Live in the Present with Memories of the Past Essay

Human Society is a long period of building and developing. From the time man lived in dank caves to nowadays when he lives in such a modern life with a lot of excellent facilities. The modern life, the excellent facilities was not a present from god. It was made by people of all generations who always learned from the past and developed everything they had learned from it. Thus, I totally disagree with the statement above that learning about the past has no value. The first reason for this is that learning about the past brings us all the knowledge and information in the past. Without yesterday, there is no today. A society can develop only when its people inherit and understand the achievements of the precursors because the precursors’ achievements were the foundation for everything to develop.. For example, before 1964 there was only black-and-white television but until now there are kinds of colour televisions that are slim and innovative such as LCD TV†¦ The black-and-white television made the basis and gave inventors idea to develop the modern TV nowadays. Consequently our knowledge, success today is the result of constant work of our ancestors before. Secondly, learning about the past is very essential because it makes us doubt and take consideration into earlier assumptions. For that reason, people will find out mistakes that were made in the past. This will show us which roads not to ever go down again and put human in a right way to develop. Learning about the past is not only learning about the history but also is learning from our and the others’ mistakes. By this way of learning, people will become more and more experienced and never make the same mistakes again. Additionally, if learning about the past has no value, people in the world could speak, could write by themselves without learning from anyone. This is impossible so the value of the past, in this case are the parents, are undeniable. In a nutshell, the past is always a good teacher and we are still bad students who crave for knowledge. Denying the past also means that we are destroying the present and our future because no one can jump without ground to stand on.

Psychoeducational Groups, the Best Option for Teen Mom

PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL GROUPS:THE BEST OPTIONS FOR TEEN MOMS. English 215 November 24,2012 Teen pregnancy has been a problem in the United States for years. Although rates have dropped since the 1990’s, teen pregnancy rates in the United States are still higher than other western societies. Teenage pregnancy is accompanied with many negative consequences such as shortened educational experience, diminished employment, larger family size, increased risk of single- parent and poverty. Teen mothers struggle on a daily basis, if you are one of them you should visit a psychoeducational group.Teen mothers should attend psychoeducational groups because they can teach teen moms parenting skills, social skills, and provide them with the support they need in order to maintain a healthy life style. The group can also include teenage fathers. Psychoeducational groups will work best for this population because it will create a safe place where teenagers can learn parenting skills and have the s upport of one another. Since each teen is going through the same situation, they will be able to relate to one another and feel understood.While there are negative consequences for the mother, the infant is also at risk by being born to a teenage mother. One of the most common occurrences is low birth weight. Low birth weight increases the mortality rate. It also has long-term effects such as developmental and cognitive delays. Low birth weight can be caused by the mother’s lack of prenatal care, poor diet and stress. Prior to becoming pregnant, the teen’s bodies are not prepared for the change. Pregnancy takes a toll on the body that most teens are not ready for. When their body is not ready, the baby can witness the negative effects.The teens need to adopt healthier lifestyles once they become pregnant. They group will provide information about the importance of a healthy diet. They will also be encouraged to seek prenatal care and attend the necessary appointments. By teaching the girls the importance of health care, they will be able to carry it over to their child’s life. The group is clearly for pregnant teens and for teen mothers since they will teach them to take care of themselves before they give birth, that way when they have the baby the teenagers will be able to take ood care of the kids. Lacking these skills is no surprise because the teens were not prepared to become mothers and have a lack of knowledge about child development. In addition, it is important that teens learn parenting skills. The teens need to be taught child care skills in order to better their life and the life of their child. Throughout life, the infant will depend on the parent for the basic needs of life. If the parent is not able to provide, the child will suffer. The group provides them with the support they need to implement the skills.The types of skills the girls can learn are†¦ Also, teenage mothers are less likely to be responsive to their chi ld, less positive child rearing attitudes, more likely to abuse their children. Learning these skills can decrease this. The stress that comes along with teen parenting is inevitable. It can stem from many aspects of their life such as school, financial responsibilities, and providing a safe environment for their child. Stress can be linked to an increase in psychological problems for the mother and increased birth complications.Teenage mothers are more prone to developing depression. However, receiving social support can decrease the amount of stress the teen experiences. When the amount of stress is decreases, the risk of birth complications also lowers. It also decreases depressive symptoms post birth. Many teen mothers lack the support they need when they are going through this stage of life. While learning new skills, the teens are also able to gain a new support system. We can define support as the presences of stable human relationships.The mothers need support because most o f them, not all, come from a low socioeconomic status; minority status, urban living, and having single parent. Having a stable human relationship can be hard to find living under these conditions. Therefore, the group is able to provide the mothers with the support they need in order to overcome the obstacles of teen pregnancy. During the teenage years, individuals go through many developmental changes such as identity development, emerging independence, and developing intimate relationships with others.When adding a baby to the equation, the situation only becomes harder and it puts stress on the development of the teenager. Much of their development is put on hold because of the baby and the need to jump into the mother role when they are not prepared. Therefore, they do not learn how to develop intimate relationships with their peers. In addition to the educational aspect of the group; it can also provide a social network for the girls. They are able to interact with others and learn how to develop intimate relationships.Since they are all struggling with the same issue, they will find it easier to relate to one another. The mother’s education level is the main predictor of the baby’s life outcome. If the mother does not receive a high school diploma, the chances of living in poverty are increased. The group can educate mothers on alternative ways to obtain a high school diploma. There are many options the teens can use to obtain a high school diploma. One alternative is obtaining a G. E. D. There are also program that allow teens to finish high school in their home.The most important thing the group can do is encourage the mothers to finish high school and teach them the negative consequences of not finishing high school. Obtaining a well-paying job will be difficult without a high school diploma. The girls will also not be able to continue their education without a high school diploma. Living in poverty can lead to a lack of many necessitie s of life such as health care. Not having health care can put the baby at risk because they are not receiving routine check-ups.If they are not able to afford health care, there are many social services that can make health care accessible to them that they may not know about. Teens need to be educated on the methods available in order to prevent having more children. Many teenagers do not use any type of contraceptive during their first sexual experience. The group can offer the girls education about contraceptives and the correct way to use them. Many sexual education courses in the United States promote abstinence. While that would be the desirable result for all teens, it is not always the case.There are many forms of contraceptives that can be readily available to the girls if they continue to be sexually active. It is important to educate them on this topic so they can avoid having another child. The group offers a neutral environment in which they girls can ask any question t hey want and offer them information about different types of contraceptives. When helping teenage mothers overcome their struggles, they need to be taught certain skills in order to survive. The psychoeducational group will provide them with the resources they need.Teenagers will benefit from a group setting over an individual setting. For one, they will be able to engage with other girls who are going through the same thing and they can see that they are not alone. In the individual setting, teenagers may feel singled out or attacked. It can be hard for them to relate to someone who is not in the same situation as them. Also, since teen mothers do not have the time to socialize and develop social skills, the group setting offers them a chance to develop the social skills needed. They will have an interactive experience for the purpose of learning new skills.While interacting with other people, they will be exposed to new ideas and viewpoints about their situation. Learning how to s ocialize with others will improve their relationships at home. It can also improve their self-esteem. While learning from the other girls, they can also teach them the strategies they have used. The focus of psychoeducational groups is preventing behaviors and teaching new skills. Therefore, it is not therapy based. This can be beneficial when working with teenagers because therapy can be viewed as a negative thing.For some cultures, seeking therapy may even be out of the question. If the group is based on developing skills, it takes away from the therapy aspect. Since many of the teen mothers are not ready for motherhood, the group can provide them with the necessary parenting skills they will need to know. By teaching them parenting skills, the girls can be more confident in their parenting abilities. When they know how to appropriately handle a situation, they are less likely to take it out on their children. Also, keeping their stress at a low level will have positive benefits f or the parent-child relationship.The benefits of a psychoeducational group for teen pregnancy are evident. At this age, teens are experiencing many developmental changes and raising a child at the same time can be overwhelming. Since teen pregnancy is becoming more common, it is inevitable that counselors working with adolescences or families will encounter this topic. Once they are taught the right skills needed, they will feel more confident about being a parent. References: 1-Ambul Pediatr (2003). The parenting project for teen mothers: the impact of a nurturing curriculum on adolescent parenting skills and life hassles. ONLINE] Available at: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/12974663. 2- Mobley, J, & Fort, S. D. (2007). Planning psycho-educational groups for school. Retrieved August 28,2007 from http://counselingoutfitters. com/vistas/vistas07/Mobley. pdf. 3- Bethany Casarjian (2003). The youth project. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. lionheart. org/youth/youth_landing. 4- Valerie Burgess (2005). Improving Comfort About sex communication between parents and heir adolescents. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. hawaii. edu/hivandaids/Improving_Comfort_About_Sex_Communication_Between_Parents

Is God Responsible for Evil in the World? Essay

For thousands of years already the adepts of the three world’s most widespread monotheistic religions, which are Christianity, Islam and Judaism, have been arguing for whether their deity is responsible for all the evil that happens in our world. Numerous books were written on this issue, and lots of disputes took place worldwide, but the answer hadn’t been found that would satisfy both the followers of those religions and their opponents. The believers deny the assumption that their omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God is also the creator of evil, while atheists use it as the main argument in proving the ridiculousness of religious beliefs. Lots of philosophers, politicians and theologians have devoted their works to the research of this issue. Moojan Moman in his book The Phenomenon of Religion writes: â€Å"the presence of evil and suffering in the world has even been argued by some philosophers from Epicurus (341-270bce) to David Hume (1711-76ce) to cast doubt on the existence of God. Other more modern writers such as Freud and Marx sought to show that religion’s explanations of the presence of evil and suffering were based on delusion†[1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The adepts of monotheistic religions reject this hypothesis because it conflicts with their statement that the God loves all of his creations. In the notion of most people it’s impossible to love someone deeply, and, in the same time, to make him or her suffer. Thus, the explanation of the existence of evil in the world for the common believers is that the deity granted free will and a right to choose to all of his creations, and if people choose to commit wrong and evil deeds, it’s not his fault. But here a question arises which’s why the omnipotent deity does nothing to stop the doings that hurt the creatures he loves so much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other religious leaders explain that all the evil in the world happens because God wants to temp his adepts, or to give them a chance to become stronger through the trials he sends them. But if we look at this question from that viewpoint, therefore the kind nature of the deity would again be questioned, as a â€Å"loving father†, as the believers sometimes call their worshipped deity, wouldn’t have made his beloved children suffer to prove their faithfulness and devotion to him, or to help them develop some of the positive moral qualities and values. It’s obvious that a loving and caring ‘parent’ would’ve given his children careful guidance to make them better. The Christians and Jewish also prefer to omit the fact that the superior creature, their God presumably is, wouldn’t have behaved himself as a capricious child, demanding Abraham’s son Isaac to be sacrificed to him in order to prove Abraham’s devotion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Christians disagree with the statement that God, who’s a creator of all life in the Earth, is also the one who’s ultimately responsible for the evil that takes place in the world, even though numerous verses from the Bible, their sacred text give the evidence to support this claim, like the ones given below: Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (Amos 3:6)[2] I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live. And I polluted them in their own gifts†¦( Ezekiel 20:25,26)[3] Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you. (Jeremiah 18:11)[4], and, finally: I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things. ( Isaiah 45:7)[5] Thus it’s obvious that it’s the deity the Christians worship who created the evil that exists in the world, and it’s clearly written in their sacred text. Unfortunately, this fact doesn’t fit into the concept of kind and forgiving God the Christian theologians and church leaders have been creating throughout the ages, that’s why the theologians try to interpret this verses as the mistakes done by the numerous translators of the Bible, arguing over the meanings of the initial world that is translated as ‘evil’ in most of the existing copies of Bible worldwide. The Muslim’s have a viewpoint on the purpose of the human’s existence on this earth different from the one the Christians and Jewish hold, which dictates the differences in their understandings of God. For Muslims this world is a kind of a test center, the place where all the actions and thoughts of every man are evaluated by the superior creature, and the humans are rewarded or punished depending of their balance of their things and right doings. For them the God is not a merciful and loving father, but a strict and demanding judge who knows about every their action and thought. Regardless of the differences in interpreting the sense of life by the Muslims, Christians and Jewish, Muslims also prove that their deity isn’t the one responsible for the wrongdoings in the world. They prove that the God had granted his creations with the right to choose between the evil and good, and, moreover, it’s the sole purpose of their life on the earth. He is capable of stopping all the wrongdoings, but he doesn’t do it, as he needs them to later judge the people who committed them. Nadir Aqeel, the author of the Frequently asked questions regarding Determinism and Free Will, the article found on the Understanding Islam Website, draws the analogy with the examination hall, where the God is the supervisor. Passing near the student, the supervisor sees the student writes down an incorrect question. It’s obvious that the supervisor shouldn’t correct the mistake, as this will defeat the very purpose of the examination.[6]   But, in the same time the Quoran says that nothing happens without the Allah’s permission in this world, thus he permits all the evil to exist in the world. In the law system of most countries the non-acting while knowing that a crime takes place is punished, and the person who didn’t do anything to prevent the wrongdoing is considered to be guilty partially for the crime that took place. The adepts of Islam may, of course, say, that we shouldn’t judge the superior creature with our laws, but it’s obvious that the human laws are the only ones we have, it’s our only instrument we can use to evaluate the rightness or wrongness of any deed. The basic difference between the Christianity and Judaism is that Christians believe that the human being is born in a state of sin, while the Jews believe the child is born pure, and it’s a matter of choice for whether to dirty yourself with the wrong actions and doings or to stay pure and in harmony with the surrounding world. Different branches of Judaism, the same as of Christianity or Islam, have different views on God and his role in the existence of evil and sin on our planet. For example, Reconstructionist Jews, as Emanuel S. Goldsmith states in his article Kaplan’s Contemporary Religious Relevance: A Review of Reconstructionist Philosophy and Theology, that: â€Å"God is the Energy enabling us to conquer fear and despair, alienation and loneliness. God is what infuses our lives with confidence, courage and meaningfulness. God is life with a capital â€Å"L† and goodness with a capital â€Å"G.†[7] The other Jews personalize God, but they also believe he is not the one responsible for the wrongdoings and evil that exists in the world. They state God had given his creations free will, and it’s the matter of their choice whether to dirty themselves with the wrongdoings, or to stay clean in the eyes of God, be in harmony with the surrounding world, and make the Messianic Era closer, as the Jews believe Messiah will come to the world when it’ll become perfect. The Holocaust has provoked and still arouses numerous discussions about the origins of sin and evil, and about the reasons of their appearance. Some Jews believe, that Holocaust was provoked by the sins of the Jewish nation, thus admitting that, in their opinion, god had chosen to punish his chosen nation by murdering from six to seven millions of them by the arms of Nazi. Of course, most Jewish do not share this viewpoint, as they do not want to see claim their God is a mass murderer. As we’ve seen, neither of the researched monotheistic religion supports the viewpoint that God is responsible for the evil in the world. The Jewish, Christians and Muslims hold the belief that evil and wrongdoings is the result of the right to choose, the God had granted to his creations. They also prove that God sends people sufferings and hardships to help them become stronger and better. Most of the believers also choose to ignore the fact that if the God created everything, our world, the whole universe, it’s logical that evil is also a product of his creation. Some adepts may contradict to it saying, that this is Lucifer who created evil, but most religious leaders claim that   God is the only one who’s got power to create anything as formidable. But, using elementary logic we can see, that if the God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, he: Knows when and where an evil deed will take or takes place Doesn’t do anything to prevent it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, according to the law system used by the most countries in the world, he’s guilty of non-acting, of allowing the crime to take place, regardless of the fact that it often hearts the innocent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The researched monotheistic religions choose to ignore this fact, or try to invent numerous explanations for it, because it contradicts to their conception of the righteous and kind deity, that holds the humanity as his beloved children. Works Cited Mooman, M. The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach. Oneworld Publications, 1999 The Bible. New International Version. International Bible Society, 1984 Aqeel, N. t Frequently asked questions regarding Determinism and Free Will. Understanding Islam Website, 2004. Retrieved from URL Goldsmith, E. Kaplan’s Contemporary Religious Relevance: A Review of Reconstructionist Philosophy and Theology. Reconstructionism Today, 2001 P.S: If you have any questions or corrections please contact me immediately Luck      [1] Mooman, M. The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach. Oneworld Publications, 1999 [2] The Bible. New International Version. International Bible Society, 1984 [3] Same [4] Same [5] Same [6] Aqeel, N. t Frequently asked questions regarding Determinism and Free Will. Understanding Islam Website, 2004 [7] Goldsmith, E. Kaplan’s Contemporary Religious Relevance: A Review of Reconstructionist Philosophy and Theology. Reconstructionism Today, 2001

Discuss the risks associated with the flow of water below dams and Essay

Discuss the risks associated with the flow of water below dams and define the critical hydraulic gradient - Essay Example When the downward force on such soil particles equals the upward force, the soil particles are at zero stress. This allows a free movement of dam subsurface soil particles which serves to enhance already existing seepage. The afore mentioned seepage leads in turn to the creation of channels that catalyze dam sub surface flows in a process known better as piping (Rogers, 2010). A number of different environmental failures have occurred on account of flows below dams that eventually lead to compromised embankments and a sudden discharge of water after dam failure. The sudden release of water from such dam failures tends to devastate the ecosystems downstream of the failed dam. A relevant concept in such failures is the critical hydraulic gradient () that allows a calculation of when piping failures are most likely. In itself, the critical hydraulic gradient depends on the composition of the dam sub surface soil, the available head at the dam’s bottom wall and the void ratio of the soil mass. The critical hydraulic gradient is seen as the hydraulic gradient that occurs when the vertical stress becomes zero (Vijayendra, 2012). Mathematically, the critical hydraulic gradient can be expressed as shown below (Vijayendra, 2012): As mentioned earlier, any loopholes in the calculation for the critical hydraulic gradient can mean the difference between dam failure and safe dam operation. There have been instances where dams have failed with only little warning due to the development of piping failures in the dam’s sub surface soil. It is worth mentioning here that such dam failures are often rapid and provide little warning before hand of impending doom. One such case in point is the Baldwin Hills Reservoir failure where the embankment failed only after 9 years of service. There were essentially no major warnings before the failure

Time for an Organizational Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Time for an Organizational Change - Assignment Example With globalization taking a toll, organizations are left with no option but work towards achieving market goals and objectives of the market. Change is, therefore, part and parcel of organizational life. This case study will highlight an organizational change in a hospital of using an electrical method of storing records in the hospital and how this method has impacted the working conditions of nurses in the hospital. Prior to the enactment of these changes in the organization, the hospital’s management recorded numerous cases of misplaced files and documents that were of crucial benefit to the hospital. Nurses were also facing a difficult time trying to trace files and documents of various patients, especially the ones who had not frequented the hospital in recent years. When these patients turned up to the hospital, nurses could not easily trace their file and medical history in the hospital. The hospital administrator felt that it would be better to have an electronic method of storing data that would not only assist the nurses in their jobs but also offer the best medical care to their patients. The decision by the administrator connects to other departments of the hospital in many ways. In terms of the hierarchy of needs, this is the best decision that the administrator would have made. There is a dire need to change the hospital’s structure completely for smooth running of activities. On a humanistic point of view, there is a need to enhance the workers of the hospital by exposing them to new skills of recording data (Wolper 2004). Though there may be a need to bring in new employees to the hospital, the administrator has done a great job in steering the hospital towards change. The structure of the organization may change on the basis of new systems being put in place to suit the change. There may be no need for more shelves in the hospital or large cabinets to hold the files. Health and Havering (2002) indicate that there may be confusion for the first few months, but the nurses are likely to adjust to the changes with time.  Ã‚  

European Union Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European Union Creation - Essay Example The European Union comprises of a majority of states in Europe. Starting from a membership of 6 nations it has grown to 27. The 1957 Treaty of Rome was the foundation for the European Union. Since then it has experienced many changes. The EU consists of common project and policies controlled by member nations. World War 2 was a watershed in the history of Europe. There had never been such a tremendous cost in human and economic which hit Europe so hard. There was a desire to avoid the horrors of war like the Holocaust, concentration camps, slave labour and the numerous other atrocities which were perpetrated in the war. There was also a yearning for an end to warfare since the horrors of modern warfare had been exposed in the conflict. The cold war was also developing between the Soviet Union and United States. The threat of annihilation from nuclear weapons remained. Charlemagne and The Holy Roman Empire were both historical examples of attempts to unite Europe. The Arab conquest of Spain, South France and Italy also led to the idea of a united Christendom against the Moors. There were also ideas about the peaceful unification of European following the threat from the Ottoman Turks. The end of the American Revolution also led to calls for a similar United States of Europe. The rise of nationalism and fascism in the 1930s would however destroy any dreams of United Europe.

Personal Point of View on Commanding Wife, Downfall Assignment

Personal Point of View on Commanding Wife, Downfall - Assignment Example As the author declares "every man wants a beautiful wife. I got one. Every man wants a brilliant and tough woman. I got one. Every man wants a woman that can stand up for herself. I got one. What else do I need? Twenty years later, she controls my thinking, she has modernized me, changed me from the cowboy man I used to be. I no longer wear my hats and boots like before. I am used to being in suits and matching ties. I am a different person. I am more responsible, and I have to consult her before making any decision. Do I fulfil the requirements of the men being masculine and domineering in the patriarchal society? What has become of me? Everyone keeps saying that I am being controlled like a small child? Is that so? [Pause] Has my life become well with my commanding wife or not? On a contrary thought, my commanding wife has helped me a lot. I was a wreck before, a drunkard, a useless bastard. I did very little to make my life better. All I did was sit†¦sit in the ranch and drink. Waste the whole day with friends in the motel†¦drinking and partying was the way of life. Look at me now, I have a job, I even built a house. I did not know I had so much potential. What was I waiting for? For my parents to push me around? No way†¦ they got tired of me a long time ago. See what my commanding wife, she took me as I am. I was a no one. I am now a living testimony of change. Why are people condemning her? I just do not understand how people think and behave. If I live a bachelor, they complain, if I marry, they say I am not man enough. I am tired. So tired [pause]. The good thing is that I love my wife. Whether commanding or not, she is my life, she is my support system. I admit that without her my life is useless. Actually, I do not know what I would d o if she left my world if she said she would live. I would surely die. My commanding wife, you are me, you are my life, and you are who that I dream of†¦ [Singing]. "

Water Footprint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Water Footprint - Essay Example The essay "Water Footprint" presents a website as an excellent resource to get an idea about how water footprint provides insight into the way different countries utilize their water resources by observing the larger countries that are economically significant and have larger footprints which are perhaps a way of saying that their economies are growing, since a major limitation in the economic growth of countries is the availability of water resources. The water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use. It can be measured for a single process, such as growing rice, for a product, such as a pair of jeans, for the fuel we put in our car, or for an entire multi-national company. The water footprint can also tell us how much water is being consumed by a particular country – or globally – in a specific river basin or from an aquifer.In this regard, USA, China and India appear quite significant. Additionally, I have observed that regions of the earth like the north Africa have scarce water resources, and hence both their water footprint as well as their economic growth are minimal. So, they have to rely on imports to meet their needs and in the process, they have to spend their valuable resources to import from countries that have abundant water resources and hence sound growing economies. This clearly indicates that the knowledge about water footprint is essential to understand how different countries are performing on a global scale.

UNO Peace Keeping Operation in Middle East Research Paper

UNO Peace Keeping Operation in Middle East - Research Paper Example Earlier after First World War, League of Nation was established for this purpose but it failed and Second World War started. In 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President of United States of America had a meeting with Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of United Kingdom of Great Britain. It paved the way to Atlantic Charter, which referred to a set of principles to maintain global peace and cooperation among the comity of nations. After two years in 1943, both the leaders, along with Joseph Stalin of Russia, emphasized to establish an organization to maintain international peace. In 1944, at Dumbarton Oaks conference in Washington D.C., the first sketch of UN was drawn and in February 1945, these three leaders established a voting process for the United Nations (Webel and Galtung 2007, 95)1. In 1945, in San Francisco, legislative body of 50 countries had a joint agreement to save the world from the barbaric consequences of war. In addition, to maintain security UNO charter includes poverty reduction, providing health and education facilities and provide financial assistant to needy members (Barash and Webel, 2008) . To maintain peace in the world UNO has established special subsidiary known as United Nation peace keeping operation it help countries to deal with disturb and quarrelling areas. The major division of the United Nations for peacekeeping is Security Council. It has 15 members out of which five permanent member nations have the power to veto any kind of decision even if most of the members agree to a resolution. These permanent five members having power to veto any resolution are: France, Russia, China, United Kingdom, and United States of America. These countries took part in the formation of United Nations and defined certain norms for United Nations to be followed (Durch 1993, 23-85)3. Therefore, an entire change in their biased approach is strongly needed and their mistakes of past should not be repeated again. This revolutionary change can only take place if the members of the UN make proper and unbiased use of their veto power beyond any prejudice and ambiguity and merely in favour of justice. As per statistics of December 31,2010, there are about 1,23000 troops working at 16 sites under the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations(DPKO) in the four continents directly impacting hundreds and millions of people by saving their lives and providing security to the instable areas of the world. The UN peacekeeping operation does not have the troops of its own; instead it depends on the contribution by Member states, therefore, 115 countries have engaged their military and police personnel in line with UN peacekeeping mission (Collier and Hoeffler, 2004)4. The first task UNPKO took was during 1950’s .In 1960 one of complex and controversial task assign to UNPKO was Congo mission which lasted till June 1964.UN was successful in its mission but committed some mistakes ( Sitkowski 2006, 206-96)5. The UN peacekeeping force entered Congo as a neutral entity to enact law and order. After two years it started to support actively the Congolese government for the secession of the province of Katanga. The transformation of UN from a neutral peace keeper to an evident quarrelsome was observed. Although UN was succeeded in achieving its basic mission in Congo, but at the end of crisis it was not crowned as true peace keeper force (Barash and Webel 2008, 506)6. Similarly when the Beirut force was established, principles of

The Impact of Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Teenage Pregnancy Essay The reality TV series 16 and pregnant and Teen Mom are two great examples showing the everyday struggles of teenage pregnancy and a day in the life of a teenage mother. By no means do these two shows glorify teen pregnancy. Teens seem to think that they are inevitable and nothing will happen to them. All it takes is one time to have sexual intercourse to become pregnant. While being wrapped up in the excitement, lust, adrenaline, rush and at times even under the influence these young teens do not seem to think about the outcome that may occur from making the decision to partake in intercourse. The Big Brother sister Program has proved to steer children in the right direction, have a positive impact on these children and encourage these kids to be all they can be. The Big Sister program should address the issue of teen pregnancy by providing sexual education, guidance, free contraception and a respected role model to young females. Providing these teens with sexual education concerning the impact of teenage pregnancy regarding the wellbeing of a teen mother and child, loss of education, and the lack of parenting skills will influence young teens to make better decisions and teen pregnancy will decrease in our community. Teenage pregnancy may seriously impact the wellbeing of their child as well as themselves by not seeking proper medical care which may cause high blood pressure, anemia, toxemia, and Placenta Previa (Bodeeb 2011). Many teens do not even realize they are pregnant until about three or four months, Due to the fact that teens are unaware of the physical and internal changes the body makes to prepare a home in the womb for the baby. It is important for a mother to seek medical attention as soon as possible to make sure of a healthy pregnancy. The early stages of pregnancy are the most important. A mother needs to be aware of the pregnancy for such reasons as: taking prenatal vitamins, smoking cigarettes, drinking or any prescription taking while being pregnant (Bodeeb 2011). Those acts may cause serious long term birth defects and medical complications for the baby. Certain tests need to be performed while in the first few months of a pregnancy as well to make sure there are not any complications. At four months the Down syndrome test is performed on the child while in the womb. That is an issue that any mother would like to know about their unborn child so proper decisions can be made and the mother can find out where to go from then. Un Expecting bleeding may occur and a young mother may seem to think it is an abnormal period, but really it may be a miscarriage and if proper procedures aren’t taken it can result to the loss of the mother. A proper DNC must be performed. Teen pregnancy will be a challenge due to the fact that teens are not provided the skills that are needed to handle a pregnancy and mother hood. This may very well affect the wellbeing of the mother and the child. It is necessary for a teen mother to portray skills for pregnancy. Patience, maturity, and the ability to handle stress is a part of pregnancy. Pregnant teens are at more of a higher risk of postpartum depression syndrome, which starts after delivering the baby. According to CDC, girls who feel down and sad, either while pregnant or after birth should talk openly to someone they trust. Depression can absolutely interfere with taking care of a newborn (â€Å"Teen Pregnancy: Medical Risks and Realities†, 2005-2012). Postpartum depression affects many mothers life while trying to care for their child. This depression makes it hard for a mother to have the want or need to take care of their baby, cry consistently, and may cause the mother to shut herself out away from the rest of the world(†Teen Pregnancy :Medical Risks and Realities†, 2005-2012). Teens are at higher risk of this depression because they are less experienced, scared, the lack of social life and simply because they just do not know how to handle a helpless child depending on the young mother. Teens most of the time lack these skills to obtain a successful pregnancy. Bodeeb also states that according to The U. S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that babies born to teen mothers may have weaker intellectual development and may have on going medical complications. Babies born to teen mothers may have medical complications such as: The growth of the child, which is called premature birth. The earlier a baby is born the more risk there is of respiratory, digestive, vision, cognitive, and other problems (â€Å"Teen Pregnancy: Medical Risks and Realities†, 2005-2012). It is not easy attending high school while expecting a child, especially having to deal with being judged by classmates. Regardless if any teen mother is affected by the comments or snickering being made by the other students, it does not help the situation or make it any easier. These acts that occur all the time in school may cause the young mother to no longer want to attend school . Finding a sitter for the child is a burden because not all parents of a young mother are supportive of the situation. In some cases a young girl getting pregnant while still living at home and attending school may result in her getting thrown out of her home , which makes it even more complicated to attend classes. After having a child the mother is usually given six weeks for recovery and to spend time with the mother. The time missed by the student may result to failure of classes or getting behind. This is when most teens decide to not come back to school because they figure it is more of a hassle and simply do not know what to do. There are some high schools that have day cares located inside the school, but not all. It is a struggle for teens to put their child in day care, especially if they cannot find a job that will work around the school schedule and spending time with the baby. The government does provide assistance in child care but they do not pay for the whole thing. It was recently reported by CBS 2 News that Chicago’s South Side Paul Robenson High School has 115 girls who are pregnant out of 800 girls who attend the school (Roush, 2009). According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, teen pregnancy is not just local problem and birth rates have been rising during the past few years after more than a decade of decline (Roush, 2009). Soo Ji Min, executive director of the Illinois Caucus for adolescent Health, an organization that advocates for policies to promote sexual health and education among teens said that; the No child Left- behind is the culprit for eliminating sexual education in school. She claimed the lack of information in the schools led to the increase in teen pregnancies (Roush, 2009). If schools are teaching about abstinence and not giving teens the knowledge they need to know about sex and protection, these children are not receiving any information to protect themselves. To continue to discuss the importance of the statistics of pregnancy among teen girls and the impact on their education, less than half of young women who have had a child as a teenager go on to finish high school or let alone go on to pursue studies in college (Roush, 2009). It is becoming harder for anyone to find a job without a college education or nevertheless the bare minimum of a GED or diploma. Bill albert ,a chief Program officer of the National Campaign founded in 1996 to help women stated that; a teenage girl has a three in ten chance of becoming pregnant before turning 20 (Roush , 2009). Without saying adolescent mothers are bad mothers it is safe to say that young mothers lack the ability for proper parenting skills that will play a role in the impact of teen pregnancy on young mothers. The earlier stages of parenting behavior tend to occur from the risk process of stress. Diversion of attention away from socialization, urgent goals of providing shelter and substance, lack of social support, and lack of opportunities to enhance parenting skills all may contribute to the preventing difficulties faced by young mothers living in disadvantaged circumstances. Again these examples provided may be symptoms of postpartum depression syndrome. Teen mothers may simply face a barrier providing for their child and get discouraged in the process and tend to lead to the lack of judgment in providing for the child (Socio Economic Disadvantages and child Development pp185-204). Child parenting skills may consist of aggressive behavior from the child. If a child is acting out, simply unruly, often angry, gets in trouble in school, or defies the parents, these may be signs of aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior from the child is more likely to occur due to a teen having a child at such a young age (Socio Economic Disadvantages and Child Development pp185-204). A teen mothers harsh discipline strategies may also play a role in aggressive behavior from the child. It is hard for a child to discipline a child in the correct manner. In many cases young mothers tend to get overwhelmed and accidently hurt or abuse the child because they get frustrated. Just like their mothers the child of a teen is more likely to experience abuse and neglect and become pregnant as a teen as well (Cheour, 2011). In high school prom was a big deal, but if being pregnant during the occasion it may take away the memories and the pleasure of enjoying the high school experience. Time is limited with friends and sports are completely out of the option while being pregnant. Not only does a child need to remain a child with less stress as possible, there is no need for a young girl to carry the burden of having to take care of a helpless child when some of these teens can barely take care of themselves. The impact of teen pregnancy on young mothers is a more serious issue than some may seem to realize. The concern is of course in regards to a young adult having the proper education provided to decrease teen pregnancy, even if the issue may not be eliminated altogether. The children are our future and by bringing forth the Big sister program filled with volunteers that are willing to guide, assist in young teens making the right decisions, and simply just making a fun positive way of learning about safe sex the numbers of these pregnant girls in school have a chance to decrease. If this program only changes one young woman’s perspective and makes her realize the outcome that may occur from bringing a beautiful life into this world the goal will be accomplished.

Legal and Practical Impact of Insolvency

Legal and Practical Impact of Insolvency Introduction The dissertation is going to consider the topical area of insolvency and the impact that it has on contracts that are in place with the insolvent company. A company may enter insolvency proceedings either voluntarily or be forced into the position by creditors and/or members. Similar processes exist for partnerships[1]. However, when a company enters into a position of insolvency, this creates a potentially difficult position in relation to the contracts that have been entered into on behalf of the company, prior to the company entering into insolvency and ultimately being dissolved. This research paper will look at the effects that insolvency has on these contracts, both in terms of commercial contracts and employment contracts. It will consider not only the legal impact but also the reality of how these situations are dealt with regarding the practicalities[2]. Hypothesis It is suggested that when a company enters into insolvency proceedings, whether on a voluntary basis or on a compulsory basis, the legal structure of what should happen to the relevant contracts is not, in fact, in line with what actually occurs. In reality, those involved in company insolvency will ensure that the contracts simply do not collapse but rather that economic value which exists in the contracts is maintained as much as is possible in the circumstances[3]. Objectives The main objectives of this research are to consider the legal and real impact of insolvency proceedings on contracts that are in place with the newly insolvent company. As a company can enter into contracts as its own distinct legal entity, this can result in a position where one party of the contract ceases to exist[4]. The aim of the research is to consider what should happen from a purely legal point of view in relation to the contracts that a company has entered into when it becomes insolvent and how this relates to the reality of what actually occurs. Due to the nature of commercial and employment contracts and the different legal principles that apply to these types of contracts and the potentially different implications that may arise from the treatments of these contracts, they should be analysed independently. It is suggested that the strict legal position is rarely followed due to the complex nature of the situation and this research aims to ascertain whether or not this statement is accurate[5]. Methodology Several different methods will be followed during this research. Initially, research and analysis will be conducted into what the strict legal position should be. This will involve looking at the relevant legislation and the way in which this should be interpreted strictly in relation to both types of contracts[6]. After the strict legal position has been ascertained, the case law relating to how this legislation has been applied, practically, in the courts will be established. A range of contracts (both commercial and employment) will be considered and looked at in order to ascertain what the agreed clauses state should happen during insolvency and how these issues are dealt with during court cases. At this point, it would also be helpful to consider what happens in other jurisdictions, both across the European Union and in one other developed country, in particular, such as the USA. Research will also be conducted as to what is used as the main alternative to insolvency, i.e. distressed business sales or carving up of assets. Perceptions are important in this field. Therefore, part of the research will be conducted with first hand interviews and questionnaires of business people (ideally company directors) on how they believe the contracts would work in the event of insolvency. This perception will then be compared with what is written in the contracts to see if the real perceptions meet with the legal drafting[7]. The research will focus on gaining a strict legal view as well as an understanding of what happens, in reality, in relation to the basic principles of contract, i.e. is there any difference between executed and non-executed contracts? Are there any differences, in reality, to the way contracts that are now frustrated are dealt with, in comparison to ones that could be performed adequately by another party? Limitation Commercial and employment contracts are often sensitive in their nature and not readily available for analysis. More specifically, companies that are entering into an insolvency scenario will be extremely reluctant to give information readily that relates to their commercial contracts. Many deals that are done with a company which is entering insolvency will be negotiated rapidly and with commercial secrecy, making the research particularly difficult to undertake. Insolvency is often something that businesses are simply unprepared to consider or discuss, as discussion of such issues can be seen as a sign of weakness. On this basis, it may prove difficult to speak to a sufficient number of directors about insolvency provisions[8]. Resources Resources used in this research will be relatively variable. Firstly, and arguably the most important resource, will be the legislation that underlies the area of insolvency law[9]. This is the fundamental part of the legal area of insolvency and will be the background for the remaining part of the research. Case law and analysis of legislation will then form the secondary part of the research when looking at the way in which the legislation actually operates on a practical level. Once the legal position has been established, direct contact will have to be made with individual companies. These resources will include questionnaires, direct analyses of the relevant contracts and perceptions of the contractual terms that are in place, in the event of insolvency. Commercial and employment contracts will be looked at separately due to their considerable differences in content, legal position and scope[10]. Timetable This research is expected to span a period of at least 8 months. The initial part of the research considering the legal context and provisions of the relevant legislation will create the foundation of the research and will be undertaken in the first 2 months of the research timetable. Towards the end of the first 2-month period, the case law and journals analysing the relevant legislation will provide the supplemental part of this initial research. After a full understanding of the legislation has been obtained, the research will move on to considering the practical reality of what happens in insolvency situations. Questionnaires and interviews will be conducted over a period of 2 months, with the remaining 3 months of the research being used to consolidate and conclude, based on the information gathered. Suggested Chapters Suggested initial chapters will include methodology and research background. In the main body of the research, the findings will be broken down to contain legislative provisions (both employment and commercial), case law and legal analysis relating to the legislation, directors’ perceptions, contractual provisions and overall conclusions drawing all information together[11]. It is anticipated that the conclusion section will draw together all of the above information and findings to establish whether or not the legal provisions relating to insolvency are followed, in practice, when a company enters into a position of insolvency. Bibliography Brousseau, Eric, Glachant, Jean-Michel, The Economics of Contracts: Theories and Applications, Cambridge University Press, 2002 Dickerson, A. Mechele, Insolvency Principles and the Odious Debt Doctrine: The Missing Link in the Debate, Law and Contemporary Problems, 70, 2007 Fletcher, Ian F., Insolvency in Private International Law: National and International Approaches, Oxford University Press, 1999 Goode, Royston Miles, Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law, Sweet Maxwell, 2005 Marsh, S.B., Soulsby, J., Business Law, Nelson Thornes, 2002 McKendrick, Ewan, Commercial Aspects of Trusts and Fiduciary Obligations, Oxford University Press 1992 Schwartz, Alan, A Contract Theory Approach to Business Bankruptcy, Yale Law Journal, 107, 1998 Schwartz, Alan, Bankruptcy Contracting Reviewed, Yale Law Journal, 109, 1999 Thorpe, Chris P., Bailey, John C.L., Commercial Contracts: A Practical Guide to Deals, Contracts, Agreements and Promises, Institute of Directors, Kogan Page Publishers, 1999 Unt, Lore, International Relations and International Insolvency Cooperation: Liberalism, Institutionalism, and Transnational Legal Dialogue, Law and Policy in International Business, 28, 1997 Yemin, Edward, Bronstein, Arturo S., The Protection of Workers Claims in the Event of the Employers Insolvency, International Labour Office, International Labour Organization, 1991 Footnotes [1] Fletcher, Ian F., Insolvency in Private International Law: National and International Approaches, Oxford University Press, 1999 [2] Brousseau, Eric, Glachant, Jean-Michel, The Economics of Contracts: Theories and Applications, Cambridge University Press, 2002 [3] Yemin, Edward, Bronstein, Arturo S., The Protection of Workers Claims in the Event of the Employers Insolvency, International Labour Office, International Labour Organization, 1991 [4] Marsh, S.B., Soulsby, J., Business Law, Nelson Thornes, 2002 [5] Schwartz, Alan, A Contract Theory Approach to Business Bankruptcy, Yale Law Journal, 107, 1998 [6] Dickerson, A. Mechele, Insolvency Principles and the Odious Debt Doctrine: The Missing Link in the Debate, Law and Contemporary Problems, 70, 2007 [7] Goode, Royston Miles, Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law, Sweet Maxwell, 2005 [8] Schwartz, Alan, Bankruptcy Contracting Reviewed, Yale Law Journal, 109, 1999 [9] Thorpe, Chris P., Bailey, John C. L., Commercial Contracts: A Practical Guide to Deals, Contracts, Agreements and Promises, Institute of Directors, Kogan Page Publishers, 1999 [10] Unt, Lore, International Relations and International Insolvency Cooperation: Liberalism, Institutionalism, and Transnational Legal Dialogue, Law and Policy in International Business, 28, 1997 [11] McKendrick, Ewan; Commercial Aspects of Trusts and Fiduciary Obligations, Oxford University Press, 1992

Analysing strategic planning of hyatt

Analysing strategic planning of hyatt In 1957 Hyatt was established by Jay Pritzker by purchasing the Hyatt House motel next to the Los Angeles International Airport. After few years, Pritzker family, developed into a North American management and hotel ownership company, which became a public company in 1962. In 1968, Hyatt International was formed and subsequently became a separate public company. Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt International Corporation were taken private by the Pritzker family business interests in 1979 and 1982, respectively. On December 31, 2004, substantially all of the hospitality assets owned by Pritzker family business interests, including Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt International Corporation, were consolidated under a single entity, now named Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Hyatt is a global hospitality company with widely recognized, industry leading brands and a tradition of innovation developed over its more than fifty-year history. Hyatt manage, franchise, own and develop Hyatt branded hotels, resorts and residential and vacation ownership properties around the world. As of March 2010, Hyatts worldwide lodging portfolio consisted of 434 branded properties. Hyatt International manages luxury hotels in Asia Pacific, Europe, a, Middle East and Latin America, offering upscale travellers six distinct brands: Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Hyatt Resorts, and Andaz. Hyatt often struggles to maintain its market share over its other competitors i.e. Hilton worldwide and Marriott international Inc. in some overseas markets, particularly Asian countries. Hyatt International distinguishes itself in todays competitive marketplace with brands that deliver experiences to match the lifestyles, attitudes, values and aspirations of its guests. The companys properties share core values and they offer exceptional guest services, upscale amenities, popular restaurants and bars, and innovative and distinctive interior designs that incorporate local art and styles. As a privately held company, Hyatt is driven by these values rather than shareholder dictates, and has strategically been able to grow its luxury hotel brands based on its mission to operate the worlds finest collection of hotels. Section 1.1 Reason for choosing Hyatt: After searching the subject for assignment I find it interesting to study about the Hyatt Hotels Corporation. In order to know its strategies and management policy which has unable it to gain a lot of success worldwide in last few years. Section 1.2 Aims and Objectives : The main aim of the dissertation is to understand the strategic planning and to know its implementation through the case study. Objectives: 1) To conduct the analysis of strategic planning. 2) To study the implementation of strategic planning. Section 2: Literature Review 2.1 Marketing planning and principles: It is important to understand what is meant by marketing. The following definitions of marketing have been provided by the authorities indicated: The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him and sell itself. Drucker (1974) According to Philip Kotler: Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others. Therefore marketing means identifying and meeting human and social needs. Marketing is meeting needs profitably, marketing means understanding what are the exact needs? Meeting those needs in best possible way, which will satisfy consumer and which will be profitable for business in money term as well as to lead the competition. In marketing exchange is the core concept, it is a process of getting a desire product from someone by offering something in return. In marketing for exchange, it needs at least two parties. Each party must have something which has value for other party. Each party must to be able for communication and delivery. Each party is free to accept or reject the exchange offer. Each party believes it is appropriate or desirable to deal with the other party. Traditionally the market was a physical place where buyers and sellers was meeting to buy and sell the goods (like grain markets, cloth markets etc.). In modern economics the concept of market is expanded. Manufacturers go to resource market (like raw material market, labour market, money market etc.) buy resources turn them in to goods and services and sell the finished products to intermediaries who sells them to consumers. Consumer sells there labour and receive money from which they buy the goods and services. Marketing concept emerged in the mid 1950s. Instead of product centred philosophy of make-and-sell business shifted to consumer-centred philosophy of sense-and-respond. Marketing is not Hunting, marketing is Gardening. Marketing means producing right products for your customers, its not finding right customer for your product. A well-planned marketing is the key to achieve organisational goals of the company, being more effective than competitors in creating, delivering and communicating superior customer value to its chosen target market. Strategic marketing planning The process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organizations goals and capabilities and its changing marketing opportunities. It relies on developing a clear company mission, supporting objectives, a sound business portfolio and coordinated functional strategies. (Philip Kotler Gary Armstrong, 1996) A strategic marketing planning is essential for organisations to focus their approach towards mission and objectives. In marketing planning process, to meet the consumer needs efficiently following things are important: 1. Develop a mission statement: According to Philip Kotler and gary Armstrong, 1996, A mission statement is a statement of the organizations purpose what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. 2. Set goals: The goal of an organization derives from the mission of the company. It explains in short the agenda of the company for next five years. 3. Set objectives: It explains what needs to be done under goal in following years. The objectives are mentioned priority wise. 4. Identify strategies and tactics: This helps us to know how to attain the objectives describe how to attain the objectives through its goals. This statement separates actions that the management wants to execute during anytime in the year. 5. Implementation of marketing mix. 6. Investment of money and resources. 7. Co-ordination of all organisational departments. Marketing strategy primarily focuses on optimising profit and return on investment, not just maximising sale. Strategy covers long-term intentions, objectives and targets and planning focus on short-term action programmes followed to achieve the strategy. Marketing strategy is focusing on expanding the use of existing products in existing markets. It is concerned with meeting the objectives of an organisation or some part of it. Marketing planning is concerned with detail of implementing the agreed strategy. It covers the resources needed and the means to be used to implement strategy. In marketing planning of an organisation, the goal of organisation must be clear. I have developed Figure 1.1 to show the steps that are followed when developing a marketing plan. This leads to a development of a marketing strategy which requires the help of good market audit, analysis and marketing mix. This is implemented by monitoring, controlling and evaluation to ensure that the organisation achieves its optimum goal and targets. Goal / Target Implementation Vision Market Audit:Analyse current position and opportunities Market research: Gain information on market Marketing Mix: Pursued customer to buy the product Objectives Mission Marketing strategy Market analysis Market segmentation Qualitative Analysis Consumer analysis/test Quantitative Analysis Place Price Product Promotion Monitoring Controlling Evaluation Strategy formation Figure 1.1 The Steps in the development of a Marketing plan 2.2 Techniques and tools There are several tool and techniques which can be used for forming strategy for an organization. These tools are as follows: 1. Ansoff Matrix 2. SWOT analysis 3. Portars five forces. 2.2.A. Ansoff Matrix: This  is a tool which can be use to produce strategies of an establishment. This gives an idea to expand current business by forming new strategies. This matrix can be use as a guide to choose a plan of action for the present performance. The matrix has four levels, as below: CURRENT PRODUCTS NEW PRODUCTS MARKET PENETRATION PRODUCT DEVELOPEMENT MARKET DEVELOPMENT DIVERSIFICATION CURRENT MARKET NEW MARKET Figure 1.2 Ansoff matrix Source: Stone P. (2001) make marketing work for you: boost your profits with proven marketing techniquesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½ Market Penetration: It relates to expanding current share in the current market to enhance the growth. Market extension: It means taking present products in new market that means increasing sales in new market. Product development: Product development means creating new products or amending previous product in current market Diversification: This can be related to product or market or unrelated to both. Above mentioned factors can be used while planning a strategy of an organization 2.2. B. SWOT analysis: It is a strategy planning tool which analyses the strength, weakness, opportunities and threat involved in particular business or project. It identifies the factors which can be encouraging or discouraging for the business, those factors can be internal as well as external. Those factors are: INTERNAL FACTORS WEAKNESSES Slow internal decisions Minimum recourses High cost base Limited for specific segment Take time for transportation Deficiency of experts Location of the market STRENGTHS Brand image Skilled workforce Good systems Monopoly of the brand Strong customer loyalty Improvement in the product Location of the market MARKETING STRATEGY OPPORTUNITIES Booming Economy Good design product Credit facilities Government policy change New technology Developing market No strong competition THREATS Industry reputation Global competition Hostile legislation Product limitation New competition Price war Declare taxation to product EXTERNAL FACTORS Figure 1.3: SWOT Analysis Table Strength: The establishments strengths are its potentials and wealth. Weakness: The lack of the some strength is considered as weakness. Opportunity: The environmental analysis may lead to some opportunities which will be helpful for the organization to make profit. Threats: Sometime few changes in the external environment can lead to the threats for the organization. SWOT analysis gives the information about the resources which can be used in competitive environment in which the organization is functioning. Hence it is very useful in strategy formulation 2.2.C. Porters five forces: Porter five forces are used for analysing the industry and for formulating a strategy. If SWOT analysis is used together then it is very beneficial for an organization Industry competition Rivalry among existing firms Bargaining power of supplier Bargaining power of Buyers Threats of substitute products or service Thetas of new entrants Figure 1.4: Porters five forces SOURCE Bargaining power of supplier: The power of supplier tends to be high during when: There are large numbers of suppliers in the market. Where there is a scarcity of particular item. Bargaining power of customers: The bargaining power of customer helps organization to know the capacity of customers to put pressure on volumes and margins.Mostly the consumer will bargain when: When they buy in large quantity. The products are of very high cost The customer can make those products. Threat of new entrance: The other companies can entre industry more easily if the competition in industry is more. In such times new comers can change the market surrounding. Threat from substitute : The threat from substitute can occur when the similar type of product is available in the market with comparatively low price as well as same standards. This can attract large market share. Competitive Rivalry between Existing Players: If there is more competition in the current companies then automatically pressure goes on pricing and so the profitability. Porter M (2008) 2.3 Stakeholders: The stakeholder is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organizations objective (Freeman 1984).The most common way of classifying stakeholder is to consider a group of people with noticeable relationship with corporation. The diagram below shows the stakeholders map of very large organization. (Friedman Miles 2006) Firms Owners Financial Community Activist groups Customers Customer advocate groups Unions Employees Trade associations Competitors Suppliers Government Political Groups Figure 1.5 : Stakeholders [Freeman (1984)] 2.4. Strategic option To develop a marketing strategy there can be many ways which can be adopted by the company to face the present financial situation. When the market is changing then the growth opportunities increases. To know those opportunities proper marketing strategy is important. Even when the economic situation is not good but still if proper marketing strategy is made then it is helpful to run the organization effectively. Hyatt is considering the number of options for the strategy which can be more developed, approved and determined. Section 3 : Research Method Research may be simply defined as the systematic search for knowledge and this has two key elements. The first and most obvious element is the search for knowledge and the second is the purpose of that search for knowledge. The knowledge generated must be captured so it can be made accessible to others. Research must be capable of being reported in enough detail so that a specific study is replicable and hence publicly verifiable. Secondary data analysis can be literally defined as second-hand analysis. It is the analysis of data or information that was either gathered by someone else (e.g., researchers, institutions, other NGOs, etc.) or for some other purpose than the one currently being considered, or often a combination of the two (Cnossen 1997). As with the literature, secondary data can play a variety of roles in a research project, from being the whole basis of the research to being a vital or incidental point of comparison. Some advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data are listed below. A considerable amount of leisure and tourism data is collected on a regular basis at considerable cost, particularly by government agencies, often the immediate policy requirements of the data are quite limited for example to announce a global figure on tourism numbers or numbers of participants in sport. In a sector where research funds are limited, it would seem unwire for the research community to waste such resources by failing to extract all possible research potential from them. This requires careful consideration of ways in which available data might be used, and often calls. Advantages Disadvantages Timing data may be instantly available. Cost cost of collecting new data avoided. Experience- the trial and error experience of those who collected the original data can be exploited. Scale secondary data may be based on larger samples than would otherwise be possible. Serendipity inductive process of data analysis may yield serendipitous findings, which may not have arisen with primary, purpose-designed data collection. Design secondary data has been designed for another purpose, so may not be ideal for current project. Analysis limitation if access to the raw data for re-analysis is not possible, oppourtunities for analysis/manipulation of the data of the current project may be limited. Section 4 : Data Presentation Hyatt.jpg Mission and vision statements Mission and vision statements plays important roles in any organization, which shows the way for company to make future plan in order achieve their vision and mission. The vision gives a path to management and employees to work. It also shows the companies aim for next ten years. Vision is made by keeping the aims in the mind and where exactly they want to be in the future. Mission statement explains the characteristics and standards of an organization, which help the employees to know the standards of the company hence accordingly they can improve their performance. It also gives an idea about the quality benchmark of an establishment. Mission of Hyatt According to the annual report of Hyatt Hotel Corporations (2009) they set the mission is to provide authentic hospitality by making a difference in the lives of the people we touch every day. It shows the standard of an organization and with this mission statement, they can motivate their staff to give executive service to the customers with which company can earn profits and goodwill as well. Goals of Hyatt Increasing the engagement of their associates; Increasing the guest service and meeting planner satisfaction levels in their property; Increasing their share of revenue in their market; and Maximizing operating profits and margins for their property. Further expand our presence by increasing the number of hotels in our portfolio; and Actively manage our capital base to drive preference for our brands. With this goals company can grow in this recession period in the competitive industry. Environmental Objectives: Hyatt puts more attention on environ mental factors in order to help to reduce global warming. The companys commitment towards environment is : At Hyatt, theyre committed to making a positive and lasting impact in every community in which they operate. They do this by demonstrating a strong commitment to preserving their natural environment through Hyatt Earth, by giving back to the local community through Hyatt Community, and with the volunteer services of their associates through Hyatts Family of Responsible and Caring Employees Ethical Objectives: Hyatts follows its ethical values in each department .Those values are as follows: Hyatt is completely responsible for their employees. The ethical responsibility towards them is to give proper training to them irrelative of their race, sex and origin. Through Hyatts ethical values employees has right to overcome the customer who are highly problematic. Cultural Objectives: The Hyatts cultural objective is to give authentic hospitality service and strives to make a difference in the life of guests. Business Objectives: The main business objective is to appear as a leading hospitality company by making the profit to enhance the business. For this, it also concentrates on satisfaction of their employees and also achieves social responsibility. In all circumstances Hyatt tries to complete these objective, hence though the current financial market conditions are not good still it has not been affected. Marketing Environment: The changes in marketing environment of Hyatt can occur in following areas: Economic forces: The marketing strategy largely depends on internal as well as external economic forces. The internal economic forces will depend on the growth and the profit of the organization and external economic forces will depend on the overall market situation. If the economical environment is not suitable then to improve the same management should evaluate their strategies in order to gain success. Socio political changes: This can affect the organization largely. This can affect the costing as well. This includes the changes in social and political environment which can lead to some changes in rules and regulation by the government, which in return can affect the organization. Natural environment: It involves natural resources that are needed by marketers or which can affect the marketing environment of establishment. The natural environment can affect hotel industry in drastic ways. It includes natural calamities like shortage of raw materials, earthquakes, floods, and other. In such situation a hotel should implicate the strategies which will attract more customers and should gives offers which will convince the more guest. TIMETABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING STRATEGY: Following is the timetable for implementing a strategy for developing a new branch of Hyatt. PLAN TIME RESOURCES Building new property for hotel. 2 Years Capital, Labor, machineries Completing hotel interiors 1 Year Funds, Skilled personnel Establishing new teams and tasks for the establishing infrastructure. 6 months Recruiters, employees at work Training and preparing employees. 1 Year Employees and trainers Legal works 3 months Detail Information Marketing of the property 6 Months Skilled staff Booking opening 1 week Internet, Advertisements Hotel opening. The above is a time table for implementation of strategy according to different time period when the each process will take place. It is an explanation of the plan in short manner. Dissemination Process: This process is done before the project development which can be done to get a acceptance from everyone i.e. people from all departments, management and the customers. Before starting a restaurant in one of the Hyatts property, many considerations had to be made. After those considerations, company had to do dissemination on cost cutting. For this dissemination activity is carried out in three steps .Those steps are as follows: Research activities: It includes the research from starting a new project till giving salaries to the employees. Before starting the project, the research on production cost is also done. Technical assistance activities : It is used to identify the technology which helps in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness. Demonstration activities : These all researches are showed to top-management of the company. After analysing the facts by them, the feedback is given. And after that a project is carried ahead. This dissemination policy helps an organization to know the following information before starting the project: Gives rough idea about the funds required for the project The requirement of staff and their training needs can be analysed. Gives scope for the promotion of the project. MONITORING: Once the new strategy is implemented in the organization, then monitoring is very important. The management should regularly take interest in management. The strategy always operates with formulated procedures. Hence it should be regularly monitored to check whether all procedures are properly followed. The operations should always run smoothly as sometime it can affect the reputation of an organization. The continuous monitoring can be done with PCDA cycle. For the success of organization long term monitoring is a good option. It can also be done by the feedback from the customers. The auditing is done constantly at operational levels to check whether all procedure all followed or not, to check the quality of the service, which intern helps in keeping the customers satisfied. EVALUATION OF NEW STRATEGY: The evaluation of the strategy can be done by monitoring. The following points should be considered while evaluating the strategy. Satisfaction of the customers. Number of units sold. Requirement of the market. Products standards and quality Feedback from the suppliers and dealers. After sales procedures Promotion of the new products. If the strategy is evaluated on above mentioned basis, then it helps the organization to know if the company is not right track or not. The evaluation result also helps in motivating the employees. Steak Holders Below mentioned are the stakeholders of Hyatt: Guests / Customers Investors Employees Communities Suppliers Government and regulators Non government organization(NGO) Stakeholders participation: Hyatt strongly believes that the stakeholders participation in developing management strategy is utmost important. If all stakeholders participate together then it helps to maximise the outcome in order to make sustainable project design. Hence Hyatt makes sure that they conduct regular meetings with their stakeholders in order to keep them up to date. Following points are taken into consideration in order to initiate proper participation of stakeholders: Employees: Hyatt listens to and communicates with staff constantly. The main focus is given on collecting feedback from employees through Staff Question Time sessions and through annual Viewpoint survey. Apart from the feedbacks, organization arranges training and development programmes through which an employee will be thorough with organizations goal and aim which will help to get exact contribution from the staff. Guests/Customers: The guests are the biggest asset of the hotel. They indirectly participate by promoting the hotel by word of mouth if the hotel provides them a good service. Hence the hotel staffs communicate with their customers on everyday basis which helps them to know their changing needs. Also feedback request mails are sent to random guests by the Managing Director of the hotel to know their expectations. Investors: Hyatt actively engages investors in an annual structured programme of presentations and meetings to understand their views on strategy. Also, Hyatt provides them with updates and issue briefings when appropriate during the year. They also communicate with shareholders through the Annual General Meeting, Investor Relations website. Communities: Most of the time hotel tries to their neighbour hotels and companies, which in turn builds up good relation. This type is also comes under an external stakeholders which participate indirectly. Suppliers: Hyatt holds regular meetings with their suppliers, processors and manufacturers. They also bring them together to share experiences at the Producer Clubs, and seek their feedback through the annual Viewpoint survey. Hyatt also provide training and capability building for suppliers where appropriate. Government and Regulation: Hyatt connects with governments, parliamentarians, regulators and officials on a range of issues affecting the business and communities. These include planning processes and consultations on new regulations including healthy eating and alcohol. Hyatt works hard to ensure that responses to government consultations are aligned with our CR policies and practices. Non government organisation: Engaging with NGOs helps them better to understand current and emerging issues related to the business. Hyatt met many NGOs to discuss issues including climate change, bio fuels, ethical trading and animal welfare. They also contribute to research and surveys, and respond to requests for information from NGOs as fully and promptly as they can. Hyatt asked NGOs to share their thoughts about Hyatt to help them to improve the performance. Section 5 : Conclusion: This assessment is very helpful for me to know the marketing concept in detail, mainly the principles, planning process, tools and techniques, marketing strategies and marketing mix. And developing the strategy and tools and techniques for a well known organisation is the best learning experience. It is helpful to know how industries and mangers think, how they forecast? How they plan? How they lead market? This assessment is truly a great experience for me to learn marketing concepts in detail. The overall aim of this report was to Study a strategic planning at Hyatt Hotels Corporation In order to attend all aspects of overall aim, initially I did some literature review of strategic planning, tools and techniques use in strategic planning and then it evaluates the facts with Hyatt Hotels Corporations. Although this report has been carried out sincerely and to the best of my ability, there are still some limitation to it. This research explored my theory knowledge of research and marketing. But as I said it was difficult to do the research in depth, due to time barrier.

Feminist Thinking Essay -- Feminsim Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Feminist Thinking It has been said that not everything worth reading is a philosophical argument., and I agree. A glance through the shelves of bookstores, news stands, and libraries will incline one away from the idea that all valuable reading is philosophy. Thoughts back upon experiences that have touched one’s life undoubtedly will include an important novel or story and confirm the original statement. It is also fair to say that people approach literature and philosophy with different expectations. It seems fair to expect one’s philosophical reading to impart knowledge, while not necessarily demanding this of poetry or a short story. Likewise, there are different settings, goals, and different relations that exist between reader and writer, and reader and recommender. Some reading may be for enjoyment, escapism, or metaphor while other is for personal knowledge acquisition and/or a class assignment. While this is not to say that I haven’t enjoyed much of the reading required o f me in the pursuit of my degree, I approached it all with an expectation that it should fit nicely within my preconceived notion of ‘Philosophy’. In this class I was presented with reading that broke out of that mold. I want to step back a little and work my way back into the literature from some distance. This is, I hope, a fair way of coming to an understanding of the field of feminist thinking. Assigning reading for a class, and reading the assignment that the instructor has assigned involves two parties and relations of power, overt or hidden. An assigned reading for a class by an instructor carries a stamp of approval- a legitimization. Presumably, the professor has read this piece and thinks it is cogent, readable, fits with the development... ..., ‘Caring,’ and is the obvious place to start. From this starting point it is quickly evident that some feminists will disagree with the characterization of women as care-givers. However this divergence is not altogether unexpected, and a host of possible places exist within the discursive space created by Noddings, and others, to vocalize. That the discursive space has been opened up in this new way is important. Annette C. Baier offers an historical development of traditional (Kantian) ethics and its shortcomings. With this and Noddings article the relevance of care-ethics becomes established. And although I do not share the optimism that care-ethics alone can offer a complete system of ethics, it is well argued that future systems need to account for its concerns. Care-ethics is feminist philosophy, while much of the other literature falls short of this title.

Governmental Family Policy Essay -- Women Feminist Papers

Governmental Family Policy The modern working woman is struggling to balance work and family. The Second Wave of feminism has pushed her into the workforce, promising its ideals of equality in wages and in the home. However, many women find themselves in a world that devalues their work in home and in the workplace. Our society has not yet caught up to the Third Wave of feminism, which attempts to break down the traditional gender roles our constructions of work and family are based on. Many are hoping that government intervention through work policies that reflect the demands of an egalitarian family will be able to propel men and women out of the "stalled revolution". One must now address the question why the United States government is not following the lead of other industrialized nations if they are so supportive of "family values" and "moral values." Until there is a public outcry that can no longer be ignored, which is fast-approaching, the government can continue playing with words in order to avoid accountability. The problem exists with how these policies are categorized. The common term applied to such policies is "social benefits." This language alludes to the "social welfare state"-an ideal a liberal democracy like America does not strive to uphold. The American attitude for such concerns is usually along the lines of "you have your rights, now work it out for yourself." However, it is crucial to break down the relation between these family-friendly policies and the word "benefits." Progressive policies do not predominantly "benefit" working mothers. Without such policies, women cannot pursue their right to earn a living in the same way a man could. Earning a living is not a "benefit," equal opportunity fo... ...ing Job For Kids." 21 Jan. 2003 http://lexis-nexis.com Coltrane, Scott. Family Man. New York: Oxford UP. (1996). Contemporary Women's Issues. March 2003. Vol. 52, No.2. http://lexis-nexis.com De Pasquale, Lisa. "The PC Workplace." The Washington Times. 27 April 2003. http://lexis-nexis.com English, Holly. "Workplace Issues; When employers deal with 'gender issues,' they need to include men." Legal Times. 10 Nov. 2003. http://lexis-nexis.com Fuss, Diana.. "Inside/Out." Critical Encounters: Reference and Responsibility in Deconstructive Writing. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1995. 233-240. Hochschild, Arlie. The Second Shift. New York: Rutledge Publishing, Inc. (1995). Gerson, Kathleen and Jacobs, Jerry A. Changing the Structure and Culture of Work. Journal of Women's History. September 2003. Vol. 15, No.3. http://lexis-nexis.com

Four Steps to Forecast Total Market Demand Essay

Such forecasts are crucial since companies must begin building new generating plants five to ten years before they are to come on line. But during the 1975–1985 period, load actually grew at only a 2% rate. Despite the postponement or cancellation of many projects, the excess generating capacity has hurt the industry financial situation and led to higher customer rates. ? The petroleum industry invested $500 billion worldwide in 1980 and 1981 because it expected oil prices to rise 50% by 1985. The estimate was based on forecasts that the market would grow from 52 million barrels of oil a day in 1979 to 60 million barrels in 1985. Instead, demand had fallen to 46 million barrels by 1985. Prices collapsed, creating huge losses in drilling, production, refining, and shipping investments. Bill Barnett is a principal in the Atlanta office of McKinsey & Company. He is a leader of the firm’s Microeconomics Center, and his client work has focused on business unit and corporate strategy. ? In 1983 and 1984, 67 new types of business personal computers were introduced to the U. S. market, and most companies were expecting explosive growth. One industry forecasting service projected an installed base of 27 million units by 1988; another predicted 28 million units by 1987. In fact, only 15 million units had been shipped by 1986. By then, many manufacturers had abandoned the PC market or gone out of business altogether. The inaccurate suppositions did not stem from a lack of forecasting techniques; regression analysis, historical trend smoothing, and others were available to all the players. Instead, they shared a mistaken fundamental assumption: that relationships driving demand in the past would continue unaltered. The companies didn’t foresee changes in end-user behavior or understand their market’s saturation point. None realized that history can be an unreliable guide as domestic economies become more international, new technologies emerge, and industries evolve. As a result of changes like these, many managers have come to distrust traditional techniques. Some even throw up their hands and assume that business planning must proceed without good demand forecasts. I disagree. It is possible to develop valuable insights into future market conditions and demand levels based on a deep understanding of the forces behind total-market demand. These insights can Copyright 1988 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. sometimes make the difference between a winning strategy and one that flounders. A forecast of total-market demand won’t guarantee a successful strategy. But without it, decisions on investment, marketing support, and other resource allocations will be based on hidden, unconscious assumptions about industrywide requirements, and they’ll often be wrong. By gauging total-market demand explicitly, you have a better chance of controlling your company’s destiny. Merely going through the process has merit for a management team. Instead of just coming out with pat answers, numbers, and targets, the team is forced to rethink the competitive environment. Total-market forecasting is only the first stage in creating a strategy. When you’ve finished your forecast, you’re not done with the planning process by any means. There are four steps in any total-market forecast: 1. Define the market. 2. Divide total industry demand into its main components. 3. Forecast the drivers of demand in each segment and project how they are likely to change. . Conduct sensitivity analyses to understand the most critical assumptions and to gauge risks to the baseline forecast. Defining the Market At the outset, it’s best to be overly inclusive in defining the total market. Define it broadly enough to include all potential end users so that you can both identify the appropriate drivers of demand and reduce the risk of surprise product substitutions. The factors that drive forecasts of total-market size differ markedly from those that determine a particular product’s market share or product-category share. For example, total-market demand for office telecommunications products nationally depends in part on the number of people in offices and their needs and habits, while total demand for PBX systems depends on how they compare on price and benefits with substitute products like the local telephone company’s central office switching service. Beyond this, demand for a particular PBX is a function of price and benefit comparisons with other PBXs. In defining the market, an understanding of product substitution is critical. Customers might behave differently if the price or performance of potential substitute products changes. One company studying total demand for industrial paper tubes had to consider closely related uses of metal and plastic tubes 4 to prevent customer switching among tubes from biasing the results. Understand, too, that a completely new product could displace one that hitherto had comprised the entire market—like the electronic calculator, which eliminated the slide rule. For a while after AT&T’s divestiture, the Bell telephone companies continued to forecast volume of long-distance calls by using historical trend lines of their revenues—as if they were still part of a monopoly. Naturally, these forecasts grew more inaccurate with time as end users were presented with new choices. The companies are now broadening their market definitions to take account of heightened competition from other longdistance carriers. There are several ways you can make sure you include all important substitute products (both current and potential). From interviews with industrial customers you can learn about substitutes they are studying or about product usage patterns that imply future switching opportunities. Moreover, market research can lead to insights about consumer products. Speaking with experts in the relevant technologies or reviewing technological literature can help you identify potential developments that could threaten your industry. Finally, careful quantification of the economic value of alternative products to different customers can yield deep insights into potential switching behavior—for example, how oil price movements would affect plastics prices, which in turn would affect plastic products’ ability to substitute for metal or paper. Analyses like these can lead to the construction of industry demand curves—graphs representing the relationship between price and volume. With an appropriate definition, the total-industry demand curves will often be steeper than demand curves for individual products in the industry. Consumers, for example, are far more likely to switch from Maxwell House to Folgers coffee if Maxwell House’s prices increase than they are to stop buying coffee if all coffee prices rise. In some cases, managers can make quick judgments about market definition. In other cases, they’ll have to give their market considerable thought and analysis. A total-market forecast may not be critical to business strategy if market definition is very difficult or the products under study have small market shares. Instead, your principal challenge may be to understand product substitution and competitiveness. One company analyzed the potential market for new consumer food cans, and it concluded that growth trends in food product markets were not critical to the strategy question. What was critical was knowing the value positions of the new packagesJuly–August 1988 elative to metal cans, glass jars, and composite cans. So the company spent time on that subject. Dividing Demand into Component Parts The second step in forecasting is to divide total demand into its main components for separate analysis. There are two criteria to keep in mind when choosing segments: make each category small and homogeneous enough so that the drivers of demand will apply consistently across its various elements; make each large enough so that the analysis will be worth the effort. Of course, this is a matter of judgment. You may find it useful in aking this judgment to imagine alternative segmentations (based on enduse customer groups, for example, or type of purchase). Then hypothesize their key drivers of demand (discussed later) and decide how much detail is required to capture the true situation. As the assessment continues, managers can return to this stage and reexamine whether the initial decisions still stand up. Managers may wish to use a ‘‘tree’’ diagram like the accompanying one constructed by a management team in 1985 to study demand for paper. In this disguised example, industry data permitted the division of demand into 12 end-use categories. Some categories, like business forms and reprographic paper, were big contributors to total consumption; others, such as labels, were not. One (other converting) was fairly large but too diverse for deep analysis. The team focused on the four segments that accounted for 80% of 1985 demand. It then developed secondary branches of the tree to further dissect these categories and to determine their drivers of demand. It analyzed the remaining segments less completely (that is, via a regression against broad macroeconomic trends). Other companies have used similar methods to segment total demand. One company divided demand for maritime satellite terminals by type of ship (e. g. , seismic ships, bulk/cargo/container ships). Another divided demand for long-distance telephone service into business and residential customers and then subdivided it by usage level. And a third segmented consumer appliances into three purchase types—appliances used in new home construction, replacement appliance sales in existing homes, and appliance penetration in existing homes. In thinking about market divisions, managers need to decide whether to use existing data on segment sizes or to commission research to get an independent estimate. Reliable public information on historHARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW July–August 1988 ical demand levels by segment is available for many big U. S. industries (like steel, automobiles, and natural gas) from industry associations, the federal government, off-the-shelf studies by industry experts, or ongoing market data services. For some foreign markets and less well-researched industries in the United States, like the labels industry, you may have to get independent estimates. Even with good data sources, however, the readily available information may not be divided into the best categories to support an insightful analysis. In these cases, managers must decide whether to develop their forecasts based on the available historical data or to undertake their own market research programs, which can be timeconsuming and expensive. Note that while such segmentation is sufficient for forecasting total demand, it may not create categories useful for developing a marketing strategy. A single product may be driven by entirely different factors. One study of industrial components found that consumer industry categories provided a good basis for projecting total-market demand but gave only limited help in formulating a strategy based on customer preferences: distinguishing those who buy on price from those who buy on service, product quality, or other benefits. Such buying-factor categories generally do not correlate with the customer industry categories used for forecasting. A strong sales force, however, can identify customer preferences and develop appropriate account tactics for each one. Forecasting the Drivers of Demand The third step is to understand and forecast the drivers of demand in each category. Here you can make good use of regressions and other statistical techniques to find some causes for changes in historical demand. But this is only a start. The tougher challenge is to look beyond the data on which regressions can easily be based to other factors where data are much harder to find. Then you need to develop a point of view on how those other factors may themselves change in the future. An end-use analysis from the commodity paper example, reprographic paper, is shown in the accompanying chart. The management team, using available data, divided reprographic paper into two categories: plain-paper copier paper and nonimpact page printer paper. Without this important differentiation, the drivers of demand would have been masked, making it hard to forecast effectively. In most cases, managers can safely assume that demand is affected both by macroeconomic vari5 Components of Uncoated White Paper Making Up Total Demand (thousands of tons) End-Use Category Business Forms Commercial Printing Reprographics Envelopes Other Converting Total Demand Stationery and Tablet Books Directories Catalogs Magazines Inserts Labels Reviewed in Depth Percent of Total 1985 Demand 25% 25 20 10 5 5 5 1 or less ables and by industry-specific developments. In looking at plain-paper copier paper, the team used simple and multiple regression analyses to test relationships with macroeconomic factors like white-collar workers, population, and economic performance. Most of the factors had a significant effect on demand. Intuitively, it also made sense to the team that the level of business activity would relate to paper consumption levels. Economists sometimes refer to growth in demand due to factors like these as an ‘‘outward shift’’ in the demand curve—toward a greater quantity demanded at a given price. ) Demand growth for copy paper, however, had exceeded the real rate of economic growth and the challenge was to find what other factors had been causing this. The team hypothesized that declining copy costs had caused this increased usage. The relationship was proved by estimating the substantial cost reductions that had occurred, combining those with numbers of tons produced over time, and then fashioning an indicative demand curve for copy paper. See the chart ‘‘Understanding Copy Paper Demand Drivers. ’’) The clear relationship between cost and volume meant that cost reductions had been an important cause of past demand growth. (Economists sometimes describe this as a downward-shifting supply curve leading to movement down the demand curve. ) Further major declines in cost per copy seemed unlikely because paper costs were expected to remain flat, and the data indicated little increase in 6 price elasticity, even if cost per copy fell further. So the team concluded that usage growth (per level of economic performance) was likely to continue the flattening trend begun in 1983: growth in copy paper consumption would be largely a function of economic growth, not cost declines as in the past. The team then reviewed several econometric services forecasts to develop a base case economic forecast. Similar studies have been performed in other industries. A simple one was the industrial components analysis mentioned before, a case where the total forecast was used as background but was not critical to the company’s strategy decision. Here the team divided demand into its consuming industries and then asked experts in each industry for production forecasts. Total demand for components was projected on the assumption that it would move parallel to a weight-averaged forecast of these customer industries. Actual demand three years later was 2% above the team’s prediction, probably because the industry experts underestimated the impact of the economic recovery of 1984 and 1985. In another example, a team forecasting demand for maritime satellite terminals extrapolated past penetration curves for each of five categories of ships.