Marketing Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Marketing Evaluation Essay Recommend the position in the market. â€Å"Research undertaken by the Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) predicts that demand for travel and tourism in India will by an appreciable 8.1 per cent p.a. in the coming decade making it the third fastest growing travel destination in the world† (Bharwani Mathews, Risk Identification and analysis in the hospitality industry, 2012). India has emerged as an ideal location to embark on a global expansion in the hospitality industry. According to Line and Runyan, in the hospitality segment there have been countless studies that argue that customer service has a direct correlation to employee job satisfaction and productivity, the same is said in the international arena for hospitality (Line Runyan, 2012, p. 478). As with many of the international hospitality emergent, customer and employee interaction defines the profitability and sustainability of the company. World travelers look for impeccable service with all of the attributes of a bed and breakfast (Olsen, Chathoth, Sharma, 2001). According to Bhawarni and Butts, â€Å"guests actively seek superior quality, customized yet consistent hospitality experiences which integrate a subtle culture specific novelty with a certain acceptable level of service and product quality† (Bharwani Butt, Challenges for the global hospitality industry: an HR perspective, 2012, p. 155). This sets the standards high for employees and management. In accordance with the standards of the international hospitality brands, Bollman is recommended to pursue a luxury branding for their entry into India. This will entail in depth training and qualification standards. Conduct a market evaluation by researching what companies in the relevant market are pro viding to employees from a total compensation perspective. Currently India does not have minimum wage set by the government, although this is expected to change in the near future, it does present a challenge for companies wishing to expand into the area. Due to the changes in the international travelers and hospitality consumers into the region India has a shortage of trained and efficient employees. The area is also being impacted due to the aging population, which shrinks the current labor force. This means that the training costs and employee turnover rate is a significant factor in the India market. According to Bharwani and Butt, competitors of this region have begun to put set company policies for minimum wage standards. International companies have implemented  competitive pay standards, incentive and benefit programs, productive and safe work environments, and the ability to advance within the company (Bharwani Butt, Challenges for the global hospitality industry: an HR perspective, 2012, p. 158). Training has also been a key determinant in the success and customer satisfaction with international hospitality companies. The ability of the employees to deliver a luxury and home-like experience to the consumer is the foundation for success in the international arena. References Bharwani, S., Butt, N. (2012). Challenges for the global hospitality industry: an HR perspective. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 4(2), 150-162. Bharwani, S., Mathews, D. (2012). Risk Identification and analysis in the hospitality industry. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 4(5), 420-427. Jauhari, V., Rishi, M. (2012). Challenges faced by the hospitality industry in India: an introduction. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 4(2), 110-117. Line, N. D., Runyan, R. C. (2012). Hospitality marketing research: Recent trends and future directions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31, 477-488. Olsen, M. D., Chathoth, P., Sharma, A. (2001, April-September). Forces Driving Change in the Hospitality Industry in India. Journal of Services Research, 1(1), 3-21.a

An Examination of NATO - USA Relations Essay -- Politics World Histor

An Examination of NATO - USA Relations NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and is a military group started by the United States of America that consists of fifteen other countries including Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. â€Å"By the time Truman was inaugurated as President in January of 1949, the Cold War was intensifying. Using this tension to his advantage, Truman had campaigned on a platform that gave his future foreign policy a key role. Indeed, he focused on the differences between Communism and democracy, presenting the Communist Bloc as a credible but unpredictable military threat. Americans thus feared the Soviet Union and were ready to take protective measures. Within three months of Truman’s inauguration, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreement was signed in Washington DC†¦ AS NATO’s strength and mandate grew, it became increasingly threatening to the USSR. Stalin referred to NATO as an ‘aggressive nucleus of power,’† (Schaff 1,2). So as you can see NATO was a very important part of our country and still is today. All countries affiliated with NATO are treated the same. They all basically see themselves as equals and treat every country with great respect. â€Å"It was a mutual military assistance treaty, stipulating that if one of these above listed countries were attacked, the others would come to its aid† (Schaff 2). And being the most powerful member of NATO, the United States has included new branches of the organization including the North Atlantic Council which holds the highest authority, Allied Command Atlantic, Allied Command Channel, and Allied Command Europ... ...won’t know for a while whether or not their will be another expansion of NATO. Even though this would be a great thing for the organization, Russia won’t be backing down anytime soon. In conclusion, NATO has been a great source of power for our world. Without the United States there is no way that NATO would be what it is today and many are thankful to us for that. NATO has done so much for the world and will continue to do so. Even though some think that NATO has worn out its welcome, we can assure you that NATO is here to stay. Sources: Friedman, Thomas L. â€Å"Putin Pushes Back.† New York Times 14 Feb.2007, late ed. Michta, Andrew A. â€Å"What Next for NATO?† Orbis 2007 Schaff, Marta. â€Å"North Atlantic Treaty Organization.† 2005, p1 Shanker, Thom. â€Å"Leaving NATO, U.S General Still Seeks Troops for Afghanistan.† New York Times 21 Dec. 2006, late ed.

Personal factors Essay

Factors that affect the personal influences will be the age and stage at the life cycle, lifestyle, occupation, economic status, and personality (Bowens,et al, 2003). Marketers usually target a certain lifecycle stage or a certain age bracket for their products. Like Disney – movies, merchandise, television shows – which are usually targeting children and teenagers. However as the individual mature so are the buying preferences. Once a person acquires a job some purchases are shaped by that job like clothing, personal articles like bags and shoes. Also these purchases will be further fashioned by the income the person gets from the job. Some companies make their product income-sensitive by offering the same product in a different packaging or smaller size – budget packs – to be able to fit in certain income brackets (Marketing – Consumer 2008). Marketers are also concerned with how money and time are used by consumers or their lifestyle. This is to be able to know how to favorably present their product to their target consumers. Moreover, the personality of the person also comes into play in purchasing products. Usually, personality is how others perceive the person in socialization with them. However individuas also have their own version of personality called self-concept. This self-concept could be the same or different from the opinion of others. Advertisers use this idea in selling high-end cars to middle class consumers who wanted to project luxury (Principles of Marketing 2008). 2. 5. 4 Psychological Factors Motivation, perception, learning and attitude are the psychological factors that marketers look into to be able to develop better advertisements for their target consumers. Every person has needs that need to be fulfilled. These needs will transform into motives when the need becomes a powerful force that will compel a person to act (Consumer Behavior 2008). There are several theories about human needs but the most common is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Figure 3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Source: Chapman, 1995 According to this theory each need is hierarchical. One must fulfill the lower need before moving to the higher level. In addition if the reason for fulfillment of the lower need is gone the individual will not have the reason to satisfy the higher needs. For instance, a worker who is sick (safety needs) is not expected to perform well (esteem needs) (Chapman 1995). Now that the consumer is motivated to act upon the need his/her perception how he/she will act. Through perception a person creates an image of the world in his/her mind. This concept is essential to face-face transactions (Bowens, et al. 2003). Take for instance a salesman who speaks slowly and stutter, he could be perceive by the customer as someone is not an authority to the product and could lose the sale. Through our actions we experience the world and through these actions we learn. A person learns from past experiences or through thinking and things that we learn could modify our behavior or actions (Consumer Behavior 2008). Actions with positive outcome are usually repeated – repeat purchases – while actions with negative outcome are not (Marketing – Consumer). As this process cycle, doing and learning, individuals develop beliefs and attitudes. Beliefs are ideas about something that an individual holds as the truth (Marketing – Consumer 2008). While attitude is the constant position of an individual about a certain object or idea (Bowens, et al 2003). Companies use these concepts to be able to develop brand images based on consumers’ beliefs toward the company. Then try to fit the product to the consumer’s attitude rather than changing it.

How Frosts, Freezes, and Hard Freezes Differ

Just as  the sprouting of tender green leaves is considered one of  the  first signs of spring,  the first frost of the cool season signals that fall has officially settled in  and that  winter isnt far behind. How Frost Forms Look for frost to form when these atmospheric conditions are present: clear nighttime sky conditions,at or below freezing air temperatures at the surface, andcalm winds (speeds less than 5 mph (1.6 km/h)). Clear skies and calm winds allow for daytime heating to escape the Earths surface. This heat out into the upper atmosphere and outer space. Whats known as a temperature inversion layer forms (temperatures increase rather than decrease as one travels upward in the air), and allows cold air to settle near the ground. As the ground temperatures cool to below freezing, what water vapor resides in the air ices up onto exposed surfaces -- thus forming frost. The terms frost  and freeze  are usually  mentioned together, however,  they describe two very  different happenings. Freezes Imply Lows Near 32 F A freeze means that widespread temperatures are expected to fall to or below the freezing mark (32  °F). A hard freeze implies that widespread temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing (most NWS offices use 28  °F as the threshold criteria) for long enough to seriously damage or kill seasonal vegetation. For this reason, hard freezes have earned the monicker killing frosts. A hard freeze usually occurs when a cold air mass moves into an area and brings temperatures of  32 °F or below. This  freezing cold air is often blown by winds, or  advected,  into an area, and may, therefore, be associated with light or variable wind speeds.   Frosts Imply Lows Near 32 F and Moist Ground Air Frost, on the other hand, has to do with  the formation of ice crystals on the ground and  on other surfaces. It occurs  in the absence of wind, and the  freezing  temperatures are the result of radiational cooling.  Whereas freezes have to do with air temperature alone, any weather alert having to do with frost not only implies that temperatures are expected to be 33 to 36  °F, but also that the amount of moisture residing in the air at these temperatures is adequate for frost formation near the surface.  Ã‚   Can a Freeze Occur Without Frost Forming? Yes, freezes can happen even if a frost doesnt. This seems odd since it takes colder temperatures (at least 32 degrees) to get a freeze. It seems like youd get a frost (which requires temperatures of 33 to 36 degrees) first. It would make sense that moisture would frost before freezing except that frost is less likely to form when the dew point temperature falls below the mid-20s. This is because, at such cold temperatures, there just isnt enough moisture in the air for significant frost formation -- despite the fact that cold enough temperatures are in place to support it. Frost Freeze Weather Safety The majority of individuals dont notice frost, except when it forms on their  car windows  and  delays their morning departure by several  minutes time. However, agriculturists and farmers consider  it is a critical weather event. This is because  most plants (except a few varieties that  actually need a hard freeze to coax seeds into germination)  are extremely sensitive to it. A frost too early,  or too late,  in the growing season can result in crop failure and a shortage of food supply. There are a number of ways to protect against frost damage, including: Cover  plants. When plants are covered, frost can settle on a barrier rather than on the vegetation directly. For this reason, plants not in direct contact with the covering material have the highest level of protection. Woven fabrics, such as sheets, work best and can offer 2 ° to 5 °F of added warmth. Potted plants should be covered or brought indoors.Irrigate  the soil and plant leaves  before the frost arrives.  This might sound strange considering water will freeze when the  temperature drops, but rest assured there is a method to this madness.  Moist soil is capable of holding up to four times more heat than dry soil. Likewise, if fruit trees have begun their yield, spraying the outside skin with water can actually help keep internal temperatures above freezing by allow the outside to freeze and create an insulating barrier.Keep plants watered to fight off drying from cold winds.Bring pets indoors whenever extreme cold is expected.Cover exposed pipes and outdoor faucets to discourage freezing. When to Expect Your First Frost/Freeze To find the average date of the first fall (and last spring) frost for your area, use this  frost and freeze data product, courtesy of the  National Climatic Data Center.  (To use, choose your state, then locate the city nearest you.)