Concumer Behaviour and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Concumer Behaviour and Marketing - Essay Example Culture plays a multidimensional phenomenon which is much more than nationality of a country. Today, marketers, functioning in a multicultural scene are commonly confronted with two questions; â€Å"What is culture in the marketing context?† and â€Å"What is the role of culture as a factor influencing individual ethical decision making?† (Srnka, 2004, p.1). The project makes an analysis of the cultural differences between nations and how they influence the marketing strategies of companies launching products in those countries. It discusses about how a particular marketing strategy impacts on its consumers. It explains to what extent the global consumers culture prevails in society. Finally, it makes an analysis of the various options present before the marketers of companies when they launch a new product in a different country having a different culture. Key points in global consumer culture Consumer culture refers to the system where a common â€Å"set of behaviour s† is found across all the places. Culture refers to a uniform set of values that exists among a selected group of individuals (University of Northern Iowa, 2008). The concept of global consumer culture gets impetus from the expansion of the businesses across all the global corners. According to Mazzarella (2004) global consumer culture is â€Å"at one and the same time, ideology and social process, as something continuously made and remade through constantly shifting relations, practices, and technologies of market mediation†. To be more specific the dissemination of the global consumer culture is shaped by the flow of varying cultural resources which are referred by Appadurai (1990) as mediascapes, ideoscapes, technoscapes and financescapes. Globalization is mainly envisioned as few selected global brands like Mc Donald’s, Coca-Cola and Nike. To some extent this is a result of the marketing executives in America who view global village as one where people trave l in the same car; have same food; and have a similar television program viewership. These views are further reinforced by a group of international editors and journalists who associate globalisation with Mc Donald’s and Coca Cola pictures which indirectly refers to the gradual spread of the small American brands throughout the world. These two American brands rank forty-second and thirty-first respectively and represent the face of globalisation. As per Belk, a uniform global culture leads to homogeneity of global consumption. The consumers are increasingly listening to a similar type of music, adopting the same fashion technique, dining in the same restaurant etc. As per Alden, Steenkamp and Batra look upon global consumer culture as common sets of consumption linked symbols that facilitate to categorise members. Financescapes refer to the international flow of currency, capital and different financial instruments which facilitate running of the market. The examples include remittance business, flourishing derivative markets etc. Technoscapes refer to the flow of mechanical and informational techniques across the globe. A common example here can be the global revolution of cell phone. Smith (1991) states that a global media helps in the spread of global consumer culture thereby developing its global identity. Mediascapes

Learning and Development Provision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Learning and Development Provision - Essay Example Returns on such investments are often not clear and measurement of outcome is generally not possible in tangible formats. It is also observed in various studies that organizations, especially small and medium scale organizations, are vary of training programs due to non-clarity of its outcome. This has led to different hypothesis in the field of employee training and various training methodologies have been formulated to overcome the shortcomings of traditional training programs and meet the growing market challenges. Following discussion analyses structured training process approach to the analysis, design, delivery, and evaluation of learning and development provision. It uses the McDonald's training program as an example case to illustrate how a structured training program influence the productivity of employees and performance of business as a whole. McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving 52 million people in more than 100 countries each day. It has an ongoing commitment to employee learning and development, recognizing the importance of helping to build the skills base of their employees and the benefits this can bring to their business with better staff productivity. The company's recruitment policy is opt to its name 'hire and smile'. McDonald's hires people with a diverse range of qualifications, from highly skilled managers to college dropouts and focuses more on human qualities instead of educational qualifications. Its employee training programs are highly structured and are based on the company's core principles of quality, service, cleanliness, and value. McDonald's has also initiated its new employee training program known as 'Skills for Life' to provide an effective training to its employees, in association with the Learning and Skills Council. As a part o f its structured training program, McDonald's has also started Hamburger University that acts like a cushion for a highly skilled human resource development initiatives of the company. Structured Training Process Structured training process is setting and controlling the various training activities that facilitate a proper analysis, design, delivery, and evaluation of training that leads to development of human resources. Structured training is defined as a training activity with specific content that has a predefined objective and predetermined format, and whose progress can be monitored and/or evaluated. On-the-job training, on the other hand, is informal and does not necessarily have a predetermined format. It is generally conducted in the workplace itself (Guide to the Analysis of the Workplace and Employee Survey, 2001, Statistics Canada). It often relies on simulations of real time events. Structured training programs consist of certain predefined simulated organizational tasks that require a prompt response from trainees. It also incorporates a structured approach for feedbacks to improve performance of employees and the training process itself. Structured training programs have several advantages over traditional training. Some of the major benefits of structured training process are as follows: Focus on objectives Limiting the tasks and focusing on the

What causes Juvenile Delinquency

What causes Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency happens for many reasons. Poverty, abuse, and family tension are a few of the major reason for a child to become a juvenile delinquent. Steps need to be in place to stop and control some of the children that are falling through the crack of society and becoming ill-adjusted adults. Life is not always pretty, but that should not be a reason to commit crime. Movie Synopsis Freeway is a modern take on the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood. The movie depicts the struggles of Vanessa Lutz in school, her home life, and then as she tries to go to her grandmothers home after her mother and stepfather were arrested for prostitution and drug possession. Vanessa Lutz is severely, delayed academically, due to the multiple school changes that she endured because of her unstable childhood. Her years of being raised in the ghetto with her mother and stepfather added to lack of schooling she received. Vanessa started her criminal career years ago with petty crimes but this current string of crimes started with handcuffing her social worker to the bed. She did not want to go to foster care again. Her last experience in foster care was far from beneficial to her mental as well as her emotional health and she did not want a repeat performance. Vanessa had heard of her paternal grandmother, but had never actually met her or her father, for that matter. Before leaving town, Vanessa went to see her boyfriend Chopper, an African American gang member. She wanted to tell him that she is leaving town and to ask him to go with her. Her plans are to find her grandmother, who lives in Northern California and who does not even know Vanessa exists. Vanessa dreams of a great life with her grandmother, but doesnt even know if the grandmother is still alive or living in the same mobile park. When the car she is driving breaks down on the freeway and leaves her stranded, the person, who stops to help Vanessa, is Bob Wolverton, a counselor at a school for troubled boys. He talks Vanessa into accepting a ride from him and revealing intimate details of her life. When she realizes Bob is getting sexually excited as he learns the details about her molestation and rape by her stepfather, Vanessa gets mad and wants out of the car. Bob has removed the door handle from the passenger side door and Vanessa cannot get out the car. Vanessa realizes that Bob is the I-5 Killer, she heard about early in the afternoon on the Channel 5 news. Bob orders Vanessa to strip off her clothes. Vanessa says that she cannot get her pants off because of her boots. Bob allows Vanessa the freedom to get into the back seat to have room to remove her boots and pants. Once in the back seat, Vanessa pulls out a gun, the one her boyfriend gave her, orders Bob to pull off the next exit. She then asks him if he believes in God. When he says that he does, she orders him out of the car and shoots him in the head. She then vomits and shoots him three more times. Thinking that Bob is dead, Vanessa takes his money, credit cards, and car keys. Vanessa leaves Bob for dead and continues on her trip to her grandmothers house. After a while, she is hungry and she stops at a little truck stop style cafà © to get something to eat. When she walks into the cafà ©, she has blood on her hands from Bob and frightens the server. Vanessa goes to the bathroom to clean up and then she eats her meal. Immediately upon leaving the cafà ©, Vanessa is arrested for the attempted murder of Bob Wolverton. At the police station, a couple of police officers question Vanessa. Vanessa admits to shooting Bob Wolverton. She is cooperative and shocked that he did not die. She tells the police officers that Bob is the I-5 Killer, but they do not believe her. The police officers list her long list of petty crimes and tell her that Bob is a well-respected citizen with no prior criminal record or mental health issues. One of the officers starts teasing her and Vanessa becomes violent and starts hitting him, all the while spouting racial slurs at him. She is taken away in handcuffs and placed in a holding cell until her arraignment. Vanessa refuses to show remorse for her actions at her arraignment, insisting that Bob is the I-5 Killer. Vanessa makes fun of Bob because he has physical disabilities from the shooting and taunts him about his colostomy bag. The judge orders Vanessa out of the courtroom, no one acknowledging that Bob admitted he is the I-5 killer. She is placed in juvenile detention until psychological evaluations can be done. These evaluations are to determine her status of either an adult offender or juvenile delinquent. Juvenile delinquent status would be considered if it is felt she can she be rehabilitated otherwise she will be tried as an adult, if her mental capacity allows. Vanessa becomes friends with a drug-addicted lesbian and then confronted by the toughest girl in the pris on, Mesquita. Before Mesquita has a chance to hurt Vanessa, Vanessa beats her to a pulp, an act for which Vanessa receives solitary confinement. One of the police officers, who was assaulted by Vanessa, has a gut feeling there was more to the story than he had gotten from either Vanessa or from Bob Wolverton. He returns to her hometown to find out more about Vanessas home life. He was surprised to find Vanessas boyfriend was an African American, which was interesting to him considering the racial slurs she had spouted at him. Upon returning to the crime scene, he found previously overlooked evidence collaborating Vanessas version of the crimes. While in solitary confinement, Vanessa constructs a shiv from a toothbrush, plastic wrap, and a lighter, a skill learned from her stepfather. After returning from solitary confinement, Vanessa learns the psychologists feel she would not be a suitable candidate for rehabilitation, so she will stand trial as an adult. She also sees Bob and his wife on television and is disgusted they have been elevated to celebrity status and praised for the way they have persevered in the face of the shooting by Vanessa Lutz. Vanessa, Mesquita, and a pair of twin girls plan to escape from prison. The opportunity presents itself while the group is being transported in a van to the state prison. Vanessa and Mesquita use the shiv to kill one guard and seriously injure the other. They steal the van and then find Mesquitas boyfriend, where Vanessa is given a fake ID, clothes, and a gun. Vanessa and Mesquita share of moment of sisterhood, where Mesquita explains why she tried to intimidate Vanessa the first day she was in juvenile detention. Mesquita said that she had wanted Vanessa to put out for her and Vanessa states that she would put out for her any day. They share the joke and go their separate ways. The police officers finally conclude Vanessa was telling the truth about Bob Wolverton being the I-5 killer. They obtain a search warrant for Bobs house and the small shed in the backyard. In the shed, they find his stash of child pornography, sex toys, and trophies from his victims is found. When confronted with some of the items, Bobs wife, Mimi, realizes that her husband is a serial murderer and runs upstairs to commit suicide. Bob returns home from physical therapy to find his house surrounded by police cars, so he drives off to avoid capture. Using the clothes, she received from Mesquita, Vanessa poses as a hooker and lures a john into a back alley. Vanessa robs the john, forces him into the trunk of his car, and drives to where she thinks her grandmother lives. As luck would have it, the police officers realize where Vanessa might be going and decide to drive to her grandmothers mobile home as well. Upon arriving at her grandmothers home, Bob is dressed as Vanessas grandmother and is lying in bed waiting on Vanessa to arrive. Just like the wolf in the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, Bob has killed Vanessas grandmother and waiting to devour Vanessa. They struggle with each other, firing a gun in the tussle. Vanessa manages to strangle Bob and emerges victorious in the battle for her life from the mobile home. The first words out of her mouth to the officers were, Yall got a cigarette? (Bright, 1996). Freeway, the movie, was directed and produced by Matthew Bright in 1996. What causes Juvenile Delinquency? Introduction Juvenile delinquency has increased thirty-three percent over the last decade (Loeber, Farrington, Petechuk, 2003) Human beings are unique and multifaceted creatures. Human offspring are just as multifaceted and as resilient as they are different. While scientist do not know why or how the individual personalities are formed, every person has a different personality and handles lifes situations in a distinct individualized manner. The movie, Freeway, depicts one of the worst living situations in which a young person can be reared (Bright, 1996). The events in the movie explain one possible outcome of a child raised in the ghetto area of a town. In an attempt to understand more thoroughly the young people who become juvenile delinquents, the individual, family, cultural and medias influence on children will be examined. Causes of Delinquency Delinquency is defined as an antisocial or illegal behavior or acts in violation of the law, which pertains to adults as well as young people (Encarta Dictionary: English (North America), 2007). Juvenile delinquency is  conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2010). Some behaviors such as drinking alcohol are not deviant as long as the person doing the drinking is older than twenty-one years of age. A status offender is a juvenile, usually under the age of eighteen, which does something like smoking before the legal age to be able to participate in the particular activity. In other countries, something that is seen as deviant or delinquent in the United States may or may not be seen as deviant, but more of the norm of the country. In the United States, delinquency is determined differently in each individual state. For instance, North Carolina considers a six year old who commits a crime to be a juvenile delinquent, where a many states do not have a legally defined age to be classified as a juvenile delinquent. Risk factors are numerous depending upon the age of the child when the symptoms for delinquent behavior begins (Loeber, Farrington, Petechuk, 2003). Individual Aspects The psychological development of a child is personal and individualized to each child. A childs behavior is influence by his/her genetic, emotional, cognitive, physical, and social aspects. A person cannot help the genes, which he/she is born with, just as they cannot control the ability to learn. Young people, who are behind others of the same age academically, have been proven prone to criminal behavior. It is thought the less intelligent a person is, the more likely to commit crime he or she will be. There are many other factors, which influence a young person to be deviant or not to be deviant. This failure to express themselves appropriately causes anger and frustration to build. Many times, anger leads to depression or can lead to other more severe forms of mental illness (Mullis, Cornille, Mullis, Huber, 2004). One disorder, which could indicate the possible beginnings to juvenile delinquency, is oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Oppositional defiant disorder is defined as a psychological disorder in childhood and adolescence characterized by excessive oppositional to tendencies to refuse requests from parents and others (Nevid, Rathus, Greene, 2008). Once a child adds to his/her defiance stealing, truancy and/or even rape, the child is considered to have Conduct Disorder (CD). Conduct Disorder is defined as a psychological disorder in childhood and adolescence characterized by disruptive, antisocial behavior (Nevid, Rathus, Greene, 2008). Antisocial behavior is inheritable (Nevid, Rathus, Greene, 2008). Antisocial behaviors is when a individual does not want to be around others, with draws from physical contact and does not behavior appropriate for the situation. Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASP) is defined as has been linked to a defect in a persons frontal lobes in a study of children who had committed deviant acts. (Wallace, Hesselbrock, Bauer, 2006). ASP is the mental illness linked with serial killers such as Jeffery Dahmer and Ted Bundy. An individual early in life usually displays symptoms of ASP, but the true manifestation is in the teen years. A problem some may over look as a predictor of future delinquency is sleeping problems as a child. If a child does not receive adequate sleep during his/her formative years, cognitive as well as neuropsychological problems may appear during adolescence (Gregory, Caspi, Moffitt, Poulton, 2009). When a child does not get adequate sleep, behavioral problems emerge as a symptoms that something is wrong. Cognitive and brain development depend upon getting enough sleep as well as enough good sleep. Good sleep is defined as sleep that includes several cycles of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep is important for the processing of memories as well as a time for the body to rejuvenate itself. Short-term memory is converted into long-term memory during the REM sleep cycles. A person cycles through four stages of sleep, which takes approximately ninety minutes per cycle. REM sleep happens at the end of the fourth cycle and gets progressively longer as the night goes on. Dreaming occurs during REM sleep. Many times dreams are a way for our minds to process the days events and to sort through the emotions that a person has had. REM is also the time in which the body is in a coma like state so that most of the blood flow is concentrated in the bodys core and head. It is a time for the muscles to relax and rejuvenate. A child without adequate sleep is a child without adequate cognitive function, which may influence his/her emotional and psychological health in the future and lead to delinquent behavior (Catrett, Gaultney, 2009). Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavior disorder characterized by excessive motor activity and n ability to focus ones attention. The child is described as having ants in his/her pants, but cannot keep his/her mind on the subject at hand. The other element to ADHD is impulsivity. The child cannot make rational decisions due to the need to move and forgetting what is going on around him/her. These symptoms begin at an early age, sometimes as young as six or seven. Medications to combat the symptoms of ADHD can cause a child become zombie like. Vanessa, in the movie Freeway, may have been diagnosed with ADHD because of her inability to behave while in class at the beginning of the movie (Bright, 1996). This inability to be able to concentrate can lead to decrease intelligence if not caught in its early stages. Family Aspects As portrayed in the movie Freeway, children who grow up in a violent, drug-infested home do not learn the correct manner in which to express themselves or the extent of their actions has on their future. Children model their parents. If parents are doing deviant behaviors, child do not perceive anything wrong with doing the same behaviors. Just as Vanessa saw her mother working the streets in order to get money for the family, Vanessa posed as a streetwalker in order to be able to go to her grandmothers at the end of the movie. She learned how to make a shiv from her stepfather in order to escape from prison. Sometimes children have good parents, but still go astray from social norms. Family is important in forming a childs character. A child needs responsibilities, duties, and close family relationships as well as some privileges. Communication in a family is very important as well. Children notice the tension in a family no matter the cause and open communication is paramount to stop the children from blaming themselves for it. Parents want their children to talk to them about any problems that may arise, but often do not feel the need to allow the children to be information about family situations that affect the children. Children who do not have adequate parental supervision are more likely to be party to criminal activity. Single mothers working can be stressful for the entire family, because she is responsible for all the chores, childcare, discipline, and financial success in the home. Being a parent is hard enough when a couple shares the responsibility, doing an adequate job alone is nearly impossible. The more siblings a child has the less individual attention the child will receive from his/her parents. As a society, we spend less time with our offspring than most any other generation in history. Divorce has become an epidemic and many women are single mothers by choice more than ever before. Most children do not have a father in the home. Almost of as many children, do not even know who their father is or never see them on a regular basis. Women want to have it all, career, children, and freedom. The family unit appears to play the most important role in preventing as well as causing juvenile delinquency. A child that has been sexually abused is more likely to run away than any other child (Widom, 1996). This sexually abused child runs away thinking he/she will have a better life away from the abuser, but more often than not, the runaway becomes a prostitute to survive (Widom, 1996). Sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect are three ways that a family can assist a child into becoming a juvenile delinquent. A person is more likely to be abused by a loved one or someone know to the person than by any other group of people (Thio, 2010). Poor families struggle to put food on the table and many times children feel neglected or that the plight of the family is their fault. Doing without the necessities makes a child want the things he/she does not have, which can lead to shoplifting and other such deviant acts. Poverty in this great nation is rampant. We are the greatest nation on this earth and yet we have children that are going hungry and in need of clothing. The cheap food is not the healthiest of choices in most cases. Money worries cause many families to separate in order to receive assistance from the government. Divorce is often a cause for children to become deviant. Peer Aspects Peer pressure has long been seen as a reason for deviant behavior in children. Groupthink is where adults as well as young people seem to lose their ability to speak or act in the correct manner the more people are in the group. The term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment(Coon Mitter, 2010). Conforming to the crowd and acting as a whole instead as the sum of many parts is what happens to when young people give in to peer pressure. Peer pressure is one of the hardest delinquencies to avoid. Children with physical and learning disabilities are often taunted, which can often lead to anger. Young people, who are behind others of the same age academically, are prone to criminal behavior. It is thought the less intelligent a person is, the more likely to commit crime he or she will be. Cognitive function is necessary to rationally think about the consequences in situations and realize what will happen if you are caught doing a bad deed. Sleep quality has been linked to obesity in a chicken and the egg type scenario. Some say obesity is caused by a lack of sleep quality and other say the lack of sleep quality causes an increase in obesity. Obesity can be a reason for a teenager or adolescent to buckle under peer pressure to fit in with the group and participate in delinquent activities. Young people who are obese have a higher rate of depression, which can lead some to a feeling of helplessness (News to use, 2003). Helplessness can result in deliqency because the child doesnt feel that anything he/she does is worth while any way. Obesity has increased rapidly and some even call it an epidemic. President Obama signed a bill into law giving the United States Department of Agriculture the to set standards for public school lunches in order to combat obesity (Jalonick, 2010). Evidence has shown children are heavier now than at any other time in the history of the United States. The chart below is a little old, but it sho ws that in 2002, obesity was approximately sixteen percent in both children and adolescences. (Buggey, T. (2007). Social and Community Factors Teachers have to worry about their jobs, because of the No Child Left Behind policies. If students are not able to pass a certain percentage of test questions, the school will find teachers, who can make the students pass. The United States Government is mandating every one must pass in order for the teacher to keep her job. This is a lot of pressure on the teachers, who then pass the pressure on to the students. Some students arent able to handle the pressure and drop out of school. School dropouts cannot get a drivers license in many states until age eighteen. Many states do not allow dropouts to work, so getting into trouble is what is available to these young people. The teenagers are not in school, working or doing anything productive with their lives. Some have joined gangs as way of fitting in and having some status they have not otherwise achieved. Chopper, Vanessas boyfriend in the Freeway movie, was a member of a gang. She did not see anything odd about him being in a gang, it was just a way of life for her and him. Teenagers, who are loners, in recent years started committing crimes at their schools. Columbine High School shooting is a prime example of the dangers juvenile delinquents can participate in. They have nothing to live for and just want to have some excitement. Video games have taken over the children in this country. A child can play war games, running from law enforcement as well as shooting games. Their minds are not developed to be able to separate fact from fiction and many times, they think the person will stand back up if they shoot them. Teenagers working while in school has been encouraged throughout the last few decades. Currently, working teenagers have disposable income, which affords them the opportunity to commit deviant acts. The teenagers are more likely to smoke, drive recklessly, and engage in other deviant behaviors when they work while going to school (Thio, 2010). There is more of an opportunity to lie to parents and have time with other people the same age or older in order to commit these deviant acts. Music such as Rap has been blamed for violence, crime, and juvenile delinquency among black as well as other populations of youth. (Mahiri Conner, 2003). Television shows such as Jerry Springer have done more damage to Americas youth by exposing them to the most deviant and sexually explicit material than ever before in history. Our collective values have declined since the 1950s in the United States. Conclusion An increase of in the number of juvenile delinquents has been observed. A thirty-three percent increase has been noted in the last decade (Loeber, Farrington, Petechuk, 2003). Gangs are more prevalent in local cities than ever before. Drug related crimes are increasing. Violence depicted in movies such as Freeway, is common place to our young people. Schools need to have in place programs to help alleviate some of the baby sitting that is done by teachers. As a country, we need to stop worrying about everyone else around the world and take care of our children. Studies have been done to determine why we have so many juvenile delinquents and we need to so something to stop the progression. Deviant acts leads to juvenile delinquents as well as other criminals. Our young people need to be taught the importance of staying in school as well as a criminal record can follow them for the rest of their lives. Babies should come home with parents who have had parenting classes as well as CPR and first aid classes. Changes need to be made in our country to insure our most valuable resource is protected and taken care of properly.

Al Capone :: essays research papers

ALPHONSE CAPONE a.k.a. AL, SCARFACE Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899, of an immigrant family. He lived with his father Gabriele and Mother Teresa and his brothers and sisters. Al did quite well in school until the sixth grade when his steady record of B's deteriorated rapidly. At fourteen, he lost his temper at the teacher, she hit him and he hit her back. He was expelled and never went to school again. About this time, his family moved from their house on Navy Street to 21 Garfield Place. This move would have a lasting impact on Al because in this new neighborhood he would meet the people who would have the most influence on his future: his wife Mae and the gangster Johnny Torrio. A few blocks away from the Capone house on Garfield Place was a small unobtrusive building that was the headquarters of one of the most successful gangsters on the East Coast. Johnny Torrio was a new breed of gangster, a pioneer in the development of a modern criminal enterprise. He was a role model fo r many boys in the community. Capone, like many other boys his age, earned pocket money by running errands for Johnny Torrio. Over time, Torrio came to trust the young Capone and gave him more to do. Meantime, young Al learned by observing the wealthy successful respected racketeer and the people in his organization. In 1909, Torrio moved to Chicago and young Al fell under other influences. At this point in his life, nobody would ever have believed that Al would go on to be the criminal czar that he ultimately became. For approximately six years he worked faithfully at exceptionally boring jobs, first at a munitions factory and then as a paper cutter. Eventually he met a guy named Frankie Yale. He opened up a bar called Harvard Inn. And he hired Al to be a bartender. Capone's job at the Harvard Inn was to be the bartender and bouncer and, when necessary, to wait on tables. In his first year, Capone became popular with his boss and the customers. Then his luck turned suddenly when he waited on the table of a young couple. The girl was beautiful and the young Capone was entranced. He leaned over her and said, "Honey, you have a nice ass and I mean that as a compliment." The man with her was her brother Frank Gallucio. Al Capone :: essays research papers ALPHONSE CAPONE a.k.a. AL, SCARFACE Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899, of an immigrant family. He lived with his father Gabriele and Mother Teresa and his brothers and sisters. Al did quite well in school until the sixth grade when his steady record of B's deteriorated rapidly. At fourteen, he lost his temper at the teacher, she hit him and he hit her back. He was expelled and never went to school again. About this time, his family moved from their house on Navy Street to 21 Garfield Place. This move would have a lasting impact on Al because in this new neighborhood he would meet the people who would have the most influence on his future: his wife Mae and the gangster Johnny Torrio. A few blocks away from the Capone house on Garfield Place was a small unobtrusive building that was the headquarters of one of the most successful gangsters on the East Coast. Johnny Torrio was a new breed of gangster, a pioneer in the development of a modern criminal enterprise. He was a role model fo r many boys in the community. Capone, like many other boys his age, earned pocket money by running errands for Johnny Torrio. Over time, Torrio came to trust the young Capone and gave him more to do. Meantime, young Al learned by observing the wealthy successful respected racketeer and the people in his organization. In 1909, Torrio moved to Chicago and young Al fell under other influences. At this point in his life, nobody would ever have believed that Al would go on to be the criminal czar that he ultimately became. For approximately six years he worked faithfully at exceptionally boring jobs, first at a munitions factory and then as a paper cutter. Eventually he met a guy named Frankie Yale. He opened up a bar called Harvard Inn. And he hired Al to be a bartender. Capone's job at the Harvard Inn was to be the bartender and bouncer and, when necessary, to wait on tables. In his first year, Capone became popular with his boss and the customers. Then his luck turned suddenly when he waited on the table of a young couple. The girl was beautiful and the young Capone was entranced. He leaned over her and said, "Honey, you have a nice ass and I mean that as a compliment." The man with her was her brother Frank Gallucio.

Hoebel, The Cheyennes: Indians Of The Great Plains Essay

E. Adamson Hoebel’s The Cheyennes: Indians of the Great Plains is a detailed, comprehensive ethnographic study of the tribe’s beliefs, practices, and adaptation to their harsh environment. Though not the strongest Plains people, the Cheyenne used their strengths to overcome their obstacles and maintain a cohesive, stable culture. A sedentary village culture of the Algonquian language family, the Cheyenne moved from the upper Mississippi valley to the high plains of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming around 1800 to escape the hostilities of the neighboring Lakota (5). Their settled ways were disrupted and they became horse-riding and nomadic, leaving behind their village ways. Hoebel depicts their culture as structured yet flexible, â€Å"rational and skilled in cultural adaptation† (103), and geared toward internal harmony as a means of maintaining cohesion. The harsh plains environment, with extreme weather and little water or wood, â€Å"is the essential ecological fact controlling the Cheyenne† (63). They adapted to this by becoming mobile, moving according to where resources could be easily obtained, mastering their gathering, hunting, and trading skills over a wide area, and relying heavily on horses. Their religion is hierarchical, with being at all levels endowed with spiritual powers. Spirits can manifest in human form and their attributes lie in their knowledge of how to operate within the universe. Hoebel writes that the Cheyenne believe â€Å"the universe if essentially a mechanical system which is good in essence, but which must be properly understood and used to keep it producing what humans need† (89). They see the universe mechanically, with spirits responding somewhat predictably according to human acts. To survive in their dry grassland environment, the Cheyenne divided their labor rigidly along gender lines. The women gathered roots, berries, and seeds while also foraging for wood, raising and mending tipis, while the men hunted big game (mainly bison, antelope, and elk) for meat and smaller animals (wolves and fox) for fur. Gender roles govern not only labor, but also most areas of Cheyenne social life. Males and females generally stop mixed-sex socializing at adolescence, and males join any of five military clubs once they reach fighting age, while women have only the Robe Quillers (an outgrowth of their role as makers of clothing). However, some deviation exists – â€Å"Contraries† become transvestites while overdoing the warrior role, while â€Å"halfmen-halfwomen† are homosexual. (Both are isolated yet tolerated. ) The Cheyenne economic system relied heavily on trade, though because of their location on the high plains they had limited access to many traders. They often served as intermediaries between poorer and richer tribes, traveled great distances to trade their meat and vegetable goods (as well as robes and leather goods) for more food, as well as ornamental items like beads and silver jewelry. Their most important commodity was the horse, often acquired in trade or stolen from enemies in raids. Cheyenne politics were organized by family, kindred, and band, and governed by the tribal council, where power lay â€Å"not in the hands of aggressive war leaders but under the control of even-tempered peace chiefs† (43). Composed mainly of older men elected for ten-year terms, the council worked to resolve internal conflicts, which were considered more threatening than war, and had a nearly supernatural authority. A head priest-chief (the Sweet Medicine Chief) and five medicine chiefs presided and had control over most rituals. Hoebel’s study examines most major areas of the Cheyennes’ lives and depicts them as a tribe that survived not by overwhelming power, but by adapting well to a demanding environment, trading as well as possible, and maintaining internal harmony and stability. Hoebel, E. Adamson. The Cheyennes: Indians of the Great Plains. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978.

Analyzing the argument surrounding Vicky and Ying Ying

Analyzing the argument surrounding Vicky and Ying Ying, I do adhere to the arguments pointed out by Vicky concerning the capacity of crime mapping to be used as an instrument towards harnessing opportunities for resolving crime. Under this particular scenario, Ying Ying only asserts the corresponding threats of leakage and information breach that criminals can use in order to achieve their plans of action.However, there are limited areas that explain how it can be harmful within the scope of policing. Seeing this, by actively providing minor adjustments in the process of crime mapping, information security, and analysis of data, the process can indeed be further utilized as a means to convey means to reach out in the causes of crime and the corresponding trends shaping individual or group behavior.At the same time, the ability to outline specific means to categorize behaviors help law enforcement agencies to point out valid arguments concerning location, intent, and actions among cri minals who operate in a particular location. This is important in developing key strategies on areas that can explore new directions towards encouraging citizens to become responsive to the needs of the community and participate in the crime-reduction process by utilizing new patterns related to crime fighting, communication, and information sharing within local authorities.

A Brief History of Adidas

A Brief History of Adidas Although urban legend has it that the word Adidas is an anagram of the phrase all day I dream about sports, the athletic wear company gets its name from its founder, Adolph Adi Dassler. He and his brother founded the company that would become a worldwide brand, but their history as members of the Nazi Party isnt as well known. Beginnings of Adidas Shoes In 1920, at the age of 20, avid soccer player  Adolph  (Adi)  Dassler, son of a cobbler,  invented spiked shoes for track and field. Four years later Adi and his brother Rudolph (Rudi) founded the German sports shoe company  Gebrà ¼der Dassler OHG- later known as  Adidas. T By 1925 the Dasslers were making leather  shoes  with nailed studs and track shoes with hand-forged spikes. Beginning with the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Adis uniquely designed shoes began to gain a worldwide reputation.  Jesse Owens  was wearing a pair of Dasslers track shoes when he won four gold medals for the US  at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. At the time of his death in 1959, Dassler held over 700 patents related to sports shoes and other athletic equipment. In 1978, he was inducted into the American Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame as one of the founders of the modern sporting goods industry. The Dassler Brothers and World War II During the war, both Dassler brothers were members of the NSDAP (The National Socialist German Workers Party)  and eventually even produced a weapon called Panzerschreck an anti-tank bazooka, made with the help of forced labor. The Dasslers both joined the Nazi Party prior to the war, and Adi supplied shoes to the Hitler Youth movement, and to German athletes at the 1936 Olympics. Its also believed that Adi Dassler used Russian prisoners of war to help at his factory during the war since there was a labor shortage due to the war effort. The Dasslers had a falling out during the war; Rudolf believed Adi had identified him as a traitor to American forces. In 1948, Rudi founded what would later become Puma, a rival shoe company to Adidas. Adidas in the Modern Era In the 1970s, Adidas was the top athletic shoe brand sold in the US. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier were both wearing Adidas boxing shoes in their Fight of the Century in 1971. Adidas was named the official supplier for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Although still a strong, well-known brand today, Adidas share of the world sports shoe market dropped over the years, and what began as a German family business is now a corporation (Adidas-Salomon AG) combined with the French global concern Salomon. In 2004 Adidas bought Valley Apparel Company, a U.S. company that held licenses for outfitting more than 140 U.S. college athletic teams. In 2005 Adidas announced that it was purchasing the American shoemaker Reebok, which allowed it to compete more directly with Nike in the U.S. But the Adidas world headquarters are still located in Adi Dasslers hometown of Herzogenaurach. They also have an ownership stake in German soccer club 1. FC Bayern Mà ¼nchen.

Nevada State Legislature essays

Nevada State Legislature essays Regular sessions of the Legislature begin the first Monday in February of odd-numbered years. Nevada is one of only six states that have true biennial sessions. From 1961 through 1997, the length of the legislature sessions in Nevada depended upon the time required to process propsed legislation, review the spending proposals of state agencies, and adopt a biennial state budget. At the 1998 General Election, Nevada voters approved a constitutional amendment limiting future regular biennial sessions to 120 days. The amendment also requires the governor to submit the executive budget to the Legislature two weeks before the start of the session. Both the 1999 and 2001 regular sessions ran for the full 120 days. A special session of the Legislature may also be called by the governor. In 2001 a 1-day special session was only the 17th special session in the past 138 years. The Legislative Counsel Bureau is the legislature's ongoing staff agency. It provide support for the Legislature and is comprised of the Fiscal, Legal, and Research Divisions. It also includes the Audit Division whose job consists of auditing the accounts of state agencies, and an Administrative Division, which provides accounting, security and vrious "housekeeping" functions. The Legislative Commission is a body of 12 legislators, six from each house and supervises over the Legislative Counsel Bureau.When the full Legislature is not in session, the commission takes actions on behalf of the legislative branch of government. They provide guidance to staff of the Legislative Counsel Bureau and deals with other interim matters. This body meets every few months between sessions. The Interim Finance Committte endeavors to maintain an adequate fund balance to meet unforeseen financial emergencies. It is composed of the members of the Senate Committee on Finance and the Assembly Committee on Ways an ...

What Does it Cost to Attend the University of Connecticut?

Opportunities abound at the University of Connecticut, which offers students a choice of 14 schools and colleges and 116 majors. And with Hartford just a half hour away (Boston’s 90 minutes by car), there’s little chance getting bored while earning your degree. Although UConn is a public college, the school’s list price is relatively high. Fortunately, a majority of students pay less than the sticker price to go to this school. Keep reading to discover what it really costs to attend the University of Connecticut. Public schools tend to boast lower tuition costs than their private counterparts. However, that doesn’t mean the overall cost to the student will necessarily be less. UConn and other public universities may not have the robust endowments of a private school. This can mean that public institutions have less funding available, particularly in the form of scholarships and grants. Still, UConn student’s shouldn’t necessarily expect to pay the full list price. To determine a school’s actual cost, or financial aid net price, first add up the value of all forms of financial aid, including federal, state, and local grants and private scholarships; then, subtract this total from the school’s sticker price. The list price for the University of Connecticut varies based on whether a student lives in state or out of state. For the 2016-2017 academic year, the total price of tuition and fees for in-state students was $30,002. Out-of-state attendees faced a list price of $51,794. In general, individuals from families making less than $175,000 a year and those in the top 30% of incoming students were unlikely to pay the full sticker price for their degrees. Financial aid can reduce the list price of a UConn degree. For the 2016-2017 school year, the average net cost for tuition was $27,550 for in-state students and $49,342 for those residing outside of Connecticut. The cost of tuition at UConn varies based on family income bracket. View average costs per salary level below: Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Merit aid can help reduce the cost of a college degree. At the University of Connecticut, 29.9% of students without financial need receive merit-based aid; the average per-student award is $2,249. These numbers give UConn a ranking of 670 out of the 1000 schools analyzed for merit aid generosity. For in-state students who don’t qualify for need-based financial aid, the average price of a UConn degree is $27,753. The average price for out-of-state students who didn’t qualify for financial aid was $49,545.   Many students borrow money to defer the cost of college. Currently, 55% of UConn students take out loans; at UConn, the average federal loan per undergraduate is $6,497. Evaluating student outcomes at a given college can help families determine whether that school represents a good investment. The most recent data shows that 81% of students at the University of Connecticut graduate within six years. A decade out, the average UConn graduate earns $58,400 per year. These numbers can help students and parents determine whether a degree from a particular school is worth the price. UConn is located in Mansfield, a location where prices are in-line with average costs in the U.S. In fact, Mansfield’s cost of living index is 107.5, which means it’s just 7.5% more expensive than the average American city. If you live off campus while attending this school, expect to spend $1000 for a one-bedroom, $1245 for a two-bedroom, or $1559 for a three-bed apartment. Working part time during college can help offset the costs of your education. Currently, Connecticut has a minimum wage of $10.10, which means students can expect to earn at least this amount per hour. For those who stick around after graduating, the average annual salary in Mansfield is $54,261. Work-study positions are great options for students who want to earn extra cash while minimizing the time their work takes away form their studies. Not only are these positions located on campus, which eliminates a long commute, but they also often are positions like library or security desk monitoring that allow students time to do homework and reading at work. Additionally, students should consider applying for independent scholarships to reduce the cost of a college degree. One popular choice is the National Merit Scholarship program , which provides recognition and grant money to students in the top one percent of PSAT test takers. Around 15,000 students a year receive funding through this program. Discover more scholarship programs on the UConn website . The high cost of a college degree can prevent students from pursuing the education they need and deserve. That’s where ’s Applications Team comes in. We aim to level the playing field by helping students choose the best colleges and create robust applicant profiles to increase their odds of getting accepted. Additionally, we assist with financial aid concerns, helping families fill out FAFSA forms and negotiate aid. To learn more about what we do, call today or contact our team online.

Relationship between the business strategy and an entity's Essay

Relationship between the business strategy and an entity's organizational culture regarding staffing decisions - Essay Example Most significantly, organizational culture remains a crucial component in any firm. Every organization does possess a clear unique personality of the staff members. For the purpose of achievement of clear objectives and working in unity among the team members, i9t is essential to have one mind-set when it comes to the organizational culture. A unit that is divided mentally and ideological wise cannot achieve its targeted goals. Organizational culture comprises of a number of factors such as innovativeness, where the team leaders challenge their staff members to take risks in all situations.an organizational culture also establish the level of precision expected from each employee. Additionally, it emphasizes on respect and dignity to employees, teamwork, aggressiveness, and stability of tenure (Zheng, Yang, & McLean, 2010). From the outlook of the role of the organizational culture in any firm, it is very difficult for the two components to work without interlinking. Primarily, for the set goals to reach a level of success, the team implementing the same must be in possession of the appropriate spirit and skills. The organization must create a conducive atmosphere for the achievement of the strategies. Concisely, one cannot focus on achievement of business strategies, and at the same time disregarding the environment, that defines the culture. Therefore, both components have to be put into consideration. Zheng, W., Yang, B., & McLean, G. N. (2010). Linking organizational culture, structure, strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management. Journal of Business Research, 63, 763–771.

Physiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Physiology - Essay Example In high temperatures, the body can be cooled off through sweating and wearing of a jacket and when temperatures are low, they can be heated by wearing a jacket and through shivering. The pulse is the periodic dilation of the artery that is produced by the rhythmic opening and closing of the aortic valve in the heart. It can be felt through the application of pressure by firm fingertips to the skin where the arteries travel near the surface of the skin. The common pulse points are the radial artery in the wrist, the brachial artery inside the elbow and the carotid artery of the neck (Yagiela, 1995). Pulse rates differ from one person to another and it decreases with age. Alterations between normal and weak pulses indicate heart failure while rapid pulses indicate serious cardiac diseases, vigorous exercises or a relatively mild fever. Head injuries may result in slow pulse rates though this is exceptional in highly trained athletes who were slow pulse rate is considered normal. The maximal heart rate is that of 200 beat/min which is in young people. The maximal heart rate is determined genetically and cannot be modified by exercise or by external factors. According to Yagiela (1995) respiration is the process through which the body acquires oxygen and in turn removes carbon dioxide through the nasal cavity into the lungs (Lombardi, Lown and Verrier, 2005). This simple exchange of gases occurs through a process known as diffusion which requires a concentration gradient. Oxygen concentration has to be kept at higher levels in the alveoli than in the blood and the carbon dioxide concentration in the blood has to be kept at higher levels than in the alveoli. This is done through the active process of breathing that calls for contraction of the skeletal muscles including the diaphragm and the external intercostals muscles. The intercostals muscles are located in between the ribs while the diaphragm is muscle sheet between the

Research proposal on network optimization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research proposal on network optimization - Essay Example Data centers support and provide a variety of application services to the end-users such as cloud computing, grid application, video streaming, video gaming and many others services by providing platform that support all major hardware and soft ware.2 Data centers are located on different parts of a network. Thus the decisions on regulation and management of the application services and network play a big role in influencing outcomes of the application performance and state of the network. Most companies currently make application decisions with insufficient or no information regarding the underlying network that relay those services.3 Hence the maximum benefits of services and network utilization may not be reaped. This paper proposes a study program into cross stratum application with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities made available by the data center based applications and the communication networks. Based on the cross stratum optimization opportunities presented by the interactions between the data center based application services, this research project will be mainly on the following key opportunities: first, enhanced optimization of application and network resources. Additionally, rapid reaction to the fast transforming demands. Lastly, quality of application experience enhancement through proper usage of the existing resources. This project will involve qualitative research involving all essentials parties in CSO i.e. application provider, data center provider, network provider and end-user. The study will involve the following: first, the survey of the different ‘trust’ relationships that are exhibited between the various stakeholders in the application and the network stratum. Secondly, survey of the cloud based applications to compare their impact on network infrastructure. Thirdly, evaluation of the key interfaces their functionality and how they relate to the current standards and potential future standards. More

Retail at the speed of fashion (case study) Essay

Retail at the speed of fashion (case study) - Essay Example On the other hand, Zara has individually owned manufacturing units in and around Spain. It has full control over the manufacturing facilities giving them better flexibility. Only the raw materials like undyed fabric are purchased from countries like India and Morocco. The dependence on the suppliers is minimal for Zara. Buyer Power- An industry like fashion is characterized by very high buyer power. The power of the buyers is not in terms of bargaining but in terms of taste and preferences, which can change very swiftly. Zara has a well-dedicated designing team, which produces about 12,000 styles per year. This helps Zara to respond to changes quickly. Threat of Substitutes- Trends in fashion lasts for a very short period. It is substituted by a newer trend. Zara has maintained its position in the industry because it continuously changes to newer trend. It reacts faster than that of the other companies in the business. Barriers to entry- A new company coming into the industry will need a lot of time to be successful. The Capital requirement is high in the industry and one of the most important factors is the Brand identity. These factors create barriers to entry in the industry and there will be very few new competitors in the global scenario. Degree of Rivalry- Zara is a globally accepted brand, which is targeted to all sectors of the society. Brands like Gucci and Armani are more coveted brands not affordable to all. The other companies falling in the category of Zara are Gap, Hennes & Mauritz etc. The competition among these brands is not intense. Moreover, Zara has the competitive advantage of the least response time. The generic strategies developed by Porter states that the profitability of the firm depends on the industry attractiveness. Strengths of a firm can be categorized mainly under two heads- cost advantage and differentiation. By applying

What is, according to your critical evaluation of what has been Essay

What is, according to your critical evaluation of what has been written on the topic, the best way to motivate people at work(Human resource management) - Essay Example Thus, it is evident how important motivation is in the workplace as this affects the caliber of an organisation’s performance and ultimately, success. The employees are the greatest asset of any company and most often are the sole component that can set a company apart from its competitors. With proper personnel management that develops an empowered workforce, the competition experienced by virtually all industries can be overcome. Empowerment is defined as a means to allow employees to carry out decisions and a intrinsic drive to have accountability for one’s behaviours (Bowen & Lawler 1992, 1995). This implies that empowerment is an outcome of management and employee efforts. Corsuon & Enz (1999) note that contemporary research has focused on psychological empowerment, particularly on the phenomenology of the employee, whereas in the past, the concept has focused on decision making and delegation of tasks (Blau 1964) Thomas and Velthouse (1990) further defined the construct as an intrinsic drive apparent in four clusters. These are meaning, competence, self-determination, an impact; these mirror an employee’s evaluation and perspective of her job and role. The first cluster, competence, refers to the extent to which an employee can carry out activities with competence when he attempts to do so; it pertains to proficiency of a skill. On the other hand, meaning is the premium attached to an objective or a mission, which is evaluated through a person’s own set of values or personal criteria. Moreover, meaning is the match between one’s job and contribution to work on one hand, and the cognition, affect, and behaviours on the other. Empowerment allows for an increase in employee motivation because empowered employees see meaning in what they do and since the goals of the company are consistent with what they attach value to (Staples 1990). Self-determination pertains to having a sense of freedom in managing one’s

Research proposal on network optimization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research proposal on network optimization - Essay Example Data centers support and provide a variety of application services to the end-users such as cloud computing, grid application, video streaming, video gaming and many others services by providing platform that support all major hardware and soft ware.2 Data centers are located on different parts of a network. Thus the decisions on regulation and management of the application services and network play a big role in influencing outcomes of the application performance and state of the network. Most companies currently make application decisions with insufficient or no information regarding the underlying network that relay those services.3 Hence the maximum benefits of services and network utilization may not be reaped. This paper proposes a study program into cross stratum application with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities made available by the data center based applications and the communication networks. Based on the cross stratum optimization opportunities presented by the interactions between the data center based application services, this research project will be mainly on the following key opportunities: first, enhanced optimization of application and network resources. Additionally, rapid reaction to the fast transforming demands. Lastly, quality of application experience enhancement through proper usage of the existing resources. This project will involve qualitative research involving all essentials parties in CSO i.e. application provider, data center provider, network provider and end-user. The study will involve the following: first, the survey of the different ‘trust’ relationships that are exhibited between the various stakeholders in the application and the network stratum. Secondly, survey of the cloud based applications to compare their impact on network infrastructure. Thirdly, evaluation of the key interfaces their functionality and how they relate to the current standards and potential future standards. More

What is, according to your critical evaluation of what has been Essay

What is, according to your critical evaluation of what has been written on the topic, the best way to motivate people at work(Human resource management) - Essay Example Thus, it is evident how important motivation is in the workplace as this affects the caliber of an organisation’s performance and ultimately, success. The employees are the greatest asset of any company and most often are the sole component that can set a company apart from its competitors. With proper personnel management that develops an empowered workforce, the competition experienced by virtually all industries can be overcome. Empowerment is defined as a means to allow employees to carry out decisions and a intrinsic drive to have accountability for one’s behaviours (Bowen & Lawler 1992, 1995). This implies that empowerment is an outcome of management and employee efforts. Corsuon & Enz (1999) note that contemporary research has focused on psychological empowerment, particularly on the phenomenology of the employee, whereas in the past, the concept has focused on decision making and delegation of tasks (Blau 1964) Thomas and Velthouse (1990) further defined the construct as an intrinsic drive apparent in four clusters. These are meaning, competence, self-determination, an impact; these mirror an employee’s evaluation and perspective of her job and role. The first cluster, competence, refers to the extent to which an employee can carry out activities with competence when he attempts to do so; it pertains to proficiency of a skill. On the other hand, meaning is the premium attached to an objective or a mission, which is evaluated through a person’s own set of values or personal criteria. Moreover, meaning is the match between one’s job and contribution to work on one hand, and the cognition, affect, and behaviours on the other. Empowerment allows for an increase in employee motivation because empowered employees see meaning in what they do and since the goals of the company are consistent with what they attach value to (Staples 1990). Self-determination pertains to having a sense of freedom in managing one’s

One Step Home Brewing Kit Essay Example for Free

One Step Home Brewing Kit Essay There are a lot of home brewing kits available in market but all have a typical problem associated with it. We have come with a new â€Å"One Step Home Brewing Kit† based on our patented technology. Soon we plan to launch it in market. We did a market research for such product and gained a lot of valuable information. Based on all those observations we have come with the following plan. We would be operating through internet instead of setting up a shop for it, at least for the initial phase. Not only it reaches to more people but also is more convenient to operate. We won’t run the website ourselves but would outsource to a separate company. Our research shows that outsourcing would be cheaper. We have finalized our hosting company and hosting plans. The initial one time cost comes to be around $10,000/-. Regarding our financials For the first month our primary target is set our infrastructure right. We need to get comfortable with the setup, optimize our settings. So, for the first month we won’t be spending much on advertising but would mainly focus on our acquaintance and word-of-mouth publicity to get our customers. We have kept a modest sales target of 100 units. Each kits selling price would be $30/-. Cost of revenue is assumed to be 45% of revenue. Biggest expense during this time would be of setting up the website which includes one time cost of website hosting, web designing and taking photographs of our product. The setting up process will take around 20 -25 days. From the last few days of the month we would increase our advertisements and also would put user experiences of our product on the website. Rough estimate shows a loss for the first month which is very well expected at the beginning of a business firm. In the second month we expect sales of around 500 units. This increase is expected due to increase in our advertising and the positive feedback given by our customers for our product. We ourselves have no doubt that our product is best and hence expect strong positive atmosphere for our product in the market. To cater to this increasing need we would need to purchase a new computer and hire an operator for that. The New system’s cost is put in office equipment expenses field. This would increase our staff from 1 to 2. We also would have to work in those positions to curtail our staff requirements For the 3rd month we expect sales of around 800 units and hope to induce a new staff and a new computer to keep up with our increasing customer visits and their database. We hope to reach our break even point by the end of 3rd month. For the next quarter we hope to keep a calm speed and again check our system and get the work boundaries of everyone more finer. We would take one more employee at non technical position. For 3rd quarter we again expect a rapid increase in our sales due to the previous quarter’s corrective steps. We will introduce a new staff in our team to concentrate specifically on our advertising. So our advertising cost reaches an all time high. For final quarter we hope to keep up this good trend. For 2nd year we will try to outsource some of our processes like dispatching, packing etc. so that we focus more on our core competence i. e. our product. We will also try to start RD around our product. This will help us bring out some new product. We will first be looking to bring some product that would complement our product. Also we may venture out in new areas if they seem perfect for our conditions. Our Rent is going to increase by 20% In 3rd year we will double our infrastructure. This may be for our new product or to keep the increased volume of sales of our existing product. This year we will definitely setup our RD if they are not setup to the full extent in the second year. As the world is progressing fast in technology fields and future would hold golden days for technology products. We will surely bring some product in this domain. Our core product would of course be always our focus and we will always try to better it. As we move past the expected milestones we would surely be getting more experienced and will fine tune our expenses, Mobilize our staff to specific positions. This is our plan till now and we hope to surpass it every month, quarte

Bulgaria: High Internet penetration potential for e-commerce

Bulgaria: High Internet penetration potential for e-commerce Coursework in Management Futures Executive Summary The aim of this report is to evaluate the opportunity for development of e-commerce in Bulgaria. The report will examine if there is demand for e-commerce in Bulgaria, if e-commerce might be restricted in some way and if it will be profitable for businesses. This will be achieved by examining the Internet penetration in Bulgaria, its future growth and other corresponding data and statistics. Advantages and Disadvantages as well as a SWOT analysis of e-commerce in will be discussed to evaluate the potential of it in the Bulgarian market. A brief description of the issue investigated The Internet is a global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions. It exists since 1957 and was found by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the US department of defense. In Bulgaria, Internet usage has grown significantly especially for the last seven or eight years, but it exists since 1989. It is mostly put into practice for communication and for searching of information. It has become a very useful tool, which is part of peoples daily lives not only in Bulgaria but also all over the world. Due to the ability of the Internet to reach a large number of people in all corners of the world, it has become a mean for electronic trading, also known as e-commerce. E-commerce is the trade of products and services by means of the Internet or other computer networks. E-commerce is very popular in developed countries. It exists since 1991 and since then has grown considerably. It has become a very convenient way to purchase goods and services online in the free time without wasting time to travel to difference stores and having 24-hour access. E-commerce exists in Bulgaria too, but it is still on a very low level even though the Internet has one of the greatest user growths in the European Union. In the period between 2000 and 2007 the Internet in Bulgaria has grown with 412 %. The fast user growth in Bulgaria and the large percentage of active users online is a great opportunity for Bulgarian businesses to reach a vast amount of customer online where they can start offering their products and services. This way they would not only reach more potential customers locally, but will also have the opportunity to expand abroad if demand spreads. Relevant Statistics for Bulgaria The Internet has become a retractable part of most households in Bulgaria. Surveillances show that the number of people who use Internet actively has increased by 100% for the last three years. Today, around 2Â  600Â  000 people, more that 33% of the population uses Internet at home and work. However, statistics also show that almost 80% of the population can have Internet access when needed. The main purpose it is used for is for communication, e.g. e-mail, chat and Internet calls and for searching of information, e.g. job search, current news. Despite the rapid growth of the quality of the Internet provided and the increase in Internet users, Bulgaria still is one of the countries with lowest positions for e-commerce. According to the National Statistical Institute, from 50% of the Internet users searching for goods and services online, only 7.6% have made a purchase. Thus every second Internet user has searched for goods online but did not find what they were looking for. Thirty thousand people have taken part in a survey done by Nielsen Online about the optimizing of online products. The research shows that 60% of the Internet users are aged between 18 and 35 and 22% of the participants have stated that they have income higher than 1000 levs. This is a relatively high salary for this country. The age range, which is predominant consisting of young people who tend to be high consumers. Young people who are still students, are very good at tormenting their parents for receiving what they want, on the other hand the ones who have graduated and have started working tend to spend their wages for satisfying their wants. Statistics also show that 2/3 of the Internet users are employed and the rest are mostly students. The main problem with online shopping for most Internet users is the threat of information theft, especially financial information. In computing it is known as phishing. Phising is an attempt to criminally and fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Most like targets are online banks and e-commerce businesses that allow online payments like Paypal and E-Pay for Bulgaria. However statistics for E-Pay show that in 2008 transactions per month done through e-pay are on average between 10 and 11 million levs. This is a relatively high transaction rate for the country, but most of these transactions are done for paying bills other than for purchasing of goods. An advantage for online shopping in Bulgaria is that goods can be paid at the time of delivery, which is a way that people who are afraid to pay online would prefer. Products that are most often offered online in Bulgaria are books, office stationary and electronic devices (phones, cameras), which is a very limited offering of products. However, Bulgarian e-commerce should have a very promising future if it develops. For now in Bulgaria, most online shoppers rely on the e-commerce from abroad. Businesses in Bulgaria are missing on a great deal of potential customers due to the lapse of offering their products online. According to statistics of Visa International, during 2005 the volume of e-payments of Bulgarians with Visa in the Internet had increased with almost 100%. The total value of the online transactions made to virtual traders outside the country is 14.3 million US dollars. E-trade has a very good opportunity to grow in Bulgaria since the online users are constantly increasing and have the desire to explore new prospects that the internet might offer to them. Consumerism in Bulgaria is likely to increase rapidly too, due to the economical growth in the country, since its entrance in the EU. However Euro Stat has registered high inflation of 13.4% at the moment, which might slow down the economical growth. According to the European committee even slow the economic growth will continue in Bulgaria. An outline of the analysis undertaken According to the data show above the development of e-commerce in Bulgaria seems promising due to the combination of the following trends: Bulgaria has a high sample of potential of online customers, as 30% of its population use Internet actively and 80% can have Internet access when needed. People can have access at home, work and in public Internet cafes. 50% of the Internet users are interested in buying goods online. For 2005 Bulgarians have spend more than $14 million online, buying product from other countries. Most Internet users in Bulgaria are educated people with relatively high income. The economic state in Bulgaria is going to ameliorate in the future, which is a good base for the growth of consumerism. According to the SWOT analysis-undertaken e-commerce has a lot of strengths for both customers and business, which should be considered. E-trade is convenient for both because: It is fast as there is no need to go outside, travel, visit different shops and compare prices. Easy as the shopping can be done in the comfort of your own home with a few clicks. Cheap as the online offering of product can be less costly for businesses, which gives them the chance to offer more competitive prices for consumers. Consumers can choose from millions of products, which are all displayed on their computer. Businesses can online only sell their products by displaying them online, but also advertise them further, as consumers can easily find them. One disturbing weakness that has arisen in the Bulgarian e-trade was the legislation included in the Law for Protection of Consumer, which stated that the person who delivers the product doesnt have the right to receive payment in advance before the period of 7 days. This caused major difficulties for both buyers and sellers. Therefore a correction in the law followed, it stated that the person who delivers could take this payment with the consumers agreement. Maybe this law should be investigated further but for now existing e-commerce organisations do not have a problem doing their business online. More trends can be useful to examine the potential demand for e-commerce businesses. A research on what products Internet user would prefer to buy online, can help specific businesses balance their advantages and disadvantages for undertaking the step to sell online. Also some of the trends found might not be very realistic due to the small number of sample marketed. However over all if the economy in Bulgaria grows and people have more disposable income, e-commerce will be a success, as it will safe people time and money, and give profit to business. A discussion of the main findings From the findings above I can derive that e-commerce business has the potential to grow fast like it has grown in more developed countries all over the world. E-trade can offer companies the advantage of reaching their customers 24-7 and globally. Businesses can also diminish costs by advertising online for less and eliminating the need for large warehouse buildings for storing and displaying their stock. Another great advantage is the opportunity Internet gives for gaining a large number of contacts, which can lead to positive business developments and ventures. Word count: 1913 Reference: Dave Site (no date) History of Internet. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://www.davesite.com/webstation/net-history.shtml Dir.bg (2008) One third of the Internet users are in Sofia. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: http://sofia.dir.bg/2008/05/13/news2987502.html E-commerce land (no date) History of e-commerce. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://www.ecommerce-land.com/history_ecommerce.html Econ (2008) Economic growth in our country will remain one of the highest in Europe. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: http://www.econ.bg/news/article140523.html E-pay (2008) Statistics for payment in E-pay. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: https://www.epay.bg/?page=frontHYPERLINK https://www.epay.bg/?page=frontp=front_wikiwpage=statsHYPERLINK https://www.epay.bg/?page=frontp=front_wikiwpage=statsp=front_wikiHYPERLINK https://www.epay.bg/?page=frontp=front_wikiwpage=statsHYPERLINK https://www.epay.bg/?page=frontp=front_wikiwpage=statswpage=stats E-shop BG (2003) E-trade in Bulgaria. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: www.abcbg.com/download/eshop-13nov2003.ppt EuroStat (2008) Newsletter. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: hHYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=PORTALp_product_code=LN-042008ttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259HYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=PORTALp_product_code=LN-042008HYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=PORTALp_product_code=LN-042008_dad=portalHYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=PORTALp_product_code=LN-042008HYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=PORTALp_product_code=LN-042008_schema=PORTALHYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=PORTALp_product_code=LN-042008HYPERLINK http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46587259_dad=portal_schema=POR TALp_product_code=LN-042008p_product_code=LN-042008 Internet Reklama (2006) E-trade increases twice. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: http://internetreklama.com/bulgaria/ecommerce-bg-x2/ Internet reklama (2007) 2.6 million internet users in Bulgaria. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://internetreklama.com/internet/2600000/ Internet reklama (2008) National Statistics Institute for Internet in Bulgaria. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://internetreklama.com/bulgaria/nsi-2008/ Internet reklama (2008) National Statistics Institute for Internet in Bulgaria. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://internetreklama.com/bulgaria/nsi-2008/ Internet reklama2 (2007) They resolved the advanced payments. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: http://internetreklama.com/internet/e-trade/e-computerworld/ Internet world stats (2008) European Union internet users. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats9.htm Sega (2008) One third of the Internet users are in Sofia. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: http://www.segabg.com/online/article.asp?issueid=2971HYPERLINK http://www.segabg.com/online/article.asp?issueid=2971sectionid=24id=0001403HYPERLINK http://www.segabg.com/online/article.asp?issueid=2971sectionid=24id=0001403sectionid=24HYPERLINK http://www.segabg.com/online/article.asp?issueid=2971sectionid=24id=0001403HYPERLINK http://www.segabg.com/online/article.asp?issueid=2971sectionid=24id=0001403id=0001403 Timeline (no date) Internet history. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://timeline.hit.bg/ Webopedia (no date) Internet. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/I/Internet.html Wikipedia (no date) Phising. Retrieved on 16 May 2008 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing Zoom-Online (no date) What is e-commerce: advantages and draw backs. Retrieved on 15 May 2008 from: http://www.zoom-online.co.uk/e-commerce/what_is_ecommerce_advantages_and_drawbacks.html Appendices Appendix 1 InternetUsageintheEuropeanUnion EUROPEANHYPERLINK http://www.internetworldstats.com/europa.htmUNION Population (2007Est.) InternetUsers, LatestData Penetration (%Population) Usage %inEU UserGrowth (2000-2007) Austria 8,199,783 4,650,000 56.7% 1.7% 121.4% Belgium 10,392,226 5,100,000 49.1% 1.9% 155.0% Bulgaria 7,322,858 2,200,000 30.0% 0.8% 411.6% Cyprus 788,457 356,000 45.2% 0.1% 197.2% CzechHYPERLINK http://www.internetworldstats.com/europa.htm#czRepublic 10,228,744 5,100,000 49.9% 1.9% 410.0% Denmark 5,468,120 3,762,500 68.8% 1.4% 92.9% Estonia 1,315,912 760,000 57.8% 0.3% 107.3% Finland 5,238,460 3,286,000 62.7% 1.2% 70.5% France 63,718,187 34,851,835 54.7% 12.8% 310.0% Germany 82,400,996 53,240,115 64.6% 19.5% 121.8% Greece 10,706,290 3,800,000 35.5% 1.4% 280.0% Hungary 9,956,108 3,500,000 35.2% 1.3% 389.5% Ireland 4,109,086 2,060,000 50.1% 0.8% 162.8% Italy 58,147,733 33,143,152 57.0% 12.1% 151.1% Latvia 2,259,810 1,070,800 47.4% 0.4% 613.9% Lithuania 3,575,439 1,221,700 34.2% 0.4% 443.0% Luxembourg 480,222 339,000 70.6% 0.1% 239.0% Malta 401,880 127,200 31.7% 0.0% 218.0% Netherlands 16,570,613 14,544,400 87.8% 5.3% 272.9% Poland 38,518,241 11,400,000 29.6% 4.2% 307.1% Portugal 10,642,836 7,782,760 73.1% 2.8% 211.3% Romania 22,276,056 7,000,000 31.4% 2.6% 775.0% Slovakia 5,447,502 2,500,000 45.9% 0.9% 284.6% Slovenia 2,009,245 1,250,000 62.2% 0.5% 316.9% Spain 40,448,191 22,843,915 56.5% 8.4% 324.0% Sweden 9,031,088 6,981,200 77.3% 2.6% 72.5% UnitedHYPERLINK http://www.internetworldstats.com/europa.htm#ukKingdom 60,776,238 40,362,842 66.4% 14.8% 162.1% EuropeanUnion 490,430,321 273,234,619 55.7% 100.0% 189.5% Source: Internet world stats (2008) Malaysia S Transportation Sector: SWOT Analysis Malaysia S Transportation Sector: SWOT Analysis A scan of the internal and external environment is a main part of the strategic planning. Environmental factors internal to the firm generally can be classified as strength (S) or weakness (W) and those external to the firm can be classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T). Such an analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as SWOT analysis. STRENGTHS Malaysia is Multi-Racial Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic society and opens to each one. The 3 main cultures, Malay, Chinese and Indian create an interesting Malaysian society yet still leave it open for other cultures to join and thrive. In Malaysia, you will experience the Malay, Chinese and Indian festivals, food, literature, clothing, religion and culture. Affordable Healthcare Healthcare in Malaysia is world-class and more affordable compared to the United States. Doctors and hospitals have the same standard or superior to American doctors and hospitals and care is world-renowned. Healthcare is good in Malaysia. It is one of the top destinations for medical tourism. In Malaysia, you can only visualize how good your healthcare options will be. Education Malaysias education system is mainly based on the British system and it is better than some other countries in the region such as Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Compulsory subjects include English and Malay, so any children has to grow up fluent in both languages. Ease of Language English is the language spoken by most people in Malaysia. When a person moves to Malaysia, he does not have to suffer by the local language to get things done and the life becomes easier for them. Buying a house, a car, set up utilities, furniture and household items, everything is easier due to being able to deal with things in English. Good Infrastructure Malaysia has a world-class infrastructure and the Roads are excellent. The water supply, drain systems and power grids are stable and telecommunication including phones and internet are phenomenal. Living and Working in Malaysia for western expatriate is made even easier due to its western-standard infrastructure. OPPORTUNITIES Malaysias strong emerging economy is a preferred destination for foreign companies and a fertile ground for local businesses to flourish. In this thriving, business environment job opportunities are created to attract both local as well as foreign talents. There are huge opportunities here and it is often only a matter of getting the right working permit. For Non-Malaysians it is required to convince your potential employer that they help you to get the essential paper work completed in the case of applicable working permit, expatriates a full, a commitment that an employer may be reluctant to make until they are confident that the appointment is going to work out. In Malaysia there is a strong demand here for quality candidates with good qualifications and experience. Managerial positions in development, energy, business and engineering corporations are often the typical option for the relocated worker in Malaysia. The private education sector is excellent in Malaysia, with a number of reputed international institutions, diversified and extensive courses offering and high quality, internationally recognized standards, and featuring the British, German and French curricula as common options. When coming to the food industry of Malaysia, internationally aware individuals have been able to run fashionable, niche and successful activities combining gourmet cuisine, design, care for the details, and providing customers with an overall experiential moment. Malaysians inexhaustible passion for food and adventure have made food industry a vibrant sector. Hospitality, Tourism and management is also enjoying a renaissance in Malaysia by offering five-star stays while providing boutique and heritage experiences like nowhere else on Earth. National Chambers of Commerce in Malaysia give opportunity to connect with companies interested in hiring people with international expertise and experience. WEAKNESSES Lack of Medical Tourism: Strict guidelines implemented for medical advertisement. In Malaysia doctors are only allowed to put up ads with the following information- name, address, qualifications, and telephone numbers. The Medicines Advertisement Board in Malaysia must approve even websites of medical institutions. Thus the medical tourism industry of Malaysia lacks in impressive promotional activities and impressive websites. Inconvenient social visit pass process: The procedures for extension of the social visit pass in Malaysia are very inconvenience and can be very difficult. It is required to complete an application form and the applicant must submit it along with his/her passport and confirmed flight ticket to the home country personally. Obviously such requirements make it impossible to be fulfilled by a person admitted in a hospital, such as in the case of a medical tourist. Lack of coordination: Lack of a coordinated effort between airline operators, hotels and hospitals to promote the industry and lack of uniform pricing policies and standards across hospitals in Malaysia. Weak policy: Malaysian policy states that an individual entity is not permitted to transport an excess of 1,000 Ringgits outside of the country without government approval. While this act has not hindered trade, it has certainly weakened the credibility of the Negara Malaysia Bank (the countries national bank) as an international financier. Limited Profits to retailers: The low estimated cost of living is sustained by the Malaysian government through subsides on essential items, such as gasoline, bread, rice, etc. Prices on these items are kept well under market value which although good for the consumer hinders any further competitive pricing by retailers, thus limiting profit. Lacking in multimedia research development hub: Despite the creation of a world-class infrastructure, the government of Malaysia has not been successful in realizing its original aim of creating a cutting-edge multimedia research and development hub. Rising costs: For creating such a successful service industry around the world, Malaysia had to sacrifice other industries along the way. Malaysia is number three in the service industry. The increase in criminal activities related to this industry is causing a rise in the cost to prevent such crime. Favoritism for Malays: Roughly 65% of the population of Malaysia consists of Malays. Government perks favor Malays and other indigenous races to the determent of minorities, who provide a better level of economic activity. These factors have a long-term impact on the economy, by alienating minorities who contribute to economic growth. Those minorities are more likely to move to more favorable countries that value their expertise and economic contributions. Discriminatory Policies in Economy: The discrimination issues the government maintains in Malaysia over non-Malays, is an economic concern. Despite some improvement in the economic power of Malay people, the Malaysian government maintains a policy of discrimination favoring ethnic Malays over other races-including preferential treatment in education, employment, business, scholarships, access to cheaper housing and assisted savings. This special kind of treatment has sparked envy and resentment between Malays and Non- Malays. Discrimination issues tend to provoke conflict between the groups involved in the discriminatory practices. Commerce between the two groups may decrease, which may cause a decrease in overall economic activity. Discrimination also limits human capital when available to do certain jobs. Limitations in general lead to less efficient uses of natural or human resources in an economy. Critical level of Corruption: Corruption in Malaysia has reached a critical level as the country falls in international rankings, a graft watchdog announced warning the government to act or lose its competitiveness. The UNs Asia-Pacific Human Development Report highlighted an International Country Risk Guide finding which saw Malaysia decline from a score of 4.00 in year 1996 to 2.38 in year 2006, with a lower score showing greater corruption. Corrupt political systems tend to weaken economic growth, because they indirectly charge additional taxes on the economy. Every payment to a corrupt officer to obtain a service is considered a tax. The more taxes on a economic system, the lower economic growth, because resources are shifted away from highly efficient parts of the economy to less efficient and corrupt parts of the economy. Threats Malaysia, being a trading nation that highly dependent on international trade, the economic performance is very vulnerable to the performance of the major international trading partners. For decades, the economic growth has been overly reliant on international trade, external sector developments and foreign direct investment (FDI). In view of the challenges that arise from the globalization effects, it is important for the Malaysian Government to sustain growth and strengthen the macro-economic fundamentals within the country. This can be done by focusing on domestic business and industrial activities and increasing the purchasing power of our population. The governments corporate reforms and fiscal policies have to be continued to create a condition suitable for a speedy recovery and sustainable growth. It is also important to ensure that the restructured loans remain performing. Importance must be placed on continuing improvements on transparency, corporate governance and strict enforcement of powers by the market regulators. The country also needs to maintain its peaceful environment and security to secure the investors confidence. Currently, most of exports of Malaysia are for the United States. Thus, the successful recovery of the US economy is pivotal to Malaysias continuing recovery. Due to current stagnation in the US economy, the electronic chip industry is a damper on economic recovery in Malaysia where electronics related exports make up more than 30% of the gross domestic product. River pollution: Pollution is one the largest threats to the rivers. The reduction in river water quality is a clear indicator of the decline in the environmental health of a river basin. Palm Oil Production Destroys Forest: Environmental group protests are making it difficult to expand production of palm oil plantations, so firms have to slow their growth and discover a new, more sustainable, method to increase Palm Oil. Threats and boycotts will lead to less demand for products containing palm oil, which will hurt the price of palm oil as a commodity. Swine Flu Virus: Swine flu (the H1N1 virus) is added to the list of potential threats. Malaysia have downgraded their forecast for tourist arrivals accordingly. Malaysia reported its first fatal case of swine flu with the death of an Indonesian student, officials. The 30-year-old man, who was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, died from cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. TRANSPORTATION SECTOR In Malaysia transport was started developing during British colonial rule, and its transport network is now developed and diverse. Malaysias road system begun during British colonization and it covers about 63,445 km. The main highway that reaches the Thai border from Singapore covers a distance of over 800 km. Within the city, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) is available to help meet Malaysias need for mobility that is reliable, safe, comfortable and predictable. Peninsular Malaysia have high quality network of roads, while the East Malaysian road system is not as well developed. In Peninsular Malaysia the main modes of transport are trains, buses, cars and to an extent airplanes. Malaysias small railway system is less significant than its roads and is confined primarily to the peninsula, where it runs from the southern tip (where it is connected to Singapore) northward to the border with Thailand. Malaysias first light-rail transport was started in Kuala Lumpur in 1996. After that, several monorail and express lines have opened in the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area. In East Malaysia and especially in Sarawak river transport is of great importance. In addition, Malaysias accessible and long coastlines have fostered maritime trade for more than a millennium. Several ports, notably Penang on the Strait of Malacca and Port Kelang (the principal port) have become major container-handling facilities. Air transport has grown very rapidly as the passenger traffic has increased especially on the peninsula. Almost all Malaysian states are connected with an internal air network. Airports in Kota Kinabalu, Penang and Kuching have limited international service. LAND TRANSPORT Roads Malaysias road network covers 98,721 kilometers , of which 80,280 kilometers is paved, and 1,821 kilometers is expressways. The longest highway the North-South Expressway of the country extends over 800 kilometers between the Singapore and Thai border. Trains The inter city, countrywide, traditional KTMB rail network and the inner city, light rail transit network are the two types of train network in Malaysia. The KTMB service serves the entire country of Malaysia by travelling between major cities and also up into Thailand. Railways The railway system covers a total of 1,849 kilometers (1,149 mi). 1,792 kilometers (1,113 mi) of it is narrow gauge, while 57 kilometers (35 mi) is standard gauge. 150 kilometers (93 mi) of narrow gauge tracks and all the standard gauge tracks are electrified. Elevated Light Rail Transit systems are used in some cities such as Kuala Lumpur which are relatively inexpensive. MY Rapid is a company that runs the main public transportation system in KL. They provide Monorail, Putra and Star LRT and RapidKL buses. Buses: For travel between Singapore, Penang and KL, the services of coach in Malaysia are difficult to beat. Fares are well priced at roughly RM 50 RM 60 for KL-Penang and just under RM 100 for luxury coaches from KL-Singapore. The best services also provide drink, food and entertainment for the journey. Buying tickets in Malaysia works out much cheaper than buying them in Singapore. Therefore, if it needs travelling from KL to Singapore and back again, surely purchase a return ticket from the Malaysian side. The buses offer pre-recorded commentary in eight different languages and stop at 22 designated stops around the city. Taxis Drivers very well know very well the city geography and are able to find shortcuts when the inevitable traffic builds up. It is compulsory for taxi drivers to use their built-in meter to calculate the fare. Flag-off fare is RM3 with an additional 10 cents for every 115 meters thereafter. The taxis caught in a traffic jam charge the fare RM3 for the first three minutes and 10 cents for every subsequent 21 seconds. Penang Rickshaw, Penang: In Penang, locals called their rickshaw as Beca in Malay language. Most locals are taking buses and taxi in the island. Due to modern infrastructure the number of rickshaws in the city is reducing. All of these rickshaws have special permit from the government. Currently, Penang has less than 200 rickshaws on its streets mainly to ride tourists to nearby attractions within the city. WATER TRANSPORT Waterways Malaysia has 7,200 kilometers (4,474 mi) of waterways, most of them rivers. Of this, 3,200 kilometers (1,988 mi) are in Peninsular Malaysia, 2500 kilometers (1553 mi) are in Sarawak and 1,500 kilometers (932 mi) are in Sabah. Information on Sea Transportation Many popular island destinations like Pangkor, Langkawi, Tioman and Redang are linked to the mainland by ferry services and other smaller islands are accessible by fishing boats, which may be chartered. Ferry services are also available from Belungkor, Tanjung, Desaru, Kukup, Johor Bahru Duty Free Zone and Sebana Cove (all in Johor) to the neighboring islands in the south and from Butterworth to Penang. There are a number of cruise liners which call on Malaysian ports. One of which, Star Cruises is Malaysian-owned and operated. Ports and harbors This is a list of Malaysian ports and harbors: Bintulu Kota Kinabalu Kuantan Kemaman Kuching Kudat Labuan Lahad Datu Lumut Miri Pasir Gudang George Town, Penang Port Dickson Port Klang Sandakan Sibu Tanjung Berhala Tanjung Kidurong Tawau Tanjung Pelepas Ferry: The ferries carry light vehicles on bottom deck and pedestrian on top level. The bottom is shared by 4 wheelers and two wheelers. The cars onboard the ferry occupy the front part followed by the motorcycles. The ferry has 2 toilets for male and female and one mini counter selling snacks and drinks on the upper level. Pipelines: Malaysia has 3 kilometers (2 mi) of condensate pipeline, 1,965 kilometers (1,221 mi) of gas pipeline, 31 kilometers (19 mi) of oil pipeline, and 114 kilometers (71 mi) of refined products pipelines. AIR TRANSPORT In Malaysia, airlines are separated into two 1) Passenger airlines 2) Cargo airlines. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is well known in the region and is known as one of the more modern airports in the world. With other international airports in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Penang, domestic airports are also available in Malaysia. Also a Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) is designed specifically for low cost carriers by KLIA and it is located 20km from the main terminal. Air Asia is the most popular budget airline in Asia and is based in Malaysia. Air Asia flies to many locations regionally and also domestically. Air transport is crucial for the distribution of high value to weight products. Air freight may only account for 0.5% of the tons of global trade with the rest of the world, but it makes up around 34.6% of the total in terms of value. Shippers pay airlines MYR 8.0 billion annually to carry 805,000 tons of freight to, from and within Malaysia. The benefit to the shippers is estimated as MYR 3.3 billion in excess of this expenditure. Based on these share of exports Malaysian shippers receive over half of this benefit (MYR 1.9 billion). Malaysia Airlines currently flies to many places worldwide and provides access to other states within both East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia.