China and India’s Youth Demographics and Trends Essay

As the United States continue to grow over the years, it is certain that we should also acknowledge that other countries will be expanding also. We tend to focus how each country is growing in technology but there are many other trends that we are forgetting. Youths in China and India tend to follow their own trends. We will discuss China and India by describing the products (goods and services) that interest their youth markets, comparing and contrasting the micro- and macro-environmental forces that can influence the marketing strategies for these products, and analyzing the marketing strategies of these two countries and compare them with Western-based consumption marketers. It has been projected that in the near future the youth in China is going to be the main part of consumer spending in that country alone. The current population of the People’s Republic of China is estimated to be about 1,390,510,630. China’s population makes up around 19.3% of the world’s population (World Population Statistics, 2014). According to The Hindu (2014), the population in the age-group of 15-34 increased from 353 million in 2001 to 430 million in 2011. Every third person in an Indian city today is a youth (Shivakumar, 2014). The most significant component to successful marketing is to gain the loyalty of the youth. Today’s consumers relate to brands that help define who they are and who they will like to be in the future. The youth in China are now deciding what they want for their own lives. In the past, their parents and elders were deciding and choosing what was best for them. The families did not have much money. Unlike the youths in the U.S., the youths in China are more focused on more of what they need. They want to figure themselves out and define who they are. They are finding more way to individualize themselves and be unique. Most consumers under the age of 28 are not good at saving money. This is because they figure that they will not have to worry about anything in the future. People tend to worry about things when the problem arise, instead of preventing the problem ahead of time. In a recent survey, people said they know they will be getting between a 10 to 20 percent increase in their annual salaries. Therefore, their spending is based mostly on enjoyment. Each generation is different. The goods and services that the youth in China and India are interested in are definitely not the same as before. There are so many new technological advances that have come about. Today’s generation is more about convenience, quality, and speed. Marketers these days have finally figured out that in order to have the continuous interest of the youth consumers, they have to provide the proper goods and services. These goods and services may include: music, technology, and fashion. The western-style basis of consumption is basically all about spending more money. For instance, most young people care more about having and upgraded popular phone, and a rather expensive car. To many of the youth, image is definitely everything. Since marketing strategies now are more in tuned with advertising in ways that the youths are accustomed to, it becomes easier to attract youth consumers. It is like this in both China and India. The U.S. is now doing the same things. I see so many opportunities for the U.S. companies. These companies could do so much more, especially when it comes to the youth. The youth rules everything these days. They are into fashion, music, and especially technology. Companies can play into these interests. If these companies could learn how to advertise better; there business and profits would be booming. In conclusion, the youth in China and India are dominating. Companies are seeing an increase in profit because the youths in today’s market are beginning to take over and the most significant component to successful marketing is to gain the loyalty of the youth. China and India are the top highly populated countries. And because of this, business and money is a little better for them. The most significant component to successful marketing is to gain the loyalty of the youth. References Shivakumar, G. (2014). India is set to become the youngest country by 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-is-set-to-become-the-youngest-country-by-2020/article4624347.ece World Population Statistics. (2014). Population of China 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from

Letter to Editor-Conservative View-Sci/275

SCI/275 Environmental Science Letters to the Editor (Conservationist) Dear Editor: As is evidenced in recent world news and events, taking steps to energy independence is paramount to the continued survival of the United States as a Nation. Growing increasingly dependent on the natural resources in other parts of the world further compounds the possibility for this independence. As a conservationist, it is my belief that we as a country can begin to develop the means required to carefully and sensibly manage our natural resources in an effort to usher in this independence.For instance, the Bridger Teton National Forest houses 3. 4 million acres of land that has gone untouched, and undisturbed by increases in population and industrialization. As such, the resources here have gone untapped. Consider being able to provide incentives for the local industries such as forestry, and mining in the area, to use more environmentally friendly technologies to not only increase the effectiveness of harvesting in these areas, but to also minimize the damaging effects of this harvesting to the surrounding landscape and ecosystems.The implantation of environmental taxes requiring those businesses that take advantage of this opportunity, to pay an amount equal to the harm they cause on the environment will further increase the use of more eco-friendly technologies. A(n) tradable permits system is also a consideration, limiting the total amounts of pollutant that can be released, allowing both persons and businesses to buy and sell rights to emit and reduce emissions at the least cost to them.These efforts will not only prove useful in making us the independent, nation that has been the basis of our existence, but will also provide us the means to sustain the natural resources required for our continued existence, and ability to support the ever growing human population. We MUST consider more effective means to tap into the natural resources that the earth has provided us as its inhabitants, without focusing on the monetary gain from the same which will lead to a harmonious balance of both conservation and economic independence as a nation. Sincerely, Concerned Citizen

GLO-BUS: Developing Winning Competitive Strategies

GLO-BUS Developing Winning Competitive Strategies Welcome to GLO-BUS. You and your co-managers are taking over the operation of a digital camera company that is in a neck-and-neck race for global market leadership, competing against rival digital camera companies. All digital camera makers presently have the same worldwide market share, although shares vary by company across the four market regions – Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America. Currently, your company is selling close to 800,000 entry level cameras and 200,000 multi-featured cameras annually.Prior year revenues were $206 million and net earnings were $20 million, equal to $2. 00 per share of common stock. The company is in sound financial condition, is performing well, and its products are well regarded by digital camera users. Your company’s board of directors has charged you and your co-managers with developing a winning competitive, marketing strategy, one that capitalizes on growin g consumer interest in digital cameras, keeps the company on the ranks of the industry leaders, and boosts the company’s earnings year after year.Some Background Information Your company began operations five years ago and maintains its headquarters in Lisle, Illinos,USA. It assembles all of its cameras at a modern facility in Ha Noi, Vietnam and ships them directly to cameras retailers (multi-store chains that sell electronics products, local camera shops, and online electronics firms) located in Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America.The company maintains regional sales offices in Milan, Italy; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Toronto, Canada to handle the company’s sales and promotion efforts in each geographic region and help support the merchandising efforts of area retailers who stock the company’s brand. Retailers endeavor to maintain ample inventories of camera models in their own stores and warehouses to satisfy shopper demand. S easonal Production and Seasonal Demand. Camera demand is seasonal with about 20 percent of consumer demand coming in each of the first three quarters of each calendar year and 40 percent coming during the fourth quarter holiday season.Retailers place orders for digital cameras roughly 90 days in advance of expected sales, so as to have ample numbers on hand to satisfy camera buyer demand in the upcoming quarter. Thus, during Quarter 1 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 2; during Quarter 2 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 3, during Quarter 3, they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in the peak holiday season fourth quarter; and in Quarter 4 they order the number of cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 1 of the following year.Assembly and Shipping. The company has a staff of people engaged in new product R&D, engineering, and design; this group has the capability to develop new and improved camera models as directed by top management. Once co-managers settle on the desired specifications and performance features for the company’s line-up of camera models, the needed parts and components are obtained from suppliers having the capabilities to make deliveries to the company’s Ha Noi assembly plant on a just-in-time basis.Cameras are assembled by four-person product assembly teams at well equipped workstations. Shipping department personnel ready retailer’s orders for shipment and stack them on the loading dock for pickup by independent freight carriers. The cameras are delivered anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks later, depending on a retailer’s location and the means of transportation. The cost of boxing the cameras, packaging them for shipment, and freight averages $3 per camera. Many countries have import duties on cameras.Import duties in each of the four geographic regions currently average $5 for entry-level cameras and $10 for multi-featured cameras. Import duties are subject to change in upcoming years. Competitive Efforts. To capitalize on advances in digital technology and keep its cameras appealing to consumers, the company from-time-to-time introduces new and improved models, adds performance features, restyles its camera bodies or housings, and upgrades the internal camera software.Aside from company efforts to make its cameras lines appealing and competitive with those of rival companies, the company’s sales volume and standing in the marketplace is affected by the prices at which it sells its cameras to retail dealers, advertising expenditures, the number of retail dealers it is able to attract to carry its brand, the number and length of quarterly promotions, the size of the price discounts offered to retailers during these promotions, the length of the warranty periods on its cameras, brand image and reputation, and the caliber of the technical support provided to its digital camera users.Stock Listings. The companyâ €™s stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States and on several other stock exchanges. The closing price in Year 5 was $30 per share. The company’s financial statements are prepared in accord with generally accepted accounting principles and are reported in U. S. dollars. The company’s financial accounting is in accord with the rules and regulations of all authorities where its stock is traded.The World Market for Digital Cameras The industry your company competes in consists of 4 companies. All companies are on an equal footing from a global perspective, but there is one essential difference in the competitive positions of the rival companies – the percentage of cameras being sold in the four geographic regions (Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America) are not identical from company-to-company as follows:Percentages of Company Sales Volume in (unit sales) North America Europe-Africa Asia-Pacific Latin America Yo ur Company 40% 30% 20% 10% Competitor A 10% 40% 30% 20% Competitor B 20% 10% 40% 30% Competitor C 30% 20% 10% 40%In effect, each company presently has a strong market position in one region, intermediate market positions in two regions, and a weak market position in one region. So there are market share differences among the companies in the industry within each geographic region of the world camera market. In upcoming years, company managers can undertake actions to alter their sales and market shares in all regions, opting to increase sales and share in some and to decrease sales and share in others. Market Growth.The global market for digital cameras is projected to grow 8-10% annually for the next five years (Years 6-10) and then to grow at a slower 4-6% annual rate during the following five years (Years 11-15). These projected growth rates apply to all four geographic regions and to both entry-level and multi-featured cameras. However, in any one year, the growth rate in each r egion can deviate from the 9% average for Years 6-10 and the 5% average for Years 11-15 by as much as 1% in either direction, with different size deviations for each region. The same goes for the projected growth rates for entry-level and multi-featured digital cameras.Hence, there is an element of uncertainty surrounding just where within the 8-10% range and the 4-6% range the growth rate for a particular year will actually fall, for either a given geographic region or a particular type of camera. Ratings of Digital Camera Performance and Quality. The World Digital Camera Federation, a well respected affiliation of camera industry trade groups and camera experts, tests the performance and quality of the camera models of all competitors and assigns a performance-quality or P/Q rating of 1 to 5 stars to each company’s entry-level camera line and multi-featured camera line.Currently, both the entry-level and multi-featured camera lines of all competitors have a 3 star P/Q ratin g. Spirited competition among rivals is, however, likely to result in different P/Q ratings in the forthcoming years. Digital Camera Retailers. Worldwide, there are some 50,000 retailers of digital cameras scattered across the world; each of the four major geographic regions of the world market has 12,500 retailers, some of which are multi-store retail chains (100 per region), online electronic retailers (400 per region), and local camera shops (12,000 per region).Retailers with store locations that also sell cameras on their websites are not included in the online category. Multi-store chains account for the biggest percentage of entry-level camera sales, with online retailers second; local camera shops account for the biggest share of multi-featured digital camera sales, with online retailers second. Retail markups over the wholesale prices of digital camera makers run 50% to 100%; thus an entry-level digital camera wholesaling for $160 could retail for $300 or more and a multi-fe atured camera wholesaling for $360 might carry a retail list price of $700.Such markups give retailers the latitude to put digital cameras on sale from time-to-time at 10% to 20% off regular price and still make a decent profit margin. Retailers typically carry anywhere from 2-4 brands of digital cameras and stock only certain models of the brands they do carry, but in all four geographic markets there are around 20 ‘full-line’ camera retailers that stock most all brands and models. Chain store retailers are drawn to carry the best selling brands and mainly stock entry-level cameras.The makers of weak selling camera brands have difficulty convincing major retail chains to devote display space to their models. Local camera shops and online retailers are, however, more amenable to stocking and promoting low-volume brands, especially those with above average P/Q ratings and respected brand images. Local camera shops and online electronics retailers devote much of their mer chandising effort to multi-featured digital cameras because of their bigger profit margins.In the multi-featured camera segment, local camera shops enjoy an advantage over online retailers because many multi-featured camera shoppers prefer to â€Å"touch and try out† the functioning of the multi-featured cameras they are considering and seek out the opinions of camera savvy personnel in local camera shops before finalizing their purchase. In choosing which brands of multi-featured cameras to carry and feature in their local ads, local camera shop owners put a fairly heavy weight on P/Q ratings, warranties, brand image, and the number, length, and price discounts of manufactures’ promotional discounts.Online retailers use essentially the same criteria in deciding which multi-featured camera brands to give top-billing and search priority on their websites. Digital Camera Buyers. Digital camera shoppers are generally quite knowledgeable; many do extensive Internet researc h to educate themselves about the features, performance, and prices of competing digital camera brands and models. The World Digital Camera Federation’s much publicized P/Q atings are trusted by camera shoppers; its frequently visited website has detailed information concerning the results of its performance tests and the basis for its P/Q ratings of each camera brand. Both camera makers and online electronics retailers have extensive information on their websites about currently available models. Numerous websites and publications review new and improved camera models as they are introduced by manufactures.The buyers of entry-level digital cameras are considerably more price sensitive than multi-featured camera buyers and many do comparison shopping on price in selecting which brand to purchase. The purchasers of multi-featured cameras are much more particular about camera performance and picture quality. Many price sensitive consumers shopping for their first digital camera are inclined to wait to make a purchase until electronic retailers have special sales promotions and offer entry-level camera models at sizable discounts off the regular retail price.It is common for camera retailers to also have special sales promotions for overstocked multi-featured models. The Competitive Factors That Drive Market Share Competition among rival camera makers centers around 11 sales determining factors: – How each company’s wholesale selling price (for both entry-level and multi-featured cameras) compares against the corresponding industry-wide average price in each geographic region. – P/Q ratings. – The number of special promotions each quarter. – The length of the special quarterly promotions (in weeks). The size of the discounts off the regular wholesale price during these promotions. – Advertising expenditures. – Product selection, as measured by the number of models in each line of cameras (entry-level and mul ti-featured). – The number of retailers carrying the company’s brand. – The length of the manufacturer’s warranty period. – The ease with which users of a company’s digital cameras can obtain responsive technical support when they encounter difficulties. – Brand reputation among buyers and retailers.With these 11 competitive determinants of sales and market share in play in each camera segment in each geographic region, you and your co-managers have many options for crafting a strategy capable of producing good profits and return on investment and keeping your company in contention for global market leadership. For example, you can – Employ a low-cost leadership strategy and pursue a competitive advantage keyed to having lower costs and selling your digital cameras at lower prices than rivals. Employ a differentiation strategy that sets your company’s digital cameras apart from rival brands based on such attributes as a higher P/Q rating, more models/styles to select from, and such marketing attributes as more advertising, longer warranties, more promotions, better technical support for owners of your digital cameras, or a bigger network of retail outlets carrying the company’s brand. – Employ a more value for the money strategy (providing 4-star digital cameras at lower prices than other 4-star brands) where your competitive advantage is an ability to incorporate appealing attributes at a lower cost than rivals. Focus your strategic efforts on being the clear market leader in either entry-level or multi-featured cameras. – Focus your company’s competitive efforts on gaining sales and market share in those geographic markets where your company already has high sales and deemphasize sales in those areas where your company has a comparably low market share or where profit margins are relatively low. – Pursue essentially the same strategy worldwide or else have regio nal strategies tailored to match the differing competitive conditions and actions in North America, Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Focus your company’s competitive efforts on those regional markets where sales are highest or most profitable and either deemphasize or withdraw from one or more geographic areas where market share is low and/or profit margins are small. Thinking Strategically: The Importance of Trying to Out-Maneuver Rivals Making Decisions. The following areas should be the basis of your decision making process. They are as follows: Product Design Marketing Assembly Compensation, Training, and Labor Force Special Order Bids Social Responsibility and CitizenshipFinance What Your Board of Directors Expects. The Board of Directors has given you and your co-managers broad strategy-making and operating authority to pursue the achievement of performance objectives, subject to two primary constraints: (1) Your company may not merge with another company ; the Board wishes the company to remain independent. And (2), company co-managers are expected to comply fully with all legal and regulatory requirements and to conduct the company’s business in an ethical manner. Good Luck. R. G. Revers PhD

M7A1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

M7A1 - Essay Example Underlying concept of initial investment includes cash outlay, working capital, salvage value and tax implications. The factors that are involved with the initial investment are; purchase price, cash from the sales of old equipment, marginal income tax, increase in working capital, cost of shipping and installation of new equipment. The factors that are involved with the operating cash flows are; sales revenue, cost of production, income before taxes, marginal tax rate, depreciation, increase in working capital. The factors that are involved in terminal cash flow are; decrease in working capital, salvage value, marginal income tax rate. The criteria capital budgeting includes (1) cost of capital, (2) opportunity cost, and break-even point. Cost of capital determines the cost of borrowing to pay for the project. This value set the benchmark for the lowest possible return. This benchmark shows if the investment is worth with compare to other investments. Opportunity cost determines the cost for taking advantage of one option over another. Break-even point determines if the project would contribute to the growth of the company. Break even is the point at which sales equals cost. Break-even point involves determining fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs are values that do not depend on production quantity. These costs are like, rent, salary, insurance, etc. Most of the variable costs, are associated with raw material, utility and transportation. Capital budgeting techniques are explicit formulas for analysis of financial values that determine if a company should proceed with the planned investment or not. Some of them are (â€Å" Investment decision – Capital Budgeting† ) Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback methods. All three methods use Operating Cash Flow (OCF) values. The OCF evaluates net cash flow for each year of project operation. The

Leadership Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership Theories - Essay Example The intention of this study is a leadership as an effective tool for any person to establish the idea of an individual and apply the concept to a group of people. For the implementation process an individual needs to possess certain characteristics and qualities to motivate the others and change the behavior of the other person to accomplish the goal. Some of the greatest successes of individuals in the industry have been because of the leadership attributes they possessed and the way they used them to influence others. Thus leadership has been described as the process of social influence in which an individual uses the support and of others for the purpose of accomplishment of tasks. Apart from influencing the behavior of others, leadership plays the crucial role of integrating and utilizing available resources in the external and internal environment for the purpose of attainment of societal and organizational goals. The aim of making a behavioral analysis is to provide individuals with the awareness of his behavioral traits and styles. The awareness helps people understand why he reacts in a certain way in a particular situation and why others react in the way they do. Analysis of the various behavioral leadership styles through proposed by researchers and practitioners would help me understand my leadership traits better and the reasons how they have been accrued. The origin of the behavioral theories was primarily out of the shortcomings of trait theories which were criticized of being inconclusive and incomplete. Some of the attributes like integrity, honesty, diligence and loyalty were not measurable using trait theories and this has triggered the creation of the behavioral school of thought initiated by Douglas McGregor. The emphasis of the theories was primarily on human relationships along with performance and output (Bolden, Gosling, Marturano & Dennison, 2003, p.7). McGregor’s Theory X & Theory Y Managers McGregor’s X and Y theory is a simple and salutary reminder of the rules for managing people which are easily forgotten under the pressure of regular businesses. His theory provides some of the basic principles on which the management techniques and styles can be applied. According to his ideas, managers following the theory X generally end in poor results while the enlightened managers following theory Y end up getting better performance and results. Moreover, the enhanced performance also allows for the growth and development of individuals in the organizations (Schermerhorn, 2010, p.38). As per his views managers holding the assumptions of theory X generally believe that people working for them dislike work, lack ambitions, are resistant to change and generally prefer to be guided completely rather than to lead. His other argument is that managers following assumption Y are of the opinion that people are hard working, full of self control, accepts responsibilities, creative, imaginative and are capable to lea d themselves properly (Schermerhorn, 2010, p.38). Resulting from his experience, McGregor presented a summary of the assumptions followed by managers in

Reflection Aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection Aging - Essay Example A person who does not go through these stages is considered to be experiencing abnormal aging (OConnor, 1994).  . According to Birren & Schaie (2001), normal aging does not involve necessarily becoming senile. Senile can be said to be weaknesses or a disease as one grows old. However, becoming senile is not normal aging. It depends on factors such as food, heredity, social support, mental abilities among others. Normal aging therefore brings about changes in eyesight, taste, smell, brain, heart, body fat, touch and smell among others. Nevertheless, it does not bring any diseases. The physiological change that concerns me the most is the diminished eyesight. The changes in eyesight lead to the loss of the ability to judge depth when objects are near or far. The peripheral vision also decreases leading to blurred vision and even blindness at very advanced ages. Moreover, decreased eyesight leads to decreased clarity of colours. Loss of the eyesight is more worrying than any other changes as it leads to not being able to see clearly or even walk without help. Albert, M. L., Connor, L. T., & Obler, L. K. (2000).  Neurobehavior of language and cognition: Studies of normal aging and brain damage: honoring Martin L. Albert. Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic

Managerial Works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managerial Works - Essay Example It is difficult for a manager in the current era to function based on pre-planned principles. The challenges and threats arising at the workplace and market are constantly changing. That is why management theories are undergoing rapid changes quite regularly. It is almost impossible for a manager to function as a democrat or an autocrat always. He should evaluate the situations properly before taking any actions. In other words, situational management styles are more common in the organizational world at present. A manager who reacts aggressively on one occasion may react cool on other occasions because of the situational difference he may face. Another myth about the managerial functions is that an effective manager need not have regular duties to perform. Mintzberg questioned this argument also. In his opinion, â€Å"Managerial works include lot of regular works including rituals and ceremonies, negotiations and processing of information† (Mintzberg, 1990, p.165). Informatio n processing is vital for the success of current organizations. Information are processed by the managers rather than the employees. Current managers should give more focus to what is going in the market and what the competitors are doing. Knowing the strategies of opponents or competitors are important for an organization to take precautionary actions. For example, while most of the mobile phone manufactures concentrated in adding more features to their existing products, Apple Inc thought differently and introduced an entirely new product (iPhone) in the market at the beginning of 21 st century. The rest is history. Nokia, the leader in mobile phone industry has lost its place and market share they are currently struggling for... This paper stresses that the difference major between a good manager and an excellent manager will be in their ability to control problems. Managers with ex-ante control can be termed as excellent managers whereas managers with concurrent control can be labeled as good managers. Excellent managers have the ability to forecast the problem before it actually occurs. Such abilities will help excellent managers to take remedial actions well before the occurrence of the problems. On the other hand, good managers operate only at the time of the occurrence of the problem. This report makes a conclusion that management is not a science or art. It is much more than that. It is a mixture of scientific principles along with psychological principles. It is the duty of the manager to know the needs of the employees as well as the needs of the organization. A successful manager will be able to blend these things together so that both the organization and the employees will be happy. On many occasions, managers work on intuitions rather than principles because of the complex nature of managing modern day organizations. Written principles or the theories learned from academics may not help managers always to solve problems. Creativity, decision making and problem solving skills are important for a manager rather than academic qualifications. Current managers are acting as leaders rather than managers. In short, managerial functions have changed a lot in recent past because of the huge changes taking place in the organizational world.

Photography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Photography - Research Paper Example This image happens to be the first ever image that existed and did not get deleted on its own. Later Joseph came into collaboration with Louis Daguerre who is a France born artist and physicist and their collaboration led to the development of daguerreotype which is recognized for being the predecessors of films that are modern in nature (Hirsch 10). These remained high in demand until these types were replaced by the emulsion plates during the period of 1850s. The emulsion plates are even recognized as wet plates and are even less costly as compared to their predecessors and these plates were faster than the previous ones to become exposed. These wet plates do not use coatings on the imaging plate and these plates rather use a procedure recognized as process of emulsion which is characterized as Collodian process. Another great change experienced by the concept of photography during the period of 1870s is the introduction of dry plates which were invented by Richard Maddox and these plates were a result of improvements made to the previous wet plates and these plates were equal to the efficiency and quality of the wet plates (Hirsch 137). These plates were better than the wet plates as these plates could be stored before being used, unlike the wet plates which were only created in accordance to need. Development of dry plates even helped in developing cameras which were portable in size and since these plates led to decrease in time of exposure, these plates influenced the development of first ever mechanical shutter. Before 1980s only professionals used to get involved in the practice of photography or only the elites of the society had access to it, during the 1980s, George Eastman developed a company named Kodak and he was the one who created the first roll films that were flexible in nature and did not need to be changed like previous plates which were solid in nature (Hirsch 447). With this invention, he even created a box camera that had the ability to h old more than 100 films at the same time. George Eastman was an American contributor to the industry of photography and the Kodak Company is a US hosted multinational firm. The camera produced by George Eastman was quite inexpensive and easily accessible to the society, the films that were used in this camera were quite larger in size as compared to the 35 mm films used today. The 35 mm films took some time to be easily accessible to common man and during the 1940s these films became quite affordable. Later during the 1930s, the 35 mm films were used by photographers including Henri-Carter Bresson who is recognized as the father of photojournalism (Hirsch 254). He was the one who invented the capturing of real life images rather than depending on staged images. The invention of this form of photography completely altered the field of photography. While 35 mm films were becoming popular, Polaroid was the one who introduced a secretive method of developing films while they were in the vicinity of the camera and recognized this process as the Model 95 (Hirsch 351). This type of photography soon became very famous among the masses but this form of imaging was quite expensive. By the period of 1960s, Polaroid gained great popularity and several models were developed which

Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Stem Cell Research - Essay Example History of Stem Cell Research Because of their unique properties, much attention has been dedicated to the study of stem cells. In 1998, scientists had found a way to obtain and grow stem cells from the products of in vitro fertilization. Because stem cells are important especially among developing embryos, harvesting stem cells from them unavoidably cause their unviability. Not surprisingly, ethical issues aroused from this development, as discussed below, prompting researchers to identify and to harvest adult stem cells, as well as develop induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) by reprogramming specialized adult cells. However, embryonic stem cells have been described as the most pluripotent (National Institutes of Health, 2009). Benefits of Stem Cell Research Stem cell research (SCR) has been supported because it paves the way for more discoveries. Knowing the distinct characteristics of stem cells, specifically its prolonged mitosis, its undifferentiated state and production of s pecialized progenies, leads to experiments on the possible reasons for increased proliferation of embryonic stem cells relative to adult stem cells and the regulating factors behind stem cell proliferation and self-renewal. These factors, in the future, may be used in the regeneration of destroyed tissues, such as that in myocardial infarction, one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. In addition, these pluripotent cells can provide a better observation of human development from embryo to infancy. This then may lead to researches on the abnormal cellular development, as seen in birth defects, genetic abnormalities and cancer. Large amount of cells grown in vivo from stem cells may also be used in easier and safer testing of drug safety and effectiveness. (Johnson and Williams, 2006). Claimed Disadvantages of Stem Cell Research Which Lives to Save Despite the many scientific advancements contributed by stem cell research, many still argue against it. One argument reasons that the fertilized eggs used in SCR are already alive, and thus it is not right to take someone else’s life, it does not matter for what purpose. Partly causing such conflict stems from the fact that until now, there is no specific age of gestation at which life starts has been pinpointed to start at. However, it is in my opinion that whether or not the embryos used in SCR are alive or not, there is no price that can be put on the countless number of lives that can be saved through the products of SCR. The Health Risk of Stem Cell Therapy Another argument against SCR claims that the chemical and biological factors used to manipulate the cells in vivo can cause adverse effects once the resulting specialized cells from them are transplanted to humans for therapy. For example, viruses from the mouse embryonic skin cells that are used to provide nutrients to the replicating human embryonic stem cells (HESC) may cause inflammation or infection on the recipie nt. The transcription factors Oct4 and Nanog added to prevent differentiation of stem cells can possibly cause cancer among the stem cell recipients. As well, cell culture of HESC may also cause genetic mutations and chromosomal abnormalities, with the former easily missed because of they are undetectable in karyotyping (National Institutes of Health). Absurd as it may sound, but I believe that they have a valid point. There is indeed a big possibility of in vivo-

Advertising efficiency and the choice of media mix Essay

Advertising efficiency and the choice of media mix - Essay Example Advertising efficiency and the choice of media mix There is also space for print and radio advertising in an advertising strategy that reaches out to the customer base of Alfredo’s, which is niche and local. The focus should be on local advertising in local radio stations and local print publications such as local newspapers and local magazines. The local emphasis recognizes that Alfredo’s is a local business that is characterized by high quality offerings. A national print and radio campaign will not be cost effective for these reasons, that Alfredo’s clientele is mostly local, and Alfredo’s is a small operation catering to a local client base. It makes sense too, from an image perspective, to advertise in local print and radio, to emphasize that the bistro is local and has a local character and flavor. The appeal is to the home crowd, making it more personal, and making the advertising more attractive to the regular clients of the bistro, who live around the area. One can argue that for boys and girls, the real decision makers are the parents. With regard to sporting clothes in particular, parents arguably have the say on what their children wear, what their league affiliations are, and where they source their information relating to sportswear. Fathers for instance make use of sporting events as a way to connect with their children, with sporting events such as baseball games constituting bonding moments with their children.

Environment on Darfur After the Conflict Essay Example for Free

Environment on Darfur After the Conflict Essay The world has experienced a lot of conflicts for quite a long time throughout history. All the time there is a conflict, the damages caused is mostly documented in terms of how many casualties have been reported, and the impact it has caused on the economy. It is however rare to hear people talking on the effects these conflicts can have on the natural environment or which steps have been taken to protect the natural environment from such conflicts. The natural environment for a long time has been a silent victim of the conflicts that occurs either locally or internationally leaving the repercussions to be felt for quite some time. In many cases, the impact the war and other conflicts have been having on the environment has been generally very devastating. There are many pollutants that are released in the environment during the war which can end up affecting the natural resources. On the other hand, there are other natural resources that are depleted during the conflict leaving the environment at a worse position. A major problem is that most of the current conflicts are witnessed in the developing countries which do not have the economic capacity to deal with the environmental problems hence causing a major setback. Africa has had quite long cases of civil wars some which started during the colonial period and still taking place to now. These countries have been mostly been fighting over the borders which were drawn by the colonial powers for their on interests. Most of the wars taking place in Africa are as a cause of fighting for natural resources such as fertile farming land or water. Due to the long history of these civil wars in Africa, it is difficult to know exactly what these conflicts have caused to the environment. However, looking at the rate of the loss of biodiversity in the affected regions, it can be easy to realize how serious the situation has left the damage to the environment. Darfur Conflict and the Impact It Has Caused on the Environment Southern Sudan has witnessed along civil war that has caused many nations through the United Nations body and the African unity to try and broker peace in the region and bring things to the normal situation. The conflict that is being witnessed in the region right now is considered as a war between the different ethnic and tribal lines (IRIN, para 2). The sides that are mostly conflicting are the government’s military and the Janjaweed group. There are other rebel groups that have also made the situation to be worse. The major cause of the war in Sudan has been attributed to fighting for water between the Baggara nomads who moved to the south, a region mostly occupied by the farming communities to search for water. This conflict has led to many casualties being reported throughout. Despite putting in place a government of national unity, and increasing the presence of the African Union Peace keepers, the situation has not improved in any way (Borger, para 2). There have been many reasons given as a source to the Darfur conflict, though the major reasons have been cited to be the increasing population which the current natural resources can not hold, hence making these people to fight for the scarce resources. On the other hand, there have been claims that the conflict is as a result of the Arab dominants intention to wipe out the black Africans. This has even made the United States to refer to this as a form of genocide in the area. Whichever the cause of the war, it has caused so many untold damages. The focus on this conflict has always been the number of people who have died in the region, or the number of those displaced. It is important that people’s life and welfare is put first. This is what has been the major concern of many bodies, organizations and other nations. However, like many other conflicts, little concern has put on what effect this conflict is causing to the environment (AP, para 6). As earlier argued, the war in Sudan was triggered by the environmental problems which led to the communities to fight over scarce resources. It is however a worrying trend that the continued conflict is further endangering the environment that is supposed to support the whole population. The environment has been made worse by this conflict and made the land to become uninhabitable. This means that the tension between the conflicting communities gets to be more intense when it occurs that the natural resources are not going to support all of them as expected (Beyrer, Pizer pp 67). Environmental degradation in Darfur has been on the rise due to the continued conflict. It means that the conflict that started as a result of the environmental problems is being escalated by destroying the environment further. The issues in Sudan over the environment indicate how complex the environmental matters can be in the causing breach to peace. This region has witnessed the decreased cases of traditional methods of environmental management systems, and in some places being disregarded completely. The conflict over resources in Darfur was at a local level but expanded to national level where political and economic marginalization was heightened. Ethnic differences have contributed to making the matters worse to the situation. Therefore, despite having the political and economic factors leading to the problems in Darfur, the major issue surrounds natural resources (de Montesquiou, para 8). The Sudanese Arabs moved to the south to look for pasture for their animals due to the prolonged drought that was experienced in their regions. This led to them conflicting with the black farmers whose land the Arabs were grazing on. The grazing of the animals on the farming land worsened the situation as there was increased soil erosion which made land to be poor for farming. When the black farmers realized that the Khartoum government was indifferent in solving the matter, they rebelled against them. By rebelling, the people started to fight destroying many manmade and natural resources that were on the way (Borger, para 7). When the nomads inhabited the farming areas, they started to cut down the trees. To the farmers, the cut trees were very important as they provided shade for their crops and holding together the soil to avoid erosion. Due to the conflict of interest, these important natural resources were destroyed as they were caught in between the fighting. With no trees cover, the problem of lack of rainfall becomes even heightened, which is a big trouble to both the farmers and the nomads since they cannot be able to get rain that is important for the crops and animals respectively. Due to the bare land caused by the cutting of the trees, it has become harder for the farmers at the refugee camps to go back to their homes as they can not carry out any meaningful activities to such bare lands. With this kind of the situation, it becomes difficult to control human suffering without further harm to the environment (HPN, para 3) Many people have been killed in the conflict while millions of others have been living in the camps after being left homeless. At the camps, the refugees need to be given their basic needs. Water is a very important commodity that no human beings can do without. In fact as argued throughout, the conflict has been surrounding fighting for water resources. Therefore, while at the camps, the refugees have to be provided with water. This has led to the humanitarian organizations to dig boreholes to help the refugees get water. Considering that the land in Darfur is largely dominated by hard rocks, it means that the rains that fall in the short season mostly wash away, hence, the boreholes depends on the underground reserves. Considering the rate at which the reserves are being used, it is tough to imagine the consequences that await the Darfur people when the reserves will finally be depleted. The situation might lead to the refugees being moved to another region that can support them. There are already some areas that have reported the drying up of the boreholes. Apart from water, the refugees also need other resources for their daily work. There have been many trees that have been cut by the refugees near the camps to provide them with firewood. The trees are also cut and used to construct and reinforce the makeshift houses of the refugees. This implies that trees are being used at a higher rate than they are being replaced. There are some refugees who are involved in some economic activities. The common economic activity that the refugees are involved with is making mud bricks. The refugees are involved with this activity mostly because it does not need skilled labor, and the materials are readily available. A lot of water is usually used in the making of the bricks. A lot of water is used considering the dryness on most of the camp soils. Furthermore, since the refugees want to make a lot of money, they try to make as many bricks as possible. The more work they do, the many materials are required. The areas that the soil for making the bricks is dug usually leaves many holes indicating the rate at which the soil is being depleted. The formation of a layer of soil takes many years, however, the refugees depletes many layers in a very short time. It is very bad to notice that the fertile soils that can be used for agricultural production is actually used for the making bricks. These soils can not be replenished in the short run as it is being depleted. In the areas that the refugees remove the soils to make the bricks, they leave the tree roots exposed which contributes to the wilting of the trees (Homer-Dixon, pp 19). Therefore, this still adds the woes the refuges already have. Furthermore, since to make the bricks requires a lot of water, it means that the refugees have to compete on how to use the water for the domestic work and the production of the bricks. In the end, the action contributes to the hastened depletion of the water resources. The bricks cannot be complete if they have not been burnt in the kiln. The kiln requires using a lot of firewood. This means several trees have to be felled to be used in the kiln. One kiln can take as many as 35 trees for the bricks to be ready. This shows the impact this single activity can have on the important natural resources. There have been increased sand dunes in the areas that had once been covered by trees just a few years ago. This is all because of the refugees activities in trying to earn a living. Most of the dams in Sudan are drying and having a lot of sedimentation as a result of deforestation. Many dams have lost their holding capacity due to these reasons (HPN, para 8). Once the war comes to an end as is presupposed, the refugees will have to go back to their homes to start a new life. They will first need to rebuild their damaged homes, which will basically require that they cut more trees to build these homes. Considering the already cut trees in their former homes, there are therefore no trees left behind to cater for their needs. This implies the building materials will have to be sourced somewhere else, which automatically will be increasing the base of the damage to other regions. Having realized the impact the conflict is leading to the refugees affecting the environment, especially on trees, several organizations like the US aid have helped the refugees to design the cooking stoves that uses a completely reduced amount of fuel as a way of the saving the environment. This stoves though taken as a move to save the environment, it has a big impact on the social and cultural life (de Montesquiou, para 11). Since the conflict is between two ethnic groups with two distinct lifestyles, each group undertakes an activity that they think will destroy the other. For instance, the nomads usually graze their animals on the farmers’ crops. This leaves the farmers with nothing as their crops are destroyed by the animals. On the other hand, the farmers on their side burn the grazing lands for the nomads. This is even a worse action to take as it does not only affect the nomads in terms of lacking food, but it affects the farmers themselves in that the burning of the ground destroys the important living organisms that are found in the soil which helps in improving the soil fertility. This means that the soil is left unproductive which will affect both the nomads and the farmers in the long run. Furthermore, the nomads are used to grazing their animals and moving from one region to another after the feeds in that area have reduced. However, due to the conflict, the migration routes for the nomads were blocked by the farmers. This made it impossible for the nomads to move from one region to another with their animals, hence meaning overgrazing in one region. The overgrazed areas will generally have very poor production as there will be increased soil erosion (Homer-Dixon, pp 29). In general, humanitarian issues are usually given much priority over the environment as a short term solution to any crisis. Therefore, whatever actions that are taken by the involved bodies do not give much or even any consideration to the environment. For instance, when the refugee camps are set up, it is aimed at providing security and a better life to the refugees. No consideration is put on what activities the refugees are going to carry out that might affect the environment whether in the long or short run. This is being evidenced by the number of boreholes drying up in various refugee camps (HPN, para 16). There are hundreds of thousands of the Darfur refugees who have been granted asylum in Chad. The Chadian locals are thus forced to compete for the natural resources in their territory with the refugees. Putting in mind the activities the refugees are engaged with, and the major aims of the organization that are associated with the taking care of the refugees which are just humanitarian care, the refugees can have a very big impact on the environment of the host country. The refugees in the camps hopes for someday to go back home. This implies they cannot have long term projects that will help in the development and taking care of the region that has granted them asylum. This might make them to be at loggerheads with the host country and thus be denied the asylum (Gouroukoun, para 7). Furthermore, as the refugees enter the Chadian soil, it is not guaranteed that they have their safety. The Janjaweed have been following the refugees in their camps attacking them. This has also posed danger to the Chadian nationals making them to move closer to where there is security in their country. In essence, the Chadian people are not even free in their own land because of hosting the refugees. As the Chadian moves to the place they feel is more secure, they also cause congestion and constraint to the resources that are supposed to host them. There are many other effects that the conflict has caused to the environment. As the conflict rages on, both sides are heavily armed. The weapons used to attack one group leave a lot of damages to the environment. For instance, there have been many crops, homesteads and the grazing grounds for each group that have been burnt by the opposing group. The oils and chemicals used to burn these properties, and the residue of the burnt products find their ways into the water bodies contaminating them. This on the other hand affects the lives in the water bodies. Furthermore, as the crisis continues, weapons used like bombs have continued to pollute the environment and their effect left in the environment for along time affecting the quality of life. It is very difficult to find crops growing in a region that has experienced a battle field. This is because of the effect that the weapons and chemicals used in the process have on the environment. It is common to find that the areas that had been bombed can not sustain any agricultural activity. It thus means that as the communities fight over the scarce natural resources and keep on destroying them during the fight, it only helps in escalating the problem they are already facing (Homer-Dixon, pp 41). The Janjaweed and the other militias in the Darfur conflict are always in the hideout. Most of the hideouts are in the forests. This implies that they have to depend so much on the forests for their own needs. For instance, they have to cut down the trees to use for fuel, hunt wild animals for food, and all these activities upsets the natural environment settings. There are many regions that used to be occupied by trees and wild animals like the elephants and the antelopes but when looked at now are bare because of the activities that have been taking place in the regions. Conclusion The Darfur crisis has actually been said to have started for over three decades ago. However, it only escalated in 2003 when the current crisis became out of control. The major cause of the war has been attributed to lack of enough natural resources. The problem is that because the fights were due to the protection and the need to acquire more natural resources, it is ironical that the same resources are being destroyed. In essence, this seems to increase the problems already faced. This has created the vicious cycle of the war in the Darfur region. Therefore, unless the concerned bodies look for a way of dealing with the problem of these natural resources, it is not possible to stop this war despite the many peace agreements that might be signed by the leaders of the region. Work Cited AP. Darfur conflict worsens environment, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://platform. blogs. com/passionofthepresent/2007/06/darfur-conflict. html. Beyrer, Chris Pizer, Hank. Public Health and Human Rights: Evidence-based Approaches; ISBN 0801886465, JHU Press, 2007. Borger, Julian. Darfur conflict heralds era of wars triggered by climate change, UN report warns, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. guardian. co. uk/environment/2007/jun/23/sudan. climatechange. de Montesquiou, Alfred. Darfur violence leaves environmental scars, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/19357602/. IRIN. SUDAN: Climate change only one cause among many for Darfur conflict, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/library/news/2007/06/mil-070628-irin03. htm. Gouroukoun. Chadians Increasingly Feel Impact of Darfur Conflict, 2006. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. voanews. com/english/archive/2006-04/2006-04-21-voa44. cfm. Homer-Dixon, F. Thomas. Environment, Scarcity, and Violence; ISBN 0691089795, Princeton University Press, 2001. HPN. Environmental degradation and conflict in Darfur: implications for peace and recovery, 2008. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. alertnet. org/thenews/newsdesk/HPN/10adb58d76337a4eb2b436c319bf427e. htm.

Types and Significance of Evaluation of Training Program Essay Example for Free

Types and Significance of Evaluation of Training Program Essay Types and significance of evaluation of training program INTRODUCTION Training is vital for any and every organization. With the changing socio-economic and technological relevance of training, the definitions, scope, methods and evaluation of training program have also changed. One of the earlier classic definitions of training is ‘bringing lasting improvement in skills in jobs’. The present day definitions take a multi-dimensional perspective enveloping the needs of individuals, teams, organizations and the society. The steps in the training program development are planning, programme implementation, and programme evaluation and follow-up. The evaluation of any training system helps measure the’ knowledge gap’, what is defined by Riech as ‘the gap between what the trainer teaches and what the trainee learns’. Evaluations help to measure Reich’s gap by determining the value and effectiveness of a learning programme. It uses assessment and validation tools to provide data for the evaluation. Evaluation of training systems, programmes or courses tends to be a demand of a social, institutional or economic nature. A training program is not complete until you have evaluated methods and results. A key to obtaining consistent success with training programs is to have a systematic approach to measurement and evaluation. Training Evaluation Approach Evaluation methods should be determined based on the goals of the training process and should meet the demands of the various stakeholders involved. Every organization has multiple stakeholders and not everyone within the organization has the same information needs. Typically, organizational stakeholder groups include the training department, employees and business units. Their information requirements fall into two categories: whether the competencies have been learned and whether the learning has been applied toward improved performance. DEFINITION * Goldstein (1993) defines evaluation as the â€Å"systematic collection of descriptive and judgmental information necessary to make effective decisions related to selection, adoption, value and modification of various instructional activities†. * Kirkpatrick (1996) defines evaluation as determination of the effectiveness of a training programme. Evaluation of training as any attempt to obtain information on the effects of a training programme, and to assess the value of the training in the light of that information. * According to Van Dyk et al. (1997), definitions of evaluation have several implications: †¢ Evaluation is an ongoing process. It is not done at the end of course only. †¢ The evaluation process is directed towards a specific goal and objectives. †¢ Evaluation requires the use of accurate and appropriate measuring instruments to collect information for decision making. †¢ Evaluation is a form of quality control. Evaluation is not only concerned with the evaluation of students but with the wider training system as a whole. TYPES OF EVALUATION 1) Formation evaluation Formative evaluation Provides ongoing feedback to the curriculum designers and developers to ensure that what is being created really meets the needs of the intended audience. Formative Evaluation may be defined as any combination of measurements obtained and judgments made before or during the implementation of materials, methods, or programs to control, assure or improve the quality of program performance or delivery. * It answers such questions as, Are the goals and objectives suitable for the intended audience? Are the methods and materials appropriate to the event? Can the event be easily replicated? Formative evaluation furnishes information for program developers and implementers. * It helps determine program planning and implementation activities in terms of (1) target population, (2) program organization, and (3) program location and timing. * It provides short-loop feedback about the quality and implementation of program activities and thus becomes critical to establishing, stabilizing, and upgrading programs. ) Process evaluation Process evaluation provides information about what occurs during training. This includes giving and receiving verbal feedback. Process Evaluation answers the question, What did you do? It focuses on procedures and actions being used to produce results. * It monitors the quality of an event or project by various means. Traditionally, working as an onlooker, the evaluator describes this process and measures the results in oral and written reports. * Process evaluation is the most common type of training evaluation. It takes place during training delivery and at the end of the event. Most of you probably have done it in one form or another. The question we try to answer is What did you do? * Following is a sample list of the kinds of information collected to answer this question: * Demographic data (characteristics about participants and their physical location) * What was taught; how long it took * Whether or not the objectives were met * Who did what to whom, and when 3) Outcome evaluation Outcome evaluation determines whether or not the desired results (e. g. , what participants are doing) of applying new skills were achieved in the short-term. Outcome Evaluation answers the question, What happened to the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the intended population? * Specific and observable changes in behaviors that lead toward healthier or more productive lifestyles and away from problem-causing actions indicate a successful program. * For example, a successful project is one that is successful in causing a higher percentage of students to use condoms when†¦. This project would produce both outcomes and impacts. Outcome evaluation is a long-term undertaking. * Outcome evaluation answers the question, What did the participants do? * Because outcomes refer to changes in behavior, outcome evaluation data is intended to measure what training participants were able to do at the end of training and what they actually did back on the job or in their community as a result of the training. * 4. Impact evaluation Impact evaluation determines how the results of the training affect the strategic goal e. g. health promotion g oal of reducing the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Impact Evaluation takes even longer than outcome evaluation and you may never know for sure that your project helped bring about the change. The focus is on changes that have occurred in key social indicators which are used to gauge the levels of problem occurrence. * Examples of impacts are reduction in the incidence of HIV/AIDS; increase in condom use among students * Impacts occur through an accumulation of outcomes. Impact evaluation is meant to answer the question, How what did was taught in the training affect the problem? (Think back on the problem statements you developed. * Impact evaluation tries to measure whether or not training has affected the initial problem you identified. In other words, an impact evaluation is meant to assess the extent to which what was learned is making a difference at the community level, or targeted groups, or beneficiaries of the intervention Though this type of evaluation usually tak es a long time and costs a lot of money, it is the type that really focuses, for instance, on assessing whether or not there has been a reduction in the incidence and prevalence of specific problems in the community. * The idea here is that the impact of training will hopefully be far reaching and make a difference in peoples lives. Need for Evaluation Since evaluation is an integral part of the whole process of training and development the details have to be conceived much before the actual training activity; rather-than its ritualistic tagging at the end of training. The trainer should be fairly clear of: How to evaluate What to evaluate When to evaluate Answers to these questions are dependent on the need for evaluation. Why Should A Training Program Be Evaluated? * To identify the program’s strengths and weaknesses. * To assess whether content, organization, and administration of the program contribute to learning and the use of training content on the job. To identify which trainees benefited most or least from the program. * To gather data to assist in marketing training programs. * To determine the financial benefits and costs of the programs. * To compare the costs and benefits of training versus non-training investments. * To compare the costs and benefits of different training programs to choose the best program. P rinciples of Evaluation Schuman, E. A. describes evaluation as an integral part of an operating system meant to aid trainers/ training managers to plan and adjust their training activities in an attempt to increase the probability of achieving the desired action or goals. In order to integrate training practices with business policy and objectives evaluation has to be based on sound principles such as: 1. Trainer/ Evaluator must be clear about the purpose of evaluation to be able to set the standards and criteria of evaluation. 2. For an objective evaluation, the methodology and criteria of evaluation should be based on observable and as far as possible measurable standards of assessment which have been agreed upon by the evaluators and the users of the training system. 3. Evaluation has to be accepted as a process than an end product of training. 4. As a process, it has to be continuous. The ‘one-spot’ assessment cannot guide trainers for improving subsequent programmes, therefore it has to begin before the actual training activity and end much after the conclusion of visible training activity. 5. The training objectives should be an outcome of overall organizational goals to permit tangible evaluation of training results. 6. Evaluation data should be directive rather than conclusive. It must be comprehensive enough to guide trainers in the collection of information that will enable them to comment on current training effectiveness and to improve subsequent training. . A good evaluation system is tailor-made and should provide specific data about its strength and weakness. Generalizations drawn from one training activity may be in-applicable for training across different levels and to meet different standards. Besides, they should refrain from using single instances for conclusions and generalizations. 8. A good evaluative system should provide sufficien t scope for self- appraisal by the trainer/ evaluator. 9. The Evaluative data should try to balance quantitative and qualitative information. 10. Role of the evaluator needs tone based on sound working relationship with the participants, trainers, senior line managers and policy makers. Normally a researcher or a fresher is attached to the trainer to carry out end of the course evaluation. This evaluator may have the expertise of developing and designing-evaluative tools and techniques but it would be insufficient in promoting utilization of evaluation results. Evaluator’s acceptance by the participants and interpersonal sensitivity and trust for frank sharing of feedback is a must. This would modify their role as one of giving and receiving feedback rather than just receiving feedback. They have to be proactive than argumentative. 11. Effective communication and coordination are essential. Training and evaluation plans should be discussed so that there is commonality of purpose amongst the trainers, the evaluators and those sponsoring the trainees. 12. Reporting system of evaluative data should be simple, clear, adequate and available for interpretation. It requires the, evaluator to be sensitive to the feelings of the guidance, has to be tactful and honest. As far as possible terminology used should be concise and free from jargons. 13. Realistic targets must be set. A sense of urgency no doubt is desirable but deadline that are unrealistically high will result in poor quality. 14. Finally, a trainer who is sincere about training, evaluation would always insist on complete, objective and continuous feedback on the progress and deficiencies of training to be able to maintain the momentum of the training Programme, its evaluation and subsequent improvement. Benefits of Evaluation †¢ Improved quality of training activities Improved ability of the trainers to relate inputs to outputs †¢ Better discrimination of training activities between those that are worthy of support and those that should be dropped †¢ Better integration of training offered and on-the job development †¢ Better co-operation between trainers and line-managers in the development of staff †¢ Evidence of the contribution that training and development are making to the organization. Kirkpatricks Four-Level Training Evaluation Model The four levels of Kirkpatricks evaluation model essentially measure: 1. Reaction of student what they thought and felt about the training 2. Learning the resulting increase in knowledge and/or capability 3. Behavior extent of behavior and capability improvement and implementation/application 4. Results the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainees performance Level 1 Evaluation Reactions This level measures how participants in a training program react to the training. Every program should at least be evaluated at this level to answer questions regarding the learners perceptions and improve training. This level gains knowledge about whether the participants liked the training and if it was relevant to their work. Negative reactions reduce the possibility of learning. Evaluation tools: †¢ Program evaluation sheets †¢ Face-to-face interviews †¢ Participant comments throughout the training †¢ Ability of the course to maintain interest †¢ Amount and appropriateness of interactive exercises †¢ Ease of navigation in Web-based and computer-based training †¢ Participants perceived value and transferability to the workplace This type of evaluation is inexpensive and easy to administer using interaction with the participants, paper forms and online forms. Level 2 Evaluation Learning Level 2 evaluations are conducted before training (pre-test) and after training (post-test) to assess the amount of learning that has occurred due to a training program. Level 2 evaluations assess the extent learners have advanced in knowledge, skills or attitude. Level 2 evaluation methods range from self-assessment to team assessment to informal to formal assessment. Evaluation tools †¢ Individual pre- and post-training tests for comparisons †¢ Assessment of action based learning such as work-based projects and role-plays †¢ Observations and feedback by peers, managers and instructors. Level 3: Behavior Level 3 involves the extent to which learners implement or transfer what they learned. This level differentiates between knowing the principles and techniques and using them on the job. Potential methodologies include formal testing or informal observation. This level of evaluation takes place post-training when the learners have returned to their jobs and is used to determine whether the skills are being used and how well. It typically involves contact with the learner and someone closely involved with the learner, such as the learners supervisor. Evaluation tools: †¢ Individual pre- and post-training tests or surveys Face-to-face interviews †¢ Observations and feedback from others †¢ Focus groups to gather information and share knowledge. Level 4 Evaluation- Results This evaluation measures the success of the training program in term that executives and managers can understand such as increased production, increased sales, decreased costs, improved quality, reduced f requency of accidents, higher profits or return on investment, positive changes in management style or in general behavior, increase in engagement levels of direct ports and favorable feedback from customers, peers and subordinates. Methods of Evaluation of Training Programs: It is extremely important to assess the result of any training program. The participant must be made aware of the goals and objectives of the training program and on completion of the training program, they should be asked about the impact of the concerned training program. Evaluation of any program is a difficult task and more so of a training program. The first step toward evaluation of a training program is to define the goals and objectives of the training program. These goals and objectives should be stated in such format so that they can be measured statistically. Also both the trainer and the trainees most be well acquainted with their role in the training Program In the evaluation of any training program. The first requirement is to collect valid and reliable data. The required data can be collected by using the fowling techniques. (12) 1. Self assessments answer sheets. 2. Question confronted by the trainees. 3. Assessing the collected information and observation. 4. Final result based on earlier information plus the new data Each method of data collection has its advantages and disadvantages. Which need to taken into Consideration? The merits and demerits of each method are as follows. Merits of Self Assessment: 1. The cost factor is quite low. 2. Data can easily collect. 3. Time consumption of the trainer and trainee is negligible. 4. Outside interference is completely avoided. 5. Effective relationships develop between the trainees. 6. Well designed answer sheet can produce healthy results. Demerits of Self Assessment: 1. Self assessment is basically self evaluation which can be based of biased responses. The assessment must have enough reliability so as to draw right conclusion in regard to individual assessment. . The responses given by the trainees can be based on misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the questions asked. Thus self assessment questions should be small and easy to understand . in addition . no information should be sleeked which will embarrass the trainees. 3. The information provided by the trainees cannot be evaluated in terms of their correctness. All the trainees do not prefer to gi ve the required information lest it may be used against at any point of time. All these problems can be easily solved. Self assessment is basically adhered to by all the training programs. However what is important to consider is to make proper effective use of this technique as the trainees provide valuable information which the trainer can use to formulate training strategy. The second requirement for evaluating a training program is concerned with the evaluation of the training program when part of the training program has been completed. The time factor must be decided before the program is initiated and the evaluation criteria must be determined before the training program begins. The first evaluation will give adequate information to the trainers whither the program moving toward write direction. At the same time trainees will be able to assess the value of the program in terms of its needs and usefulness. It is extremely important to realize whether the trainees have understood the need and importance of the training program. As this stage adequate data should be collected from the trainees to make proper evaluation of the training program. The collect data, interview and questionnaire methods can be most effective. Interviews can be conducted by seeking information face to face, by means of telephone, or by other strategies like group discussions etc. Each of these methods has its own merits and demerits. Merits of Interviews: 1. Face to face interviews ensure some response, if any responses need to be clarified. The trainer can do so instantly. Similarly if the trainees want any clarification, the same can do immediately. This helps in ensuring correct information. 2. As far telephone interviews are concerned though there is lack of personnel touch. The trainee does not feel the pressure of the interviewer to give answers that suit the trainer. The trainer can answer all those question that are complex in nature. These answers have far more validity as the responses are without any pressure. Demerits of Interviews: 1. The interview is a lengthy and costly process as it requires trained and skilled personal to get results that are reliable. 2. Another important drawback is the possibility of the trainer being involved in the interview. 3. Data collected through interview methods may be out of date and hence difficult to interpret. A primary survey was done using a detailed questionnaire as a tool. The survey helped in establishing an understanding f all the four levels of evaluation – reaction, learning, changes and results. The survey used the entire population of participants who attended the training programs of the Institution over the selected three years. The institution on an average trained 3000 participants every year from across the country in its 100 training programs per year. The questionnaire had three main parts – I. Personal details to build the profile of the pa rticipants; II. ‘Effectiveness of Program’ was studied with key questions on whether the objectives of rural development were met within the program. The participants were asked to rate the program content and design on the basic inputs of knowledge, skills and attitudes. III. ‘Professional relevance of training’ was evaluated with key questions asking how relevant the program content was for meeting the local needs and whether there was enough practical application which could be used for working or transferring the knowledge to functionaries further down the line. It also probed whether the learning could be shared with other colleagues in the organization and lastly whether the course had helped in the organizational performance. Merits and Demerits of Questionnaire Questionnaires in one form or another do appear in all kinds of research and surveys. Hence it is extremely vital that the questionnaire is framed with utmost care so that it measures the variable inexactly the way it has been designed for. Once the initial design has been properly framed, a pre _ test must be conducted to find out whether the questions mean the same thing to the trainer and the trainee if found inappropriate the questionnaire should be redesigned and a pilot survey should be conducted. If found appropriate. Full survey should be conducted and if found inappropriate the questionnaire should be redesigned again. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire should be properly evaluated before going in for full survey. In regard to collection of data. It may be observed, â€Å"As with any method of data collection it is vital to plan how the data is to be collected. However with this method, since it does not usually involve the design of some sort of formal survey instrument such as questionnaire. It is all too easy to leap straight in without a plan. This can lead to a considerable waste of time and without a plan. This can lead to a considerable waste of time and even worse the wrong data being collected-so the message is plan and design your desk research in the same way as you would any more formal survey. † Database: In the first instance, the database of 9000 participants was cleaned for missing names and incomplete addresses. The questionnaire was then posted to all the participants together with a stamped self-addressed envelope. Three reminders were also posted over a period of three months to the trainees who had not replied. Questionnaires were also posted to e-mail ids wherever available. The replies received were tabulated in the SPSS format and analyzed. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE TRAINING EVALUATION * Lewis and Thorn hill, (1994) state that evaluation results that do not reflect positive changes or positive results may be a function of an incorrect decision to conduct training. This decision may have been taken higher in the organization’s hierarchy. Companies fail to do training evaluations correctly and thus do not obtain valid business or performance results (Sims, 1993). * According to Mann (1996) the question of what to evaluate is crucial to the evaluation strategy. The failure of training programme evaluations can be attributed to inadequate planning or design, lack of objectivity, evaluation errors of one sort or another, improper interpretation of results and inappropriate use of results and lack of sponsorships and lack of budget (Abernathy, 1999;Goldstein, 1993; Sims, 1993). ISSUES OR DILEMMAS IN EVALUATING TRAINING PROGRAMS A. Perceptions and attitudes of learners about evaluation. For example, trainees seem to respond best to evaluation when: The instrument or technique is clear, sensible, agreed on (or expected), well-planned, and integrated in the training design; and they understand the purpose of evaluation and see it as part of the training process. B. Is learning measurable, Observable? Can we measure or â€Å"objectify† the important leanings? C. Is training cost effective? Example: Does it increase roductivity, reduce absenteeism, lower turnover? D. Confidentiality and other uses of evaluation Ethical uses? E. Who can really measure adult learning but the learner? F. Systems-level evaluation of programs: The pilot phase The model phase The institutionalization phase FOLLOW UP: A COMPONENT OF EVALUATION A. Evaluation of Training on the Job Behavioral change Results of application B. Help in Practical Applications External services such as coaching consultancy Help by superiors and colleagues C. Further Personal Development On-the-job Further training courses D. Liaison with Former Participants Personal contacts Associations Information and conferences Alumni peer mentor in. Assessing the costs and benefits of training To conduct a thorough evaluation of a training program, it is important to assess the costs and benefits associated with the program. This is difficult to do but may he important for showing top management the value of training for the organization. For example, in one case, the net return of a training program for bank supervisors was calculated to be $148,400 over a 5-years period. Generally, a utility model would be used to estimate the value of training (benefits minus costs). Some of the costs that should be measured for the training program include needs assessment costs, salaries of training designers, purchase of equipment (computers, video, handouts), program development costs, evaluation costs, trainers’ costs (e. g. , salaries, travel, lodging, meals), facilities rental, trainee wages during training, and other trainee costs (e. g. , travel, lodging, meals). It is important to compare the benefits of the training program with its costs. One benefit that should be estimated is the dollar payback associated with the improvement in trainees’ performance after receiving training. Since the results of the experimental design will indicate any differences in behavior between whose trained and those untrained, the HR professional can estimate for that particular group of employees (e. g. managers, engineers) what this difference is worth in terms of the salaries of those employees. Another factor that should be considered when estimating the benefits of training is the duration of the training’s impact-that is, the length of time during which the improved performance will be maintained. While probably no programmes will show benefits forever, those that do incur longer-term improved performance will have greater value to the organization. Conclusion The Evaluation of any training program has certain aims to fulfill. These are concerned with the determination of change in the organizational behavior and the change needed in the organizational structure. Hence evaluation of any training program must inform us whether the training program has been able to deliver the goals and objectives in terms of cost incurred and benefits achieved. The analysis of the information is the concluding part of any evaluation program. The analysis of data should be summarized and then compared with the data of other training programs similar nature. On the basis of these comparisons, problems and strength should be identified which would help the trainer in his future training programs.

Evaluating The Sustainability Business Of Hotels In Azerbaijan Tourism Essay

Evaluating The Sustainability Business Of Hotels In Azerbaijan Tourism Essay Azerbaijan, as a country situated in the Caucasus has a very advantageous location for tourism, but tourism is not a leading sector in Azerbaijan. The most important industry here is oil sector as Azerbaijan has very rich oil reserves and economy depends and develops on the oil industry. Over 90% of annual income comes from our oil industry and the difference between oil industry and the others is huge. So thats why Azerbaijani government wants to cover this difference and the best way is to improve tourism sector because we have the potential. Even in the world tourism is the second biggest industry after the oil sector. Most of the tourists coming to Azerbaijan are business travellers and the reason is oil industry again. That is why the hotels are mostly specialized in business tourism. There are some hotels that I would like to mention: The Landmark Hotel, Hyatt, Ramada Baku, Radisson SAS and Park Inn. As a best practice in sustainable hospitality experience I would like talk about Hyatt. In comparison with above mentioned hotels, Hyatt Hotels Baku has a real professional background and prosperous experience in hospitality industry. Contribution to the Body of Knowledge Actually there have been done no studies and researches on sustainability of the hotels in the market in Azerbaijan that made it a challenge to discuss the topic with extremely lack of information given. Therefore, this thesis can be accepted as one of the first researches on the sustainability of the hotels in the market, but not in respect to the environment and nature. Research Questions While working on this topic I am going to find answers to the following questions: What is the current situation in hospitality industry? What are the barriers for sustainability of hotels? Which are the ways of breaking the barriers of hotels sustainability? SWOT analyze What are the recommendations and suggestions for sustainability? Methodology This thesis will be done by hermeneutical kind of research as I am going to search existing literature, statistical reports, articles, etc. While reviewing these materials I will analyze and gather all necessary information and give a final report on sustainability of hotels. In order to get intended information about the hotel I have contacted the sales marketing manager of Hyatt Baku Mrs. Bahar Dadashova. So far we had only one conference call to inform her about my intention, however in the run of the thesis we will keep in touch. Definitions This chapter gives an overview of the different definitions of sustainable tourism. On the other hand, some studies done concerning kinds of sustainable tourism itself. So far, these definitions give an idea about sustainable tourism and its main factors. Sustainable Tourism Sustainable tourism development is defined by the Word Tourism Organisation (WTO), as a development that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity, and life support systems (World Tourism Organisation (WTO), 2003). Based on the Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development, 12 guiding principles of sustainable tourism are set in the Agenda 21 for the travel and tourism industry (United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), 2002). In the tourism context, sustainable tourism is often associated with nature orientated tourism or eco-tourism (Eagles et al., 2002) and has become central in the debate on environmentally integrated tourism development (Gà ¶ssling et al., 2002). Tourism in Azerbaijan Sustainability of the hotels in Azerbaijan is very young as the tourism industry itself. The Republic of Azerbaijan was established in the early 1990s. Since the establishment economy of the country was depending on oil industry. 95% of the budget was contributed by the countrys oil industry. The best alternative to cut down this dependency on oil in the budget is to develop tourism industry. Azerbaijan has very good potential for tourism; high mountains, beautiful forests, ancient history, different historical sites and monuments, lots of artists, poets etc. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established in 2005. One year later Azerbaijan Tourism Institute (ATI) under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Azerbaijan was opened. ATI is established in order to cover the lack of qualified staff in tourism sector which is a global issue in world tourism industry as well. Sustainable Tourism in Azerbaijan As it was mentioned above tourism sector in Azerbaijan is young compared to the other industries. Talking about sustainability of the hotels in Azerbaijan we can only mention very few hotels e.g., Hyatt Hotels Baku, Radisson SAS Baku. The names mentioned above are one of the first hotels in Azerbaijan. They are still operating successfully and still very strong in the market. To go back to the Soviet Union period then we can talk about the Hotel Azerbaijan and Absheron Hotel. Those hotels had a big market share as well and were very popular at that time. They had been operating for a long time. The sustainability factors were; Good location Contribution by the government Best service for that time Best staff Since 2005 these both of the hotels were destroyed one after another and now there are 2 big constructions going on; Hilton and JW Marriott. The JW Marriott is replacing Bakus famous Absheron Hotel, which has been demolished, and will be part of a mixed use development designed by ReardonSmith to include 16 floors of private residences, serviced apartments, retail and offices as well as the 20-storey hotel. The architects had a number of key considerations to balance in their concept: location, the high water table, local conventions and successful hotel operations and of course, the clients aspirations for this important building. The result is a unique design that makes a virtue out of addressing these potentially competing dictums. The Hotel Hilton Baku, which is being built in Baku on Azadlig Avenue (instead the hotel Azerbaijan), will be commissioned in August 2011. The total area of five-star hotel Hilton Baku is 42,160 square meters. The hotel will consist of 25 floors and 308 rooms. There will be elevators with panoramic views, different restaurants, concert and exhibition halls, recreation centre at the 670 square meters, sports and fitness centres and swimming pools in the hotel. A bar, which rotates 360 degrees and covers the entire panorama of Baku, will be located on the top floor of the hotel. Hyatt Hotels Global Hyatt I guess this is the only hotel that actually stopped growth of the company related to its policy: Global Hyatt has concentrated on high-end segment, but nevertheless it is among the ten largest. In 2007, the chain launched an innovative hotel brand Hyatt Place, where everything is created based on the results of surveys carried out among the discerning tourists. The hotel is not only providing exclusive services but also tries to make emphasize on its buildings and design. History Hyatt Hotels Corporations well-established reputation as an industry innovator provides a wealth of inspiration as the company looks forward to its next era of creative hospitality. Known around the world for its brands Hyatt Regency , Grand Hyatt , Park Hyatt , Hyatt Place , Hyatt Summerfield Suites and Andaz the entire collection of Hyatt hotels and resorts weaves together authentic service with leading technology to offer its guests unique restaurants, luxury accommodations and distinctive spas. With its new initiatives and design elements continuing to evolve, the next half-century of Hyatt innovation will continue to provide its guests a world of uncommon travel experiences. Hyatt Hotels Resorts opened its first property, a small motor hotel at the Los Angeles International Airport, in 1957 and its portfolio quickly grew to include several other modest hotels along the West Coast and in Chicago over the next ten years. In 1967, Hyatt opened its first major John Portman design ed hotel, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, in Georgia, which featured a space-age design with a dramatic, 21-story atrium lobby. The revolutionary architecture spawned scores of atrium lobbies around the world, effectively changing the course of the lodging industry and reshaping the Hyatt brand as an innovative and significant global hospitality leader. Hyatt successfully distinguishes itself within the competitive hospitality marketplace with six different brands, each designed to deliver experiences attuned to the lifestyles, attitudes, values, and aspirations of the guests for whom it is designed. The 2007-launched Andaz brand is sophistication made simple delivered with a genuine warmth; Hyatt Regency enables productivity and revitalization within a responsive, convenient and contemporary environment; Park Hyatt , a discreet and refined collection located in fashionable cities around the world, epitomizes modern luxury; Grand Hyatt properties are some of the most architecturally dramatic hotels in the world, offering stunning design and a myriad of innovative food and beverage concepts; Hyatt Place is designed for the 24/7 lifestyle of todays multi-tasking business traveller, and Hyatt Summerfield Suites , a reinvention of the all-suites, extended-stay hotel, features timely amenities and inviting, residential design. As a unified portfolio, Hyatts properties share core values across the Hyatt brand: exceptional guest service, upscale amenities, popular food and beverage programs, and innovative interior designs that incorporate local art and style. Currently offering travellers a choice of more than 365 hotels and resorts in over 45 countries, Hyatt Hotels Corporation continues to build on its commitment to clients, staff, partners and the environment as it grows its dynamic vision for the future of hospitality. International chain Hyatt Corporation is one of the leading hotel companies in North America. Owned by the Pritzker family of Chicago, Hyatt manages or licenses the management of 87 hotels and 16 resorts (with a total of 55,000 rooms) in 83 cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. In addition to its resorts, Hyatt has also developed other special hotel conceptsthe Grand Hyatt, the Park Hyatt, and Classic Residence by Hyatt. Grand Hyatts are large-scale, higher priced hotels located in culturally rich cities, with three in the United States (New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.). Park Hyatts are modelled after small European hotels and are located in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The Classic Residence by Hyatt properties offers luxury retirement apartments for rental. Starting in the mid-1990s, the company has also sought growth opportunities in franchising, time-share properties, free-standing golf courses, and casinos. Hyatt Hotels Baku Hyatt Hotels Baku consists of 2 hotels -Hyatt Regency Baku and Park Hyatt Baku Hyatt Regency Baku was reconstructed and opened in 1995; second renovation was implemented in 2005; Park Hyatt Baku was open in 1999 and most of the rooms were refurbished with new facilities in 2008 Best Sustainable Hotel Chains InterContinental Hotel Group Since 2004, this hotels chain became the largest in the world. To date, it owns more than 600 thousand hotel rooms, scattered across the globe. Each year their number is being increased by 5,9%, mainly due to the expansion of Holiday Inn Express, but also because of the increasing number of hotels Crowne Plaza and the emergence in Europe, Staybridge Suites and Indigo boutique hotel. Marriott International The company claims that every year, growing by 4,7% and in the near future has plans to build 800 hotel and add to the existing 500 thousand rooms 125 thousand more. The Group also promises to invest a lot in pre-existing ones, including the Marriott floor, numerous brands, covering all niches of the hotel business from budget options for poor tourists to luxury hotels for the discerning VIP-persons. Hilton Hotels Ranking as the fourth largest chain, this brand is popular not only with luxury hotels, but also because of the scandalous Paris Hiltons escapades, the former heir to the empire hotel room. The company is known propensity for innovations: the first one of its owners have introduced a system of star ratings, equipped hotel with Wi-Fi. However, the chain began to suffer losses, and in 2007 the former owners were forced to sell the hotel business group Blackstone. In 2008 net increased with 300 new sites, and the growth of the company was mainly due to expanses of the United States. But the emergence of the companys portfolio of brands Doubletree, Homewood Suites, and especially the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn, as well as the construction of Hilton Hotel in provincial Russia say the desire to start taking over the world. ANALYZING THE general statement Hyatt Hotels in Azerbaijan Hyatt Hotels Group is focused on enhancing the brand preference by continuously improving the performance of their existing hotels and successfully expanding the presence of their brands in select markets worldwide. Smart growth and development is fundamental to achieving these aims. As a company, they add hotels in locations throughout the world where their loyal guests and customers want them to be. Hyatt team works closely with the development partners to ensure their success through innovative and efficient design, operational excellence and effective sales and marketing strategies. Hyatt Hotels are focused on the role of development within the organization and have formed a dedicated and experienced global development team. Hyatt Hotels Baku is committed to establishing a reputation as the leading hotel complex in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region. Their service is known to anticipate, meet and exceed the guest expectations. In order to retain the established position as the market leader in Baku, they focus on the quality of the operation, the physical aspects of both of the hotels, safety and security as well as creating exciting, innovative and trend setting products throughout. Management Widely recognized and industry leading brands of Hyatt Hotels have consistently received top rankings, awards and accolades for service and guest experience from independent publications and surveys, including Travel and Leisure, Mobil and AAA. The mission of Hyatt is to provide authentic hospitality by making a difference in the lives of the people. They focus on this mission in pursuit of the goal of becoming the most preferred brand in each segment that they serve for the associates, guests, and owners. Hyatt Hotels support their mission and goal by adhering to a set of core values that characterizes their culture. Globally, they manage, franchise, own and develop Hyatt branded hotels, resorts and residential and vacation ownership properties around the world. As of March 31, 2010, the companys worldwide portfolio consisted of 434 properties. Sales marketing department of Hyatt Hotels Baku Sales and Marketing department in Hyatt Hotels Baku consists of 8 employees which are-Director of Sales, Catering Manager, 2 Banquet Sales Managers, 2 Rooms Sales Managers, Sales Executive and Revenue Analyst. Besides, there can be Sales Admin Assistant, Sales Coordinator, Regional Director of Marketing, Marketing Communications Manager. Hyatts worldwide Sales and Marketing teams strive to build brand preference and drive revenue to our hotels. Our sales and marketing strategies are rooted in a comprehensive understanding of our customer segments, the current dynamics of the marketplace and the most effective use of new technology and media platforms. Hyatts marketing strategy is designed to secure and build brand value and awareness while meeting the specific business needs of hotel operations. Building and differentiating the brand position of Hyatt and our sub-brands is fundamental to increasing Hyatts brand preference and demand, rate premium and related business imperatives. Hya tt is focused on targeting the distinct customer segments that each of our brands serves and supporting the needs of the hotels by thorough analysis and application of data and analytics. There is a coordinated and integrated communication strategy for the Hyatt master brand and each of the sub-brands across every distribution channel. Promotion of Hyatt Hotels Baku in the World Hyatts Central Reservation System is an important contributor to the performance of the hotels system wide. The system booked 11.8 million room-nights in 2008, representing approximately $2.3 billion in rooms department revenue. Reservation centres are located in the United States, Australia, India, UAE, Germany, Japan and China to provide 24/7 access to prospective guests. Hyatt Hotels work closely with the distribution partners to ensure that they maximize market share across all channels. These include traditional travel agencies (e.g., American Express, Carlson Wagonlit), online travel agencies (e.g., Expedia, Travelocity and multiple regional agencies, etc.), opaque agencies (e.g., Priceline, Hotwire) and multiple user-generated sites that link back to Hyatt.com (e.g., Trip Advisor). Hyatt also has extensive marketing partnerships with all global and regional airlines. Product knowhow Hyatt Baku Hotels offers unmatched variety of facilities and services within one complex, including business and communication technology, vast fitness and relaxation facilities, an array of dining and entertainment opportunities, shops and offices. The USP of Hyatt Hotels Baku is: favourable location and convenient access to select business centres and government offices; the only complete lifestyle complex in the city, featuring 2 hotels, office and residential facilities, wide variety of FB Outlets, multifunctional meeting and conference facilities and state-of-the-art Health and Fitness Centre; largest global distribution / reservation system; largest inventory of suites present in the city suitable for large VIP government groups. Contribution from the Hyatt Hotels International Hyatts properties and preopening sales offices are supported by a network of salespeople in key markets around the world. Sales professionals represent all Hyatt destinations and focus on all relevant market segments e.g., corporate accounts, M.I.C.E. accounts, key wholesalers, travel agencies and luxury travel specialists. Additional support is provided to hotels with dedicated resources managing programs such as Virtuoso American Express Fine Hotels Resorts. The network includes offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Mexico City, London, Mainz, Sydney, Melbourne, Riyadh, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai, as well as additional coverage throughout Continental Europe. Each office is responsible for ongoing support of the Hyatt portfolio. Additionally, each office coordinates the presentation of Hyatt and Hyatts sub-brands at important industry events and shows such as ITB, World Travel Market and Asia Luxury Travel Market. Hotels also have the opportunity to participate in annual Hyatt fairs and sales calls coordinated by each worldwide sales office. These events provide the hotels with face-to-face access to Hyatts best existing and potential clients. Competitiveness of Hyatt Hotels Currently eight five-star international hotels are under construction in Baku. This is not just about attracting well-heeled tourists, as Baku still has a relatively small demand for luxury hotels. It is about making Baku competitive as a mega-event Mecca. Baku will be promoted as a site for conference tourism, Gurbatov, the tourism official, said. Each year, Baku hosts more government-sponsored conferences and other events. But the creation of the appropriate infrastructure luxury hotels, large expo-centres, convention centres, conference halls and stadiums will allow the government to bid on hosting large-scale international events. One 33,800-square-meter exposition centre opened in Baku in May; the government has also begun construction of a 60,000-seat soccer stadium. The sprawling 90,071-square-meter Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre, designed to look like rippling waves, will open in 2013. Attracting sporting events and conferences to these venues is a matter of both the country s prestige and commercial profit from foreign visitors, Gurbatov added. For now, expectations run high that the owners of the new hotel under construction will benefit from their investments assuming that the government succeeds with its conference tourism strategy. Commented Kenan Aslanly, an analyst at Bakus Public Finance Monitoring Centre: If this strategy is successfully implemented, the country will win both economically and politically. Jumeirah will be the first new hotel to open in 2011. Jumeirah will have reasonably strong brand awareness in Baku, since a) Dubai is a very familiar weekend / holiday retreat for Azerbaijanis and b) Middle-Eastern and Persian business is growing in Baku due to the development in the city with Dubai as an ideal. Jumeirah is located close to the Presidents Dacha, approx 15 minutes outside the airport (45 minutes from city centre). The President will use this hotel to host visiting diplomatic delegations and Ministry conferences due to the close proximity to the airport, Buta Palace conference centre and to his summer residence / Dacha, where he resides between April October every year. This will affect Park Hyatt, as we currently get the majority of this business. It will also affect Hyatt Regency when it comes to groups and associations (e.g. sport groups) which look for a secluded place with spaces for outdoor activities (pools, golf course, tennis etc), and groups looking for a location outside the city centre to avoid late party nights. The Marriott (80 room inventory) is located close to Jumeirah. Due to a small inventory and inconvenient location, it will not impact Hyatt much, despite being a well known, international brand with an aggressive opening-strategy to drive occupancy. JW Marriott (228 room inventory)will open Q1 2012.Located at Bakus Freedom Square a national symbol and location of military parades as well as the seafront boulevard with the Caspian Sea beyond. This hotel will also have to compete in the corporate market to achieve occupancy. Hilton will open in June 2011 and is located right next to Park Inn, sea side in the centre of the city. The two hotels have the same owner, something which is of great concern for Park Inn. Park Inn opened in 2005, but is still worried about getting a new, international brand as competitor- and has great concerns about losing corporate agreements for companies located around the hotel and group business. Landmark is also very concerned about this new entry on th e hotel scene. We think the Hilton will also affect Hyatt Regency, both for groups and transient business. Fairmont is the largest of the new hotels; the hotel will also have to compete in the corporate market to achieve occupancy. They will be able to offer moderate corporate rates due to the size of the property, and due to the location we can expect companies and individuals visiting for meetings with ministries etc to perhaps choose this location. Hyatt used to be a good location as we are only a 5-10 minutes drive from the parliament and several ministries. Four Seasons hotel is scheduled to open late 2011. Park Hyatt is currently the only official protocol hotel in Baku, but it will mainly lose this status once Four Seasons is opening. The hotel will be more or less purpose built to host high-ranking government officials, diplomatic visits, VIPs etc., with a 3-bedroom Presidential suite and several 3-bedroom and 2-bedroom suites and a room type called Deluxe deluxe with two k ing beds in the same room (suited for the American- and Asian market). Four Seasons will also have a 330 m2 ballroom. Sheraton is still a project to rebrand the Airport hotel (ex Holiday Inn) Sustainability of Hyatt Baku Hotels Hyatt Hotels Baku has started operating in Azerbaijan since 1995. First, Hyatt Regency was opened in 1995 after the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Contract of Century (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline). Then in 1999 due to the high demand Park Hyatt was opened next to the Hyatt Regency. Till 2004 both of the hotels were very strong and almost alone in the market. The only competitor was Radisson SAS. In 2004 another brand Park Inn penetrated into the market. Since then the market share of Hyatt Hotels in Baku is decreased slightly. Because still the demand is high and accommodation facilities are not enough to meet the need. Currently, Baku features only a few luxury hotels run by international chains the Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt and Radisson SAS, Park Inn and Airport Hotel. If Azerbaijans Eurovision contestant, Safura, had triumphed at the annual pop extravaganza this year, Baku would not have had the facilities to host the event in 2011, noted Faig Gurbatov, national coordinator of the governmen ts Tourism Development Project, an initiative run jointly with the United Nations Development Programme. Since the 1995 to nowadays both of the Hyatt Hotels in Baku were operating very successfully. This is a main factor showing its sustainability. Demand Demand for Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Park (Baku) is quite high. The average occupancy rate (annually) is around 69%. In high seasons this figure increases up to 90-95%. Target Market One of the components needed to apply hotel revenue management is market segmentation. It allows you to target and market to a variety of consumer groups with different behaviour with an offer that matches their needs and budget level. Your hotel market segmentation shall help to identify the purpose of the trip: either business or leisure. The price does not decide of the market segmentation. Clear distinction must also be achieved between individual and group business .The market segmentation shall help you identify the trends of your business: Length of Stay Day of Weeks stays Total Revenue per room, Total Revenue per client Lead Time Cancellation No Show ratio Due to the last trends in Azerbaijan 3 industries are increasing rapidly e.g., oil business, pharmaceutical industry and information telecommunications sector. Guests from the above mentioned industries are coming to stay at Hyatt very often. Also, the number of governmental officials and walk-in tourists is high enough. Maritz guest satisfaction survey (Benchmarking) Since the competitor hotels give wrong information, Hyatt International has decided to change their strategy. Now, Hyatt Hotels are not doing benchmarking. Hyatt Hotels Baku uses the services of Maritz. Maritz is a guest satisfaction survey. Maritz protects the data about the companies by the world-class policies and procedures. Maritz has developed a security program which includes: Physical Security and Controls Network Architecture and Security System and Remote Access Controls Application Security Database Security Call Centre Security Security Administration Intrusion Detection Change Management Data Back-up and Retention Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Guest Satisfaction Surveys As many hotel chains Hyatt hotels International check the guest satisfaction level. In order to obtain the information about the service quality and better to understand the needs and wants of the guests. Hyatt Hotels Baku is also conducting such kind of surveys in order to get the needed information. Mostly the comment cards are used in hospitality sector. Either the cards are put on the table in the rooms or reception provides with comment cards at the check out. As I have mentioned already, I had a meeting with the sales marketing manager of Hyatt Hotels Baku. She showed me a guest comment card. How would you rate the quality of the food? How would you rate the service quality? Please rate the cleanliness of the facilities. Please rate the friendliness of the staff. Please rate your overall experience. How likely are you to refer us to a friend? Each question can get minimum 1, maximum 5 points from each respondent. The points from each respondent per question are added together. Then they calculate the percentage out of the maximum e.g., 3 respondents answered the 1st question and the results were 5, 4 and 3 points. 5+4+3=12 12*100/15=80% (15) is the maximum number of points for 3 respondents With the results of this short survey conducted among the guests of Hyatt Baku Hotels you can get to know in the chart below: Figure 1: Guest satisfaction survey chart Guest portfolio of Hyatt Hotels Baku by the regions The guest of Hyatt Regency and Park Hyatt are very multi-national. All around the world guests come to stay at Hyatt. Mainly the guests of Hyatt Hotels Baku are Europeans, from GCC and North America. SWOT Analysis Figure 3: Strength Weaknesses Internationally recognized brand Global reservation system with the link to all GDS distributors Quality service and facilities Excellent FB choices Known Health Fitness facilities Extensive room suite inventory with two hotels Increased sales presence NFPA standard life safety Multi lingual/ international staff WWSOs Some companies perceive Hyatt as expensive Hotel considering it only for the management Location away from the city business district is a barrier to some companies All hotels offer complimentary Internet facilities, unlike Hyatt, where the service is perceived too expensive by corporate travellers Opportunities Threats Brand awareness for potential acquisition. To be in line with modest technologies and systems Constantly work on improvements Active promotion on local market Upscale fitness facilities is a very strong decision making point for hotel choice on the market Luxury room inventory and good balance between suites and standard rooms is a strong asset to target any business opportunities in the market Continue building necessary networking and be aware of latest market trends Additional distribution channels Brand restrictions do not allow to compete with lower brand rate offers Create inconveniences in acquisition of leisure business Internet is still very expensive, thus it affects in decision making process for most of organizations