William Turner, English Romantic Landscape Painter

William Turner (April 23, 1775 - December 19, 1851) is known for his expressive, romantic landscape paintings that often show the power of nature over man. His work had a significant impact on the later impressionist movement. Fast Facts: William Turner Full Name: Joseph Mallord William TurnerAlso Known As: J.M.W. TurnerOccupation: PainterBorn: April 23, 1775 in London, EnglandDied: December 19, 1851 in Chelsea, EnglandChildren: Evalina Dupois and Georgiana ThompsonSelected Works: Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps (1812), The Burning of the Houses of Parliament (1834), Rain, Steam and Speed - the Great Western Railway (1844)Notable Quote: My business is to paint what I see, not what I know is there. Child Prodigy Born into a modest family, the son of a barber and wigmaker and his wife who came from a family of butchers, William Turner was a child prodigy. At age ten, relatives sent him to live with an uncle along the banks of the Thames River due to his mothers mental instability. There, he attended school and began creating drawings that his father exhibited and sold for a few shillings apiece. Much of Turners earliest work was studies he executed for architects such as Thomas Hardwick, designer of a series of London churches, and James Wyatt, creator of the Pantheon in Oxford Street, London. At age 14, Turner began his studies at the Royal Academy of Art. His first watercolor, A View of the Archbishops Palace, Lambeth appeared in the Royal Academys summer exhibition of 1790 when Turner was only 15. One of his first paintings to signal what was to come later in depictions of threatening weather was The Rising Squall - Hot Wells from St. Vincents Rock Bristol in 1793. Self-Portrait (1799). Hulton Fine Art Collection / Getty Images The young William Turner began a pattern of traveling through England and Wales in the summer and painting in the winter. He exhibited his first oil painting, Fisherman at Sea, at the Royal Academy in 1796. It was a moonlit scene quite popular at the time. Early Career At age 24, in 1799, colleagues elected William Turner to be an associate of the Royal Academy of Art. He was already financially successful through sales of his work and moved to a more spacious home in London that he shared with the marine painter J.T. Serres. In 1804, Turner opened his own gallery to show his work. Turners traveling also expanded during the period. In 1802, he traveled to the European continent and visited France and Switzerland. One product of the trip was the painting Calais Pier with French Poissards Preparing for Sea finished in 1803. It featured stormy seas that soon became a trademark of Turners most memorable work. Calais Pier with French Poissards Preparing for Sea (1803). Hulton Fine Art Collection / Getty Images One of Turners favorite travel destinations within England was Otley, Yorkshire. When he painted the epic Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps in 1812, the stormy skies surrounding the army of Hannibal, Romes greatest enemy, were reportedly influenced by a storm Turner observed while staying in Otley. The dramatic depiction of light and atmospheric effects in the painting influenced future impressionists, including Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro. Mature Period The Napoleonic Wars that raged in the European continent disrupted Turners travel plans. However, when they ended in 1815, he was able to travel to the continent once again. In the summer of 1819, he visited Italy for the first time and stopped in Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice. One of the key works inspired by these travels was a depiction of The Grand Canal, Venice, which included a more expansive color range. Turner also had an interest in poetry and the works of Sir Walter Scott, Lord Byron, and John Milton. When he exhibited the 1840 piece Slave Ship at the Royal Academy, he included excerpts of his poetry with the painting. In 1834, a fiery inferno engulfed the British Houses of Parliament and burnt for hours while London residents watched in horror. Turner made sketches, watercolors and oil paintings of the terrible event viewing it from the banks of the Thames River. The blend of colors magnificently depicts the light and heat of the blaze. Turners rendering of the awesome power of the fire matched his interest in the overwhelming forces of nature facing the relative weakness of man. The Burning of the Houses of Parliament (1834). Heritage Images / Getty Images Later Life and Work As Turner advanced in age, he became more and more eccentric. He had few close confidants other than his father, who lived with him for 30 years and worked as a studio assistant. Following his fathers death in 1829, Turner battled with severe depression. Although he was never married, historians believe he was the father of two daughters, Evalina Dupois and Georgiana Thompson. Following the death of Sophia Booths second husband, Turner lived for nearly 20 years as Mr. Booth at her home in Chelsea. Late in his career, Turners paintings focused more and more on the impact of color and light. Often the key elements of the picture are rendered in hazy outlines with most of the painting taken up by large sections that depict mood instead of the actual form. The painting Rain, Steam and Speed - The Great Western Railway from 1844 is an excellent example of this style. The most detailed element of the work is the smokestack of the train, but most of the painting is given to blurred atmosphere that helps convey the idea of a train speeding along a modern bridge near London. Although these paintings forecast the innovations of impressionist painters, contemporaries criticized Turners lack of detail. Rain, Steam and Speed - the Great Western Railway (1844). Hulton Archive / Getty Images William Turner died of cholera on December 19, 1851. As one of the most prominent of English artists, he was buried in St. Pauls Cathedral. Legacy William Turner left his fortune to create a charity for impoverished artists. He bequeathed his paintings to the National Gallery of Art. Relatives fought the gift of the artists fortune and won back much of his wealth through the courts. However, the paintings became the permanent property of England through the Turner Bequest. In 1984, the Tate Britain museum created the prestigious Turner Prize art award presented annually to a prominent visual artist to honor William Turners memory. Turners impressionistic renderings of the impact of nature on man reverberated through the art world for more than a century. He not only influenced impressionists like Claude Monet, but also later abstract painters like Mark Rothko. Many art historians believe that much of Turners work was far ahead of his time. Sources Moyle, Franny. Turner: The Extraordinary Life and Momentous Times of J.M.W. Turner. Penguin Press, 2016.Wilton, Andrew. Turner in His Time. Thames and Hudson, 2007.

Parenting Styles Essay - 1913 Words

When my first child was born I there was considerable interest in Mozart CDs. These Cds were marketed with the promise that playing them would enrich the intellectual and creative development of my child. Behind the popularity of selling products on such an idea is an unfortunate theme: Parenting can be done quickly and with little inconvenience. The reality is that good parenting does not require classical music, but instead time and effort. As children grow from infancy into adolescence the role of parenting broadens. How parents react to their childs actions communicates a standard of appropriate and inappropriate behavior that are fulfilled with varying degrees of conscious awareness. There are two major dimensions that underline†¦show more content†¦What are the differences between children who have parents that show little affection when compared to those who liberally hug and kiss? Does it matter if some parents are strict while others are lax? Does it make a differen ce if some parents spank their children while others go on in seemingly endlessly discussions? As my son once said to his older brother, Just say you understand so hell shut up. Diana Baumrind (1966, 1967, 1978) decided to find out the answers to those questions by determining what effect parenting styles, as interactions between the two dimensions of parental acceptance and control, had on childrens social and intellectual competence. To start with, Baumrind identified four distinct parenting styles: neglectful, permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative. Neglectful parenting is a style in which the parent is very uninvolved in the childs life. These parents seem to focus more on their own lives and are not particularly involved with or supportive of their children. They appear to be detached from the child and provide only for their basic physical and emotional needs and not much else. They offer little or no help with homework, provide minimal supervision, and spend little time together. Permissive (or indulgent) parents are responsive and accepting. They make few demands of their children, indulge their childrens desires, and use little punishment. They allow their children free expression of impulses and set fewShow MoreRelatedParenting Styles And Styles Of Parenting1391 Words   |  6 Pages Parenting Styles My term paper will discuss the 4 Styles of Parenting, including; the styles of parenting that we as single parents and couple parents may identify with. My paper will also discuss how each parenting styles impacts our children, if it works and the style of parenting that’s most effective. Authoritative Parenting Style The Authoritative Style of Parenting, children are expected to follow the rules and guidelines that a parent with this style of parenting has put into place. ThisRead MoreParenting Styles : An Effective Parenting Style988 Words   |  4 PagesParenting style can influence whether a child succeeds or merely survives. The authoritative parenting style may be an effective parenting style in theory, however like communism, it is not as effective in practice. Children need to learn through friendships and develop social skills. Being able to connect to the outside world expand the mind and imagination, giving the children skills that help them think critically. On the other hand, being a permissive parent can also damage the child’s developmentRead MoreDifferent Styles Of Parenting Styles1708 Words   |  7 PagesSilicon Valley. (Hogan and Haskell, 2). Most of today’s kids have one of the following types of parents: Indulgent, Authoritative, Neglectful, Authoritarian*. T hese are generally regarded as the four main types of parenting. These four styles of parenting are the stereotypical parenting styles most people identify one or both of their parents as. Indulgent parents tend to coddle their children and protect them from disappointment. Authoritative parents are people who have reasonable demands and rulesRead MoreConflicting Styles Of Parenting Styles1375 Words   |  6 PagesConflicting Styles of Parenting Parents will treat their children the way they see fit. In the authoritarian parenting style, there is no room for freedom. In permissive parenting, there can be more freedom than the children know what to do with. Authoritative parenting combines the gist of both of the other styles and allows both freedom and structure. Both authoritarian and permissive styles have components that authoritarian parents see as productive methods if used properly. Many people associateRead MoreParenting Style Of Parenting Styles1772 Words   |  8 PagesPin pointing a specific parenting style that I was raised by was quite difficult. I believe that most parents use different styles throughout the raising of their children. Of course, I do understand that this paper is to select the dominate style of parenting used for my upbringing, but I was raised in two different households. Each household had its own dominate parenting style, however most of my life I was raised by my mother, so I’ll focus on her parenting style. As I stated above, I believeRead MoreEffects Of Parenting Styles992 Words   |  4 PagesParenting styles can be highly impressionable on their children.  There are various styles of parenting, and each style can have different effects on the child or adolescent.  The four parenting styles that can be implemented in the household are recognized as: authoritarian, neglectful, permissive, and authoritative. All four of these styles carry their own unique characteristics, and have some distinct features. Whichever style a parent decides is best to use for their child can have multiple shortRead MoreThe Authoritarian Style Of Parenting Essay1414 Words   |  6 Pageschild-parent behavior, seeking to identify parenting styles. The Baumrid study and other further studies identified four main styles of parenting (Miller, 2010): the authoritative parenting style was characterized by fair rules and consequences; The Authoritarian parenting style was characterized by strict rules and h arsh punishment; the permissive parenting style was characterized by minimal rules with little or no consequences; the uninvolved parenting style was characterized by no rules, and parentRead MoreThe Different Parenting Styles1024 Words   |  5 PagesParenting styles have been described as the collection of parents’ behaviors which create an atmosphere of parent-child interaction across situation (Mize and Petit, 1997). Darling and Steinberg (1993) defined parenting style as â€Å"a constellation of attitudes toward the child that are communicated to the child and that, taken together, create an emotional climate in which the parents’ behaviors have expressed.† Despite these challenges, researchers have uncovered convincing links between parentingRead MoreEssay on Parenting Styles1213 Words   |  5 PagesParenting Paper Diane Baumrind’s typology has two major dimensions. The first dimension is responsiveness. In the text it mentions that responsiveness â€Å"refers to the extent in which parents respond to and meet the needs of their children.† (Knox 364). This is when parents support, encourage, and foster their children’s needs. The second dimension is demandingness which is â€Å"the matter in which parents place demands on children in regard to expectations and discipline.† (Knox 364). This is aboutRead MoreEssay on Parenting Styles1718 Words   |  7 Pagestheir  children  to  discuss  household  rules  and  their  importance  to  the  family  dynamics.  These  styles  of parenting  have  their  advantages  and  disadvantages.  There  are  ethical  and  unethical  issues  when  it  comes to  discipline  with  punishment  styles  as  well. The  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  The  Harsh ­Heart  family  can  lead  to  positive  outcomes and  horrible.  The  Harsh  family  would  be  the  authoritarian  style  of  parenting.  This  style  would  be  the  old fashioned  style.  This  style  believes  in  the  usual  strict  rules  with  no  question.  Consequences  are  harsher

Impact of Social Media at Work-Free-Samples -Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Use of Social Media in the Workplace. Answer: Introduction Use of social media in the workplace causes vital issues on the work. This process decreases the concentration of the employees during their work. According to the several types of research, it has been observed that use of social media application for the personal use of the employees during their work may affect their performance level (Kumar, Choi and Greene 2017). The productivity of the employees can be damaged for the personal use of social media in the workplace. Therefore, rapid application of the social media increases the risk of malware. This study deals with the banning of social media as the HR practice and its importance in the workplace. Brief discussion of the organization Woolworths Limited is a well known Australian supermarket with extensive retail interest. This organization operates their business all over the Australia and New Zealand. According to the sales revenue, this organization has occupied the second largest position in the Australia (woolworths.com.au 2017). Woolworths offers quality products at low price including food, clothes and other household products. This organization is established in 1931 in Perth of Australia. This organization focuses on the employee benefit and customer value. Therefore, their technology is advanced and they include dynamic thinking regarding their business. Providing fresh food products to the customers is their main business aim. In the present years, Woolworths operates 100 stores in the Australia and 968 supermarkets. This ensures their growing business and sales revenue in Australian supermarket segments. Discussion of banning of social media in the workplace in context of Woolworths Application of the social media for the product promotion is a relevant practice for every business organization while personal use of the social media in the workplace will hamper the productivity of the employees (Fuchs 2017). Hence, among the many practices, restricted use of the social media in the workplace should be a major HR practice in the Woolworths. According to the statistical data approx 32% time of the total working hour can be destroyed for the personal use of social media in the workplace. This gives a clear indication of the huge loss of productivity and the official resources. Hence, by banning the social media use in the workplace will lead the HR to maximize the concentration of the employees towards their work that will lead the organization towards the increased profitability. This HR practice will be beneficial for Woolworths Ltd. Therefore, the confidentiality of the company information often disclosed through the use of social media in the workplace. Hence, the restriction in the use of social media in the workplace will lead the management secure the company data. Banning of social media as the HR practice in the workplace maintains the good employee relationship with an organization (Carr 2017). On the other hand application of social media like Facebook, Twitter will enable the employees to promote the business while personal use of these media during the working hour may affect work and the productivity of the organization. Restricted use of the social media as an HR practice will enable an organization to resist their employees to show any illegal or unauthentic activity regarding the organization. Significance of the banning of social media in context of Woolworths Woolworths is a popular retail sector in Australia hence, to improve their brand image they use social media activity in their business. However, this is a good approach for this organization to improve their product promotion while it may affect their productivity. However, the employees are often busy to use the social media applications during the work for the business purpose. Therefore, for this reason, they often use the social media for their personal entertainment and refreshment in the workplace which hampers their performance (Crawford and Gillespie 2016). Hence, in order to maximize the productivity and concentration of the employees, Woolworths needs to prohibit the use of social media in the workplace. On the other hand, often the employees share their bad experience in an organization on their social media website that leaves a negative impact on the brand image of the organization (Robertson and Kee 2017). For this reason, the HRM of the Woolworths needs to ban the use of social media in the workplace. Therefore, in order to maintain the good relationship between the employees and management use of social media in the workplace should be restricted. Apart from this breach of confidentiality about the company information can be occurred for the rapid use of social media in the workplace. However, Woolworths is a popular organization thus to keep its business information confidential the HRM needs to incorporate banning of the use of social media in the workplace (Christina, Stefan and Markus 2016). Therefore, the error occurs in the work of the employees of Woolworths while using social media in the workplace. Thus it is important for such organization to prohibit the social media use in their corporate organization. Recommendations Rapid application of the social media should be discarded from the workplace to maximize the productivity (Miranda, Young and Yetgin 2016). Hence by providing proper knowledge to the employees, Woolworths will be able to minimize the use of social media application in the workplace. Therefore, employee motivation regarding the banning of social media application in the workplace will be beneficial for such organization to prohibit the use of social media. Ways to implement the recommendations Providing proper guideline about the harmful effect of the use of social media in the workplace to the employees will be a good approach for Woolworths to resist the employees from using it (Carr 2017). Therefore, implementation of strict policies in the workplace regarding the banning of the use of social media will be an effective way for such organization to stop the use of social media. Moreover, offering the financial and non-financial reward based on the performance of the employees will motivate the employees to minimize the use of social media in the workplace. Conclusion The entire piece of the study focuses on the banning of social media in the workplace as an HR practice. This should be applicable for Woolworths as it is a large organization of Australia and use social media for their business promotion. For this reason, this organization needs to make restriction about the use of social media in the workplace in order to maximize their productivity and to protect the company information. Therefore, by providing knowledge to the employees about the negative impact of the social media application during work is a good approach to inhibit such process. References Carr, P., 2017. Whole Enterprise Social Media for Business Performance. InPhantom Ex Machina(pp. 25-35). Springer International Publishing. Christina, S., Stefan, T. and Markus, M., 2016, January. Protecting Knowledge in the Financial Sector: An Analysis of Knowledge Risks Arising from Social Media. InSystem Sciences (HICSS), 2016 49th Hawaii International Conference on(pp. 4031-4040). IEEE. Crawford, K. and Gillespie, T., 2016. What is a flag for? Social media reporting tools and the vocabulary of complaint.New Media Society,18(3), pp.410-428. Fuchs, C., 2017.Social media: A critical introduction. Sage. Kumar, V., Choi, J.B. and Greene, M., 2017. Synergistic effects of social media and traditional marketing on brand sales: capturing the time-varying effects.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,45(2), pp.268-288. Miranda, S.M., Young, A. and Yetgin, E., 2016. Are social media emancipatory or hegemonic? Societal effects of mass media digitization.MIS Quarterly,40(2), pp.303-329. Robertson, B.W. and Kee, K.F., 2017. Social media at work: The roles of job satisfaction, employment status, and Facebook use with co-workers.Computers in Human Behavior,70, pp.191-196. Woolworths.com.au. 2017.Woolworths. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/ [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].

Marketing and Management Plan and Strategies

Question: Discuss about the Marketing and Management Plan and Strategies. Answer: Strategic analysis Cadbury is one of the biggest and the most trusted brands that provide chocolates, foods and beverages to the customers. The aim of the company is to increase its profit, sales and customer base. It aims at providing tasty and healthy chocolates to its customers. To achieve the goals the company plans to fund the entre operations personally, franchise the stores and take up an option of joint venture. To analyze the strategic analysis by reviewing the current market performance it is essential to analyze the Swot analysis. Strengths One of the biggest strength of Cadbury is that it is a world leader in chocolates. It has a wide distribution channel due to which it has its presence in more than two hundred countries. The company has strong brand loyalty and customer loyalty. It has strong branding over the years that helps in attracting larger customer base (Hollensen 2015). It has strong marketing and advertising campaigns and also has an employee strength of 71,000 employees that helps in creating effective products that gains popularity all over the world. Weakness Cadbury faced downfall in the sale due to decline in quality and detection of worms. The other weakness is its rural distribution. Opportunities It has an opportunity of diversifying its products. Increase customer base by penetrating in rural areas and market. Create strategies that lead to competitive advantage. Threats Increase of cost of raw materials is the biggest threat. The other threats are from the competitors and rise of health consciousness amongst people. Mission, vision and purpose of Cadbury The mission statement of the company is that By 2016, Cadbury will have its significance presence in every Australian capital city, starting with 22 stores in Melbourne it now aims at expanding 100 stores over Australia. The goal and mission of Cadbury chocolates is to expand its operations in Australia by providing high quality chocolates and products to its customers. Situational analysis Collaborators analysis The company plans to raise the funds for fulfilling its objectives personally. It also considers of taking a joint venture to fulfill its objectives. The retails stored would be expanded all over Australia through franchise. The company has a joint venture option from Haighs chocolates and hence it is essential for the company to analyze the performance of the company before collaborating with the company. Competitive analysis The major competitors of Cadbury chocolates are Nestle, Mars and Hersheys. Analyzing the competitors performance in the Australian market is essential before expanding its stores in the Australian market. The two main competitive advantages for Cadbury chocolates is its wide distribution channel and strong brand equity and customer loyalty. After establishing the retail stores in Australian capital city the concentration of the company should be on promotion and advertisement of chocolates in respective markets. This is necessary to achieve competitive advantage (Bansal 2014). Environmental analysis The company should focus on sustainability by producing the chocolates without hampering the environment. The environmental issues pertain to waste management, and energy conservation. Market measurements The performance of the company is measured by taking into consideration the profit, sales and growth of the company. The market performance is measured by analyzing the number of customers consuming Cadbury chocolates, the market share that the company holds and the expansion of stores and employee strengths (Muigai 2013). Profitability or productivity analysis The store growth, sales and gross profit improved with a margin of forty six percent. The average gross profit for the chocolates and drinks is predicted to rise by sixty three percent. The company was successful in achieving 34,500 loyal customers that indicate a 58% of people in the target market (Spry and Lukas 2016). Legal and ethical requirements The main requirement for the Cadbury chocolates is sustainability that is to produce the chocolates without hampering the environment. The products provided by the company should be healthy in nature so that all can consume it. Hence, since people now days are becoming more health conscious the company should concentrate on more organic production of commodities. It is essential for the stakeholders to follow moral code of conduct. The company is involved in ethical practice by following sustainability (Ward 2014). For the employees it aims at maintaining high level of safety. The raw materials are imported from countries with ethics and high quality requirements. The employees are required to maintain ethics by complying with the rules and regulations set by the organization. In order to ensure that the products are sustainable it is essential for the suppliers to be sustainable. Long and short-term marketing objectives The marketing objectives are as follows: Achieve total revenue of over $30 million in ten years. Increase the market share by 15-18% Improve the customer satisfaction level by 99.5%. By 2016, the company wants to expand its retail stores in every Australian capital city. From 22 stores it aims at expanding its stores to 100 (Jaques 2015). It also aims at raining the funds in fourth year of operations in order to expand its franchise. The company also aims at increasing its customer base. Marketing performance The contribution of chocolates towards the market share of Cadbury has been improving and risings since 2010. The number of employees and customers are also rising. The gross profit of the company is also expected to rise by increasing its sales and growth. Though the profit of the company is rising, the cost of marketing is also rising due to expenditure on promotion and advertisement of products. The company started its operations in twenty-two stores in Greater Melbourne that is expected to rise to hundred stores (Modi 2013). The gross margin profit is sitting at forty six percent that captures fifty percent of the target market. The main criticism is from the rise in the unemployment rate by 5.8%. However, it is expected that the retail stores is to expand in five to seven years. This performance was compared with the actual results for the year 2015-2016. Areas for improvement The company can improve its quality of product in order to attract larger customer base. The strategies of the company should focus more on the competitors in order to achieve competitive advantage. The company should also concentrate on its distribution channel especially rural distribution channel (Telang and Deshpande 2016). Pest analysis Pest analysis helps on analyzing the external factors that affect the business. Political factors: the politics of Australia is calm and hence the business operates in a calm and peaceful environment. Political factors have little impact on the Cadbury chocolates. Economic factors: economic factors have a great impact on the business. The interest rate is rising and the unemployment rate is rising that will greatly affect the business. The rise in the inflation rates is also expected to rise that is likely to affect the business of Cadbury chocolates. This is likely to affect the business in a negative way (Soni 2015). Social factors: social factors such as lifestyle, attitude, belief and income of people affect the business. People now days are becoming more health conscious that will affect the consumption of chocolates in a negative way. Hence, it is essential for the company to manufacture the products that is organic and healthy (Jobber and Ellis-Chadwick 2012). Technological factors: technology such as internet will affect the business greatly. With the improvement of technologies and introduction of e-commerce, the business is greatly affected. The involvement of Cadbury in online sale has improved the sales and profit of the organization. Risk management strategy Businesses include various types of risks in the management of organization and operations such as risks of profit, sales, revenue, investment, supply and production. The risk can be managed by evaluating its operations and business cycle using key performance indicators, business objectives and the strategies (Kotler et al. 2015). The risk that Cadbury is likely to face while expanding its operations in the Australian market is of decline in sales and profit in the Australian market, Hence, in order to avoid risks it is essential to analyze the market of Australia before expanding its operations. The rise in the price of raw materials is also likely to increase the risk of business. The risk can be managed by using proper strategy of evaluation and implementation. Assessment two Viability of marketing opportunities Cadbury chocolates have a great opportunity to expand its operations in Australian market. This is so because the economy of Australia is growing with the rise in income and revenue of customers. With the rise of income of consumers, the demand for chocolates is likely to rise in Australia that will be profitable for the company. The marketing opportunities of Australia are likely to be favorable and viable. However, the rise in the interest rate and unemployment rate will affect the business in a negative way. The marketing opportunities have helped in increasing the customer base that are loyal. It has led to an increase in sixty percent of the target market (De Mooij 2013). Financial techniques The financial techniques and improvement will help in increasing sales and marketing. The financial performance should be measured using key performance indicators. These include gross profit margins, net profit, net profit margin, current ration, average, and annual growth. The gross profit margins are currently sitting on forty six percent. This is measured to measure sales and growth (Ndungu 2013). The financial techniques used are viable in nature. The main financial strength of the company is to provide the chocolates at the price that is affordable by the consumers so that it is able to provide the organization with required margins ad financial returns. Costs, benefits and risks associated The company wants to expand its store in the Australian capital market. The key issues with this are the rise in the cost. The company has spent $60,000 on radio advertisement and $280,000 on the promotion of the products. This cost was not planned that greatly affected the profit of the organization. The benefit of this opportunity is that it has led to an increase in customer base by attracting loyal customers by capturing the target market to fifty eight percent. Impact of marketing opportunities on current and potential marketing base The marketing opportunities is likely to increase the customer base that are loyal in nature. Marketing objectives In consultation with the key internal stakeholders the marketing objectives of Cadbury chocolates is to improve the taste and quality of product in order to attract larger customer that are loyal. It also aims at increasing the profit and sales by establishing the retail stores in Australia. Risk management plan Risk management plan is a document that is used to manage the project in the organization that includes the risks, its impacts on the organization and the issues that the organizations are likely to face with the use of the strategies formulated. It contains the risk assessment matrix that addresses the risks that the organization is likely to encounter due to the strategies that it is likely to execute (Hill et al. 2014). References Bansal, B. and Bansal, A., 2014. Approaches of Cadbury Schweppes Company to manage its human resources and business strategies.International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, p.36. De Mooij, M., 2013.Global marketing and advertising: Understanding cultural paradoxes. Sage Publications. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014.Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D. and Hoskisson, R.E., 2012.Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Hollensen, S., 2015.Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Jaques, T., 2015. Cadbury and pig DNA: when issue management intersects with religion.Corporate Communications: An International Journal,20(4), pp.468-482. Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F., 2012.Principles and practice of marketing(No. 7th). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Kotler, P., Burton, S., Deans, K., Brown, L. and Armstrong, G., 2015.Marketing. Pearson Higher Education AU. Modi, S., 2013. Study on Food and Dairy Industry. Muigai, S.M., 2013.Strategies employed by Cadbury Kenya Limited to gain sustainable competitive Advantage(Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi). Ndungu, P.W., 2013.Realignment of strategy and structure by multinational corporations: a case of cadbury Kenya limited(Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi). Soni, K.R., 2015. A comparative study of swot of cadbury India LTD and nestle India LTD. Spry, A. and Lukas, B.A., 2016. Brand Portfolio Architecture and Firm Performance: The Moderating Impact of Generic Strategy. InLooking Forward, Looking Back: Drawing on the Past to Shape the Future of Marketing(pp. 866-867). Springer International Publishing. Telang, A. and Deshpande, A., 2016. Keep calm and carry on: A crisis communication study of Cadbury and McDonalds.Management Marketing,11(1), pp.371-379. Ward, V., 2014. 13 Marketing convenience foods between the wars.Adding Value (RLE Marketing): Brands and Marketing in Food and Drink, p.259.

The Retail Grocery Market Structure in Australia

Life of Francis Crick, Co-Discoverer of DNAs Structure

Life of Francis Crick, Co-Discoverer of DNA's Structure Francis Crick (June 8, 1916–July 28, 2004) was the co-discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule. With James Watson, he discovered the double helical structure of DNA. Along with Sydney Brenner and others, he demonstrated that the genetic code is composed of three base codons for reading the genetic material. Fast Facts: Francis Crick Full Name: Francis Harry Compton CrickKnown for: Co-discovered the double helical structure of DNABorn: June 8, 1916 in Northampton, EnglandDied: July 28, 2004 in La Jolla, California, United StatesEducation: University of Cambridge, Ph.D.Key Accomplishments: Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1962)Spouses Names: Ruth Doreen Dodd (1940–1947) and Odile Speed (1949–2004)Childrens Names: Michael Francis Compton, Gabrielle Anne, Jacqueline Marie-Therese Early Years Francis Harry Compton Crick was born on June 8, 1916 in the English town of Northampton. He was the eldest of two children. Crick began his formal education at the Northampton Grammar School, then attended Mill Hill School in London. He had a natural inquisitiveness for the sciences and enjoyed conducting chemical experiments under the tutelage of one of his uncles. Crick earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University College London (UCL). He then started his Ph.D. work in physics at UCL, but was unable to finish due to the start of World War II. During the war, Crick worked for the Admiralty Research Laboratory, conducting research on the design of acoustic and magnetic mines. After the war, Crick moved from studying physics to studying biology. He very much enjoyed pondering the new discoveries that were being made in the life sciences at the time. In 1950, he was accepted as a student at Caius College, Cambridge. He was awarded his Ph.D. in 1954 for his study of the X-ray crystallography of proteins. Research Career Cricks transition from physics to biology was critical to his work in biology. It has been said that his approach to biology was refined by the simplicity of physics, as well as his belief that there were still big discoveries to be made in biology. Crick met James Watson in 1951. They had a common interest in discerning how the genetic information for an organism could be stored in the organisms DNA. Their work together built upon the work of other scientists such as Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, Raymond Gosling, and Erwin Chargaff. The partnership proved fortuitous to their discovery of DNAs double helix structure. For the majority of his career, Crick worked for the Medical Research Council at Cambridge in England. Later in life, he worked for the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, in the United States. The Structure of DNA Crick and Watson proposed a number of significant features in their model of the structure of DNA, including: DNA is a double-stranded helix.The DNA helix is typically right-handed.The helix is anti-parallel.The outside edges of the DNA bases are available for hydrogen bonding. The model consisted of a sugar-phosphate backbone on the outside and pairs of nitrogenous bases, held together by hydrogen bonds, on the inside. Crick and Watson published their paper detailing the structure of DNA in the science journal Nature in 1953. The illustration in the article was drawn by Cricks wife Odile, who was an artist. Crick, Watson, and Maurice Wilkins (one of the researchers whose work Crick and Watson had built upon) were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for Medicine in 1962. Their discoveries furthered the understanding of how the genetic information from one organism is passed down to its progeny from generation to generation. Later Life and Legacy Crick continued to study other aspects of DNA and protein synthesis after the discovery of the double helical nature of DNA. He collaborated with Sydney Brenner and others to demonstrate that the genetic code is made up of three base codons for amino acids. The research demonstrated that, since there are four bases, there are 64 possible codons, and the same amino acid can have multiple codons. In 1977, Crick left England and relocated to the United States, where he served as the J.W. Kieckhefer Distinguished Research Professor at the Salk Institute. He continued to research in biology, focusing on neurobiology and human consciousness. Francis Crick died in 2004 at the age of 88. He is remembered for the significance of his role in the discovery of DNAs structure. The discovery was pivotal to many later advances in science and technology, including screening for genetic diseases, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic engineering. Sources The Francis Crick Papers: Biographical Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/SC/p-nid/141.  Francis Crick - Biographical. Nobelprize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1962/crick/biographical/.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"About Dr Francis Crick.† Crick, www.crick.ac.uk/about-us/our-history/about-dr-francis-crick.  Watson, James D. The Double Helix: a Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. New American Library, 1968.

There Are Taxes to Be Paid Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

There Are Taxes to Be Paid - Research Paper Example uired that the direct taxes that are collected by the federal government should be apportioned to the States, in accordance with their population numbers (Buenker, 1981). Further, the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted the federal government the powers to collect the taxes without regard to the provisions of Clause 4 of Section 9 in the Article I of the USA constitution, which required that the collection of direct taxes should be done with regard to a census or enumeration (Jensen, 2001).Therefore, the basic t salient points of the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution are: The Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave the congress, and consequently the federal government the right to collect taxes from whichever sources that an income was being generated by the American public (Buenker, 1981). Thus, it was now within the discretion of the federal government to apply tax towards the incomes that individuals were earning from their payroll incomes, where the federal government set the minimum taxable labor income at $3000. In addition, the federal government gained the right to impose tax on gains derived from capital (Jensen, 2001). In this respect, the earnings in relation to properties owned by individuals or corporations would now pass for taxation, including the profits obtainable when such capital properties are sold or when they change hands. The other basic tenet of the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is that; the federal government gained the right to use the direct taxes obtained from the various sources in whichever way it deemed necessary (Buenker, 1981). This provision was a desertion from the provisions of the article I of the U.S. Constitution, which provided that the federal government should apportion all the direct taxes it collected to different States, based on the population numbers of each state, such that the States with a high population would be apportioned a higher amount of the direct taxes

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

Xenophobia - Essay Example However, unlike the Holocaust which built up gradually from Fascist ideas developed by Hitler and his followers in the years after the First World War, and what was seen as the humiliation of the German people, ( The Israeli- American Co-operative 2011) it could be argued that one incident sparked the Rwandan atrocities. The Hutu uprising against their countrymen was triggered when Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, and at that time the Rwandan president, was killed when he was in a plane which was shot down during a rocket attack near Kigali airport on 6th April 1994. The blame was placed firmly on the shoulders of Tutsi leader Paul Kagame, who is now the current Rwandan President, but then leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), (BBC News and Le Monde 2004). This was denied by Kagame who blamed the attack on Hutu extremists. Nevertheless, within a few hours of the attack, violence broke out all over the country; and such violence would not wane until three months after the assassination of Habyarimana. By then nearly a million Rwandans would lose their lives. The persecution of the Jews began in the early 1930’s. when Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933. The persecution he engendered continued and built up into and through World War II., finally ceasing in 1945 when war in Europe finally ended. .It is believed that some 6 million Jews died , as well as members of other minorities such as Gypsies. Others were tortured or suffered in other ways and some 5000 Jewish communities were totally destroyed. ( Nazi Germany 1933-1941) The deaths did not begin as soon as the Fascists came to power. Time was spent first in spreading propaganda across Germany against those seen by the government as the enemies of the Aryan race, a the same time making life very difficult for the minority group. The aim was to encourage Jews to leave the country and to some extent this succeeded, but Hitler could not wait and in 1938 came Kristallnacht - state

Henry inquiry into taxation and the report recommendation Essay

Henry inquiry into taxation and the report recommendation - Essay Example w, the ‘root and branch’ review into taxation, conducted by the government by its Treasury secretary, Ken Henry whose recommendations to the government would be decisive. The essay will inquire into the causes of Henry review into taxation, the major recommendation of the Henry report and government response to the super profits tax (RSPT). The purpose of the government for reviewing taxation on the financial organisations was to help in making Australia a regional financial centre by taxing managed funds and related services to ensure that conduit income will be tax free in Australia (Thompson, 2010). The major recommendation of the Henry report is to reduce the aggregate number of taxes collected by the government. Out of the 125 taxes 90% collection is realised from only 10 taxes, which has prompted to simplify and introduce the most effective form of taxation reform by raising those 10 taxes to nearly 10% each and erase rest of the 115 taxes (Thompson, 2010). The government response to the recommendation has been straight forward by releasing on May 2, 2010 ‘Stronger, Fairer Simpler’ tax plan. Regarding financial institutions among a number of other recommendations, the government response has been to be selective by not implementing all the recommendations. The Prime-Minister has stated in the press release that ‘some potential misinterpretations of the recommendations...it will not implement at any stage’ (Thompson, 2010). The government response on the super profit tax (RSPT) has been to introduce 40% rate from 1 July 2012 with the RSPT to be derived from company taking the tax rate effectively to 56.8%. It is still not the final outcome as the government has granted one more year to reconsider and hold discussions before implementing the taxes so that there remains no doubt over some crucial details and content of the RSPT (Thompson, 2010). Papandrea has discussed just one aspect of the issue between financial advisors and their clients,

Triple Bottom Lines And Sustainable Development Construction Essay

Triple Bottom Lines And Sustainable Development Construction Essay In this assignment, the notion of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) reporting is being analysed critically. The term created by John Elkington is being defined with its concept and general principles (social, environment, and economic lines) discussed in this report. Representations of TBL in the Business and Government Organisations sectors is further explored with its five different interpretations Wait and see, Packaging information for community right to know, stakeholder alignment, endorsing core principles, and holistic cultural perspective. The relationship between sustainable development and TBL is discussed in the report by considering the environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and social sustainability, with a backing example of the TBL Toolkit and the The Capital Works Sustainability Statement practiced in the city of Melbourne. Lastly, the application of TBL in sustainable construction and its indicators of social and environmental, and economic performance used in the construction sector are discussed in the report. Lastly, a case study has been done on Enviro-Cottage constructed in Spring Hill, Brishbane. The project has addressed TBL reporting considering the sustainable development and construction. INTRODUCTION Triple bottom line (TBL) reporting is becoming more common across many sectors of society. Although the concept was born out of the corporate and business world to report corporate social responsibility conveniently, it has been embraced by many organisations to give social and environmental agendas more prominence in the face of corporatist globalisation (Price, R n.d.). The term Triple Bottom Line was formed by John Elkington in 1997. Based in UK as a consultant to companies like BO, DuPont and the World Bank, John Elkington has been described by Business Week as a dean of the corporate responsibility movement for three decades (John Elkington 2010). Instead of the usual financial bottom line, Elkington define and the expanded baseline for measuring performance using social, environmental and economic bottom lines (Centre for ISA Information Sheet 7 n.d.). Elkington stated on his book, Cannibals with Forks that: The triple bottom line focuses corporations not just on the economic value they add, but also on the environmental and social value they add and destroy. At its narrowest, the term triple bottom line is used as a framework for measuring and reporting corporate performance against economic, social and environmental parameters (Elkington,, J 1998). Generally, Triple bottom line is an integrated management approach that consists of managing, measuring and publicly reporting performance in business and government sectors (Potts, T 2004). TBL also acts as a medium to discuss issues regarding the organisation and the community. According to A tool for measuring, communicating, and facilitating change in local governments by Tavis Potts, TBL is a correspondence and process for reporting on sustainability and using the results to engage communities in an ongoing discussion. For sustainable organisations this means balancing the needs of the organisation against the environmental, economic and social factors as depicted in Figure 1 to enhance the quality of life. Figure . Triple Bottom Line Model (Source: Triple bottom line: a ticket to the game or the emperors new clothes? 2005). Representations of tbl Business Sector In the business sector, the growing tension between increasing social values and conventional forms of value creation has forced consideration of sustainability (including TBL reporting). Pressure has been applied on organisations to be more socially and environmentally responsible in their pursuit of profit (Beilin, R Paine, M, Pryor R 2007). As an example, BP Australia reported that a TBL approach to business provides them with a sustainable competitive advantage and it is also a good business sense. It demonstrates to stakeholders the integrity of a business or industry, thus improving its reputation, increases investor confidence and enhances marketing and profit opportunities. Governments Sector Similar to businesses, local governments have adopted the TBL in response to community concern about issues of environmental sustainability. In the Governments sector, the field of organisational accountability has broadened. Government organisations must now consider the wider impacts of their practices on other local, regional, national and even global stakeholders (Beilin, R Paine, M, Pryor R 2007). Growing government interest in corporate social and environmental responsibility is expressed in policy at local, State and federal levels. TBL reporting has changed the appearance of the role of government in regulating private businesses and industries. TBL has come to demonstrate good public relations in government organisations with its integrated focus on social, environmental and economic outcomes of practice. Principles of Triple Bottom Line The three vital aspects of corporate and government performance are based on Triple Bottom Line are the economic, social and environmental line. TBL is also interpreted in 5 ways in business and governments sectors. The Economic Bottom Line The economic bottom line is the organisations record of economic performance (revenue and profit) and integrity. Even though the companies are still making profits in the business, profit is viewed as the economic benefit enjoyed by the employees and community as a whole within a sustainability framework. The Social or People Bottom Line The social bottom line is the organisations record of social or people performance as it affects employees, consumers, and communities. This also refers to fair, ethical, and beneficial business practices toward employees, community, and country in which a corporation conducts its business. The Environmental Bottom Line This is the organisations record of performance as it considers all the issues related with environmental concerns. The goal of 21stà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ century companies is to not only help protect the environment by producing Green or environmentally responsible products but also to have their own sustainable, environmentally sound business operating practices. This means organisations are to function in an environmentally responsible approach, such as taking steps to reduce their own environmental footprint, consuming less energy and little or no non-renewable resources, and producing less waste. Five interpretation of TBL Five broad categories capture the current diverse state of TBL performance measurement and reporting in Australia according to Triple Bottom Line Measurement and Reporting In Australia. The five categories are more to show the diverse business rationales and analysis of community expectations for triple bottom line measuring and reporting (Suggett, D, Goodsir, B 2002). Wait and see Wait and see is the category where organisations are satisfied with their present approaches to communication and accountability. Examples of such companies are Fosters and Woolworths. This may due to the reason that a change is not necessary in their business priority, and there is a sense of potential benefit as it is still early in their business to use the TBL approach without understanding the directions of the business. Packaging information for community right to know By observing the community right to know attitude and supporting the notion of greater responsibility to the community for their business performance, other organisation make an obligation to their stakeholders to be open and transparent. To meet this commitment, they collect and package internal information or report for external audience. This report shows the values they seek to meet, their performance against those standards and a description of their activities. Examples of companies practising this approach of TBL in environmental reporting are Wesfarmers and Orica. As they keep on collecting data, reporting and verifying approaches, those organisations do not see that a change in approach is required to embrace social or economic scopes. Stakeholder Alignment This approach analytically seeks the relationship between stakeholders expectations and corporate strategy. In order for TBL reporting to drive maximum value, it is necessary that the information reported aligns with business strategy and objectives and accurately reflects the focus of the company activity. This serves to strengthen the significance of companies developing indicators in a structured way that reflects their objectives and the requirements of key stakeholder groups. As the stakeholders could be the shareholders, investors, employees, customers, suppliers, the community and government, organisations practicing this approach will be required to set up new management systems and in a long run is intensive on the business resource. One example is the WMC. WMC continues to expand in this direction and a number of other companies have embarked on the first steps, such as Westpac and ANZ. Endorsing Core Principles A few organisations outline their response to stakeholder expectations into values that guide their business activity: sustainability principles. Examples of organisations are Rio Tinto and Shell. This approach is directed at integrating these core principles into management practices. Holistic Cultural Perspective Organisations in private ownership define their business purpose and their commitment to sustainability values and accountability as a whole. Their business success depends on this cultural perspective. The Body Shop is the often-quoted example and the Co-operative Bank in the United Kingdom. Sustainable development Sustainability is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while at the same time preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only for the present generations, but also for future generations. Sustainable development ties together the concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with the social challenges (Sustainable construction gives a competitive edge n.d). Conceptually, sustainable development can be broken down into three constituent parts: Environmental sustainability Economic sustainability Social sustainability Sustainable development is often portrayed as the act of balancing economic, ecological and social concerns, and the triple bottom line is commonly used internationally to prove corporate performance on sustainability and its approach to sustainable development in the corporate world. However, in sustainable development, triple bottom line also concentrates on the external structure of development and excludes the internal structure of development. In other words, TBL also focuses on technological, economic and institutional development while excluding cultural and personal development (Riedy, C 2003). As an example, the City of Melbourne is using TBL approach to accomplish the goal of sustainable development. The city has developed a TBL Toolkit which includes checklists, guidelines, templates and case studies for the application of TBL decision-making and reporting (Triple-Bottom-Line Evaluation Approach Shows Promise for Local Government 2004). Part of this tool is the The Capital Works Sustainability Statement and it is a rating system that recognizes the degree to which a project contributes to the Councils sustainability objectives. The Capital Works tool is being applied to different ways, such as the bidding of capital works, budget approval process, and evaluating criteria against of capital works. Through this TBL approach, councils are able to demonstrate responsibility and transparency in decision making and administration. Moreover, TBL approach in the public sector including local government has helped to develop global standards and procedures in reporting decisions at all levels (Triple-Bottom-Line Evaluation Approach Shows Promise for Local Government 2004). Application of tbl in sustainable construction Construction activities worldwide consume 40 per cent of all raw material exploited globally (Sustainable construction gives a competitive edge n.d.). For this reason, the use of sustainable building materials can help improve the global environment significantly. The public demand for sustainable solutions is growing, and in the years to come contractors who are able to document that they build sustainably will have a strong presence in the market. In order to make construction sustainable, one has to practise TBL in order to consider the environmental impacts of extraction, transportation, processing, fabrication, installation, reuse, recycling, and disposal of these materials. It is easy to understand why TBL has received acceptance in sustainable construction. Indicators of social and environmental performance are used to diversify work and practices of construction sector. TBL allows organisations to assess quantitatively and qualitatively how they are achieving their key performance indicators (Triple bottom line: a ticket to the game or the emperors new clothes? 2005). TBL has been applied to the construction sector in the UK where the phrase Sustainable Construction has been coined. The UK Government is seeking to apply sustainable development practices to the construction industry. Leading construction companies in the UK, USA and Europe now report annually on social and environmental performance as well as financial performance. Jim Lammie, director of Parsons Brinckerhoff in a speech on sustainability of 8 September 2004 said that over 77% of construction companies in the UK had a sustainable development policy to deal with regulation, competitive edge, client policy, enhanced reputation, legal risks and future investments as well as addressing ethical obligations. Lessons from the construction industry overseas have a place for Australian construction companies who want to outperform their counter-parts in an increasingly aware society. Implementing daily practices to elicit performance under TBL can be as simple as adopting recycling programs , giving to the workforce through university sponsorship programs and adopting best practice voluntary standards. When a full assessment of practices are made construction players may find that they are already carrying out sustainable practices but are not reaping the reward through reporting their practices to stakeholders. Truly sustainable construction practices may mean assessing projects and work practices with TBL in mind (Triple bottom line: a ticket to the game or the emperors new clothes? 2005). The triple bottom line concept of sustainable construction could be achieved through the application of sustainable design principles at early stages of planning and construction. By making these decisions beforehand, it creates a home that is safer, more secure, flexible, comfortable, environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient in a long-run. A sustainable construction project is designed and constructed to include the principles of sustainable design which attempts to balance soc ial, environmental and economic considerations (Sustainable Homes Triple bottom line 2008). The triple bottom line approach to sustainable construction is a balanced integration of social, environmental and economic design factors. Social Sustainable buildings are designed for the people considering access, safety, security and design that consider the clients future needs throughout the different stages of lives young families, older users or users with varying abilities. Sustainable constructed building is safe, easily adaptable to suit a diverse range of needs and comfortable for people with varying abilities and at different stages of their lives, especially the elderly with our ageing population (Sustainable Homes Triple bottom line 2008). Socially sustainable construction can also strengthen social networks and allow people of every age and ability to participate in their community throughout their life. An aesthetically pleasing and stimulating built environment will reinforce the sense of well being of residents and people in the local community of the building. The local community and streetscape should also be considered, ensuring sympathetic development, enhancing the streetscape and community function (Tr iple bottom line in housing n.d.). Environmental Sustainable construction are resource efficient by incorporating sustainable management of water, energy and waste efficiencies, as well as other features such as passive solar design by considering the orientation, ventilation, insulation, shading and building materials (Sustainable Homes Triple bottom line 2008). Resource efficiency is also related to water efficiency in the building, waste efficiency of materials used during construction, and energy efficiency through good passive design and high star-rated green technology appliances and lights. It is also associated to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption. Local market for materials should be considered as well (Triple bottom line in housing n.d.). Besides that, resource efficiency equates to lifestyle benefits for residents of the buildings in terms of improved thermal comfort (social sustainability) and reduced running costs for the home (economic sustainability). Economic Economic sustainability means designing and construction to make a house more cost-efficient in a long-run, considering the selection of low maintenance materials. Extra expense during construction should be provided for longer term operating cost savings as it is important to obtain the choices of design and material right the first time and removes the need to make additional costly changes later. Installation of solar panels or water tanks will also add instant value to a property (Triple bottom line in housing n.d.). The consideration of the local market in the selection of building material suppliers can optimise costs through reduced transportation expenses to the site. Other economic savings can also be done with the amplified focus on the embodied energy that building materials may represent in their journey from the source, through refinement, product manufacture and transport to eventual use on-site in the construction of the home (Sustainable Homes Triple bottom line 2008) . Sustainable construction could cost efficiently over time by improving the design and construction features and the use of low-maintenance materials Usage of appliances with high energy-star ratings that reduce the ongoing costs of running your home should be encouraged. By practicing sustainable construction, energy and water bills are lower and potential future modification costs are greatly reduced, thus making the home more adaptable over its life cycle. Case study: Enviro-Cottage Enviro-Cottage is constructed in Spring Hill, Brisbane. It was built as a workers cottage in the late 1800s. During 2008, the houses were transformed from a traditional Brisbane cottage into a sustainable development for inner-city living. Figure . Conceptual drawing of Enviro-Cottage. (Source: http://www.envirocottage.com.au) Enviro-Cottage as shown in Figure 2 isnt a new, purpose-built house unlike other display homes. It is a renovation project that highlights the simple, technological and the necessary construction methods to help make a home more efficient by using less electricity, water and other resources, while improving how people live in the available space. Some of the ideas are very simple and easy to apply in any home renovation or construction projects to reduce its environmental footprint. Examples of sustainable construction methods used are passive design, thermal mass and solar orientation (Enviro-Cottage n.d.). Other revolutionary sustainable ideas are the installation of solar cell technology, water tank and grey water systems, glass technology, kitchen and laundry appliances, taps and showers, insulation, flooring, paints and other finishes, heating and cooling systems, and energy efficient lighting. The Spring Hill Enviro-Cottage Project has addressed the TBL reporting (Triple bottom line in housing n.d). Examples of the Enviro-Cottage TBL report considerations included in the sustainable development and construction according to Our Brisbane are: Social sustainability Enviro-Cottage is constructed to be multi-purpose. Its multi-use design is suitable for people from different background, such as families, professional couples, or people with disabilities, young couples to families with older/independent children The cottage is constructed using the local Tuff stone to tie to Spring Hills heritage and preservation of the heritage streetscape Open front aspect to connect with local street life Open design to aid easy internal and external surveillance High security features to all doors and windows with simple and consistent locking systems The set back garage is designed and constructed to de-emphasise the role of the car Addition of two off-street parking options takes two cars off the crowded local street Preservation of the heritage streetscape Environmental sustainability Maximum use of passive solar design aspects, taking advantage of natural energy flows, and minimising the scale of overlaid systems lighting, cooling etc No air conditioning required or other mechanical heating or cooling systems Capture, use, recycle and re-use of as much rainwater as possible, inclusion of grey water processing system Generation of required energy needs through onsite photovoltaic system and where possible provision of clean renewable energy back to the community Use of environmentally preferred materials eg. no use of rainforest or old growth forest products Re-use of the existing 1800s building to reduce consumption of new materials Use of materials with a lifespan equivalent to the projected life of the building Source local products and materials where possible, minimising energy used to transport materials Economic sustainability Use of passive solar design and selected enviro-products will drive future operating costs down to a minimum Modular design, flexible usage model, and choice of long lifespan materials, minimising any requirements for future renovations, minimising ongoing construction costs The Enviro-Cottage project has demonstrate sustainable development through TBL reporting and the project signified sustainable living ideas, solution and options which can be in most construction even when it is challenged with the many constraints facing such renovations such as council building codes, existing dwelling condition and design, and smaller block sizes. Conclusion In conclusion, the TBL concept demonstrates responsibility to stakeholders in terms of economic, social and environmental impact. The idea behind TBL reporting is sustainable success which will benefit the organisations. Benefits include better reputation and increased confidence, benchmarked performance, increased operational efficiency, stakeholder satisfaction, and improved risk management of the business. TBL reports may have different representations in the business and government sectors, and each of the sectors has different interpretation of TBL. TBL reporting is one way organisations can add value to their daily practices of their business. In terms of sustainable development and construction, TBL is the union of the three constituent parts social, environment, and economic. TBL is commonly used to prove corporate performance on sustainability as it covers accountability in an economic, social and environmental sense.

networking :: essays research papers

Computer Network Modifications. Regional Offices. Existing Bus Topology (hubs) should be replaced with star topology using switches. In star topology, all devices are connected to a common central location, typically a hub or a switch, in this case we will be using switches. (See diagram 1) when a node sends data to the central location, the central device retransmits the information and sends it to the destination. Because all cabling is connected to the central device , if one link fails, only that portion of the network will fail. The rest of the network will not be affected. However, if the central devise fails the entire network will fail. A star topology can have a maximum of 1024 nodes on a LAN and is commonly used for 10BaseT. (IEEE 802.3) and 100BaseTX (IEEE 802.3u) Ethernet. The advantages of using a Star Topology include reliability and ease of maintenance and installation. Monitoring and troubleshooting can be maintained at the central device, providing easier maintenance. A Star topology allows for greater reliability because each node is connected to the central devise by a segment. If one segment breaks, only that node loses access to the network so the rest of the network is not affected. Because each node is connected to the central device, star topologies also allow for an easy network layout, providing the network administrator easier installation over the other topologies. The disadvantage of this topology is cost. With each devise being connected to the central location, more cabling is required than with other topologies. In addition there is a cost of the central device. This is a LAN topology in which endpoints on a network are connected to a common central switch by point to point links. A ring topology that is organised as a star implements a unidirectional closed loop star, instead of point to point links. (Diagram 1: Star Toplogy) Star topology is the most widely used models in networking and are extremely stable By using Assymetric switches (10/100) over the existing CAT 5 UTP cabling. CAT 5 UTP can accommodate up to 100MB/S Switches have many benefits. A LAN switch allows many users to communicate in parallel through the use of virtual circuits and dedicated network segments in a collision free environment. This maximises the bandwidth availability on the shared medium. Also, moving to a switched LAN environment is very cost effective because you can reuse the existing hardware and cabling. The power of the switch combined with the software to configure LAN’s gives network administrators’ greater flexibility in managing the network.

PEST Analysis of Proton Essay

1.0 Introduction: PEST is a study which is apprehensive by describing the exterior of ecological manipulates on a company. The abbreviation locates for the Political, Economic, Social and Technological matters with the intention of may perhaps influence the tactical growth of a company (ESCAP 2009). Here I choose a business organization which is PROTON to classify PEST which manipulates a helpful technique of abbreviation the exterior surroundings in which this business functions. Nevertheless, it has to exist trailed up through thoughtfulness of how this company ought to react towards these pressures. The purpose of this document is towards the center of attention on the matter of proton within conditions of confronting dissimilar quandaries within the Malaysia as well as worldwide automotive business (ESCAP 2009). 2.0 BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY: 2.1 Introduction The automotive business in local is regard as solitary of the majority essential as well as important tactical businesses within the developed region. Malaysia is mainly a traveler concern market and the trade is well thought-out as a national market-directed. The most important cause why traveler concern market is well-known within the nation is for the reason that of the financial position of the nation (www.proton.com). 2.2 Company History It all started in 1979. Malaysia’s Minister of Modernization, Tun Mahathir Mohamad, debated the thought of launching an automotive gathering as well as developed business in our nation. On May 7, 1983, the vision was rewarded after PROTON was formally integrated (www.proton.com). Furthermore, on July 9, 1985, their initial replica, the Proton Saga was commercially begun. In the beginning, every one of the mechanisms of the vehicle was totally man-made through Mitsubishi, but the local element has been able to be used, as technologies were transported as well as capacities were enlarged (Frost  & Sullivan 2002). The symbol of the vehicle was distorted as of the Malaysia’s coat of arms as well as a fourteen-pointed star to a stylized tiger head. It represents PROTON’s administration method as well as industry term, even as its potency is replicated in each and every PROTON products (Histomobile. n.d). 2.3 Products and Services They created their 1 millionth car in the year 1996. This accomplishment was marketed through more than a few important novel replica begins consist of the Proton Tiara, Proton Wira 2.0 Diesel as well as the two-door Proton Putra, additionally to their obtaining arrangement of the Proton Wira, Proton Satria as well as Proton Perdana. In the next ten years, they continue to plan and produce an innovative variety of replicas consist of the Proton Waja, Proton Juara, Proton Arena, Proton Gen 2, Proton Savvy, Proton Persona, Proton Innova as well as Proton Preve (www.proton.com). Furthermore, we produced new invention replicas consist of the novel Saga, Waja CPS, Gen 2 CPS as well as the Persona Special Edition. Nowadays they are persistently looking for improvement that makes PROTON as a product that includes not just manufacturing the best vehicles, but accepting the principles that arrives with it (www.proton.com). 3.0 Introduction of PEST Analysis: 3.1 Political Governmental agencies are essentially to what rank the authority interfere in the austerity. These issues explain about official and non official regulation which their aggregation must be attached to. Accurately, constitutional causes accommodate field such as taxation administration, employment constitution, ecology classification, export sanctions, expense, and domestic assurance (Businessballs.com). General agency may also accommodate effects and applicability which the general wants to arrange or be arranged and those that authority does not want to be arranged. Additionally, authorities accept excessive agency on the fitness, edification and root of a democracy (pestleanalysis.com). 3.2 Economy Effectual agency accommodate effectual advance, annual percentage rate, currency exchange rates, commission levels, lasting advance anticipation of a provincial, bankruptcy, career chain, GNP trend-sand, extension amount and health possibility and cost. These factors have major impacts on how business operate and make decision. For excuse bank rate alter a compact’s amount of dominant and consequently to what area business grows and aggrandize. Currency exchange rates change the amount of shipping stuff and the accumulation and cost of intention stuff in an austerity (pestleanalysis.com). 3.3 Social Social issues include beliefs, attitudes, language, gender roles as well as religion. Not just that, it also consist of the cultural features as well as including of health awareness, residents demographics, age distribution, profession manners, profits distribution, consumerism, stage of education as well as importance on protection. Tendency in societal issues influence the demand for a business’s goods along with how that business operates. For instance, businesses might alter a variety of administration tactics to adapt to these social tendencies (Businessballs.com). 3.4 Technological Technological issues regard as the progression in technology as well as the latent in the market. Technological issues consist of technological features for instance R&D action, mechanization, technology inducements as well as the rate of technological alters. They could establish obstacles to entry, minimum well-organized invention rank as well as manipulates outsourcing conclusion. Moreover, technological shifts could influence prices, values as well as guide to novelty (pestleanalysis.com). 4.0 Relate Framework to Organization: 4.1 Political Component The existence of AFTA otherwise ASEAN Free Trade Area is one of the vital issues to think about. Presently, the majority of ASEAN district are gratis  deal otherwise 96% of the whole ASEAN deal. AFTA was well-known in January of 1992 in categorize to eradicate tax barriers amongst the Southeast Asian states. It intended to decrease taxes in 15 years amongst the six states during an ordinary effectual special tax since Malaysia has two nationwide vehicle creators which are Proton as well as Perodua plus the government requests to defend their benefits. Sadly, the supposed growth might verify to be a provisional key. There is a large opportunity to facilitate the local market will be ruled through importation vehicles if we are about to ensure on the elevated advertising costs of the nationwide vehicles of Malaysia for the reason that of high invention prices as well as be short of merchant effectiveness. Thus, there will be raise in the quantity of the cars on the road as well as there will be accumulation of used vehicles in the market, for the reason that citizens will be likely to deal their vehicles for lower prices as well as importation products. Furthermore, the factor concerning the surroundings is very important since it is regard as one of the majority converse in relation to subject in the earth. Besides, the ecological instruction in Malaysia is able to be copied back through the colonialism of British which begun the ecological principles regarding the mineral as well as agricultural possessions to Europe. 4.2 Economy Component The automobile sales in the country is expected to fall by 12.4% due to dissimilar financial feature, the issue of global financial crisis which exaggerated the local economic position of the state in 2009. The administration of the state is looking for a slower financial enlargement for the state which can influence the buying attitude of the clients. Moreover, AFTA had enlarged the competition which will affect the presentation of Proton. Nevertheless, the presentation of the automobile business will be preserved as well as managed due to the large sum labor force. In addition, the unemployment rate was only 3.5%, which illustrates an approximately full employment in spite of the slower financial growth in 2003. 4.3 Social Component The rising inhabitants in the state can influence the automobile business. The state has a sum of 27.5 million people in the year 2008 which has the ability to give a larger amount of markets. Furthermore, the fraction of vehicle possession in the state is fairly high which indicates that citizens are taking into consideration vehicles are as main stuffs in their lives. Customers are anticipated to defer buying diverse motor vehicle for the reason that of the employment market hesitatingly for the reason that of the worldwide and local economic disaster. The rising facts as well as performance of the citizens concerning diverse ecological factors is an extra issue to think about. The collision of the illustration to the faithfulness of the client is another factor. 4.4 Technology Component The vital issue in the automotive business is technology. The growth in technology is rising as well as impacting the presentation as well as arrangement of all the business in the automobile business because of the rising competition. Moreover, it is also vital to reflect on the development of technology, mutually among the development and ability of developing. This is for the reason that it could influence the novelty procedure of any business. Intellectual property is well thought-out as a precursor of legitimacy as well as exclusiveness is an additional vital issue. By reason of the dissimilar technologies, mainly the assist of PC as well as the internet, the possible for novelty and improvement is rising. 5.0 Conclusion: 5.1 Summary of Analysis Proton was regard as the nationwide vehicle producer of Malaysia as well as regard as the most important competitor within the business. Nevertheless because of the dissimilar issues, mainly the accomplishment of AFTA, the auctions as well as market share of the business refuse (Ghani & Zainuddin 2008). However, because of the constant backup of the administration, plus the constant arrangement of the business in the market, it could be alleged so as to the business botched to focal point on the vital feature of a business consecutively to preserve competitor advantage as well as that is novelty (BuildBoard n.d). Consecutively to resolve the recent circumstances  of the business, it will be vital to focal point on novelty or R&D procedure. This may perhaps be completed by centering on relating latest IT or IS in the direction of accelerating the procedure of scheming (BuildBoard n.d). References: 1. www.proton.com 2. Ghani, K.,Zainuddin, Y.,Fereidouni, H. G. & Ziaee, A. (2008). ‘AFTA: Effect on Malaysian Economy’. Journal of Management and Social Sciences. Vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 134 – 141. 3. Hax, A & Wilde II, D. (2003). ‘The Delta Model – A New Framework of Strategy’. Journal of Strategic Management Education, vol. 1, no. 1. 4. www.slideshare.net/mandalina/marketing-plan-proton 5. PEST analysis method and examples, Businessballs.com. 6. Howard Thomas, (2007) â€Å"An analysis of the environment and competitive dynamics of management education†, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 26 Iss: 1, pp.9 – 21. 7. Atul Gupta, Jason C. McDaniel, S. Kanthi Herath, (2005) â€Å"Quality management in service firms: sustaining structures of total quality service†, Managing Service Quality, Vol. 15 Iss: 4, pp.389 – 402. 8. www.proton-edar.com.my/ Home / About-Us aspx 9. George O. K’Aol, Francis Wambalaba, â€Å"Homegrown Kenya: the horticultural industry under fire on CSR†, Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies Collection, (2011). 10. 12Manage. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis. Available from: http://www.12manage.com/. [25th March 2009] 11. Frost & Sullivan (2002). The impact of AFTA on the ASEAN Automotive Industry. 12. Nijssen, E. J. & Frambach, R. (2000). Creating Customer Value Through Strategic Marketing Planning: A Management Approach. Springer. 13. ESCAP (2009). V. Malaysia. Available from: http://www.unescap.org/tid/publication/part_two2223_mal.pdf. [Accessed 24th 2009].

Was Vancouver Riots Behavior Normal

Was Vancouver Riots Behavior Normal Background information Vancouver riot was experienced during a match between the Canucks, Boston and Bruins in competition for the Stanley Cup. It was during the finals when Boston Bruins won 4-0 over the Canucks that the youths became violent, burning down buildings and vehicles and even injuring fellow human beings (CBC News).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Was Vancouver Riots Behavior Normal? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is not a surprise to see youngsters rioting after a match, and in the process, engaging in acts that eventually lead to regrets, History, overtime, has  confirmed this to be a normal occurrence after such an incidence is experienced in various places of the globe (Stepney). This has resulted into research carried out with the sole purpose of identifying whether there could be some kind of abnormality associated with the form of behaviors that are part of the rioting that usually lead to massive losses for both property and human life. Results conclude that this is normal as it has so many factors contributing to it such as alcohol and mob reasoning that tends to interfere with an individual’s normal reasoning. According to CBC News many people are always left wondering how young and sound youth should engage in such actions that result into a lot of harm that costs their outstanding reputation to the public and, even in extreme cases, leading to loss of job and rejection (Smith 1). However, considering all the possibilities that are responsible for such moves, it becomes sensible to conclude that they are quite normal occurrences that are to be expected especially in crowded areas. It is this very same reason that qualifies the Vancouver riots normal incident. Reasons behind considering Vancouver riots normal Just like Smith (2) argues, it becomes difficult for people to reason out well once they are in a group, in such cases the limbic system is le ft to operate instead of the frontal lobe that is responsible for proper reasoning. At this point, the involved crowds usually act out of emotions, which can be either negative or positive. The ultimate results for the actions involved entirely depend on the kind of emotions that drive the crowd. More often, emotional activities such as sports that entail screams, shouts and other sorts of noise, which can serve as stimuli, lead to the former part of the brain functional, thus leading into some kind of reaction such as riots. Individuals stop thinking as they should and act as groups; this is dangerous as people involve themselves into intolerable acts unlike if they are on their own.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Group brain is risky at a time because people make subliminal moves without reflecting on the consequences.  As illustrated during the Vancouver riots, Nathan, young man from a well- off background, is captured by the media in the very act of burning a police vehicle and later apologizes for his own conduct (Smith1). Such cases are often, which can lead people  in  committing unethical activities. The effect of group brain is that it transforms an individual. For instance, when such rioting groups are separated, they tend to reason in the appropriate manner, meaning that their frontal lobe is at work. This gives an answer as to why the members involved during the Vancouver riots came out apologizing for their behavior as an individual (Smith 1). Smith continues to talk of dispersing people before they form groups also attempting to cause distraction that help them not to stray from their normal reasoning as measures to ensure peace during an event such as sports (Smith). According to Davis (348), usually a crowd is a group or gathering, with no organized structure, it comprises of assembly of people in real -time with e ach member having an individualistic benefit. Crowds become socially united by virtue of being physically together, and as such, any happening within the vicinity can influence them to act in a very crude manner. Crowds do not have any set goals and even have no future expectations of coming back together; this gives an explanation as to why they will always act without reason, leading to massive destructions. Usually, no distinction can be made between individuals because they all tend to have a similar reasoning, this makes what happened at Vancouver a normal phenomenon. Influence is also another factor that can lead to violent behavior. Influence is so powerful that no one wants to be rejected by friends or feel out of place. For this reason, people comply with any type of behavior, however, unethical it is (Pendry). According to Stepney alcohol is the leading source of behavioral variation in human beings; this is because it affects the body chemistry leading to a change for adr enaline produced. This has an impact on how the brain works. Alcohol and nutrition also have some impact on the way the prefrontal cortexes works.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Was Vancouver Riots Behavior Normal? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This part of the brain develops much later in life. Thus, owing to the fact that people actively involved in the riot were teenagers, it gives a guarantee of their limbic system at work thus leading them to make decisions and act out of emotions. The point that these youngsters were drunk and had a poor diet gives an additional confirmation that the riot was just a normal occurrence. Efforts by the police to close bars and other liquor source did not bear fruits as they had already taken it. Apart from alcohol, passion is also a significant stakeholder in riots. This is in the sense that all individuals in the group have a team to support. The success or failure of the group support will undoubtedly lead to some kind of reaction being negative or positive. It is this combination of reactions, which can lead to brutality. In an event, of trying to support a team; one has a passion for and has invested time, money and energy. After loss by the home team during the Vancouver event, fans were subjected into stress, which is a further trigger for emotions. True to Smith’s argument, on the maturity of the brain, the young children and grownups left the scene after they sensed some kind of threat that could result from their home team defeat thus leaving the youths behind who eventually succumbed to their emotions thus causing chaos. In other cases, spectators trigger, or attempt to provoke fans making them crazy eventually resulting into violence (Smith 5). According to Smith, this event was quite normal. Because, the reactions that  led  into such actions were distinct. To them, emotions have a big role in controlling ones actions bec ause they affect brains normal functioning thus influencing the manner in which one reasons. Smith (4) gives fire as an important impulse that arouses emotions. This supports Vancouver riot as normal because it is just immediately after a fire outbreak that the crowds turned violent leading to more and more fire set ups, destruction of property such as breaking of buildings glass windows and a lot of looting. Fire flames are believed to cause some kind of fear and as such some kind of reactions are expected. Vancouver riot was not the first one to be seen or heard of, there are such more incidences reported all over the globe whereby a lot of damage for both property and human life is encountered. Such riots include those encountered during the European Cup Final in 1985, 2000 South Africa- Zimbabwe match, 2000 American championship and many more. In all these riots, fans acted without reasoning just like after the Vancouver finals (Stepney). Contrary to the above-discussed reasons is the idea that some percentage of men went to the field with the intention of causing chaos, and they were there just to start something like setting a vehicle on fire so that they induce others (Smith 4). Their aim was to create havoc in order to get a chance for looting and engage in other animalistic actions.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion It is in order to conclude that when a group of people comes together without a common goal to achieve; social crimes such as riots are likely to occur. Many factors come into play such as the above-mentioned including group brain, passion, alcohol and many more. Brains at work during such moments are not the right ones due to some kind of stimulation. Individuals do not reason out on their own while in a crowd as such, their reasoning is usually impaired resulting into unexpected actions that cause regrets at the end of the day. It is in order to claim the riots at Vancouver a normal happening because all the possible factors leading to such behavior were in place. CBC News. Riots Erupt in Vancouver after Canucks Loss. 2011. Web. Davis, Kingsley. Human Society. New York, the Macmillan Company, 1933. Pendry,Louise. Carrick, Rachael. Doing What The Mob Do: Priming Effects on Conformity. European journal of social psychology, (31), pp. 83-92 Smith, Charlie. Evolutionary Bi ology, the Prefrontal Cortex, and the Stanley Cup Riot in Vancouver, 2011, Web. Stepney, Chloe. Christian Science Monitor: Vancouver Riot and 5 Other Infamous Melees in Sports History, 2011, Web.

How Organizations Monetize Their Presence On Social Networking Platforms The WritePass Journal

How Organizations Monetize Their Presence On Social Networking Platforms Introduction How Organizations Monetize Their Presence On Social Networking Platforms ). With advances in technology, businesses have learnt to use them to their benefit.   Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and eBay are Prime examples of technology driven companies. Given the proliferation of social networking sites, such as Myspace, Linked In, Facebook and twitter, it has become almost impossible to design marketing strategies without taking into consideration these media platforms. Social media has gained prominence and is considered vital for todays marketing mix. Both the small and big businesses have flocked to these media platforms. Whilst Major brands, such as Virgin and Starbucks, appear to have established their presences in these media platforms, social media adoption seems to be increasing amongst small businesses as well. According to study conducted by the University of Maryland, the rate of adoption among the small enterprises doubled from 12% in 2009 to 24% in 2010 (Rao 2010). The use of social media as a business tool is particularly evident in emerging markets of China, India and Brazil. According to a KPMG report, these countries are 20% more likely to expand their business frontiers into social media than their counterparts in UK, Germany, Australia and Canada (KPMG 2011). This can be attributed to their lower dependence on legal systems compared to the developed economies which bind their organizations to their long-established channel strategies. How organizations can monetize their presence in social networking platforms Businesses are targeting social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, as key market surveillance areas given their large user base. This becomes the key source for the businesses to innovate in congruence with the demands for their mutual benefit (Trottier, 2013). Given the popularity of these social networking platforms in various parts of the world, companies seeking to engage the vast and increasingly affluent online audience can use it as a marketing tool. Marketers can use these social networks for customer acquisition, retention and even generating their revenue. Business units such as marketing, sales, and HR can use these powerful tools to stimulate innovation and monetize their presence. Starbucks is a good example of a company which has successfully established its online presence in social media platforms. Having amassed over 35 million Facebook likes, Starbucks is without doubt one of the largest company that has successfully established presence in social media platforms (Smith 2013). One strategy which Starbucks used to attract Facebook users was through deals. This retailer company offered to give free coffee to the first 30,000 Facebook users that checked in at UK Starbucks stores using their phones (Smith 2013). This went a long way towards increasing the number of followers and ultimately translated to greater returns. Further, Starbucks used these media platforms to communicate with its ever increasing customer base abou t their favourite products (Smith 2013). Besides just informing their customers about their products via Facebook, Starbucks has also done well by integrating social issues that people care about into their brand. Given Starbucks success in establishing presence in social media platforms, other retailers across all sectors have similarly followed suit, from clothing sellers such as GAP who have amassed 4.6 million likes to general good retailers such as Target, and even to telecom providers and video games stores such as Verizon wireless and GameStop respectively (Smith 2013). Another company that has monetized its presence in Facebook is The New York Jets. In September 2010, the NFL team launched their ultimate Fan social game, the first application to generate revenue through Facebook (Carolyn 2011).   This application allowed Facebook users to predict game scores, root for their teams and to hold a virtual party with fans from different parts of the world. Further, the Jets engage with their fans on a regular basis via twitter. For example, towards the 2011 AFC playoff championship, the Jets advertised a contest for winning tickets to the tournament. The contest was twitter-based and winners were guaranteed free tickets to the 2011 AFC championship game against Pittsburgh Steelers (Carolyn 2011). It is clear that these companies are leveraging social media platforms to generate sales and increase their revenues. Many more businesses have also begun to exploit social networking sites as business tools, offering various deals and discounts through the sites. Whereas the opportunities created by social networking sites are many, success depends on how best to deploy creative skills to achieve the business goals. Creating traffic and brand awareness As a first step to monetizing social media presence, marketers must build their brand awareness and create traffic. Unless the brand is widely recognized such as Apple, it is necessary to develop social media magnetism (Conroy Narula 2010). Social media campaign can be done by word of mouth or advertising through TV commercials. Audience engagement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second step is building audience engagement. Unless marketers successfully engage with the audiences, they will not be able to reap great returns. For the social media campaign to be a success, marketers must effectively engage with the audience through meaningful conversation and by creating great content that raises awareness and increase sales (Carolyn 2011). Online Advertising Once a consistent traffic has been built and the audience have been engaged, then it becomes easy to monetize. The most basic form of monetizing is putting ads on social media sites and adding affiliate advertising links. Marketers can also choose to offer special promotions such as offering discounts exclusively to followers. Dell computers is a good example of a company that offers discounts to its followers. Dell tweets 15% off for any of their computers with special coupon code entered at checkout (Carolyn 2011). Social media has enabled Dell to amaze over 1.6 million followers and generate more than 2 million incremental revenues. Use of applications Companies may also use apps to monetize social media. They can charge a certain fee for the apps or give it freely in order to strengthen customer relationship. Gucci Connect is a quintessential example of a mobile marketing app (McKinsey 2007). The app enables users to watch live runway and to chat live with Facebook and twitter guests via their mobile devises. Setting up an online store on social media Finally, marketers need to set up a shop on Facebook. Companies can list their products and put updates on social media sites. Whereas these strategies should enable the company to monetize themselves on media platforms, most of the benefit has been branding and not actual purchases. However, for products which are inherently social in nature such as DVDs, books, and event tickets, these have translated to greater returns on investments. Challenges with the use of social media as a business tool Social media has certainly impacted on business. While many companies have found significant benefits with these social platforms, some have encountered unexpected risks and challenges along the way. There have been some challenges such as loss of sensitive information, reputational, legal and operational risks, and reduced productivity as a result of time wastage. Whereas there are many remarkable upside to using social media as a business tool, the vast reach of these media platforms also offer a vast uncharted sinkhole of risk (Merril et al 2011). The benefits may be outweighed by reputational risks. For example, in 2009 an employee from a national pizza delivery chain was recorded in a video camera tainting a sandwich which was to be delivered to a customer (Merril et al 2011). When the video was posted on YouTube where it drew heavy reaction from millions of viewers across the world. Viewers tweeted the news and in a span of 48 hours, the chain had experienced a change in consumers’ perception from positive to negative. Such embarrassing moments can tarnish the image of the company. Other risks of particular concern include risks pertaining to intellectual property and media risks, security risk and risk pertaining to employment privacy (Stelzner 2013). Companys security may be breached by malwares downloaded onto their website. Intellectual property risks may arise if employees post others information without their permission. Claims can be made against the company under such situations and contractual breach claims may result where the intellectual property belongs to an existing client (Merril et al 2011). Beyond these risks, some companies may face the challenge of integrating social media into their strategies. According to a Harvard Business review survey, 79% of the 2,100 organizations surveyed used social media platform as a business tool (Gullin 2010). The remaining 21% were in the process of launching social media initiatives. However, majority of these organizations pointed out to the challenge of integrating social media into their strategies. A vast majority of them seem to have no formalized social media strategy whereas others appear to struggle with how best to use the different channels. Methods and approaches to building relationships with customers that could potentially increase revenues in organizations A key important aspect that marketers should take into consideration is knowing how to communicate the right message with customers over media (Smith 2013). Most companies often post their updates through social media platforms which enables existing customers to interact with their favourite brand and get updates of their products. Whereas this approach enhances brand visibility and sometimes lead to new-customer acquisition, it often does not convert social media follows to direct sales and hence ends up hurting the bottom line (Smith 2013). A vast majority of online audience are eager to interact with their brands through these media platforms, but for them to engage in a financially meaningful way, marketers must know how best to reach them. Increasing traffic in the corporate page may seem somewhat beneficial, but it does not result in significant return on investment. As opposed to just focusing on increasing traffic, companies should focus on engaging more with the customers, both at the local and personal level. This would enable them to identify customer needs and tailor services and products to meeting those needs. Not only would this increase sales revenue, but it will also build and enhance customer relationship. Conclusion Business today has transformed from the previous pure brick business models to new approaches that utilize social media as business tools. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace and YouTube among many others have become an important gradient in todays marketing mix. Customers’ buying experience has gone beyond the traditional transactional base to a contemporary conversational tone by connecting with the clients through the various socializing networks like Twitter or Facebook. In response to the changing consumer behaviors, it has become a business imperative to integrate with the social networking sites. These tools offer business with many benefits including customer acquisition, retention and generation of sales revenue. Further, business units such as marketing, sales, and HR can use these powerful tools to stimulate innovation and monetize their presence. Whereas there are many remarkable upside to using social media as a business tool, there are some unexpected risks and challenges as well. These include the loss of sensitive information, reputational, legal and operational risks, and reduced productivity as a result of time wasted. Beyond these risks, some companies may face the challenge of integrating social media into their strategies. In spite of these risks, social media platforms appear to have had tremendous impacts on the business world, given its ubiquity and remarkable ability to attract and retain new customers which ultimately translates to more returns on investment. There is however need for companies to establish a strategy and associated policies that seek to address the pertinent issues. Although these risks and challenges may seem significant, they can be easily managed with forethought and planning. References Agarwal, S., and Mital, M. (2009) â€Å"Focus on Business Practices: An Exploratory Study of Indian University Students Use of Social Networking Web Sites: Implications for the Workplace†, Business Communication Quarterly. ATT, (2008). The business impact of social networking. AT T Bashar, A., Ahmad, I. and Wasiq, M., (2012). Effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool: an empirical study. International Journal of Marketing, Financial Services Management Research, vol. 1 (11) Boyd, D. M., Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  230. Carolyn, B., (2013). How to monetize social media. Inc. Conroy, P., Narula, A. (2010). A new breed of brand advocates Social networking redefines consumer engagement. Delloite. Curtis, A. (2011). The brief history of social media. Retrieved fromuncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/SocialMedia/SocialMediaHistory.html Gillin, P., (2010). The new conversation: taking social media from talk to action. Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business publishing Hutley, R., (2009). Social networking as a business tool. Cisco IBSG Inc. ISACA, (2010). Social media: business benefits and security, governance and assurance perspectives. ISACA KPMG, (2011). Going social: how businesses are making the most of social media. KPMG International Li, C. Bernoff, J. (2008) Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies. Boston: Harvard Business Press. McKinsey. (2007). How companies are marketing Online: A McKinsey Global Survey. McKinsey Merrill, T., Latham, K., Santalesa, R. and Navetta, D., (2011). Social media: the business benefits may be enormous, but can the risks-reputational, legal, operational-be mitigated? Information Law Group. ACE publishers Oracle, (2012). Is social media transforming your business? Oracle Corporation. Smith, B., (2013). Shortsighted social media strategy misses huge revenue opportunity. [Viewed on 27th November 2013] available from http://chainstoreage.com/article/shortsighted-social-media-strategy-misses-huge-revenue-opportunity Stelzner, M.A., (2013). Social media marketing industry report: how marketers are using social media to grow their businesses. Social Media Examiner Trottier, D. (2013) â€Å"The business of Conversations: Market Social Media and Surveillance and Visibility†, First Monday. Vol. 18, pp. 2-4.