Golflogix Case Study Essay

Analysis: Market numbers suggest a much larger market of golfers as opposed to that of the golf courses. Units sold to target market differs with the target market in the case of golf courses because 60 units per golf course are sold. However, with various segmentation techniques, it can be concluded that the golfers who would buy the Distance-only or Complete System, would be those who measured their performance by measuring their handicap, thus forming the first target market within the golfers. Discouragingly, this was only 20% of the golfers. Also, the golfer market would further be divided by 4. Since a game usually consists of 4 players, only one of them would need the device, regular players may share the cost. Although the distance-only system is easy to get up and running, when sold directly to the golfers, the golfers would themselves need to outfit their green on the golf course. This would take away from the key value proposition to the golf courses that is ‘pace of play†™. Golf courses may need to charge an initial amount to the new customers (golfers) to take into account time spent in setting up the distance-only system. Also with the technical setup requirements of the Complete-System, it would be almost impossible for a golfer to do it himself. Also, with the golf-course channel, it will be easier to lock-in the golfers. The real benefit of the â€Å"Complete System† would be realizable to the end-user (golfers) when they see improvements in their game with their regular use of the system. Thus, locking the golf courses in who will push to throw in the system to the golfers per round would make its value proposition realizable. Sales to golf courses involve a three year lease, thus a guaranteed three year revenue stream and also the equipment can be reused elsewhere. If Golflogix goes with both channels, one may end up cannibalizing the other.  If devices are sold directly to golfers, golf-courses may not see any value in buying them, since their revenue in turn on the rent of the devices would not be guaranteed. Similarly, golfers would not buy the system if they knew golf-courses already provided it with a nominal fee. It is also noted that 80% of golfers played on public courses, which required a daily green fee. This was promising for the public golf courses channel, since with a per round fees, golf courses would make up for the cost of the golf logix systems much faster. Within the golf-courses, it would be beneficial to begin with the public courses. Surveys performed by the GolfLogix team, had compelling results. 80% of the golfers reported that they would regularly use the system if it were available on the courses they played. Also, 70% reported that they would be willing to pay $1-$3 per round. Appendix A is an income statement (with certain assumptions) that at the end lists the operating income per revenue stream. We see that with the retail channel, we lose one revenue stream. Up-selling to a Complete-system becomes easier with golf-courses. And although even the sum of the revenues through golf-courses is lesser than the revenue for Distance-only for golfers, two key points need to be kept in mind: 1) The equipment with the golf-courses channel is reusable, and thus costs incurred in the next three years will be lesser, and 2) # of units sold to golfers may reduce by 4, since the game is played in groups of 4. (# of unit numbers is derived from the market numbers above. A 1% penetration is assumed in the first three years ) Appendix A Golfers Golf courses Income Statement Distance Only Complete System Distance Only Complete System Revenue per unit $ 300 $ – $ 54,000 $ 72,000 # of units 267,000 $ – 170 170 Total revenue $ 80,100,000 $ – $ 9,180,000 $ 12,240,000 Cost of Goods Sold per unit $ 200 $ – $ 12,000 $ 17,000 # of units 267,000 170 170 Total cost $ 53,400,000 $ – $ 2,040,000 $ 2,890,000 Gross Margin $ 26,700,000 $ – $ 7,140,000 $ 9,350,000 Operating Expenses $ 2,700,000 $ – $ 2,700,000 $ 3,000,000 Setup Expenses $ – $ – $ 85,000 $ 340,000 Operating Income $ 24,000,000 $ – $ 4,355,000 $ 6,010,000

Physiological and psychological responses Essay

Attainment tests are an important aspect of measuring knowledge demonstrated or the outcomes that following instructions in a specific program. Intelligence tests determine an individual’s abilities being a reflection of experience gained in other means not necessarily part of school curriculum. However, examinee performance in these tests has been noted to vary from one kind of environmental setting to the other due to a number of both environmental and examinee factors (Pinku & Birenbaum, 1997).. For instance, environmental factors such as climatic stress due to global warming have over time impacted greatly on the conditions under which psychological tests are taken. Test environments vary substantially from place to place and also due to the cognitive demands of an assessment task. Recently, there have been extensive studies conducted to analyze the impact of test environments on mental performance. Much emphasis has especially been laid on the test environments that impact negatively on performance in tests and which are responsible for the misrepresentation of the competence of one’s mind. Test anxiety Test anxiety encompasses the behavioral, physiological and psychological responses that reflect apprehension regarding a possibility of failing during an evaluative test. Studies have indicated that there is a direct correlation between test anxiety and poor test scores (Gregory, 1996). However, there are two categories of test anxiety: (1) those who suffer from interfering thoughts during an exanimation and which compromise performance; and (2) those who suffer from the inability to learn by organizing the necessary information for recall when taking a test. The first category is referred to as the interference model while the second is referred to as the skill deficit model. According to research, test anxiety due to the inability to organize and learn essential information could be enhanced by inadequate study behaviors. This leads to poor scores since the examinee never learns the necessary material and which is the most basic requirement for good performance. Thus, test anxiety in such an occasion is usually exacted by unpreparedness and not performance decline per se (Holahan & Culler 1980). With reference to the condition of interfering thoughts, high anxiety leads to responses and thoughts that are not relevant to the test and these occupy much of the processing space in the mind. Competition for processing space by these responses affects the test related responses that are important for succeeding in an evaluation test. This leads to poor performance as test anxiety causes problems in recalling test-relevant information learned due to the maladaptive responses associate with irrelevant thoughts. Studies have shown that the test examiner can help the examinees in handling test anxiety by encouraging and helping them to relax before administering the test. Preparing adequately before a test can help learners to avoid studying at the last minute which increases anxiety. Being at the examination room quite on time and thinking about what ones knows about the subject being tested rather than what one does not know also helps reduce anxiety. Concentrating on the positive rather than negative and irrational thoughts can help in maintaining the mind at peace and hence reducing anxiety. It is also necessary that stressful tasks or situations are not scheduled just before one takes a test. Climatic Stress The physical conditions in which an examinee takes a test has an immense impact on the test’s score. For instance the environmental conditions such as high temperatures and humidity in the tropical region where close to two-thirds of the whole world population take their tests are unfavorable. It is important to note that systems that can correct such imbalances are not always available to every examinee. In the tropics for instance, examinees take tests in an environment with high and uncomfortable heat and high humidity. Current studies indicate that environmental stressors like high humidity and temperate can by impairing mechanisms such as selective attention and short-term memory affect performance negatively. According to Auliciems (1972), the short-term memory is paramount for the basic processing of information during a test. On the other hand, selective attention is a requisite for performing successfully in a psychological test. These aspects of the mind are essential in enabling the examinee to rule out stimuli that is irrelevant to the test task especially when an examinee ought to think laterally (Gregory, 1996). Given their importance in influencing test scores, these two domains: selective attention and auditory short-term memory have been studied through the Stroop and Digit span tests respectively and found to impact negatively on performance if distorted. Incase of uncomfortable environmental stress, the administration can ensure a conducive environment by installing the appropriate corrective measures such as air conditioning systems. Other factors such as hostility between the examiner and examinee which can significantly distract the two domains or block concentration can be effectively handled by seeking help from a mentor or a counselor. This helps the examinee to relax and take the test positively. It is indeed important that the mind as well as the body work in the most conducive environment for impressive test results to be attained. References Auliciems, A. (1972). Some observed relationships between the atmospheric environment and Mental work. Environmental Research, 5, pp. 217-240. Gregory, R. J. (1996). Psychological testing: History, principles, and applications (2nd Ed. ). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Holahan, C. J. , & Culler, R. E. (1980). Test anxiety and academic performance: The effects of study related behaviors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 72, pp. 16-20. Pinku, P. , & Birenbaum, M. (1997). Effects of test anxiety, Information organization, and testing situation on performance on two test formats. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 22, pp. 23-38.

Candle Making Basics

Candle Making Basics The use of candles for light and heat is known to have existed in ancient times. The remains of candles have been found in the caves of France. It is believed that cavemen used them while painting and etching on the walls. It is believed those candles where made out of animal fat. The Egyptians used candles as well by dripping beeswax onto leave stems. The burning process of a candle involves the four basic elements of matter which are solids, liquids, gas, and plasma. Today candle making is a fun hobby or craft. For some, it is a very profitable business venture. Candle making provides you with they ability to create wonderful designs and crafts out of your candles. There is no limit to the shapes, sizes, and colors you can make your candles in. A candle is a device to provide light or fragrance. Candles have become very popular for the wonderful aromas more than for their ability to produce light. Some candles give off a popular smell such as vanilla or jasmine. Others smell like a chocolate cake or cinnamon rolls. The body of a candle is generally made of paraffin wax. It can also be made out of beeswax. Paraffin wax is a natural wax that comes from plants. This wax can be purchased from Petroleum Refinery or the Specialty Wax Processor. Beeswax is also considered a natural wax, and is taken from honeybees. This is the substance the bees use to construct their honeycombs. A wick is placed in the center of the wax before it dries. The wick is made of cotton fibers that have been braided together. The wick is very thin, but also very powerful. Sometimes candle makers will use a wick that is wider than normal to increase the size of the flame. Safety is a very important part of candle making. The temperature of the hot wax can result in severe burns. There is also the risk of fire. Make sure your candle making area is set up properly and that you have a fire extinguisher in the area. Clean up spills quickly as they will become very slick, leading to falls if you walk across them. To make candle making fun instead of frustrating, start will making simple candles. This is a great opportunity for you to discover what works well with your set up and gives you the chance to make necessary changes. Initially, work at implementing good safety habits and melting your wax at the proper temperatures. You will also want to experiment with your cooling process. Once you have these areas down, you will start to relax and the process will become more natural to you. This is the right time to start experimenting with dyes, scents, and shapes for your candles. The candle making process is easy to follow if you take your time and learn from your mistakes. Those who are impatient and take multitasking to an extreme will most likely not enjoy the art of candle making. However, it is very enjoyable by those who have plenty of time to take with the process and who enjoy creating things. Candle making supplies aren’t expensive so use the best you can. This will also help ensure your candles form well and burn properly.

Concert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Concert - Essay Example The band consists of 80 players, using instruments like First and Second Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Harp, Percussion, Timpani, Tuba, Bass, Trombone, Trumpet, Horn, Contrabassoon, Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Cor Anglais, Oboe, Piccolo and Flute. French overture means opening and indicates the formation or introduction to a performance. An overture is normally in three parts (fast-slow-fast). The 1812 Overture was about the battles between Napoleon's French Army and the Russians. Within the piece, there is therefore the inclusion of anthems, gunfire and church bells. With a number of performers, who took up the upper deck and the lower space of the venue delivered an amazing performance which was met with not only appreciation, but also applause by the listeners. 5. The JOURNEY - The 1812 Overture is a classic that takes you through emotional up's and downs. Various instruments have been used to bring out this effect, a set of violins to bring out the lower and higher moods. Bass, bass clarinet, bassoon to depict drama and gunfire, trumpets to indicate rises and emotions, flute and piccolo to bring out calmness. The use of church bells to indicate the end. The overture follows a stereotypical format which is the fast-slow-fast and the composer has managed to show both the sides of the story, 2 marching armies whose troops were brimming with enthusiasm in defeating their enemy, thus motivated. The beginning of the clash between the 2 armies, the scenario of the war accompanied by gunshots, a drop in the music depicting a low mood or defeat and the end of a war signaled by the ringing of church bells. 6. Evaluation of the performers - The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is renowned for their performances with resident composer, Guto Puw delivering mind blowing original performances and pieces by other composers with immaculate brilliance. Grant Llewellyn, who is the music director of the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Handel and Haydn Society is known for his exceptional charisma, energy and easy authority in music of all styles and periods. The performers who were 80 in number for this ensemble excluding the composers delivered an exceptional renderance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture deserving recognition and applause. 7. In-depth analysis of "one piece from the concert" For our analysis, we can choose the beginning of the composition. At approximately 4:00 minutes a drum roll comes on, and when

Target market and segmentation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Target market and segmentation - Research Paper Example There is a special emphasis on the small to medium sized business. The businesses that are likely to benefit most from the services offered by Capstone accounting firm include the non-profit organizations, servicing entrepreneurs as well as individuals (Trugman & Person, 2005). Based on the competition that already exists in Indiana with regards to the accounting firms available, the firm will not be that big. It will begin as a small firm that only caters for the needs of individuals and the small and medium firms. From what has been projected by the US Bureau of statistics, since the accounting jobs are projected to grow at a rate of 13% between 2012 and 2022, the capstone firm is likely to grow at the same rate or at a slightly lower rate of 10% per year. This is the growth rate of the target markets. This is reflected as a result of the growth of the already established markets as well as the movement into the Indiana area. This growth rate has plateau for a long time but is expected to gain stability in the near future. This is based on the constant need for accountancy jobs in the area. In addition, there is evidence that the consulting services are growing much faster that the auditing business. This will enhance growth as it will be possible to diversify the kind of services offered. There is also a great need for accountants as the economy of the region also grows. It is projected that the demand for accounting services will be increased and converted to billable hours due to the impac t of the regulatory environment and the stricter laws and regulations placed on the financial sector (Ahmed & Hopson, 2000). The most common unique features and dynamics of the business include the fact that the business can offer services for the low unemployment and the tax incentives for new businesses. As such, the firm will only begin at a small scale. However, it is indicated that with a longer stay into the market, full range services that offer services to the

Law of Contract II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law of Contract II - Essay Example Whether CBL can claim for breach of contract against Ricky for non – payment of money for the work completed. Rule of Law A false statement of fact, during the formation of a contract, by one of the parties to the contract, constitutes misrepresentation. As per the provisions of the Misrepresentation Act 1967, the representor is liable for fraudulent misrepresentation, despite his not having made the statement fraudulently.1 The party to the contract that undergoes loss due to this misrepresentation can either revoke the contract or claim damages.2 Application Ricky’s contract with CBL involves the construction of a new conservatory. Lawretta, a director of CBL, assures him that they are the best in constructing conservatories and that he was at liberty to make relevant enquiries. Ricky believes her statement and agrees upon a cost of ?20,000 for constructing the conservatory. After the completion of half the work Ricky discovers that CBL had never constructed conservat ories. In addition, he comes to know that some of CBL’s former customers are claiming damages for defective and poor workmanship. Ricky refuses to pay CBL for the work completed and the latter decides to claim for breach of contract. ... ordships ruled that in such cases, it was sufficient if the plaintiff could establish that the defendant knew or was convinced that his statement was not factual.3 In Redgrave v Hurd, the plaintiff had made a statement regarding his firm’s income, while attempting to induce the defendant to become a partner, in his business. Hurd discovered that the statement was wrong and sought to rescind the contract. The lower court ruled in Redgrave’s favour, but the appellate court set aside this decision and held that Redgrave’s statement constituted innocent misrepresentation. Thereafter, it upheld the revocation of the contract by Hurd.4 A plaintiff is not liable for breach of contract if he had been unaware of the misrepresentation, at the time of the contract. This was the ruling in Horsfall v Thomas.5 Moreover, in Smith v Chadwick, the court ruled that there was no liability if the plaintiff had been aware of the misrepresentation and it was established that this know ledge could not have influenced his judgement.6 Finally, it was held in Peekay Internmark Ltd v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd that there had to be actual knowledge of the misrepresentation and that constructive knowledge was insufficient.7 It is essential for some relationship to exist between the misrepresentation and the inducement for the claimant to form the contract. Thus, in Attwood v Small, the defendant had relied upon his agents’ report regarding the productivity of the mines and steelworks offered to him by the plaintiff.8 As he had not relied on the plaintiff’s statement, he was not permitted to rescind the contract. Conclusion The fraudulent misrepresentation made by CBL induced Ricky to hire the former to construct a conservatory. CBL had misrepresented to Ricky about its

Approach to Smart Transportation & Study of Intelligent Transport Dissertation

Approach to Smart Transportation & Study of Intelligent Transport System in Ireland - Dissertation Example This study looks into Intelligent Transport System, also referred to as ITS, as the inclusion of modern computers and new technologies in transportation. It deploys computer applications, electronic chips, sensors, controllers in transportation to facilitate more efficient, secure and efficient supervision of public roads and public conveyance systems. It is a smart approach to manage road networks. The benefits include improved road safety, mobility, information, productivity and air quality. â€Å"It is also known as telematics, Information Communications Technology (ICT) in transport, e-transport and Information Society Technology†. The advantage includes: †¢ Improved road safety †¢ Mobility †¢ Information †¢ Productivity and air quality The use of ITS are categorized in three parts: 1. Use by the Traveler – electronic tickets , payment for parking vehicle or payment for road usage, †smart card driver license†, †driver card for digital tachnograph†. 2. Use by Vehicles – some vehicle consist of collision avoiding system, system for managing speed, judging the location of the vehicle, judgment of assets. 3. Use by Road – monitoring of traffic, providing information, regulation of rules with the help of â€Å"Variable Message Signs (VMS)†,†inductive loops†, †microwave detectors†, â€Å"ANPR†,†DSRC† etc. ITS collects the data from all the sensors and stores it to a centralized database system. The sensors may be Vehicle Detectors, CCTV cameras, Ice monitoring system, Congestion Monitors or other sensors. Every information from the sensors in given to the â€Å"Back Office Data Processing Facility† ... Transaction of Payments: Payments at Toll booths, parking payments, ticket fare of public transportation, charge for any congestion. Management of Traffic: Proper handling of traffic. As stated, ITS uses various applications; the possible wide range of applications are: Intermodal Transportation System Intelligent Traffic Control System In -Vehicle Technologies Safety Enhancement Technologies Traveler Advisory System 1) Intermodal Transportation System: It uses more than one mode of transport. Through this system, a traveler can change his mode of transfer easily. It is integrates different modes of transport such as trucks, trains and ships to ensure smooth trade operations. It is the movement of goods (in same unit where it was first placed) from one mode to other mode of transport without handling it. 2) Intelligent Traffic Control System: Most of the current systems have pre-determined timing circuits to operate traffic signals. Such systems are inefficient, if the volume of the vehicle is large at the crossing. This system would adjust itself with the flow of traffic, thus reducing the waiting time of drivers at traffic signals. 3) In- Vehicle Technologies: It is the implementation of electronic devices, controllers, and radio transreceivers in the vehicle. The information provided is updated every minute. It gives instantaneous information to the traveler about the best route. 4) Safety Enhancement Technologies: Safety Enhancement Technologies like smart cruise enables the driver to know the location of neighboring vehicles. This avoids any type of accidents on the road. 5) Traveler Advisory System: To provide the information through variable messages and advisory radio. Intelligent Transport System in Ireland: Ireland requires an intelligent

Ethics in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics in the Workplace - Essay Example The various rights of the employees within the workplace definitely include privacy as a major tenet within it since the top management knows that if the subordinates, middle management and the lower management is not at ease (in terms of mind and heart) at the workplace, then it is very much impossible to extract the best possible work out of them and this is for sure that the efficiency levels will drop as a result of the same. Employee motivation at workplace works to the advantage of the firm and the people at the helm of it since they know for sure that their employees would give in their best no matter how trying or tough the circumstances are. This means that they are assured of their commitment levels and the intensity of the hard work that they will put in, even under the most strenuous of routines. But this raises an interesting proposition, a stance which needs to be discussed by all and sundry. Over work can reduce employee motivation as well as add to the stress on the part of the employees’ physical and mental domains. What needs to be done is to gauge the exact amount of work that they can handle within a time period as well as give them enough incentives so that they remain loyal to the cause of the organization. [Williams, 1992, pp. 151] If there is no privacy for the employees, they would not feel motivated to do their tasks and activities in an effective and efficient manner and it is ultimately the firm which will lose out on the productivity angle nonetheless. My personal experience tells me that the females who used to work in my office did not have a separate room for them where they could sit and talk amongst themselves. This is usually the ladies room which was missing from our organizational set up. What this did was to make sure that the men pestered around the females at all odd times, when they used

Disruptive Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Disruptive Innovation - Essay Example The new entrants come up with new innovative hard disks that could not be used by the customers because of little raw performance. The innovations that leads to something unique and move out of the traditional market, making it a nontraditional one, despite of various limitations that make it unattractive to the mainstream is termed as Disruptive innovation. In short, present players in the market wins the battle by sustaining innovation but new entrants win the battle by disruptive innovations (Anthony, 2008, p. 4). Straining strategy leads to influence or shape the market in which one competes whereas disruptive strategy â€Å"redefine the market, create a new one and defend against attacks from below† (Anthony, 2008, p. 5). Historically companies have succeeded in using sustained innovations at a market with higher tier by charging the uppermost price from sophisticated and demanding customers. In this way, the company achieves profit. This in turn opens the door for Disrup tive innovations. A disruptive innovation helps the consumers at the bottom of the market to access such products that were previously accessible to only those customers who had lots of money and skill. The characteristics of disruptive innovation include â€Å"lower gross margins, smaller target markets, and simpler products and services† (Disruptive Innovation, n.d.), which may appear not so attractive to the existing solutions when compared with the traditional ones. These innovations offers the market with a lower gross margin making it less attractive for the firms moving upward and making space for the new competitors. Thus having a brief idea about the disruptive innovation as exhibited by Christen, some further elaborations about the model of disruptive innovation is required. This study deals in selecting a sector where any type of disruptive innovations has taken place. Assessing the response of the companies and finding the factors responsible for such response and the correlation with the model developed by Clayton Christensen. The sector which is taken in this paper for analysis is cloud computing technology. But before moving into the detailed explanations, a brief knowledge about cloud computing procedure needs to be discussed in a clear manner and the model developed by Christensen can be explained. 2. Christensen model of disruptive innovation The model of disruptive innovation by Clayton Christensen is basically a hypothesis which can be generally exploited for the purpose of explaining the impact of new technologies on the existence of a firm. The term disruptive innovation was first coined by Clayton Christensen in the year 1997 in his book named, â€Å"The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail".  It has been seen that time and again associated with the failure or displacement of the organizations from their respective industries the organizations â€Å"could see the break coming, merely did nothing until it was excessively late†. Through doing well, the companies are alleged to do and they actually provide to their most profitable customers and highly concentrate on the investments in areas where the profit margins are majorly attractive. This situation generates due to the resourcefulness allocation processes of the constituted

The Ethical Treatment of Animals Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Ethical Treatment of Animals - Assignment Example arian to protect the rights of the animals while maintain maximum satisfaction of the interested parties, the guiding ethical principles should be universalistic, welfarelist, and aggregative. Being Universalist means that utilitarian ethics should protect the rights of all the animals regardless of whether they are domesticated or not. Utilitarian ethics should express welfare of the animals by looking at what is good for them. Lastly, being aggregative means the decisions made on how animals should be treated should add up to the weight, intensity and the number of interest of the animals affected by the possible actions of people. Rights-based ethics on the other hand, can refer to the basic rights of animals that should not be violated. As much as humans do harm to the animals, right-based ethics are there to ensure that they also benefit as well. I think right-based ethics put limits to the extent animals can be harmed, for example, in experiments, animals is morally wrong to su bject the subject under unnecessary pain jus t because the researcher is interested with some desired resulted that must be understood after the animals has endured pain. Basing on right-based ethics, rules apply differently according to the purpose of keeping the animals. For example, animals kept as pets have more protective ethical rights compared to the animals kept for experimentations. There have been major conflicts between utilitarian and right-based ethics. Arnold Schwarchezenegger who was the governor of California signed an ethic right document to stop ducks from being fed on foei grass. The grass enlarged their livers; causing them to have pain on their necks for the purpose of gourmet human delicacy (Cohen and Regan 380). As a result, controversies have emerged over utilitarian and right-based ethics of animals. The controversies have been based on three issues: Whether animals have direct moral standings and if so, what should be morally right for animals that are kept

Evgeny Morozov Essay Example for Free

Evgeny Morozov Essay Evgeny Morozov’s article, ‘Technology’s Role in Revolution’, was very attention-grabbing. Evgeny argued that many revolutions throughout history do not transpire through internet and technology, but in effect, are shaped by cultural factors. His term, cyber-utopianism, suggests that online interaction between individuals is emancipatory, and that the internet favours the oppressed, rather than the oppressor. He makes evident, that this belief is nieve and stubborn because it refuses to recognize its consequences. Evgeny argues against the certain ideas of what he refers to as internet centrism, and cyber-utopianism, and indeed points out that there is a dark side to internet freedom. Within Evgeny’s article, there are many points he makes that definitely articulate cyber-utopianism, and its affect on many populations. Evgeny explains the role of internet in the middle- eastern revolutions. He suggests that, people in the middle-east often brag about documenting police brutality, but is not what they should be focusing on. He argues that they should focus on how new leaders will shape the new constitution, and how to deal with issues regarding previous regimes. Morozov believes that the middle-east can obtain successful democracy, but depending on how they can react, and work on existing problems. Evgeny implies that regimes would be a lot less hectic if it weren’t for the internet. He claims, if it the internet wasn’t around, they could have taken a different route in making decisions, could have been less violent, and decisions could have been made months earlier than they did. He explains how in Russia, kids were being so distracted by other websites that, for a short while, government had put up censorships so people would be less distracted. He believes that the most successful way of controlling the internet, â€Å"isn’t one that has the most sophisticated censorship, but one that doesn’t need a one at all.† In addition, Evgeny suggested that it is nieve to believe that something as complex and sophisticated as the internet, could create exactly the same outcomes. In conclusion, he creates an unpretentious approach of dealing with policy making; Cyber-realism. Cyber-realists are people that make the internet a method for achieving specific policy objectives, rather than,  people who only focus on the internet’s philosophical impact as a whole. Evgeny makes some remarkable points, and although I think he slightly dramatizes the negative impacts internet has on the utilitarian states, he still manages to convince me of his argument. For instance, I too, believe that internet is credited for some negative things such as: countries having lacked enlightenment in the topic of political decisions, being a distraction rather than a source of information, and finally, giving the government a disloyal reputation. 1 Evgeny suggests that certain countries do not have the ability to be notified of political suggestions online, because computers are not available to them. A relatable example he expresses is that, Fidel Castro has a twitter page, but people in Cuba, do not have computers, let alone twitter. In Italy, for example, only three hundred and sixty seven people have computers, out of one thousand people. That’s less than half of the population that would not be well informed. In addition, in places such as Russia, internet isn’t a system intended to gain information, but rather, a search engine utilized for personal enjoyment. Internet is often a way of keeping kids away from politics because they become far to distracted on other sites, such as RuTube, to focus on government issues. I agree this is a negative effect, because if kids are uninformed, their kids will be uninformed, and the pattern of using internet for personal use will take its toll on future generations. Other countries, such as North Korea and Belarus, lack the ability to be technologically caught up in society. Evgeny mentions, â€Å"I wouldn’t have much hope in the internet in North Korea. It’s a country with some of the fewest internet connections in the world, and average North Koreans have been brainwashed to such an extent that you have serious psychological challenges that you can’t overcome just by using blogs and twitter.† This expresses the internet as being an unfair advantage to certain countries that are not as technologically advanced. Additionally, internet is giving the government a bad reputati on for two different reasons. First off, Evgeny states that bloggers publishing about dishonesty in local governments, are easily co-opted by higher politicians, and are turned against what they were blogging about. In this case, bloggers are absolutely being shut down, in that the power of the government  is less on local authorities, but on the federal government. This demonstrates the government being disloyal to the people, and using a pessimistic way of controlling the local population, which in turn, can certainly lead to trust issues between the two. Secondly, the government will frequently reach out to citizens for their opinion, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are listening to what the citizens have to say. 2 Evgeny suggests that governments pretend to reach out to obtain citizens input, but in reality, it is only a way of making them seem legitimate. The problem with this is that it causes the government to lose power, in that, they can no longer be trusted by the people, therefore the people will slowly stop publicizing their input. Another topic he could have reached upon would be that, because internet is so traceable, some negative things that might have gone viral will always be traced back to you. When bloggers write anti-government information, they are giving out their location, and can easily be tracked by local policemen. Overall I think that Evgeny truly convinced me of his argument because he had some very valid ideas, and as he pointed out, there are plenty of reasons people blame internet for the negative effects it has on the revolution.

Strategies in Theme Park Marketing Essay Example for Free

Strategies in Theme Park Marketing Essay Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (00 852) 2766 6341; Fax: (00 852) 2362 9362; E-mail: [emailprotected] edu. hk Kevin K. F. Wong, PhD is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Manager of the HTM Resource Centre in the Department of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic Uni- versity, Hong Kong. His major research interests focus on tourism management, tourist behaviour, tourism forecasting models and impact studies. Phoebe W. Y. Cheung is a research assistant within the Department of Hotel and Tourism. Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. ABSTRACT KEYWORDS: THEME PARK, THEMING, LEISURE, MOTIVATION, LIFESTYLE Theme parks aim to create the atmosphere of another world and it is essentially the theme which becomes the main part of a theme park experience. Thematic tourism has become increasingly popular where travel is motivated by an interest in a particular subject or area rather than by the more traditional motivations such as idyllic scenery and climate. The drawing power of theming is evident in the fact that it has, in recent years, become a catalyst for the growth of new destinations based mainly on thematic leisure. This study attempts to identify and describe a distinct and representative set of theme types and attributes in a theme park and examines the relationship between visitors motivation for visiting theme parks and theme preferences. Weak to mod- erately strong relationships were found between motivation for theme park visits by visitors and their demographics and lifestyle patterns. Given the fact the theme park industry is still relatively young in Asia, the  ®ndings of this study reinforce the need for Asian theme parks to focus strategically on satisfy- ing lower-level needs, such as stimulation, by developing and marketing an adventure theme comparable with Western theme parks. INTRODUCTION The theme park industry has witnessed a fairly rapid international expansion in recent years. In the US, the industry has reached maturity after 30 years of growth since the inception of Disneyland in the late 1950s, while in Europe, the industry has spread throughout Western Europe with a large concentration of attractions in Germany, France, the Benelux countries and the UK. Reports from the Economist Intelligence Unit indicate that the worldwide trend of the theme park industry is growing. 1The North American theme park industry grew at a compound rate of almost 3 per cent in attendance over the past decade while Eur- ope has become an attractive venue for corporate investment in theme park development by European consortia and large US corporations. Following Europe is Asia, which has been identi ®ed as the worlds next leading inter- national theme park market. In North Asia, Page 319 Journal of Vacation Marketing Volume 5 Number 4 Journal of Vacation Marketing Vol. 5 No. 4, 1999, pp. 319 ±332, Henry Stewart Publications, 1356-7667 at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from like Europe, the industry has experienced a rapid growth phase spurred on by strong demand, a growth which is expected to continue over the next ten years. 2The num- ber of theme parks has been growing in the Asian region. Since 1991, for example, there have been major theme parks developed in Shengzhen, China, such as the China Folk Culture Villages, Splendid China and the Window of the World. In Singapore, the Haw Par Villa Dragon World and Tang Dynasty Village were opened in 1991, in addition to its existing Sentosa Island which features several theme parks. In terms of visitor attendance, Hong Kongs premier theme park, Ocean Park, attracted an annual attendance of 4. 1 million in 1996, a growth rate of 22 per cent over the previous year. 3 This suggests that the industrys potential is enormous in Asia and at the same time implies that theme park developers are facing increasingly keen competition. However, despite the performance of the industry and the tourism earnings contributed by its strong growth, there is still a lack of informa- tion available on theme parks performance, positioning and development in Asia. 4 Theming and theme parks A theme park is `an amusement park that has themed attractions, be it food, costumes, entertainment, retail stores and/or rides ac-cording to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). Theme parks are distinguished from other amusement parks in that there is a theme that runs through all or most of their attractions. These attractions might be marketed under one general idea or personality, or they could comprise a cluster of different themes at one central location. 5 The theme, therefore, becomes the main part of the theme park experience. Even though theme parks were usually thought of as having a major theme, most of them in fact contain multi-themes in terms of differ- ent themed areas. Some park managers use themes to increase attendance over a period of time, say, during festivals or special events. However, even though the term `theme may sometimes be unclear, by reference to the de ®nition used by the IAAPA, the themes identi ®ed in this study may be thought of as: (i) the main theme which runs through all or most of the attractions, such as the movie theme of the Warner Brothers Movie World; (ii) the sub-themes which are found in a park in the form of different themed areas like the Frontierland, Adven- tureland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland and the Main Street USA of Disneys Magic King- dom; and (iii) the transitional themes, that is, themes that are created for special events which only last for a certain period of time to boost attendance. Some examples are the Far West Festival and Space Festival as seen in Disneyland Paris in 1994 and 1995 respec- tively. Theme parks are becoming increas- ingly attractive to the tourist who has limited vacation time, as by their very nature, they provide a condensed holiday product. 6A good example is Disneys new `Animal Kingdom in Florida which replicates a safari park in East Africa. Theme parks aim to create the atmosphere of another world7and it is essentially the theme itself that creates such an atmosphere. A theme represents a story line or framework which highlights a particular attraction at a destination. 8It at- tempts to tell a story and through this story the visitor is transported to another place and a unique experience is created. However, since theme parks are still a relatively new concept in tourist attractions,9there is a paucity of literature on success and failure of theme parks around the world. Past studies have focused primarily on theme park selection,10 visitor behaviour,11 visitor seg- mentation12 etc but not on the intrinsic value of the theme park ? the theme itself. Competitive theming Recent years have seen the emergence of many themes, only limited by imagination. For example, there have been themes that were based on the success of a product, such as Legoland in Denmark, and others that were built on the mythology of a culture like the Haw Par Villa Dragon World in Singa- pore. The more successful parks have been Page 320 Strategic theming in theme park marketing at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from able to use the theme to create a competitive advantage over the others. Theming promotes the creation of a whole new atmosphere based on the unique experience that a theme park offers. For instance, in all the Disney properties, there is a fantasy element that allows guests to escape the urban setting and go to places they dream about. 13 Thematic tourism, in fact, represents tourism with a relatively narrow focus, where trips are motivated by an interest in a particular subject or area rather than the more traditional motivations such as the lure of idyllic scenery and pleasant climate. More importantly, theming in some ways is di- vorced from the idea of place, relegating the consideration of location to being the back- ground for a theme, rather than being the primary motivating factor. 14. There are a number of advantages in theming. First of all, theming is important for creating an initial perception of quality. 15 Secondly, themes are means to be used to help boost attendance. For example, `themed discount programmes are created to aim at certain market segments. 16 They are likely to encourage repeat visitation, as a themed environment provides a unique, memorable experience which increases the probability that guests will return. Visitors will tell friends about their visits, provid- ing effective word-of-mouth advertising. 17 Thirdly, theming is a value-adding factor. The themed retail park `Knotts Camp. Snoopy demonstrated that `the mall with a themed entertainment experience will be superior to the mall without such oppor- tunity. 18 Fourthly, theming allows coordina- tion of retail merchandise, which can in turn increase the guests retail expenditure. 19 Fi- nally, theme parks that use an easily recogni- sable and interesting theme will have a competitive advantage over those which do not. 20 This is especially so when there is very strong competition and the equipment is very similar ? the way to differentiate is by theming. 21 In addition, as the industry ma- tures and visitors become more experienced and discerning, theming may be needed for a more sophisticated market. The power of theming or thematic tour- ism is evident in the fact that it has, in recent years, become a catalyst for the growth of new destinations based solely on thematic leisure. 22 Theme park developers have con- verted existing attractions into theme parks. To be more competitive and recover the loss of market share or pro ®t, developers have to diversify their `product offering. For exam- ple, there has been the growth in demand for attractions with a space theme. There- fore, knowing what themes guests look for is essential to both potential and existing theme park investors. New types of theme parks are being developed around the world which shift their focus away from the conventional features of a `Disneyland type attraction and further differentiate themselves. This is evi- denced a plan to develop a theme park at the site of the 1969 Woodstock music festival to recreate its counter-culture spirit and an- other based on crocodiles in Florida, named `Jungle Crocs of the World. 23 Purpose of study The purpose of the study is to examine the importance of the theme in the marketing of theme parks. Since the theme is an important factor affecting the choice of theme parks by visitors, it is important to ascertain more accurately what visitors preferences are in terms of themes and how their demographic characteristics and lifestyle in? uence such preference. More speci ®cally, this study seeks to identify and describe a distinct but representative set of theme types and attri- butes in a theme park; to  ®nd out the theme preference(s) of the theme park visitors; to examine the relationship between theme park visitors motivation (purpose of visit), demographics, psychographics (lifestyle) and their preference(s) for themes; and to exam- ine the importance of theming in the mar- keting of theme parks. Motivation for visiting theme parks Pearce and Dermotts leisure ladder provides a motivation framework to explain why people visit theme parks. 24 Five levels of need regarding theme park visitation are Page 321 Wong and Cheung at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from identi ®ed, with the highest level of need being listed as ful ®lment, followed by the need for self-esteem and development. The next level is relationship, which emphasises the need to build and extend ones personal relationships. This is followed by the need for stimulation. People in this group are concerned with the management of their arousal levels with emphasis on fun and thrill rides. The lowest level is that of relaxation or bodily needs (see Appendix). Apart from understanding the basic moti- vation for theme park visitation, it is neces- sary to  ®nd out why one theme park is chosen over another. The theme here plays a role in differentiating the more successful parks from the less successful ones. It has a twofold signi ®cance. First, the nature of the theme chosen will have an impact on the type of customers attracted to the park. Some themes may have a broad and general appeal which caters to a wide spectrum of visitors while others may be more focused and have a narrower appeal. Secondly, them- ing allows the creation of an enhanced atmo- sphere and guest experience. These effects, in fact, create the appropriately desirable image crucial to services marketing. Service marketing The theme park industry is part of the service component of the tourism industry. Owing to the intangible nature of services, the creation of an identi ®able image is critical for service marketing. Even though the image and the theme are not identical in nature, the theme helps project an image by the sort of theme chosen and the them- ing. For example, the fantasy theme of Disneyland helps project its image of de- light, fun and fantasy. Further, the extensive theming of Disney gives a perception of high quality. The decision made by a consumer to purchase a product or service is directly in- ?uenced by the image the individual has of himself/herself and the perceived image of the product or seller. This may explain the psychological process involved when a visi- tor chooses to go to a theme park with a particular theme, say, an adventure theme; he views himself as adventurous. It can be postulated that the psychographics of consu- mers help predict the sort of theme they prefer. Moreover, the service nature of theme parks make image creation a dif ®cult task as it is intrinsically abstract. Thus, service mar- keters may be able to build the image of speci ®c reality and differentiate it from other `realities by the presentation of tangible evidences and experiences simulating reality. By promoting a theme, customers can then use these created physical facilities and props to judge service quality. For example, them- ing is often done with the careful choice of types of architecture, costumes and other settings displayed in the park. Theme preference In a study by McClung it was found that the type of theme is one of the factors affecting tourists preference for theme parks. 25 Results also indicate that there is a correlation be- tween themes and attractions so that consid- erable multi-segmentation strategies can be devised to cater to different market seg- ments. For example, wet and wild themes correlate highly with family attractions. This type of theme can be used to attract younger people and families with children looking for thrills and excitement. Moreover, research has revealed that inter- national tourists with different cultural backgrounds exhibit distinct patterns of preference when they travel. Caucasians were found to be different from Asian visitors in terms of preference for theme park attributes concerning the nature of the attraction, activ- ities and themes. 26 Furthermore, the impor- tance of the cultural element in planning and designing theme parks has been emphasised by Gorder, who stressed the need to seek an appropriate philosophy of concept that re- ?ected Eastern thought and traditions for a park located in the Orient. 27 These important differences point to the need for more theme park studies to provide data for theme park developers catering to international tourists from diverse cultural backgrounds. Page 322. Strategic theming in theme park marketing at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from METHODOLOGY Theme types and attributes A detailed review of tourism and theme park literature and promotion brochures was con- ducted to  ®nd out the theme attributes of theme parks. Words used to describe the theme or general atmosphere associated with the theme parks that appeared more than once were recorded. A list of descriptions was generated by a review of promotional literature, and was expanded by conducting interviews with  ®ve experienced theme park professionals who were asked to list all the theme types used by theme parks around the world based on their experience and know- ledge. Speci ®c theme attributes were derived and content analysis was used to sort out the adjectives used. Obvious duplication and overgeneralised descriptors were eliminated and a list of 75 attributes was compiled. As the list contained many descriptors that were similar to each other, the latter were reduced to a smaller number and regrouped into attributes that were more likely to re- present one single theme. Content analysis was to distinguish different theme types and, after regrouping, the resulting attributes were classi ®ed into seven main ones. These theme types were then shown to the  ®ve volunteers who had past experience in theme park settings to obtain further feed- back for  ®nalising the grouping of theme types. Table 1 shows the  ®nal grouping into seven theme types used in this study. Motivation for theme park visitation To ascertain the motivation for theme park visiting, ten statements were constructed, based on Pearce and Dermotts leisure ladder for theme park settings, each stating visitors different reasons for visiting to theme parks. Table 1: Theme types grouping Type Attribute Type Attribute Adventure Excitement and action Fantasy Animation. Frightening Cartoon characters Mysterious Childhood enchantment Thrill rides Childrens play park Futurism Advances in society and technology Fairy tale Magic Discovery Make believe Exploration of science and technology History and culture Myths and legends Aboriginal Laser Authentic Robot Cultural heritage Scienti ®c Ethnic appeals Science  ®ction Gold Rush International Flavours of the world Historic ambience International village Movie American Wild West show Miniature replicas Comedy Scenic spots Motion picture World expositions Show business Nature Animals Stunt show Floral displays Horticultural gardens Landscaping. Marine life Natural wonders Ocean Wildlife Page 323 Wong and Cheung at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from These were in the form of questions which represented the  ®ve levels of the leisure ladder model as shown in the Appendix. Psychographic (lifestyle) Twelve statements pertaining to the person- ality, behaviour and interests of the respon- dents, such as I am a dreamer and like to fantasise; I am adventurous and look for excite- ment in life etc, were developed to investigate their preferences for particular themes. These statements were developed based on past literature and comments from a group of  ®ve volunteers. Demographic variables Demographic variables such as gender, country of origin, age, life cycle, occupation and post, household income and education level were selected to test whether any of them had a relationship with visitors theme preferences. Data collection An undisguised structured questionnaire was designed to  ®nd out information pertaining to visitors demographics, psychographics and their preferences for themes. It consisted of  ®ve sections, with the  ®rst section consist- ing of questions relating to general travel behaviour, such as frequency of travel and number of theme parks visited. In the second section, respondents were asked to indicate the degree of importance of each of the seven themes, with 1 being very unimpor- tant and 5 being very important. Following this, they were asked to rank their prefer- ences for these themes, with 1 being the most preferred and 7 the least preferred, as an indication of their ordinal partiality. The third section of the questionnaire, which sought to reveal the respondents lifestyle patterns (attitude, interest, behaviour) was achieved by seeking their level of agreement with a series of statements which related to these aspects on a scale which ranged from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating strong disagreement and 5 indicating strong agreement. The fourth section focused on the motivation for theme park visitation. Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with ten statements which related to the  ®ve levels of Pearce and Dermotts leisure ladder model for theme park settings. The  ®nal section gathered general demographic data on respondents gender, country of origin, age, marital status, occupation, household income and education level. The survey questionnaire was pre-tested on a small group of ten volunteers to ascer-tain the validity, clarity and appropriateness of the questions asked, particularly in the sections pertaining to motivation and life- style patterns. Based on the comments re- ceived, some rewording was considered and the layout of the questionnaire restructured. The sample in this study were Asians (not necessarily international tourists) in Hong Kong who had visited a theme park before and those who had not visited one but ex- pressed an intention to visit. The survey was conducted in a popular tourist shopping area in Kowloon, Hong Kong on a weekend to obtain a good cross-section of people. Re-spondents were randomly intercepted and requested to complete the survey question- naire. Interviewers were instructed to clarify to respondents the de ®nition of a theme park where necessary and give examples. FINDINGS Demographic pro ®le of respondents The basic pro ®le of respondents showed a mix of men (44 per cent) and women (56 per cent) across all age and income categories. The majority (52 per cent) of them were between 25 and 39 years of age and single. In terms of income group, slightly more than one-third reported middle to upper middle class incomes. This may be explained by the fact that 44 per cent of the respondents were white-collar workers and 39 per cent re- ported having attained a secondary education level. In terms of respondents nationality, most of them were from Hong Kong, with the rest originating from the Philippines, China, Korea, India, Japan and Singapore. Page 324 Strategic theming in theme park marketing at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from Visitation pattern Of the 105 respondents who provided usable data for this study, 95. 2 per cent have been to a theme park before while 4. 8 per cent have not. About one-third (32 per cent) of the respondents may be considered as non-frequent theme park visitors as they visited theme parks only once every two to four years. Another 30 per cent visited theme parks once a year whereas 22 per cent visited three times or more a year and once every six months. In terms of the number of theme parks they had visited, the majority of the respondents (46 per cent) had been to be- tween one and two different theme parks while 33 per cent of them had visited be- tween three and  ®ve theme parks. About 12 per cent had been to six to nine parks whereas only 9 per cent had been to ten or more different ones. The pattern of visitation may be attributed to the fact that there is a relatively small number of theme parks exist- ing in Asia. Ocean Park in Hong Kong was found to be the most visited park by those respondents who had been to theme parks before (97 per cent) followed by Disneys Magic Kingdom (30 per cent). Table 2 shows the list of theme parks visited by the respondents. Theme preference of respondents Seven theme types were examined to deter- mine which theme was most preferred by respondents. The nature theme (66. 7 per cent) was most frequently ranked among the higher ranks (ranks 1 ±3), followed by the fantasy theme (46. 7%) and adventure theme (44. 8%). Futurism (44. 7%), history and cul-ture (37. 1%), and international (32. 4%) themes came fourth,  ®fth and sixth respec- tively. The least preferred theme was the movie theme with only 27. 7% of respondents ranking in the top three ranks (see Table 3). To some extent the overwhelming prefer- ence for the nature theme may be explained by the limited theme park experience of some respondents. Ocean Park, an oceanarium (nature) type of park, was found to be the most visited park (97%) and almost half of these respondents have only visited one or two different parks. Thach and Axinn noted that consumers with a greater depth of ex- perience in one park only may be more likely to use the park they are familiar with as the standard for the industry and their expecta- tions of other parks are shaped by this limited knowledge. 28 Hence, the preference for the nature theme may very likely be a re? ection of the in-depth experience obtained at Ocean Park as 70 per cent of the companys guests were in fact on a repeat visit. On the other hand, the movie theme, a popular theme found in the West with the success of Universal Studios and Warner Brothers Movie World, was the least pre- ferred theme. This points to the need for the consideration of cultural in? uence on theme Table 2: Major theme parks visited by respondents Theme Park % Ocean Park 97 Disneys Magic Kingdom 30 Sung Dynasty Village 29 China Folk and Culture Village 29 Splendid China 24 Sentosa Island 17 The Window of the World 16 Haw Par Villa Dragon World 15 Warner Bros Movie World 11 Jurong Bird Park 10 Lotte World 10 Sea World 9 Dream World 8 Universal Studios 6 (n ? 100) Table 3: Theme preferences of respondents by frequency of higher ranking Theme % Rank Nature 66. 7 1 Fantasy 46. 7 2 Adventure 44. 8 3 Futurism 44. 7 4 History and culture 37. 1 5 International 32. 4 6 Movie 27. 7 7 Page 325 Wong and Cheung at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from preferences. Another interpretation may be that as the breadth of experience in terms of the number of different parks visited was limited, the respondents in this study did not have much exposure to the movie theme. For example, only 11 per cent and 6 per cent of the respondents have been to Warner Brothers Movie World and Universal Stu- dios respectively. Demographics and themes A one-way ANOVA was conducted to test the relationship between the demographic variables and visitors preferences for themes. The results are as follows. ? The results of the ANOVA revealed that visitors preferences for the adventure theme was affected by their marital status, with those being single showing a higher preference for this theme (mean ? 3:84) as shown in Table 4. ? The importance of the fantasy theme was also found to be affected by marital status. Those who were single preferred the theme, with a relatively high mean of 3. 51 in contrast to those who were mar- ried with no children (mean ? 2:30). Table 4 presents these results. ? Younger groups of respondents did not consider the history and culture theme important (mean ? 2:88) compared to those in the age group of 40 ±54 years (mean ? 4:07). Students also reported a lower mean (mean ? 2:63) towards this theme whereas the blue-collar workers and the middle-income group (HK $10,000 ±$30,000) regarded it as impor- tant. These results are presented in Tables 5, 6 and 7 below. ? The importance of the movie theme differed signi ®cantly by respondents age, marital status and occupation. Those aged between 10 and 24 years (mean ? 3:46), being single (mean ? 3:40) and students (mean ? 3:63) preferred the movie theme (Tables 4, 5 and 6). These results are consistent with the  ®ndings in an earlier study by Pearce and Dermott pertaining to the matching of demographic groups (young children, single adults and families) with the motivations for theme park visitors. The 13 ±16 year olds and the solos representing the single group viewed the rides or thrills as more important than did the family groups. Given that age and marital status are somewhat related it is not surpris- ing that respondents who are single would prefer the fantasy theme which has attributes like childhood enchantment, childrens play park, cartoon characters etc. This probably also explains why other groups such as those Table 4: Comparison of the importance of the theme to respondents by marital status Theme importance Group 1 (Single) Group 2 (Married, no child) Group 3 (Married, children at home) Group 4 (Married, children left home). ANOVA Main effect probability Adventure 3. 84 3. 10 3. 03 3. 00 . 0092A Fantasy 3. 51 2. 30 3. 26 3. 20 . 0213A Futurism 3. 49 3. 60 3. 71 2. 60 . 2191 History and culture 3. 40 3. 70 3. 65 4. 20 . 3598 International 3. 40 3. 30 3. 35 3. 80 . 7696 Movie 3. 40 3. 10 2. 68 3. 36 . 0271A Nature 3. 95 3. 90 3. 85 4. 20 . 9127 Results are presented as the mean, on a 5-point scale where 1 indicated the theme was very unimportant and 5 indicated the theme was very important. ADenotes signi ®cance at the . 05 level. Page 326 Strategic theming in theme park marketing at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from married with children who stay with parents and married with children who do not stay with parents, with the exception of empty nesters (married with no child), tend to prefer the fantasy theme. This may be attrib- uted to the fact that families with children may be more desirous of seeking entertain- ment opportunities for their children. As for the movie theme, it was found that the preference for this theme was in? uenced by several related demographic variables. Younger people, who are more likely to be single and are students, preferred going to cinemas to spend their leisure time. It seemed that the more movies they saw, the higher the probability the movie theme would be attractive to them. However, it should be noted that the number of movies watched does not necessarily correlate with the importance given the movie theme (coefficient ? :1246, p ? :210). Likewise, the educational nature contained in the his- tory and culture theme was less appealing to the younger group who are usually students, and tend to perceive history and culture as less stimulating. This study also revealed that the blue- collar section showed a preference for the history and culture theme. While the basic motivation for travel may be to achieve `a more profound appreciation of society and culture,29 blue-collar workers who earn a Table 5: Comparison of the importance of the theme to respondents by age Theme importance Group 1 (10 ±24) Group 2 (25 ±39) Group 3 (40 ±54) Group 4 (55 ±65? ) ANOVA Main effect probability Adventure 3. 92 3. 50 2. 86 3. 36 . 0587 Fantasy 3. 58 3. 25 2. 93 3. 36 . 3889 Futurism 3. 29 3. 67 3. 57 3. 27 . 4619 History and culture 2. 88 3. 65 4. 07 3. 82 . 0029A International 3. 29 3. 36 3. 36 3. 82 . 4406 Movie 3. 46 3. 05 2. 50 3. 10 . 0371A Nature 3. 79 3. 93 4. 07 4. 00 . 8699 Results are presented as the mean, on a 5-point scale where 1 indicated the theme was very unimportant and 5 indicated the theme was very important. ADenotes signi ®cance at the . 05 level. Table 6: Comparison of the importance of the theme to respondents by occupation and post Theme importance Group 1 (Business owner/self- employed/manager/ white collar) Group 2 (Blue collar) Group 3 (Student) Group 4 (Housewife/ retired/ unemployed) ANOVA Main effect probability Adventure 3. 52 3. 56 3. 69 3. 13 . 5597 Fantasy 3. 41 2. 81 3. 38 3. 31 . 3273 Futurism 3. 55 3. 75 3. 13 3. 63 . 4156 History and culture 3. 59 4. 00 2. 63 3. 88 . 0009 A International 3. 27 3. 75 3. 25 3. 63 . 1819 Movie 2. 84 3. 19 3. 63 3. 50 . 0271A Nature 3. 89 4. 19 3. 88 3. 81 . 7355 Results are presented as the mean, on a 5-point scale where 1 indicated the theme was very unimportant and 5 indicated the theme was very important. ADenotes signi ®cance at the . 05 level. Page 327 Wong and Cheung at University College Birmingham on December 27, 2014jvm. sagepub. comDownloaded from low to middle household income have lim- ited travelling opportunities and, therefore.

Ensure The Intended Audience Receive Right Message Media Essay

Ensure The Intended Audience Receive Right Message Media Essay Human beings are the social animals live with others. From the moment we are born until the last moment of our life, our whole life is a process of socialization. We are living with other people in the various kind of things related. Personal chat with the neighbors, teaching someone or learning something forms others, showing the opinions to others so on. All those kind of activities are communication. So, all the human societies involve the communication and the communication takes an important place in the human societies. What is communication? The communication can be defined as a processing of transferring the information by several methods between the sender and receiver. How is the communication made and how do the people ensure the audiences have received the right massage in their communication? Lets discuss about the communication process and the right ways of communication. 2.0 Communication process The purpose of communication is getting the right message across to others clearly. The communication only can succeed when the both parties (the sender and the receiver) understand the same information as a result of the communication. So, how can we make effective communication? A Communication Process is usually used when a sender wishes to communicate formally within an organization. By using the Communication Process, the sender could be ensured that there are no miscommunications to be occurred. Figure à «Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ­Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ…“.jpg In the figure 1, the sender is the encoder, the message is verbal massage or written message, the channel is one of the medium which to transmit the message, the receiver is the decoder, feedback is a response of the message, and the noise is any kind of interruption which can disturb the communication. And each of the essential elements is playing the important role in making the effective communication. Sender (encoder): A sender is the one who initiate the communication. Anyone who starts the conversation can be a sender. An effective communication is depending on the senders communication skill, level of his knowledge, attitude or how much the sender desires to affect the receiver. The person who uses the appropriate words, sentences, gestures, tone and so on might be a good communicator. The sender has to be well prepared the knowledge for the particular topic before he starts conversation. Also, the sender has to respect the person whom he communicates. Encoding: Encoding is formulating the message. That is not only translating the senders mind (ideas, thinking, information, opinion or etc) into a message but also deciding what kind of medium to use for the communication. Speaking, writing, gesturing, signaling etc can be a kind of encoding. Before, the sender choose the medium, he has to think about the receivers abilities of understanding. For example, if there are an illiterate receiver and the sender sends the written message to him, the receiver will fail to understand the message but the receiver can understand if the sender talks to him orally. The purpose of communication is the sender want to influence the receiver and get the responses. So, how the sender encode the message is the most important in the communication. Channel: A channel is the medium for carrying the message from the sender to the receiver. There are many types of channel for the communication. The channel can be verbal (voice), non verbal (written words), or mass media (television, radio, newspaper, magazine, book and etc). Choosing the right channel is very important to make the receiver to understand the message clearly. Especially for the marketing of the organization, choosing the right channel is very important because it can affect the accomplishment of the project directly. Decoding: Decoding is the interpretation of the message by the receiver. Reading of the written message, listening and understanding of verbal message, and watching the media (television, or film) can be a decoding. The receiver also has to try to understand the meaning of the message form sender. Then can make a effective communication. Feedback: the feedback is the response of the receiver to the senders message. The feedback provides the opportunities of improving the conversation and more effective. It is also giving the chance of evaluating mistakes or right things in the particular conversation. And it helps to regulate the conversation between the sender and the receiver. Noise: The noise is interruptions in communication. It interrupts the communication process and to make the communication ineffective. The Environment is one of the major causes of noises. Anything interrupts the communication can be a noise. For example, the television or radio sound, noise of the children, noise of roadside, bad condition of phone line etc. All those kind of thing can be a noise of communication. Therefore for effective communication, it is necessary to reduce the noise as possible as they can. 3.0 The ways to ensure the intended audience to receive right message The communication skill is attached great important to all the people in these days. The good communication skill helps the people to avoid misunderstanding and argument. It also can help someone to get opportunities in certain circumstances. In the communication, not all the audiences understand the senders message clearly. So, how can sender ensure that the intended audience has received the right message? There are some skills the sender should consider for his communication. Control the voice(volume, tone, and the speed) It is the well known fact that the audiences usually understand the speakers message from the other things a lot more than actual words he uses. Especially, the speakers voice affect the audience understands so much. If the speaker speaks too fast, the audience cannot catch up what the speaker wants to say and if the speaker speaks too slowly, the audience might lose their concentration and cannot receive right message. As same meaning, the speaker needs to control and change his volume, tone and the speed to attract the audience to concentrate in the conversation. Using suitable word and pronunciation To ensure the audience has received the right message, the speaker must use the suitable word. The word cannot be very difficult or too easy to lose the audiences interest. Also, the speakers pronunciation is very important in verbal communication to make the audience to understand .If the speaker speaks the dialect or mispronounces the audience is hard to understand the message. Therefore, the speaker should use the standard language. Using some body language As it mentioned above, the audience more understand the message not from the speakers word. If the speaker uses some body language during the conversation, it will help the audience to understand the meaning of the message. But the speaker needs to be careful to use some body languages because some of the body language has different meaning in different cultures. Reducing the noise Any kind of noises in the communication interrupt the audience to concentrate in the conversation. Only reducing the noises, the speaker can make more effective communication. Sometimes reducing the noise is difficult because some of the noise we cannot control. Well preparation Before the communication, the speaker should prepare himself fist. He should know what the purpose of communication is, and how he is going to talk to the audiences. He also should prepare structure of message and it will help him not to talk about out of point. With well-prepared message, the speaker can get more confident to talk. An d the smooth presenting helps the audience to understand the speakers message clearly. Analyzing the audience before the communication There is a phrase in Korea If you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle. As this phrase if the speaker knows about the audiences, he can attract the audience better and make them to concentrate on the conversation. For example, different types of people have different knowledge level, if the speaker knows the audiences knowledge or education level, he might choose right word to present the message and it will help the audiences to receive right message form speaker. Right time, Right place Although the speaker has very great communication skill, if he chooses wrong time or wrong place, the audiences cannot receive the right message. Speech during the lunch time, the audiences cannot concentrate on the speech. Also if the speaker talks in very noise place, the audiences cannot hear what the speaker wants to say. Asking the question to the audiences To ensure the audiences understand the message, the speaker can ask the questions to the audiences during the speech. The speaker can know whether the audiences understand or receive the right message or not immediately. At the same time by asking the question, the speaker can get back the audiences attention too. Controlling the speech time Long speech time can make the audiences to lose their concentration. The speaker might give the audiences short break. It will help the audiences to refresh themselves and they can pay attention in the speech. Using auditory visual effect People decode the message by not only hearing but also seeing, feeling etc. Using the auditory visual effects, the speaker can stimulate the audiences decode abilities. And it will help the audiences to understand the message easier. Providing hand-out If the speaker provides the hand-out to the audiences, it also helps the audience to get right message because the audiences can refer the important point although they miss during the speech. Emphasizing the important point When the speaker speeches, he should emphasize the important point. At the important point, he might speak louder or repeat the point two or three times to let the audiences to know that is the main point of the speech. Especially before the speaker ends the speech, summarize the main point to make sure that the audiences get the right message. Dress code Before the speech starts, the audiences judge the message from the speakers dress code even though it is not related to the message. The speaker should attract the audiences with his dress code, he might be able to attract with the message too. If the speaker shows his neat and tidy visual, the audiences will open their heart to listen to the speech. Using positive words All the people like to listen to the positive words rather than the negative words. So, the speaker might attract the audiences with the positive words to make them to concentrate in the speech. 4.0 Conclusion (Q2) As a person who lives in this world, every day, every hour, even every minutes, we need to communicate with others in different ways. A man plays the different role in different situation. He might be a presenter, a writer, or an audience too. In the communication, the most important part is not only sender but also a receiver. If the both parties do not play their role well it cannot be an effective communication. The sender has to send the message clearly and choose right medium, right time and right place. The audience has to concentrate on the senders message. People cannot live without communication. Therefore they should learn communication skill to avoid any miscommunication. 5.0 Introduction Q2 The well-built communication is one of the competitiveness of the organization. It helps to motivate the employees by sharing the mission and vision for achieving firms goals. Especially how well the firm communicates with consumers affects the firms brand image and revenue. The most common communication medium is an advertisement. And choosing the right medium for the advertisement helps to make impressive communication to the target audiences. The Taste of Korea Snd Bhd is going to introduce the new menu called Bibimbab. Bibimbab is a popular Korean traditional dish. The word literally means Mixed rice. Namul(seasoned vegetables), sliced meat(usually beef), fried egg with Korean traditional chili pepper paste are served on top of the warm white rice. Now the product manager of The Taste of Korea Snd Bhd is looking for the methods, the mediums and the vehicles to use for the communication with target audience. Lets look at their advertisement project. 6.0 Advertising Mediums The advertising medium can described as the method which brings out or carries the advertisers message to the audiences. And the advertising medium makes the connection between the firm which manufactures the products or offers the services and the consumers who are interesting in the products. The media is commonly described as channels of mass communication such as television, radio, newspaper, magazine and so on. The advertising media can be classified major three part; print, electronic, and moving. Print media: The term print media is any printed medium which are commercially published. For example, newspapers, magazine, flyer, brochure and bill-board are kinds of print media. It is the most easy and effective way of spreading the information to the masses. However, the advertisement through the print media has short shelf life because the most of print media advertisement are read once and discarded. Also increasing the popularity internet becomes one of disadvantages of print media advertisement because a lot of people prefer to read online version rather than reading printed version. Electronic media: The electronic media is the medium which uses the electronic energy to access the content for the audience. For example, television, radio, cinema, electronic bill-board are kinds of electronic media. It is the easiest the way to reach the large number of the audiences in a short period of time. And it provides more creativeness for the advertising. However it has some disadvantages. It is limited communication because the length of exposes is limited. Normally the most of advertisements through electronic media are allowed to be exposed around thirty seconds only. Transit media: The transit media is also called as out-door media. The transit media is the medium which uses the vehicles to a platform of advertising. For example, bus, train, monorail are kinds of moving media. It is important to reach audiences of all the ages. It is an advertisement which following the consumer. So, no matter the audiences wants or not he can see the advertising. This point can help to maximise the advertisement effect. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages. Transit media advertisements are easy to damage compare with other mediums because the advertisement is exposed in open environment. Also, it is not appropriate to show all the detailed services of the products. 7.0 Bibimbab advertisement in The Star newspaper Advertising in newspaper has many advantages to the small business owner. It takes lower cost but high effectiveness. 7.1 The advantages of newspaper advertisement are as follow: Cost effective advertisement Through newspaper advertisement, the firm can enjoy lower cost but high effectiveness. The cost of newspaper advertisement is cheaper compare with other mediums such as television, radio, bill-board advertisement. Also it does not need to spend much budget for the high technology artwork. Because the newspapers print quality is not very good. So, simple artwork also should not be a problem for the newspaper advertisement. The newspapers are distributed in large areas. The firm can advertises the product in locally target area through the newspaper distribution. It also helps to save the cost for the firm. Large variety of advertisement size In newspaper advertisement, there are more choices for the size. Depend on the firms budget, purpose, or design, the firm can choose different sizes in different pages. The firm also can choose black and white advertisement or full color advertisement. Physical advertisement The newspaper advertisement is printed advertisement. So it can contain more details such as price list, company details, coupon etc. other medias are hard to contain detail information especially electronic media because it is not physical advertisement so, it is hard to show the detail information. However, the newspaper advertisement can contain more detail information. 7.2 Bibimbab advertisement bibimaba-16.jpg This is very simple Bibimbab advertisement. The Taste of Korea Snd Bhd made this advertisement in The Star newspaper. Because according to Audit Bureau of Circulations, as an English language newspaper, The Star has largest daily circulation in Malaysia. Especially in Kuala Lumpur area, The Star newspaper is No.1distributed English language newspaper. This fact helps The Taste of Korea Snd Bhd to reach the target audiences effectively. The main point in this advertisement is the colourful ingredients of Bibimbab. The Main ingredients of Bibimbab are vegetables and the different colours of vegetable makes the harmonies on the Bibimbab. And the colourful dish can attract the consumer in their first sight. The bowl which contains the Bibimbab is a brass bowl and it shows the Korean traditional custom. The brass bowl was commonly used in the every family for keep the food warm and fresh. The brass bowl is most suitable for Bibimbab as a public dish. The garish back ground colour is enough to emphasise the Bibimbab. Next to the Bibimbab dish, there are a set of spoon and chopstick. It shows Korean traditional food culture as well. Under the Bibimbab picture, there is wording How about BIBIMBAB for lunch today? Bibimbab might be not very familiar name to many people. To write Bibimbab in capital letter and make the font size bigger than others, let the audiences to recognize that this advertisement talks about Bibimbab. And as a word for lunch, the consumer might able to know Bibimbab is a kind of dishes. Asking the readers How about Bibimbab for lunch today? makes the readers more curious about Bibimbab. Every lunch time, people think what to have for lunch today. And the people who see this advertisement might think that what is Bibimbab? Is it delicious? Lets try it for lunch today. At the top of the advertisement, there is a simple explanation of Bibimbab. To use small font to show it is extra explanation only. And at the right bottom there are company details which are company name, telephone number, and the address. If the readers want to get more information, they can make a call to ask directly. All the wordings in this advertisement are white because the background colour is dark gray. So if the wording is dark colour the reader cannot read. If the wordings are too colourful, it interrupts the focus on the colourful Bibimbab picture. White letters can make the harmony with the Bibimbab picture and the background. 8.0 Conclusion In mass communication anyone can be a receiver. Person who watch television, person who read the newspaper or magazine, even the person who waiting for the bus at bus station etc all of them can be a receiver because the mass communication is usually in one way. And it has many kinds of mediums to reach the target audiences. There are three mediums which are commonly used print media, electronic media and transit media. Each media has their own advantages and disadvantages. To analyse communication mediums helps the firm to reach the target consumers at right time, right place, and right methods. The most important thing in mass communication is it must be able to deliver the right message of sender to the audiences very clearly and persuade them. Therefore, when the firm makes the advertisement, it has to consider the use of all the elements of advertisement such as wording font size, theme font, colour, picture, size, background and even structures of it. All those simple elements can affect the success rate of advertisement.

Women, Title IX and Film :: Sports Essays

Women, Title IX and Film When I was younger I can remember watching old movies with my mother every Sunday. I loved watching the dashing men sweep away the pretty women and the extravagantly cheesy music. However much I loved the romance part of the story, it always struck me as kind of funny the way the woman was usually a very passive part of the whole relationship making model. She waited for him to kiss her, and the (or I should really say perhaps then) the ball is in her court and she has the ability to make decisions. In countless movies the woman is mad at the man and so what does he do? He grabs her and kisses her passionately. I always thought that it looked like it hurt. Some guy mashing his face into yours when you really do not want to be kissed? Not pleasant. My point in all this is that if you look at movies like these and then watch, say, Bend it Like Beckham or Girl Fight, the woman is actively choosing her sport, her path in life, and her relationship. Women now have the right to be empowere d in film (despite the still pervading Hollywood kitsch) and on of these ways, is inherently, through sport. Sport empowers women. That is a proven fact, and for many of us Title IX babies, a no-brainer. The question is why? When Title IX was still a fresh, new thing, for women sport served as something once denied them that they could finally experience. It represented getting the ball and being able to play just like "one of the boys." Now women were on an even playing field, and that is always empowering. For these women it represented a chance more than anything else, but women of my generation get something else out of sport that makes the modern woman different. In films across the board, sport or no, the image of woman is changing. She is thinner, yes, to keep up with the Hollywood standard of the waif, but she is also fit and muscular. Jada Pinkett-Smith is my favorite example of the new Hollywood body. She has muscular definition in her body but she is still very feminine. Women are expected (not just in Hollywood) to go to the gym regularly and work out. A woman who is not physically fit is not as attractive in today's modern world and that is the truth.

Art Classes in Schools: To be, or not to be? Essay -- Education

Most people would agree that music and art programs in schools have a huge impact on students not only academically, but in just about every aspect of their lives. Studies have shown that students who are involved in music and art programs have an overall higher IQ and show signs of many other academic benefits. Participating in such programs also allow students the opportunity to express themselves artistically and show the world their perhaps otherwise hidden potential. We all know how fun it can be to show the world your unexpected abilities, and what better way to show those off than the place where we spend most of our day-to-day lives? Unfortunately, even with all these obvious benefits, when the school budget is short, the first things to go are the art programs. Because of this, opportunities become more limited. Creative expression is cut short. Higher potential for success in math and science shrinks. Enjoyable, informative, and influential elective classes disappear. Art p rograms really are not the best choice when deciding which classes to cut in order to have enough money for those extra textbooks or new desks. Time and time again, the issue has been tested and has proven that benefits are very real and art programs are largely effective. The University of Michigan exalts music and art programs and portrays them as essential classes (Murphy). The university considers art programs to be ways to develop imagination, which helps build an understanding of the real world. It sees the connections between arts, math, and science: both â€Å"require imagination and aesthetic judgment †¦ [and] call on discipline in the acquisition and application of skills, along with intellectual strictness in the pursuit of both formal and conce... ...p>. Davidson, Benjamin. National Arts Education Public Awareness Campaign Survey. July 2001. PDF. Murphy, Shannon. "Music and the Arts Education.†. University of Michigan, 2000. Web. 5 May 2012. . Paris, K. "Summary of Goals 2000: Educate America Act." Summary of Goals 2000: Educate America Act. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1994. Web. 06 May 2012. . Smith, Fran. "Why Arts Education is Crucial, and Who's Doing it Best.†. The George Lucas Educational Foundation, 28 Jan 2009. Web. 5 May 2012. . Tsioulcas, Anastasia. "'Kinshasa Symphony': An Ode To Musical Joy In Central Africa." Deceptive Cadence from NPR Classical. NPR, Washington DC, 07 Mar. 2012. Radio.

Shocks Essay -- essays research papers

Electroshock Therapy Electroshock therapy what is it? How does it work? What is it used for and what comes from it? This paper will answer all of these questions and will also try to prove that electroshock therapy is useful and not as bad as it appears to be. Electroshock therapy is an old process of ridding schizophrenia, and depression, and suicidal tendencies. It is used when people with major depression are taking too many anti depressant drugs, can’t take the side-effects of their medication, or they are taking too many drugs and anti-depressant drugs are too risky to take. It is also used to irradiate certain cases of schizophrenia and is being studied to treat dementia. (Mental Illness Assessment and Treatment p.78). Convulsive therapy using drugs rather than electricity was introduced in 1934 by Hungarian neuropsychiatrist Ladisles meduna , who speculated that seizures (similar to the ones occurring in epilepsy) could probably alleviate mental disorders. He based his theory on the belief that epileptic seizures prevented the symptoms of schizophrenia. Although this was a good theory, the drugs administered to the patients to induce these seizures was too risky to the patients lives. In 1937 psychiatrists started using electric shocks to induce seizures. In 1939 ECT was in wide use in the United States. In those days ECT was unrefined and resulted in many complications and was terribly abused. Today ECT is more refined, safe, and effective (Mental Illness Assessment and Treatment p.78). How does it work? Electroshock therapy or ECT involves exposing the brain to carefully controlled pulses of electric current that induce brief seizures. The reason why electroshock therapy relieves depression is still unknown. Researchers believe that Electroshock therapy alters monoamine function, as do the anti-depressant drugs. The process of inducing seizures through electroshock is not as complicated or as dangerous as people think. The patient is placed in a specially equipped r oom, where a clinical team first issues intravenous general anesthetic. After this a muscle relaxant is given to the patient. Oxygen is administered and an electric current is applied through electrodes. The patient undergoing the ECT does not feel the electric current, and the only reaction noticeable is the patients toes curling (Mental Illness Assessment and Treatment p.78). The plac... ...ublished in Rome and Venice in 1560. This volume became very popular, and was reprinted a dozen times during the next 330 years (Yoshiwara's Early Music Site). Many other volumes of his works were published during Lassus' life time. He became a very famous, respected, and wealthy composer. Lassus' work represented all of the main musical humanistic aspects of the time. He wrote many pieces which contained numerous voices. He also composed works in many languages. His work was influenced from classical civilizations. He also used bass and instruments to give his music a richer sound. Orlande de Lassus was one of the greatest humanistic composers, because of his infleunce by classical civilizations, his many famous works and volumes of his music, and the styles that he contributed to secular music. Josquin Desprez was another talented composer of secular music during the Renaissance period. Josquin was born in 1440 and died in 1521. He also started into music at a young age as a ch oir boy. He is often said to be the most influential composer on the history of western music, and is usually called by his first name. He began his career mainly as a composer of Church music. Later he

Competitive Rivalry

Competitive Rivalry * Industry dominance by few large firms The car automobile industry -There are various competitors in this market but the dominant ones include General Motors, Volkswagen, Chrysler, Ford, and Honda etc. Entry barriers prevent other entrants and pricing is mostly by competition and mutual understanding between top manufacturers. * Huge setup cost and complete resource ownership * Prices remain stable if a  firm reduces product price others follow suit and cut down their price as well,   if a firm increases product price, others do not increase their price. oyota focusing on continuously finding ways to reduce production costs. The company also optimized its processes to accelerate the various phases of production — from initial design to production — so that it could introduce new models faster than its competitors. Seek less expensive ways to produce desirable products -BMW Group and the Toyota Motor Corporation announced a collaborative effort a imed at developing new products and advanced-powertrain technologies. Toyota also has an agreement with Ford to develop hybrid systems for light trucks and sport utility vehicles. Threat of substitute products * There are a lot of substitutes in the automobile industry. When the price of the vehicles rises, the substitutes will emerge, there are many types of equipment that can take the place of vehicles, such bus, subway, bicycle and even walking. The Hybrid Synergy Drive also must be evaluated using Porter's model factor for threat of substitute products.Other companies could potentially enter the hybrid market by developing a similar drive and neutralizing Toyota's advantage. In fact, Nissan and Honda have developed similar technologies for their sedan models. However, Toyota continues to dominate the market for hybrid vehicles because Honda and Nissan do not have a significant impact on the market yet. In the future, Toyota may lose their competitive advantage if hybrid vehicles take a bigger market share in the automotive industry.However, currently Toyota is adding Sport Utility Vehicles (Toyota Highlander) to their line of vehicles using the HSD. By being the first to add SUV's to the hybrid market, they have currently protected their competitive advantage from substitute products. Bargaining power of Suppliers Toyota Production System which developed a network of suppliers who would supply the right quality, quantity at a point just in time for Toyota to use in building its cars. This reflects weak bargaining power on the part of the suppliers in terms of our model.