionca.htm Thomas Associates (2009). Avoiding Unions. Retrieved February 18, 2013 from http://www.employersattorneys.com/employment-law/California-employer-how-to-

Dabur India Limited A Indian Consumer Goods Company Marketing Essay

Dabur India Limited A Indian Consumer Goods Company Marketing Essay Introduction: Dabur India Limited is a leading Indian consumer goods company with interests in Hair Care, Oral Care, Health Care, Skin Care, Home Care and Foods. From its humble beginnings in the by lanes of Calcutta way back in 1884 as an Ayurvedic medicines company, Dabur India Ltd has come a long way today to become a leading consumer products manufacturer in India. The founder, Dr.S.K.Burman, was a practicing allopathic doctor. At that time Malaria, Cholera and Plague were the common diseases. He was a physician who brought Ayurvedic medicines to the masses of Bengal. Initially established as a proprietary firm for the manufacture of chemicals and ayurvedic drugs it was later on 19th November 1930 incorporated as private limited company. Late Shri C.L.Burman, son of late Dr S.K. Burman and his son late Shri P.C.Burman in the name of Dr S.K.Burman Pvt.Ltd. to expand the operations by setting up production facilities at Garia and Narendrapur, West Bengal and Daburgram, Bihar. Dabur (Dr.S.K.Burman) Pvt. Ltd. was merged with Vidogum and Chemicals Ltd. w.e.f. 1st July1985 and the amalgamated company was renamed DABUR INDIA LIMITED. For the past 125 years, they have been dedicated to providing nature-based solutions for a healthy and holistic lifestyle. Through their comprehensive range of products, they cater to all consumers, in all age groups, across all social boundaries. And this legacy has helped them develop a bond of trust with the customers. VISION Dedicated to the health and well being of every house hold. Dabur is a company with a set of established business values, which direct its functioning as well as all its operations. The guiding forces for Dabur are the words of its founder, Dr.S. K. Burman, what is that life worth that cannot give comfort to others. The Company offers its customers, the products to suit their needs and give them good values for money. The company is committed to follow the ethical practices in doing business. At Dabur, nature acts as not only the source of raw materials but also an inspiration and the company is committed to product the ecological balance. Journey so far 1884 The Birth of Dabur 1972 The company shifts base to Delhi from Kolkata 1986 Registered as Public Limited Company 1994 Listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange 1998 Professional team inducted to run the company 2000 Crosses Rs. 1000 Crore Turnover 2003 Pharmaceutical Business de-merged to focus on core FMCG 2004 Profit exceeds Rs. 100 Crore 2005 Acquire Balsara strengthening Oral care provided entry into Homecare segment 2006 Dabur figures in Top 10 Great Places to Work 2007 Dabur ranked among Asias best under a Billion enterprises by Forbes 2008 Acquired Fem Care Pharma entering the mainstream Skin care segment 2009 Strong growth momentum continued in spite of general economic downturn. Also Dabur Red Toothpaste becomes Daburs 9th Billion Rupee brand. 2010 Touched US$4 billion market cap. Overseas acquisition, Hobi Group, Turkey to strengthen presence in MENA and adjacent regions. Dabur At-a-Glance: Dabur India Limited has marked its presence with significant achievements and today commands a market leadership status. Their story of success is based on dedication to nature, corporate and process hygiene, dynamic leadership and commitment to their partners and stakeholders. Leading consumer goods company in India with a turnover of Rs. 3417 Crore (FY10) 3  major strategic business units (SBU) Consumer Care Division (CCD), Consumer Health Division (CHD) and International Business Division (IBD) 3  Subsidiary Group companies Dabur International,  Fem Care Pharma and newu  and  8 step down subsidiaries: Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd (Nepal), Dabur Egypt Ltd (Egypt), Asian Consumer Care (Bangladesh), Asian Consumer Care (Pakistan), African Consumer Care (Nigeria), Naturelle LLC (Ras Al Khaimah-UAE), Weikfield International (UAE) and Jaquline Inc. (USA). 17 ultra-modern manufacturing units spread around the globe Products marketed in over 60 countries Wide and deep market penetration with  50 CF agents, more than 5000 distributors and over 2.8 million retail outlets all over India Dabur India Ltds manufacturing activities spanning various consumer products categories are carried out in 17 factories spread across India and abroad. Dabur has 11 manufacturing facilities in India, out of which two main units are at Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and Pantnagar (Uttaranchal). Daburs Business Structure: Note: Percentage share in revenue based on FY10 Financials ; Femcare included in Consumer Care Division Consumer Care Division (CCD): Consumer Care Division (CCD) adresses consumer needs across the entire FMCG spectrum through four distinct business portfolios of Personal Care, Health Care, Home Care  Ã‚  Foods. Master brands: Dabur Ayurvedic healthcare products Vatika Premium hair care Hajmola   Tasty digestives Rà ©al Fruit juices beverages Fem Fairness bleaches skin care products 9 Billion-Rupee brands: Dabur Amla, Dabur Chyawanprash, Vatika, Rà ©al, Dabur Red Toothpaste, Dabur Lal Dant Manjan, Babool, Hajmola and Dabur Honey Strategic positioning of Honey as food product, leading to market leadership (over 75%) in branded honey market   Dabur Chyawanprash the largest selling Ayurvedic medicine with over 65% market share. Vatika  Shampoo has been the fastest selling shampoo brand in India for three years in a row Hajmola tablets in command with 60% market share of digestive tablets category. About 2.5 crore Hajmola tablets are consumed in India every day Leader in herbal digestives with 90% market share Category-wise Share of CCD : Brand Overview: Consumer Care Categories: Hair Care: Hair Oil Shampoo Source: Value share-ACN June, 09 Value Share-ACN Mar, 10 Oral Care: Value Share-ACN March, 2010 Health Supplements: Value Share-ACN March, 2010 Foods: Company Est. Mar, 2010 for Fruit Juice category Skin Care: *Company estimates; Includes Fem skin care portfolio Digestives: Value Share-ACN March, 2010 Home Care: Value Share-ACN Mar,2010 for Aerosols category Consumer Health Division (CHD) Consumer Health Division (CHD) offers a range of  classical Ayurvedic medicines  and Ayurvedic OTC products that deliver the age-old benefits of Ayurveda in modern ready-to-use formats. Daburs Consumer Healthcare business is the Companys oldest business, and today has a growing portfolio of OTC products to address a variety of problems ranging from Womens Health to Baby Care and  Cough Cold to Rejuvenation. Has more than 300 products sold through prescriptions as well as over the counter Major categories in traditional formulations include: Asav Arishtas Ras Rasayanas Churnas Medicated Oils Proprietary Ayurvedic medicines developed by Dabur include: Nature Care Isabgol Madhuvaani Trifgol Division also works for promotion of Ayurveda through organised community of traditional practitioners and developing fresh batches of students   The Consumer Health Division, CHD witnessed a growth of 10.2% during the quarter led by ethical portfolio which grew by 14.5%. In OTC, Pudin Hara grew by 12.8%. The Pudin Hara portfolio has been extended by launching Pudin Hara Lemon Fizz in the acidity segment. International Business Division (IBD) International Business Division (IBD) caters to the health and personal care needs of customers across different international markets, spanning the Middle East, North West Africa, European Union and the US  with its brands Dabur Vatika   Growing at a CAGR of 33% in the last 6 years and contributes to about 20% of total sales Leveraging the Natural preference among local consumers to increase share in perosnal care categories Focus markets: GCC Egypt Nigeria Bangladesh Nepal US High level of localization of manufacturing and sales marketing World wise division of Dabur Daburs International business: The Companys key markets for international business are the Middle East, Africa, UK and South Asian geographies, with manufacturing plants located across regions. The Company also has a private label business in USA and UK, along with Guar gum exports, which takes place from its Indian plants. The Companys International Business Division recorded an impressive sales growth of 26.3% from Rs.477.0 crore in 2008-09 to Rs.602.5 crore in 2009-10, contributing to 18% of overall consolidated sales. The operating margins of the business improved significantly during the year reflecting the strength of the brands even though the external conditions were tough and the environment was plagued by recessionary trends, currency depreciations and demand contraction. Robust sales growth in international markets was possible due to: Strong Brand portfolio positioned on herbal and natural platform Aggressive new product launches and brand extensions Geographical expansion into new markets Strong Sales and Distribution network Strong manufacturing backbone and expansion of own manufacturing in key geographies Localised and efficient supply chain. Product Portfolio: The company has built strong and robust brand architecture with two mega brands for international business across all geographies Dabur and Vatika and most of its offerings are under either of these two brands. Dabur Amla: Dabur Amla franchise achieved a growth of 38% along with all the extensions. Basis Nielsen Retail Audit in KSA, Dabur Amla Hair Oil with a market share of 34.2% is the biggest brand in the hair oil segment. Dabur Amla Gold has market share of 6.8% while Dabur Amla Jasmine is at 5.1%. The Amla franchise has now been extended to the Hair Cream Category with the launch of Dabur Amla Hair Cream. It has become the fastest growing brand in the Hair Cream segment notching up sales of more than INR 13 Crore in first year of launch. Vatika: There has been a robust growth of 36% in the Vatika franchise which includes Vatika Enriched Hair Oil, Coconut Hair Oil, Hair Creams and Hamam Zaith. Vatika brand is now worth Rs.185 Cr built from a negligible base over the last four years in the Arab belt. There was a successful re- launch of Shampoos and Conditioners, launch of one more variant in Hamam Zaith and re-launch of Vatika Coconut Hair Oil. Light hair oil range of Vatika Hair oils registered 51% growth in MENA. Vatika Hair Cream is now an INR 64 Cr brand in MENA. Vatika Hair Cream gained 370 bps in market share and becoming 12.7% of the market in volume terms. It grew by 44% in volume terms over LY in a category that has remained flat. Vatika Hair Cream is now the no. 2 player in Modern Trade with a 15.6% volume mkt share despite aggressive competition from established brands. Vatika DermoViva a new sub- brand launched for the Personal Wash and Skin Care segment had its first launch in the Bar Soap category and has managed to create consumer equity in a category dominated by strong MNC players. FEM: The FEM brand was strengthened in the overseas markets through ATL and BTL inputs which saw the brand grow by 100% in just nine months of operation since the takeover. Daburs International Market: The key contributing markets/ regions to the International Business growth have been GCC, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Yemen, Syria and South Africa. GCC, the biggest market in the IBD and despite being a mature market, has registered a strong growth of 42% over last year fuelled by innovations and new product launches in the Hair Care, Personal Wash and Oral Care segments. Dabur Egypt Limited has witnessed another fantastic performance with 30% growth in sales. African Consumer Care, Nigeria has grown by 17% over last year in terms of local currency , aided by strong growth of Dabur Herbal Toothpaste and Dabur Herbal Gel in the Oral Care category. Asian Consumer Care, Pakistan has grown by 26% in revenue with Hajmola and Dabur Amla becoming the two strong brands for the region. Dabur International`s UK Branch has witnessed a 23% growth over previous year which has been the highest growth rate for this region in the last 8 years. Markets of North Africa, Levant and Yemen have witnessed an impressive performance with 49% growth over previous year. Asian Consumer Care, Bangladesh, registered a growth of 47% during the fiscal 2009-10. The growth has been led by increased distribution penetration and focussed brand approach. Dabur Nepal Pvt Limited which makes fruit juices and also caters to local consumer market in Nepal recorded impressive growth of 26% in its sales to the domestic market of Nepal. Dabur recently has bought Turkey-based personal care company Hobi Kozmetik Group in a deal at Rs. $ 69 million. The company, in a move to increase its presence across Middle East and North African region, has made the acquisition. Hobi Kozmetik is a market leader in the hair gel category with 35% market share. Companys products sold under Hobby and New Era brands in 35 countries. The transaction is expected to be completed by Q3 of FY11. Dabur, which is the biggest FMCG in India with large market capitalization, has huge investment and expansion plans as the company aims to expand its foreign sales. Exports from India: The company also exports guargum and private label oral care products from India. During the year 2009-10 the company recorded Guargum exports to the tune of Rs.43.3 crore as compared to Rs.48.3 crore in the previous year. The sales were lower due to poor global demand and recessionary environment. Exports to USA recorded impressive growth with sales increasing to Rs.38.4 Cr in 2009- 10 versus Rs.27.6 in 2008-09 reflecting a growth of 39% despite the recessionary environment in developed markets. The US sales comprise Private Label and Ethnic business. Key markets in USA and Europe contributed to the growth. Innovative product developments in Oral care private label- such as Pro-age, Sensitive and Herbal toothpastes were launched. Ethnic Sales in USA and Canada also performed well recording 80% growth albeit on a low base. Various new products were successfully launched in the market and penetration of mainstay Dabur products like Hair Oils and Chyawanprash into Canadian mainstream retail chains such as Walmart was achieved. Competitor Analysis: Category Daburs Share Main Competitors Fruit Juice 58% Real and Active Tropicanna Fruit Drinks (coolers) 1% Coolers Frooti And Maaza Hair oil Coconut base 6.4% Vatika HLL Shampoo Vatika 7.1% HLL and PG Hair care (overall) 27% HLL, PG and Himalaya Chyawanprash 64% Himani, Zhandu and Himalaya Honey 40% Himani, Hamdard and local Players Digestives 37% Paras and local players Competition: Market Cap. (Rs. cr.) Sales Turnover Net Profit Total Assets HUL 60,897.63 17,725.33 2,202.03 2,583.52 Dabur India 18,851.77 2,874.60 433.15 859.35 Godrej Consumer 12,917.72 1,267.88 248.12 839.87 Colgate 11,244.57 1,770.82 290.22 330.70 Godrej Ind 7,770.69 880.97 19.33 1,570.31 Marico 7,641.54 2,030.85 235.02 948.58 PG 7,169.93 904.46 179.76 440.02 Emami 6,891.49 1,006.86 165.40 878.42 Gillette India 5,953.64 852.48 137.10 490.89 Jyothy Labs 2,440.33 579.87 80.05 399.10 Source: moneycontrol.com BCG Analysis: Internation business division which promises high growth potential in Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Banladesh, Nepal, US needs more investment. Price penetration is a key strategy for Cash Cows like Health supplements, Digestives and Home care. Dabur has adopted a strategy of premium pricing for its Dog category like Baby care. Vision 2010 The following are the principal features of the 2010 strategic plan:- Doubling of the sales figure from 2006 The new plan will focus on expansion, acquisition and innovation. Although Daburs international business has done well growing by almost 33% from Rs.602.5 crore in 2009-10, plans are to increase it by leaps and bounds. Growth will be achieved through international business, homecare, healthcare and foods. Southern markets will remain as a focus area to increase its revenue share to 15 per cent. After smoothly sailing through its previous plans, this vision seems possible. However, if Dabur could be more aggressive in its approach, it can achieve unprecedented results. To conclude, there are few recommendations which are as follows. Recommendations: Entering rural market: Dabur should target more towards the rural market and tier 2 and tier 3 cities. These markets have traditionally been loyal to Daburs ayurvedic range of personal products. Tapping the rising global demand of herbal and Ayurvedic products: New trends in the global market for the rising demand of herbal/ ayurvedic products are seen. This is the right time when Dabur should re launch itself as a key international player in the global arena. Targeting premium segment: In the domestic market, there is a huge scope for Dabur to launch niche/luxury segment products catering to specific target groups. Development of new markets for Products Services: New areas of growth are opened up for Dabur with the expansion into the new markets of Cambodia, Philippines, Belarus, Gambia and Bolivia. The sales and distribution structure should be strengthened in the key markets of Yemen, Syria, Kuwait, Malaysia and Tanzania. It can be done by appointing new distributors in CIS, Mozambique, Guinea and Rwanda etc Entering US Market: The Company is also trying to enter into the US Market where it is attempting to build a full fledged distribution channel. It will also be useful to mention that some of its products like Chyawanprash are selling in the US via indirect channels. But this task is going to be a herculean one since US laws are tough and the preferences of consumers also vary greatly than that of markets which are usually catered to by Dabur. Targeting South Africa: In Africa the company should look at countries like South Africa where it currently is not present. It already has a personal care plant in Egypt and a toothpaste plant in Nigeria. Dabur can do well in these markets because the profile and preferences of these consumers are very much like India. Focusing on Export: The focus should be to continue expanding the companys presence across geographies and to exploit the opportunities that exist in existing and potential segments. The company should continue to invest in brand building, manufacturing and human capital in order to maintain and improve the existing robust growth path.

Celebrities in the American Media Essays -- Celebrity

American Media: The Bliss of the Public or the Bane of Celebrities? Throughout history, the media has caught some of the most horrific scenes on camera. While it is great that these events were documented, one cannot help but wonder how much is too much when prying into the lives of public figures. Even celebrities need a time to grieve; yet that time seems limited when they are constantly being harassed by men with cameras trying to give the best account of the situation. Since the introduction of the television, and possibly before, news broadcasters have been concerned with one objective— relaying the most interesting and informative report of the breaking story, regardless of the effects of their curiosity. In most cases of tragedy, the media coverage makes the situation worse. There is a photograph by Elliott Erwitt of Jackie Kennedy at President Kennedy’s funeral, which really embodies the effects of broadcasting tragedies. In the picture, Mrs. Kennedy’s face seems frozen in a state of disbelief and grief as a man behind her stands unaffected with a microphone around his ear. Millions of Americans sat in front of their TV sets watching the funeral, and through all of this Mrs. Kennedy was barely able to relax and reflect since it was her duty to plan the whole procession. After the funeral, she still could not find the time to grieve. Because she was the first lady, Jackie Kennedy had an obligation to the public so â€Å"even under the greatest stress imaginable [the] widow was receiving the guests who had come to her husband’s funeral† (Mayo, 84). By being the wife of a public figure, she too feels the stress of being a celebrity. The media, as well as the members of the public have forced her to remain active... ... without creating a rivalry between them or false pretences against them. In an age when media is such a big part of Americans’ lives, it is necessary to take into account the effects that the stories will have on the people in them. Works Cited Baughman, Cynthia. Women on Ice: Feminist Responses to Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan Spectacle. New York, New York: Routledge, 1995. Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink. New York, New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2005. Mayo, John B. Bulletin From Dallas: The President Is Dead. New York, New York: Exposition Press, 1967. Semple, Robert B., ed. Four Days in November. New York, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2003. Triplett, William. â€Å"Alive†. American Journalism Review. October 1994. Questia. Questia Online Library. University of Miami. 28 September 2006. .

Prevention for HIV/AIDS :: Diseases Health Medical Essays

Prevention for HIV/AIDS Although anti-viral therapy exists to support people coping with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS, the AIDS epidemic is not over. Though it is not prevalent in the Untied States, 2.1 million people died of AIDS by 1999. Half a million children under the age of fifteen are HIV positive, mostly infected through mother-to-child transmission or sexual assault (2). Ninety percent of HIV infections occur the developing countries, leaving the poor and struggling to cope with the epidemic (3). Heterosexual infection is the most common form of infection in Africa and Asia, especially in women. Elsewhere, infection through sex with a bisexual or drug infected partner, drug injection with dirty needles, blood transfusion and heterosexual sex are typical (2). Overall, the primary forms of transmission occur through unprotected sexual behavior, sharing needles, home tattooing, and through birth, from mother to child (5). An infectious disease, HIV must enter the blood stream of a person for transmission. It enters through bodily fluid, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk. The disease infects cells in the body, especially CD4 cells, a type of white blood cells. Also known as T-cells, CD4 cells are crucial in maintaining the human immune system in protection from infectious diseases (5). By destroying the white blood cells, HIV causes a sever breakdown of the body's immune system, leaving the body vulnerable, fragile and unable to protect against any disease they are exposed to. When the immune system becomes severely damaged AIDS is diagnosed by the contraction of specific diseases such as tuberculosis and toxoplasmosis (5). Once diagnosed with AIDS, the virus never leaves the body, leaving the immune system to deteriorate until it is unable to fight off the diseases anymore, letting them take over the body. Major research and pharmaceutical companies continue to place precedence on the search for a vaccine or cure; it is estimated that it will take another ten to fifteen years to find a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS. Methods for HIV prevention need to be a priority in medical research; prevention is the first step to slowing an epidemic, and an interest in vaginal microbicides, a new form of female prevention, could result in having them on the market in a third of the time it would take to discover a vaccine (1).

Blake Coleridge Swift :: essays papers

The Symbolism of Christ William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Jonathan Swift were very different writes but are bound by basic Christian beliefs. In their writings there are strong references to Christ and symbolic images of Him. Blake writes "The Lamb" as a symbolic representative of Christ. Coleridge uses many form of religious symbolism in his poem "The Rhime of the Ancient Mariner", but the thing that stands out the most is how the albatross represents Christ. Swift writes in "Gulliver's Travels", of a man named Pedro de Mendez who is a savior to Gulliver. These three authors show us how Christian views and Jesus are a part of life not just in the Bible but also in current society. Blake uses our questions about faith to emphasize the importance of Christ in our lives. Blake emphasizes the connection of which the child is naturally aware, when he writes, "I, a child, and thou a lamb, We are called by his name"(p.1289). The tone, however, is the genuine simplicity of a child's speech. The first verse is a series of questions addressed to the lamb, which represents Jesus. The second stanza begins with the child being able to answer those questions. Blake writes, "Little Lamb, I'll tell thee"(p.1289). Meaning that the child understands Christ being the savior. These questions are asked purely for the satisfaction that it gives the child in answering and to show the child's understanding of God. Blake shows Christ in a way that is innocent like the child. Blake writes this poem using the example of the lamb found in nature to represent Christ and uses the child to represent man trying to understand God. Blake uses the lamb to represent Christ in nature in the same way that Coleridge uses the albatross to represent Christ in nature. Coleridge uses religious and natural symbolism, which correspond with one another and play the most important roles in this poem. Although there are many different interpretations of this poem, one idea that has remained common throughout the poem is that of the religious symbolism present. Especially that of Christ and his ability to save, which was present throughout this poem. The symbolism is that of the albatross. The albatross saves the Mariner for bad weather and keeps the sailors in

A White Girls Burden

â€Å"A white girls Burden†, written Amy Finnegan is an article about a social movement, which happened in 2012, this is most commonly referred to as Kony 2012. This movement was started by a group of 3 regular Californian guys who had typical lives who were motivated to started an organization on this situation which is called invisible children, which was first formed in 2003. The video titled â€Å"Kony 2012† is 30 minutes long and quickly made an appearance on many social networks and newspapers across North America, â€Å"sparking wide spread concern about the lords resistance army (LRA) war in central Africa†.Finnegan, 2013). Once this video became viral thousands of people became moved about this issue and started to help fundraise thousands of dollars to help the cause from all ages of people. â€Å"Invisible children mobilizes predominantly young, privileged, evangelical Christian, female Americans to participate in a unique form of† non-wave-maki ng activism† (Finnegan, 2013). Aside from fundraising people were also reaching out to all the contacts and sources they had to further raise the awareness of the war in Africa. Soon after the video was released invisible children had already raised 1 million dollars after a week.The founders of the organization â€Å"invisible children† all had faith and were into religion, however they did not want to mix religion and business. Invisible children made a social movement unlike many others, through social medial and non-violent actions. â€Å"Distinct from activism that seeks to make social change by engaging institutions through civil disobedience or public protests, invisible children promotes legal, institutional forms of engagement. † (Finnegan, 2013). Some major events that invisible children has achieved is hosted the largest lobby day ever about an African issue in U.S history, they have also successfully gained several minutes of unscheduled airtime with Oprah to raise awareness about this conflict. In â€Å"less than an year, of the lords resistance army disarmament and northern Uganda recovery act, at a bipartisan piece of legislation that mandated that the Obama administration provide funds for the northern Uganda recovery and transitional Justice initiatives, and eventually send 100 military advisors to the region in October 2011† (Finnegan, 2013). Invisible children have also being contacted by George Clooney, and other popular films like Blood Diamond.However there are 3 ain problems discussed in this article regarding invisible children, firstly the media seemed to misrepresent Uganda and what one knows about it. Secondly, † invisible children also promoted policies that are highly controversial† and lastly † Americans shallow an ill-informed understanding of Africa, and a distorted picture of their own role in social change. † (Finnegan, 2013). Invisible children have focused on gaining the att ention on young people because these types of people are the future and are becoming more passionate and involved in stories and issues similar to this concern all around the world.Mobilizing young people to become active on these issues is very important and very effective to changing the world, young people are more socially active online and do participate in other subjects such as invisible children and stopping Joseph Kony. This issue is still going on but has gotten better; problems like this cannot be solved overnight but throughout the past 2 years have made a significant ditterence and will continue to get better. Because ot the generous donations and support a lot has been done regarding this issue and has led others to become aware of different problems, situations, organizations, and groups around the world.

Play Writes Skills as A Dramatist Essay

Analysing A Scene from the play ‘A View from the Bridge’ Showing the P Play Writes Skills as A Dramatist   The paly which I analysis is by Arthur miller called â€Å"a view from the bridge†. In this play I analysed a scene which is the chair incident. In this essay I will be writing about what lead up to the chair incident. I will be also analysing the skill that Arthur Miller uses and write down its function.This play is set in America in 1960s. This play is about the Carbone family who brings two brothers who are Italian immigrants. There are six main characters, Eddie who is married to Beatrice, Catherine who is Eddies nice. The layer is Alfiera. The two immigrants are Marco and Rodolfo. At this time Italy was very poor and it was illegal for immigrants to come in America. Eddie helps his Italian cousins Marco and Rodolfo by smuggling them to America so they can provide for their family. When they by a ship they get jobs as longshoremen. Marco has a wife and two children and Rodolfo is single.  The events which led up to the chair incident is the boxing incident. This is where Eddie decides to teach Rodolfo boxing for self defence as he is to vulnerable. For example he says â€Å"I’ll teach you† to Rodolfo. This incident suggests that Eddie is trying to embarrass Rodolfo in front Catherine. This will make Catherine think that Rodolfo is nothing but a man mouse and Eddie is a man. Marco reacts to this by â€Å"rising† from his chair. This gives the audience the impression that Marco is going to do something to get his vengeance this builds up tension between Marco and Eddie as Marco is very protective over his brother Rodolfo. This leaves the audience feeling overwrought as they are wondering how Marco is going to get his vengeance. In the chair incident Marco gets his revenge for his brother. Firstly the atmosphere is tranquil; this is where Rodolfo and Catherine dance together. For example in directors notes is says â€Å"he took her hand; they go to the phonograph and start it.  This is when Marco decides to teach Eddie a lesson. Marco says â€Å"can you lift this chair†. Eddie thinks this is just a game but he doesn’t know what Marco’s ingenious plan is as he says â€Å"what do you mean† the gives us the impression that Eddie hasn’t got a clue of what Marco is planning. This is when a lot of tension and suspense builds up as it makes the audience aware of what Marco is planning. This also makes the audience think that Marcos plan must be vicious as he is ‘shy ‘. This implies that Marco is a very bashful and quiet person. Also the audience know that Marco is a person not to joke around with as Eddie says â€Å"nobody kids with Marco†. This gives the aud ience the impression that Marco is a very serious person. Eddie falls in Marcos trap when he lifts the chair. Eddie ‘grasps’ barely lifting the chair. This suggests that Eddie is struggling to lift the chair with straight with his arm. But Eddie does not give up ‘he tries again and again but fails’ this is what Marco wants Eddie to do. This gives us the impression that Eddie is putting all his effort to lift the chair and is trying vigorously to lift the chair. Also the audience now think he is weak and slow-witted for not realizing Marco plan. At this moment a lot of anxiety and tension is created. Marco then decides to lift the chair as it says in stage directions ‘with strain slowly raise the chair higher’. This symbolises that Marco is giving out a warning to Eddie. Marco raised the chair ‘higher’ then Eddie which indicate Marcos status and authority over Eddie as the height of the chair suggests that Marco has more status then Eddie.  There are many features of this scene that make this a climatic scene as in directors notes it says ‘Marco is face to face with Eddie a strike of tension gripping his eyes and jaws’ this is when Eddie finds out what Marco is happening to him. ‘Eddie grin vanishes as he absorbs his look’ this gives us the impression that Eddie feels apprehensive from the impact of the warning from Marco. This nail biting incident leaves the audience feeling perturbed as it makes them think of the various ways that Eddie can get his revenge and if he is going to do any think foolish.

Fastrack Company Essay

Fastrack was launched in 1998 as a sub-brand of Titan. It was spun off as an independent brand of watches targeting the urban youth in 2005. Since then, it has carved a niche for itself with designs that were refreshingly different and affordable. During that time, Fastrack also extended its footprint into eye gear and in the last 4 years has quickly notched up the title of being the largest sunglass brand in the country. Fastrack has now chartered into newer categories – bags, belts, wallets and wrist bands – as part of its vision to become a complete fashion brand for the youth. With enough categories to fill up one cool store, Fastrack has ‘moved on’ to open its own stores for its young consumers. The store is positioned as a complete accessories destination with all Fastrack gear under one roof. The first store was opened in Pune in 2009. With a smart combination of edgy design and value pricing Titan’s Fastrack has managed to keep a firm grasp on the capricious youth market. Not many brands live by what they preach. Taglines are often born out of a creative team’s clever phrasing or a strategy team’s eye on a certain positioning. For Titan Industries’ Fastrack ‘Move on’ is a way of life. From a sub-brand with a fuzzy identity to a bonafide youth brand, Fastrack sure has moved on. The brand, which was conceived in 1998 as a flanker to fend off a competitor and insulate Titan from the fray, now contributes about 25 per cent to Titan Industries watch division’s profits, raking in close to Rs 500 crore. Initially called Titan Fastrack, it was meant to be a brand of cool watches; but it soon became clear that defining cool was far from easy. It started with funky packaging and then with steel bands to make the range look sharp. People into their first jobs were its targets. However, around the same time, Titan Industries was also contemporising the Titan range, with similar metals and communication. â€Å"Fastrack was then just a sub-brand of Titan. It was only in 2005-06 that the brand came into its own,† says Bijou Kurien, who left the company as chief operating officer in 2006, after 19 years with Titan Industries. He is now president (lifestyle) at Reliance Retail. Titan Industries had entered a joint venture with Timex Corporation, leading US fashion watch manufacturer, in 1992, which broke off in 1998. â€Å"Timex had been conceived as a young brand while Titan would focus on premium watch buyers. After the JV ended, there was an opportunity for Fastrack to be launched as the youth brand from Titan,† says Kurien. In 2004, another division called the Accessories and Licensing Business launched sunglasses under the brand name Fastrack. It had already been selling licensed eyewear by FCUK andTommy Hilfiger. But it was only in 2005 that Titan Industries took the decisive call to hive off Fastrack as a separate business unit. â€Å"In 2005, we saw the opportunity of bringing all the divisions under one umbrella,† says Ronnie Talati, vice-president and business head, Fastrack & New Brands. By then, there were all of 1,500 products carrying the Fastrack tag. The total turnover then was Rs 30 crore, from 1.5 lakh watches and 30,000-40,000 sunglasses being sold that year. Sunglasses accounted for about 25 per cent of the sales at that time. Making it happen Kurien recalls, â€Å"We started investing a lot more in the brand, we signed up John Abraham as the celebrity ambassador.† It started with defining the look (stress on design) and the price (introduced lower priced watches) of the products. The company put in place a separate distribution network for Fastrack rather than let the brand piggy ride on Titan’s network of stores and increased counter displays at all Titan showrooms. Then of course, there was the decision to enter other categories, inspired by its successful foray into sunglasses. â€Å"We weren’t willing to run out of options for the youth and wanted to move beyond being a watch brand,† says Kurien of Fastrack’s transition to a full-fledged youth brand. Titan put together dedicated teams for sourcing, marketing and sales for the products sold under the Fastrack umbrella. Talati says, â€Å"We even moved to a new office.† The first year of hiving off Fastrack as a separate busines s unit resulted in a 130 per cent increase in revenues, according to Talati. The brand now sells 3 million watches and 1 million sunglasses a year. Bags, belts and wallets are the latest in the range of accessories launched in 2010. These accessories together account for 40 per cent of Fastrack’s revenues on an average. The year 2005 also saw the brand beefing up its retail muscle. Stores with around 500 square feet of retail space each were added. These stores get half their revenues from accessories. Even though the bulk of Fastrack’s sales (60-70 per cent) still come from multi-brand outlets, the like for like growth in sales at the exclusive stores has been 100 per cent over the last year with a conversion rate of 75 per cent (the total walk-ins at the 63 stores stand at 3,000 per month). Streets near colleges and college towns such as Manipal have appeared on its store map along with high streets in metros and small cities such as Vizag and Kolhapur. Apart from Fastrack stores, each category is available in 1,000 to 3,000 multi-brand outlets. Marketing to the youth is no child’s play. Fastrack realised that when launching itself as an SBU (strategic business unit). It made the logo more energetic, removed the upfront mention of Titan (seen by youngsters as a serious brand) and stopped using the Mozart tune. Dheeraj Sinha, chief strategy officer at Bates 141, says youth brands need a single-minded effort rather than sit on the fence. â€Å"The biggest challenge to build a youth brand is to avoid the trap of defining the audience as between 25-35 years old,† says Sinha. â€Å"There are just too many young-looking brands that talk to them. A youth brand should bite the bullet and let go of such a wide definition. It should be able to exclude all other age groups and look at only young people, talk to them like a 20 year old and not a 35 year old. As a result, the brand might have to say and do things which might shock older generations,† he adds. According to Sinha, brands such as Fastrack, Virgin Mobile and Indian Killer Jeans have managed to stay rele vant to its target audience with edgy imagery. Having said that, Fastrack is now targeting a lower age group than when it started. Earlier the target audience was 25-35 year-olds while now the core group is 18-20 year old. â€Å"We are clear about our core target group. Our sense is that older people want to feel younger and the young want to feel older. We talk to people in their language,† says Ronnie Talati. The communication that followed in the wake of the rebranding in 2005 asked â€Å"How many you have?†. It referred to the urge for variety and constant change in accessories, including watches, among college students. It made way for the next campaign ‘Move On’ (to newer range of accessories) with couples swapping the watches and sunglasses they had gifted each other before breaking up. Next came the series featuring young icons, cricketer Virat Kohli and actor Genelia D’Souza. The campaign highlighted the range of bags Fastrack launched last year, taking a cheeky look at how young people flirted with the opposite gender. The current campaign, which features the same duo in racy ads in the next edition, gives us a take on why the world moved on to automatic contraptions such as auto-pilot, answering machines etc. Of the total ad budget of Rs 40 crore, Fastrack spends half on watches and the rest goes into sunglasses and the new accessories range. Rajiv Chatterjee, vice-president, Lowe Lintas, the agency handling the Fastrack account, says, â€Å"We were clear that we had to attract the young college-goers, and we knew that if we chased this objective, it could possibly get a few raised eyebrows from their parents. Both ‘How many†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘Move on’ refer to their habits in accessories and also their outlook towards attraction and desirability. We did not want to sound judgmental or tell them what to do. We have said, ‘It is ok’ in a conversational tone that has got the youth to relate to Fastrack.† Staying on top Fastrack has stuck to its pegs of design and variety. Design boundaries have been pushed with different straps (made of denim, metal and synthetic materials), hands of the watches and cases. Themes have spanned bikes, army, beaches, outdoor sports and hip-hop music. â€Å"We need to keep reinventing for the youth. Over the last five years, we have changed our brand ambassadors to keep it fresh. The audience’s attention span is less and hence, we refresh our collections as well,† points out Talati. Sinha adds, â€Å"Fastrack has consistently leveraged the potent insight of young people’s aversion to commitment, be it relationships, jobs or the accessories they flaunt. What has also helped them is the fact that a majority of the Indian youth does not have a penchant for international brands like they do in other countries. They would relate to an interesting brand that is real rather than hanker after a knockoff of an international brand.† While Fastrack has successfully walked the marketing tightrope of speaking exclusively to teenagers, it has also walked the talk of a teen brand by keeping prices firmly in check. Its watches range between Rs 695 and Rs 3,500, sunglasses Rs 695-2,500, bags Rs 595-2,500 and belts Rs 195-1,095. Sinha says, â€Å"There has to be a sweet-spot of aspiration and affordability for the youth.† In effect, Fastrack has come to occupy the sub-Rs 1,500 slot in watches, with just 15-20 per cent of its range priced above it. By virtue of being a stylish but affordable brand in sunglasses, it has filled a gap between the RayBans of the world at the upper end and the unbranded flea-market bargains at the lower end. With bags, belts and wallets, it has eschewed leather goods for materials that help keep the costs low, weather rough use and also look good. Talati says, â€Å"We have kept a check on our costs by ensuring a lean team but one that means business. The average age in our office is 25-26 years. Having a young team helps us feel the youth’s pulse.† While Titan watches would have a strength of over 150 people, Fastrack has 60 people manning the var ious functions, with a brand manager for each category. At the retail front, only 10 stores are company-owned, the rest managed by franchisees. The production of the accessories is outsourced while watches are a mix of in-house and third-party manufacturing. Fastrack also ensures the materials used don’t add to the price of the products but lend themselves to innovative designs. Talati says the brand is the entry barrier for competition. â€Å"It will be difficult to beat the way youngsters relate to our brand,† he points out. â€Å"None of the other brands that operate in the accessories’ space are solely focused on accessories; accessories are just one part of a larger portfolio. So they end up concentrating more on their flagship products such as sports shoes, luggage etc. In contrast, we have separate ad budgets and teams to service these product categories.† Sinha points out a challenge for Fastrack: â€Å"The challenge for Fastrack is to sustain its message of Move On. It has taken one aspect and stuck to it for so long. But how long before its target audience finds it repetitive?† For its part, Fastrack is working on a new line of attack. Next up are helmets and fashion footwear. These could prove to be much more difficult to crack — with helmets offering little in terms of precedents and fashion footwear a problem of plenty. But then who said Fastrack was afraid of changing the rules of the game? Fastrack is a brand of watches from the house of Titan Industries Ltd which is the market leader in the watches category in India. Fastrack was launched in 1998 as a sub-brand of Titan. It was spun off as an independent brand of watches targeting the urban youth in 2005. Since then, it has infiltrated the lives of India’s youth with designs that were refreshingly different and affordable. During that time, Fastrack also jumped headlong into the sunglasses business and in the last 4 years has quickly notched up the title of being the largest sunglasses brand in the country. Fastrack has now pushed past the horizons into newer areas – bags, belts, wallets and wrist bands – as part of its mission to offer the youth everything they need to be cool! Executive Summary Moving over from outsourcing our social media initiative to an in-house program has allowed us to engage and really connect with our audience in typical Fastrack fashion and style. Having college-interns run this Fastrack initiative has been a great step in being able to speak the language of our customers/fans. The essence of the brand being communicated in real-time and in a manner that is acceptable and easily understood by our customers is our constant thought as we go through daily customer queries, feedback, comments, suggestions & brand announcements. Our initiative is focused around the experience we deliver to the fans and both current and potential, driving them toward a better, and more personalized connection with the brand. Background Fastrack is essentially a youth brand, and what better way to get in touch with our target audience of 15-25 year-olds (SEC A,B) than having a presence on the very platforms that they use daily? Social networking is a big part of today’s youth and we have made it a big part of us, extending all our online initiatives to incorporate our social networks and communities. With this step forward we worked on tapping the pulse of the youth by answering queries, getting feedback about the brand and our collections and campaigns, engagement, resolving complaints & doubts and interacting with ‘Fastrack Fans’ daily, 24/7.

Part Three Chapter I

Duplicity 7.25 A resolution should not deal with more than one subject †¦ Disregard of this rule usually leads to confused discussion and may lead to confused action †¦ Charles Arnold-Baker Local Council Administration, Seventh Edition I ‘†¦ ran out of here, screaming blue murder, calling her a Paki bitch – and now the paper's called for a comment, because she's †¦' Parminder heard the receptionist's voice, barely louder than a whisper, as she passed the door of the staff meeting room, which was ajar. One swift light step, and Parminder had pulled it open to reveal one of the receptionists and the practice nurse in close proximity. Both jumped and spun round. ‘Doct' Jawan – ‘ ‘You understand the confidentiality agreement you signed when you took this job, don't you, Karen?' The receptionist looked aghast. ‘Yeah, I – I wasn't – Laura already – I was coming to give you this note. The Yarvil and District Gazette's rang. Mrs Weedon's died and one of her granddaughters is saying – ‘ ‘And are those for me?' asked Parminder coldly, pointing at the patient records in Karen's hand. ‘Oh – yeah,' said Karen, flustered. ‘He wanted to see Dr Crawford, but – ‘ ‘You'd better get back to the front desk.' Parminder took the patient records and strode back out to reception, fuming. Once there, and facing the patients, she realized that she did not know whom to call, and glanced down at the folder in her hand. ‘Mr – Mr Mollison.' Howard heaved himself up, smiling, and walked towards her with his familiar rocking gait. Dislike rose like bile in Parminder's throat. She turned and walked back to her surgery, Howard following her. ‘All well with Parminder?' he asked, as he closed her door and settled himself, without invitation, on the patient's chair. It was his habitual greeting, but today it felt like a taunt. ‘What's the problem?' she asked brusquely. ‘Bit of an irritation,' he said. ‘Just here. Need a cream, or something.' He tugged his shirt out of his trousers and lifted it a few inches. Parminder saw an angry red patch of skin at the edge of the fold where his stomach spilt out over his upper legs. ‘You'll need to take your shirt off,' she said. ‘It's only here that's itching.' ‘I need to see the whole area.' He sighed and got to his feet. As he unbuttoned his shirt he said, ‘Did you get the agenda I sent through this morning?' ‘No, I haven't checked emails today.' This was a lie. Parminder had read his agenda and was furious about it, but this was not the moment to tell him so. She resented his trying to bring council business into her surgery, his way of reminding her that there was a place where she was his subordinate, even if here, in this room, she could order him to strip. ‘Could you, please – I need to look under †¦' He hoisted the great apron of flesh upwards; the upper legs of his trousers were revealed, and finally the waistband. With his arms full of his own fat he smiled down at her. She drew her chair nearer, her head level with his belt. An ugly scaly rash had spread in the hidden crease of Howard's belly: a bright scalded red, it stretched from one side to the other of his torso like a huge, smeared smile. A whiff of rotting meat reached her nostrils. ‘Intertrigo,' she said, ‘and lichen simplex there, where you've scratched. All right, you can put your shirt back on.' He dropped his belly and reached for his shirt, unfazed. ‘You'll see I've put the Bellchapel building on the agenda. It's generating a bit of press interest at the moment.' She was tapping something into the computer, and did not reply. ‘Yarvil and District Gazette,' Howard said. ‘I'm doing them an article. Both sides,' he said, buttoning up his shirt, ‘of the question.' She was trying not to listen to him, but the sound of the newspaper's name caused the knot in her stomach to tighten. ‘When did you last have your blood pressure done, Howard? I'm not seeing a test in the last six months.' ‘It'll be fine. I'm on medication for it.' ‘We should check, though. As you're here.' He sighed again, and laboriously rolled up his sleeve. ‘They'll be printing Barry's article before mine,' he said. ‘You know he sent them an article? About the Fields?' ‘Yes,' she said, against her own better judgement. ‘Haven't got a copy, have you? So I don't duplicate anything he's said?' Her fingers trembled a little on the cuff. It would not meet around Howard's arm. She unfastened it and got up to fetch a bigger one. ‘No,' she said, her back to him. ‘I never saw it.' He watched her work the pump, and observed the pressure dial with the indulgent smile of a man observing some pagan ritual. ‘Too high,' she told him, as the needle registered one hundred and seventy over a hundred. ‘I'm on pills for it,' he said, scratching where the cuff had been, and letting down his sleeve. ‘Dr Crawford seems happy.' She scanned the list of his medications onscreen. ‘You're on amlodipine and bendroflumethiazide for your blood pressure, yes? And simvastatin for your heart †¦ no beta-blocker †¦' ‘Because of my asthma,' said Howard, tweaking his sleeve straight. ‘†¦ right †¦ and aspirin.' She turned to face him. ‘Howard, your weight is the single biggest factor in all of your health problems. Have you ever been referred to the nutritionist?' ‘I've run a deli for thirty-five years,' he said, still smiling. ‘I don't need teaching about food.' ‘A few lifestyle changes could make a big difference. If you were able to lose †¦' With the ghost of a wink, he said comfortably, ‘Keep it simple. All I need is cream for the itch.' Venting her temper on the keyboard, Parminder banged out prescriptions for anti-fungal and steroid creams, and when they were printed, handed them to Howard without another word. ‘Thank you kindly,' he said, as he heaved himself out of the chair, ‘and a very good day to you.'