American Ideology By Benjamin Franklin - 1084 Words

Ever since settlers arrived in America, American ideology began to form and has expanded since. American ideology simply cannot be described in a mere few words, but in Benjamin Franklin’s â€Å"Information to Those Who Would Remove to America† and Washington Irving’s â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† utility plays a part and impacts the building up of American ideology by not only forming the basis for success in the colonies, but even in the present day. In Benjamin Franklin’s â€Å"Information to Those Who Would Remove to America,† Franklin introduces the idea of utility in American ideology. Franklin describes this when he describes the qualities needed to thrive in America: â€Å"Most people cultivate their own lands or follow some handicraft or merchandise† (Franklin ##). Franklin says that if a person wants to come to America, he or she have the will to work. Franklin also reinforces the ideology of utility when he describes America: â€Å"American is the land of labor† (Franklin ). Franklin states that in order to succeed and prosper in America, one must want to work. If one does not want to work, then he or she cannot succeed in America because in America an individual must do his or her own work. Franklin reinforces the idea of utility through the speckled axe example. Franklin states that even though a speckled axe does not look as sharp or as clean as a new axe, the speckled axe still displays more utility because the speckled axe has worked before as compared to the new axe because the nex axeShow MoreRelatedThe American Intelligence Community Essay955 Words   |  4 Pagesactivities during America’s revolution. Benjamin Franklin is known as a big contributor in the processes and use of intelligence activities. He became known as a master of covert action (Central Intelligence Agency 2009). Franklin initiated his covert action skills when he was named Ambassador to France. Thanks to his charming and friendly behavior he was able to use his diplomatic position to gain access into high levels of the French government. Benjamin Franklin managed his convincing skills to persuadeRead MoreEssay on Benjamin Franklins Autobiography1429 Words   |  6 PagesAUTOBIOGRAPHY Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography is an inspiring tale of his personal, as well as public achievement throughout his life. Franklin’s life embodies the exemplary model of a life composed of discipline, self-reliance and self improvement. From his humble beginnings as an apprentice candle and soap maker in his father’s business to a successful business man, author, philosopher, civil activist, politician scientist, inventor, and diplomat, above all Benjamin Franklin was, and stillRead MoreHow Freemasonry Steered the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War938 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough their influence on the social sphere was by far the largest, the masons also had an impact on military conditions during the American Revolution and War for Independence. The masons were essential in providing military camaraderie during the wars leading up to the American Revolution and during the Revolutionary war through their military lodges and inclusive stance. Mil itary Lodges provided support and boosted morale for soldiers during the War for Independence among other wars. MilitaryRead MoreFounding Brothers : The Revolutionary Generation903 Words   |  4 PagesGeneration consists six stories, each of them focuses on a significant creative achievement or failure of seven important men of the early United States. They are George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Aaron Burr. Joseph Ellis has depicted these founding brothers – or founding fathers - in their efforts to lay the republic’s foundation of the most liberal nation – states in the history of Western Civilization. The first story is the duelRead MoreEssay on Foundations of Education1649 Words   |  7 Pagesthe significant figures in the history of the American Educational System, few have had as much ideological and practical influence as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Horace Mann, John Dewy, and Johann Pestolazzi. 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Although man y factors after the French and Indian War effected the American revolution: The Treaty of Paris in 1763, proclamation line, and a staggering war debt accumulated throughoutRead MoreThe Success Of The American Revolution1633 Words   |  7 PagesVolumes of scholastic literature, circulated history books, and an array of multiple sources acknowledge Frances’ contributory role in the success of the American Revolution. Prior to discussing their role in the American Revolution, it is important to mention their historical past in the colonies in order to understand why they intervened on behalf of the continentals. Frances’ historical past in the 13 colonies is filled with humiliation and resentment due to their defeat against Great BritainRead MoreThe Founding Brothers Analysis781 Words   |  4 Pageshappening in the American Revolution. Ellis states, â€Å"On the inevitability side, it is true there was voices back then urging prospective patriots to regard American I ndependence as an early manifest destiny† (3). The book introduces the revolutionaries: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. Ellis focuses on the characteristics, actions, events, and the ideologies differences that affect the American Revolution. In 1804Read MoreThe Ideal American Vision : Benjamin Franklin Vs. John Winthrop2087 Words   |  9 PagesIdeal American Vision: Benjamin Franklin vs. John Winthrop Billions of people all over the nation and world have heard of the ideal American vision to be defined as a perfect set of rules and regulations that provide the ideal conditions for living life. Though many people to this day may still argue their understanding of these idealistic views, there is an ideniable truth that it was two most influential figures in history from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Benjamin Franklin and JohnRead More46 Pages and Common Sense Analysis and Review Essay examples1301 Words   |  6 Pagesable to poignantly illustrate the colonies metamorphosis from a dependent arm of the English Empire to an independent country, the catalyst for which was Thomas Paines Common Sense. Liell is able to not only articulate the turning point of the American consensus towards independence, but he also very intelligibly depicts the sentiments of all facets of colonial dogma and the torrential effect that Common Sense had in loosening the cement that held those beliefs. Using fantastic examples of the

Types And Forms Of Communication Essay - 1784 Words

Introduction Overview Communications skills are fundamental to any person’s life because naturally, man is a social being and people spend most of their time communicating in different forms such as; oral, non-verbal, written and interpersonal. Most successful people are those who are good at interacting with other people in different situations. The ability to skilfully interact with people is grounded in a person’s unwavering skills in the different forms of communication. Therefore, it is important for students to appreciate should and develop good communication skills. Types and Forms of Communication Having appreciated the importance of communication in different contexts, it is imperative to understand the different forms or categories of communication, in which people engage in. This is because these different forms of communication demand unique sets of skills or tactics. †¢ Oral Communication: this involves exchange of messages or information using spoken words and is commonly referred to as communication by word of mouth. This occurs in different interaction set ups such as meetings, talks, discussions, presentations, interviews, speeches and so on. †¢ Written Communication: this form of communication entails the creation of a ‘hard copy’ of the message or simply written messages or words in the form of business letters, reports, research papers, articles, note taking etc. †¢ Non-Verbal Communication: this is the wordless form of communication which takes the formShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Nonverbal Communication1056 Words   |  5 PagesCommunication has been described as a flow of information between two parties principally between a source and a receiver. 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Communication is a process that engages at least two peoples: sender and receiver and continuously takes places in every field including education field, medical field, tourism field, business field and so forth. Communication plays an important role in establishing ideas, needs and concerns later to start a common

The History and Structure free essay sample

Explain the key historical developments in the travel and tourism sector. You should provide a concise outline of key developments from the pilgrimages to the current day and conclude with future developments. You need to refer to the growth of the package holiday as a key development and explain its current position within the sector. With use of industry examples explain the structure of the travel and tourism sector including the concepts of chain of distribution and the roles of the sectors: government organisations, transport, accommodation, tour operators, travel agents and visitor attractions. You should explain the meaning of horizontal and vertical integration and how this has affected the industry structure. Provide an explanation of Leipers’ tourist system and explain the difference between public, private and voluntary sectors. The definition of tourism is a journey and stay in an area different to that of where one lives and works. If someone owns a holiday property or moves to work in the area on a paid or voluntary basis, this cannot be referred to as tourism. Tourism began in Roman times; with holidays to the seaside and spa areas dating back as early as 1300BC. During this time, wealthy and educated members of society set off to explore other cultures and visit the ancient world’s wonders. Popular places of interest to visit were the Acropolis in Athens and the Pyramids in Egypt. Part of the reason for tourism being introduced was the fact that the first Roman Emperor Augustus had rid the Mediterranean of pirates, thus making travel safe. Some tours taken could have had duration of two to five years. This is comparable to the Grand Tour of the 18th and 19th century when well-educated and wealthy people considered this as part of their education to go. This was a British invention and generally the privilege of young upper class gentlemen, which by the late 19th century became an American phenomenon. As opportunities for travel became more common-place travel to places in search of spiritual satisfaction became popular, thus the increasing popularity of pilgrimage travel. Pilgrimage travel destinations vary greatly in accordance to individual’s religious beliefs. Using the Christian religion as an example, there is an interest to visit sites connected to the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Members of the Roman Catholic denomination have travelled to Lourdes in large numbers since 1858 when reported sightings of ‘Virgin Mary’ took place perceiving destination to be ‘a place of pilgrimage and miraculous healings’ Nowadays Lourdes attract 5 000 000 pilgrim tourists each year. (Wikipedia). A good description of the tourism system is one described by Lepier in his basic tourism system where he identified three geographical regions:- * Traveller generating regions * Transit destination regions * Transit route regions â€Å"(Leiper 1995). A closer look at the three geographical regions shows that the traveller generating region is the places, or market, that the tourists and tourism is coming from, it can provide the push factors that motivate people to travel. It is from the region, people will research information on the destinations, make the booking and depart. The tourist destination area is where the tourist is a tourist, this is where the tourism takes place, it is at the destination that the managers put their plans and strategies into effect. The pull factor of the destination, which varies from place to place, is what creates the demand for the travellers to that region. The transit route region is all the places visited on the way as well as going from A- the traveller-generating region to B- the tourist destination region. (Cooper et al 1993). This goes to show that without one part of the system, the whole system would not work. The 1940’s brought about the introduction of annual leave entitlement. By 1974,the law stated that workers were entitled to four week’s annual leave. This led to more leisure time being available and people looking to use this time to travel. Along with this came the standard five day working week, giving people even more leisure time. Between 1989 and 1994 in Britain, more than half of all men (two-thirds of those in professional occupations) and a third of women retired before the state pension age of 65. Of these around ten per cent , 14 per cent were either voluntary or involuntary early retirement instigated by the employer, and around 30 percent were on health grounds. Evidence that is more recent suggests that only 37 per cent of British men are still working at the were at the normal retirement age of 64 compared with 57 per cent as recently as 1979. In each successive generation the tendency has been for retirement to take place at an earlier and earlier age, and those not yet retired often hope to be able to do so in their 50s . (source:http://www. bis. gov. uk/files/file11528. pdf). This along with the fact that people are living longer all play a part in the growth of tourism. Other factors were when women started to enter the workforce during the second world war as the mend who traditionally held factory and labour jobs went to fight in the war. Gradually women in the workplace became common-place, leading to two wage- earner families. Due to woman looking on careers as an important part of their life, couples began having less children leading to more disposable income. The development of the package holiday market began back in the 1850’s . Thomas Cook a 32-year old cabinet-maker from Leicester began offering tours of Scotland at a much more affordable rate. His motivation was the belief that Victorian social problems were related to alcohol and people’s lives could be greatly enhanced if they replaced alcohol with education. Cook expanded and organised trips throughout the UK. He gave the travellers a booklet of information, a forerunner for the modern day holiday brochure produced by Tour Operators. The success of these led to Cook opening up opportunities for middles classes to travel to various parts of the world by the 1870’s . The success of Thomas Cook has continued to the present day and they represent an excellent example of how vertical and horizontal integration benefit a growing company. Horizontal Integration occurs when an organisation buys another company on the same level in the chain of distribution. Vertical integration is when an organisation buys a company at a different level on the chain of distribution. Diagram illustrated below:- Source: http://www. hotelmule. com/forum/viewthread. php? tid=1076 (accessed 09/12/11) Horizontal and vertical integration have changed the structure of the travel industry dramatically. Integration has a positive and negative impact on the industry. When a tour operator is integrated with a travel agent, this gives the tour operator control over what the travel agency sells, therefore ensuring their own products are given priority. This can have a negative impact on the independent agent as the tour operator controls the commission levels payable and will aim to make their own agency more competitive to the consumer in an attempt to increase their market share. To combat this, several independents have turned to niche markets to survive. Horizontal integration gives the ‘multiple’ agencies such as Thomas Cook an even greater advantage as they gained more control of the retail market by buying other travel agency chains such as ‘Going Places’ and Co-op Travel’. Airlines have integrated over the years in order to gain control of the market. Sometimes in the interest of the consumer, governing bodies do not permit this to go ahead. An example is when British Airways wanted to merge with American Airlines. The governing body IATA declined their proposal as this would have enabled them to dominate the pricing of transatlantic flights from the UK. The sectors making up the structure of the travel and tourism sector include government organisation, transport, accommodation, tour operators and visitor attraction. Their roles are:- 1. Government organisations: â€Å"UNWTO plays a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible. The transport sector is made up of the following:- Airport and port authorities Airports and port authorities are not only in existence to make a profit, but they have very serious responsibilities to society. In the words of Sir Michael Bishop, chairman of BMI stated â€Å"Transport is the backbone of a sustainable economy; it brings people together, facilitates trade and sustains tourism†. Running an airport is a complex, lucrative operation. An airport provides products and services to various groups of people and businesses: ? Airlines are provided with the infrastructure and services to operate their flights ? Customers are provided with facilities, such as restaurants, toilets and shops ? Other businesses get a location in which to operate their business, for example car hire. Airports can be part of the private or public sector, for example BAA, who own six airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted was bought by an international consortium in June 2006 and subsequently delisted from the London Stock Exchange in August of the same year; whereas Manchester airport is public sector, being owned by the City of Manchester and none other Greater Manchester councils. The ideal view of privatisation is that it enhances individual freedoms, encourages and improves efficiency, makes industry more responsive to the demands of the customer, decreases the public debt, and reduces the potential stranglehold of trade unions by forcing management to face the realities of the market place. Vickers and Yarrow (1989) report that in an investigation of the relative performance of private and public enterprises, the evidence does not clearly establish the clear-cut superiority of private ownership with respect to cost efficiency. They do make the point, however, that privately owned firms tend, on average, to have lower costs (more internal efficiency) when competition in product markets is effective. Port authorities The main role of port authorities is to provide a service to ships and cargo. With the increase in activity in this sector along with the cruise sector growth, ports have become a good location for value-added services which have evolved from customer needs and demands. The UKs leading ports group, Associated British Ports (ABP) owns and operates 21 ports in England, Scotland, and Wales, and handles approximately a quarter of the countrys seaborne trade. One of the ports owned by this private sector company is Southampton whose success has been greatly increased by the increase in cruising options available due to its unique double-tide and deep-water. . The Port of Southampton is the cruise capital of the UK, serving more than one million passengers each year. Southampton boasts the finest cruise passenger facilities from dedicated terminals through to extensive car parking, and including the opportunity to arrive from door-to-port by rail. Airlines None of the airlines in the UK are government owned, but some are owned by their shareholders and are therefore Public Limited companies such as British Airways. Airlines can be broken down into the following sectors:- 1. Scheduled These run on a regular timetable which is updated twice a year to produce a winter and summer schedule. An example of a scheduled airline is British Airways. Depending on the aircraft type and routing, scheduled airlines will offer different classes of travel such as economy, business and first class in order to meet the needs of all prospective customers. All scheduled airlines will give a free baggage allowance and most will offer a full inflight service of complimentary beverages, meals and in-flight entertainment (depending on length of flight) 2. Low Cost The introduction on ‘low cost’ or ‘no frills’ offered a significant change to the industry where passengers can be offered a low fare but will be charged for extras such as baggage, seat allocation in-flight services. They work on a system of ‘yield management’ which means that prices are constantly monitored and prices adjusted accordingly, therefore in high season, or other periods of high demand fares can be more expensive than traditional airlines. These airlines operate their timetables in the same way as scheduled airlines. Examples of low cost airlines are Easyjet and Ryanair. Since seeing the success in this sector some traditional airlines have formed low-cost airlines such as BMI who formed Bmibaby in 2002. 3. Charter Tour operators contract (charter) an aircraft for specific holiday seasons or day-trips. The services on-board chartered aircraft vary greatly depending on the airline the company has chartered. Once the tour operator has committed to the chartering of an aircraft for a period then they are committed. This can lead to reduced prices of package holiday’s off-season or if a flight is not fully booked. Some tour operators are integrated with airlines. Major tour operator ‘Thomas cook ‘are horizontally integrated with ‘Thomas Cook Airlines and will therefore use their own aircraft first when arranging chartering services for their holiday programme. Charter airlines are constantly changing their pricing structure and whilst some will include an in-flight meal and luggage allowance like scheduled airlines do, others have followed suit with low cost airlines begun to charge the customer for all ancillaries. Cruise and shipping companies The cruise sector has been the fast growing sector in the travel and tourism industry over the past ten years due to increase in demand and the creation of new cruise ships. Whilst niche markets still exist in this sector, many companies have expanded their portfolio to reach new markets such as families and young people rather than the older groups who were the traditional cruisers. Companies have also targeted the market of those who do not want a fly-cruise and wish to avoid flying altogether, hence the success and development of Southampton port. River cruises are another popular and increasing market, who offer cruising on rivers such as the Danube, Rhine and Nile. The rivers sector is now the fastest-growing part of the UK cruise market with 8 per cent growth in 2010 to 134,000 passengers. The PSA (Passenger Shipping Association) stated in the leading trade journal TTG that â€Å"Cruise holidays grew by 6% in 2010 despite the total number of foreign holidays continuing to decline, new figures from the Passenger Shipping Association revealed today. The independent body’s 2010 Cruise Review showed that cruising accounted for a 4. 5% share of all the 36. 1 million foreign holidays taken last year and 11. 5% of the package holiday market of 14 million†. Coach Companies Approximately nine million people take coach tours each year. Coach tourism contributes ? 2.5 billion to the UK economy. Coach companies have adapted their products to meet customer’s ever-changing needs and demands. There is an increasing demand for day excursions, short breaks and holidays by coach which companies need to respond to. Companies also offer fly/coach holidays where customers have the benefit of touring areas of interest such as California. In response to this , major coach companies have excellent working relationships with airlines, ferry companies and accommodation providers. A few companies have integrated with tour operators to give better control of the market. An example is ‘Tourama’ who are now owned by the tour operator ‘Cosmos’. Railways There are 24 train companies that serve the length and breadth of the UK. The national rail network in the UK is owned by ‘Network rail’, whose role is to maintain the infrastructure and when necessary renew the tracks. There are also Train Operating Companies, known as TOC’s who lease trains from rolling stock companies. The Strategic Rail Authority issues issue the franchises and monitor the train operating companies to ensure rail passengers are protected. Examples of TOC’s Virgin Trains and Central Trains. These are commercial profit-making companies who do not receive any government funding. Transport for London (TFL) are responsible for the running of the London Underground and Docklands Light railway . They operate a driverless system and aim to create an additional 4 million daily journeys by 2025. Their sophisticated computerised system is closely managed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A massive breakthrough in rail travel was the introduction of Eurostar in1993, the passenger train service for the channel tunnel operating from London to Paris, Lille and Brussels. They are public sector and owned by London and Continental Railways. Car Rental Companies Major car hire companies such as Hertz and Avis operate internally and have representation at international airports and work in conjunction with airlines to offer travellers exclusive deals. They also offer online and telephone pre-booking service and have met demands of customers by offering a wide range of vehicles, including comprehensive insurance and offering pick off and drop off in airport and downtown locations, including one way rentals. Reservations and sales staff Reservations and sales staff play a key role in the success of the travel and tourism industry. Whilst opportunities increase for the customer to book directly online, many consumers prefer to deal with people either face to face or by telephone. The quality of the staff reflects directly in the success of the company. The role of reservations and sales staff is to give advice and correct information, sell and administer bookings. The influence of local and national governments and international agencies on the travel and tourism sector Task 2 – LO2: For the country i live in provide an analysis of the function of different levels of government. In your answer you need to discuss the range of government national and international agencies, and government sponsored bodies and their main roles. Local and national economic policy can influence the success of the sector, provide examples how this is done using an area you or familiar with or have researched. VisitBritain formed in 1993 and are the national tourism agency who are responsible for marketing Britain worldwide. They are non-departmental public body who are funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Although they primarily market Great Britain as opposed to the whole of the UK, Visit Britain work with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and assist in the marketing of NI as a tourist destination. The public sector plays a significant role in tourism and has traditionally provided funding, staff resources and the organisational capacity to create and manage campaigns on behalf of the whole sector. For many years this was restricted primarily to local authorities typically in those areas of the country with a well-established tradition of hosting visitors and and a network of Regional Tourist Boards which were established through the Development of Tourism Act (1969). Following the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, it was agreed that the promotion of tourism should be an area of co-operation. At this point a new publically owned company was established by the two governments in Ireland to promote increased tourism to the island of Ireland as a whole, working closely with Bord Failte. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is currently receives ? 13. 88 million annually in government funding. (  Source:http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200001/cmselect/cmcumeds/430/1042614. htm) Current Responsibilities for Tourism Development in Northern Ireland:- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Lead Government Department for tourism in Northern Ireland. Responsibilities include: †¢ Development of tourism policy (including targets and priorities); †¢ Bringing forward, and amending, enabling tourism legislation; †¢ Securing funding for tourism; Tourism Ireland Responsible for the overseas promotion of the island of Ireland as a tourism destination and supports Northern Ireland to realise its tourism potential. Invest Northern Ireland Responsible for tourism accommodation grants and business support to the tourism sector for ‘client companies’. LOCAL TOURISM DELIVERY Local Councils Take the lead on tourism strategy and development within their council boundaries. This includes: †¢ local marketing, †¢ local product development; and †¢ local infrastructure development and enhancement. Regional Tourism Partnerships and Other Bodies Co-ordinate some of the marketing and product development efforts on behalf of various local Councils and the private sector. Private Sector Provision of all those facilities and services essential to tourism eg accommodation, things to see and do, standards of service etc. Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and to assist in marketing it as a major and leisure and business destination, the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau was established in 1999. to promote Belfast as a major leisure and business tourism destination. The Bureau works in partnership with the industry in promoting the city, and currently represents over 300 businesses in the Greater Belfast area. The implications of political change Task 3 LO2:- Using the area you live, and the UK, and a country of your choice explain the implications of political change on the travel and tourism industry. Consider the reasons for government involvement in travel and tourism, the influence of government and how the industry has been impacted by a political change eg change in political party, or a change in the level of stability. This report will investigate Northern Ireland, the UK and Mexico, explaining implications political change had on the travel and tourism industry. Northern Ireland How political change in Northern Ireland affected the tourism of the country has been extraordinary. Since the ceasefire in 1994, fear of visiting the province has decreased and there has been a steady growth of interest in Northern Ireland as a tourist destination. Despite scepticism, especially from the unionist party members, this was a significant breakthrough. In 1998, there was another major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process, namely the ‘Good Friday’ agreement. This set out provisions relating to areas such as the relationship between Northern Ireland and institutions in the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom; human rights; respecting each other’s traditions within their communities; the decommissioning of arms by paramilitary groups; release from prison of political prisoners and changes in British security arrangements in Northern Ireland. Tourism has continued to grow at a steady pace and the predicted spin off of the MTV Europe Awards which Belfast hosted in November 2011 combined with the planned events marking the centenary of the Titanic disaster predict to put Northern Ireland on the global tourism map. Northern Ireland has high ambitions since it’s transformation and aim to ensure the next ten years create even more tourism that the past ten years. Their tourism strategy compiled by NITB states that they aim to double tourism figures. This is an amazing achievement as progress of tourist numbers was very slow in the years preceding 1994 and Northern Ireland was thought of as an unsafe place to travel to as opposed to a holiday destination. The table below demonstrates how poor tourism figures were pre 1994 and how this increased rapidly from 1994 onwards. Source: UK Occupancy Study / Failte Ireland The growth in tourism has been assisted by the improvement of accessibility to Northern Ireland with the introduction of low cost airlines and new routes being added. Various other factors have affected tourism in Northern Ireland in a positive way. In 2009, there was a 30% increase in the number of tourists from the Republic of Ireland . This was due to residents of ROI feeling safer and not under threat and also the fact that value for money was better due to ROI being in the Eurozone and cost of living soaring. Also the multi-million pound road improvements on the main N1 motorway completed in 2007 made travel from South to North very comfortable and easy. Previously, ROI residents may have feared travelling north as they would have been easily recognised by their accent and car registration number which may have led to them being targeted and harmed by extremists. This development was welcomed and changed the tourism mix due to a fall in numbers from international and Great Britain markets – this being due to the international global economic crisis. Government must work in conjunction with the tourist board to ensure potential tourist feel safe and welcomed when visiting the country. Quality of life in Northern Ireland is being enjoyed at a much higher level than the dark days before any significant tourism existed with the social skills being developed of those working in the hospitality industry conversing with different cultures and the creation of extra jobs in the sector. United Kingdom Leading market research company ‘BCC Research’ recently stated â€Å"the sharp decline in tourism cannot be wholly attributed to recessionary factors, rather the lack of heavyweight support given to the tourism industry within government† and â€Å"poor decision making and allocation of resources†. The current recession is a result of financial mismanagement on behalf of the British government. As the economy was booming and there was plenty of money in circulation, the government responded by lowering interest rates instead of raising rates to control inflation. This led to the newly appointed government introducing massive cuts and the marketing budget for ‘Visit Britain’ being cut by 18 per cent. At a time when other countries are increasing their marketing budgets and much needed tourist spend is required in the UK this strategy may lead to a downturn in tourism. With the weakening of the pound it could be argued that the UK would make an attractive choice for tourists, but this is not reflected in tourism numbers to date. Tourism is the fifth largest industry in the UK and employs 1. 4 million people directly and 1.3 million people indirectly. A recent report by ‘Deloitte’ suggested that tourism was worth 8. 2 per cent of GDP; so in the current economic climate the UK cannot to afford this, but there are fears the government are doing little to help increase tourism. MEXICO The Current government of Mexico has been waging a five year battle with drug trafficking gangs in the hope of dismantling them and creating a stable society. Combined with the drug-related violence, reports of car-jacking and theft, Mexico’s adverse publicity has led to a drop in the number of tourists from US tourists crossing the border. Surprisingly, according to Mexican government officials, tourism in general has only been marginally affected, but the most likely reason for this is major price cuts which have been applied to Mexican cruises to increase tourist numbers. Since 2006, the year that the military offensive was launched against drug cartels, government statistics report that more than 28000 people have been murdered in Mexico. Both US State Department and British Foreign Office have issued warnings concerning the violence in Mexico. The government continue their efforts to increase tourism as this is one of Mexico’s most important industries, generating 9% of their GDP. The foreign office website states the following advice on travelling to Mexico:- â€Å"Millions of foreign visitors, including approximately 300,000 British nationals, safely visit Mexico each year. This includes tens of thousands who cross the border with the US every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million foreign residents who live in Mexico. However, crime and violence are serious problems in Mexico. While most victims of violence are Mexican citizens associated with criminal activity, the security situation does pose risks for British nationals as well. The Mexican government makes efforts to protect foreign visitors to major tourist destinations. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta have historically not seen the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the northern border region and in areas along major drug trafficking routes. † Source:- www. fco. gov. uk – date accessed 31 Jan 2012) The current President has taken a stand on the drug trade and it has increased the violence between the military/police and the drug distributors. It used to be that the politicians and police were all tipped off to look the other way. The situation has impacted tourism to mexico dramatically as due to apparent danger and political unrest their highest target market of tourist – USA – are not travelling to Mexico in the high numbers they previously did. Data released by â€Å"SecretarAa de Turismo† (Ministry of Tourism, Sectur) indicated that tourist arrivals continued to  fall in 2009, totalling 12. 6mn in the first seven months of the year, a fall of 6. 6% year-onyear. This will inevitably lead to Mexico’s economy suffering if these figures do not improve therefore pressure is with the government to tackle the issues and increase potential for tourism. Investigate the effects of supply and demand on the travel and tourism sector Task 4 LO3:- Explain the factors which affect tourist demand. Using the course text book (Cooper) and the ilearn to research the theory of demand explain how this applies to the travel and tourism sectors using examples. The definition of tourist demand can vary from the point of view of various groups of people. Economists base their definition of demand on specifics of price people are prepared to pay within a price range during a specified time, however psychologists will view demand from the perspective of motivation reasons and behavioural patterns. The gravity model based on Newton’s law below demonstrates forecasting the flow between markets and generations. This can be used to forecast tourism based on size of a generating market, the attractiveness of a destination and distance between them. Source: http://hotelmule. com/wiki/Gravity-model Tourist demand is affected by economic decisions such as a consumer’s disposable income and factors like responses of the market providers to adapt to the needs of the individual consumer. Taking these into consideration helps us to understand the customer decision process which is broken into four basic elements:- 1. Energisers – what motivates the consumer to go on holiday. 2. Effectors – how the consumer’s ideas have developed on a destination based on the promotion of a destination or their knowledge of it. Roles and decision making – this could involve a travelling companion, travel agent or a family member who is involved in the purchase process. 4. Determinants – this refers to all areas of consideration which a consumer uses to determine their requirements, for example income and motivational factors. Places of tourism demand are closely linked to a person’s age-group and family circumstances. Major tour operators have responded to these demands by ensuring they have a wide portfolio of products to meet individual needs. Although chronological age would appear to be the most obvious way to categorise, the fact that others travelling in the party is a major consideration. Children can have a significant influence on a parent’s decision, who may then in turn invite the grandparents to join them. A good example of how tour operators recognised this and met this demand was the offer from ‘First Choice’ of free child places and also free grandchild places for selected family properties. Principals have based their entire portfolios on demands of their targeted markets and therefore study consumer behaviour and tourist trends on a continual basis. An example is the ferry companies, Stena line and P+O Ferries who offer free student travel at beginning of term to promote their product to parents of students who may be taking their children to university by car. Major Principals will monitor school closure dates and price their holidays accordingly, which is the reason why special offers appear only to be on off-peak dates. Ski operators also hike their prices on mid-term breaks and holiday times. Demand for tourism gives airlines, hotels and tour operators the opportunity to charge inflated prices at periods when they are aware demand is high and availability is limited. Demonstrate how the industry has had to respond to changes in demandin: effects of the global recession, an ageing population, use of home computers/mobile technology, media influences. Explain how the industry has responded by changing their products/services to meet these changes in demand. Global recession The response of airlines to the global recession has been to cut back in areas such as call centres and sales managers, marketing their product cost-effectively on-line. Airlines have cut fares, even though unit costs such as in-flight catering and fuel have risen dramatically. They depend on volume of sales to make a profit. The Charter market responded to the recession by no longer offering a full service on-board flights, and began to make additional charges for ancillary services such as baggage and in-flight meals. On the other hand, countries less affected by the recession such as UAE are expanding by ordering a further 144 planes costing $48 billion. An ageing population Due to the fact that a quarter of the UK population is over 55 and this age-group is forecast to increase by 15% over the next decade, Tour Operators have responded by acknowledging this segment of the market needs to be specifically targeted. Major tour operators Thomson and Thomas Cook have both added products to their portfolio to meet these customer’s needs. ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Golden Circle’ by Thomas Cook and ‘Thomson Gold’ by Thomson take advantage of the needs of this age group in the knowledge that they generally have more disposable income and leisure time. Tour operators have taken into consideration that this age group prefer a good standard and will mainly prefer serviced accommodation and this is reflected in their products offered in their brochures. Coach tours popular with this age group now offer a superior product keeping in line with customer demands. The ever expanding cruise market operators also offer the incentive of reduced prices to the over 55’s age-group, and the operator ‘Silverseas’ market their luxury product to this age group. Use of home computers/mobile technology The use of home computers has not only given potential tourist the ability to study their chosen destination, but also to book and pay for their holiday without the need of a travel agent. Although convenient and at times cost-effective for the consumer, there is a danger that they are not financially protected in the event of company failure. All airlines and tour operators have websites, but there are an increasing number of companies operating with different websites under one parent company who offer either limited or no financial security. This can make booking on-line a risk for the consumer. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was introduced by mobile manufacturers in 1997. This enabled users to browse the internet, use email and connect to specific providers eg weather, but the breakthrough in how the industry was affected with mobile technology cane with the introduction of the I-Phone. Not only can holidays and flights be booked, but airlines such as British Airways have developed an application which can be downloaded and offers on-line check-in and the downloading of boarding passes which can be scanned at the departure gate. Ten billion apps have been downloaded in the past three years. According to the local daily newspaper, Belfast Telegraph (17th February 2011)There are 17,000 travel apps on the market and 160 million app-compatible devices are owned worldwide – which are iPhones, Androids, Blackberrys and tablet devices. Airlines responded to advances in technology by realising there was no longer any demand for paper tickets and all now operate an e-ticket system. Media influences There are various ways in which television and newspaper media can influence reports on events that have taken place. Positive effects (eg South Africa who hosted the World Cup in 2010) or negative impacts (eg Thailand when the tsunami disaster hit in 2004) can influence tourist behaviour to particular areas. When choosing resorts and accommodation consumer behaviour has changed and social media due to the familiarity of sites such as ‘Facebook’ and there is a tendency to take advice from review websites like ‘Trip Advisor’. This is a new trend in society whereby consumers tend to trust opinions of unknown people who have posted opinions and may not be posting an honest or accurate review. Task six L O 4 Using destinations selected from the UK, Caribbean, Europe and Africa and evaluate and report on the main economic, environmental and social aspects of tourism and how they inter-relate. Provide an accompanying explanation to explain strategies that can be used to minimise the negative impacts of tourism whilst maximising the positive impacts. London Economic According to Wikipedia, â€Å"London is the worlds leading tourism destination, and the city is home to an array of famous tourist attractions†. London attracts 30 million international visitors per year, making it the worlds most visited in terms of international visits. The Tourist Board for London is called Visit London. The Government Office for London states that tourism revenues constitute 10 per cent of Londons GVA (gross value added) and contributes to the employment of up to 13 per cent of Londons workforce. According to the London Development Agency, visitors to London spend around ? 15bn each year. Environmental Tourism is both a contributor to, and in some locations, at risk from, environmental problems, proving the need for a sustainable tourism policy. However, in many cases these can be turned into opportunities as demonstrated in the strategies of both the BTA who work closely with ‘Visit London’. Green Tourism for London, launched by the London Development Agency in 2007 (the mayor of London’s agency responsible for sustainable tourism) and with the support of Visit London, is the new scheme for hotels, guesthouses, attractions and venues in the capital, giving incentives for hotels and attractions to ‘go green’. Many have been independently audited and accredited by the national Green Tourism Scheme Social The challenges tourism present for social equity can be turned into opportunities can be demonstrated in strategies of the BTA and ETC. The mayor of London has developed a plan which includes taking into consideration the mutual needs of the tourist and habitant of London. He has stated in his vision that â€Å"Growth of the visitor economy must therefore also be managed to create, in the long term, a city that is better for Londoners and that people will want to visit – a city that is fair, accessible, safe, supports a high quality of life and respects the need for sustainable development. † For those living in the city, he has also promised to â€Å"Provide opportunities for disadvantaged communities to acquire skills and achieve progression in the tourism sector through work-based learning opportunities, mentoring, placements and traineeships†. ‘Green Tourism for London’ holds the mission statement â€Å"To improve the quality of life for all Londoners, by working to create jobs, improve skills and promote economic growth†. Antigua and Barbuda The tourist industry in Antigua and Barbuda was among the first to be developed within the Eastern Caribbean, and is presently ranked as one of the largest in the region. The geographical position of the island makes it a strategic first stop or last landfall for both aircrafts and pleasure yachts crossing the Atlantic. Economic Tourism is Antigua’s most important productive sector, and was in 2007 estimated to account for 40 % of all employment, and 70 % of GDP. Tourism is still the largest contributor to Gross Domestic Product, despite the fact that in 2009 Antigua’s economy was severely hit by the global economic crisis. It suffered from the collapse of its largest financial institution and saw a steep decline in tourism. Positive growth returned in 2011 and tourism is on the increase again. For Antigua and Barbuda, economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in their tourist markets, which are mainly the UK, USA and other islands in the Caribbean. According to statistics printed by the Antigua Tourism authority Cruise lines supply the largest number of visitors totalling 60%. The Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority reported that in 2007 Antigua and Barbudas tourism arrivals totalled 261,785 stay over visitors and over 500,000 cruise passengers from 440 cruise calls. Environmental In spite of the fluctuations in the actual numbers of passengers, the cruise lines still supply the largest group of visitors. Unfortunately there can be negative environmental consequences of the tourism cruise ships bring to the islands. They can leave large amounts of pollution in the ecosystem every year. Ships also dump large amounts a waste, sometimes illegally, into the Caribbean Sea to which has damaging effects to coral reefs and marine wildlife. The Caribbean had made several lawsuits towards cruise lines for ‘illegal, environmentally unsafe actions’. Cruise ship pollution is now currently being monitored and regulated by the MARPOL to ensure all waste is disposed of properly; thereby protecting the local environment. Tourism in the Caribbean had began to damage local ecosystems. The increased demand for electricity, seafood and water had caused prices for these resources to reach record high price levels and have led to Antigua being listed as â€Å"water scarce† due to the large consumptions due mainly to tourist resorts. Caribbean Action For Sustainable Tourism’ has created a plan of action for the tourism industry which contains ten important areas, waste minimization, energy efficiency, conservation and management, management of fresh water resources, waste water management, hazardous substances transport, land-use planning and management, design for sustainable tourism. The aim of the organisation is that the plan will help preserve the ecosystem, which is clearly at risk from tourism. Social The current population of Antigua is 68,000. The importance of tourism in society is crucial as the industry generates approximately 48% of All Jobs. Antigua tourism authority estimated that it requires a visitor expenditure of around 64,350 East Caribbean Dollars (approximately ? 250,000)to create a single full-time job. The government have recognised the importance of effective tourism management and have therefore implemented strategies to help the people living in Antigua to become adequately trained in all aspects of working in the tourism industry. The Ministry of Tourism has launched a tourism cadet programme that seeks to develop a cadre known as the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Cadet Corps with a knowledge and understanding of the needs, problems and opportunities within the tourism sector and also to provide hands-on training and development within the tourism business. There is training provision in Antigua in both the public and private sector through the ABHTI(Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute)training for all service employees, customs, immigration, taxi drivers and private sector companies are incentivised to release  employees for training. Although tourism can create a demand for western lifestyles and attitudes and threaten the local culture of these Caribbean islands , the need for tourism in order for the islands to survive is obvious, hence the government taking steps to sustain it. Some citizens may feel excluded from their own island, but in order to survive tourism must be sustained. Barcelona Economic Barcelona is one of the richest regions in Southern Europe and accounts for more than a quarter of Spain’s GDP, ten per cent of which is directly attributed to income from tourism. Barcelona enjoys booming tourism with it’s uniqueness of being a city which has a beach. It is not only a popular cruise port and a city renowned for it’s architecture, but also a gateway for many other attractions such as Portaventura theme park, Montserrat, trade exhibition facilities, sporting activities such as football and racing and accessible skiing in the winter months. Since Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games in 1992, the city has experienced steady growth in tourist numbers, while continuing to specialise and diversify its supply and demand. Taking advantage of this event, Turisme de Barcelona was set up as the result of an agreement and the close relationship between Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and has since developed and identified a number of programmes and actions to promote the city as a tourist destination, making Barcelona the European city that has experienced the greatest proportional growth in terms of the tourism sector. Their vision is: Barcelona will still be recognised as the most vibrant and dynamic tourist destination in the Mediterranean and one of the world’s leading destinations, and has established its position as a destination that has gone way beyond its administrative boundaries. It is a city where tourism is fully integrated into its economic, retail, social and cultural dynamic and where the community recognises all kinds of visitors as other (temporary) citizens. The hospitable character of the locals makes it a friendly, different city that people are fond of. A metropolitan city which is distinguished by its environmental sustainability, its excellent service, its continuous ability to surprise and its groundbreaking initiatives. Culture, creativity and knowledge are the engines of the city and its territory. The real city, its identity and dynamism form the basis of its appeal and there is no room for â€Å"ghettos† or neighbourhoods that cater exclusively to tourists. In order to balance the needs of tourists whilst conserving the environment, the government have introduced sustainable projects to manage the environmentally negative impacts of tourism. Projects have included making more areas in the city pedestrianised in order to reduce pollution by traffic and congestion. Also the development of cycle lanes and bus lanes encourage tourist to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport. Alongside this, walking tours are very popular and create an environmentally friendly method of sight-seeing. The environmental impact of cruising has led to the need for responsible tourism being addressed at government level with the introduction of ‘The City of Barcelona Strategic Tourism Plan’ and includes the introduction of regulations that must be adhered to by cruise lines who operate in and out of Barcelona. Social Barcelona’s status as a tourist city has led to many social adaptations which have been viewed at times as an inconvenience to the local community and can create a feeling of unease and anti-tourist sentiments. The introduction of low cost airlines has seen Barcelona become an accessible destination for sometimes unwelcome stag and hen parties. The infiltration of multi-national chains such as McDonalds and Starbucks are threatening local businesses and causing closure and changing the culture as tourists are supporting these familiar outlets instead of experiencing the authentic Spanish cafes. This has led to many locals reluctantly moving from the city centre to avoid the high numbers of tourists. Crime level with regards to pick-pocketing is high in Barcelona as thieves take advantage of the mass tourists on a daily basis. Kenya Economic Kenya’s services sector, which contributes about 63 percent of GDP, is dominated by tourism. In the late 1990s, tourism declined due to increasing violence and suffered a further downturn following the bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi. This led to western governments advising against travel to Kenya. The government and tourist industry organisations took steps such as establishing a tourist police and launching marketing campaigns in an attempt to address the security problem and reverse negative publicity tourism saw substantial recovery over the following years and is the now Kenya’s largest foreign exchange earning sector. Kenya currently receives about 1 million tourists per year as compared to about 70,000 at the time of independence in 1973. Tourism has become one of the most vital sectors of Kenya’s economy and a major foreign exchange  earner as well as offering employment to well over 138,000 segments in direct employment and 360,000 in indirect employment. Environmental â€Å"Despite the country’s policy advocating spatial distribution of tourists in the country, tourism marketing has continued to focus on the traditional attractions, thereby perpetuating concentration. Impacts are most severe in crowded attractions – beaches have been polluted, coral reefs destroyed, marine species adversely affected and vegetation degraded. Environmental regulations are either ignored or not effectively implemented. Mitigation efforts are constrained by weak institutions, corruption, mismanagement, inadequate political and administrative capacity†. New environmental guidelines for tourism were introduced by the Minister of Tourism in Kenya in 2007. In many places in Kenya, natural systems and biological resources such as the game reserves, water resources, beaches, forests etc are threatened by tourism that was not backed by well regulated development guideline. These posed a risk to the attractions and services that are dependent for tourism to be sustainable. As a result of this environmental dependency, tourism has had adverse effects on the environment. Examples include pollution of water resources through waste disposal, trampling of vegetation and congestions in game reserves, and the pollution of beaches. Social Most forms of ecotourism are owned by foreign investors and corporations and offer very few benefits to the local communities in Kenya. The majority of the profits are not reinvested into the local economy. Residents are frustrated at the limited employment provided in these areas and the small wages paid by those that are employed. An example of the resentment of local people was the highly publicised case when Maasai nomads killed wildlife in national parks to demonstrate their disapproval at their displacement from traditional lands. This action followed communities being ordered out of their homes in order to create national parks and game reserves for the purpose of tourism. Local and national governments took advantage of the Maasai’s ignorance on the situation and robbed them of huge chunks of grazing land, putting to risk their only socio-economic livelihood. In Kenya the Maasai also have not gained any economic benefits. Despite the loss of their land, employment favours better educated workers. In some cases game reserves can be created without informing or consulting local people, who come to find out about the situation when an eviction notice is delivered (Kamuaro, 2007). Another source of resentment is the manipulation of the local people by their government. Eco-tourism works to create simplistic images of local people and their uses and understandings of their surroundings. Through the lens of these simplified images, officials direct policies and projects towards the local people and the local people are blamed if the projects fail (West, 2006). Clearly tourism as a trade is not empowering the local people who make it rich and satisfying. Instead ecotourism exploits and depletes, particularly in African Maasai tribes. It has to be reoriented if it is to be useful to local communities and to become sustainable (Kamuaro, 2007). There are many positive and negative aspects of tourism socially, environmentally and economically. Social costs may be that individual behaviour and family values may be altered as they are influenced by the behaviour of tourists, but this can also bring the positive cultural experience between hosts and tourists. Another example is the overcrowding issues brought about by tourism can have a positive effect as countries react by improving the infrastructure which can also be of great benefit to the residents. Economically, the positive impacts are the money spent by the tourists strengthening the economy. When new money is brought into the economy, tourist money is returned to the local economy and spend over and over again , creating the multiplier effect. This should outweigh the negative aspects of mass tourism, especially in a country dependent on it. Environmentally, whereby mass visitor’s footfall may be of concern to natural areas, this in turn puts economic value on unspoilt natural resources and encourages the establishment of national parks and protected areas.

Volkswagen Marketing Strategy free essay sample

Using regular customer surveys and customization options as well as using research and development groups, Volkswagen AG matches its product with customer needs. Volkswagen AG is enhancing its regional presence and geographical spread with popular promotions in Brazil, China and now India, but the emphasis is still on the European market (Marketing Strategy recommendation ppt, Dr. J. Coleman 2006). Pricing of their product is dependent on the market price, the economy of the region the product is sold in, and the price of the competitors. An exception is in India where the Volkswagen Toureg is priced higher than the competition except with a lower interest rate, 4. 5% instead of the competitors 8%. (International Business management:Volkswagen,ppt by Anil Lalvani). List of Products All of the products at Volkswagen AG are based on quality, reliability and ecological sustainability. Volkswagen AG consists of 9 brands of vehicles including Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Bently Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Skania. We will write a custom essay sample on Volkswagen Marketing Strategy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Uniting a wide variety of brands and companies with all their individual characteristics and focuses under one umbrella is a great challenge, especially as the Volkswagen Group is committed to maintaining their individual identities. But this is the only way all the brands and companies can make their own contributions to the common value stream and form cornerstones of the Group. (Company Website) see appendix for complete list of products. VolkswagenVolkswagen Commercial VehiclesLamborghini Target MarketThe Volkswagen brand was initiated for the target market of Males and Females between 18 and 39 who recognize the need for quality German engineering. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles were introduced into and target the market of males between 25 and 55 with need for industrial transport vehicles, cabs. The Lamborghini was designed to target middle aged men who desire a sleek, expensive model with refinement, power, comfort and luxury. Value PackageFeatures: The Volkswagen brand offers quality German engineering, affordable innovation, class leading fuel mileage and reliability in all their vehicles. Benefits: The benefits attributed to the Volkswagen brand include wonderful financing, including low interest rates, customer trust and great customer service. Features: The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle brand offers quality multi-purpose vehicles. Class leading fuel efficiency and a sleek, well manufactured design are also some features. Benefits: The benefits of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which can be used as motor-homes include great financing options, great customer service and added value of family memories. Features: The Lamborghini brand features vehicles with upwards of 570 horsepower, combined with the elegant, sleek design and comfortable driving are what separates this brand from all the others. Benefits: The Lamborghini brand satisfies the ideal of exclusivity and luxury power during the mid-life-crisis of a wealthy male. Promotional MixAdvertising: TV commercials, radio magazines and online advertisements are being used to promote the product and increase global awareness. -Youtube videos showing the TV commercial adds, Facebook pages and advertising, and sponsorships of events such as The Blues promoted awareness in a huge way. Promotions: Some examples of previous promotions. -Anyone who purchases or leases a 2007 Volkswagen model will get a custom electric guitar. -Anybody who purchases a 2003 Beetle can get a complimentary iPod. -Offer financing deals. Podcasting: Volkswagen has developed and published four different podcast series as a means of media marketing. Public Relations: The PR committee at Volkswagen offers great customer service, environmental awareness and responsibility and social responsibility. Advertising: TV commercials, radio magazines and online advertisements are being used to promote the product and increase global awareness. -Youtube videos showing the new Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are becoming more and more popular in Asia and North and South America. Promotions: Some examples of previous promotions. -Anyone who purchases or leases a 2007 Volkswagen model will get a custom electric guitar. Podcasting: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has published four different podcast series as a means of media marketing. Public Relations: The PR committee at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers great customer service, social responsibility and environmental awareness and responsibility, stressing how VCV offers industrial alternatives that reduce harm against the environment. Advertising: TV commercials, magazines and online advertisements use emotional advertising, focussing on the status of having a Lamborghini. -Youtube videos go in more depth of the sleek design and engine power as well as the status symbol of the Lamborghini and replay the TV commercials. Personal selling: A lot of the selling of the Lamborghini is done by personal selling, in the outlets, or at car shows. Public Relations: The PR Committee at Lamborghini offers wonderful customer service, social responsibility and environmental responsibility and sustainability. Pricing Objectives-High quality product priced at or around the market price, depending on the Geographic’s and customer price. -Psychological pricing such as odd/even pricing used in leasing and other financing. -â€Å"Cash Back† is also becoming popular in the auto sector. Value Added Benefits such as the new three year scheduled maintenance program. -High quality product that boast fuel efficiency able to be priced slightly above competitors. -Value Added Benefit plans also available. -Prices set high based on consumer expectations, quality product, supply and demand and status. -Maximum profit gains and customer satisfaction taken into consideration. Distribution-Intensive distribution. In s ome Geographical areas,Volkswagen is in a major competition for economy class automobiles, thus brand awareness and availability needs to be widespread. In other areas where consumer preference is already established, Selective Distribution is used. -Selective distribution. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are unique in this new market and a limited number of outlets in a given area are used. -Selective distribution/exclusive distribution. Again, not a whole lot of competition in this market. Consumers know what they want, and are willing to visit outlets from other brands as well as they shop around, thus scarce, high performing outlets are the answer. PositioningVolkswagon positions their product in terms such as â€Å"reliability, quality German engineering, and ecological sustainability. They boast best in class fuel efficiency as well. The Volkswagon Commercial Vehicle brand also positions it’s product boasting industry leading fuel economy, reliability, uniqueness, and ecological sustainability. Lamborghini positions it’s product boasting sleek design, popularity, quality, power, luxury and ecological sustainability. Jetta’s New Price Strategy Working, by Huw Evans. AutoGuide. com 2011, Annil Lavani powerpoint, see above. Volkswagen Company Site Lamborghini Company Site

Italian Book Club Linguality - Parallel Text

Italian Book Club Linguality - Parallel Text Reading Italian literature can be demanding for non-native speakers. Frequently referring to a dictionary becomes tedious, and, unless you wear blinders, resorting to the parallel-text version (Italian and English side-by-side) of a particular work becomes an exercise in futility as you try to avert your eyes from the English translation. With the constant safety net of an English translation just a glance away, its difficult to commit your brain to the exclusive task of absorbing Italian. Fortunately, theres a new way to read recently published Italian fiction and nonfiction almost as effortlessly as reading books in English- the Linguality Italian Book Club. Italian Literature? Ma, Oui!Linguality, based in Cambridge, MA, was founded by a team with extensive experience in foreign-language publishing, university teaching, and pedagogical research. Linguality’s French Book Club debuted in 2007 and quickly earned accolades from readers and language experts alike. Six times a year, contemporary French books are republished with an English introduction, extensive English glossaries, and author interviews in French on audio CD. Given the success of that venture, the company decided to branch out, and launched an Italian Book Club. No Dictionary RequiredThe innovation in Lingualitys Italian Book Club series is the format. The original foreign-language text is placed on every right-hand page, and an extensive English glossary, on the opposite page, allows readers to see the definition of bolded words in context. When the first selection was released, Walter Veltroni, renowned Italian author, journalist, former Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage, and former mayor of Rome, proclaimed that: Its the literary equivalent of a subtitled movie! In fact, the glossary entries act more like turbocharged subtitles, boosting readers comprehension and vocabulary. Typically there are over 2,000 entries per book defining every difficult word and expression, eliminating the need for a dictionary. As Lingualitys publisher, Wes Green, says: ...a non-fluent speaker doesnt need a complete translation...or a dictionary. He or she just opens the book and starts reading in the foreign language. Italian Book Club Membership Has PrivilegesAnother advantage of the Linguality Italian Book Club is that all books are complete, unedited texts- the original version that native Italians read too. Subscribers also receive an audio CD with a 30- to 45-minute conversation in Italian with the author, including a transcript with glossary of the dialogue as an appendix in the book. The publisher recommends that readers have completed the equivalent of two years of college Italian. While each title is amply annotated, beginners may still find it difficult to contend with the texts. With their specially annotated editions of Italian books, the Linguality Italian Book Club offers a unique method for those looking to dramatically improve their Italian language skills. Instead of waiting for the English version of a popular Italian book (few foreign-language titles are ever translated into English anyway), Italian language learners can take off the blinders and read the original without having to resort to the dictionary. Italian Book ListA subscription to Lingualitys Italian Book Club includes six hard-bound books with author interviews on CD. Titles in the series include: Va dove ti porta il cuore (Follow Your Heart) by Susanna Tamaro La scoperta dellalba (The Discovery of the Dawn) by Walter Veltroni Mamma Mia! by Fabrizio Blini Nel momento (In an Instant) by Andrea De Carlo LOrda (The Hoard) by Gian Antonio Stella Il buio e il miele (The Darkness and the Honey) by Giovanni Arpino

APWH Chapter 10- From Tang to the Mongols Essay Example

APWH Chapter 10 APWH Chapter 10- From Tang to the Mongols Paper APWH Chapter 10- From Tang to the Mongols Paper Essay Topic: Poetry Over the course of the three centuries before the rise of the Sui Dynasty C. Buddhism developed a much wider following among the Chinese people Which of the following statements is not a valid observation about the Sui Dynasty? C. It permanently incorporated Korea in to the Chinese domain. The name given to the Asian region northwest of traditional China that was pacified by the Tang was A. Xinjiang. The Sui Dynasty C. completed the new Grand Canal system linking the Yellow Yangtze river valleys. As a result of early Tang rule B. Buddhist influence helped to produce a blossoming of Chinese culture. Tang rule in China became permanently weakened as a result of a rebellion by a protege of A. Yang Guifei. The Turkish-speaking tribal group that ultimately overthrew the Tang were the E. Kirghiz In terms of its relations with neighboring powers, the Song A. met their ultimate demise at the hands of the Mongols State Confucianism B. expressed a traditional, activist element in Chinese philosophy. The administrative structure of the Chinese government during the Tang Dynasty included C. A Department of State Affairs In the Chinese civil service examination system D. many candidates who passed the first examination did not go on to a higher level. In the civil service examination system developed in China, C. in comparison to other civilizations, the process provided a means for upward social mobility that was ahead of its time. The Tang political system C. developed the equivalent of a modern cabinet within its Department of State Affairs Wu Zhao E. became empress of China. Neo-Confucianism B. included the School of the Mind Under Song rule in China, the system of local government E. all of the above One of the main reasons for the demise of the Tang Dynasty was its inability to effectively solve the problem of land distribution. Which of the following statements can serve as a valid explanation for this policy failure? A. The spread of land holding by buddhist monasteries, coupled with rising food production, led to increasing pressure on the land distribution system. The Chinese civil service examination system E. was unable to solve the problem of officials using their positions to illegally help their relatives Which of the following was not an economic factor in medieval China? D. The Sui Dynasty closed the Silk Road. The nomadic people who aligned with the Tang to dominate much of the carrying trade along the Silk Road were the C. Uighurs. In medieval China, the tribute system C. maintained the foundation fo a working trade relationship between the Chinese and foreign merchants and rulers With the increase in trade and urban activities during the Tang and Song eras, B. a landed gentry class assumed a position of social and economic dominance. Local government in medieval China C. inclued local magistrates who supplemented their salaries by charging people for services for which the government already paid them. The founder of the Mongol Empire was D. Genghis Khan. Affluent Chinese during the Tang Dynasty A. had fewer luxuries than during the Han and Qin dynasties. Which of the following was true about the power of the Mongols? C. They achieved more success in China than it did in the rest of East Asia Khubilai Khans captial was located in C. Khanblaiq. The Mongols E. made use of Chinese institutions in governing China The Mongols were able to maintain control in China for an extended period because they D. maintained commercial policies that were conducive to Chinese prosperity. All of the following factors contributed to the end of Mongol rule in China except E. a plague that killed 14 million Mongols in 1241 and 1242. All of the following were true about medieval Chinese life except A. most people had developed life styles that were far removed from agriculture. Which of the following accurately characterizes the medieval Chinese family? C. Its moral foundation was filial piety. Empress Wu C. made a significant contribution to the civil service examination system Buddhism was brought to China by C. merchants from India. The Buddhist sect that stressed the role of devotion was B. The Pure Land Sect. Of the three philosophies competing for attention in medieval China, B. Confucianism triumphed because it adhered to the Chinese social need to support the concepts of hard work and filial piety The main purpose for the development of Neo-Confucianism was to C. provide a set of beliefs that dealt with the issues of the universe that had been introduced into Chinese religion by Buddhism and Daoism and which were able to fit into the original Confucian value system. Which of the following would you say is a more accurate depiction of the comparison between medieval Chinese Western thought? A. The Chinese became more individualistic, while the Europeans became more scientific Major difference between China and late medieval Europe were that D. the Chinese made many technological advances, such as the compass and block printing, but were less interested in scientific inquiry. The Confucian scholar who was the primary proponent of the idea that the correct way to transcend the material world was from an understanding of self was B. Wang Yangming. Although medieval China was the source of many of the great inventions of tis time, it failed to develop the technological advances that these inventions produced elsewhere. The primary explanation for this phenomenon was that D. Confucian values, coupled with the self interests of the leadership of the intellectual revolution stifled technologic advancements. During the Han Dynasty, Chinese literature was stimulated by the invention of B. paper. The most effective expression of literature from the Tang to the Ming dynasties was in the form of D. poetry. Due to various technical aspects of the Chinese language, its poetry ahd A. a brevity in the amount of lines used and the number of words in each line Li Bo D. wrote a poem entitled Resolution of Waking with a Hangover on Spring Morning In Son China E. cities were governed by Qin officials Which of the following is an accurate characterization of the Chinese poet being described B. Li Bo had a carefree attitude towards life. During the Yuan dynasty A. there was major growth in the development of the popular theater as well as the novel. Which of the following was not an aspect of the creativity of Chinese art? E. inspiration drawn mainly from Indian sources Between 600 and the 1200s, Chinese art and literature A. produced such famous stories as Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Art In The Twenty-First Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art In The Twenty-First Century - Essay Example Her most famous persona is that of Eleanora Antinova, the tragically overlooked black ballerina of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Appearing as Antinova in scripted and non-scripted performances for over a decade, Antin has blurred the distinction between her identity and that of her character. In the process, she has created a rich body of work detailing the multiple facets of her beloved Antinova, including a fictitious memoir and numerous films, photographs, installations, performances, and drawings. She has written two books (Being Antinova and Eleanora Antinova Plays). In her 2001 series "The Last Days of Pompeii," Antin lingers behind the camera to stage the final, catastrophic days of Pompeii in the prosperous hills of La Jolla, California. In "The Golden Death" from this series, the imagined citizens of Pompeii drown in the excess of their own wealth, an ironic parable of American culture in the throes of over-consumption. Eleanor Antin received a Guggenheim Foundation Fel lowship in 1997 and a Media Achievement Award from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture in 1998. She has had numerous solo exhibitions, including an award-winning retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1999.

Social construction of sexuality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social construction of sexuality - Assignment Example These aspects include the roles of each person, their health needs, and limitations, and the responsibilities that the society bestows on them. Gender and the related binaries have been constructed by the society. The issues of being a male or a female, masculine or feminine, heterosexual or homosexual, man or woman and others that are related to sexuality as we understand them today have a connotation in the society’s construction of gender. To be male or female, may be seen as a biological aspect of the human being. However, being male and female as seen from the society point of view is largely dependent on the society in question. For instance, competing in athletics calls for more than the physical aspects of being male or female. Reports have shown that there is more to being male or female than having the physical and observable features of the specific sex. A case of Patino, a Spanish Olympic athlete is a clear example. The athlete was denied a chance to participate in the events. Despite the fact, that she was physically female, her cells on examination showed that she had a Y chromosomes, typical for a male (Crozier, 292-294). The issues of sexuality, as we know them today, can, therefore, be said to be directly related to how the society construct and explain being male or female. Homosexuality and heterosexuality are a rather new aspect of sexuality. The emergence of these concepts and how we understand and perceive them today can be related to the political, socioeconomic, medical, colonial expansions and scientific development of the nineteenth century and even more recently. The modernity that science and the rest of the factors seem to support purportedly brought about the prevalence. In the earlier years, sexuality and sexual activities were directly related to male and female relationship. However, when the colonial expansion, militarization and

Compare and contrast the ways Essay Example for Free

Compare and contrast the ways Essay Stanhope and Raleigh are absolutely different characters. Stanhope is experienced and confident and Raleigh is naive and doesn’t have such a long experience in army that Stanhope has. But also you can find something similar in stories of their lives. Their childhood, which they spent together. They went to the same school and their families were friends long time ago. At the beginning of the play Capitan Stanhope is presented as a brilliant commander and at the same way as an alcoholic. This quotation ‘drinking like a fish’, means that Stanhope cannot live without alcohol just, as a fish cannot survive without water. It shows literally that he will die without alcohol. This one â€Å"Without being doped with whiskey I’d go mad with fright† shows that has to be dunk to get through the war without the fear. Also Hardy said that he’s called a ‘drunkard’. That also means that he is ‘in love’ with alcohol. But while Hardy jokes, Osborne defends Stanhope and describes him as ‘the best company commander we’ve ever got’. Moreover, from Osborne we found out that straight after school Stanhope joined the army and became an amazing commander. Also, one of the officers said that he is ‘a splendid chap’. It shows that Stanhope has man’s qualities. We also pick up a few more details about the character of Stanhope from Osborne he has never rested, his nerves ‘have got battered to bits’. This shows us the nature of Stanhope. Second lieutenant Raleigh has a complete opposite character than Stanhope. The difference between them is just in three years, but Raleigh looks much younger than Stanhope. This is because the war ages Stanhope. Raleigh looks like a ‘healthy-looking boy of about eighteen†. He is entering the war for the first time. He has ‘a nervous laugh’ and there are some dashes in his speech that creates broken speech, which highlights how overwhelmed he is  with his emotions, and it is a bad quality for an officer. ‘His uniform is very new’ this quotation shows that he is a new and without any army experience. He imaged the war and trenches very different ‘†I thought there would be an awful row here- all the time. † But Raleigh is very idealistic, viewing the war as a romantic possibility to become a hero. He thinks that the war would make him famous and people will be proud of him as a hero of their country. Raleigh also idolises Stanhope, having looked up to him since he was a child and refers to him as ‘Dennis’. Also ‘their fathers were good friends and  Stanhope used to come and stay with them in the holidays’. He admits that he requested to be sent to Stanhopes company. Osborne hints to him that Stanhope will not be the same person he knew from school as the experiences of war have changed him. But Raleigh does not seem to understand and he is looking forward to see his old ‘friend’ again. So from all my points we can see that Stanhope and Raleigh are completely different characters and do not have any similarities in their lives. But maybe later, in the play Raleigh will have some new war experience and it will be something similar in their characters.

Analysis of Shellys Ode to the West Wind :: essays papers

Analysis of Shellys Ode to the West Wind Analysis of Shelly's "Ode to the West Wind" â€Å"Ode to the West Wind† is a poem of deep despair as well as one of vivid imagery. The first section is fairly straightforward with constant references to death, corpses and destruction that Shelly uses as a metaphor for autumn. The allusion to disease and darkness describes the West Wind in this first section. Shelly sees it as a sort of ‘grim reaper’ but seems to come back from the whole topic by also calling it the â€Å"preserver†. In the second section Shelly takes a more lofty perspective in the beginning mentioning heaven and angels and then moves to give a depiction of hell in the last line of the section with â€Å"black rain and fire and hail will burst†. To be a little more precise, the second section is one comparing an oncoming storm to the end of a year. Perhaps Shelly feels that the next year will not be as good as the last and one can even speculate that the west winds are the winds of change or even of evil. I feel that the third section really supports the theory that Shelly did portray the west wind as the bringer of evil. The wind is described to be awakened from a place of peace and beauty. The line â€Å"Thy voice, and suddenly grow grey with fear† seems to describe a sense of darkness and loathing, a chilling feeling flowing through the veins. The west wind is power. The fourth section plays on the feeling that this wind is all-powerful and Shelly seems to give the impression of bowing down before it. Impulses, uncontrollable, tame-less are all words used to describe the wind in this section. In almost a begging tone the speaker of the poem asks to be taken away from his pain as said â€Å"Oh! Lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud! / I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!†. Going back in the poem though the west wind seems to have created this and the speaker loathes it, but here shows he also still needs it. The final section seems to come to terms with the west wind. The asking for music even though the leaves are gone and there is not to celebrate shows this perspective: I will still play but it will be one of sadness.

Effective Team and Performance Management Essay

Effective Team and Performance Management Introduction            This is a report on the case study on team performance management of Electric Company. The report will borrow on theory and practice of both leadership and team management in order to explain the need for organisations to employ the use of employee teams which is a strategy designed to improve the performance of the employees. The report will begin with an introduction of the organisation in the case study and then proceed to the aims and objectives of the report. This will be followed by a discussion of the theories that have been used to describe team performance as well as the substitution of leaders by the teams. In this section, an empirical review on these theories will also be carried out. Finally, the conclusions and recommendations will be presented.            Electron, is a small manufacturing company that deals with the manufacture of telecommunications components. The company was established in 1997 and its headquarters is in the North of England. It should be noted that 90 out of 150 employees working at the headquarters work in the manufacturing department. The company operates using the traditional organisation structure divided into various departments such as manufacturing, finance, human resource, sales and marketing and engineering departments. The management of the company decided to group the employees in the manufacturing department into 8 teams each consisting of 10 employees in order to increase their efficiency in terms of the quality and the quantity of work done. The management of the company wanted to establish whether the teams would perform better as compared to when employees were working individually. This report therefore aims to evaluate the performance of the selected teams borrowing heavily on theory and empirical evidence to determine the appropriateness of dividing employees into teams. the report will also rely heavily on the relevant work of other researchers and academicians. The report will also make conclusions on the performance of teams as well as make recommendations on what the best practices are on employee team performance (Mueller, Procter & Buchanan, 2000).            Team PerformanceIn today’s organisations, employees are increasingly being allocated to work groups as part of the strategy to increase their efficiency and output. This is also being done in order to ensure that employees work together in a more effective way and are able to exploit their potential to grow and develop in an optimal way. These work groups are normally designed such that the employees are working together on some common activities in manner that is co-ordinated and in most occasions, these activities cannot be carried out successfully through individual effort alone. In such a case where employees are working together in group for a common goal, this is normally referred to as team work and the groups are normally referred to as teams. It should be noted that in an organisation setting, managers or supervisors can form employee teams on a temporary or permanent basis and the compositions of these teams varies with the purpose for which the te am is created in the first place. This means that there are teams that will constitute of employees from the same department while there are teams which will be made up of employees from across the various departments of the organisation. There are various attributes that will determine whether a team is successful in its activities; however, of a lot of importance is the support from senior management, training and development as well as the devotion and dedication of team members in the execution of their duties (Parker, 1990).            Teams and leadershipTeams are today required to take care of a lot of the duties that were previously assigned to supervisors and therefore various scholars and academicians have made suggestions that teams have come to be substitutes of leadership in organisations of the 21st century. They also argue that as a result of this change, supervisors on the other hand have also evolved from being foremen to mere facilitators of the activities of the team members (Huusko, 2006). In practice therefore, in a situation where the organisation employees are divided into teams, the number of supervisors greatly reduce since the hierarchical structure of the organisation is lowered and the organisation adopts a more flat organisation structure. This therefore means that the role of leadership in the organisation is faced with a new challenging situation where they no longer have a clearly laid down way of operating as their duties have been taken over by the new teams.            There are various theories that have attempted to explain the idea of the substitution of leadership and an example of such is the idea that deals with the idea of moderators that are known to influence the actions of leaders and leaders’ substitutes in different ways. The idea suggests that most of the current arrangements evident in organisations today such as teams, management from a distance and others have various effects on the roles of leaders in the organisation and can either support them or substitute them and even reduce the impact that leaders have on the employees of the organisation. This can occur in a case where the management and the employees are separated by a long distance and may therefore not understand the instructions given to them by their supervisors if proper communication channels have not been established. Researchers on leadership substitutes have also brought a legal angle into the discussion where they argue that employees may receive the needed guidance or instructions from their supervisors but take it for granted that the information comes from the supervisors as they are the primary suppliers of such information in the organisational structure (Howell et al., 1990).            In the case of Electric Company, it is evident that the older team members were given the responsibility of ensuring that the new team members understood the norms of the team and that they obeyed the rules of the team as well as ensure that they were fully and successfully integrated into the value based social order. This therefore means that the role of supervisors and other leadership persons in the organisation was taken over by the older members of the teams indicating that there was a substitution of leadership roles by the teams. This has been clearly supported by both the theories above and the empirical evidence.            Another theory that explains the substitution of leadership by team members is the theory of functional leadership. Researchers have used this leadership perspective to argue that effective team leaders are normally able to follow the activities of their team members and also normally take over any leadership roles in the team at any time when there is need for such an action (Zaccaro, Rittman, & Marks, 2001). This means that a team leader’s primary responsibility in the organisation is to plan the activities of the team and to continuously follow the activities of the team members as well as to determine the functions that are not being carried out in the right way and those that are missing in order to either perform the duties themselves or ensure that team members are made aware of them and directed to carry them out. The functional leadership theory is based on the premise that certain team circumstances normally drive the actions of the team members as well as the team leaders and they therefore call for some leadership activities to be adopted by the team leaders. This means that once the team leaders adopt these jobs then the leaders are left with no duties and therefore become useless in the organisational structure (Zaccaro, 2002).            In most organisations therefore, this theory suggests that leadership behaviours become irrelevant and ineffective in guiding the actions of the teams and therefore the success of teams does not require the involvement of leaders but the guidance of the team leaders and the dedication of the team members. The argument by this theory is therefore in line with the contingency theories of leadership which suggest that leadership effectiveness is normally influenced by the context of leadership, the situation facing the leader at a particular time as well as the organisational conditions at specific times (House, 1971). This means that the characteristics and behaviours of the team members and the team leaders are able to take the place of leadership processes thereby substituting the role of leadership in the organisation. This moves the focus of leadership functions from the person or individual leader to the functions of leadership and extends the idea that leadersh ip functions can be found from other sources other than the organisational leaders themselves.            This is the situation that was experienced by the employees at Electron Company when new members were introduced into the teams. the old team members who were already aware of the values and norms of their teams naturally assumed leadership roles and guided the new members to understand and identify with these team values as they best as they could as this is what drove the dedication of team members in general as well as the performance of the team as compared to the other teams. The result was that the older team members were exerting control over the actions of the new team members and therefore the new team members saw the need to follow the laid down values of the team. This led to a situation where the new team members also started controlling themselves in terms of their actions and behaviour towards work and other team members (Kerr & Jermier, 1978). This therefore made it possible for the values and norms of the teams to be translated into simple rules and regulations that all new employees could understand easily and therefore fit into their assigned teams with ease. The assumption of the responsibility of guiding the new team members by the old team members therefore substituted the need for leadership in the management of the company.            The new way of carrying out duties amongst the team members resulted in a situation where the common values and norms of the team members were gradually turned into properly laid down rules and regulation and it was the responsibility of each team member to follow them in order to effectively contribute to the success of the organisation at large. This therefore means that team members were no longer acting on the instructions of the team leaders but their actions were being guided by the rules and regulations that they had set up themselves. Team members found it easy to follow these rules and regulations as they had played a part in their making and therefore felt more comfortable following hem unlike in a case where these rules had been established by the management of the company without their involvement in any way. Team members found it hard not to follow the rules because of the peer pressure that they experienced from other team members and due to the fact that the rules were such that failure to follow them would lead to punitive actions against the team member. Employee effectiveness was therefore ensured through peer pressure and the fact that older members were very keen to avoid a situation where they could be seen as being too harsh to the new employees. They therefore ensured that they carried out their duties according to the laid down procedures and therefore the new team members were left with no option but to adapt to the situation and follow the actions of the older ones. This situation effectively removed the need for leadership individuals in the structure as the team members were able to control them and ensure that all employees worked for the greater good of the company (Kerr & Jermier, 1978).            Determinants of team performanceResearchers have argued that although most employee groups can be referred to as teams, it should be noted that there are several major differences that distinguish groups and teams and these are very important for anyone to understand in order not to make the mistake of confusing the two. In most cases, groups are normally made up of people who meet through the fact that they share a common interest such as past time activity or sport while a team on the other hand can still be made up of people who share a common interest but the major reason for their being in the same team is the fact that they have complimentary abilities or qualities. This means that for a team to succeed in what they do, they have to work together and combine their efforts and skills otherwise they will just be working as individuals. The main advantage of teams is that they have the energy and the power needed to complete particular tasks and activities which would have been impossible if there was no team in the first place and an individual was carrying out the task by their own. It has been argued that although each member of the team has some unique abilities or skills, they cannot be able to use them and succeed in the execution of the task if they are working alone and therefore they must be in the team for their efforts to count in the execution of the task or activity (Guzzo & Dickson, 1996).            Researchers have also argued that one of the important factors that determine the way people conduct themselves when they are in a team is self-awareness. In today’s business setting, most organisations, through the use of human resource development professionals as well as consultants, have developed various tests that are designed to help employees more self-aware thereby improving their understanding of themselves and what motivates them to act in particular ways. Researchers have however noted that the results of the assessments normally rely on the individual employee’s self-reporting and therefore the outcome of the tests may not be objective in nature and in most cases they are always positive as it is human nature not to say anything negative about oneself. The reason for this is that human beings are known to agree with their personal thoughts. Researchers therefore suggests that employees may fake their personal abilities and they may also b e unrealistic in the way they view themselves and therefore the opinion of others about our abilities or attributes may be disregarded when assuming team roles. This means that the performance of the team may be adversely affected if only an individual’s opinion is considered when assigning team roles (Belbin, 1981).            Various researchers such as Salas, Cooke, & Rosen, (2008) and Cohen & Bailey (1997) have empirically examined the issue of team performance. Traditionally, the effectiveness of a team has been measured by researchers and academicians either through the use of unidimensional models of effectiveness such as real productivity of the team and the objective measurement of team performance or through the use of multidimensional models which normally adopt a wider spectrum of measures other than productivity. These other measures could be the attitude of the members of the team, their behaviour and their levels of job satisfaction (Pina, Martinez, & Martinez, 2008). Empirical research has also revealed that there are three most common measurements that are used to measure team effectiveness and these are performance effectiveness measured in terms of the quality and quantity of the team output, the attitude of the team members measured in terms of level of trust and level of job satisfaction and finally the behavioural outcomes of team members measure in terms of employee turnover and the level of absenteeism among the team members. Researchers however point out that the three measures are used in varying degrees in each team and the degree of usage in a specific team will be influenced by the type of activities that the team engages in (Pina et al., 2008).            ConclusionsThe evaluation of the theories and empirical literature carried out above regarding substitution of leadership functions by the use of teams in organisations shows that it is clear that the future of organisations is towards the establishment of employee teams in the quest for much more concentrated efforts in delivering efficient services and in ensuring that employees are able to maximise their growth and development potential within the organisations. It is clear that using teams in organisations leads to a situation where team members tend to come up with their own norms and values that guide their actions and behaviours and these values and norms finally end up being translated into laws and regulations that all employees in the team can clearly understand and are expected to follow without being reminded by the leaders in the organisation (Mullen, et al., 1994). The emergence of these rules laid down by the team members themselves lead to a situati on where all members of the team know their exact duties and roles in the team and therefore carry out their duties without the need for supervision. This situation has effectively reduced the need for leaders in the organisation as their roles have been slowly eroded by the activities of these teams. This is exactly what happened in the case of Electric Company where the rules that were established by team members took the place of supervisors in guiding the actions of employees. These teams also influence the performance of individual employees and it has been established that individuals in teams tend to perform much better than if they were working individually.            RecommendationsFollowing the discussion above and the conclusions that have been made regarding the role of teams in the organisations and how their performance can be measured and improved, there are various recommendations to the management of companies that will lead to the better performance of teams and the organisations in general. The management of Electric Company should develop a human resource development program aimed at training the team leaders on the formal decision making process and other managerial roles in order to ensure that they are more effective in guiding their team members to better performance. The management of the company should also ensure that selection and assignment of employees to different teams should take into account the individual skills and abilities of the employees in order to ensure that they contribute to the well-being of the organisation through improved performance. Finally, employees themselves should ensure that they follow the laid down team rules and regulations and therefore ensure that they carry out their team roles without being reminded as their individual actions are what will lead to the success of the entire team. It is therefore important for organisations to consider developing various teams among their employees as this will lead to better performance and may also lead to lower costs incurred to maintain supervisors and other leaders in the organisation. References Belbin R. M. (1981) Management Teams: Why they succeed or fail. London, Butterworth-Heinemann.Guzzo, R. A., & Dickson, M. W. (1996). Teams in organizations: Recent research on performance and effectiveness. Annual Review of Psychology, 47, 307–338. House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 15, 321–338. Howell, J.P., Bowen, D.E., Dorfman, P.W., Kerr, S. & Podsakoff, P.M. (1990), Substitutes for leadership: effective alternatives to ineffective leadership, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 20-38. Huusko, L. (2006), The lack of skills: an obstacle in teamwork, Team Performance Management: An International Journal, Vol. 12 Nos 1/2, pp. 5-16. Kerr, S., & Jermier, J. M. (1978). Substitutes for leadership: Their meaning and measurement, Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, vol. 22 no.3, pp. 375–403. Mueller, F., Procter, S. & Buchanan, D. (2000), Teamworking in its context(s): antecedents, nature and dimensions, Human Relations, Vol. 53 No. 11, pp. 1387-424. Parker, G. M. (1990). Team Players and Teamwork: The New Competitive Business Strategy. Oxford: Jossey-Bass Zaccaro, S. J. (2002). Organizational leadership and social intelligence. In R. E. Riggio, S. E. Murphy, & F. J. Pirozzolo (Eds.), Multiple intelligences and leadership (pp. 29–54). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Zaccaro, S. J., Rittman, A. L., & Marks, M. A. (2001). Team leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 12, 451–483. Cohen, S. G., & Bailey, D. E. (1997). What makes teams work: Group effectiveness research from the shop floor to the executive suite. Journal of Management, 23(3), 239–290. Salas, E., Cooke, N. J., & Rosen, M. A. (2008). On teams, teamwork, and team performance: Discoveries and development. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 50(3), 540–547. Pina, M. I. D., Martinez, A. M. R., & Martinez, L. G. (2008). Teams in organizations: A review on team effectiveness. Team Performance Management, 14(1/2), 7–21. Mullen, B., Anthony, T., Salas, E., & Driskell, J. E. (1994). Group cohesiveness and quality of decision making: An integration of tests of the groupthink hypothesis. Small Group Research, 25(2), 189–204. Source document