An Abundance of Katherines

The search for you Innerself In the novel An Abundance of Katherines by John Green we find how the need for social acceptance may often alter ones true Identity. Everyone may have different personalities in different situations. Most people can actually forget there true self because of all their other personalities, It really all depends on the social group they'd like to belong to. I myself can connect to Lindsey in real life, Just like her I have a few sides to myself and they all come out at different times in my life, epending on where I'm trying to fit in.People change thereselves for the people they'd like to connect with. Lindsey has a special side to her she uses when shes around her boyfriend T. O. C. , another one she uses around the elderly, and the side she begins to remember when she's around Colin. The personality she uses when shes with T. O. C. is her made-up side that she decided to make to make him like her and also fit in with him. It was important for her to have a boyfriend at the time so she had to hide her true self and fake emotions because her and T. O. C. idn't have too much and common. She hated his manners and jokes but she liked that he didn't change himself for a single person and presumed to act the same In front of anyone he'd came across, that was something she wasn't capable of. The side Lindsey uses when she's around te elderly was the polite, innocent one. She always shows a great amount of respect for them and no matter how boring they may be she would let them tell her stories for hours and hours at a time. without interrupting them once. or getting annoyed. They all love her. they loved her whole family, and they wanted her to always stay young so she could visit them forever, and they can't believe how fast she's grown since theyh. ‘e known her. You can tell they made her realize that she wasn't being her true self when they made her cry after all the compliments they gave her. she faded away trom them though becau se she spent a lot ot time with her boyfriend and her friends but visiting them was still a passion of hers. The last personality we see Lindsey use in the book is the one Collin reminds her of.Out of everyone she knows he is the first one that made her feel her true self. She didn't have to act, or pretend to be anything she wasn't. Somehow her and Collin just understood eachother, and didn't have to be nervous, she didn't feel the need to try and Impress him either. Collin Just began to like her for who she really was Inside. â€Å"The people who have been In your secret places† said Collin. â€Å"The people who you bite youre thumb in front of† said Lindsey. (pg. 208). He helped her realize her true colors by accepting who she really was. There are three different sides to myself as well. e one I use most is the quiet me. When I'm in school I tend to keep to myself and stay quiet. I basically do it to give me an edge with teachers so that way if I'm ever borderline the teacher will like ‘ Of2 me ana give me a second cnance, or pass me, at least tnat's wnat I nope Tor, altnougn I never wish to be in that sitution. I also use this side of me when I do things like go to church. I'm silent there because that's the respectful thing to do as I've been taught by god and my parents. Another personality I use is my true personility, my social side.I'm an energetic, loud, fun, outgoing teenager and I plan on always being like that at acceptable times, like parties and hanging out with my buddies. There the ones that understand me the best and I can always have fun with them, and I know in the end my buddies are always here for me as I am for them. It's the best feeling in the world having friends who I can Just be myself around and not have to worry about being misjudged and what not. The last side of me is basically both put together. This personality comes to use when I'm with family and family friends.I m very close to them but there are certai n boundaries I have with them that I don't have with friends. Family may be friends but I still have to keep in mind that there the parents and they can give me boundaries and responsibilities. There Just two different relationships. I know deep down that I have found my true identity and I have a great balance in life. Finding who you are is honestly not hard it Just happens. The best thing to do is just surround yourself by people who make you feel yourself and accept you. Understand that people have different ways of expressing themselves as well.

Henrietta Lacks

The characters from the book, â€Å"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks† become attached to objects that are meaningful to them. It is noticed that a certain object had a significant meaning by analyzing the scene and the character. Dr. Geys assistant, Mary described Henrietta Lacks red nail polish on her toes. She described Henrietta being an actual woman, something Mary never thought of. Henrietta’s relatives described Henrietta with her red nail polish. The red nail polish was a meaningful object to Henrietta because it completed her. Dr.Gey was attached to Hela cells once he made the incredible observation. He didn't experiment for money, he genuinely did it for science. He sent the Hela cells for other scientists to experience the cells for themselves. He changed science for his genuine passion for it. Perhaps the most interesting character, Deborah Lacks, was attached to a few things. While Deborah was with Rebecca, she showed her the contents in her purse. She c arried everything she had about her mother with her. There were videotapes, documentaries, articles, and a few birthday cards that Deborah bought for her mother, Henrietta.Deborah was attached to these items because that was all she knew about her mother. In a way, that was how she felt connected to Henrietta. A few days later when Rebecca was with Deborah, Rebecca noticed a folder on her pillow. They were Henrietta's medical folders. Deborah wouldn't let Rebecca touch her mothers medical folder. Unlike all the other items Deborah let Rebecca see, Henrietta's medical folder was different. And it clearly had a different, more significant meaning than the other items. Henrietta Lacks Henrietta Lacks Cells taken from a young African American woman in 1951 helped scientists cure polio. Cells from the same woman contributed to scientific advantages in cancer, gene mapping, and even the atom bomb. The mother of five did not life to know her cells had such importance. She never knew, in fact, that they were being harvested. Today’s medical advances are based on practices that people now consider unethical, whereas back when Henrietta live, they did not even think twice about ethics. Henrietta Lacks did not know the cells taken from her could possibly be used to develop a multimillion-dollar medical industry.In an even crueler twist of fate, her descendants lived in poverty without access to affordable health care. The book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, tells the story of a women, Henrietta Lacks, and her family. Ms. Lacks was treated for cervical cancer at John’s Hopkins Hospital in 1951. Her malignant cervical cells were harves ted and distributed to become the first â€Å"immortal† cell line widely used for scientific research, including their use in the development of the polio vaccine. The story tells what happened after Ms.Lacks’ death to her family, a poor African American family living in Maryland. A family who, today, would be considered poor. The story brings up key ethical issues of biomedical research, which were evolving during that era (Skloot, Rebecca). Henrietta Lacks died of an aggressive cervical cancer that invaded virtually her entire body in 1951. A common practice at the time, samples of cancer cells were taken for study. Some cells were taken by a researcher who was attempting to develop immortal cell lines for scientific purposes.In the 1950’s, the practice of taking routine tissue samples without consent from patients was not uncommon, and anonymising the source wasn’t a main concern. HeLa cells and the concerns that surrounded them touched on several issu es in medicine. One was the issue of using tissue samples without consulting patients, many of whom would freely donate if asked. Changes in how such samples are taken and handled, and in the processes used to collect consent, have improved the use of informed consent in research.Patients submitting biopsies for diagnostic purposes, for example, might be asked if they are willing to donate cells to research (Smith, S. E. ). if a doctor wanted to diagnose, treat, experiment or keep body parts, that’s what he did. Patients never questioned doctors they were trusted implicitly. Consent was conferred by the simple step of showing up in a doctor’s office. Today, we know we need to understand and ask questions, and then our consent is necessary legally. Further, we understand the importance of withholding consent until we feel fully informed about the benefits and consequences of what that consent will mean.There were not conformed consent laws until recently. Informed conse nt is more than simply getting a patient to sign a written consent form. It is a process on communication between a patient and physician that results in the patients’ authorization or agreement to undergo a specific medical intervention (Informed Consent). Since everyone has different preferences, there will always be differences in the treatment of care among people. This becomes a problem when physicians have a bias against certain races and ethics.As a physician, all treatment options should be discussed and equally available to patients, regardless of their race or ethnicity which results in informed consent on the patients’ behalf. There was a lack of respect, or an inability to communicate, in both directions, between blacks and doctors back in the 1850’s. Skin color, and the problems that can result from low income, lack of education, and illiteracy; the inability to read, and/or understand the English language also contributed to the mistreatment of bla cks.Patients overcome those challenges by finding a respectful doctor, or a supporter to help the,. Back when Henrietta lived, that was not easy to fins. Differences in healthcare outcomes can result from the history of different races too. Henrietta was treated with radiation, which left her body burned and blackened. She and her family asked themselves many times whether the treatment was really helping her – but they never considered asking the doctor to do something different, make a different recommendation, or even just to stop. Skloot, Rebecca) today, empowered patients know that they can insert themselves into all decision-making about their own medical care. They can and should discuss any and all protocols to make decisions as part of their own healthcare team. And, empowered patients know that if they want to, they can say, â€Å"No. † In conclusion, informed consent was not needed when Henrietta lived; therefore scientists took her cells without her knowing . A doctor did what HE wanted to do. But today, we now know that consent is legality.Any treatments should be discussed with the patient regardless of their race or their illness. Henrietta was mistreated, her body was burned, but her and her family did not want to question the doctor in fear or being looked down on. But today patients know that they have the right to know exactly what is being done to them, and can ask any questions they feel necessary. If it were not for the doctors and scientists that had taken Henrietta’s cells, we today, would not have the advancements in healthcare that we do. Henrietta Lacks The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Introduction The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is written by Rebecca Skloot, who is an award winning science writer. The story is of a young black women, Henrietta Lacks, who was diagnosed with cancer in 1951, at the John Hopkins Hospital. Cells were taken from her body during her examinations, without her knowledge. They were used to develop the first immortal cell line. Her cells became very important for the development of vaccines. Her family, however, has not received any benefit and still cannot even afford health insurance.They do not even know that the cells belong to Henrietta. This has raised many ethical questions on the research that has been done using Henrietta's cells. Discussion Henrietta's life had not been an easy one. Long before she got ill with cancer; her father abandoned her in childhood. She was married at a very early age. At the age of 14; she was a mother. She then moved to the Turner Station with her husband, who was not so faithful to her. At Turner Station, she and her family faced a life of segregation and poverty. Despite all the difficulties that she faced in her life, she still remained an enthusiastic person.She had a spirit that was not able to break. She was described by her friends as a person having a cheerful disposition. She was an also a person who was quick to laugh. She would also go out dancing with her cousin Sadie. The most important and strong side of Henrietta was her motherhood. Her cousin, Sadie also suspected that she delayed seeking medical attention, because she was afraid that it might affect her fertility and prevent her from having more children. She was extremely heart broken when she realized that the surgery has made her infertile.She was angry and sad at the fact that the doctors did not tell her beforehand that what the surgery would do to her. When her condition worsened, the doctors told her husband not to bring her children to visit her. This made her even m ore heart broken and devastated. She and her family, especially her children, led a very difficult life. Even after her death, her family and her children were not told about the cells of Henrietta being used in research. They were not given nay benefit, whatsoever, of the research on her cells and the huge mounts of money generated from it. The Lacks family is so poor even now that they cannot afford even life insurance. Henrietta's daughter, Deborah, did not know anything at all about the importance and the use of her mother's cells. She was devastated to learn about the cells of her mother. She was filled with many questions that nobody was able to answer. She was curious to know that if her mother's cells were so important and have helped medical science so much. Why were her children not even able to afford health insurance for themselves?Henrietta was a very sociable person. She would have allowed the John Hopkins institute to carry out research on her cells. She was a person who was very close to her family. She would have wanted the John Hopkins Institute to take care of her family and children if they used her cells. She would never have wanted her family to be treated the way they were treated back then and even now. Conclusion Henrietta was a very strong woman. Her contribution to medical science has been exceptional. However, her family should also have been given benefits. Henrietta Lacks Racist Experiments Racism is immortal just like Henrietta’s cells it will always be around. People would do anything to be the first to discover something. At the end of the day it’s all about the money. The Mississippi appendectomies and the Tuskegee experiments were similar in the way that the government forced treatment upon minorities without consent. Henrietta’s case was different than Mississippi and Tuskegee because the doctor in Johns Hopkins didn’t experiment on her actual body but on her cells without consent.Henrietta’s case the Tuskegee experiments and the Mississippi Appendectomies are all different cases in different locations but serve the same purpose which is to take advantage of poor and uneducated minorities to further medical research. The Tuskegee Experiments and the Mississippi Appendectomies were both horrible cases and dealt with lots of racism and ignorance towards people who didn’t know any better. The purpose of The Tuskegee experiments was to see how syphilis affected blacks as opposed to whites.The treatment was to basically come in get injected with syphilis if you didn’t already have and the doctors would watch how you die. The people in these experiments were poor and uneducated black males who were coned into giving their life away. The doctors in this experiment lured the test subjects in the saying they were getting treated for â€Å"Bad Blood†. These racist and disturbing experiments lasted for 40 years between 1932-1972.The purpose of the Mississippi Appendectomies was to sterilize America of bad genes meaning anyone women who was mentally challenge, a criminal, Black, Alcoholic, etc†¦ would get sterilized so they couldn’t reproduce anymore. Doctors figured that in order to stop mentally challenged blacks alcoholics etc†¦ from walking this earth is to sterilize them and make sure their genes don’t flow in the gene pool. The treatment for these ap pendectomies was horrible it was just blacks that were treated it also Indians and poor whites.The test subjects were all sterilized against their will and without their knowing. These appendectomies were racist and cruel. More than half of the women in Mississippi were sterilized. These treatments lasted for about 33 years between 1930s and 1963. Henrietta Lacks case was different than Mississippi and Tuskegee in some ways. In Henrietta’s case the doctors took her cells from her cervix but like in the Mississippi and Tuskegee cases they took them without Henrietta’s permission and launched a multimillion-dollar medical industry after she died.The purpose of taking Henrietta’s cells was to just run a couple tests until they died but they ended up living and growing. Instead of telling Henrietta and her family what they have been doing the doctors kept the discovery to themselves. When the discovery of the immortal cells because known every doctor got their hands on them and started running experiments on them, sending the cells to space, running test on the cells to find a cure to aids and cervical cancer etc†¦Racism wasn’t far from this case the doctor in Henrietta’s case figured that telling her what they were doing would only confuse her and her family even more so they just figure to not tell her or her family at all. This case started in 1951 and the research on the cells still goes on till the present. Racism hovers of this country and is always in the backs of everyone’s minds. Henrietta’s case the Tuskegee experiments and the Mississippi Appendectomies are all different cases in different locations but serve the same purpose which is to take advantage of poor and uneducated minorities to further medical research.In Tuskegee doctors took advantage of uneducated black males to find an answer to a question. The Mississippi appendectomies sterilized innocent uneducated and poor females because the gover nment was trying to wipe out â€Å"bad â€Å"genes† and in the Henrietta lacks case doctors took her cells without consent, found out they were immortal and launched and multimillion-dollar medical industry. In the end it is indeed all about the money.

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Communication - Essay Example Cultural decisions establish correct or acceptable behavior by determining individuals’ positions with regard to one another and with regard to other aspects of the social and natural environment. Thus the way we seem to â€Å"naturally† feel toward family members, authority figures, or the environment is determined by well-established traditions that arise from cultural decisions regarding the appropriate relationships between people as well as with other living things. For example, while domination of humans over nature is the norm in American and other Western cultures, in other contexts such as some African cultures, the appropriate position of humans with regard to nature is harmony and coexistence (Communication & Cultural Diversity Lecture). The prevalence of cultural decisions in controlling behavior over the long term often leads to a tendency to believe that the culture-specific view is the â€Å"right† view. From within one cultural perspective, the different values and beliefs of another culture or co-culture tend to seem misguided or wrong, leading to ethnocentrism (Communications & Cultural Diversity Lecture). It is easy to think of extreme examples where another culture’s beliefs are clearly abusive or otherwise harmful to society, but ethnocentric attitudes are probably more common and exceptionally dangerous when directed against less severe differences of opinion. Anthropological theories of culture are extremely useful and easily applicable to the mini-societies we call workplaces. By applying anthropological concepts to businesses, a new discipline called Business Culture theory emerges. The valuable insights of Business Culture theory offer an excellent method with which to evaluate potential employers, and by doing so determine to what extent the culture of a business is consistent with our own values. Evaluating the culture of a business requires that we analyze the workplace environment and

Management in Businees Administation Research Paper - 1

Management in Businees Administation - Research Paper Example Likewise, I being the manager, I had to be confident and presumptuous. Equally important, I had to be enthusiastic, charming, passion and pontificated. I had to have an ability to support others and spearhead solutions in a problem-solving manner. Evenly, I had to drive to support others and spearhead solutions that would solve problems. Similarly, I had to have a desire to serve others, be respectful, sensitive to their needs and expectations, and nurture ability become a passive manager. As well, I had to have prior knowledge on how the industry operates, by having passion, for continued growth and perfection. Studies by Kozakiewicz (2014, p. 186), also taught me how to encompass all positive characteristics and qualities that encapsulate the desirable manager. I have with time managed to develop authentic skills. This has helped me to relinquish all the self-imposed pressure to perform or look good and manage in a healthy manner. For instance, I learned how different departments work. As such, I had to follow a path that encompasses the entire coaching system. I have to take the time to craft the right questions in order to get the salespeople involved in the conversation. As part of the passion, I have to deliver value in every conversation and honor what other people are doing inside the organization. Per se, I will encounter little resistance and only minor pushback when it is time to hold people accountable for the goals and results. As well, the academia has solidified my abilities to become a genuine humble leader who embraces vulnerabilities. Backed by Zawadzki (2013, p. 18), I believe that I am driven by the higher self to deliver value and make an impact instead of being ego. I as well came to note that I had an ability to be true about myself without attempting to emulate other people. I, therefore, plan to use tools and approaches that complement and align with my personality. This plan will include values, talents, strengths

United States Foreign Policy in the Middle East Essay

United States Foreign Policy in the Middle East - Essay Example The two parties share decision making concerning making of the foreign policy. The council of foreign policy in the Middle East provides an analysis of the political, economic, and social development in the Middle East. The issue the policy addresses is that the main aim of the policy is to fight terrorism in the region. Terrorism is a major threat in the world and most of the European superpowers are joining the United States. Chaos in the Middle East affects many countries in the world because of the history of the region. Chaos influences around living abroad to act depending on the actions in the area. The policy addresses the roles the president and the Senate play in the definition of the foreign policy. The president has the role of appointing ambassadors while the Senate has the role of funding the army and declaring war. The president is the commander in chief of the country appoints key political heads and military officials, but the Congress must agree to the appointments of the president. America has had economic interests in the Middle East majorly because of the resources at their disposal. The Middle East has oil deposits that they export to fund the region. The United States used colonialism to guide their foreign policies. America had interests in the Middle for most of the 21st century. It manages to make itself an important player in the region by making use of its diplomatic, economic, and military strength to support its interest. In the Revolutionary war, John Adams outlined the plan for the foreign policy in America. In 1919, the efforts of President Woodrow led to the formation of League of Nations. The League of Nations gave out directives that led to the formation of colonial boundaries in the Middle East region. The civil wars in the Middle East led to the involvement of the United States of America. America surpassed Britain as the major superpower after the Second World War. The emergence of America as the major

Principles of marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Principles of marketing - Essay Example Goal setting phase sets the overall goals of the business. It requires outlining a mission and corporate objectives for the business (Egan & Thomas 2012). Newham College has a mission ?to expand and improve lifelong learning? (Newham 2007). To achieve this mission, Newham believes in ‘open access provision, relevant to the diverse range of needs in its local communities’ (Newham 2007). Its corporate goals include continuous capital investment to increase facilities for learning and enhance access to education. Over the last ten years it has invested ?15 million capital (Newham 2007)  to meet its goals directing its way towards mission attainment.   Situation review follows the goal setting phase. McDonald (2008) explained that the situation review is a sort of market analysis in which marketing audit needs to be performed, SWOT analysis is to be conducted and key assumptions are to be outlined. Jobber (2004) described five steps in completing a marketing audit as def ining the market, determining performance differentials, knowing the competitors, competitor analysis, and designing a strategic planning structure. Defining the market requires target market identification and segmentation to ease positioning. Pride and Ferrell (2008) regarded target market selection as one of the major areas in developing a marketing strategy. Initially, Newham College will target those secondary schools within 2 miles of Stratford, Inner London that have high or medium suitability. Appendix – II shares the list of schools in and around Stratford that form suitable target market for Newham College; the list is prepared based on the data made available by Guardian (2013) showing the data supplied by Department for Education 2010-13. The list shares number of pupils in the school, their gender, their age group, location of the school and its suitability as the target. Criterion for suitability is set to be the number of students regardless of the gender; the more the number of students in the school the more suitable it will be regarded as a target market as more number of students can be approached in a single go. Looking at the specifications of this target market positioning of Newham College can be decided and it should be more lively and career-oriented in which students do find a reason to study; SWOT analysis will further elaborate on which strengths Newham can focus on to get maximum enrolments from local schools. Next step in marketing audit is to determine the performance differentials; Botten (2009) explained that this step requires identifying submarkets offering entry point for the firm. For Newham those schools identified in Appendix-II list that have low suitability may offer subsector where Newham can position its products. Nonetheless the positioning will be based on the same points that are discussed later in the SWOT. Third and fourth step in marketing audit is ‘knowing the competitors’ and ‘competi tor’s analysis’. Competition in Stratford area is high when we see the number of colleges available for the students for further education because all the colleges are striving for the same students. There are colleges such as Whitechapel College, The Building Crafts College, University of East London, Interlink College of Technology, NewVic – Newham Sixth Form College, Tower Hamlets College, and Stratford-upon-Avon College. Now based on the courses offered by these colleges some

Philosophy of Human Conduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy of Human Conduct - Essay Example I agree with Pojman's thoughts and see the fault with society's focus on only the end result and generalizing merit by not taking into account an individual's struggles and strengths I agree when Pojman points out that "nondeserved merit can be features that the natural lottery has distributed such as ones basic intelligence, personality type, skin color, good looks, and physical endowments" (86). I also think that merit comes more easily to those who are properly equipped to achieve it. For example I look at celebrities or wealthy aristocrats who have been granted merit for their large contributions to charity. These individuals may receive more praise and admiration than an everyday working class citizen who gives their last dollar to a homeless man on the street. I believe that the everyday citizen deserves just as much merit as the celebrity or wealthy aristocrat because the amount of money that one gives is not what warrants merit, but the generosity of the individual depending on their own personal income and what they can afford. Pojman points out that "Dessert then, is closely connected to effort and intention, whereas merit signifies positive qualities that call forth a positive response, including qualities that we do not deserve" (87). I think that Pojman used a great example out of Mickey Mantle discussing that just because he was a famous baseball player does not mean that he earned or deserved a liver transplant more than anyone else. I don't think that any human being can truly give merit to another because we can never know the inner workings of someone other than ourselves. Pojman says, "Whereas God, knowing our inner motivations, rewards purely on the basis of desert, we fallible beings, being far less certain as to how to measure effort and intentionality, tend to reward merit, the actual contribution or positive results produced" (87). The essay goes on to say that, " Another objection that underlines much of the suspicion of merit is the natural lottery, the idea that we do not deserve our genes, or natural talents, our families, our society, or even our determination to make an effort" (99). I agree that it would not be fair to give merit to someone for being successful in something that they were born to do. Just because someone is good at something doesn't mean they deserve any credit, credit should be given to the person who put in the most effort no matter the result of the effort. Someone could train everyday for a triathlon and still lose the race to someone who was born with more athletic ability than they have. Just because that person won the race does not mean that they put in as much effort or deserve to win. This belief that "effort is the decisive criterion of merit" (91), means that just because something comes easily for one person does not mean it is easy for everyone. Pojman says, "We are stewards of our talents and are judged on the basis of what we can do with them. Those who use their talents wisely and industriously deserve to be rewarded, whereas those who neglect their talents deserve reprobation" (90). I also think that if you acknowledge your ability, and push yourself in it, becoming the best that you possibly can, then merit is definitely deserved for your effort. I like the story Pojman told of the carpenter building the chair in the factory of the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur is talented in finding ways to make money

Educational Enquiry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Educational Enquiry - Essay Example In regards, to appointments and work experience it is evident from the curriculum vitae that Ball has held various key positions in numerous institutions that are largely academically or educationally oriented. The academic qualifications and work experience of Ball helps in understanding his evolving position because of the fact that he has had a long participation or involvement with the education sectors that are even beyond the borders of the United Kingdom and his positions in the two papers talks about the evolutions that are being witnessed within the education sector. For example, in the position paper that he published in 2011 he talks about creating a new research agenda for educational leadership and policy, and this can be well understood from the previous research studies that he had written and contributed to, which alluded to a pending shift on the English education policy. The main points presented in the Ball’s 2011 article that was titled â€Å"A new researc h agenda for educational leadership and policy† To begin with, Ball (2011) wrote the article with primary intent to bring to the attention of researchers in the field of leadership and education policy about the new emerging research issues and the pertinent research questions that could help in understanding these emerging research issues in the English education policy. Therefore, the arguments presented by Ball (2011) in this article were mainly geared for use by researchers in the field of leadership and education policy but it could be applied further to researchers in other countries. At the start, Ball (2011) acknowledged the fact that there has been some changes and development in the English educational policy, which have lead to a subsequent change in the way learners are educated and even the way learning institutions are managed. Therefore, it is for this reason that there needs to be a radical change in the approach through which research studies are conducted on the English education policy so as to address pertinent problems and come up with solutions that are in tandem with the changed or the newly formed education landscape. From a wider perspective, it is can be stated that Ball (2011) was advocating for a paradigm shift on the research methodology that is normally applied by researchers in the field of leadership and educational policy since there is need to develop new research skills, data collection tools, and also exploit news locations for obtaining research questions. Ball (2011) suggested that the new research methodology that should be adopted by the researchers should integrate business and financial analysis, which means that the researchers should become conversant with the analytical analysis of an education policy from a business and financial perspective. This new research approach is promoted by the fact that the education sector has in the recent past witnessed increased incorporation of commercial players who were prev iously confined to the private school sector and thus, there is need to look at the education policy from the financial/ money side. According to Ball (2011), one of the key research issues that researchers should critically consider on English Educational Policy is the leadership within learning institut

Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case Analysis - Essay Example One of the biggest quarrels was that Microsoft kept including a media player in their bundle package, despite the fact that they had been told not. RealNetworks, which produces a media player of its own, was not getting the business that it thought it deserved, due to being pushed out by a more well-known company. The greatest assumption made throughout the case is that the abusing of its terms that Microsoft does is the reason that the other companies are not getting customers. Microsoft is a more known name than the other companies, and people are more likely to go to what they are familiar with. The issues that the other companies are facing may have nothing to do with what Microsoft is doing – it may have to do with the fact that people and companies are already more comfortable with Microsoft. Microsoft, as a whole, offers more than a lot of the other companies. Part of the argument in the case is that the other platforms are being ignored because of the want for Microsoft. It can be assumed that people like the Microsoft bundles because they prefer just a single platform for everything on their computers. Other platforms have less to offer, but Microsoft has an entire bundle package that can benefit everyone that uses it, whether they need to make a simple word document, a spreadsheet, or an image presentation. Microsoft is also the most affordable, especially when it comes to the bundle packages that it offers. People can get more for less, instead of bouncing around with other companies. Microsoft itself should not be blamed if more people feel more trusting towards its services and offers. As it was stated in the article, â€Å"They argue that with the new Vista version of Windows and Office 2007, Microsoft is trying to extend its dominance into even more areas of the market—and threatening the open nature of the Internet.† Other companies might benefit

Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder - Thesis Example The genre of this book is unclear. Some analysts claim it is a fable, novel, fairy story, theoretical and more. Jostein Gaarder is well known for his other work in the book Sophie’s World. Generally, Gaarder is only interested in the ideology that people should think and notice that they are alive. In addition, the people should appreciate the environment they live in citing that the world is a fascinating place. The book â€Å"The Solitaire Mystery† requires thought, as the ideas in it require a good consideration and concentration. As such, several analysts would claim that reading this book is not easy however, for students and researchers it serves as a very good reference. The book is controversial and one could think that it is written for the younger generation only. However, after thorough reading and understanding this book, one finds that there are hidden meanings and concepts that are very useful. For the interested parties in reading this book, one of the re quirements is close attention since complications may rise especially when a reader discovers that there are stories within a story. Due to the cleverness of the text, intelligence is required for any interested reader. The solitaire mystery consists of two seemingly separate stories which include Hans Thomas and the sticky bun book.Twelve year old Hans Thomas goes on a search for his mother. Accompanying him is his father from their home town in Norway to Greece. Han is unaware that his life would be changed forever. Hans Thomas will discover a whole new world filled with mystery. The protagonist takes the readers on a journey as he uncovers the truth about existence and living as he makes the journey with his father. However, Hans Thomas ‘s father had some unethical behavior like smoking which he taught his son and there were instances that they both made stops to smoke together as they journeyed. While stile on their journey, a strange bearded man gives Hans Thomas a magnif ying glass and tells him that he will need it. After a short while Hans Thomas and his father stop in a roadside cafe where Hans Thomas gets a giant sticky bun to eat on his journey. Hans Thomas gets surprised when he finds a tiny book that has small writings that cannot be read with naked eye. Hans starts reading the small book with the aid of the magnifying glass. The Books writing was too small to be read with the naked eye so he begins to read the tiny book using his new magnificent glass. As Hans Thomas continues to read the little book, he discovers that there is a huge connection between him and the sailor described in the book. For example, there is a scene where the sailor finds himself on an island whereby a deck of cards mysteriously come to life. With the help of the magnifying glass, the sticky bun book becomes more interesting as he continues to read it in secret. Generally, the story focuses on a mysterious tale in a strange island, A man by the name Frode owns a pack of cards as well as a drink and in his strange manner, he thinks he can drink anything. As Hans reads, there is the realization that the book has similar implications in his own life and that in a strange manner, he is also a part of the tale it unfolds. A string of strange events occurs on the journey. The sticky bun book In the book sticky bun, there is a storyline of an old baker who is given an amazing drink by the grandfather. The drink came from an island that the grandfather was shipwrecked on as a young man. In this island there is also an old sailor by the name Frode and 50-three other people. Despite not having names the 50 three other people referred to themselves as the numbers of cards (52 cards plus a joker). The red suits are all the women apart from the kings and jacks, whereas all the black suits are all the men except for the queens and aces. Frode then developed a crush on the ace of hearts because she was enchanting even though she was forever losing herself. Th e cards equal to the 50 three

Effects of Online Advertisements on Newspaper Advertisements Essay Example for Free

Effects of Online Advertisements on Newspaper Advertisements Essay Advertisements can either take the form of print advertising through newspapers, magazines, brochures, and fliers or in non-print form such as those found in television, radio, video, and internet. The key purpose of advertisements is to bring to the attention of potential customers the existence of a new product or service. A good advertisement should be able to persuade the potential customers to purchase and keep them motivated to do a certain action (Tolani, 2010). While the function of advertising has not changed from the act of influencing the decision of a potential customer, the form of advertisement has radually evolved with new advertisement media emerging. Radio advertisement emerged with the coming of radios in the 1920s. The number of people who owned radios increased to about 82% by 1940. However, television was introduced in the 1950s, and was soon a common appliance in almost all households. This resulted in the increase of television advertisement expenditure to nearly $1. 5 billion by 1960s. Outdoor advertisement can be traced back to the post World War era to the American Safety Razor Company in 1925 when it advertised a brushless shaving cream on a mega billboard (Tolani, 2010). The advent of video cassette recorders saw a new trend in advertisement during the period between the early 1980s and late 1990s. The video cassette recorders became very popular with viewers, but video advertisement met a major hitch as viewers easily fast-forwarded ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 11 through advertisements while watching tapes. This compelled firms to resort to product placement in which their products were used in television shows and films. The latest media development in this field is the use of internet for advertising. There has generally been an increase in computer ownership and the use of internet has rapidly grown. It might not be easy to predict the advertisement media that will be widely used in the future. However, it is an open fact that advertisements will continue to improve and strive to become more useful to businesses and to the consumer (Tolani, 2010). Entrepreneurs and business managers are faced with the challenge of making a choice for an advertising media on a daily basis. This is because the success of their establishments greatly depends on the ability of the entrepreneurs and managers to create product and service awareness, build their firm’s image and reputation, and generate sales leads and revenues. These efforts can only be realized by the use of newspaper and magazine advertisements, radio advertisements, television advertisements, outdoor advertising, web advertising, among many other advertising media. What will determine the final medium choice may vary from one business to another and the various factors that are in play toward meeting the specific business objectives (Patsula Media, 2007). Irrespective of the medium of advertisement that a business chooses to use for its products and services, it is important to note that both the print advertising and online advertising are highly necessary, given that the approaches toward both, the purposes, and even the audiences are very different. It is not very advisable to consider one of these media as more effective that the other on mere basis of seasonal variance because either may overtake the other at some give time. A good number of people also have access to both sources and this makes it ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 12 mportant for entrepreneurs and business managers to give due consideration to both (Web Windows, 2010). Thesis Statement Given the increased growth of information that is available over the internet and the subsequent increase in the number of people who tend to spend more time on the internet, companies are turning to advertise their goods and service online so as to capture this newly generated m arket. Emphasis has thus shifted to the possible effects that this emerging trend of online advertisement may have on newsprint advertisement, both in popularity and advertisement revenue. Statement of the Problem Advertisement plays a very important function in the trading processes as it is the only means through which a business can bring to the attention of the consumers about their products, introduce a new product in the market or promote the sales of an existing product or service. All these are core activities—without which, a business setup cannot effectively compete for customers in the already-crowded market. Though there are numerous media through which a business may place its advertisements, the most commonly used medium is the newspaper because of its wide readership and circulation. With the advent and advancement of technology, newspaper publishers have embraced information technology to an extent of presenting their publications both as newsprint and online versions. This advancement means that entrepreneurs have the option of choosing which version of a newspaper through which to place their advertisements. This will mainly be determined by an entrepreneur’s own evaluation of the medium that will best suit the business needs. Lately, there ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 13 as been growing debate about the popularity of online newspaper and newsprint. This debate cannot escape the attention of entrepreneurs who significantly rely on these news media for their advertisements. There is general consensus that online versions of newspapers are gaining popularity among readers worldwide. Could this increasing popularity and, to some extent, translate into increased preference by entrepreneurs to place their advertisements online instead of the newsprint version of newspapers? Background of the Problem Given the central role which newspapers play in the advertisement of goods and services by businesses, it is only important that entrepreneurs give special attention and critical evaluation on the volume of readership and scope of circulation of both the online version and newsprint version of newspapers. This would mean that new considerations are factored in when making a choice for advertisement media by business contrary to previous emphasis that focused only on readership and circulation. Ability to access n advertisement by potential customers is a major concern that attracts heated boardroom debates in companies, particularly due to intense competition for the crowded market. The significance of an advertisement media with regard to scope of outreach means that both entrepreneurs and advertisement agencies have a responsibility to adopt the use of advertisement media capable of optimizing market outreach for a product or service. Key aspects for consideration with regard to ch oice of advertisement media are mainly in areas of target audience and access. These entail considerations of readership and circulation which would ensure that an advertisement reaches the highest number of target audience within the shortest duration possible and draws attention in the most appropriate way. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 14 While many entrepreneurs are coming up with several measures of ensuring they significantly save on advertisement costs for their products and services, advertising agencies are of the opinion that optimizing market outreach can best be achieved by choosing a media with huge readership and wide circulation. Key areas suggested by advertisement experts include impact and ability to attract attention among other advertisements. When due consideration is given to these two aspects, an advertisement media will be able to achieve market outreach by approximately 70%, which is equivalent to nearly 5% of the total product market in a crowded environment. It is generally agreed that upgrading of newspapers to online versions can help to significantly improve their readership and accessibility, translating to wider market outreach for online advertisements. Such advancement in technology has for long been credited as significant part of increasing readership, expanding circulation, and making lasting impact in advertisement. The most remarkable gain for online advertisement can be attributed to the increase in number of people owning computers and therefore spending a lot of time on the internet unlike the numbers of people buying newsprint and the time they spend reading it. Justification for the Study Effects of online advertisement toward newsprint advertisement are a welcome topic at this time when there is growing concern that newsprint advertisement is becoming less and less effective in an environment where consumers are increasingly getting their information online and from other non-traditional sources. This belief has also drawn a lot of objection from newspaper advertisement sales agent who insist that newsprint advertising is more effective than online advertising. To them, newsprint advertising is tangible, making it possible for a potential ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 15 customer to clip it out, hold in the hand and carry to the store unlike online advertisements, which is only visual. Though online advertisement can cost a business slightly more, it is becoming more popular with consumers and can thus not be simply brushed off. This calls for a strategy that will ensure that this advertisement medium is embraced without jeopardizing the profits of a business. Deficiencies in the evidence The choice of an advertisement media that an entrepreneur or a business opts to use for its products or services are mainly determined by size of business and the target audience— whether they are other businesses, youth, elderly, men or women. The access to an advertisement by these groups of persons is quite varied as all of them have their own preferences of media choices. The youth may be found of internet while the elderly may be accustomed to newsprint. While online advertising may make a big impact among the youth, it may not necessarily do the same with the elderly or housewives. The size of a business will also play a big role in the choice of advertising media. For example, small businesses may not have all the money to invest in certain media which are considered expensive and are therefore a preserve for big businesses. Advertising is an expensive venture and may not be appealing or affordable to all entrepreneurs. This means that the choice of a media may not necessarily be determined by its effectiveness but rather by the investment capacity of any given entrepreneur. Evidence obtained for this study will thus be influenced to a greater extent by individual entrepreneur considerations and not necessarily by the popularity of any given media. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 16 Definition of Terms Advertising Media: refers to means by which an advertising message is carried to potential customers and includes television, radio, internet, magazines, newspaper, and signage Online Advertising: refers to advertising that is done over the internet Newsprint Advertising: refers to placing advertisements on a newspaper Purpose of the Study The purpose of studying effects of online advertisement toward newsprint advertisement is to: 1. Ensure that entrepreneurs are provided with ample information regarding the various advertisement media to enable them make informed choices 2. Ensure that myths revolving effectiveness of either newsprint advertisement or online advertisement are eliminated and substituted with live statistics 3. Ensure that advertisement agencies are able to adjust their media in a manner that will enable businesses reach their target audience in the most effective way and at the least cost possible 4. Ensure that recommendations are made that would help entrepreneurs make a choice on the most effective media for their advertisements. This study is significant because it would help in ensuring that useful information is made available to help entrepreneurs with their advertisement decisions, particularly those focusing on newsprint and online advertisements. It will also ensure that advancements in technology are ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 17 embraced and advertising services evolve to best meet the opportunities and challenges of the future with regard to market outreach. Hypotheses The following hypotheses were tested in this study: 1. H01: Advertising plays a central role in business success. HA1: Advertising does not play a central role in the success of a business. 2. H02: Most businesses advertise on newsprint media. HA2: Most businesses do not advertise on newsprint media. 3. H03: Most entrepreneurs prefer to use online advertisements for their products. HA3: Most entrepreneurs do not prefer to use online advertisement for their products. 4. H04: Newsprint advertising is more effective that online advertising. HA4: Newsprint advertising is less effective than online advertising. 5. H05: Online advertising is the future of product advertisement. HA5: Online advertising is not the future of product advertisement. Summary The shift in focus by entrepreneurs and businesses to put more attention on online advertisement instead on the traditional advertisement media is broadly seen as one of the main steps toward technological revolution of the advertising industry. This would go a long way in realizing wider market outreach and increased sales for businesses and publishers who embrace the internet for their publications. This, in essence, would mean increased readership for online version of newspapers, translating into bigger profit margins. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 18 This study has been designed to explore various modes of newspapers as major advertisement media which can be used by entrepreneurs and businesses to advertise their products and services. Special focus has been given to Star Newsprint and Star Online, which are Malaysia’s leading English publications. Chapter two of this work is an extensive literature review on matters relating to online and newsprint publications as well as online and newsprint advertisement. Chapter three is an outline of data collection and treatment while chapters four and five respectively present findings and discussions. Chapter six outlines major conclusions and recommendations. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 19 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction Newspapers have conventionally played a very significant role in the advertisement of goods and services. This has been mainly attributed to their wide readership and circulation since they can be easily obtained, from the nearest street vendor to the biggest shopping mall in the biggest city. The readership of newspapers also cut across all ages, sexes, and social classes as they normally publish articles that would be useful to all these category of persons in one way or the other,. Newspapers have for long dominated the advertisement scene due to the low costs involved as compared to other advertisement media. Newspaper comes either as newsprint or online. Newspaper publishers have lately resorted to the two kinds of publication to meet the various demands of different readers (Mutter, 2010). The introduction of online version of newspaper has seen a significant drop in the readership of the print newspaper, and this trend is projected to continue into the future. This scenario which is almost inevitable and probably irreversible is generating big concern on the future of printed newspaper as well as newsprint advertisement. The printing of newspaper remains very important for publishers since it is responsible for the biggest volume of revenue for publishers, contributing nearly 90% of the total revenue for a newspaper company. Analyst are quick to point that any attempt to rid of print newspaper would simply through publication companies out of business since the advertising revenue will almost drop to 5%, if not zero (Mutter, 2010). However, the continued survival of print newspaper will to a great extent be determined by consumer demands, good state of an economy, and the interest of marketers to use newsprint ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 20 advertising. It is predicted that with the diminishing economic prospects declining advertising revenue, there is a high possibility of a major drop in consumer demand for print newspapers. This is based on the fact that close to half of print newspaper readers are aged population who are statistically likely to pass out with time. The younger population is not found of print newspapers, and this habit will probably accompany them to old age. Unless this readership habit of the younger population changes, it is quite evident that the print newspaper readership will continue to shrink as the aged population slowly makes their exit, leaving the younger population that has already formed a habit of not reading the print newspaper (Mutter, 2010). Evaluation of Print Newspaper Print newspaper has conventionally been associated with a number of advantages, which have probably made it very popular. It is generally agreed that print newspapers have loyal readership, which makes it a powerful advertising tool as compared to internet. Print newspaper is considered very effective when a particular geographic area is being targeted; for example, when you want to notify people of about a forthcoming sporting event. For those who have information to convey, print newspaper is more flexible in terms of space as one is able to determine the size that would best suit his/her needs. Certain print newspapers enjoy many loyal fans, thus increasing their readership (Lad, 2009). On the other hand, print newspapers have certain disadvantages. Print newspaper generally has limited lifespan, meaning they are only available to the public for a single day after which they are withdrawn from sale. Print newspaper may not give a wide reach as compared with internet that has a global audience. Print newspapers have the limitation in terms of the ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 21 audience who may actually read it, and certain copies may actually not be available on demand at all times (Lad, 2009). Evaluation of Online Newspaper Online newspapers tend to offer information to the reader much more quickly as compared to the print version. The online version is always available on the internet before the print version is on the streets. Online publications can normally be updated several times in a day with the latest news and happenings. Moreover, while print version is purchased, online newspapers are accessed free of charge. This makes it possible for a reader to use a wide spectrum of newspapers possible. Online versions enable users to make use of links to divide large units of information into more easily digestible portions, and to search information in the newspaper is also automated. Readers of online versions are able to archive articles on the computer, contact editors via e-mail, and use interactive games (Lad, 2009). The disadvantages attributed to online versions included the fact that they do not give detailed reports on all the subjects and tend to omit several sections found in the print version. This limits information available to the online reader. Reading from a computer does not convey the traditional experience of reading a newspaper, which is a key characteristic of print newspaper. During peak times when several users are scrambling to access news, the download times are very long. Online newspapers are characterized by so many links which are quite confusing instead of being useful, particularly the amount of research necessary and the need to constantly check the link address. One gets tired looking at the computer screen and it may take time to get used to them (Lad, 2009). ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 22 Case Study: Star Online and Star Newspaper The Star is one of the leading English language newspapers in Malaysia. The statistics issued from the Audit Bureau of Circulation indicate that the print version of this newspaper has a daily circulation of nearly 950,000 copies while the Sunday Star records a readership of nearly 850,000. The publication is mainly owned by the Malaysian Chinese Association. The main competitors of this publication are The Sun and the New Straits Times, which are also published in English. The Star newspaper traces its history back in 1971, when it was first published as a regional newspaper in Georgetown. By 1976, the newspaper had gained national circulation in Malaysia, and established its headquarters at the country’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. The growth in business saw the company relocate to Petaling Jaya, where it is currently based (Star Publication, 2009). The company’s print newspapers, The Star Daily and The Sunday Star are published in five different editions. Two of the editions cover the northern eninsular states of Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, and Perak. Two other editions cover the larger country. The Star Daily is divided into sections consisting of the Main Paper, StarBiz, StarTwo, Star Metro, and classified section. The features of the Main Paper are predominantly local and international news. The StarBiz is mainly concerned with trade and reports on market trends, financial reports, and stock market updates. On the other hand, Star Tw o mainly feature articles on entertainment, environment, science, lifestyle, and fashion among several others. Lastly, the content of Star Metro is varied and tends to focus more on the area of circulation (Star Publication, 2009). The continued demand by the publication’s readers saw the emergence of The Star Online, which is an internet version of The Star newspaper. This was in response to the persistent ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 23 demand for an online version of the newspaper, and it finally made entry into the market in 2005. The company prides its strengths as a newspaper on the cornerstones of internet and media ventures. The Star Online and its many components are produced, managed, developed, and contributed to by the Star Division, The Star Online and Multimedia Newsdesk teams of The Star’s Editorial Department (Star Publication, 2009). Newsprint Advertisement Advertisement can be traced to the emergence of trading activities from very early days as evidenced by archeological artifacts drawn from different parts of the world. With the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg who was a German Goldsmith, merchants were able to duplicate advertisements for their wares. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, newsprint advertising had become the primary means for companies to communicate their sales and promotions to the consumers. This was mainly through media such as newspapers, magazines, fliers, posters, and billboards (Walker, 2010). Following the invention of printing press, advertisements became a common place in weekly newspapers and periodical journals. The items, which were mainly featured in such advertisements, included new machines, other print publications or reported the discoveries and inventions of the enlightenment era. The first newsprint to offer advertising space for sale was the French publication La Presse in 1836. This saw this newsprint being sold more cheaply, hence recorded increased readership and profitability. This move inspired other newspapers and magazines across the world to follow suit in this commercial strategy. In the contemporary newsprint, advertising designers are able to visualize highly creative commercials through digital image manipulation in order to make the biggest market impact (Walker, 2010). ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 24 Newsprints still remain key advertisement medium for every business to such a point that it is hard to imagine doing business without advertising in a newspaper or a magazine. This is particularly important for small businesses that can hardly afford other media of advertisement. Paid-circulation newspapers have for long dominated the mass media market for advertisement as reflected in advertisement sales volumes. Newspapers are very popular with both multinational businesses and small-scale dealers. This is probably due to the fact that businesses come in three distinct forms namely local, regional, and national newspapers each targeting different audience according to its scope of circulation (Patsula Media, 2007). Advantages There are a number of advantages that print newspaper advertisements have over online advertisements. Print newspapers have very wide circulation as almost every home in the city subscribed to daily access of a printed newspaper. Where the advertisement is intended to reach audience only in a particular geographical region, print newspaper readily permits this. The printed advertisement benefits from both permanence and desired obsolescence. This means that a reader is able to refer back or even cut out a particular advert. Print newspapers have a predictable frequency of publication, either on daily or weekly basis, making it possible for advertisers to target days of wider readership for their adverts (Brassil, 2010). The immediacy that print newspapers have makes it possible for urgent advertisements to be responded fast, thereby producing urgent results. When deadlines are short, it permits quick responses to changing market conditions. Readers are already accustomed themselves to getting advertisements on print newspapers to an extent that a good number buys print newspapers just to read advertisements. At the same time, print newspaper reading has nearly become a habit for ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 25 most people. Specific sector adverts can be very easily placed on the various sections of print newspaper such as sports, news, and classifieds to ensure the target is directly hit (Brassil, 2010). Print newspapers give advertisers a lot of flexibility both in size and placement. This means that production changes can be easily responded to whenever the need arises. Advertisements that are placed on print newspapers can be examined at leisure since the exposure is not limited, thus readers are able to take their time going through the message. Since placement on print newspaper can be tailored to a size that suits the budget of the advertiser, it is possible even for small businesses to place their small adverts at low costs. Print newspapers offer wide options to advertisers whether place their advertisements as copy only, copy with graphics, colored, or black and white. Finally, print newspapers features supplements which readers can easily pull out and save (Brassil, 2010). Disadvantages Advertising on print newspaper has not escaped its own set of shortcomings. Because of the large number of advertisements which are featured on the newspaper, any particular advertisement must compete for reader’s attention. This means that readers who only spend a few minutes reading the print newspaper may fail to capture the advertisement. At the same time, there is hardly a guarantee that everybody who reads the print newspaper will read the advertisements placed in it. This is because a print newspaper has several sections and not all readers read every section of the newspaper. The short lifespan, normally daily, that newspapers have forces advertisers to insert multiple advertisements even for a whole week so as to reach a good number of readers. This may be expensive particularly for small businesses (Brassil, 2010). ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 26 Online Advertisement The revolution in information and communication technology has come with both opportunities and risks for the business community, particularly from the point of view of the traditionally-established media. Internet as a form of computer aided communication is equally unsure for the print media. The technical potential in advertisement that online newspaper offers surpasses that of the printed newspaper in several ways. Online newspaper is interactive multimedia for providing internal and external networks, while offering a selection of functions, possibility for regular updates, access to archives, rapid access to large number of newspapers, and being paperless, thus ensuring there is no problem of waste disposal (Neuberger, Tonnemacher, Bibl Duck, 1998). Advantages The economic constraints that businesses face on everyday basis often leave enterprises with very little money to spare on advertising. This is more common among the small businesses who often find themselves light in the pocket. It is therefore important to opt for an advertisement medium that give optimum output and minimal costs. Online advertisement is generally seen to be complacent in this line than the traditional newsprint advertisement. When online advertisements are on a pay-per-click basis, an entrepreneur only pays when a potential customer clicks on the advert and ends up on the entrepreneur’s website. This ensures that businesses only pay for leads that end up in their website as opposed to mass messages in the print newspaper that may or may not reach the target audience. There is therefore maximum return on investment for a business using online advertisement (Rogers, 2010). ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 27 Online advertisement also works very quickly given the fact that the day that one gets started is the same day that results manifest. There is basically neither waiting period nor long startup process. Once an entrepreneur is ready to get started, he/she can very easily launch a successful advertisement promotion on a number of channels. This tends to produce quick results and the campaign can also be maintained for a longer period of time unlike print newspapers which have daily lifespan. Online advertisement enables businesses to target their markets more efficiently than print newspapers. This can be achieved through the use of social networks that an entrepreneur considers relevant to the campaign. Once these social networks are identified, a business can dig very deeply into their niche, enabling them to produce the maximum results with very little investment (Rogers, 2010). Advertising online has the advantage of giving elaborate and thorough statistics that enables a business to tweak and optimize their campaigns to the maximum. This is a total deviation from newsprint advertising when one can do very little to track the success of one campaign as compared to another. Online advertising avails quite a number of information just at a mouse click. With online advertising, an entrepreneur is able to monitor the number of people who visits the business website, where they come from, what they did once they were there, and many other details. Online advertisement also allows full control and analysis since one is able to manage how many times to show up in the search engines, thus make it possible to gain huge returns for the business (Rogers, 2010). Disadvantages One key disadvantage that is associated with online advertisement relates to advertising overload as there is incredible amount of clutter on most web pages. This arises from the fact that ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT every advertiser tries to draw the attention of web viewers, making readers have access to too much information which they can hardly digest. Under these circumstances, the web viewers normally choose to ignore the advertisements and this will lead to low rates of return. Also, online advertisement is still a new concept for many advertisement agencies, which simply cannot tell just yet which advertising method works best (Rogers, 2010). 28 ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 29 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY Introduction In research undertaking, the methodology section is one of the crucial areas to be tackled in a proposal document because it forms the basis of the results of research findings. A research can be faced with big challenges due to wrong choice of method used. To avoid this, good planning of the method is essential and in order to get reliable results. The issue of reliability establishes that a research should have the ability to show consistency in the results even after a study is repeatedly done by different researchers. Reliability in research study can also be enhanced through good structure of the methodology. When the correct data collection methods are used, proportional samples are collected, and the correct method of analysis is used, a research can achieve validity. Since this thesis is inductive in nature, it prompted the application of a qualitative methodology. This means that the views of newspaper publishers and advertisement experts have been given a lot of weight. This was done by administering both physical and online questionnaires as well as conducting in-depth interviews—each lasting nearly 45 minutes. Those interviewed had to be newspaper publishers, advertisement agencies, and general newspaper readers in Malaysia who have been in the sector for the last five years. Moreover, at the time of the interview, they were actively engaged in related media and general businesses. This ensured very rich data was gathered from persons with a wealth of experience. Data Collection Methods The key purpose of data collection was to ensure that a rich set of description was obtained. To achieve this, the interviews were transcribed in real time by the interviewer. The ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 30 responses were then reduced and analyzed by adopting principles of data codification and clustering (Miles Huberman, 1994). This was supplemented by administration of questionnaires as well as comprehensive review of relevant literature. Sources The data gathered for this research is from a wide range of documentary sources relating to newspapers as advertisement medium in general as well as those specifically relating to print newspaper and online newspaper giving special emphasis to The Star Publications. These mainly included policy documents and academic and the non-academic documents. First, journals on newspaper advertisements were searched. Second, electronic databases were searched using key words like ‘newsprint advertisement’, ‘online advertisement’ ‘real The Star newspaper’ and ‘effects of online advertisement on newsprint advertisement. ’ Literature review included both conceptual and empirical works, with about 15 articles reviewed for this study. Interviews The interviews dwelt on the following areas: ? The considerations when choosing advertisement media ? The relationship between newspaper readership and circulation and advertisement impact ? The means of promoting advertisement on both print newspaper and online newspaper so as to enable business reap maximum benefits from these advertisement media ? What the future holds for print newspapers and online newspapers, with emphasis on The Star Daily and The Star Online. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 31 Questionnaires A questionnaire survey of the newspaper publication sector was conducted to understand the aspects of print newspaper and online newspaper advertisements in Malaysia. The survey was explanatory in nature as the objective was to gain insight on the effects of online advertisement on newsprint advertisement. The questionnaire was administered to nearly 100 Malaysia entrepreneurs, 100 Star Publication readers, and over 100 advertisement experts. The set sent to the entrepreneurs and advertisement experts included a cover letter, which explains the purpose and need for the study, the questionnaire document, and a prepaid reply envelope. Letters reminding the respondents of the questionnaires were later sent to those who had not responded within the three weeks duration. Case Study This thesis involves classical use of case studies to gain a deeper insight through the application of a set of ideas. A multiple case study approach helps in developing a theory which is better grounded, more accurate, and more generalized (Eisenhardt Graebner, 2007). Case studies are introduced to test the possible effects that advertising in online newspapers could have on advertising on print newspapers, and the users’ adoption of one over the other. The use of case study is important in practical testing of theories with practitioners in real life situation. The case study organizations are selected based on the idea of theoretical sampling. This is because when it comes to building a theory, theoretical sampling tends to be preferred as compared to generalized concept found in statistical studies. This means that the cases are chosen for theoretical and not for statistical reasons (Schroeder, Linderman, Liedtke Choo, 2008). An analysis has been developed on how the use of online advertisement is steadily gaining popularity among entrepreneurs in Malaysia, and particularly the use of The Star Online. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 32 Survey Analysis From the nearly 100 questionnaires that were mailed to entrepreneurs, 85 were returned. This represented an 85% response to the questionnaires. However, those that contained usable data were only 70, thus a satisfactory response rate can be said to have been reasonably attained. From the 100 questionnaires administered to advertisement experts, 80 were duly completed and handed over. From these about 74 contained usable data representing nearly 80% response rate which can be considered satisfactory. Ninety-five out of the 100 readers of both versions of The Star duly responded to the questionnaires and all had useful data. Chart 1 Treatment of Data In research, the data collected need to be synthesized in order to make sense with regard to what is being studied. The data from the questionnaires in this research were analyzed extensively to retrieve the information contained in them (Zikmund, 2003). The triangulation method for data analysis and interpretation was used to interpret the data collected, basing arguments on grounded theory (Dick, 2000; Knafl Breitmayer, 1991). In addition, the information obtained from the case study were analyzed individually and thereafter, a comparison was made between the different data sources. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 33 Research Limitations The main limitation that may be pointed out in this research is the use of a single case study. However, it is also true that online advertisement is still a recent concept that has not gained much popularity among entrepreneurs. At the same time, the single case approach has weight in the sense that it allows the achievement of a comprehensive analysis. Some of the information have also not been validated through multiple case analyses so as to provide a solid and practical basis for understanding the effects of online advertisement on newsprint advertisement. Rigor, Validity, Reliability, and Ethics The four categories of quality management in research were highly considered. These include validity, reliability, ethics, and rigor (Zikmund, 2003). Reliability of a research is its ability to demonstrate consistency in results; this was achieved through the control of sample by stratifying the population to get a more representative sample. On the other hand, validity is the ability of a scale to measure what it is intended to measure but not going beyond the topic of the study. The triangulation method was used to control this aspect in the thesis. Ethics involves adherence to the norms accepted in gathering of information and this has been ensured by providing secrecy on the information collected from the entrepreneurs. Lastly, the rigor of the research was directed toward efficient sample size in a critical facet in any investigation. The main purpose that a researcher utilizes a sample is to reduce the charges and to collect important data faster (Zikmund, 2003). ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT Human Rights Protection The people who were interviewed were assured of their confidentiality. In addition, the information gathered ensures the people’s privacy. The entrepreneurs and their businesses will have their rights protected. Research Schedule/Timeline This research took a period of eight weeks. This is considered an ideal timeframe given the busy schedule of some of the subjects who were to be interviewed and have granted appointments at later dates. A detailed summary of the work plan for the research has been tabulated below: Table 1: Work Plan Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Research proposal Preliminary literature review search Literature review and writing Interviews Case study collection Interview editing, coding and interpretation Report interpretation Report writing and presentation 34 ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 35 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS Research findings indicate that The Star Online is not yet well explored as regularly as The Star Daily print version. According to the survey, only 41% of the users of The Star Online read it daily, as opposed to the 60% who read The Daily Star daily. Chart 2 Seventy percent read The Star Online edition several times a week, while 80% read The Star Daily several times a week. Only 5% of online users say they never read a print version. Online newspapers are read less frequently and also for shorter periods than printed newspapers. Four out of five users (81%) spend less than an hour reading The Star Online on days when they read it. Only 35% of print readers spend such a short time on it. About one-third of the readers of both The Star Online and The Star Daily were unwilling to pin themselves down to a particular time of day for reading the paper. One in four (25%) said they read The Star Daily between 5 and 9 a. m. The main time for reading The Star Online is around 6 p. m. (38%)—this is the time preferred by users of the online edition, which can be read ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 36 on the evening before the printed version appears or which are updated several times in the course of the day. In The Star Online version, the classic sections of the newspaper are the most frequently used. The section Local News is also highly popular. One in three readers of the online version uses the archive frequently (32%) and only about one-third of users did not read the small ads (37%). Items with entertainment value or with feedback possibilities were not very popular. Clear differences emerged between the different kinds of versions, and this only shows that preferences are transferred from the print media to their online equivalents. Proof of this is the strong interest in Local/Regional Affairs of Internet users of local and regional newspapers or the importance attached to up-to-date information on politics and business matters. A number of questions dealt with the comparison of the information content of The Star Online compared with The Star Daily. Compared with the print version, the online newspaper was rated 45% of the respondents as providing more expanse of information, while only 30% voted in favor of the print version on this criterion; 20% rated both versions on this count. The smaller size of The Star Online compared with The Star Daily may be the reason that the print newspaper was rated by considerably more respondents as providing greater scope of information. Chart 3 ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 37 Regarding finding information in the paper, the position is more positive for The Star Online: 50% of users stated that they could find their way around just as well as in The Star Daily, while 20% were able to find their way around the online version better. With regard to entertainment value, 40% of users found The Star Online just as good as print version, 35% of users rated print version better and 27% favored online version. What about reader loyalty? About 65% would have chosen The Star Daily and just fewer than 30% would have preferred The Star Online, if only one of the versions had been available. The decision in favor of the print version was based on its portability, while the advantages of the online version were seen as being its accessibility from outside the normal circulation area and the avoidance of unwanted paper. The main advantage, however, in the eyes of the respondents was that online newspapers are normally provided free of charge. It is therefore not surprising that only 35% of users would be prepared to accept a charge. Out of these, 80% stated that they would only be willing to pay for online newspapers if they were cheaper than print newspapers. Only 1% of those users willing to accept a charge could imagine paying more for online newspapers. Apparently, then, users are not willing to pay for the advantages of online newspapers. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 38 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION The case study of Star Publications shows that online newspaper users base their activities and/or expectations on the print newspaper and use or design their product accordingly. The online user knows what to expect of a site as the online version retains the name of the printed version, use a similar layout, and similar contents. Moreover, the positive image of a paper can be transferred to the internet. On the other hand, too strong orientation toward the printed original could mean that the possibilities offered by internet technology are not fully exploited—that copy is simply lifted from the printed version. Given such trends toward the future consumption of newspapers, it is clear that online newspapers are steadily taking over the readership of print newspapers. This has the potential of influencing the choices of advertisement media, which entrepreneurs will be making regarding print newspapers or online newspapers. The concern for newspaper publishers would be about the timeframe for which their print newspaper audience would be big enough to justify such huge investment toward publication and distribution of print newspapers. Similar concern would be to entrepreneurs and businesses which still rely heavily on print newspaper for their advertisements. Are they likely to continue using print newspapers for their advertisements or the trend would most likely shift toward online newspapers? The introduction of charges for use seems scarcely possible—at least not as long as the same or similar information is available on the Internet free of charge. The doubts of the advertising industry may evaporate as the Internet becomes increasingly widespread and commonly used (Mutter, 2010). ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 39 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Major Conclusions It would be quite wrong and misleading to rule out the future of print newspapers as advertising media just because of the increased use of online advertising. The reality is that paid circulation newspapers like The Star and Sunday Star still remain very popular advertising media for both local and international businesses. Print newspapers are the most aged forms of mass media, and will thus continue to be dominant in this field, recording big volumes of advertising revenue. Multinationals and local convenience store will continue to depend on print newspapers for their advertisements. Print newspapers are found in each and every community worldwide and readers are very fond of them (Brassil, 2010). Both online and newsprint advertisement have their characteristics which show strong and weak points. This explains why despite the perceived decline in readership of print newspapers, a scan through a print newspaper will reveal a number of businesses that continue to place their advertisements on daily basis. The continued presence of advertisements on newsprint clearly indicates that it still works as a very effective advertisement medium. Although printed newspaper no longer enjoys exclusive monopoly as the predominant source of news, it is clear that they still remain a strong factor in their specific sphere of influence, and online advertisement is not about to edge it out (Brassil, 2010) Recommendations 1. Entrepreneurs should highly consider using both print and online newspapers for their advertisements since both have reasonable number of loyal readers. ONLINE AND NEWSPRINT ADVERTISEMENT 2. When placing advertisements on online newspapers, designers should avoid putting a lot of emphasis on feedbacks since readers rarely give them attention. 3. Advertisements on both versions of newspapers should be critically placed on segments that are frequented by readers so as to attract their attention with ease. 4. Links placed on online newspapers should be more easy to use so that readers can easily navigate through the paper. 5. Most advertisements that target younger persons should be preferably placed on online newspapers while those targeting older people should be placed on print versions.

The Medea by Euripides and The Aeneid by Virgil Essay Example for Free

The Medea by Euripides and The Aeneid by Virgil Essay In The Medea by Euripides and The Aeneid by Virgil the characters of Medea and Dido respond to desertion by their husbands, the individual they love most, in the form of a quarrel. Both characters go on to attempt to alleviate their pain via revenge. Their judgments and actions are impaired by each womans great eros and amor. Euripides and Virgil illustrate their vision of passion and love through the effects of Medea and Didos actions under the influence of these emotions. Both women could choose a healthier course for their pain by thinking rationally. Ultimately what matters is Medea is permitted to be distressed because she truly is abandoned by her husband, while Dido, on the other hand, is betrayed and destroyed by a lover she cons herself into believing is her husband. In response to the abandonment of their lovers, both Medea and Dido quarrel with their husband in an effort to sway him into altering his resolution. Medea attempts to make Jason leave his new bride and come back to her while Dido tries to influence Aeneas into staying with her. Each woman vents by launching their monologue with an introduction of insults. Although Medea straight forwardly calls Jason a coward in every way, Dido is more controlled and implies that Aeneas attempts to slip away in silence (Euripides, 465) (Virgil, IV.419). Throughout the remainder of the speeches, they attempt to get the men to bend to their wishes. The women use logic. Medea reminds Jason of the shame he will face as a result of having children wandering as beggars. Dido informs Aeneas of the bad weather he will encounter if he leaves now. Both women remind their lover of all they have sacrificed for him and everything they have not asked for in return. Medeas raging comments continue on about the broken marriage oath. Like Medea, Dido tries to force Aeneas to remain by her side because of the marriage that [they] entered on (Virgil, IV.432). Medea and Dido seem to end their side of the argument with final jabs at manhood of their husbands, but in her last breath, Dido asks for pity on her utterly bereft self (Virgil, IV.454). In the course of her speech Medea is seen as a very angry, vengeful woman while Dido is seen as desolate and pitiful. Both women, however, only want to be with the man they love. As a result of the abandonment of their husbands, both Medea and Dido hope  to quench their furor through revenge. Medea satisfies her thirst by killing four innocent victimsthose closest to Jason. Conversely, Dido constructs a funeral pyre that is a reconstruction of her life with Aeneas and throws herself upon it. Medea seeks revenge on others with the intention of mak[ing Jason] feel pain (Euripides, 1398). In hopes to extinguish her furor through her own demise, Dido stabs herself twice in the chest with the sword she gave to Aeneas; this way she says is a blessed relief to go into the undergloom (Virgil, IV.1048). Medeas rage ends with the satisfaction of innocent lives lost. Dido feels compelled to satisfy herself even further by hoping Aeneas painfully views the funeral pyre from his ship and by cursing Aeneas as well as her own people and all the children of their children (Virgil, IV.875). Ultimately, both women succeed in dousing the burning fury within. It is important to follow the paths these women select to satisfy their hurt because these paths are the result of both women allowing their eros and amor to cloud theirr judgment and influence her actions. While Medeas heart [is] on fire with passionate love for Jason and he returns her love, Medeas power and passion were enlisted for his aid (Euripides, 8). Didos love and passion for Aeneas overcome her passion for that of the city she founded. The moment either woman is betrayed, their passionate love for their husbands becomes passionate hate against them. Consequently, this is the motivation for Medeas bad judgment in her quest for revenge. Like Medea, Dido uses very bad judgment and so projects [are] broken off in Carthage (Virgil, IV.124). Both women refocus all of their eros and amor intended for the good of others to a single selfish purpose. Through Medea and Dido, two maddened lovers, both Euripides and Virgil illustrate their outlook on the effects of eros and amor (Virgil, IV.92). Both women allow their heart to rule, which brings trouble for many people. As a result of Medea following the wishes of her heart, she destroys or alienates her entire family. Because Dido uses her violent heart as a compass, Aeneas is almost derailed from his destiny (Euripides, 38). Aeneas is only back in line with destiny and the gods after he leaves to found Rome and begins to navigate with his head. Both Virgil and Euripides prove that  Medea and Dido create chaos as a result of allowing passion, not reason, to rule. Even in the midst of their turmoil it is feasible that Medea and Dido could choose to begin ruling with their minds and not their passion. Medea could kill Jason as a result of his hurtful act and not destroy four innocent people. If Dido truly loves Aeneas, she could risk going with him even if the consequences could be that she continues to be his mistress or that the Trojans tire of her and throw her overboard, as opposed to senselessly committing suicide. Medea could overcome her barbaric culture and allow Jason to live his life while she cares for her children as a loving mother should. Euripides and Virgil leave many options for both Medea and Dido if they can only get past the desires of their hearts and see past them to what is the superior good. Each development of Medea and Dido builds their similarities, but the crucial difference between the two wives in their justification for their actions and emotions is in the very foundation of their relationship with their husbands. Medea is married to Jason. She has gone through a marriage ceremony viewed by many and contested by none. Conversely, as Juno has intended, Dido misinterpreted the events which took place in the cave after the hunt. Virgil says she called it marriage. Thus, under that name, she hid her fault (Virgil, IV.237-238). Medea reacts to her betrayal atrociously. Although she kills the innocents, Euripides justifies the horrendous actions of Medea because she is married to Jason. He has left her for another woman. Because they had no commitment, Dido cannot justify her suicide and curse with the abandonment from a man she has an affair with and chooses to develop this affair into a liaison. Virgil does not specifically condemn Dido, but the tone of her commentary seems to put the blame on her. While Euripides Medea and Virgils Dido have similar reasons, reactions, and motivations, Medea is understood and Dido is just seen as bitter, vindictive, and pathetic.

The Tourism Authority Of Thailand License Tourism Essay

The Tourism Authority Of Thailand License Tourism Essay Background World Travel Services Limited, established in 1947, is Thailands oldest and largest travel agency. We have more than 500 employees and a fleet of more than 100 modern road vehicles. 80 qualified bilingual and multilingual guides speak fluent English, French, Spanish, German and Chinese. Company provides many daily coach tours and 2-6 days tours throughout the country such as River Kwai tours, Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Pattaya, Trang, Hua Hin/Cha-Am, and Chiang Mai and also including many special package tours to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam. The company has its own tour desks in leading hotels at all of Thailands main resorts: 23 hotels in Bangkok, 3 in Chiang Mai, 1 in Chiang Rai, 8 in Pattaya, 4 in Hua Hin/Cha-Am, 3 on Koh Samui and 4 in Phuket. In additional, the company also arranges booking for steamship companies, airlines and rail travel. Through its affiliate Air Transport Service Ltd, it acts as General Sales Agent for United Airlines. It is also a BSP/IATA agent. Vision To be the top of Travel Agent in Thailand Mission Improve the quality of transportations Having more connection with travel agent around the world. Expanding our tour desk to all leading hotel in Bangkok and some other in tourist destinations. Organization Chart SWOT Analysis Strengths Challenging of managing tourism business successfully Rapert and Wren, (1998) discussed about the challenges of managing tourism businesses successful, the company must provide satisfying experiences for tourists and guests while profiting their owners. During the past 60 years, World Travel Service is exists in tourism business which has proved itself about the successful in making business strategy and policy. One of those strategy is serving the guests with most standard service tour throughout the country, our tours are standard because the guests will have the program mentioned by our staff from the tour desks about what are they going to see on that particular tour and how many stop that the tour are going to make and they will know about the time that the tours will finish and what time they should be back at the hotels. The tour guides are not allowed to sell any other programs that doesnt mentioned on the tours. All above about standard service is related to Laws (2004) which mention as Standard Service Quality in tourism is ve ry important, The level of service which management team sets might be higher (or lowers) than the clients anticipation of service standards and the Quality Systems might not control services standards in ways which matter to clients . Quality of Staff GÓmez-Mejà ­a et al (2004) discuss on choosing the right person for a job can make a tremendous positive difference in productivity and customer satisfaction. Sharpley (2005) described selection is very important recruitment and selection procedures that identify potential employees who will not only have a natural disposition towards service provisions, but who will also fit in with and respond to the organizations service culture. So, these above 2 ideas are related to the way how World Travel Service selects and recruits their employees. Currently, most of tour guides graduated from Fine Art Department, Silapakorn University, who know information about Thailand very well. Some other graduated from abroad can speak English fluently which make our tour guides become one of the most standard tourist guides of the country. Focus on premium and luxury tour Eleri Jones and Claire Haven Tang (2005) explained that trend of the luxury market have been raising and it will become the most important part of tourism industry. Now, World Travel Service does their marketing strategy on high-end market which focused on premium and luxury tour by providing extravaganza trips around Thailand. And it is more valuable than mass tourism which having only quantity but no quality of customers. Weaknesses Centralized Management Pieniazek (2007) explained that power being consolidated at the top of the organization, risk is high if the top of the organization becomes incapable of leading the organization (death, illness, or massive organizational size causing a weak span of control) Employees also will feel less motivated to perform for the organization as they will not have an avenue for sharing their ideas on how to improve the organization. World Travel Service use Centralized Management style since their first operated in 1947 which continuously making decision by only one Thai owner of the company, Mr.Kusa Phunyarachun, 92 years old. In some urgent situation, owner cannot response immediately that why sometimes it can cause of failure and dissatisfaction. Old Building and Old Facility In hospitality industry such as hotel, travel agent, the geographical appearance is important. ICRA rating, (2009) discussed that the quality of companys property is directly effect to the image of business. Its not only to attract the customers, but also create the brand loyalty. The head office of World Travel Service has never been renovated since its first operation in 1947. Customer first impression can be impacted by the companys surrounding such as reception area, furniture style, decoration, parking area, Vehicle. Technology (E-Tourism) Galloway, Mochrie Deakins, (2004) discussed that online technologies within the tourism industry have significantly impacted on communications, transactions and relationships between the various industry operators and with the customers, as well as between regulators and operations. World Travel Service also doing the e-tourism such as web based technology, online reservation, etc. All of this are play the important role for e-business if the company can keep doing well, it will bring a lot of benefit to company. In the other hands, the company cannot handle to have the excellent operation system and updated website, the company will lost more gain. Opportunity Affordable Winter Travel Ideas to escape the Cold Christakos (2009) explained that many of tourists cant afford the luxury Hawaii or Bahamas vacation but if they want to relax and enjoy themselves while escaping the blustery winds of the north, there are plenty of things they can do. Thailand stays warm all year round, and it is most comfortable during the winter months. Its an increasingly popular destination for Australian and East Asian travelers who want both beautiful beaches and exciting modern cities like Bangkok, but there are often some very good deals for flights from the U.S. They dont come around every day, though, so you have to snatch them up when you find them. World Travel Service can gain profits from tourists who want to relax in Thailand. Thailand Rank Best VALUE FOR MONEY Thailand has again emerged as the worlds best brand in terms of value for money, according to the 2008 Country Brand Index (CBI), the third consecutive year it has won this accolade. Thailands ranking as the Best Country Brand for Value for Money was announced on 11 November, 2008, at the World Travel Market, the premier annual exhibition of the global travel trade. The same Brand Index also ranked Thailand third in the category of Friendly Locals and Authenticity. (International Public Relation Division Tourism Authority of Thailand, 2008). Thailand is the one of tourist attraction which is valuable for the money. This thing will make us become the favorite choice for the tourist who has limit money for their holiday. So that is show about how much Thailand tourism industry could lure on the customer come to visit and some of them might use the service from World Travel Service. Threat Global Warming is threatening Thailands climate The average of the worlds temperature increases and the serious natural disaster happens causing negatively effects on peoples health. The tourists are cancelled tours of World Travel Service because Thailand faces problems about natural disasters and disease problems such as depression, flood, H1N1 influenza and etc. Climate also influences environmental conditions that can deter tourists, including infectious diseases, wildfires, algal blooms, insect or waterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ borne pests (e.g. jellyfish), and extreme events such as hurricanes, floods or heat waves. It is also a crucial determinant of tourist decisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ making. Seasonal climate fluctuations at tourism destinations and at major outbound markets are key drivers of tourism demand at global and regional scales. Weather is an intrinsic component of the travel experience and also influences tourist spending and holiday satisfaction (UNWTO, UNEP and WMO 2008). Thailands political crisis Ten Kate (2010) emphasized the economic costs from a long-running crisis have so far been largely confined to the tourism industry, consumer sentiment is declining and businesses are hurting. The crisis was hitting confidence, tourism, private consumption and investment. The United States, Britain, Australia, Japan and other countries have warned citizens to reconsider travel plans to Bangkok. World Travel Service is mostly focusing on the foreigner tourist so the company also hitting by this situation. The customers booking for this year is very different to last year. Many tourists cancelled flights, hotels, car rental bookings and other tourism activities. This resulted in another two quarters of a quiet period for Thai tourism. Ryu, S. JR. (2005) explained that political instability can increase the perception of risk at a destination and generates negative publicity, which results in an inevitable decrease in tourist arrivals. Risk perception can influence tourist decision-makin g and destinations can be severely affected. High Fuel Prices Affect Tourism The fuel price is increasing, so its effect to all industries. World Travel Service is directly affected by fuel price because all activities of company use the vehicle for transportation. The raising of fuel price increases the cost of the company but they could only slightly put on the price of their product. So they have to prepare themselves for handle this thing. Hupp (2008) explained that hotels, cruises, airlines, travel agent and others in the travel industry are affected negatively by high oil prices because transportation costs are higher, and consumers are spending less because of stress on their budgets. Recommendations Update company website. The web site of WTS is far more out of date, The Company have been operate as the largest and oldest travel agency of Thailand but somehow about the company profiles is only four paragraph long which some time make to company not gain more trusts from the customer. Therere many things that we can put on the website such as pictures from the past until present, which transportations they were used from the past to now and also the number of tourist who using the company service. As now E-tourism is very popular, people would like to search from the internet about the company and price and the tour programs before they make a decision to buying it. So its very necessary to develop the company website immediately. Mason (2008) explained that information about tourism product is vital to assist the consumer in making choice. Electronic forms of messages about tourism products have certain advantages over printed source. Electronic forms can be more up-to-date and hence topical, they can be more visual and in relation to computerized systems. Increasingly, consumers are using internet sites for planning, searching, reserving and purchasing tourism products. Improve more facilities in Guest Lobby Area. The facilities around the reception area are very poor, for example the chairs are not nice and uncomfortable and there is only one sofa for guests to sit. Those who come early grab a good seat and for those who came late sometime have to sit outside or seat on a small chairs which is not suitable for our guests who actually have a large body. Also for our guests who spend over 2,000 baht for a full day tour and around 1,000 baht for a half day tour, this is expensive and I think the guests are looking forward to have a best of their time in Thailand by taking the tours with us started from a first minute when they arrived until the end of the tour. ICRA rating, (2009) discussed that the quality of companys property is directly effect to the image of business. Its not only to attract the customers, but also create the brand loyalty. The improvement of transportation The company should improve their fleets to catch up with trend in order to stay as a leading travel agency of Thailand from example the number of the company fleets is about 100, and half of that includes the previous series of Toyota Camry and Mercedes Benz bus are very old. Especially for the bus that have been using for over 20years old, many times it has break down while using on the tours. This is a big problem for us to solve this problems such as finding a local taxi in order to bring the guests to the closest destination to wait for other transportation that come from Bangkok to pick the guests. This process takes long time for everyone and of cause causing dissatisfy to the guests that they have to be waiting for so long which after all affect our company brand. Lamp and Davidson (1996) emphasized that the purchaser of tourism product must experience the trip to access the product, the quality of the transportation experience becomes an important aspect of the tourist experi ence and, therefore a key criterion that enters into destination choice.