Planning in Management Essay Example

Planning in Management Essay In this essay there is in-depth discussion about the function on planning. The importance of planning, and why it is required in every managerial activity is brought out by this essay. The nature and is effects on the other managerial functions. The various situations and problems faced if planning fails. 2. The importance of planning in the modern world: In the dynamic environment of the modern world, time is considered as money. One needs to be at the right place at the right time in order to gain maximum benefit from time. New age has brought along with it innumerable life-changing opportunities. There are many who understand the delicacy of the nature of opportunities offered by time and manage to gain their share and on the contrary, there are many who can not avail the opportunities the developing modern world has to offer merely because of an unplanned and distorted approach toward time management. World in the present age is so rich methodologically that one task can be done in a number of ways. However, in order to be successful, it is imperative that one chooses the right course of action among the variety of ways in which a task can be done. We will write a custom essay sample on Planning in Management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Planning in Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Planning in Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hence effective and appropriate time management is the key to success, and planning is undoubtedly the fundamental prerequisite and can be considered as the soul of time management. However, the function of planning is not complete until the goals are achieved. This paper analyzes the nature and function of planning with an emphasis on its functionality toward the achievement of the organization’s goal. 4 3. Nature and functions of planning: Planning can be defined as: â€Å"Planning is deciding in advance what to do, how to do and who is to do it. Planning bridges the gap between where we are to, where we want to go. It makes Possible things to occur which would not otherwise occur†. (Koontz O’Donell, cited in www. managementstudyguide. com, 2009). The process of planning is systematic in nature and it is imperative that the planner has a mission and a vision prior to starting the process of planning. Planning answers three basic questions fundamental to the accurate cost and time estimation involved in a project. The three questions are, â€Å"who does what? , when is it done? , and how is it done? †. All an estimator needs to know is the right answer to these three questions in order to develop a schedule on which the whole project would be based. It is a very basic function of the overall management. â€Å"Without adequate planning, the management process fails and organizational needs and objectives cannot be met†. (Marquis and Huston, 2009,p. 140). It is often said that â€Å"Well planned is half done†. (Purho, 2004). In order to analyze the functionality of a plan in the context of a project or other matters of daily life, it would be rational to have a deep insight into the nature of planning. According to (Ward and Morris, 2004), the ideal approach should be that a plan needs to be wholesome in nature in that contents should be structured in such a way that they reveal how the goals can be achieved, and it should be efficient so as to evaluate and estimate the thoughts and actions that form a part of the plan and also, a plan should be easy and foolproof with easy to remember instructions that reduce the chances of anything going false. Comparing the five 5 Functions of management namely the planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling, (Erven, n. d. ) refers to planning as the fundamental function of management from which the rest of the four functions offshoot. (Pride et al, 2010, p. 169) argue that planning is frequently termed As the â€Å"first† management function because it decides the course of action for all other managerial functions. Planning is unique in its nature irrespective of whether it is being conducted for some matter of daily life or a business project. It is affected by various social, political and environmental factors that are related one way or the other with the matter being planned. Same work done in different situations may require different courses of action. Likewise, every project is unique in its nature that is why it is called a project. The repetitive work is called a process instead of a project. But if some sort of planning leads a project to a stage where it cannot find any way ahead, then it means that the planning has not performed its function. It would not be rational to state that people are not aware of the importance of planning. These days, a lot of emphasis is placed upon proper planning of the project prior to the actual execution in various industries in general and in the Construction industry in particular. Analyzing the failures of the past that took place because of a lack of a preplanned approach toward the execution of the project, owners impart a lot of value and importance to adopting a rational approach toward planning their course of action for the project. A lot of corporations spend a considerable sum of their total budget just for the sake of planning their work on the project. Many companies are doing good business and making a lot of money just by offering planning services on others’ projects. In fact, with the rapid advancement in the fields of science and technology, organizations evaluate every hour that passes to analyze how much they have been justified in their approach toward the achievement of their goals in the hour that is gone. 6 This becomes necessary because planning stays as a baseline that needs to be followed throughout the life of the project. Every project runs according to a schedule and every schedule materializes the approach worked out in the phase of planning. Thus planning serves as a guideline and in order for a project to be successful, it is imperative that the same ideology is maintained throughout the life of the project as was designed in the initial stages of the project, though the plans need to be continuously modified as per the rising demands of the situations. Such a planning is referred to as Continuous planning as identified in (Cox and Veloso, n. d. , p. 1). â€Å"Continuous planning refers to the process of planning in a world under continual change. † (Cox and Veloso, n. d. ). Critiques view the concept of continuous planning as detrimental to the overall theme of a project and support the idea that same plan should be maintained throughout the duration of the project which is not quite rational. The demands and environment of a project keeps changing over time and calls for a modification in the originally designed plan in order for the plan to conform to the change that occurred in the demands. There are two basic goals of any organization when it undergoes a project. The first goal is to finish the project in time, and the second goal is to finish the project remaining within a certain cost limit so as to ensure the earning of profit. But there have been cases in the history where projects could not ensure their completion on the time stipulated in the contract documents, although the work has conformed to the schedules designed on the basis of planning. Or else, even if the managers have ensured the completion of project as per the closing date scheduled, they have not been able to make profits because of cost overruns. It so happens because of several reasons. The reasons include but are not limited to a change in the scope of the project, a change in the political environment of the area in which the project is being executed, a change in the specifications required by the client, or bad estimation of project scope and methodology on the part of the estimator in the start of the project. Irrespective of whatever the reason behind the missing of goals may be, planning should, in the first place, considering the importance of role in the project, is strong enough to estimate all potential hazards, possible reason s of delay, and a change in the political environment that a project is likely to encounter during the course of its execution. One big reason why owners fail to earn profit through the project even when the circumstances remained favourable is that the course of action chosen for that project was not right in the first place, or else, was not even modified in an attempt to make it suitable for the project. â€Å"In order for the plan to be effective, team members must have a large say in its construction. † (Freedman, 2010). However, since in the start of the project, when nothing about the project has actually materialized except for the intention of the owner to build a project, it is practically not possible to realize all potential hazards a project might come across when started, because all planning is carried out on the basis of estimation considering the case history of past projects of similar nature conducted in the same area. The functionality of planning can be looked at from another perspective besides planning in projects. Since the past few decades, realizing the importance of planning, governments in many developing countries have enforced family planning policies in order to gain a firm control over enlarging populations that appear as a threat to their respective economies. Many countries have placed a huge emphasis on family planning in order to control the rapidly growing population. â€Å"To control rapid growth in the population growth and to ensure quality of life, Family Planning, is one of Chinas basic state policies, since 1978†. (www. travelchinaguide. com, 2010). The way China planned a wholesome approach 8 toward reducing poverty has been successful and China has managed to achieve her goals as is evident from the fact that, â€Å"Since 1978, China has accelerated development and reduced its population living in absolute poverty from 250 million to 15 million, according to a new report submitted by the Chinese government†. (Deen, 2009). Hence, family planning in China is one such example where the functions of planning are completed. This shows how important role the function of planning has played in improving the economic health of China. Thus it can be rightly argued that the function of China’s approach toward planning has completed as she managed to achieve her desired goals. 4. Conclusion: Unfortunately, there have been a lot of cases in the past in which the organizations could not realize the importance of employing Continuous planning in their projects. Instead they kept stuck to the plans adopted in old projects of similar nature and suffered huge financial losses as a result of having lost their approach that they adopted toward the execution of project in the first place. Nothing in this world is useful if it is not purposeful and a planning that does not facilitate the owners in achieving their goals is meaningless and does to do justice to its role in the course of a project. But the unfortunate part of the whole argument is that since planning is one of the very initial steps in the life of a project, its effectiveness cannot be predicted with accuracy unless it proves a failure due to the losses incurred with the passage of time. However, when an organization fails to achieve its objectives and does not manage to reach the goals it had set in the beginning, there must have been flaws in the general functions of management i. e. either planning itself or the other four functions of management that are based upon the function of 9 planning i. e. organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. Basically, to plan is undoubtedly always a good approach, but there is no use planning if one does not put in all the extra effort that is required to materialize that planning. In such cases, it can be rightly argued that the functions of planning are not complete unless goals are achieved. Achievement of goals is linked with sound and sufficient work progress, which is based upon a solid course of action that surfaces as a result of planning, and the planning cannot be done without a sound knowledge of objectives and goals to be achieved. Thus, goals cannot be achieved unless they are envisioned prior to planning. 10 5. List Of References Chinese People. (2010) Retrieved from http://www. ravelchinaguide. com/faq/. Cox, M. T. and Veloso, M. M. , (n. d. ) Goal Transformations in Continuous Planning. Retrieved from http://www. cs. cmu. edu/~mmv/papers/aaai-fs98b. pdf. Deen, T. (2009). India, China Fight Poverty, Population Growth. Retrieved from http://ipsnews. net/news. asp? idnews=47652. Erven, B. L. , Planning. Retrieved from http://www. ag. ohio-state. edu/~mgtexcel/Planning. html. Freedman, T. , (2010). Managing Change: The Importance of Planning. Retrieved from http://www. ctineducation. org/home-page/2010/4/17/managing-change-the-importance-of-planning. html. Marquis, B. L. and Huston, C. J. (2009). Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application. US: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. 6th Edition. Planning Function of Management. (2009). Retrieved from http://www. managementstudyguide. com/planning_function. htm. Pride, W. M. , Hughes, R. J. and Kapoor, J. R. , (20 10). Business. USA: South-Western Cengage Learning. Retrieved from [Google books].

mission in Bolivia

In retrospect, the mission in Bolivia seemed to have been doomed from the start. The very foundation that created the revolution failed it immediately, due to this fact, from the beginning to the end the revolution seemed an imminent failure. If one sat down and tried to reconstruct an account on how not to fight a guerilla war, Che Guevaras mission in Bolivia would be considered somewhat of a text as what not to do, just as his earleir writings on Guerilla warfare map out the details of success. This then creates one the perplexing contrast which in itself has raised some serious questions about the integrity of the Bolivian campaign, with many condescending eyes leading in the direction of Fidel Castro. The failures, mistakes, misfortune and miscalculations have all been discussed earlier, and one cannot deny the fact that many errors were made by Che himself, nonetheless, one must also question the role played by Fidel Castro. As chief sponsor of the Bolivian expedition, Fidel Castro bears much of the responsibility for both the defeat and death of his very close comrade. On Ches return to Cuba from a disastrous campaign in Belgian Congo, Che found consolation in the fact that his grandest dream of an intercontinental organization for underdeveloped nations with its headquarters in Cuba had been founded in Cuba only a few months earlier by Fidel Castro. From January 3 to 15 1966, the first conference of the Organization of Solidarity of Asian, African and ALtin American Peoples was held in Havana. Some four hundered delegates from the underdeveloped world attended. The main topic of discussion turned out to be the revolutionary ideas of Che Guevara and the almsot romantic goal of a continental revolution, modeled after the success of the Cuban revolution. Almost immedietley he began the realization of his oldest dream. The liberation of Latin Americas opressed and exploited peoples. A location to begin this ...

Human resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Human resource - Essay Example Human resource management also has the responsibility to build a good relationship between employees and management; once goodwill is established, employees will work effectively towards achieving the goals laid down by the organization. Human resource management is also strategic in nature. It assists the organization in attaining its goals by taking care of the needs of its employees and motivates them to align their personal goals with those of the organization. In the context of human resource management, there is no universal model for managing employees that is applicable on a global level. There are basically three types of HRM models being practiced worldwide namely, the European model of HRM, American model of HRM and National/Asian model of HRM. The reason for this classification is strictly based on two factors: Beyer (1991) states in his book what truly determines the success of an organization is its human resource management. When you look at the management literature, you will see that a lot has been written and discussed about Asian (mostly Japanese) and US models of human resource management and rarely would you come across anything that is related to the human resource management of Europe. This is because of the trade union legislations, history, culture, employment laws that vary from one country to the other within Europe. According to Brewster, C. (1993), the presence of unions is significant however; the meaning, concept and reliability of these unions are different in all European countries. In countries such as Germany and France, the laws have made it mandatory for all organization to consult unions regarding the strength and size of employees whereas in other European countries, there is no existence of such rules. The importance of unions can be understood from the fact that there is a certain percentage of union membership of working residents such as for

Information Systems Consoltancy skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Information Systems Consoltancy skills - Essay Example They act as the catalyst between the consultants or the clients and the developers of the solution on the other. Dispensing with their services would invite disaster. Whitman Price Consulting (WPC) is a Consultancy firm that provides industry-focussed solutions with the objective of enhancing their value and helps it clients to face a variety of challenges. They advise on how to create value for sustaining business, negotiating deals, improving business performance, managing assets, crisis and people. They educate the corporations to adapt to global requirements and standards as well as how to manage risks and respond to changes brought about these activities. They also counsel on regulatory and governance compliance requirements. For offering these value additions to their clients they have divided their own functions into six divisions. They are (1) Audit and Assurance, (2) Crisis Management, (3) Human Resources, (4) Performance Improvements, (5) Tax and (6) Transactions. However there are bound to be overlaps between them in order to give appropriate services to resolve complex problems of their clients and assist them to advance their business. Since collaboration is the foundation of any good consultancy these departments often cooperate and combine their efforts to meet deadlines. Communications between them is of extreme importance both for speed and delivery of quality of service. Accurate and up to date availability of information is another area that needs that has to be addressed. Over a period of time the actual work for the client has shifted from the WPC headquarter to the client place and this has added to additional pressure on the system. Lately the Consultants at WPC as well as the employees of the various clients have become more mobile and in order to save time need to access their colleagues, counterparts, clients and head offices from remote locations to access and deliver information. Recently the executives at

Using the Barack Obamas Health Care Reform Speech to Democratic Essay

Using the Barack Obamas Health Care Reform Speech to Democratic Caucus, decide which comparative ideological models(Political Spectrum,Political Compass,Nolan Model,Ideological Space)the speech represents - Essay Example e considers the intrusiveness in the free market of Medicare, Veteran’s Administration benefits and the massive regulatory apparatus of Health and Human Services (HHS) to envelop the entire health care delivery system in the United States under a Federal framework. â€Å"The director of the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday that the health care reform legislation would cost, over the next ten years, $115 billion more than previously thought, bringing the total cost to more than $1 trillion. (Tapper)† The government is conducting a wholesale takeover of what was essentially a market provided service. Whatever one may think of the merits of the issue, the Nolan Chart allows the reader to determine with fair precision where the speech lands in the political pedigree on the chart itself. â€Å"Now, there are some who wanted a single-payer government-run system.   That’s not this bill.   The Republicans wanted what I called the â€Å"foxes guard the henhouse approach† in which we further deregulate the insurance companies and let them run wild, the notion being somehow that that was going to lower costs for the American people.   I don’t know a serious health care economist who buys that idea, but that was their concept.† Obama is admitting that an authoritarian model is being employed through the use of increased regulation of the health care providers in the nation. If that were not the case, why would the legislation be necessary in the first place if it were not designed to increase the power of the government to regulate and control the industry? â€Å"The second thing this does is it creates a pool, a marketplace, where individuals and small businesses, who right now are having a terrible time out there getting health insurance, are going to be able to purchase health insurance as part of a big group -- just like federal employees, just like members of Congress.   They are now going to be part of a pool that can negotiate for better rates, better

Red bull strategies

Red bull strategies EXECUTIVE SUMMARY â€Å"Red Bull isnt a drink; its a way of life†, says Dietrich Mateschwitz, the co-founder of Red Bull GmbH (Kumar, 2004). In fact, for a product that didnt have any extraordinary quality, was made of repeatedly questioned ingredients, Red Bull holds a pretty significant 70% market share (Ingram, 2010). In 2007, according to company figures, 4.5bn cans of the drink were sold in over 130 counties with 3,903 employees generating over 2.6 billion euros in turnover (AFP, 2007). Its dominant position in the fastest-growing segment of the soft drink market is mainly attributed to the companys unconventional and innovative marketing strategies as well as its revolutionary operational and management approach. This paper study discusses the various strategies adopted by Red Bull, including the companys effective employment of buzz marketing, product branding, its sponsorship and unique distribution strategy. The paper also discusses the importance of individual skills and organizational toolbox that led to the companys success. The case concluded with a commentary on challenges the company faces as well as recommendations with regards to maintaining its current growth and market share. BACKGROUND Dietrich Mateschwitz experienced the stimulating qualities of a popular Thai energy drink, Krating Daeng (literally ‘red bull), while on a trip to Thailand. Shortly after, he started to work with a pharmaceutical company to adapt the Thai beverage for European market. Mateschitzs concept was to create a company selling its own energy drink worldwide at a premium price (Keller, 2004). In 1987, together with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the owner of Krating Daeng, he founded Red Bull GmbH. The partners agreed that Mateschitz would run the company, while the Chaleo and his son remained sleeping partners. Five years later, the drink entered neighbouring countries Hungary and Slovenia, followed by Germany and Switzerland. In 1997, Red Bull stormed the U.S. market. In less than three years, Red Bull solely expanded the sales of energy drinks from $12 million to $75 million in 1999 (Hein, 2001). Today, Red Bull is also Austrias most successful brand, worth more than â‚ ¬10.9 billion. In 2008, Forbes magazine listed both Chaleo and Mateschitz as being the 260th richest persons in the world with an estimated net worth of $4.0 billion. INNOVATIONS Red Bull is a great example of an ordinary product of doubtful worth that was transformed into a powerful brand through innovative marketing. In an interview, Mateschitz recalled: When we first started, we said there is no existing market for Red Bull. But Red Bull will create it. And this is what finally became true† (Dolan, 2005). Although the initial market research conducted by Mateschitz was quite devastating – unappetizing colour and disgusting taste (Johnson, 2002), he didnt give up but thrived in the end. How? By revolutionary approach to the product branding, well controlled and limited distribution, and unique ways of reaching out to the right customers. In general, the success of the company relied hugely on an original concept: a highly caffeinated and troublesome drink. But what makes Red Bull so unique is the companys revolutionary approach to classic marketing rules. The company claims the unique techniques were developed out of a demand. In terms of attracting new customers and enhancing consumer loyalty, Red Bull has a more effective branding campaign than Coke or Pepsi, says Nancy F. Koehn, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School (Rodgers, 2001). Red Bull is building a beverage brand without relying on the essential equipment of a mass-marketing campaign. Perhaps the indispensable tools of marketing arent so indispensable after all, she adds (Rogers, 2001). The main source of innovation in this case was pretty simple – as a self-funded start-up, the company could not afford a costly advertising. Additionally, Mateschitz has always believed in ‘functionality. They carefully select the sports they sponsor, the people they target and places they distribute their products to. The consumer promotions arent typical either. Red Bull invites consumers to creatively interact with the brand, by building their own ‘wings or sculptures. It makes Red Bull one of the very few brands that understands how precious a deep personal experience and â€Å"peers endorsement† is compared to a standard advertising campaign. Another great example of Red Bulls revolutionary approach to marketing is the fact that the company doesnt use print media, banners or billboards. Every promotion of the product needs to have a functional benefit. Even its TV spots are believed to be more amusable than educational or persuasive towards consumers. By avoiding the usual methods of marketing, the company concentrates more on what is called word-of-mouth or buzz marketing. The beauty of Red Bull is that its the antibrand brand, says Gobà ©. Red Bull doesnt have any of the commercial trappings of a traditional, off-the-shelf product. Its underground, even when its above ground, and that appeals to the young people who drink it , he adds (Rogers, 2001). Another remarkable thing about Red Bulls is its 8.3-ounce can and the fact that its the only size the company has ever offered. One size. One colour. One taste. Thats all. In such a competitive environment, its simply shocking to hear of a thriving company not keen on a constant brand extension. We are one of few companies around the world that can stay focused on one product, says Cortes in defence of Red Bulls narrow strategy. We do what we do best, he adds (Rogers, 2001). To sum up, Red Bulls revolutionary approach in contrast with ‘standard tactics has been details in the below table. Red Bull approach: Conventional approach: Positioning: Create a functional foundation; show how the drink fits into peoples way of life Create a socially aspiring image Advertising: Advertising airs only after the launch phase and plays a limited and specific role within the marketing mix Advertising launches the brand and stays the lead marketing tool Distribution: Create strong demand and limit the product availability Wild availability is used to create demand Sampling: Focus on quality and product experience Sampling is all about quantity Celebrity Sponsorship: Pursue those celebrities that are fans of Red Bull, but dont pay them Celebrity endorsement has a steep price, but gets publicity Merchandising: Controlled and limited Tchotchkes rule! Network Relationships: Treat all stakeholders as partners Vendors are lucky to work for us! Corporate Leadership: Patience and investment Clear annual volume and profit objectives and fast returns Table 1: Based on: â€Å"Speed in a can† by Alex Wippenfurth, 2003, PEOPLE BEHIND THE SUCCESS Mateschitz, Red Bulls co-founder and its managing director, is undoubtedly the man behind the steering wheel in the company. In addition to his natural talent for selling, he is also known for his creativity as well as determination. Having worked in a highly competitive environment before, and conducted the initial market research, he was the one to come up with the extraordinary ideas, which implemented by a joint effort of his dedicated team, brought the company straight to the top. There is no doubt that his natural skills, innovative approach, determination and optimism paid a significant role in the companys success. Moreover, Mateschitz thrives on resistance. He is always ready to push the limits and devise spectacular new strategies that get the customers herd to events where extreme sports athletes and daredevils perform street acts. In fact, Red Bulls unconventional tactics and persistence has been evident from the beginning. To begin with, having great difficulties to launch its product in Germany, the company smartly used the rumours regarding the products potential health hazards and mystic content, by building a myth strategy. In his article â€Å"Liquid Cocaine†, journalist Jeff Edwards concludes: â€Å"the more rumours of Red Bulls potentially dangerous, over stimulating effects spread, the more the drink sells† (Edwards, 2001). In addition to that, Mateschitz strongly believed in the importance of physical consumption of his product. Therefore, the marketing strategies have been always focused on sampling and event sponsorship that match and enhance the spirit of Red Bull. â€Å"We dont bring the product to the people; we bring people to the product. We make it available and those who love our style come to us†, claims Mateschitz (Gschwandtner, 2004). Red Bulls success is also partially attributed to its internal culture. Red Bulls team embodies energy and stimulation in everything their do. It seems to be the main ‘theme which to direct and lead the companys actions. Every employee is totally on board with the current goals and challenges of the company. Red Bull thrives on its unique business structure as well. Little hierarchy – ‘management by organized chaos – as Mateschitz describes it. A fully committed team hired primarily for their passion and non conformism is ready to overcome any challenge they face. Mateschitz himself ensures to only work 3 days a week, to live the life of extreme sports his brand endorses. The unusual, personality driven leadership is also evident between the company and agencies it employs. Johannes Kastner, for instance, the head of Red Bulls ad agency, represents the strongest business relationship in its field, with the ad agency being a reliable, long-standing partner rather than dispensable merchant. ELEMENTS OD RED BULLS STRATEGIES The emphasis Red Bull places on marketing has been always extreme high the company spends around 30 percent of its annual turnover on marketing, compared with the average of 10% being spent by most of the competitors (Dolan, 2005). But what is really interesting about Red Bulls strategies is the lack of aggressive in-your-face push campaigns, price-offs, and instant ubiquity. Instead, its marketing is designed for the subconscious. One of the attractive seduction tactics the company employs is exclusivity – Red Bull makes it initially hard for the market to experience the drink. When Red Bull enters a new market, they initially select a limited number of outlets that can sell the drink. The companys sales units are totally decentralised. Each unit is responsible for sales, marketing and distribution in its own area. Sales reps insist that Red Bull be distributed exclusively by a dedicated sales force. They have a selective sales strategy as well. They target â€Å"hot spots† in their area such as clubs and bars, shops near universities and gyms. Such a selective and individual approach has a great advantage of being fast and effective. Sampling also focuses on exclusive sub-communities and carefully selected groups. Moreover, instead of traditional advertising, Red Bull relies on a strategy of word-of-mouth or â€Å"buzz† marketing. Another extremely effective tactic with regards to product positioning and promotion happens on the streets. Red Bull makes sure its silver can is widely noticeable: * Consumer education teams drive eye-catching trucks as mobile displays, painted blue and silver with a giant can on top of the vehicle; to promote the brand as youthful and slightly ‘on the edge; * Free cans of Red Bull are also given out to people on the street who had been identified as being in need of energy. * Red Bull is also provided to DJs, empty cans would also be left on tables in hot spots such as popular clubs and pubs. But whats really intriguing and admirable about the marketing strategy is the fact that it takes place on the street, with people. Red Bull ensures that customers dont feel under pressure to experience its product in a certain way. During the sampling, for example, they always provide a full and closed can, so that the consumers can decide when and how much to try. Additionally, all Red Bulls promotions are participatory. Rather than sponsor concerts like everybody else, the company has gone much further – they created Red Bull Music Academy for aspiring DJs to participate in workshops with some top DJs in the world. The company is also strongly associated with extreme sports, more recently with prestigious F1, motorcycle racing and their own adventurous events. In that way consumers can get deeper experience of the product which keeps the brand relevant in terms of its stimulating mind, not just the body. Against the odds, Red Bull brand was directly marketed to Generation Y, the so-called millennial who were believed to be sceptical of traditional marketing strategies. Part of the strategy involved recruiting student brand managers who would be used to promote Red Bull on university campuses and then report back to the company, providing some useful market research data. What is also extremely fascinating about the company is the fact that the Red Bulls contents are not patented, and all ingredients are clearly listed on the can. Yet, Red Bull has had achieved a leading market position in over 100 countries worldwide. Many competitors have tried to employ similar marketing strategies and tactics in order to grab sales from the market leader. Not all have been successful, of course. THREATS TO FUTURE SUCCESS The main problem Red Bull needs to deal with is the ability to maintain its incredible sales growth. In the light of the brand becoming more and more mature and the market even more saturated, the company faces some of the most serous challenges ever: * The loss of its original consumer base, as the Generation Y becomes working adults; * Health concerns, associated with high intake of caffeine, that have emerged in several countries (ban imposed in Denmark and France; classified as a medication in Norway; until recently available only in pharmacies in Japan); * The energy drinks market has attracted some of the global biggest beverage companies, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, seeking to win a competitive advantage over the current market leader; * Red Bull is well known for its revolutionary advertising however the product could be in danger of becoming stale; * Unlike their major competitors, Red Bull is limited to one product, leaving the company with no back up product to cover any potential loss; * The beverage market shows strong trends toward healthy options of soft drinks; FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS Red Bull has gone through a lot in the past two decades. Starting on a practically non-existent marketplace, today it faces extreme diversity of similar products and a significant number of competitors. Taking into account the fact that Red Bulls brand is still very strong and his market leading position not yet threatened, the company should focus its market strategies on the following objectives: †¢ Maintain the leading position According to companys figures, the product is still widely recognized (over 60% of the under 30 year old Germans can easily distinguish the brand). In general, people are happy with the product. It is the image that needs to be enhanced. As far as the price is concerned, it is recommended that it should stay the same a high price will help keep the image of a high quality product. In addition to that, some new promotion campaigns can add further value to the image. As Red Bull is a utility drink, which means it is only bought occasionally. Therefore it may be worth considering to redirect the future marketing campaign to petrol stations, off-licences, convenience stores. †¢ Expand the product Red Bull should try to extend its product range by creating further consumer needs for some other Red Bull products such as: â€Å"White Bull† which could represent soft high quality mix drink of Vodka and Red Bull. Energy bars and â€Å"mini power-size† bottles of Red Bull that will be small enough to fit into pocket; aimed at those in constant hurry. A small selection of Red Bull extraordinary sports clothes. Since the company is widely acknowledged for its extreme sports sponsorship, they should provide its fans with unique outfits. It is a great opportunity to gain some extra returns as well as attract attention through people wearing the clothes. Taking into account the â€Å"healthy† trend in the soft drink category, as well as the actions taken by the closest competitors, Red Bull should also diversify its products into â€Å"organic energy drinks† and try to create a matching â€Å"lifestyle† in order to enter a new market for the â€Å"health-conscious consumer†. Another option for Red Bull is an expansion into new and developing countries, which may not only help to spread the name but also boost the sales. In that way, Red Bulls may again show the market hot to spread its wings†¦ REFERENCES: Energy Pumps up Soft Drinks Trade, Sunday Business Post (Ireland), 1999; Hein, K., (2001) [online] A Bulls Market Brandweek, available at , accessed 15 March 2010; Johnson, Branwell, Has the Energy Drinks Market Lost Its Fizz? Marketing Week, August 29, 2002; Potterton, L., Red Bull Gives Its Creator Financial Wings, Scotland on Sunday, 2000; Brandweek, (2001) [online] Red Bull Takes Extreme Sports by the Horns†, available at , accessed 15 March 2010; Dolan K., (2005) [online] â€Å"The Soda With Buzz†, available at , accessed 16 March 2010; Funding Universe, (2002) [online] Red Bull GmbH Company History, available at http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Red-Bull-GmbH-Company-History.html, accessed 16 March 2010; History Of Red Bull Energy Drinks Soft Drink Marketing Beverages And Advertising [online], available at http://www.speedace.info/red_bull.htm, accessed 18 March 2010; Ingram F., [online] Red Bull GmbH, International Directory of Company Histories, available at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5202/is_1989/ai_n19121811/, accessed 15 March 2010; Forbes (2008), [online] The Worlds Billionaires, available at , accessed 16 March 2010; Gschwandtner, G., (2004) [online] â€Å"The Powerful Sales Strategy Behind RedBull Selling Power† available at http://www.redbull.com/images/historysection/ pdf/1/Selling_Power_DM_Sept.pdf, accessed 18 March 2010; Keller, K., (2004) [online] â€Å"Building brand equity in non-traditional ways†, available at , accessed 14 March 2010; Kumar, H.K., Linguri, L.S., Tavassoli, N.T., (2004) [online] â€Å"Red Bull The anti-brand†, London Business School, available at , accessed 10 March 2010; Rodgers A., (2001) [online] Its a (Red) Bull Market After All, Fast Company, available at , accessed 19 March 2010; Edwards J., (2001) [online] â€Å"Liquid cocaine†, available at , accessed 19 March 2010;

Eurocentrism Essay

Eurocentrism can be defined as the idea that the Roman and Greek cultures gave rise to the modern explosion of ideas and learning. Within this idea is contained the notion that the origins of Greek culture lie strictly within the borders of what is currently considered Western Europe, making the ancestors of Western Europeans responsible for all the progress of the modern world (Dussel, 465). This idea is considered by modern historians to be false and based not on factual accounts but rather on the distortion of history by colonizers (Blaut, 10). This distortion of history is based on the Inside-Outside or Center-Periphery models of civilization which pinpoint an area of the world as the peak of civilization, and the areas outside of it as barbaric. This model depicts Greater Europe as the insider area which contained the civilized culture, and it posits a gradual diffusion of that culture to the other parts of the world surrounding it. Yet this model presents an erroneous view of the world’s process of civilization. The ideas that are based on the models above tend to identify Europe on the one hand as being civilized and making strides in scientific and technological advancement. On the other hand, this view places the world outside of Europe in a position of stagnancy, with knowledge remaining static unless ideas were learned from Europe. This idea also gives rise to an ethnocentric idea of â€Å"European† intellectualism as being the reason for the centralization of knowledge within that area. It also gives rise to the antipathetic idea of non-West European culture as necessarily consisting of inferior ideas which might be described as â€Å"savage, atavistic, uncivilized [and] evil† (Blaut, 16). The truth is very different, however, as the Greek and Roman cultures that contributed to the â€Å"civilization† of Europe must give attribution for its ideas to a wide array of cultural influences whose origins span areas as far as Africa and Asia (Dussel, 465-468). According to Dussel, Europe cannot claim Greece as a part of its earliest origins. Furthermore, during the height of Greek cultural dominance, awareness existed in the Greek world of the progressive nature of the Egyptian (African) and Turkish (Asian) civilizations (Dussel, 465; Yurco, 1). Yet, while this Greek center civilization was aware of the existence of civilized Africans and Asians, their knowledge of what is now Modern Europe was minimal and the area considered to be populated by â€Å"the uncivilized, the non-political and the non-human† (465). The idea that Greece bequeathed civilization to Rome and to Europe is false. Rather, a dichotomy existed between the Latin (West) and Greek (East) cultures, and this configuration did not include a strict conception of Europe. The Greek culture was dominated in classical times as much by the Arab (Muslim) culture as it was by the Byzantine (Christian) culture. Therefore, the Aristotelian basis of civilization was historically strongly connected to the Middle Eastern and even Asian (Turk) civilizations (466). What actually occurred to lead to the development of civilization in Europe is based on an interplay of cultures from all over the continents of Africa and Eurasia. Such thinkers as Thomas Aquinas and Albertus Magnus relied heavily on the ideas that came from the Turkish-derived Aristotelian ideas (Dussel, 466). The ideas generated by Aristotle were actually studied in what is now modern-day Iraq (Baghdad) before Aquinas became exposed to them. Indeed, Aquinas’ exposure came only after the Muslims in Spain translated these works into the Latin vernacular. The arrival of these works in Paris during the late 1100s B. C. marks the initial period in which differentiation occurs between Europe and Africa/Asia (466). The Crusades, which followed during this era, therefore may be seen as the first attempt made by Europe to become dominant in the newly differentiated territories of Africa and the East—and these campaigns might be considered failures (466). Eurocentric ideas concerning the Old World can therefore be seen to be a myth based on the colonially driven histories that have been passed down in the recent past. The failure of the Crusades might be seen as a way in which Europe itself was kept out of the civilization encompassed by the Turkish and Muslim regions, which spread their dominance from Morocco to India and even to the Philippine island of Mindanao. Even the Roman Empire, which dominated Europe for centuries, never penetrated to become the center of civilization in the African and Asian worlds (Dussel, 466). Before this time, the only empire that came close to being dominant and of Eurasian origin are the Hellenistic empires. Yet these empires are not one and the same as Europe, and never gained as large a dominance as the Muslims had after them (467). In contrast to the Eurocentric model of civilization is the strong Turkish (Muslim) civilization—historically represented by the term â€Å"Asia† (Blaut, 20). This area, which later became known as the Ottoman Empire, was dominant within its region. It even began conquering territory into south-eastern Europe, and this idea falsifies the theory of all civilization issuing from Europe. Even in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, European presence in the African and Asian continents was merely a matter of trade rather than dominance. The idea of a Eurocentric world actually found root only during the nineteenth century when colonization occurred in areas of the Old World (India, Asia, African and China). During this period, the multifaceted Greek culture was adopted and re-classified as European. The Greek culture is then identified with that of the Romans and then the two are placed at the center of the world’s historical civilization. It is at this point that Europe is able to emerge as the world’s intellectual benefactor. However, the fact that at this point no united â€Å"world history† existed and their location made it impossible for them to be central in providing for the surrounding territories an impetus toward civilization (468). Colonization in the nineteenth century can be seen as the chief mechanism through which Eurocentrism has been able to become dominant in global thinking. In order to maintain the colonial thrust, European colonizers were prompted to create ideologies that support the dominance that European countries had gained in their respective colonies. Religious, social, and scientific ideas that were spawned during that time gave rise to the Eurocentric ideas that are extant even in modernity. According to Blaut, â€Å"A [Christian] missionary might have great love and respect for the people among whom he or she worked, but could not be expected to believe that the culture and mind of these non-Christians was on par with that of Christian Europeans† (24). The social and legal theories being fashioned at the time were created by those who were in charge of making the policies that the theories should support. Therefore, intellectual history became biased in its outlook regarding the comparative worth of the cultures that stand alongside the European culture. However, in the disciplines of economics and anthropology ideas and truths were discovered which did not fit well with the tendency toward Eurocentrism. Such ideas as equilibrium and stasis developed in Keynesian economics. In geography, stasis was found to be a natural occurrence in regionalism. Theories of equilibrium and stability were embodied in such anthropological ideas as functionalism, while cultural relativism â€Å"declared in essence that each culture has intrinsic worth† (Blaut, 27). However, within the discipline of Anthropology, political motives can be found for publicizing the fact of cultural relativism, though tempered with a Eurocentric overtone. The notion of the intrinsic worth of the culture would have the effect of discouraging unrest, while the Eurocentric overtones would have the complementary effect of evoking gratitude in the heart of the colonists toward the colonizers (27). Overall, however, colonial indoctrination has been characterized by a teleological view of the West’s advancement, which is responsible for the benefits accorded Latin American, Asian, and African nations. Many other cultures outside of Europe experienced great progress and civilization throughout history. Yet, the result of inattention to the civilization status of Europe and other regions at other time periods has given rise to contemporary confusion surrounding these cultures. One such problem can be found in the misunderstood racial composition of Egyptians. In fact, the analysis of the racial composition of the Egyptian royalty gives credence to the idea that multiculturalism existed in the Egyptian civilizations of the past. Peoples from lands traditionally connected with Europe became traders and settlers in Egypt—and this underscores the centrality of this civilization during the ancient times. Such centrality naturally rebuts the idea behind Eurocentrism. However, the fact that interbreeding led to the Europeanized features of many of the Egyptian drawings and mummies has helped fuel the myth that European cultures played all the dominant roles in the civilizations of the past (Yurco, 2). Eurocentrism involves the idea that civilization was generated from a European center and somehow diffused to the other areas of the world. This idea finds its strength in the recent dominance that Europeans have had in the several continents of the world. Colonialism needed justification, and the method by which this was done involved the creation of ideas and systems that placed Europeans at the forefront of history. It involved the Europeanization of the Greek cultures and the oversimplification of the factors leading up to the current socio-political state of the world. Furthermore, the fact that world history has been written down and propagated mainly during the period European dominance has facilitated the Eurocentrism that can now be seen in the historical understanding of the world.

National Integration

National Integration is a psychological process. It means a well knit society in which all are loyal to their country. It means that every Indian irrespective of caste, creed, language or religion belongs to India and is proud of his country. National integration is very important for the all-round development of the country. In fact, its existence depends on it. There are different climates in India. Food habits are different, crops are different and there is a difference in faiths and belief. They wear different dresses. Even the Indian customs and conventions are vast and varied. The people pursue different sects and religions. There is a difference even in the lands. The northern are is very fertile. There are hills and mountain ranges here. In the south there are deserts, hills, barren lands and plateaus. As a result, its soil is different in fertility and nature. The taste and temperament, color, features are all different. There are fanatic people who create communal disturbances in the name of religion. The states have been created on the basis of language formula. In spite of all the diversity in culture, India stands united. It is because our constitution was so designed to give equal rights to people of every religion, sect, area, sex and culture. We cannot forget the noble service done to our country by Sardar Vallabhai Patel in this direction. He was the iron man of India who wrought miracle by unifying al the numerous states of India after the partition. National integration is essentially needed to keep India alive. It is our prestige. There are forces now that resort to communalism, provincialism and parochialism. They have their vested interests. They do not stand for India. They want it to disintegrate. They are tools in the hands of some foreign elements. They do not like to see India united and strong. Pakistan and Bangladesh are the recent creations carved out of India. We cannot bear further divisions. We have to crush the movements of secession with a strong hand. Let us promote national integration by doing everything that is possible. Let us encourage all the forces of patriotism along with promotion of goodwill and mutual trust among people of different castes, areas and religions. A sincere effort by sincere politicians and religious leaders will be a positive step in this direction. Any negative activity in this regard should be taken seriously and step should be taken to sort out the grievances of different sections of people. Let us join our hands to maintain unity in diversity. National Integration India has many races, nationalities, castes, subscastes and communities but so far the heart of India is concerned it is one. It is true that societies that have been integrated into bonds of unity have always enjoyed peace, stability, prosperity and permanence. And those torn by mutual disruptive tendencies among various sections of the society have always been short lived and become non- existent. The national integration is the process of uniting different people from all walks of life into a single whole. The most serious problem being faced by India in present circumstances is, how to develop an atmosphere of national consciousness among so varied a people. Indians already have suffered for long periods, the pangs of enslavement and servitude. It is India in the whole world which has to suffer under foreign rulers for more than seven hundred years. The separatist tendencies among people and kings have always resulted in the fall of our kingdoms. Our country was always divided into large number of small kingdoms which were mostly at daggers end. There has been a lack of national consciousness. The internal disputes among the Rajput kings allowed Muslim invaders to establish their foothold here. Then the Britishers were able to create rifts between various kings and princes and thus established their supremacy. It was only overthrown when Indian nationhood joined together by unparallel acumen of some great Indian leaders who became creators of history. There is a need to make efforts for creating emotional integration or a sense of unity. The need of the hour is national integration. It should be taught at the very beginning, in all schools and colleges all over the country that India is one and only one. The differences between various cultures are just superficial and basically it is only one. What is needed is superior interpretations, synthesis of the power of the mind that can give rise to a vision of the whole and oneness. The school and college teaching material should be suitably revised wherein importance and need of oneness should be emphasised. From one end of the country to the other end, regular long distance tours must be conducted so as to foster emotional integration among the young students of our country. Steps must be taken to see that, there are no sectional appeals so that disunity among the people does not increase manifold. To bring about national integration, there are many techniques. It can be forced out, or can be made to strengthen from within the core of hearts. The result by way of exercise of power would always be weak, nsuccessful and it would be for a temporary phase only. But when the sense of national integration stems from within, it would be strong stable and ever-lasting. British government brought about national integration by way of their needs. For the first time during the British rule, the whole of India came to be governed from one centre and all regions of the country from West to East and South to North obeyed instructions and advice from the central power. This was because the God of free dom was the same and realized all over the country. The national unity became more emotional when the country fought a united struggle for freedom. Emotional integration is the basic foundation on which the main structure of national integration can be created. There is a rich cultural heritage in India. All of us are inheritors to several grand treasurers in the fields of music, dance, drama, fine arts and paintings, sculpture and theatre. Our seers and sages have left behind a tradition of piety, penance, conquest of passion and spiritual greatness. Our cultural unity is further exemplified by the great temples of the South, the caves of Khajuraho and Ajanta and Ellora which are glittering examples of proficiency of India in the field of architecture and sculpture. India classical music is built on the concept of ragas and talas. Each raga is regarded appropriage to a certain emotion, a certain mood suitable for a specified time of the day or night. In the modern times, people like Pandit Ravi Shanker have taken the Indian music to great heights in the whole world and thus have bridged the gap between the East and the West in the field of music. Today the intellectuals of Indian society can give the right direction as the country is standing at the crossroads of failures and achievements. The intellectuals must come out of their narrow cells of detachment and awake up to their responsibilities towards the general masses. Through national integration, we will prosper and flourish and dominate the others who are characterized by divisive forces. We will carry with us, a power and strength, solidity and solidarity and an element of cohesiveness which will impart to us further permanence and stay in present struggling world National Integration India has many races, nationalities, castes, subscastes and communities but so far the heart of India is concerned it is one. It is true that societies that have been integrated into bonds of unity have always enjoyed peace, stability, prosperity and permanence. And those torn by mutual disruptive tendencies among various sections of the society have always been short lived and become non- existent. The national integration is the process of uniting different people from all walks of life into a single whole. The most serious problem being faced by India in present circumstances is, how to develop an atmosphere of national consciousness among so varied a people. Indians already have suffered for long periods, the pangs of enslavement and servitude. It is India in the whole world which has to suffer under foreign rulers for more than seven hundred years. The separatist tendencies among people and kings have always resulted in the fall of our kingdoms. Our country was always divided into large number of small kingdoms which were mostly at daggers end. There has been a lack of national consciousness. The internal disputes among the Rajput kings allowed Muslim invaders to establish their foothold here. Then the Britishers were able to create rifts between various kings and princes and thus established their supremacy. It was only overthrown when Indian nationhood joined together by unparallel acumen of some great Indian leaders who became creators of history. There is a need to make efforts for creating emotional integration or a sense of unity. The need of the hour is national integration. It should be taught at the very beginning, in all schools and colleges all over the country that India is one and only one. The differences between various cultures are just superficial and basically it is only one. What is needed is superior interpretations, synthesis of the power of the mind that can give rise to a vision of the whole and oneness. The school and college teaching material should be suitably revised wherein importance and need of oneness should be emphasised. From one end of the country to the other end, regular long distance tours must be conducted so as to foster emotional integration among the young students of our country. Steps must be taken to see that, there are no sectional appeals so that disunity among the people does not increase manifold. To bring about national integration, there are many techniques. It can be forced out, or can be made to strengthen from within the core of hearts. The result by way of exercise of power would always be weak, nsuccessful and it would be for a temporary phase only. But when the sense of national integration stems from within, it would be strong stable and ever-lasting. British government brought about national integration by way of their needs. For the first time during the British rule, the whole of India came to be governed from one centre and all regions of the country from West to East and South to North obeyed instructions and advice from the central power. This was because the God of free dom was the same and realized all over the country. The national unity became more emotional when the country fought a united struggle for freedom. Emotional integration is the basic foundation on which the main structure of national integration can be created. There is a rich cultural heritage in India. All of us are inheritors to several grand treasurers in the fields of music, dance, drama, fine arts and paintings, sculpture and theatre. Our seers and sages have left behind a tradition of piety, penance, conquest of passion and spiritual greatness. Our cultural unity is further exemplified by the great temples of the South, the caves of Khajuraho and Ajanta and Ellora which are glittering examples of proficiency of India in the field of architecture and sculpture. India classical music is built on the concept of ragas and talas. Each raga is regarded appropriage to a certain emotion, a certain mood suitable for a specified time of the day or night. In the modern times, people like Pandit Ravi Shanker have taken the Indian music to great heights in the whole world and thus have bridged the gap between the East and the West in the field of music. Today the intellectuals of Indian society can give the right direction as the country is standing at the crossroads of failures and achievements. The intellectuals must come out of their narrow cells of detachment and awake up to their responsibilities towards the general masses. Through national integration, we will prosper and flourish and dominate the others who are characterized by divisive forces. We will carry with us, a power and strength, solidity and solidarity and an element of cohesiveness which will impart to us further permanence and stay in present struggling world

Land registration act 1925 and its influence.

Land registration act 1925 and its influence. Method of legal transferring of land went through significant changes after the land registration act 1925 which came in to effect since 1 January 1926. According s1 of the act only two ways are possible in transferring ownership. The first is commonly known as freehold ( legally known as fee simple absolute) and the second is leasehold ( legally seen as ownership over a period of time). This change made it impossible to make other forms of transferring ownership of land except transfer behind a trust. All other forms like life estate, fee tail etc...becomes illegal.However it made possible to create interests like easement, rent charge, legal mortgage rights of entry etc..s1 of the property legislation from its introduction has reduced the number of estate in land which are capable of being conveyed or created at law. By introducing these restrictions conveyance process became simpler.In this tutorial, I will be concentrating on land charges act 1925 and land registration act 1925 a nd their influence.ENVY, MaltaThe third form which is ownership created behind a trust had the opportunity of transferring property by method of over reaching. This method not only protects the prospective purchaser but also beneficiary having the having a trustee on behalf of the settler. This helped to transfer a property after a period of time due to social requirements in the form of will etc... it is better to note here in legal terms the person who makes the will is known as settler if he/she is alive otherwise testator.The land registration act aimed radically to change the way in which persons prove that they own land by establishing a register from which information about ownership of the land and many proprietary interests that affect it can be obtained. All unregistered tittles will at...

Rethinking Thanksgiving Old Holiday, New Traditions

Rethinking Thanksgiving Old Holiday, New Traditions If you’re the kind of person who isn’t a fan of traditional family dinner Thanksgiving celebrations, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on the holiday altogether. In fact, there are many fun, freaky ways to celebrate Turkey-Day in a style that’s all your own. With a little food, and a creative outlook, this year’s Thanksgiving can be one that you and your friends will remember forever. Eat a Non-Traditional Turkey Although Thanksgiving is traditionally turkey day, you can make it your own way by creating your turkey out of anything but turkey. Carve a cheese turkey, tofu turkey, or create a turkey made out of hamburgers. In fact, your new tradition can be making your turkey as untraditional as possible. If youd like to go vegetarian or just want to try some new holiday menu, check out these great, non-turkey turkey recipes: Cheese Ball Turkey (tasteofhome.com/recipes/turkey-cheese-bal) Vegetable Turkey Tray (princesspinkygirl.com/make-veggie-turkey-tray) Tofu Turkey (allrecipes.com/recipe/tofu-turkey-i) Do a Modern-Day Thanksgiving Play Everyone has seen that hashed-out thanksgiving play where pilgrims get cooking advice from the Native Americans. Instead, infuse a little fun into your Thanksgiving by producing a personalized Thanksgiving production. Choose an event that happened this year that made you thankful about something. Reenact or tell your story to keep your guests laughing and thankful. Make a Thankful Pumpkin No need to throw out those Halloween decorations just yet. For your new Thanksgiving tradition, create a â€Å"Thankful pumpkin.† Not only is this a fun way to get you and your roommates thinking about the good things that have happened this year, but they are a cute addition to your holiday dà ©cor. Just grab a couple of pumpkins (small or large) and some Sharpie markers. Then, have your guest write the things they are thankful for this year. You can even make a tradition of writing a single thing each day between Halloween and Thanksgiving to make the thankfulness last all month long! Eat Small Although Thanksgiving is traditionally known for it’s huge food, invent your own Thanksgiving tradition of eating small. Create a menu of miniature cupcakes, turkey cutouts, and apple pie pops. Not only will it impress your friends, but you’ll be less likely to overeat and overspend on the holiday of excess. Start a Thanksgiving Journal A cool way to remember what you’re grateful for is to start a Thanksgiving journal. To start your journal, try to remember all the amazing things that happened during the year and write them down. Then, starting the day after Thanksgiving, write a single thing each day that you’re thankful for – no more than a sentence or two. Next Thanksgiving, you can review the wonderful things that happened all year long. Hide the Pope’s Nose The â€Å"Pope’s Nose† is the fatty extra part of the turkey. As a fun Thanksgiving tradition, hide this weird-looking turkey part under the mashed potatoes of someone before the feast begins. It’s a guaranteed way to get people laughing, and fun surprise that your guests will look forward to every year. You can even have the person who gets the â€Å"pope’s nose† start the round-table discussion of what they’re thankful for. Try Thanksgiving Drinking Game If you want to really get into the spirit of the holiday, there is nothing more traditionally untraditional than turning the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade into a drinking game. Or, if you’re not a drinker, it’s a spice up your Thanksgiving with a little truth or dare. Rules of the Game: Drink (or do a dance) every time a float features a Broadway musical. Drink (or take off an article of clothing) every time a singer messes up his lip-syncing. Drink (or switch seats with someone) every time someone mentions the word â€Å"Snoopy.† Drink (or do the Chicken Dance) every time someone says the word â€Å"Turkey.† Drink (or sing â€Å"Santa Claus is Coming to Town) when you see Santa. Drink (or kiss a stranger) every time an announcer says â€Å"Wow.† Drink (or tell an embarrassing story) every time you call it the â€Å"Macy’s Day Parade.† Say goodbye to boring, emotionally-fraught holidays of the past. All it takes is a little creativity and a willingness to have fun to make your Thanksgiving into a fantastic holiday. With a couple of creative recipe ideas, some brand new holiday traditions, and even a drinking game or two, Thanksgiving could easily become your new favorite holiday. What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? Do you have some unusual traditions for the holiday? We are waiting for your comments and feedback!

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 5

Project Management - Essay Example Further, a project is highly resource intensive. In this context, a project life cycle denotes a logical sequence of activities that are employed to realize all goals and objectives associated with the project. Irrespective of the complexity or scope of the project, it must undergo several sequential stages during its lifetime. The project life cycle comprises four main stages (Kerzner, 2009): The planning phase primarily comprises the decomposition of the project into simpler tasks or segments that can be achieved individually with an adequate amount of interaction and coordination amongst them. For the purpose of the above question, the roles and activities of a project manager will be discussed within the last two stages of the project life cycle namely the implementation and completion phases. Haynes (2003) believes that the primary consideration for the project manager in this phase is to ensure that all major activities are executed correctly besides verifying whether proper control and monitoring is in place over all such activities. The implementation stage is the point where the planned solution is brought into existence to realize the specific requirements outlined under the problems being solved or purposes being realized. For example, in the case of systems and product development, an elaborate design identifying and accommodating all the major requirements is developed. The convergence between this design and the actual product being developed is evaluated through testing, constructing prototypes and by gathering reviews from major stakeholders. During the latter stages of this phase, there is a heavy effort among members of the project organization to begin planning for final activities like production, testing, maintenance and support. These subsequent activities also require considerable planning on a constant basis to take account of ongoing changes to the final outcomes and the supporting environment. Some of the

The Federal Reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

The Federal Reserve - Essay Example The effectiveness of the role of the Federal Reserve System lies in the monetary policies of the bank. The responsibility of designing appropriate monetary policies is bestowed on the Federal Reserve System by the Federal Reserve Act in order to ensure availability of money and liquidity in the economy and to arrange for provision of affordable cost of credit in order to fulfil the national economic goals. The monetary policies of the Federal Reserve System are aimed at sustaining the level of productivity and create a balance between the supply and demand. The responsibility of the Federal Reserve System also encompasses controlling of inflation rates by fixation of appropriate interest rates in the financial system. The basis of the monetary policies of the Federal Reserve System lies in the inter bank lending policy (Mankiw, 2011). During the phase of revival from the period of recession in the current economy, the Federal Reserve System modified its monetary policies in order to boost consumption demand in the economy by undertaking policies to inject sufficient flow of funds. The interbank rates depend on the Federal fund rate which is determined by the Federal Reserve System. ... The discount rate is determined by the Federal Reserve System looking at the demand of the economy and providing credits to the banks in required rates to fulfil the demand of liquidity in the economy. The reserve fund requirements are the deposit base held by the banks as a statutory requirement with the Federal Reserve System. The decrease in the reserve requirement as determined by the Federal Reserve policy would help to inject more liquid funds into the economy. The current economic conditions which showed a financial crisis led to the need of increased direct lending by the banks and financial institutions (Allen, 1999). The Federal Reserve System played an important role in determining appropriate inter bank rate to encourage increase in lending for the business. This has been done through increase in open market operations by the Federal Reserve System that has led to the increase in the flow of liquidity ion the economy. A higher level of production in the current economic c onditions has created the stage for revival of the economy. This in turn has led to the rise in income levels of the people thereby boosting the spending in the economy. As the banking system was severely hit during the current economic recession, the Federal Reserve System adopted measure to increase the credit to organisations other than banks. The central bank engaged in liquidity swaps with the other central banks of other countries. The usage of derivative products raised giving hope to the recovery of economic conditions. Thus the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve System have been highly significant in establishing a position of stability for the current economy. It is through the policies of the Federal Reserve